Yeah I ordered one back on the 3rd on that deal, I was surprised to see it was still valid when saw your post tonight and tried it. But sometimes that happens (very rarely) but figured I check.
I just picked up 2 F13’s too. Now to see if the S2+ Code will work.
Why do you think one of the FastTech F13s is a clone? They are both labeled “authentic.” From what I can see, the difference is that (the cheaper) one comes with both an 18650 sleeve and a 3xAAA carrier.
Hmmm, yes I guess “clone” was the wrong term, what I meant by that was it’s a different model but appears the same as F13, couldn’t think of a word for “same item but different model number” 
I reworded it to avoid confusion, thanks for pointing out my mistake. :person_facepalming:
Do you have any idea why it’s a different model #? I honestly never saw or heard of the MT-12.
Here’s an interesting tail switch light, possible host. Only $10.56 after GB17LED code.
About the same size as an F13, and a smidge smaller than the Manta Ray C8.2.
https://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_630131.html
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1647/10019425/4356701
No telling how it’s constructed internally, but it looks pretty nice. Would have to take a chance on the budget light lottery.
I received my Trustfire A8 from Kadiomain yesterday. It’s a very nice light all around. It’s quite bright too. It has a good combination of flood and throw. The transition from the “hotspot” is very smooth, which is ideal. The color is a metallic grey. I have a Keeppower 26650 from Amazon in it. I wish it had options for other group modes, like a 100, 50, 25%, moonlight would be nice. Or if it just didn’t have the blinkies I would be happy. The color seems to be around 5000k, not the Cool white like most of my lights. I really like the color of the A8.
Overall a sweet light.
I also got my 2 Ultrafire F13’s which are good for a great price, no modding yet.
I ordered a Convoy BD06 from Simon and that should be here in a few weeks.
I couldn’t resist and ordered a Convoy M2 from Simon also. Then a C8.2 Xhp50.2 from Kaidomain.
But the Convoy S2+ Sand from Simon finds its way in my pocket most. Lightweight, bright, and great mode selections. I will be picking up a second S2+ sand, since my wife stole mine. :+1:
Thanks for all the suggestions fellas.
I just got the manta ray host version and overall quality is a lot better than the UF f13 (having owned several f13s in the past). The host is about $20 which more expensive than a f13 w/discounts. However, the f13 has a lot of space in the driver area so it’s easy to add reinforcement to the shelf for better heat sinking or to fit a boost driver to run a xhp50.2 w/ a single cell.
Unno, I still like the F13. Gawd, those threads are buttery smooth right out of the box. I usually have to scrub and relube all the threads from every light I get, but the F13 required zero.
Received my F13 yesterday. It’s huge! Larger than I expected.
I dunno, can’t really say I’m a fan atm. Not sure what I’m gonna do with it, it was an impulse buy, shelved for future modding.
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The threads on mine are poorly matched, considerably loose at both the tail and head…
And some sharp / jagged spots that’ll need smoothed down, but it’s about what I expected.
Don’t really like the feel of it in hand, the short tube with my thumb and forefinger resting on those massive sharpish fins.
Although the fins do provide some serious anti-slip grip! Mine has that awesome “XML-T6” etched on it too. :person_facepalming:
Otherwise it does appear to be a solid host. Built like a tank. Don’t get me wrong I don’t hate it, I’m just not super thrilled by it.
Maybe it’ll grow on me. It was a good value for ten bux though. I’m gonna have to put something awesome in it to make me love it. :smiling_imp:
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Actually I’m totally spoiled by the Eagle Eye X7 that I bought for a host.
Feels way better in hand, more compact size, square threads, beautiful matte finish anno.
Comparing these side by side really puts it in perspective, twice the cost for twice the light.
To it’s credit the F13 does have a wider reflector in the same head diameter, so I’m thinking it should have better throw.
My Ultrafire HD2010 (bought in 2012) has the most buttery smoothest threads EVER!
I think the older F13’s we manufactured to a better quality. I purchased 3 last year and the overall quality wasn’t the greatest and the threads were not buttery smooth. But became smooth after some grease and repeated screwing on/off parts.
Actually, the hands-down absolutest bestest smoothest threads I’ve ever seen are on my lowly ’502B. Big beefy triangular threads, no less.
Screws on like an end-cap on a pipe, glassy smooth (and I mean glassy smooth), no hint of binding, not even much jiggle as if too loose. Screws in all the way and then nicely snugs up when it hits the end.
No idea what they did, but they done real good.
Unanodised, so maybe that makes a bit off difference. It’s that nice semi-gloss black, still grippy but without being chalky.
Hey, there’s a reason why it’s still my EDC even with all the other lights I got.
Where’d you buy your 502b? Sounds like a good one. There’s hundreds of 502’s out there, probably from a slew of different factories.
I was looking at this one (host): https://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10002463/1409307-ultrafire-wf-502b-led-flashlight-host
These were a few years ago from my Amazon days (’501s/’502s/C8s/’98s).
I went on at length about the race-to-the-bottom death-spiral of quality. All my ’502s I bought when they were still good, using either real Crees or at least good LB clones. Cheap drivers (resistors, no regulation), but decent emitters, albeit on the cool side, ’though not Angry Blue. Even the switches were really good, no flicker or anything on my daily-driver.
Alas, it was the same for C8s, too, when I started getting ’em. Good quality.
Later, about in a 1-2yr span, quality went down the toilet. Never got more ’502s as I was hip-deep in ’em, but as far as C8s, that’s when they started getting cheaper and cheaper. Crappy featherweight Al pills, plastic reflectors, cheap switches, E-sized emitters that may have been clones of LB clones, would barely put out 3-digit lumens, more like 70-80, ’though concentrated into a pencil-beam. Really bad. Hell, even to use as a host, the body would be lightweight, obviously thinner and lighter than earlier.
Anyway, my first C8s were great, later ones crap. I complained to Amazon and/or the seller (forgot which), and got a partial refund for the crap ones.
So nowadays, I wouldn’t risk getting any generic light from Amazon, period.
You’d probably have a much better chance getting something decent from FT, especially if listed as “genuine Ultrafire”(!).
Yeah thanks, I’ll probably give the FT one a try. They also have a silver 501b I want to try.
The ’501 looks nice, kinda Star Tracky, but I never liked the way they felt. Too many edges and sharp angles.
Also, they’re lighter/thinner than the ’502, so don’t carry/shed heat as well.
I want it for the knurling, the one in particular a while back was said to have very aggressive deeply cut knurling:
Gonna be a lottery on that now though.
Yeah, but all those ridges and rings “bite” into my hand. Hate that.
Yeah the 502’ looks easier on the hand, all edges nicly rounded!
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It looks to have pretty good knurling too. I like the extra band of knurl on the head.
I’m not a big fan of overdone knurling, way less of a fan of lots of rings and ridges and fins and whatnot. If it looks as if it were put together from a pile of random plumbing parts, then to me it’s fugly. I like sleek, and nothing that’s too “busy”.
So I’d be happier with a nice sleek battery-tube, but the way it is now is fine. The knurling is useful without being overdone, and doesn’t feel like I’m grabbing onto a chewed-on dogbone.
Hell, make it more like an oldie Maglite, even with some decent knurling, and I’ll be happy. But while I mostly like the style of the ’502, it could be smoothed out some, just a little more. Then it’d be perfect! 