Another Budget Thrower Thread: What is your opinion of the best Thrower under 20$ 30$ and 50$?

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

So, I’ve read few topics on this subject, but most of them seem to be outdated (by the date).
I’m a floody guy, but yesterday late evening after my work, i went out for the usual walk in the fields with my dog.
Here at 19PM it’s already dark almost as night, but with full moon you could still see enough to make a running workout or maybe walk with your pet and see it at about 10meters from you. Well, yesterday my dog started running into a field sniffing for something . I had a Tank007 E09 with me, as I was dressed coming home from my job, and I started running, but it was faster than me.
Also the road splitted in two directions and I was not able to reach it fast enough to see in which direction it went. So i ran back home made 2 km, grabbed my TN12-2014 and started seeking for it, but with no luck.
Lately we did fid him, with the help of 2 cars and with xenon HID lights and after 1h long research.

So…. Finally I’ve come across of the idea that despite not being a thower guy, it should be good to have a light for a specific purpose, like seeking something moving into the fast fields and be able to see it before it out throws my sight.

I’ve read about Small Sun T13, HD2010 and several other lights but they were all with old emitters, so I don’t know if today (2015) there are better options
My purpose is NOT to have a lightsaber, like those aspherical lights, but is to be able to distinguish a dog, from a cat, a person at about 250-300m, i’m not a hunter, If i can illuminate let’s say a spot 5m x 5m at K intensity with a flashlight or maybe a spot of 10m x 10m at K-20% of light, i’d still prefer the second.

I’ve also planned to buy a Supfire M6 Mod Opt2, if richard ever replies me…so maybe just buying an M6, will cope with this task compensating not being a thrower with huge level of lumens….i don’t know….But till then I would like to know from you guys, what are the best thrower for you in the 20,30 and 50$ class?
Batteries form factors are not a problem, I’ve few Efest IMR14500, Efest IMR 10440, EFEST IMR 4200mAh Green’s 26650 , Sammy’s 18650-25R, Panny protected NCR18650B

Till now, I’m not very inclined in modding more than a resistor mod or a thicker cable swap. I’ve still to understand a lot in this regard. (if you have a first step tutorial, understanding basics…like resistor mod, sense resistor, what this, what that…appreciated)
ALso If you suggest let’s say a 20$ light but with a20$ mod this put it in the sub50$ tier….

2

My 50mm aspheric fits in my jacket pocket, has almost 300 kcd of throw it is adjustuble from spot to flood and at 250 meters hotspot size is around 7 x 7 meters, and it can be more than 20x20 in flood mode if I want.

So when you say NOT to aspheric lightsabre...

Lightsabre = Pure hotspot = Furthest throw = Most light on the target = cleanest target identification

3

Sure, I didn’t mean to offend anybody tastes but I was just saying that I don’t need a (maybe) expensive light to see something 1km away from me with a 1x1m spot (obviously i’ m exaggerating now, just to be understood) , also I fear that a narrower beam excessively focused (FOR ME) could be slowing my seeking purposes by leaving too much dark what is just 2meters away from the illuminated spot.

7x7m @250m is nice Btw… What you have is a self built custom flashlight?

4

I don't own these, but some to consider:

Small Sun ZY-T08, $26.73: http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10002537/1188301-small-sun-zy-t08-cree-xm-l-t6-635lm-5-mode-white-l

UniqueFire UF-1405, $34.89: http://www.fasttech.com/product/1815002 (Aspheric zoomie with a big lens)

SupFire L3: $28.49 (Plus shipping from US) - http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=80&product_id=448

Maxtoch Sniper: http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=80&product_id=365

MaxToch M12: http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=80&product_id=359

5

These two lights were top rated throwers and would perform even better w/ an XP-G or XP-E and a better driver.

http://www.dx.com/p/uniquefire-hs-802-cree-r2-wc-2-mode-230-lumen-led-flashlight-1-18650-2-cr123a-16538#.VOe5AiyRZD0

http://www.dx.com/p/uniquefire-hs-801-cree-r2-wc-2-mode-230-lumen-led-flashlight-1-18650-2-cr123a-16537#.VOe3syyRZD0

Both use deeper reflectors than you find in the C8-C12 type lights.

6

$30 or less look at these:
Jacob A60
Yezl Y3
HD2010
UF-1405
ZY-T08
ZY-T13

For about $70, the Maxtoch M24 is hard to beat.

I would actually suggest the UF-1405. It is the best of both worlds. You can adjust the beam to cover what you want to see. Can be floody up close, or light up at a distance. It’s under $30 and although larger, I feel it is a more useful light that the T20. I have a HS-802. It used to be a great light, but I don’t think it offers anything the others can’t do better now.

7

The HD2010 and Small Sun ZY T08 are going to be your best throwers for the money. Both can be bought for $18 to $32 depending on if you can catch them on sale. The Small Sun will need a driver mod to get the best out of it. If you get an HD2010 with the East 92 driver it is good to go from the start and doesn’t need any modding.

8

Thank you guys for all the input this is what I wanted, I’ll do some research (hopefully finding real numbers) to understand what gives the best meter for dollar throw (stock), and write the results down here… I suspect UF-1405 but my first lithium light was this http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Ultrafire-Z5-1600-Lumen-Cree-XM-L-T6-7-Mode-LED-Flashlight-Torch-2-x-18650/663361119.html?tracelog=rowan&rowan_id2=ae_pay_low_mail_template_en_US_2015-02-20

It’s a zoomie 2S 18650 and I hate it so much I kinda of hate the “lens” world.Fully focused does that ugly square spot which is too cold and also to dim at distance and I just don’t like the feeling that the borders of the light seem to be much clearer than the center when you illuminate a road.
Anyway, I’ll do my research again and see.

for now…Thank you all

9

I you don’t like the square focused LED, stay away from all zoomies.

