What was your best / favorite / coolest flashlight of 2020?

Time for the yearly tradition:

What was your favorite of 2020?

Can be in any category. Multiple categories are also fine.

(PLEASE ONLY LIGHTS YOU GOT IN 2020)

Always fun to look back at past years' favorites as well..

so here you go:

What were the most popular lights of 2019

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/59995

What were the most popular lights of 2018

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/54284

What were the most popular lights of 2017

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/48642

What were the most popular lights of 2016
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/43019

What was your best flashlight of 2015
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/37709

Best stock flashlight buy in 2014
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/30774

Best modified flashlight buy in 2014
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/30834

Best 3 of 2013
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/23987

Best budget flashlights of 2012
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/12871

Best budget light in category : value for money 2011
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/4854

What’s the best flashlight, (for the money you paid) that you ever bought? 2010
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72482

Mine: Weltool W4 (throw)

Huh?

2020 isn’t over yet :wink:

Still have some incoming….

Most impressive = Noctigon KR1. But also the most frustrating as it turns on in my pocket when trying to EDC it! Hoping the new deep carry pocket clip incoming will solve this.

Most astonishing = Astrolux A02. Bought on a whim. It has flaws. But my word is it a handy little thing with a wonderful beam and tint. And all on a AAA/10440.

In no particular order…

Sofirn SC31pro - great all-around light, legos with lots of lights with the same DNA, including mag caps and shorty tubes, configurable out the wazoo as long as you can deal with the UI minefield.

Skilhunt M200 - great UI, beam, awesome regulation, magnetic charging, very nicely put together, a really nice top-shelf light.

Skilhunt E3A - for an AAA light, this takes top-notch to a whole new level, from the pebbled TIR lens to the not-done-as-an-afterthought milled lanyard hole but an actual protruding tab, with HA3 ano, and a ridiculously high bang for the buk.

Wuben TO46R/219C - awesome light with amazing warmth and high-CRI from the 219Cs, and a great dual-switch UI.

I'm waiting for delivery of a headlight.

Once it arrives, I'll probably make a post in this thread on my best new light for 2020.

1st: No doubt, the Olight Warrior Mini for stock lights! (My EDC :heart_eyes: )

2nd: The RovyVon Aurora A23! (My other EDC :person_with_crown: )

3rd: Well, several lights I received but didn’t get much use till now: Skilhunt M200, Brinyte PT18pro.


As for modded lights, my triple Convoy S6 and the “AmuLuxeon” quad build!! Definitely the ones that make me proud :wink:

In the value-conscious, sensible, reasonably necessary-to-have (at least 1) category:

FT03 SST-40 - best bang for my buck.

SC31 Pro - honorable mention.

I agree. This is an underappreciated light IMHO. - the Wuben that is ; )

Wurkkos FC11 4000K - handy, really nice tint and affordable

Wuben H1 Headlamp - powerful for biking, nice moon red light, could have more lower modes

Fenix E16: Perfect EDC (I prefer 16340), tiny, well made and great NW

(Skilhunt M200 and Fenix TK25 Red are on my wishlist)

My choice: Sofirn SC31 Pro - I got this on a whim when it was first released and it turned out to be my best purchase of 2020. It has all the hallmarks of a great budget EDC in a slim package. I only wish the bezel was not glued and the heat fins were chamfered to reduce their sharpness and the wear on the anodizing.

Other notable mentions:

Skilhunt E3A: Smallest AAA light in my collection and the prettiest with its unique knurling and slate blue anodizing.

Olight i1R 2 EOS: What can I say…it fits on a keychain, very bright for its size, and while the built-in rechargeable battery is non-replaceable, it’s still darn convenient and for the $5 that I paid, practically disposable. This and i3E are the only Olight I’ve owned and would recommend.

Where did you get the clip for kr1?

For work: Thrunite TT10, I love the dual tail switches for instant access to Turbo & Strobe. and the 5000mah 21700, plenty of juice to last all day.

For EDC: Lumintop FW1A, perfect size for my pocket, love that it squeezes an 18650 in such a small sized light, fun UI, all the customization I'll ever need.

For my backpack: The Sofirn SC31 Pro, another great budget 18650 light with Anduril UI.

Fenix TK30

Unbranded LEP from neal for best bang for buck LEP
Astrolux EC03 best all rounder for the price
KR1 with deep carry pocket clip best pocket thrower
Nitecore Tiki best bang for buck keychain light

Another vote for the SC31 Pro.

Hopeful prediction for 2021 might be for a SP40 Pro with Andruil 2, and a deep carry clip 4000k. That would likely replace my SC31Pro as an EDC.

Manker E14III
Manker MC13 green
Sofirn IF25

SC31 Pro. I always wanted an S2±ish light with Anduril, and the SC31Pro is the closest thing to it.

Gotta go with the KR4.

For Outdoor use:
IF25a in 6.5k (which is closer to 6k)- LOVE the tint and doesn’t lose it’s amazing THROW for such a small (cheap) light (like it’s twin in the 4k tint which is very nice, but worthless past 80 yards without a lot of fast heat in the hand!) My older Lumentop EDC18 is a better light (and the little green rabbit looks great up on the “Queens’ Shelf”), but the USB C charging keeps the IF25a by the back door where it’s used almost nightly :smiley:

For indoor use:
The little $9.95 Sofirn S11c (Boruit resell) with the LH351D emitter invaded our stash of older Sofirn SP10s and finally took over. Again… USB C charging is starting to win us over and the UI in this little el cheapo’ light works superbly around the house with the “zoom” set about 1/2 way. Perfect! (and did I mention… CHEAP!) That said, I would not give or sell this light to many since it’s NOT waterproof (at all) and outdoor it’s pretty useless. It is what it is :wink:

For Camping:
The LT1 is the bomb- technically a late 2019 light, like Covid it really took off in 2020 (ok, bad joke, sorry) :stuck_out_tongue: AND… this “camping” light is used every night by my wife and I on our night stands (next to the S11c’s). We’ve had them there by our bed for 6-7 months and I can’t remember ever charging them yet!

I guess my favorite lights this year came mostly from Sofirn and had a LOT to do with Anduril and USB charging. The wife does love her SC312 Pro too. I like the folks at Sofirn and I’ve never got a bum light from them- lucky I guess!