I love my M1. It’s a wonderful all-round light, with a simple UI and a decent runtime with an 18650. It’s also cheap, well built and has a fantastic mix of throw and flood.
However, l’m not a great fan of tail switches, and would love any recommendations for something extremely similar in price, runtime and beam, but with a side switch. Anything spring to mind?
What emitter do you have in there? I ask because an M1 with a domed XML2 or XPL will have a similar beam to a more narrow S2-sized light with a domeless XPL HI. This might increase your options. Though there probably is an inexpensive M1-sized light with a side switch, I just can’t think of one right now.
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Hi EasyB, it’s a XM-L2 U2-1A. I don’t mind the colour, and love the mix of flood and throw. Just would like to find this in a side switch light.
Oh and keep it to the same size, or even smaller if possible. And if it is something that can also take a 18350 tube even better, but that is not a necessary requirement.
Look at the emisar D1. It will have a bit more narrow beam and more throw than your M1, but it is very compact and can use an 18350 tube. Looks like the head diameters of the lights are the same, 35mm.
A tube light like the eagle eye X2R, if it came with an XPL HI, would have a similar beam to your M1 and be more compact.
Lumintop sd mini?
A D1 is my next purchase anyway, and I had a hunch that they would be close. I’ll order that then anyway and see how it compares.
Thank you, EasyB!
Interesting suggestion, yasenf - thank you. What are the runtimes like?
There’s been a rash of decent and inexpensive e-switch lights lately like the TK15 and SP32. A tad smaller than the M1 but still nice.
Either of those have a similar output to the M1, gchart? Beamwise and runtime?
Similar lumens and probably runtime, but throw is lower. The reflector is smaller, so less throw. They do have models (like the SP36) with a similar sized reflector, but they’re not e-switch unfortunately. 
Sofirn SP33? It is a 26650 light, but a 18650 works fine. ~1000lm, max. Reflector diameter is similar to the M1, not sure about the depth.
Reflector depth is about the same (M1: 23 mm, SP33: 24 mm). I really like my SP33 but the 26650 gives it a totally different grip.
What’s the beam like on the SP33, guys?
Ha - okay, I guessed I asked for that. Do you have a link to a beam shot by any chance?
Ha - okay, I guessed I asked for that. Do you have a link to a beam shot by any chance?
Tochi claims his SP33 photos are real. Just with the best exposure for the dramatic effect.
I was looking in Bluzie’s 1000 beamshots thread but he made an extra one for seven Sofirn lights, including the SP33.
BTW The internal translation of Chrome works better than Google on forum threads.
Thanks for that, TBone 
