Looking for a 3x XM-L or greater light

Well, I already have a JetBeam BC40 and am looking for a 3x XM-L light more for fun than for any real usage. I work for Cree and it is kindof fun to have super bright lights that I can say I "helped" make, lol. I have seen the Sky Ray, Unique/Trust/Ultra/Fandy Fire models as well as the DRY light. I just don't know what to pick up. I kind of like the form-factor of the BC40, long tube with big head as opposed to a squatty fat light like the SR King or the DRY, however if a squatty fat model is jut that much better than the other style I have no problem buying one of those either. Anyway, any help is appreciated.

Why settle for 3 emitters? Get the 5x XM-L TR-J12 instead? $75 here... Cool

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/trustfire-trj12-cree-xml-t6-5led-4500lumen-5mode-memory-flashlight-black-aluminum-alloy-finish-326650318650-p-8845

That’s why I said 3 or greater

My next question, is it any good because on other forums the ****Fires have very bad reps, no one thinks they're really any good.

Welcome to BLF !!!

You work for CREE ? That is awesome. Are there any new LEDs coming soon ?

I don’t know what any final products may be, I don’t see that part of it, lol.

I have TF J12 5xT6 and UniqueFire 3xT6 lights both. J12 is a beast to have, though you really need 26650 cells if you plan to use it with two cells. UniqueFire has a gripper handle with thicker walls and stronger body than J12. Not that J12 isn’t well built but because it just isn’t as meaty. 3xT6 is a nice all round light to have and use. The low and mid settings are enough for any job while the high mode still has something to give over these. The first moment I tried 3x and 5x XML side by side my eyes couldn’t see a great difference, but of course J12 was the one with the stronger punch and a better runtime due to its battery setup, and it has a holster too.
I wouldn’t but a regular TR-1200 type body 3x XML light though. I don’t regret having either of my UniqueFire or my J12, but still I use j12 more because it can tail stand while I wax my car in a dark garage. Oh, and I have a BC40 too. It is one great light to have.

The BC40 is an awesome light, good mix of flood to throw and just all around nice. I wouldn’t mind something with similar throw but just more overall output which with 3x XM-L you should have, lol.

TR-J12 only 70 bucks shipped at lightmalls! Think just dropped in price.

http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-tr-j12-5xt6-5-cree-xml-t6-4500-lumen-5-mode-memory-led-flashlight-2-22650-3-22650-2-18650-3-18650

Good seller, very courteous. Shipped my UF-3900 within 2 days. Bro FX-32 just got his SKy Ray King and he had a positive experience there as well. Impt thing is that you can email him and say that you are from BLF, and ask him to select a good copy for you. My UF-3900 is flawless (well ok...1 x 0.5mm nick on the body but that's it).

** From my experience on the shipping label, he is not Drop shipping <- big difference.

How do I contact him? Would be nice to have him hand pick the light for me :slight_smile:

My other thought is to wait for the Xtar S1, if that is in this price range.

Direct Reflecting .

Great sound .

Welcome .

Actually when compared to real speakers Bose sound like crap, but I have been using this handle for ~12 years now so not going to change.

bose:

I have the UniqueFire 3900 3x XM-L T6 that kokopelli and 2100 referred to. It's a beautiful light, puts out a wall of light and good BLF price @ $55.95 at Manafont, might be cheaper elsewhere. It does require some heatsink wrapping however, as the emitter is a drop-in, except where it screws into the bezel. 2100 did a nice review here.

Ok, looking at the Dry both http://www.intl-outdoor.com/dry-xml-t6-2500-lumens-18650-flashlight-p-215.html and http://www.cnqualitygoods.com/goods.php?id=1177 the Sky Ray King or whatever brand is cheapest of it. Also the 3900, the TR-J12 and the UltraFire T70, of those what is best? I am thinking Dry with turbo mode from intl-outdoors but not sure.

I guess I should have said , " Great sound for it's day ."

