Hi everyone, the following is a familiar site for thousands of BLF visitors daily:
In fact, by now it’s probably a bit too familiar. So, it’s time to change those three moniker flashlights. Since the inception of BLF, LED technology has evolved rapidly. When I first picked those three flashlights (Tank007 TK-566, Akoray K-106, and Tank007 E07) a few years ago, they represented some of the most fascinating options available in the budget flashlight world. Now, they have been supplanted by other newer, more attractive, budget flashlights. But which are they? I’ll leave that to the BLF users to determine.
In the brainstorming/voting box below, please vote for up to three options. Also feel free to add new suggestions.
Please try to include and vote for different battery types and styles for different purposes. For starters, I included a 2x18650 thrower and a 1xAA pocket light. And there’s obviously a lot more out there. But please keep the budget aspect in mind! This is BudgetLightForum, after all. At the end of a week of brainstorming and voting, I’ll pick the top three models, and then you guys can help me locate and get permission to use images of the top three.
Yep, and I guess the eventual winners deserve it too. They’ll only be images, I won’t link to the product at any particular seller, just as it is currently. The links we are adding to the brainstorm are only for reference purposes.
We need to keep the heritage of the BUDGET Light Forum alive, so I think we should include a very-budget oriented light, then maybe some staples of the community such as the Black King (distinctive, popular, looks good, and Black shows up better on a light-colored background), a C8 (I think about everybody has one), or a P60 host such as the SolarForce L2m as it is such a quality host. Maybe the Small-Sun ZY-T08 (unique style, good performer) or the Small Sun ZY-T13 as it's a good super-budget thrower...
I'm trying to think of a unique budget light of <$10 as an option. The SK-68 would be an option, but that's not a pretty enough light for the banner. Maybe use a 501b for the P60 host instead of the SolarForce as that light embodies the Cheap-Yet-Functional aspect of the Budget Light mindset.
I created an entry for the awesome Convoy S2 (1x18650) lineup and specifically the 1.4A/5C option for ~$16. The true essence of "budget" or "bang-for-the-buck".
Pros:
Emitter options XM-L 1B,5C,7C tint
1, 1.4, 2.1, 2.8 Amps driver option
no strobes mode group available
1000,1400 mA model takes long protected cells and also unprotected cells due to a long front spring
1400 mA has a 5%,30%, 100% mode spacing... better than the other models which have a 50-60% medium which is too high imho
Anodized rear threads
can barely tailstand
very edc-able for an 1x18650 light
Possible cons:
2.1 and 2.8 Amp options might have trouble with the longer protected cells or shorter unprotected cells but I don't own these to verify.(short front spring of the Nanjg 105c)
medium too high on 1000,2100,2800 mA model , but that is in the eye of the beholder and personal taste
Boaz complains about the lack of grippy knurling, that old knurling fetishist ;-)
Sipik 68 because of its proliferation
Jacobs A60 because it’s the throwiest thing you can get on a tight budget right now
…something else. Maybe a C8? A Match or OL Magmod? Zxhaeiou (or whatever) or Convoy S2?