Just as the title says:
Whats the brightest single cell 18650 light running the XHP70.2?
I am aware of these;
Nitecore TM03
Jetbeam TH20
and there are MANY 26650 offerings. I have the Imalent DN70 and it’s OK but poor runtime and gets hot/steps down fast. I am leaning to the Thrunite TC20 or Klarus G20L but lets stay on topic and back to 18650 lights.
I’m sure there are lights I am unaware of.
Probably the Acebeam L30. It comes with a 20700, but works with an 18650 too.
Brightest on single 18650? Emisar D4- 4300 lumen. But steps down very quick as short as 30 seconds.
XHP70.2? well TM03 is XHP70 unless they updated it without me knowing… It will be brighter than TH20 according to some reviews I’ve seen
I just purchased a Jetbeam TH20 from Andrew and Amanda. The battery marked “HR26” on the wrapper is the same length as an unprotected 18650 cell, with the only difference that the HR26 has a button-top that makes it very slightly longer overall than a flat-top.
What does this make me think?
This makes me believe that the Jetbeam TH20 can take any 18650 cell including the Orbtronic Unprotected 30A-40A 3120mAh. That is awesome.
Charles Bridgtec also reports in his review video that the flat top 18650 works also. I have not tried this. The only thing I have done so far is to take the OEM HR26 battery out of the tube and compared it against my flat top 18650 battery. I was expecting it to be much longer due to expecting it to be a protected cell. I found that it is the same length as an unprotected cell, but with a button top.
I thought that it is important for me to report. It also makes me very happy and excited because it means that I can run any cell including the Sony VTC5A. But please note: I have not tried this nor started using the flashlight yet. My only factual report is that the length of the OEM HR26 cell is the same as an unprotected 18650 but with a button top.
Hope this helps.
the4ds9;
I haven’t yet tried the new Orbtronic Unprotected 30A-40A. I have many high drain lights that could benefit like the Emissar D4 and Nitecore ec23. How long have you been running them and how do they do? Are you aware of any tests?
30seconds ? nichia or xpl version?
That Orbtronic battery sounds a whole lot like a rewrapped Sony VTC6.
The Acebeam L30 is 3900 lumens at 30 seconds. That’s more than the D4, as all versions start to thermal throttle before that given a high-drain battery.
I have the D4 XP-L version. I’ve seen tests well over 4,000 lumen but it gets very hot very fast. Stepdown with a fresh SonyVTC6 cell is right at 40 seconds. It’s very cool light but only in short bursts.
You are worried about too hot and poor run time and ask this question? The two go hand in hand with what you are asking.
Pretty easy to make a Convoy M1 with 2x 18350 that can do 5,000lm with a XHP70.2 (with terrible run time and very hot of course 
)
Just cet yourself an Acebeam L30.
Can easily sustain 3500+lumens even with a depleted cell.