Welcome!

I only own the DRY so I can't be much of a reference, however, I'd still recommend it. You can hardly beat the output and it seems durable enough. The thing about the DRY is you won't really find any bad experiences relating to failure. There are plenty of them out there now and they seem to be performing as advertised. I like what SkyRay has attempted with the KING but I'm still worried about its durability (e.g. previous SkyRay triple XM-L). Also, the poor PWM and and switch UI (cycling through modes to turn off) have me waiting to snatch one up. It looks fantastic though and I love the parallel battery format.

I also own only the Dry, and I like it a lot. No big complaints, but some things I would wish for if I were to buy another similar light are:

- a throwier beam at the expense of some spill, but still a big spot and very smooth transition between spot and spill.

- grippier body

- some regulation/flatter output curve

- ability to run on highest mode indefinitely at 15C ambient

- rotating mode selector ring

- a lower Low mode available

Various existing lights do some or all of the above. The light that comes closest is I think the Jetbeam RRT-3 3x XM-L, but that light is too expensive for me. The Xtar S1 seems good too, although it's kind of big. The SkyRay King's side switch would be almost as good as a rotating ring to me, but 2 modes is a deal-breaker for me.

The JetBeam RRT-3 is my dream 3x XM-L light, but at >$300 it's not in my dream price range, lol. I am still debating between these lights but think the King is out, between the 2 DRY variants, the 3900, the TR-J12 and teh T70, hard to choose, lol. I am also considering going the opposite route of cheap 3x XM-L and get a ZebraLight SC600w because it is floodier than the BC40 and small and warm white.

I recommend a light with really good throw. Keep in mind that brightness that we humans see is not exactly directly correlated to lumens.

A 2200 lumen light may not look THAT much brighter than the BC40s 900ish. You may be disappointed if you spend a good deal of cash just for brightness.

For me, the TK70 was most impressive because of its huge throw. I had nothing else like it, even though the brightness looked only twice as bright as my 600ish lumen MC-E type lights.

Just something to keep in mind.

Ok, if I were to day I wanted to order right now and the options were:

1. DRY from intl outdoors with 5 mode, NW with turbo

2. DRY from CNQG NW

3. Xtar S1

4. UniqueFire 3900

5. TrustFire TR-J12

6. TrustFire T70

What would you guys order?

I was about to say that it totally depends on what you plan to use the light for, but then I noticed you said "fun".

So then it depends on what you consider fun. Do you get your kicks turning on a 2000-lumen flashlight inside a dark restaurant, or shining the beam through your distant neighbours' (or enemies') windows, or lighting up treetops, or lighting up football fields, or showing your flashlight to friends and watching their reactions, or... ?

My super-short summaries of the lights in your list that I have myself researched a bit:

1. DRY from intl outdoors with 5 mode, NW with turbo
Lotsa flood. Gets stinkin' hot on Turbo.
(are you sure it's a 5-mode? I thought the Dry only came as a 3- or 4-mode)

2. DRY from CNQG NW
(I bought mine here)

3. Xtar S1
Narrower beam. 2nd-throwiest 3x XM-L after the TK70. Heavy. Big head. Not overly long though. Doesn't get stinkin' hot. Rotating selector ring.

5. TrustFire TR-J12
Lotsa flood (the most out of this group?). Pretty long battery tube.

6. TrustFire T70
I've only read briefly about this light but it seems quite good, as long as reliability is good. Throwier than the Dry, but not nearly as throwy as the S1 or TK70. Just a little bigger than the Dry. Doesn't get as stinkin' hot as the Dry.

I want a light that's the size/shape of the Dry or T70, with a selector ring, a throwy beam with a large spot and good spill, produces at least 2200 lm OTF, and doesn't overheat, at a price around $75 US. :)

Oh, nobody has mentioned the Thrunite 3x XM-L yet. I've only read about it very briefly, but it has a selector ring and has a form factor similar to the Dry and T70.