FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

This sounds like a nice way to go for me. I've checked the Emisar lights, sure very beautiful hight quality lights, but shapewise I prefer "long and thin" lights with tail switch, over "fat and short" lights with side switch, which rules out all their lights. The Noctigon KR4 might do, but its descriptions on Hank's website doesn't say if it "can be easily flashed" (pins), nor does it say it for the Emisars BTW.

A list of such "can be easily flashed" lights would be an useful addition to the first post of this thread

Why are you so concerned about this? 99.99% of users do not reflash the UI. Are you under some misconception that it is necessary? Like all lights will need to be updated at some point? This is not the case. It is also easy to brick the driver if you make a mistake. Then you’ll need to replace the driver which requires soldering. So make sure you can solder and disassemble the light before you get in too deep with flashing.

My flashaholic history is about 15 years old, with only lights with a fixed UI, i.e. I have to make do with the UI decided by the manufacturer, like it or not. Some I did like (the Zebralight, my favourite UI with instant access to all modes), some I did not like.

Then I recently discovered this forum, and the existence of much more versatile and customizable UIs kindly created by voluntary genius, wow how interesting this does sound! And now I realize that these genius go on improving their UIs over time, to make them even better, with new options.

Therefore I thought "why not take advantage of these continuous improvements", hence my questions about upgrading, not as a search to always have the most up-to-date version, but if/when I find the new features are of real interest to me.

Thanks for the warning, which I do take into account. Therefore for the time being I'll content myself with finding a light with the "manual memory" version of Anduril, and a tail switch.

Following contactcr's remark above ("You can never guarantee what firmware you will get and it could easily be months/years old.") it turns out I have no guarantee I can get a FW3A with this software version when ordering from one of the usual Chinese discount websites.

On the other hand, the Noctigon KR4 from Hank does have this "manual memory" feature, so I'll go for this one even if it is significantly heavier and more expensive.

Thanks for your patience and help.

what do u mean, ? the 21 pro works quite nice, nothing bad too say except it heats up like crazy on turbo haha…

What’s the FW3A V2.0 offer? Anything you would recommend if I was going for my first one?

Depends on what you mean by V2.0. There have been revisions to the standard FW3A that some have referred to as V2, but I’m assuming you’re referencing the FW3 E which is sometimes listed as “ FW3E (FW3A V2.0-2020 New Version)” in Lumintop sales listings.

The FW3E uses a proprietary (usb rechargeable) 18650 and rids the design of the inner sleeve which was used to carry the switch signal in the original design. The intent, I believe, is to increase reliability (many have had issues with the inner sleeve) and simplify the design. The trade-off here is the light cannot use a standard 18650 and is (pretty much insignificantly) slightly longer.

Weather or not it could be recommended to you really comes down to if a proprietary battery is an issue for you, or if you’re ok with the possibility of a finicky inner sleeve. It is worth noting though that the inner sleeve issue is not a problem on every FW3A, I’ve had 3 with no issues at all.

The inner sleeve issues on the FW3A are both overblown and not unique to it. The KR series was supposed to “solve” the contact issues but my KR4s are just as finicky as my FWs. The only way to make a foolproof tail e-switch is the way Acebeam and Olight do it, with a totally captive inner tube. I don’t know why Emisar, Lumintop, etc. don’t do it this way but also an Acebeam TK18 is double the price of an FW3A.

Most issues can be corrected by gently lapping both ends of the inner tubes on fine grit sandpaper, keeping all contact points clean, and occasional loosening and re-tightening. Some require more lapping, others little or none. My bare aluminum FW3A and my first run KR4 required a good bit of lapping and the KR4 had a perceptible burr on one end of the tube that should not have passed QC. No big deal, easily fixed.

The hate for Lumintop is unjustified IMO. First, recall that they asked permission to put the bunny logo on the FW3A button from the very beginning, were asked not to do so, and agreed with the caveat that they would like to do it eventually, after the first run, as I recall. Aesthetically I’m not a fan of all the billboarding but I don’t fault them for it.

