Just the flashlight kind.
It ended up selling it. It just didn’t work all that great. I should have modded it by frosting the glass or something, but I don’t think the design is all that great. What really does work well is a white plastic vitamin bottle used as a diffuser. Or the ultimate. Three sheets of white typing paper taped together lengthwise rolled into a tube placed around a SRK. That sucker would light up a gymnasium. :bigsmile:
Meh…the 501 hosts are on level for what you pay for them. I ordered the Grey/Silver ones. Kinda cheapy feeling. What I can’t understand is…why did they paint them? Aluminum is already silver…why not leave it in its natural state?
I have not bought P60s for them yet. Putting a nice XM-L2 in there might be a little much compared to the cheapy feeling quality of the hosts. Perhaps there are some budget P60s out there that would match the quality of the host a little better.
I ordered the black ones because I have a cheap C8 host that is silver and I didn’t really care for the color. Just so you know though. It has held up very well. I don’t know what process they used but it’s not flaking off or chipping at all.
Well anyway, thanks for the update and perhaps there are others who would prefer not to order based on your recommendations.
For other hosts, I would really suggest the solar force ones that are on sale right now, $10.50 cents each or something close to that. Also if you care to build a drop in Fast Tech has a reflector with a copper pill now for dirt cheap along with XM-L2’s. Also there is a very nice new driver that was just posted yesterday.
Good luck.
I’ll have to look around. I missed that one and your link is broken. I have been looking for a lantern that takes 18650’s that would be very cool.
Thanks for sharing, i placed an order
Did you receive the lantern yet? If so, how is it?
Great! Thanks sixfifty. I also fixed the link. 
Nope I just ordered it and I didn’t pay for the quicker shipping either so it will be a while. I would imagine others will order and get theirs first. I’m just surprised to see a lantern set up for 18650’s. I can’t wait.
On the lantern above that is supposed to take the 18650’s it seems that it might in fact take D batteries and not 18650’s.
They listed it as “3) Power supply: 3 x 18650 batteries” and this was the reason I placed my order. 
Yep me too. Bummer but I’m sure they will make it right one way or another.
They e-mailed me back about the lantern and it doesn’t take 18650’s and they are changing the description.
Green cap(FT) came in plus the Cree XM-L2 U2 1400 Lumen 3.7V-4.2V 5-Mode OP LED Lamp
from Kaidomain.
Cool, I bought the same drop in (black host). How good is the combo?
I got the hosts today. I ordered the black ones and they are very nice for the price. One had a tailcap that needed the retaining ring tightened down, but it’s working fine now. Incredible deal really. Less than $4 each delivered. All the anno is perfect not a scratch on them the lenses were not dirty or scratched up. Despite the one tail cap needed to be tightened they are actually nice sturdy tailcaps, large solid spring. Better than some expensive ones I have seen.
I would give mine a very healthy two thumbs up and recommend them to anyone looking to build a little pocket size light.
wow, that has manafont and KD listed too! thanks 
ordering yet another 501b, for some lego 
as pointed in another thread, sugru here seems fantastically cheap as well…
I received my two silver hosts early this week. I tried various tailcaps and ended up with the stock one staying in. I wanted to fix the tailstand, but it would require a low profile boot.
The host itself is not bad. Still getting used to the colour though. I put an OP drop-in, XM-L U2, 5-mode memory DD driver from another light, and it pulls about 4.5A from a fully charged cell. Nice and bright. As with any P60 host, heat is an issue, so High mode is good for maybe 5 minutes.
I ordered 3 of the black ones on April 11 and they arrived exactly 2 weeks later, well packaged, not a scratch. They all work and have good threading & machining. I’m pleased with the quality/price. This is just enough P60 host for me; light weight (70gr vs. 100gr for the L2 clone-of-a-clone I have), nice pocket size. I don’t run the P60’s too hard, have better LED lights to manage higher current & heat. I like the style and looks of these as well. It looks more like a flashlight than a plumbing fitting. (I know I’m in the minority with this opinion on the 501b….)
I already popped one in the toaster oven at 500F for 15 minutes; it came out a nice chocolate/bronze (as I’m calling it). ….got to tell them apart somehow.
All the P60 hosts I ever want for $12. That’s a deal.
I put together my own drop-ins, so buying the host separate makes sense.
Some deals on the 501b include the drop-in, and are price competitive, but the included LED & driver is never what I want.