Camping and backpacking are totally different use cases. For camping, the LT1 is already amazing. For backpacking, the LT1 Mini looks like it just got a lot less appealing. For backpacking, nobody is going to need the additional battery options, they aren’t going to carry multiple battery types for one light and space is at a premium. Mini is what we were looking forward to, this last minute switch away from the original concept to 26650 is a step in the wrong direction. I’m sure it will be a decent light and there may be design pressure to move to 26650 because they think it will sell better, but it sure wasn’t what I envisioned when I first saw the project and I think with this change it misses it’s originally stated purpose.
Camping, Backpacking… there’s many shades of gray. Some people do both.
The LT1M is mini relative to the original. If someone needs something smaller, just for a short while when taking a break during a backpacking trip on the evening leg back, then I don’t think an elaborate multi-tint emitter lantern is necessary. Again, any flashlight can be made into a temporary lantern, with a tall diffuser for it. The LT1M is beefy enough to take higher capacity cells for a more extensive backpacking/camping trip, where space is enough of a premium to make the big LT1 too much to carry.
The IF25, on the right, is the light that this project started with. The other two are some of my shortest 26650 lights. I don’t see any advantage to starting over with a larger cell.
Certainly any unilateral battery change should free anyone on the preorder list of any commitment they may have made. They can decide again whether they want the new version.
I don’t think I’d take either version of this light backpacking. I’d just use a flashlight or headlamp with a diffuser. When backpacking I don’t go ultralight-berserk, but I do try to keep weight down.
Re tail standing: how about a tripod hole on the tailcap? That would allow screwing in an anti-tipover disc, that could be included on top of the light. It could be made of plastic or PCB material for light weight.
A magnet for the above would be useless, I think, unless you’re also going to bring along a chunk of iron (perhaps an anvil) to stick it to.
If you want to run on commodity batteries in an emergency, why mess with 3aaa and a bigger tube? Include a boost converter on the driver, that can use 1aa at lower brightness. 50 lumens maximum is fine, it’s an emergency after all. Actually it could be based on the in-progress SP10 Pro driver which already supports dual fuel.
In fact if there is talk of separate battery tubes, how about an 18500 tube? That would allow use of 18500, 14500, and maybe AA with no length extenders. There would have to be some kind of widening thing for 14500/AA, like a simple and light plastic cylinder or just a friction fit spacer ring.
I also find 26650 to be a weird choice of size. It has some attractions for very high current but that doesn’t apply to this light. 21700 at least has higher capacity compared to 18650.
If this project were starting from scratch and holding a vote on battery size, I’d probably pick 21700 and then 18650 in that order, but I can understand preferring 18650 over 21700 for those prioritizing small size. I wouldn’t pick 26650 either way. I’d support making the 18650 tube long enough for “18700”, i.e. those protected 18650s with built in USB charging. As it is, I would say just stick with whatever was originally agreed on, and perhaps offer alternate versions for other audiences if they seem to want them.
Thanks for all the work on this light, by the way.
The interest list is just that…nobody should feel any obligation to purchase the mini just because they’re on it
Based on messages with Barry there will be a standard tripod mount on the tail cap.
No magnet as far as I know.
The biggest con against the 26650 is that it makes the tube wider. I doubt that there’s a noticeable difference in weight and it’s 5mm shorter than a 21700 so there’s no effect on height (for those who suggested that a 26650 will make the mini taller).
It does seem to be long in the body and short in the head… but it is very small compared to the LT1. I’m still in. How would it compare to the Lumintop CL2
Love it. The ability to choose three different batteries will make it versatile. I agree the tripod mount will be very useful hopefully it will be on the base and also the side. It would also be nice to have the option to have a magnet on the bottom flushed as some will prefer no magnet. Please also consider the button to be warm amber versus annoying green. Thank you.