As for Lumintop using lower quality components, is there evidence of a larger scheme to increase their margins? Lumintop was baselessly accused of this early on with the first run of FW3As, swapping the Carclo optics for their own proprietary optics. It turns out the issue was with Carclo’s supply, not with a cost cutting measure from Lumintop. The same was true of an issue with the FETs, where some version had a lower quality FET than the original Infineon. That was also a supply issue. (According to Lumintop of course, who you may choose not to believe if you wish.)

The gradual improvements Lumintop has made to the FW3A also contradict this theory of the case. If they really just wanted to water down the product and increase their margins, why go back to using the Carclo optics + glass as soon as it was available? Why did they add tailcap retaining rings and eventually both a retaining ring and an extra contact ring (as my latest version FW3A has)? Why develop the FW3E at all? (Which I personally think is an unnecessary product that will likely not be successful, but it’s an honest attempt to solve the FW problems.)

Now Lumintop is clearly not blameless, I am quite miffed at the FW1A reflector issue, I have 1 early version FW1A with the good reflector and wish I could get another. But even that I don’t see as outside the bounds of what any other manufacturer would do. The performance difference is minimal especially for the general user, in fact the average user probably prefers the newer reflector as the hotspot is larger and less of a pencil beam. I doubt Lumintop saves much, if any, money from having the FW1A and Pro share the same reflector.

Who knows what the FW3A project would have looked like with another manufacturer, perhaps it could have been better. Nothing is perfect in this world and Lumintop could have, probably still could, QC them more tightly. But the light was 30 or 35 dollars when it came out—there’s no way Lumintop was making a big margin with that low of a price. Even now, I certainly cannot say the FW series is no longer recommended. The price for performance is still quite fine. Of my several dozen EDC flashlights I still carry my 6 FW series lights quite a bit. I do prefer my KRs for pure performance but they are also like twice the weight and bulk, and the clip is much worse for carry.

Just one man’s opinion, for what it’s worth. TLDR, I would not allow concerns about the inner tube fiddliness to dissuade you from buying an FW3A, unless even such a minor mod as a little sandpaper lapping is not within your comfort zone. If nothing else, Lumintop is still using the nicest bins of SST-20 I have seen of a major manufacturer, unless that has changed. If I could only have one EDC flashlight (and it had to be stock, no mods) I think it would have to be an FW3A, for my use case at least.

Does anyone happen to have an FW3A 18650 (yes 18650) body laying around? I have a mod-fodder FW3A that I got with 18350 and 18500 tubes, but no 18650 tube, and I’d gladly purchase yours. Send me a PM if so!

Btw, about firmware version, recently bought FW3A form AliExpress Lumintop official store. It comes to me with very old version of anduril - no version check, no manual memory, etc… But with stupid bunny and warning notice, so it’s a “very new batch”.

Slightly disappointed…

Love the diffuser, but the shipping is way too high compare to the product price.

i’d just use a piece cut from a plastic milk jug, maybe color with a sharpie

That was a very cool diffuser. Thanks for making them available.

Anyone thinking of grabbing the CountyComm/Maratac version

I like the host design but pretty much nothing else about this light. No Anduril, bad mode spacing, only available in cool white… yuck.

Yup, the original appeals to me much more than this new version.

I felt this way too. Swapped in some LH351D 5000K and a FW3A driver. All better :smiley:

That is pretty much my feeling but whenever they finally drop-in price I might grab one as a host to mod.

Can anyone tell me where I can get spare ar coated lens?

Can the FW3A driver act as a drop-in or is there some fiddling necessary to get it to fit and work as intended? I really like that host.

You could try contacting Lumintop or one of the vendors that sells the FW3A. Alternately, flashlightlens.com has amazing lenses in a variety of sizes.