Hi, I was looking at the Convoy lights and would like to get a few for me and my boys(9 and 11 yr olds) to use when we go for night walks after dinner around the park.
I have a Trunite Catapult V6(older version), a Klarus xt11x and the boys have some small EDC ones with couple of hundred lumens output.
The 3x21a SFT40 is rather interest for me as with the L7 with SBT90.2 … Basically i am looking for something that outthrows and with more lumens than the current ones i had for sure, else there’s no point to get new ones right? lol…
For the boys, one of them like a thrower, so I am thinking about the C8+ and the other a flood type of light, which i am thinking of one of the S21x range? Or maybe both to get the S21 range but with different emitters?
They knew about heat generated from flashlights(so we are good with the safety part of things) and anyway we are not walking to some deep dark jungles, more of an excuse to shine into the pond or at the trees etc sort of thing. Just some father and son bonding sessions.
There’s really too many models when i was browsing Convoy’s Aliexpress store for the past week or so, thus any advice or recommendation is very much appreciated. Thank you.
Do you have a preference for battery size, do you have a charger already or are you wanting USB charging (most of the convoys don’t have this).
The C8+ is a great light, my son had a heap of fun last time I lent mine to him. The m21a is essentially the c8+ with a 21700 battery instead if you wanted to keep this consistent. The S21A with an SST40 is a great general purpose light and comes in a bunch of colours if this will appeal.
For your boy’s thrower, I will suggest a SFT-40 on either a M21A or L21B, both are value for money. But currently the SFT-40 is out of stock as many lights are coming out with this emitter.
The S21x might not give you much flood. For a more flood light, you might want to consider a S12 with triple emitter. Go for Nichia 219B/219C depends on your liking, or the Samsung LH351D. Skip the SST-20 on the S12 triple as the beam is a bit uneven, at least in my case.
Or maybe even a light that has in between throw and flood with more lumens. That will be a M21C/D, M21C-U with XHP70.2 on orange peel reflector. It’s up to 4000 lumens on high mode and the part I like best is a sustainable lumens of about 1500 for 2 hours.
Couldn’t tell you about more lumens (chasing lumens is a snipe hunt 19 times out of 20), but the amount of candela you get from a C8+ running an Osram CSLNM1.TG is insane. It’s practically a white laser pointer! Would definitely be fun for lamping a pond.
I’m thinking of the 21700 for better battery life actually if I have a choice between 18650 and 21700.
Hi LTC, the SFT-40 is the LED that I was looking at, hence the 3x21a model for myself… lol… I mean the old man(me) gotta have something that’s a little more hefty than the boys right? Until they can start to pay their own bills… lol
Hi Jack Kellar, thanks.
Hi Pip, thanks, i’ve seen some of the beam shots from Youtube on the C8+, that’s what caught my attention in the first place. And from the videos, to Googling for more reviews and it leads me to this forum… lol…
Oh yeah, i think i left out a rather important point why I was looking at C8+ and the S21A… my apologies! The boys being boys… one is looking for a flashlight in Green(thrower) and the other in Red(flood)… lol… so that pretty much left me with much lesser options…
I was looking at either options for the boys:
The S21A with the XHP50.2 with orange peel reflector for the more floody light, and the S21A with the KW CSLPM1.TG/smooth reflector for the more throwy light.
The S21A with the XHP50.2 with orange peel reflector for the more floody light, and the C8+ with KW CSLNM1.TG/smooth reflector for the more throwy light.
For myself, I was very much intended to get the 3x21A with SFT40, until i started wondering if I should just get the L7 with SBT90.2 just to blow everyone away with the throw and also useful as a self defence tool(lol)… The ergonomics of holding the L7 seems to be much better than the soda can style of the 3x21A… although it would be by far the biggest light i have ever gotten so far(excluding the 2D Maglite which i used to use when i was in the army). I have been getting pretty much smaller ones all these years since early 2000s… with the ARC AAA, wonder if anyone still remember those? lol…
I agree with the 3x21a in either 90.2 or SFT configuration for the ‘big guns.’
The C8+ comes in multiple colors which is always fun for kids in my experience. Some fun ideas to help spend your money would be some colored Osram emitters - green, red, amber - in matching colored hosts.
*L*21B with SFT40 is a superb thrower - well proportioned and balanced beam - ~400kcd and 2000+ lumens. C8+ or M21A with Osram NM1+5A or PM1+6A are great values, too.
My most recommended Convoy is an M2 with an NM1 Osram. I’ve modded one for myself and it’s currently my favorite compact thrower. ~100kcd
For flood, the M21B or S11 with GT-FC40 is a nice setup IMO. Great hiCRI emitter touching each cct range.
Sorry JaredM for breaking in on your post. Just wanted to let you know I just received my D18 today. I would have to say it is pure quality. I like how stubby it is and the desert brown color. Also I’m glad you told me about the 4500K emitters. Thank you for that recommendation about the light.
JaredM, I just ordered up an Acebeam L19 since it was on sale. I read it here on this forum so I took advantage of the $47 off the price. I’m sure glad I found your site. Saved me a few dollars already. And I’ve been reading on this site that the Acebeam’s have really good build quality.
Other than the 3x21a and the Z1, I don’t think it’s offered in any other lights, the SFT40 I mean… that would be something I would be happy with in my son’s thrower. Looks like I’ll have to make do with something with the Osrams…
I’ll have a look at the M21B later… Thanks for sharing!
I made a pretty inconvenient typo with the ‘S21B’. I meant L21B. It’s currently not listed in Simon’s store because he ran out of emitters. You can find it elsewhere though where old stock still exists.
This is true! A legitimate reason to choose such a light. Should throw (light haha) much better than the 3x21A as well.
I’d honestly suggest the Wildtrail WT90 over all of these, hands down - no question.
My ideal minimalist list of LED dedicated throwers as of today… from large to small. Numbers rounded for cleanliness.
Wildtrail WT90 90.2 - 1Mcd - 6000lm - 110mm
Convoy L21B SFT40 - 400kcd - 2500lm - 60mm
Brinyte B158B HHL532 - 325kcd - 500lm? –55mm
Or in case you hate zoomies and don’t want any in your collection…
Convoy C8+ NM1 - 200kcd - 900lm - 45mm
Convoy M2 NM1 - 100kcd - 900lm - 32mm
Smaller lights can obviously be optimized for throw, but I personally set cut off at 100kcd. Additionally, anything smaller is 99% of the time going to be edc capable and that requires hiCRI for me.
This is actually awesome. On the cusp of underpowered (single 26800) for a 90.2 and that much heft, but fills the L21B and WT90 gap very nicely. Without my lookup table handy I’d spitball throw at 600kcd
The Wildtrail looked like a monster! Lol… Is that even street legal? Lol…
Now the 3x21a with SBT90.2 is calling me… Haha… Especially now that it comes in a package with batteries too.
I think I’ll settle for the S21a with XHP50.2 and Osram emitters for my boys, it will do for now I suppose.
As for myself… It’s the 3x21a with SFT40 or the SBT90.2 probably… Am I right to say the SBT90.2 will throw further but runs hotter than the triple SFT40? Perceivable brightness should be similar?
SBT90.2: 5400 lm, 1112 metres, 5700 K, 17.8 A
SFT 40: 5400 lm, 1029 metres, 6500 K, 20.5 A (not given for 3X21A, but for L7)
90.2 will be warmer and slightly more throw. Will also have a more neutral tint. I do not have a 3X21A but I have an L7 and am happy with the tint in that. The SFT 40 should have more flood being a triple reflector, but there were concerns with the beam pattern mentioned in the review.
