Good news! Found SK-68 and other budget lights from US eBay seller for decent prices!

This guy is in NY and sell the Sipik SK68 clones as well as Ultrafire C8 and others. Pretty good prices too! Good mix of Buy It Now and auction style listings.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/campingsurvivals/m.html?_nkw=flashlight&_sacat=0&_odkw=q5&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313

I already have an SK68 from TomTop, but I think I might pick up another one from this guy to compare as well as one of the XR-E C8s that he sells for $11 shipped.

Thanks for sharing! I might need a US source since my Tomtops aren’t showing up.
-Garry

Good find. $9 shipped for the Sipik clone. Are the clones comparable to the real thing?

I´d sau pretty much yes.

Have hadém Sipik-labeled, UltraOk, no-label, Ultrafire etc. IMO no big issues with any of them.

No DOA´s so far even though been ordering tens of them.

I submitted a best offer of $7.00 to the US ebay seller campingsurvivals (see link in first post for more from him) for an sk-68 clone. He counteroffered $8.59 and I accepted it, I love my TomTop SK-68 so much that if this one is the same its well worth the $8.59 shipped price, especially since its a US seller.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190624286819&ssPageName=ADME:B:EOIBSA:US:1123

I finally have 2 Sipik SK-68 clones!!! Just arrived! These are my first of these. Look really nice, zoom feels smooth (maybe a bit "loose" as it feels like it would move easily if knocked). Build quailty is decent for a light this price. I'm at work and don't have batteries or a meter to test with. I bought 2 silver ones.

-Garry

(Watch my Tomtops show up now!)

Where from, Garry? And are they one or three mode?

I ordered from Ebay seller "campingsurvivals" linked in the O.P. Mine are single mode (well I haven't put a battery in and tested, but that's what I ordered).

-Garry

They were listed as Q5 or Q3 when you bought them?

My listing said "Q5 250 Lumen".

BTW Moto - why is the image in your signature so humongous now? And we also seem to be following each other around in these threads, do you notice that?

-Garry

My tailcap current measures 2.55A! That’s on a cheap Harbor Freight 2000mAh NiMh cell. That’s awful high isn’t it? I really like the amount of flood this light has!
-Garry

My sig looks normal, is it big on your screen?

Yes we seem to have the same taste in lights, too bad we didn't live a little closer we could meet up and compare.

2.55A seems VERY high, something not right about that. My TomTop one reads 1.3A with a fresh AA alkaline, and 1.7 or 1.8A with a freshly charged 14500.

Do you have any 14500s?

Nice little lights though aren't they?

My SK-68 from Camping Survivals shipped yesterday, along with the two that I ordered from China.

Looks like you removed your signature now. I'm surprised my cheap NiMh can handle that amount of current! I'll have to test it later on an alkaline. I do have some 14500 TF flames that I haven't charged up yet (just received).

I do like the light, but I am boggled why it seems to be "the light everyone must buy".

BTW Moto, where are you in Maine? I've been to Maine four times in the past,last time was +/- summer 1998 on a trip to Acadia Nat'l park. Lubec, ME used to be a favorite spot to visit. We used to always stop in a local restaurant which I think was called "Uncle Kippy's".

-Garry

Ok, checked tailcap current again. 2.62A on the same cheap Harbor Freight NiMh cell, about 2.6A on a cheap Rayovac LSD NiMh (+/-1400mAh), and 2.52A on a fresh new alkaline! I am also getting nearly the same readings on the second light I received! No ill effects to the LED (yet). I haven't left it on for more than about 1 to 2 minutes though.

I didn't think these currents would be possible with a single AA and esp. an alkaline! The meter seems to be ok, and I am using homemade test leads made from 12AWG wire. The same meter setup is showing 3.0A on my KD C8 and 1.66A on my XP-G R5 that I put a 1.4A driver into.

-Garry

that is really odd

I can confirm that the "el cheapo" flashlight does work with this "campingsurvivals" silver clone to give 2AA ability. I do notice a pretty good increase in brightness with 2AA's. Not too pretty since I ordered a silver Sipik clone and the "el cheapo" is black!

-Garry

What’s the el cheapo? I just bought a black sipik clone from camping survivals as well and I am impressed. It is my first sipik clone but I love the flood and ability to instantly have a thrower. Tails stands, deep carry pocket clip, runs on AAs or 14500s. Super bright and compact. What’s not to like? I got mine for $7 shipped so I am even more happy.

Speedsix, see my link above. In another thread this "el cheapo" was shown to act as an "extension" for 2 AA usage. It's only $3.86 with free shipping, so I'd say just get one.

-Garry

Never mind I just noticed the hyperlink.

I got my CampingSurvivals SK-68 clone yesterday. I got a black one from them, and I like my TomTop one better. Fit and finish is a little better on the tomtop one, but the thing I hate about the Campingsurvivals one is it doesn't tailstand. Well, let me re-state that. It tailstands when its OFF, not ON. How stupid is that!!