lumintop fw3 series . opinions

hi guys

ok so i was originally convoy mad i love convoys, its a super basic light and works super, press and go ,simple!

but now ive gone all lumintop fw series mad
the form of the fw3 i really love, the stainless steel version is a perfect weight ,perfect size , and the driver/firmware/OS is brilliant in my eyes,

i use my SS fw3 everyday and its my pocket whore

ive got a aluminium fw3 Nichia, a stainless steel 6000k things forgot the led ,maybe xlp hi or something
ive got a fw1 pro
ive got a fw3 copper on its journey to me
and a fw21 pro also on its journey to me

but the stainless steel one is my every day user, im my “manbag” i carry my fw3 alu and fw1 pro, and use if the battery runs out on the SS version, i also use the fw3 nichia if i need to see inside the machines at work, a bettter rendidtion of the material im runnings colour , if there are any bits of shit or dust or something there

do i need any more lights, i really dont want to be changing companys , i just dont feel anything else right now, but tempt me

i looked at noctigon (forgot the model ) dv4 or something with the aux leds, but its different!

every lumintop ive had, has had not one problem ever, but i dont count opening and reseating and cleaning the inner tube as a problem

i used to unscrew the tail cap as a mech lock out, but ive learnt that 4 taps = momentry mode low, so this is perfect for not burning my leg off

now my flashlights might last a bit longer and i wont damage the inner tube!

just showing a bit of love for lumintop!

but tempt me into something same style same size same price range as the fw series,

I’m in a similar boat ! I love my Fw3a lights sadly I don’t have the SS or other material versions BUT I do have the Fw3a in all colors…… I would venture to say I prefer the noctigon KR4 but sadly cant compare the two yet…. the mail service to Canada is moving at a snails pace….

I am happy to say here and now, again, that I really like the FW series. I was late to jump on the FW3 bandwagon, and shortly after that I grabbed an FW4 quad W2 that I really like, and my three FW 21 Pro just arrived three days ago. I just gave one of them to a friend a couple hours ago, and he is thrilled with it. So far, all aluminum for me. I like the power to size ratio, and I like the rear electronic switch and I like their FW-ness.

Sounds like you are quite the fan of the FW series. Sounds like you already have yourself convinced that they are above all other lights.

It a nice enough light. I have had quite a few. Gave most of them away. I kept one though. It’s not a light I carry at all. The tail switch is to easy to accidentally activate. That is the one and only problem I have with that light. It keeps it out of my pocket and solely used around the house. I know it has a lockout function but, it’s a minimum it’s a minimum 5 presses just to get the light back on to a reasonable level. The two modes while you are in lockout are useful to me for sneaking around the house or bedroom at night. For any real amount of light it’s going to be quite a few button presses. Not well suited for a EDC light.

I may be in the minority who feel this way but, if you spend more time hunting walls than putting the light to real work, you probably wouldn’t notice. I like lights that I can get into the highest mode and the lowest mode with two clicks or less.

I carry mostly Zebralights. SC52w, SC64c and an older SC600 III. The 600 fits my hand much better so it gets lots of carry but, no other light spends more time in my pocket than the DQG Tiny 18650. Though I have been carrying the Thruite T1 since I got it. Cool little light. Ramping with shortcuts to moon and turbo. The tint shifts were crazy but that isn’t anything DCFix can’t, well, fix.

Be more open to other lights. No they aren’t all going to be like the FW’s nor should they be. If every light was the same it would just be one company cranking out the lights one after another. I like dead simple lights. I don’t like having to remember how many button presses to get a light to perform a certain task. It’s just not my thing.

Keep an eye out on eBay, some decent used ZL’s come up for sale once in a while. Some folks try and get crazy prices for them like the guys on eBay selling Smini batons for $200 and up. I have a drawer full of them but, I would never try and take money like that if I ever had to sell them. They were only about $60 or $70 brand new. Oh well. I find them once in a while for sale with decent prices.

Anyway, enjoy, try out some different lights with different UI’s. It’s fun t mix it up.

Oh yeah, I’ll buy any Smini Batons that are sitting around collecting dust. :smiley:

Unno, can’t really say much about the FWs ’cause I don’t have any. Not a fan of dual-tube designs in general, and the little doodad going projectile if you undo the tailcap was kind of a turnoff, too, but I know a lot of people are gaga over ’em.

That said, Sofirn/Wurkkos have some great lights, as does Nightcore (albeit pricier), and I’m really digging my first Skilhunt.

You want one? I may have a spare around here.

Naw, I couldn’t. Appreciate the offer, though. :slight_smile:

my favorite light of all time

for my own reasons

i think others will disappoint, personally

wle

The button is in the wrong position for me, so my choice for a small 18650 was the D4V2.

I’d go as far to say the KR4 is a league above the FW3A.

You should try the quick, cheap and effective o-ring mod for the tail switch. It works great. No more accidental activations. Great light that I almost always have with me.

But I do enjoy other lights too!

I have a handful of FWXs. I had to work on each to get it to work properly. Just like LuminTop, I couldn’t be bothered to update the software (firmware), but I had to correct every physical problem mentioned in this long thread.

I coworker liked my grey FW3A enough to have work get one for use as an illumination tool. I must say, the fit and finish of that one is superior to mine and is even serialized. And, after a week, there were no issues from right out of the box. This includes Muggle Mode. Which helps me believe the SW (FW) has finally been updateded.

Hope this is a continuing trend with LT.

What’s the o-ring mod?

I will swap ya a FW3A, blue with SST-20’s at 4000 for your SC5w.

Sorry to hijack the thread. I will take the rest to messaging. :zipper_mouth_face:

I haven’t tried that. I have a add on to the tailcap that pinkpanda3310 was nice enough to send me. It works pretty good. I really think that I was so disappointed with the light that it left a bad taste in my mouth for it. I’ve had 5 or 6 of them and gave them all away. I have a few left but they are going to find new homes one way or the other.

Thank you for the tip. I will remember that for sure.

From Martin M4D M4X Rathmanner on YouTube

For the switch mod, many on BLF and CPF use the largest easily available rubber o-ring in place of Martin’s coil of wire.

I dont own a FWXX, but the quality of the Noctigon KR4 is supurb.
Very happy with it.

KR4 is good (love the switch tube spring, something FW3 sorely needs) but it’s so big. FW3A fits in my pocket so much better. The last two I bought (brass and copper) worked perfectly out of the box, well put together and lubed threads. So I agree there is hope for Lumintop yet. The upcoming buck-boost driver will sweeten the FW3 deal even further.

I’ve been quite impressed with my FW3A, although the 5000k tint (XP-L HI 3D) doesn’t exactly thrill me. Output is definitely something, though! And, I love the silent electronic switch and Anduril interface.

Today, I received a Noctigon KR4 with four SST-20 3000k 95 CRI emitters and, I am BEYOND thrilled with it!

Yes, it’s a bit bulkier than the FW3A, but that’s not a big deal to me. Neither are EDC pocket lights for me, I just use them around the house and property, so small size and light weight are not important to me with these lights. (My EDC pocket light is an EagleTac D25C twisty, which is quite potent, compact, and light weight.)

Anyway, if I knew then what I know now… I’d have gone straight to the Noctigon KR4 SST-20 3000k light, in a heartbeat.

Now, I’m considering new emitters for my FW3A. I’m sure that once I get some 3000k high CRI emitters in my FW3A, it will be an awesome around the house & property light for me.

Yeah… the KR4 is a suite piece of candlepower! BIG thumbs up for Hank Wang and Intl-Outdoor!