...and I have been having fun with them!
Got here in record time, too. Only two bad scrapes to the body. Other than that, they're in super condition. By eye-readings, they seem very close competition to the 980L in output. In throw, well, they're the best I currently have with XM-Ls--as throwy as an X8. I can't believe there isn't more talk about these lights.
Oh there was quite a bit of talk when they started getting in the hands of BLF members. However, the KD C8 was already very popular and could be had for the same price or less so it didn't really warrant spectacular attention. It was my favorite budget C8 (tail stands!) until I acquired the Romisen RC-T601 II (Shiningbeam version - although it doesn't tail stand).
It's a nice flashlight. I wrote a review for a German flashlightforum yesterday:
Here a babelfish translation into English: http://de.babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-home&trurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.taschenlampen-forum.de%2Ftaschenlampen%2F12410-review-keygos-ke-5-xm-l-1x18650-thrower.html&lp=de_en&btnTrUrl=%C3%9Cbersetzen
Thanks. Definitely 850-950 lumens. I "re-wow" myself with this fanged throw-beast every time I turn it on. Simply stunning output.
what battery are you using in it?
Aren't these the lights that many people previously received under-driven? That's mainly why I passed this time around. Can you check tailcap current? Be good to know this batch should be able to be trusted.
-Garry
yes, I passed earlier as well, but this sounds too nice to pass up anymore. Placed an order this morning
Congrats Rusty. 
And since you got the (s)after the 5, that means you got more than one!! We be the same, I got a pair of them, I like the function, and the looks. BTW, I am a newbie too.
Here are my two on my bike...
And here they are in action.. I get a lot of respect out there now.. :)
Where did you order them from?
I use unprotected Samsung ICR18650 24E (2400mAh), Trustfire 3000mAh (gold/red) and measure over 4A (tailcap) at the begining and this decrease to 3,3A in about 90 seconds.
If you talking to me, I got mine form Go_Market on Ebay for $19.50 each.. Total with free shipping for two was $39.58. Also, don't know if it was a freak in shipping. But, I ordered/paid for them on the Feb 15th, they arrived on Feb 24th.. That was 9 days shipping from Hong Kong to US. Not to say that is the the norm, I have had items from the same seller take 3 weeks.
I saw those...and am very tempted at that price...are yours the 'good' version??
Can anyone post some beamshots of KE-5 vs KD C8? Any beamshots/comparison somewhere else?
VIktor
could you post some pics - any would be nice, but some of the pill would be great. I'm on the fence - great price...
I will post some later today.
Hi Garry,
My KE-5 arrived. The beam is very bright and tight. It was $19 and change from Go_Market on Ebay. Fast shipping, about 1 week.
With fresh XTAR 2600 I got 3.6A at the tail
With Tennergy 2600 I got 3.5A
The light will not run on my Trustfire Flames. They are about 4 months old. The light flashes and then dies. The same cells work fine in my other lights.
Over discharge protection in the Flames must be kicking in.
I am newbie, so I couldn't tell the good from the bad. I can say, that both work nicely.. They both are equal in lighting, and they are right there with my double Ke-1s too.
Also, the price is what got me..these were going for $28 or $29...I had already ordered a bunch of those U shaped mounts, and the ones with the straps, for around $2 each. That way, I can put mounts on all my bikes (9)and just swap out lights. Sheesh, now my wife wants one for her bike... :)
Mine does the same thing sometimes. But, to remedy that, I just push the clickee several more times until it comes on. After that it is okay. If you just do it once, and it blinks, try doing it several more times and see what happens. IMO, and I am a fresh newbie, I think they just need basic cleaning up. As with the flashaholics around here. When they get a new flashlight, the first thing they do is tear it down, clean the contacts, check the O rings, and all that stuff. Hopefully in a month or two, after I have read all these threads, I will learn how to do some basic stuff.
Also, from reading, I gather a lot has to do with the cells too.
Here they are...They suck, I know, but are the best I can do without a nighttime camera...
Approx. 20 feet from truck.
Approx. 35 feet on main lobby outdoor smoker's bench.
Approx. 65 yards against a storage shed (that is a vent in the beam, not an artifact).
As you can see, very, very bright! I'd be REAL surprised if anyone got one and wasn't in love with it (properly driven, of course). And this is using cruddy UF black and red-brownish "3600" low-capacity cells I got in bulk just for light testing.
wow, that's impressive. I wonder what the odds on getting a good driver are. My keygos m12 pulls 3.3 from high quality cells but somebody else got one that does 1 and change...