A teenage friend is going travelling. Rucksack, casual work, etc, for a year.
I want to give this youngster some lights. One will be a headlamp like this cheapo 3-mode Q5 light; I have used them myself for 2 years, and given several away to others who have been very pleased with them. They feel flimsy, but have proven very robust, and are a bargain at under $7.
However, something handheld is also needed. Chargers are too much clobber when living out of a rucksack, so it needs to be something which will take a readily-available disposable battery. AAs are better value than AAAa, and a single-AA torch fits nicely in a pocket.
For this usage, max power output isn’t the top priority. What matters is:
Essentials
reasonable robustness
enough waterproofing to survive rain and the occasional drop in a puddle (IPX-7+)
Less than US$30 delivered to Ireland
Desirables
Multi-mode output, to prolong battery life
Tail-switch rather than twisty (for reliability)
Some colour other than black, to make it easier to find
Warm white (or at least neutral white), for better colour rendition
I thought of the Sipik SK68, but it isn’t waterproof, and most of the other <$10 torches look like they ain’t waterproof either.
The only other option I have seen so far is the X-Power Spirit HA-III Cree XP-G R5 at $19.56. It appears to meet all my essential requirements, but ony one of the desirables.
I have a galaxy and love it . Very solid!! Black with the clip they sell. Tint is nice and can run off a 3.7v if needed as a tactical light. It gets my vote .
I had seen the Xeno E03 on my searches, and really liked the look of it. However, the only stockist I found was EDCplus.com, which wants at least $27.90 for the torch, plus $8.80 shipping to Ireland. Customs would sting me for VAT on top of that, plus a €6 handling fee, so I’d end up paying over $50 in all. I looked on Wallbuys, but they don’t seem to stock the E03
Just spotted that FastTech, who seem to have some stock of Fenix again, are selling the Fenix E11 for $24.72
That looks like an interesting possibility, because Fenix stuff has reputation for good build quality, and the E11 appears to be well-suited to running off alkalines. Black body, and no idea whether it is cool white or neutral, but otherwise an interesting possibility.
HKE does work out cheaper than EDC+, but still put still puts me over the customs limit, and I dunno if HKE is any good at fixing the labeling to avoid customs trouble.
I saw that’s what it says up top, but below that it says “in stock”. Some other Fenix models with the same blurb about the MAP issue are listed as “discontinued” (e.g. the E01 blue).
So it looks to me like they are selling old stock or have found another supplier.
Both of those are twistys, but the T10 is a very nice light with a lovely .09 lumen low. The X-Power Spirit in the OP appears identical to the T10.
I am unimpressed with my E11. It has a TIR lense which I usually like, but the body is a larger diameter than it needs to be, does not tailstand and has only two modes which are pretty close together. My copy also has a very poorly centred emitter.
Thanks for all the input, folks.
In the end I bought the X-Power Galaxy Cree XP-G R5-4C at $27.56 from FT. I’ll try to report back on what I think of it when it arrives.
My purchase has already been made (our posts crossed), but thanks to Racer for the suggestions:
I love the look of the L3 Illuminations L10. The Nichia 219 version looks near perfect. But sadly, it’s out-of-reach due to the high cost of postage to Ireland
