Need advice on a Cheap around 20$ Light for work

Hi everybody.
I just found this forum so I tought i would give it a try to get some help.

I work as a police officer and I am looking for a not too bad light that I wont mind loosing when chasing a guy or breaking when I catch him and go into a rumble with.

It’s a backup light that I have notched up on my vest. It canot be over 30mm in Width, and lenght I would like to keep as short as possible. Has to have a clip also.

I currently have a Ultrafire (A1 i think) on my vest. It’s alright but sometimes it start’s to flash for no reasons (seems like the internals are not well held together)

I have looked on Ebay, Amazon and Dx.com (dealextrem). But just cannot make a pick. It’s hard to look on Amazon or Ebay when you do not know what you are looking for.

Also need it to be CR123a since this is what my department carries for our main lights.

Here are a couple examples of what i have found so far:

http://dx.com/p/ultrafire-a30b-cree-q5-wc-220-lumen-led-flashlight-1-cr123a-21478
Looks like mine but I think it’s the newer model, looks a bit more sturdy

Brintye
http://dx.com/p/brinyte-b5e-cree-xm-l-u2-300-350lm-4-mode-white-flashlight-black-1-x-18650-175357

Marsfire
http://club.dx.com/reviews/text/174129

Crelant
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200930424365?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&\_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Streamlight
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003GXF9MW/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Thank you for your help !

Welcome.

You might want to check out places like FastTech, with the coupon code “BLF” we BLF members get a 5% discount on torch related items.

http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10004131/1306401-sunwayman-r10r-cree-xp-g2-r5-2-mode-205-lumen-comp

+1 for Chicken Drumsticks suggestion.
.
This maybe another size option if you prefer a little larger and brighter. http://www.ebay.com/itm/UltraFire-WF-501B-CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-1-mode-Flashlight-RCR123A-16340-18650-Torch-/310681019907?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item4856082603.

Welcome to BLF!
An alternative for that eBay link to the Crelant V31A (same seller, but ships to Canada for free this way).
http://www.md-lightsource.com/Crelant-V31-A-450-Lumen-XML-U3-pocket-light-V31A.htm

Here’s one that comes in under your $20 budget:
http://www.fasttech.com/products/1699/10004109/1358901-uniquefire-uf-k21-cree-xm-l-u2-1-mode-700-lumen-le

Use coupon code ‘BLF’ at either site, I believe they both give us a discount.

I got this:

https://www.fasttech.com/p/1300400

and it is very bright.

BATTERY FORM FACTOR CR123A [I use it with 16340 also]

Has a clip.

It’s a twisty.

$15.25 - BLF code discount.

Jim

ohaya, good to know it is bright. That’s the 5-mode version of the one I linked.
Not sure about a 5-mode twisty. Does it have mode memory of any kind?
Also, can it be one-hand operated? It looks like it should be easy to do, but better to confirm with an owner.

Hi,

I still consider myself to kind of new (despite # of posts :laughing:, so don’t usually care much about memory (or tint), but I just tested the one I have, and it looks like it has NEXT mode memory, i.e., I turned it off when in high mode, and waited, and when I turned it on again, it came on in medium mode.

I’m probably not the best person to ask about one-handed operation (bad hands :(), but the light is rather wide (stubby) so a person with “normal” hands could operate it one-handed. I can do it, but not too easily. However, I’d note that the one I have, from FT, has very little knurling on it…. only a small strip kind of at the middle of the body.

The head has concentric grooves around it, probably to try to improve dissipating heat (ala “fins”), which is counter-productive from a grip/one-handed standpoint.

+1
it’s similar to xtar wk1.

an alternative with only 1 mode and even cheaper.
www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10004109/1358901-uniquefire-uf-k21-cree-xm-l-u2-1-mode-700-lumen-leu

other option is this one
www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10004211/1359000-authentic-ultrafire-cree-xm-l-t6-5-mode-600-lumen-

tactical style with forward clicky for momentary on…

Ohh, that’s a nice option for law enforcement. Good find!

Welcome to BLF nlp.

I am a newbie for the west coast. I would suggest you look at lights with 18650 batteries (eqivalent to two 123a batteries). There are more options in lights for you and within the $20 range.

Husgby P2 ....about 18$ at aurabuy and $15 at DX ,

well built ,nice knurling,sharp attack bezel.decent tint ,decent throw and good beam pattern,High ,low .strobe .Tough clip..

