$50 to spend - Should I get a Triple or a Single?

You can see the archived poll results on the Wayback Machine:

https://web.archive.org/web/20221220093741/https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/72549

Here's the deal; about 6 months ago, I received a $50 gift card through my employer. The card has been sitting in my wallet, unspent since then. I have finally come to the conclusion that I would be best served by using this to buy myself a 'luxury' budget flashlight that I would never justify spending that amount of money on normally. The $50 price range gives me a good selection. I know I could buy a pair of C8s, or a better quality C8 or similiar, but I want something that I will be happy with for a long time. A little background on my current equipment; the best lights I have are:

  1. Aspheric-modded 3D maglight as a very well driven thower
  2. TR-1200 5x Q5 - another thrower
  3. My only XML light, the 504b with the MF Ultrafire 3-mode dropin

I have narrowed my choice down to either the STL V2 (or similar) or the Trustfire TR-3T6...

...but am open to suggestions for other lights in that price range. I have always liked the aesthetics of the V2 and its clones, but am also liking the idea of the sheer lumen output of the triple. I already have the aspheric thrower that will outperform the V2, but the V2 would have a more useable beam profile.

I also like my P60 for the high amount of flood, and suspect the triple would up that to a crazy level.

I would like to hear from users here who have both of these classes of lights; which is more fun with the higher 'wow' factor? Would I be disappointed with a single XM-L thrower when I compare it to my TR-1200? Which class of light will give me more lasting satisfaction?

I would like to limit my selection to the lights from Manafont as I am accumulating points through them, and have been very happy with the quick shipping they offer. Please share your insight!

Shadow pro7 or that new c mini can use 18650 or 26650 , I own the shadow and have the mini on order;) just my suggestions, cause I like longer runtimes and bright

your employer is Manafont?

No; my employer gave me a generic American Express Gift Card and I'm transferring the balance to my PayPal account so I can spend the money wherever I like. Manafont is just my current choice for overseas dealers!

hi all !

thought i would stop lurking from light reviews and flashlight news... and chip in a thought or two... have you looked at solarforce? and what are the lumen o-t-f on these manafonts? just curious... for a thrower light solarforce has a couple that are less than 50 and in the neighborhood of 500+lumen.

take care and 73's

mark c.

TR-3T6 3 X 18650 from manafont all the way IMO

I voted for the triple but if you do decide on a single I would suggest the trustfure X9 http://www.manafont.com/product_info.php/trustfire-x9-xml-t6-white-led-flashlight-gray-118650-p-7293 its a couple of bucks more but a very nice light for the money. Probably cheaper on eBay. I got mine for $34 dollars with a.charger and two batteries.

I notice the votes are getting rather one-sided toward the triple... I wish the 3T6 design was less bland. It really wouldn't stand out next to my TR-1200. But it would definitely have the 'wow' factor once I turned it on... But now that the 5-9 XML lights are coming out, the 3X would look weak.

My major concern is that if I bought the single XM-L thrower, I would be dissappointed once I compared it to my existing throwers. But I also want a nice big-reflector light. The largest reflectors I currently have are P60s.

My current short list:

  1. STL-V2 or clone
  2. TrustFire TR-3T6
  3. C8 XM-L
  4. Dongrui ALL-920 (possibly, may decide to get the C8 instead, I just like to looks of the Dongui)

@LangCJL - The X9 is nice, but I don't want to pay for the battery/charger combo, plus it's one-cell only. I like runtime, and I know the XML can pull a cell down quickly.

I hate making decisions like this. That's why I always hated getting cash/gift cards for Christmas/B-Day. I'm always going to be second-guessing myself and wondering 'What if I had bought the other?. Frown

Get the STL V2 you won’t be dissapointed.

You could spend your money on a nice small light .

I would browse around on the ShiningBeam and Lighthound web sites and pick something up there for $50.

Or, (and I like this kind of rationalization even better) you can get yourself a TK41 and just figure that you only had to pay $50 for it. What a bargain! I mean, admit it; wouldn't we all buy a TK41 if it was 50 bucks?

Trooplewis has a good point there .

I like to order and then receive my light in less than a week .

+1

I like what trooplewis said. You might want to take a look at the Shiningbeam Caveman or Blaze. If you want something really bright in a single 18650 light, you could get a Romisen T601 for less than $30. It's the best single cell budget light I have. Still, the TK41 for $50 out of pocket is a great light. I would probably take that and never look back.

Id get a light that is as unlike your others as possible. You have an aspheric thrower already. Your TR-1200 if its decently driven is a great light too and quite bright with decent throw. And you have a general purpose medium sized light.

I would thus look at getting either a true lumen cannon like the DRY 3x XM-L (one of the best driven triples out there), or a really nice keychain light like the illumina Ti or a RCR123 using Quark MiniX 123 with XM-L or the like. Or the upcoming MBI Torpedo.

yes, but mostly because isn't seen south of $100 (and that's probably what I'll pay for one soon lol)

I have even better logic than that. I tend to equate luxury items with the cost of a tank of gas. So when I put 15 gallons in my tank at a cost of $3 per gallon, I spend $45. Later that night I'm on Shining Beam, looking at the Caveman, and I thing, "What the heck, it's just the cost of a tank of gas". I mean admit it, you never refuse to put gas in your tank; if you need it, you fill it up. It's my standard for an acceptable expense amount.

The real beauty of this outlook on expenses is that when gas goes UP (like lately), it now costs $60 to fill my tank.

So I can buy nicer lights. Cool

It works the other way for me! I look at the cost of a flashlight and say 'That would buy me a tank of gas!' and NOT buy the light. For me, the gas is a necessity, and the light is the luxury.

Embarassed

This is one you will like very well.