Samsung 18650-30Q are often for 12.99$ with coupon
or Sony VTC6 for 16.99$
Convoy S2+ desert tan below 20$
Convoy C8 XPL HI around 20$
Jetbeam Jet-1 MK 12.99$ coupon
Keeppower or e-fest 14500 protected
Headlamp
Skilhunt H03 25.99$ coupon
Nitecore HC60 36.99$ with coupon
BLF Q8 48$
Astrolux MF01 78$ coupon
Astrolux S41
Nitecore TIP CRI 217 or Tini with coupon 20-30$
none of the following lights are your typical Low CRI 6000k Cool White
they are all High CRI 4000k
18650 option… read review: JAXMAN E2 Nichia this light also has an 18350 option (this light offers a choice of either 4000k or 5700k, both high CRI) It uses PWM, which gives it a demerit in my snobby view
“Light” Pocket carry,
AAA Lumintop Tool w Nichia, the Titanium version is most pocket friendly read review
AA… this Zebralight read a review of a similar Zebra
16340 Olight S1 Mini High CRI definitely read this review
keychain USB rechargeable: Manker Lad w Nichia
Notes and suggestions
Storing Lights with LiIon cells in a hot car may not be wise, but there are plenty of cheap Cool White, Low CRI 18650 options.
Eneloop AAA and AA are Fun, for me. Imo AA Eneloop is a candidate for car storage, thought disposable Ultimate Lithium are better.
Using unprotected lights with unprotected cells may not be wise
For lights that do NOT have built in low voltage protection, use protected cells
Buy lights that have a way to let you know when the battery is getting low, so you don’t have to take the cells out and use a meter on them repeatedly and unnecessarily.
What I carry most
the range of color they offer me (two on left are modified)
Can’t really go wrong with a convoy S2+.
For headlamp, have a look at skilhunt H03, coupons always available somewhere to bring the price down to around $30.
Lumintop tool is a nice AAA light with a satisfying tail clicks (well, more satisfying than the practical twisty switch most AAA lights use)
If another batch is ever made, the BLF-348 is really nice for the money.
Fun-wise, Emisar D4 is pretty rediculous for size:output, comes in multiple “flavours” of LED so you’ll have to make a choice! Puts out a floody beam. I don’t routinely carry mine as I find the side switch is a bit too easy to press, it’s more of a “take if you know it’s going to be dark” kind of light.
TN42 is also a fun one, throws a beam of light rediculously far, Astrolux M02 might give it a run for itsoney, cost wise, but I’ve not looked at any of the reviews.
Bought a loudspeaker once that came with a brick inside the cabinet. I appreciate the heads-up about batteries. I’ll stick to names that are known for reliability & service.
I’ve seen the recs for things like the Q8 and such, but for a good light for a “beginner”, I can recommend a few things.
Boruit RJ02 headlamp — Hands-down the most useful light I have for “doing stuff”, whether it’s grubbling around in bags or a cabinet, when you don’t give much thought to holding the light with one hand and grubbling around one-handed with the other. Having both hands free is a breath of freedom you can’t appreciate until you experience it, and then you’ll NEVER want to go back. They’re <10bux each, so get 4-5 of ’em. Seriously. Built-in charger, so all you need is a usb cable and you’ll never even have to open it up.
Convoy S2+ tubelight — General purpose almost-do-anything light. Get some 20mm TIR lenses which’ll just drop-in and replace the reflector, no soldering or anything needed, and you’ll be able to go from spot to flood in whatever increments you want. Get a few of those to play with, a 6×7135 and the LED with the 4C tint. You’ll thank me later.
Convoy C8 or variant, eg, the Sofirn C8F — No collection is complete without a mini-thrower like the C8, period. All the C8 variants, that’s a thread in itself. The new Sofirn I mentioned with the side-switch kicks ass.
Jetbeam Jet-I, Sofirn SP10B, for AA/14500 lights — if you want a pockettable EDC light, either of these will do nicely, a twisty like the Jetbeam or side-clicky like the Sofirn. The Jetbeam automatically locks out when you untwist it (duh), and the Sofirn has an electronic lockout, or just untwist the end-cap a half-turn or so.
I happen to EDC a nice simple 1-mode ’502 (Ultrafire WF-502B), a dinosaur in today’s flashlight world, but I like drop-ins and being able to throw a new one together in one sitting if I want to. Forgot where I left off trying to use a 26mm TIR lens instead of a reflector, but that would be awesome…
Then, after all that, yeah, if you want to piss away some bux, get gee-whizzums lights like the Q8 and such. Nothing wrong with Q8s, as I got 2 of ’em, but they’re Special Purpose lights that’ll otherwise end up being shelf-queens like my L2s and such. You’re not gonna carry one around in your bag, let alone on your person, so… why?
