So torn... do I get the SRT3 or the SRT5 or the SC52W.... so many lights so little money.
SC52w, problem solved 
Tempting. I already own the regular sc52, and love it. I expect this one is an XML2T6.
Warehouse/office moving in progress! Our official address is now 2564 Seaboard Ave. San Jose, CA 95131 (Google Maps) location is functional but messy still so please pardon our dust if you plan to visit in the next week or two.
Cool! Hours of operation?
Likely M-F 9AM-5PM. We're still primarily an e-commerce store, not sure how many walk-in customers we'll have. We'll also be activating will-call in our store.
SRT3 Military Grey arrived earlier than anticipated! We're also extending the Independence Day promotions for an additional week for people who are just getting back from break or haven't yet :)
We now have all the new Nitecore SRT series in stock except for the SRT5 Grey. SRT3B+G, SRT5B, SRT6B+G, SRT7B+G ready for shipping. July4 Promo applies.
They look great, but I can't really find much info about the wide version, which is definitely more interesting to me.
Any upcoming Zebralights?
The wide version basically has an optics hotspot change from 70 degrees to 90 degrees and the spill remains the same at 120 degrees for both.
No upcoming Zebralights that we are aware of.
In other Zebralight news we just got a status update. Another batch of SC52W are on their way here, this batch will complete all our current pre-orders.
All Nitecore SRT3, 5, 6, 7 in both colors are available and shipping. July4 promo applies and is expiring soon.
How much is the discount for the Wizard? Free shipping?
Hi Speedsix, unfortunately we can't disclose in plain-text how much the discount is. You can enter coupon codes without registering for an account on our website. Yes the Wizard qualifies for free super saver shipping.
Cool, I have been looking for a floody 1x18650 headlamp but don’t want to buy the Zebralight because of past bad experiences so Armytek looks good to me. 10 year warrenty sure beats ZL’s BS 90 day or whatever it is.
Zebralight's warranty policy from their site:
ZebraLight, Inc. warrants its products to be free from defects in materials and workmanship. We will repair or replace, at our option, without charge, any products or parts which is found to be defective under normal use and service within 12 months from the date of purchase with proof of purchase. Such repair or replacement shall be the purchaser's sole and exclusive remedy under this warranty. This warranty does not cover normal maintenance and service and does not apply to any products or parts which have been subject to modification, misuse, abuse, negligence, accident, or improper maintenance or repair by anyone other than ZebraLight
Some of you may recall I whined (bitched:p) a bit a while back upon receiving the Nitecore SRT7. I stand by those criticisms.
That said, today I received the SRT3 and SRT5. Order was placed late Friday, and it shipped monday. Not only was the order processed quickly, but both Craig and Calvin were online to chat. Friday evening. After 5pm. Kind of wish other companies had half of the same quality of service. The phenomenal service is no surprise, and nothing new so I'll talk about the flashlights a bit.
Clearly Nitecore put more time and thought into these lights.
Here's a list of the improvements;
- Dead travel space, where you twist the magnetic ring but nothing happens, is nearly gone, to the point of insignificance.
- Addition of SOS, which replaces the Green LED/option.
- Improvement of the strobe - on the original SRT7, the strobe is so fast that it's actually not that disorienting.
- Significantly lower low mode. Especially on the SRT3.
- Instead of having an "OFF" mode within the magnetic ring detents, you have a moonlight mode.
- The Red/Blue strobe is somewhat improved in speed to more closely resemble emergency lights.
In terms of overall quality, the lights are excellent. The one area where the SRT7 excels is inside the reflector. I do see some very minor imperfections on both, but more so on the SRT3.
Some improvements I would love to see;
- To have the output pushed to 900 lumens+ and drop down when heat or battery charge become a problem.
- A spacer for the SRT3 when the 14500/AA adapter is in place. (The walls of the spacer are more narrow so the AA doesn't rattle around, and is adequate, but why not include a $0.01 piece of plastic?)
- Reduction in size. The SRT3 especially, is a somewhat big light, with the AA/14500 extension.
- Even lower lows.
Overall though, I think if one or two years ago I got one of these flashlights, I might not have developed the flashaholic bug because they are that good. I'm now somewhat torn on which 18650 light will continued to be my EDC in the future. The SRT5 or the Zebralight SC600II.
And how.
Illumination Supply is a shining example, and if they could shed some light on their practices for other companies, I think it would be a very illuminating experience.
I must say, I found the SRT3 particularly tempting. If it were smaller, there’s a pretty good chance I’d have bought one already. However, it seems significantly bigger than necessary for its battery type, and I already have a JB RRT01 which offers the same primary benefits in a smaller package.
I had a very similar debate about ZL SC52 vs JB RRT01. The RRT01 won in the end, though. It’s prettier, easier to adjust, has a nicer beam, and is less likely to seriously confuse anyone I hand it to. (ZL is sturdier, slightly smaller, lasts much longer per charge, won’t cook itself, and offers fixed output levels for easy reference and more predictable performance)
The SRT3, with the extension to use 14500 is kind of 18650 sized, as small 18650 lights go. It's definitely longer than it needs to be, and I hope the main thing that Nitecore does with the next iteration will be to shrink things down. Maybe take a note from ZL and stuff the driver, and on/off button by the reflector as opposed to on the tailcap.
To be fair, it's not really that much bigger vs the Archer 1A though, maybe ~.5cm longer and a bit thicker. After the SC52 every light seems too big though.
Without the 14500 extension it's just a hair shorter than the SC600II.
Of the SRT series, if you have to get one, I'd say the overall winner is still the SRT3.
Here's a picture I just took;
With the exception of the h502 all the rest are from Illumination supply.
Wow, and I thought the SC600 was too big to EDC.
I’ve been tempted to get a SC600mkII in order to obsolete all my other 1x18650 lights and use it for biking, but I really don’t need one and I fear the beam may not be floody enough for biking. I get by just fine with a Convoy S3 or S4 or S7 instead, and I think all three look nicer too.
I feel like every collector should have a SC600 or SC600mkII because it’s one of the best general-purpose lights ever made and deserves a spot in the flashlight hall of fame… but I don’t actually need one or have much use for it because my SC52 and cheap 18650 lights make it mostly redundant. If I get another Zebralight soon, it’ll probably be a high-CRI headlight. I really want a H52d or H51d, if such a thing is ever made.
The SRT3 is still pretty appealing; it’s just too big.
Armytek Wizard Pros have been placed on backorder as Armytek deals with the programming error. If you order now we will ship you the fixed ones as soon as we get them.
There is also a Pila IBC Promo going on, price has been slashed to 39.99 for a limited time. You can add 2 3100mAh Redilast batteries for only $10.