Until there’s a viable solution to the lack of integrity (drop and water resistance, neither of which smartphones, laptops and other such doodads normally have to deal with) inherent to a USB port, I’m perfectly happy with purely off-board recharging.
USB rechargeable batteries are a good start.
There are phones where the USB port is resistant to submersion. It doesn’t need a flap protection…and it somehow works.
I don’t know why no flashlight manufacturers do it this way….I suppose they may lack know-how or that it costs more - but the first can be fixed and the seconds can’t be a show-stopper for higher-end lights.
So maybe there are other reasons?…
“Unpopular” opinions I agree with…
(built-in charging is nice on multi-cell lights, but I’d still rather not dedicate space for that in a compact EDC light)
I like both, but definitely prefer a tail switch on my EDC light.
Both are fun, but the middle is the most useful.
…
… and that’s probably enough opinion-quoting for one post. If I keep going, I’ll end up quoting the whole thread.
Have you tried a Convoy S7? It’s on the right here:
I like PWM, it makes movement look like I’m in a high frame rate action video.
I don’t have much use for the middle. I tend to use flooders for a close up and throwers for walking and looking far. For middle distances…I rarely need to look at middle distances where a modest thrower (like GT Mini) is too throwy yet a flooder can’t light them well. The middle distance is very very narrow anyway, depending on the light combo I have on me. Often it doesn’t exist at all.
Actually when I think about it…I think I’m yet to prefer a middle beam for any use…though I have one where I haven’t tried a middle beam yet and I suspect it will be just right.
Most of those phones also cost $500+, are manufactured in huge quantities and use proprietary tech from huge companies that invest LOTS of money into R&D.
Goodness me. I compare this to people who like the feeling of wet sleeves when washing dishes.
Good post, imo.
My 2017 Samsung A3 is waterproof and has no flap on the type-C connector
Anyway, I like the idea of simply potting the internals with silicon.
Oh, and I doubt that the majority of lights here sees some water, when they are actually used of course 
I couldn't take the green on my Nichias. The Luxeon Vs I swapped in might be low CRI, but the tint is amazing and the 5000+ lumens isn't bad either.
Holy... is that a SS SC62? Oh, my SC62 is jealous I even looked at that.
All Westerners sleep in crowded rooms, walk dogs at night and hunt scorpions.
Not exactly.
Standard aluminum SC52 which was used heavily and then had most of the anodizing forcefully polished off.
Hahaha, this will go underappreciated but its golden.
Whoa… 2nd light from the right is definitely a Zebralight. An older one, judging by the body ribbing pattern. Did you do this yourself or send it out to be chromed?
You’re planning to go near water don’t take your non waterproof light with you.
Potting is a viable solution for USB-rechargeable lights not being waterproof with their flaps open. Fenix, Nitecore, and Armytek offer lights that have USB charging and stay waterproof even with the flap open.
I take an opposing view though: I wish many of the other devices that use USB charging had removable, standard-size batteries I could put in one of my several slot chargers instead. That lets me have the device back in action with a full battery immediately. In theory, I don’t mind a device having both, but using removable, standard-size batteries is far more important to me.
Okay, so the usb socket is potted from behind and is thoroughly waterproof to 50m… what’s to keep crap from getting wedged in there, saltwater or acids corroding the contacts, etc.?
I got enough issues with some knurling trapping crap in the valleys, so imagine a usb socket getting crapped up.
Well made nickel-gold plated contacts should not immediately be affected by saltwater.
Like other equipment, I would just clean it after use.
Some possibly-unpopular opinions:
You’re right.
Or maybe….