One of my faves, ’though of course no longer available, is the Sofirn SF31W, in warrrrrrm-white. Wonnnnnnderful. Beautiful beam, great color, nice UI, quickly became my go-to light at home, especially at night.
Gimme. :smiling_imp:
What he said…
Seriously.
Thanks! Good list and overlaps with some others, which is a good sign.
Interesting! I like your EDC lights. At this point photos of beams make me uncertain of what I’m going to like, but it is really helpful to see what others use after trying many different lights.
Thanks.
You raise an excellent point. When I start looking at each light, I’m sure I’m going to lean toward lights I can imagine actually using. But, a couple of shelf-queens…maybe just a couple. :cowboy_hat_face:
Lightbringer, can you give me some more info on what the TIR lens is, and where to get it? I'm only familiar with the orange peel reflector (for the S2+) sold at Aliepxress.
Terry
A practical post just to counter everyone else on here and be a bummer:
You probably shouldn’t spend $300 on flashlights, especially since you don’t plan to do anything outdoors. Hell, a $6.50 bojuit headlamp would be fine. (Though an upgrade to the skilhunt h03 would probably be better).
HAVE to spend $300? I’d aim for variety but still not blow a ton of money.
Buy:
- Charger (home): Miboxer C4-12 for speed or Folomov A4 if you want cheaper. Even liitokala 500. $20-$30ish
- Charger (portable): Liitokala 100 for ~ $2-$3
- Batteries: (2) NCR18650GA for capacity, (2) Sony VTC6 for more power (~$6/battery)
- Headlamp: Skilhunt H03 still. Not worth the extra for zebralight. $25
Optional:
- Handheld: Emisar D4 ($40) or BLF A6 ($25). For high power.
- Throwy: Sofirn C8T ($18) or splurge on Emisar D1S ($40)
Notice that these are nearly 18650 lights. That’s because I think in most use cases they just make a lot more sense than AA. Headlamp/hiking? The h03 is super light and AA models like the Thrunite Th20 are mere ounces lighter. Handheld for home? No reason to be small. Same for throwy. Only an EDC I’d say justifies AA or AAA if you are pocketing it.
Typical battery capacity/weight ratio:
3500mAH 18650 / 47g = 75mAH/g
2550mAH eneloop pro / 30g = 85mAH/g
950mAH eneloop pro / 13g = 73mAH/g
Surprisingly I thought 18650’s almost always won this battle. Looks like the eneloop pros are actually more dense. (The standard eneloops at 2000mAh are only around 66mAH/g)
Here is my list…
Emisar d4 xpl hi 6500 or 5000k tint… $58
Emisar d1s. $40
Blf q8 … maybe $50 with the discount ?
Acebeam L16… $90 ??
Fenix tk35ue. $110
and then once you spend your first 300 on some awesome lights, start saving another 300. It can get addictive lol
Portable charger…Miller ML102, or Nitecore F1, or Folomov A1 
Btw, you cannot compare mAh to draw conclusion about energy density, if voltages are different —> LiIon still wins
Sometimes i spend like $900 in one day on the flashlights… lights are addictive… i am telling you… enter as your own risk. Lol.
and once you spend that on flashlights, you have to go and get more batteries. I bet my battery collection is about 1/4 to 1/3 of the cost of all of my lights. I dropped 100 at the vape shop recently on 26650’s
Really practical advice. If I had a nickel for every time I shouldn’t have spent $300…but, I get your point. I’m here for the interest/hobby/camaraderie. It looks like I can buy a cross section of the suggestions for less than $300. Thanks again for the tips!
A couple of names/models I haven’t heard elsewhere. Thanks!
battery are pretty cheap if you know how to shop… i live in US so i order battery from like illumn, or mtnelectronics… i even order 26650 from aliexpress ( liitkola authorized dealer)…
I normally buy sony vtc5a, vtc6, samsung 30q. ( all flat top and cheaper))… you could still buy samsung 25r button top for like $5 each from neal.
“Total Internal Reflection”. Little funny-looking things that mix colors much better than reflectors, avoiding “fried-egg” beams (yellow hotspot and bluish spill), and just giving an overall nice beam.
Goggle “20mm collimator lens” on Amazon, and you’ll find a bunch. They come in everything from 5° (spot) to 60° for a nice wider beam, all the way to 120° for a flood.
Tubelights just ain’t made for throw, so I kinda dedicate all my S2+es for wider floodlights. They’re great for lighting up the path in front of you when it’s icy/snowy out, or looking through cabinets, for close-in work. For throw, hey, get a different light. 
’Though narrower TIRs will give a hotspot about on par with the come-with reflector. 5°/8°/10° are all nice.
If you don’t want multiples (for multiple lights, haha), try 20mm - Carclo LED Optics for one-fers.
The RJ02 I mentioned also takes these 20mm drop-in TIRs for any beam you could possibly want.