MX Power ML-310 Nitecore Extreme homage

Hello everyone, sorry for my first post being a question.

I very much like the look of the Nitecore Extreme with it’s heat sink like fins but I’m fairly new to led flashlights and their features so don’t really want to buy a >$70 flashlight I might not like.
Of the many cheaper homage’s ;-) available to evaluate the design I decided on the MX Power ML-310 , another advantage is that it also takes AA batteries which I have a bucket load of.
I went ahead and ordered a silver one from Kaidomain.com but was informed they no longer sell them in any colour other than black, which I’m not too keen on.

Unfortunately I’ve found evidence that there may be a titanium finish version of the ML-310 available and my future happiness is now dependent on me owning one. http://www.szobm.net/sdp/489907/4/pd-2645629/6328035-1298069

I’ve tried the usual suspects; KD, DX, Bestofferbuy, Qualitychinagoods and whatever came up on Google but had no luck.
I realise this is a long shot but I don’t suppose anyone is aware of a more obscure seller who might have these?

Thanks for any help.

Gary

Hi there Gary, welcome to the site! Questions are more than welcome, I tend to ask more than I help out myself.

I took a quick look around the obscure sites, and I couldn't find any silver or titanium versions of that light. Personally looking at the szobm.net link you posted, it looks to me from the pictures like those are also black and the "titanium" description is a bit off. But I could be wrong. You might want to dig through some of the following sites:

http://focalprice.com

http://popbuying.com

There are more listed here, make sure to check that they aren't a scam. Additionally, don't forget that MX Power, Romisen, and Saik are the same company, so you might search for AA lights made by any of those names. This one looks similar: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.32947

Do you especially like the style of the ML-310? Because if you are just looking for a nice affordable multi-mode silver or pewter colored AA light, I have several recommendations (with a different, simpler body style) that I personally own and like.

Heres my review on the Romisen A4 Q5 look a like. It is a very well made light and comes in a single or 2 mode version.

http://budgetlightforum.cz.cc/node/49

Hi Alfred and sb56637,

Thanks very much for the welcome and reply.

That is a really useful list of suppliers, thanks sb56637.

Yeah, I've really set my heart on the titanium MX-310 design with it's AA compatibility, would need to buy new batteries and another charger if I bought the RC-A4 though I really like the colour of the suggested Romisens.

I've got a Trustfire F23 on it's way and have my eye on the forthcoming reviews of the Aurora SH-035 in the other thread so will wait a bit to see if the titanium finish version turns up.

I guess I am just one of those idiots who sets his mind on something and then looks to see if it's available rather than seeing what's available then deciding.

Cheers,

Gary

Just wanted to say welcome to the site as well......Heres a tip for you sir....if you plan on broadening your horizen when it comes to lights you might as want to take a look at cr123' and 18650 lights. I used to be like you, just wanted a light for AA cells only,......you get more of a selection if you take a look at the other formats.

Thank you for the sound advice sir.

I guess I'm just trying to squeeze as much life out of my current supply of batteries as possible.

Cheers,

Gary

Are you using alkalines or rechargeables for your light.....

Rechargeables.

I recently bought a load more NIMHs and a new charger so my timing could not be worse.

I think your timing is great....just means you need to get more lights for the batts...lol.

AA lights really are an excellent format, I personally have very little interest in any other format myself. Alfred is right, you get a lot more selection especially with 18650 lights, but I already have far more lights than I need just by choosing the best of the best AA models.

So Gary, you basically have two options: A black ML-310 or another nice AA light in titanium color but with a different body style. Or, if you decide to try out several, that's an option too. ;) Let us know, we'll recommend something good.

I have to admit I am trying to keep the costs down as much as possible.

The great information and reviews on this site helped me decide on the F23 and hopefully if you gentlemen think the SH-035 is as good as the SH-032/34 I will no doubt get one of those as well.

I am not in a profession were I really need a fully featured flashlight, I've been using a 2xAAA Mini Maglite at work for the past 10 years and have only recently upgraded it with an LED emitter, so I am really just looking for a cool new gadget.

I do like the titanium/gunmetal/anthracite colour, a proper man's colour.

I will still try to track down a titanium ML-310 as to me the hunt is half the fun.

Cheers,

Gary

Yes it is....and it will make you feel good inside when you find the light that your looking for and have it in your hands.

I work in a very brightly lit hospital. Bright enough that the Health and Safety squad have just told us about the EU Optical Radiation Directive which requires me to warn people not to look directly at the lights as they are not diffused! That will be right!

However, I found 15 lights in my laptop bag tonight while looking for the one that wasn't there. And took delivery of a 2000 lumen light though that was a very long way from a cheap light.

In practice at work they get used in the cupboard under the stairs and for looking under desk.

But I do understand your wanting a specific model and colour - you are certainly not alone in that.


Found a silver/bare ML-310 retailer so at least have a fallback option but the search continues Alfred.

Hello again Don,

So what's the weather like been like in the homeland today?

The first flashlight site I stumbled on was CPF and it seemed that there were a lot of police, emergency services, security professionals and the like talking about serious work flashlights.

It is good to find a site with people who do not have a particular reason, nor feel the need to justify their obsession interest in flashlights.

Cheers,

Gary

Yes i know what you mean....i spend most of my time on here now.

Wet. Warm, but very wet. Well, this does happen a lot around here. The dog had me up every 90 minutes through the night so it wasn't the best day ever at work. I really don't notice the weather at work unless I'm sneaking off outside for a smoke but did notice my office got rather darker when the rain started so I pulled a couple of lights out of my bag, shut the blinds and did some beamshots. Patients not attending have their uses - DNAs as they get called here. They are responsible for about 90% of impromptu tutorials and coffee breaks.

Hey there Nothing, it would appear that the silver MXDL ML-310 is now available at KD, it's listed as a new product:

http://kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=10009

Hi. Thank for the heads up.
That is the one I tried to order a few weeks ago but was told only black was available from now on, I guess they are making them again.
I actually managed to get a gun metal one off of ebay, had to pay a bit more but in the short time I've had it I quite like it.
Build quality is not great but acceptable IMHO and it's slightly brighter than my F23.

That's where this thread should have ended but unfortunately I stumbled across another NC Extreme design budget light which just arrived today.

I bought it off of QCG Sipik SK68 but right after I ordered it I found it on popbuying.com Sipik SK68 for a bit less.

This one seems to be brightest of all with a similar size flood(?) to the F23 but I need to get outdoors at night to test the usefulness of the zoom functionality.


Thanks again for everyone's input.

Cheers,

Gary

Thanks Gary.

I'm a big fan of this style of light. I have the Romisen Q5 emitter version in a single mode.

What interests me about the one you post is 1) the zooming lense 2) it tailstands 3)Takes AA battery but does not add much length as it's only a few mm longer than the other variations 4) the price.

I worried about the max brightness of only 80 lumens as I'm bright light nut (and I wish it took 14500s) but I may give them a try.

No worries my friend.

I haven't stepped up to Li-ions yet but yeah it would've been good if it was futureproofed a bit by handling more than 1.5v, a low mode would have been good too.

On NiMHs it is the brightest out of a Trustfire F23 AAA, MX Power ML-310 AA and a 2xAAA Mini Maglite with a LED upgrade.

Here is a Chinese webpage with a few more beam shots.

When I do eventually get a load of Li-ions and a charger I can see myself purchasing a genuine Extreme, just something about them.

Cheers,

Gary