Just a thought, but perhaps the next set of tests should be the MF TF Flames 2400 mah to see how they compare. If they, too, have dropped from other tests, then perhaps TF is re-badging the 2400's as 3000's.
Well in this case I see it's more about perception or interpretation as I did not see what you see in Space Cowboy's statements. Maybe I have a thicker skin than you, I don't know...guess we can agree to disagree there. Just that my point was is if you have a displeasure for what you see as BS mentality that we've seen over at CPF (which as I've said before is still a fantastic resource of a website despite the politics and mentalities over there) and then essentially insinuating that Americans are like that (which I interpret as a blanket statement), just to me doesn't make you come off any better. I don't condone or agree with much of that kind of mentality that we both can agree is a bad thing that happens over at CPF, so often I try to take the high road. I say to each their own and leave it at that.
That said, I myself am a bit of a duality...I buy plenty of cheap stuff and from all of the same places you mentioned and I've also purchased some of extremely expensive custom flashlights as well as owning brands like Surefire, which I am proud is an American company who still makes their flashlights here in the good old US of A (though now they say "designed and assembled in the USA with domestic and foreign components", which is to be expected these days). My favorite budget brand is Solarforce and I definitely think they provide arguably the best quality to price ratio and I have a boatload of their lights.
As for batteries, I don't think I've come across a USA made protected 18650 yet (Space Cowboy did say all the good batteries come from Asia)...all of mine are either Trustfire, Ultrafire, KD or Solarforce. I just ordered some Xtar 2600s based on recommendations here, but haven't received them yet.
My friend just got 4 of TF 3000 (flames) from DX. I’ve made discharge test for 3 fully topped at 3A and got very consistent results.
Two ot them were 2599 and 2601mAh, third not so fully toped was 2581mAh. Testting equipment was iCharger 106B+
I’ve also got decent 3A at tail with Kaidomain C8 (probably direct drive), so it looks they are quite good buyat DX ATM.
I think these cells are inconsistent. Some people report they are good, others not so good (or just "ok"). I think the best deal going right now are protected Sanyo 2600's from FastTech at 2 for $11.03 - 5% discount (use coupon code "BLF" for flashlight accessories).
I use these, but I can not measure the capacity. They work fine, haven't problems, if a flashlight needs 4,3 Ampere. Do not buy the tmart version. The picture show the real one, but the delivered looks a little bit different. For me it isn't important, if they have 2600 or 2400 mAh. I have enought batteries.
Garry post the link of the Sanyo, which should be also a really good choice or the Samsung 2600mAh.
The delivered batteries look different from the photos on their ebay listing.
For one the negative plate is silver textured metal (attracts magnet), while their photo and this review show the negative is golden/copper colored, smooth metal (don’t know if it attracts magnets). Secondly the plastic wrap is suspicious. All the photos have the yellow lightning very pronounced and obvious but on the delivered batteries the lightening barely can be seen if you look for them.
The batteries I received have all the traits of having protection PCB built-in, e.g. 18.5mm diameter, slightly longer (67mm) and grooves near the top and bottom. Just the negative terminal does not seem right and the printing on the wrap is in such a fuzzy way I think they are fake, at least not as shown in their ebay listing photos.
It’s “yallstore”. They are fake. I have ordered a bunch of different trustfires on ebay in my days. I have seen about 6 different fakes. And fuzzy printing is usually a good indicator of fake. Plus the transparent colors are off compared to the authentic. A lot of the fakes have no protection or a fake protection board. Not saying that trustfire is an amazing battery but the manufacture does what they can against all the counterfeiters. I would much rather go to gearbest and get a real samsung or lg battery. But I have ordered wholesale trustfire batteries from the manufacture for my customers and they do use samsung batteries in most of their batteries and BAK chinese cells in a few of their cheaper ones. My customers gravitate to the pretty trustfire holographic wrapper.
Fast tech appears to be the only trusting reseller. Just give yallstore some negative feedback and open up a dispute about counterfeit batteries. Ebay doesn’t care but yallstore will refund you and let you keep the fakes to avoid negative feedback. . Ebay needs to get a hold of this mess. Ultrafire neon green wrappers are up to 9800mah now. And 1000 people have bought them within 6 months.
Here are some more fakes. $2 per battery. And the trustfire factory usually shrink wraps one battery together with the outer anti counterfeit hologram sticker on the outside. They have never wrapped two together.
This is how bad it has become. 1000 sold. Their fake 9800mah wrapper isn’t even 6 months old. I feel bad for the people that have these charging in their house or running in a double stack flashlight. Eventually ebay will be sued for allowing this. We all know that 3400-3500 is the highest capacity out of japan.
Basically $7 plus $7 shipping for 4 batteries that as I have on good authority cost about $0.25 to sellers. So $14 for $1 cost, they will keep selling these for 1400% of cost even if half return them, and of course they ask you to promise to give a good review for the refund, they will keep a great seller rating. This is how Ebay “works”.