It can be used as a AA..a 14500 or with a body piece taken out with a cr123 or a rcr16340.The very versatile Husgby P2 :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5OyuH6Zavg

https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/17534

http://m.dealextreme.com/p/hugsby-p2-cree-q5-wc-190-lumen-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-32876

http://www.aurabuy.com/p2-cree-q5-wc-3-mode-190-lumen-convex-lens-white-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500.html

Nice thanks for all the suggestions. Forgot to mention I would like a Clicky. Since it’s alot faster to put on and off with just 1 hand.

Will look to all the suggestions and post back as I just got up after a night shift. Theres almost too much to choose from

Ok been looking for a couple of mins. Really nice options.

https://www.fasttech.com/p/1300400

That seemed like a good choice, damn shame theres not a clicky model.

The crelant I am not sure about the clip. Looks a bit flimsy. Could work if i added a piece of tape or maybe glued it on the light just to be sure
http://www.md-lightsource.com/Crelant-V31-A-450-Lumen-XML-U3-pocket-light-V31A.htm

This one is also nice but seems a bit on the big side
http://m.dealextreme.com/p/hugsby-p2-cree-q5-wc-190-lumen-led-flashlight-1-aa-1-14500-32876

I really like those two.

http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10004131/1306401-sunwayman-r10r-cree-xp-g2-r5-2-mode-205-lumen-comp

and

http://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10004211/1359000-authentic-ultrafire-cree-xm-l-t6-5-mode-600-lumen-

As far as Lumens go; one says 205 and the other 600. Is a the second one boosted on the numbers ? Doest the quality of the light affect those numbers ? Meaning if the first one is better quality , will the 205 seem to be as good as the 600 ?

The SWM R10R is probably right on with the lumens, it might even do better than that.
The UltraFire is probably between 400 and 500 lumens. The 600 number is likely an inflated ‘emitter lumens’ number, and doesn’t factor in losses.
I think one of the last two are good fits. The Crelant should be good, but you might be right about the clip, doesn’t wrap around too far. Might just be the angle though.
Edit: the SWM clip doesn’t look overly secure either. The UF clip seems to wrap around the most.

Lumens can be a little misleading, a bit like torque is with cars.

As the general rule more is better, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.

The Sunwayman uses an XP-G2 emitter, this is a small emitter and will offer relatively good throw for a small reflector.

The other light uses an XM-L emitter, this is physically much larger than an XP-G2, so it put out more light, but it will generally throw less far for the same size reflector.

So the extra lumens of the XM-L mean it’ll have a bigger hot spot and brighter spill rather than a massively more intensive output, i.e. it’ll illuminate with wider area brighter.

Something else to consider is many budget brands lie about output, I suspect (but don’t know for sure) that the Ultrafire is lieing about it’s output and is probably nearer 400 lumens than 600.

Ordered the last 2. Will report when I get the order.

Might also need to check for a main light because the one my departmenr issues is really crapy( pelican m6) If you guys have a suggestion to replace that I would also be interested (if possible similar size or one with a belt holster around the same size)

http://www.amazon.com/Pelcian-M6-2330-LED-Flashlight/dp/B000P1HV74/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370342166&sr=8-3&keywords=pelican+m6

This is what we have. Kind of pricy for the poor light it has. I’ve seen some collegues with 10$ lights with twice the punch in them. But I have to admit it’s prety sturdy to abuse.

Does it need to be CR123a again?

Yes sory I tought I mentionned that we only have cr123a batteries available from the department in my first post but I forgot to add that info on my last post. Also a clicky is a must (when using firearm etc…)

Thank you

Do you have a budget in mind?

Personally I still rather like the p60 format of lights, despite there relative poor thermal management (it really isn’t all that bad).

On this note I’d recommend a Solarforce L2 host.

If you are on a budget then the L2M is the cheapest and very very nice in it’s own right.

Or for more money you can have the L2P or L2T. They are all very similar just slightly different finishes and you can have a cigar grip on the L2T.

This is the L2M:

It’s shorter than a Mini Maglite but wider.

You can get a forward clicky switch (some come with them, some with a reverse clicky) if you need momentary. And it’s easy to swap on a new tailcap & switch. You can also buy clips if you need one.

The biggest advantage of this system is the “drop-in” LED module. The metal torch is just a tube and you buy the LED to drop into it. It’s very easy and quick. This means you can upgrade easily, or indeed if you fried the drop in you could even carry a spare drop in with you.

This one works very well on 2xCR123a:

You can get it as a single mode, 3 mode or 5 mode module, depending on what you need.

If you want to spend more money I’d take a look at Klarus, very high quality lights and very much aimed at a tactical use.

http://www.klaruslight.com/plist_show.php?id=59&lge=en
http://www.klaruslight.com/plist_show.php?id=2&lge=en
http://www.klaruslight.com/plist_show.php?id=50&lge=en