10

obviously, and that’s what i did since then. But If the UF 1405 is so much better and looking at this images http://www.fasttech.com/product/1815002 seems not squared when focused, I could put it in my TO-CHOOSE list.

11

The HD2010 is a legend in stock form, the only way to go. I have a version of every light mentioned in this thread except the Supfire L3 and in stock form the HD2010 is by far he best for the money. The Maxtoch’s are great but cost a lot more. Have the 1405 but I pretty much don’t like the beam profile on all zoomies including this one. A60=pencil beam. Y3, T08, T13 all are under driven and need driver mods.
Stock HD2010 driver is awesome.

12

I went on a spell of throwy lights and well lets just I bought a “few” and IMHO the Small Sun ZY T08 for the price is hands down the best mix of spill and throw. All the lights listed are great throwers and honestly I think you would be happy with them all. I much prefer the look of the UniqueFire HS-802 over the Small Sun and I tend to use it more. I bet I have 8+ “budget” throwers and unless I am using them side by side it really wouldn’t make a differance. I have an UniqueFire HS-802 with a XP-E and XML2 I’ve not tested it but I’d bet the XP-E goes further but with a much smaller beam. If throw is all you want then i would get a light with a XP-E2 but how often are you actully going to throw past 200 let alone 300 or 400 meters?

I think you have a light with a wide deep reflector and driven properly you can’t really go wrong.

13

So according to your suggest This one http://www.fasttech.com/product/1205801-fandyfire-hd2010-cree-xm-l-t6-5-mode-led-flashligh

Should be good to go. And with an efest 26650 green 20A/50A should reach at least a 1k lumen output

14

Maybe I am the exception but I haven’t been super impressed with my stock hd2010. I think my stock Y3 throws further. The T08 is a great light, especially to mod from what I’ve read, but I hate how it feels. Mine just doesn’t feel comfortable. I have all the lights I listed earlier except the 1405 and t13, but my 1405 is waiting to be delivered. I use throwers a lot hunting hogs. I found myself always with my T20 in my pocket. The square light is annoying, but there is no denying it is the most useful light and I can only imagine the 1405 being 10 times better especially modded. I could flood it looking for blood or zoom out to see something 200 yards away, albeit a tight area.

15

It should be good, you can’t actually go by the specs these retailers list, an East 92 driver which comes in 90% of HD2010’s will be pulling more than 3.1 amps. more like 4 or 5. It’s always a chance buying any Chinese light as to which driver it will include. Of the 9 or 10 HD2010’s I own, all but one came with the East 92 driver.

16

I specifically needed a 2S light for my BU_CK driver so I just ordered a ZY-T13 from ebay for $20.50 from a U.S. seller. It’s not here yet so I can’t comment on quality and obviously I’ll be modding it but I’m really expecting a monster thrower in an easy to carry form factor.

17

I like my CNQ Zooming host with Ahorton lens CNQualityGoods Zooming 1x18650 generic host (No longer available) and the Ahorton aspheric lens. Its throw is limited by its size, but would be hard to beat in another small light. Mine now have dedomed XM-L and XM-L2, but smaller LEDs would give more throw.
The host is $12.80. The lens is $6.99 plus reasonable shipping. Another $10 or less for LED and driver. Maybe an hour with a half round file, or less if you are willing to loose a little light, to make the bezel ring fit the lens. To fit, the base of the bezel ring needs to be filed. To use the full lens area for throw, it needs to be filed out to a cylindrical hole. For maximum flood, it needs to flair outwards. Filing the pill shorter also improves the flood, especially with dedomed LEDs. Other small zooming hosts could be used but would require more filing, unless you have access to a lathe.
The Ahorton lens can also be used to convert a reflector light to a pure thrower, but the zoomy gives just as good throw and also very good flood.
The build is generally better than that of typical zoomies and on a par with reflector lights, but one of them needed the zoom threads lapped together before it was smooth.

18

Hmmm I’ve narrowed down the list, i think, to what follows

Yezl Y3, 62 kcd, $25 at Banggood after coupon
HD2010, 40-50 kcd, $15 at tmart but is just XM-L (should be the East092 DD drive as reported by a user)
Courui D01 unknown Kcd 30$ at GearBest after coupon

Maybe HD2010 is the best bang for the buck? Should I buy that and just add an XM-L2 without touching anythng else, except maybe the wires? Will beat the Y3 which has a better relector?

I’ll have some 0.120 Ohm resistor will that be useful? Still don’t know why sometimes I read about subohm resistor mod (with sense resistors) and sometimes with XXX KOhm resitor mods, dam I should find some tutorial to understand this things, alsofor this reasons I was looking for simple resistor mod either on Y3 or on a HD2010 and always ended in super crazy mod with driver swap, and noctigon copper paths and star wars stuff…. it’s too early now for me…and they are written to show modifications to someone who already knows the stuff involved not to someone who has to understand why this or why that has been made that way or else :weary:

surely it will take time to collect and order the pieces of knowledge…
Nevermind sorry for this frustration of mine being too noob… back on topic on the light choice

Thanks anybody for the suggestions

19

Your Z5 still has some potential. I have a Z5 that sat on a shelf for a couple of years because I hated it as well. I ended up replacing the switch and swapping out the driver with a 3A buck driver and an XP-G2. You’d be surprised at what that thing can do.

20

Thanks, WillyD, I think it will be my first mod, since I hate it so much I’m not scared at all to destroy it.