ITS HERE! SIPIK SK98 - A 18650 based Sipik SK68 with an XML!

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
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Hey Troop, please give us a report on the outdoor experiments ASAP! :bigsmile:

I'll order one this weekend if I can get your endorsement. I know it's pretty inexpensive and I shouldn't bother so much but I suppose it's more principle since these flood-to-zoom lights are sort of a hit or miss and generally lower quality. I'm just making this hard on myself :p

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I'll try to do some beamshots tonight, but there is a really bright moon, not sure if they will be effective.

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Here are some beamshots from about 100 feet to the tree.

Flood

Focused

81

Awesome. Now to dig up some of your other beam shots in that location to compare

My initial observation is that the throw doesn't seem to be focused that tight.

Thanks!

EDIT: Do you have a popular budget thrower you could compare it to? Maybe something like the HD2010?

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The throw is not too tight, but it is still nice! I don’t think you can tighten the big XM-L down like you can an XP-G or XR-E

Here is a link to the comparison, see post #61

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Thanks for the quick update. So maybe the XR-E is still better for throw in the SK98? I wasn't sure if the XM-L could possibly match it based purely off of the significantly increased power.

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I think it gets the job done just fine. No real need for a pencil-thin beam, at least for me.

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So how do you figure it fits in to your collection as a practical EDU (Every Day Use) type of light? Is it worth keeping at the top of your rotation? I suppose it's very similar to the SK68 but with more power.

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Thank you for those beamshot. It looks like it floods in a very wide angle. That is just what I need from a work light.

Biiig flood for the up close are work. And a strong clip so I can clip it on to my ear protection. And cheap. And 18650 battery runtime. And a really low low - oh well. After driver swap it is still only 20 $ ;-)

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My thoughts on zoomies in general and this Sipik98 specifically;

It is a fun light, but I don't take it seriously. If I needed an EDC, this would not be it. If I was a LEO, this would not be my daily light. Fun to play with, but the lack of a real reflector makes it a weak light in my eyes.

But it is a cool toy for 14 bucks, and I'm sure it will get a lot of attention from non-flashaholics. Way better light than the multiple LED stuff people buy at checkstands or Hardware stores, but not on par with a P1 or C8 or such. I'm just not a fan of aspherics.

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troop how does the throw compares to the sk68?

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I EDC'd (jacket) my 'new c55' modded to xml at 2.8A until the switch got flaky.

Now I carry a AA xm-l light w/ blacked out reflector and ashpheric (about half focused) in place of flat lens.

I like no hot spot...

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I have yet to buy an SK68, so I would not be able to tell you...

LOL, funny, I just remembered that I bought 3 Citi clones of the 68, they are still in a drawer in their unopened boxes. I will check them out tonight. I think they are XM-L though, but I could be wrong.

Nope, not XM-L, the emitter-image "box" only has 2 internal lines in it.

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Mine, after less than 10 minutes, the wire desoldered from the star board.

The pastic retaining ring (the only thing that retain the led in place) melted, and now the the star isn't contacting the "pill".

3.5/3.7Amps with that poor thermal path...

92

Well, I bought this light hoping for the bet, and as others have said, you get the worst pretty much. Flood is nice, but zoomed in not very bright, my HD2010 destroys it for throw with a larger lit area and my UF-T50 is better for flood overall. For under $16 can be too mad, but even at that cheap price it definitely is not worth it, may just take it apart and salvage the XM-L and toss the rest.

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This isn’t the Sk98 but it’s what I ordered from Meritline

http://www.meritline.com/cree-led-flash-light-xp-g-q5-convex-zoom—-p-60479.aspx?OrderBy=1&pagenum=3&RatingSortByYN=0

This the Q5 Sipik, I ordered before I realized it wasn’t the SK98. Should arrive in the next few weeks.

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The SK68, which is what you ordered, is a great light, built really well actually, which is why I had high hopes for the SK98.

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The Sk68 looks the same as the sk98 but takes an AA or 14500. What I ordered is something else. Watch the video on
Meritline, it’s not like the Sk68 or 98, you have to twist the head to zoom.

These are Sk68’s or atleast look like them

http://www.meritline.com/cree-led-flash-light-xp-g-q5-convex-zoom—-p-69326.aspx

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There are one or two guys around here who love aspheric lenses, but I think most of us are disappointed in them. You also have a light that basically has no relector, so it’s going to give you a beam that you are not used to, has not spill, and really no hot spot unless fully focused.

They are fun to play with, but I just don’t think of zoomies as serious lights.

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But then to each his own. I personally think that zoomies are the best thing since I made a flamethrower. And that was seriously funny until the local police officer came around and told me I should probably not be using that any more or he would have to start filing paperwork :cry:
But I digress…
For the size of the package I have yet to find any one flashlight that can do nearly all I want in such a small package as a zoomie can. But thats just my 0,02$ :slight_smile: