STL-V2 throws the farthest.
TR-J12 has the widest flood-beam.
TR-3T6 will be somewhere in-between
You could use the TR-J12 with either 3x or 2x 18650 cells just fine. Although in 2x cell mode, I would not let the cells run down too far past ~3.35V You run the risk of them getting hot, and in a 26650 light like this the 18650 cells will get hot before the body tube heats up. 26650 cells will also get hot, but because they have a higher capacity they will spend longer time dwelling around & above 3.6V nominal, where the boost regulator circuit draws lower current.
I lent my TR-J12 to another CPF member on a night hike, he ran it for a good 35 minutes in 2 cell setup and it (both the light and cells) got pretty warm.
i like the fact that the j12 has the widest beam because that is more of what im looking for, but it is about $20 more than the stl v2 and 3t6.
i like the 3t6 cus its in between both, but im not really good at soldering and do not want to solder that copper onto the springs. although it may be very easy to do, i just want a light where no modding is really needed.
and the stl v2’s pro is the throw. but since those other two lights can switch to a 3 battery, if i choose to put in 3 cells, should the j12 and 3t6 outthrow the stl v2 now?
The TR-J12 definitely will not out-throw the V2, in either cell configuration. I don’t believe the TR-3T6 will either, but let others reply back with first hand experience with both lights.
wow really? sounds like the stl v2 is the winner then. is there alot more usueable spill/flood with the 3t6 vs the stl v2?
geez then the stl v6 must be a fantastic thrower then! no know what others are saying about the stl v6 hahah.
cus i know that the stl v6 has more throw than the v2, but less flood.
It’s about the reflector design. The V2 has a large/wide reflector which captures and focuses the light forward. The multi-emitter lights light the TR-3T6, J12, J16, J18, etc have more emitters in shallow reflectors which cannot focus the light as well resulting in a floodier light. Also, the multi-emitter lights have to run the LEDs at a lower power level to prevent overheat, which further reduces their throw-ability.
If you want a floody light, get a multi-XM-L light. If you want throw, get a large-reflector light like the V2.
Well… if you are looking for throw and seeing stuff WAY out, then the STL-V2 (and the V6) are great for that. If you are just looking for a general trail light to light up a path infront of, and around you the TR-J12 will beat it for that. Note too that the TR-J12 still reaches out a good ~50-80 yards.
The Cree XML has a Vf range of 3.2-3.7V, so it really doesn’t need high Voltage for max brightness. Its more about current than voltage.
the j12 is probably out of the question because of the cost. its between the stl v2 and 3t6 now. i should just get the stl v2 since i already own a skyray king and that has 3xml’s . thank you guys for helping me decide.
oh by the way, out of curiousity, is the j12 more floody than the skyray king? im assuming yes because of the 5 vs 3 xml’s, but i cant picture another light being more floody than the skyray king. its just as floody as my big tk 70 and my lamda varapower turbo.
The STL-V2 is a wow light that still has my co-workers assuming it is the brightest I own. Nothing impresses like throw, especially when that throw is made by running a Keygos KE-5 single-cell 18650 body in for lighter carry!
hey rusty, what do you mean by…. Nothing impresses like throw, especially when that throw is made by running a Keygos KE-5 single-cell 18650 body in for lighter carry!
are you saying it unscrews to a 1 cell and it will perform like a ke5?
i own a ke5 already, and dont think it throws that well. i mean it throws for a single cell, but if the stl v2 throws like that for a 2 cell, its not very impressive then.
No, no, no. I’m saying an STL-V2 can use the body of a standard C8 and the one I use is the body of my Keygos KE5 like so…
And throw is lux, and lux is always more visible to the naked eye. This is why floody lights are not nearly as impressive as throwy lights where the girth of the beam is confined to a smaller space. I could tell non-flashaholics that the V2 is 2,000 lumens and they’d believe it easy, but the floodier beam doesn’t have the same affect as easily because the light is more diffuse and less controlled. Make sense?
He means that sometimes a thrower will appear brighter than a floody light, even though the floody is brighter. Concentrated light looks brighter than dispersed.
I have all three lights. The TR-J12 throws insanely well, much better than people probably think. I don’t understand why people thinkmulti-xml lights throw poorly. Both the TR-J12 and TR-3T6 throw pretty darn good. When I am trying to spot something out in my field at night I reach for my UF-T70 or my TR-J12. The ranges vary from 100-200yards and in that range the multi-xml lights “walk all over” the STL-V2. Whenever I am showing off my lights I always show them my “thrower” (STL-V6) and an insanely bright light (DRY, UF-T70, TR-J12). To my surprise the STL-V6 doesn’t surpass them unless the distance is very far away, to far to even make out what you are looking at clearly. Unless lighting up buildings and trees from far away is impressive to you I don’t see the reasoning.
It is the light I like the most and I know it is expensive but it is worth every penny. It only has three modes (which is a plus for me) Hi-Low-Strobe. It also has a mode lock feature that turns it into a 1-mode of your choice, which is also an amazing feature. It throws very well for a multi-xml and the build quality is superb. However all of the lights I have mentioned have their own niches and I find they are all great pieces to have in a collection. The TR-3T6 can be had for $35 and for that price it is a great value. The STL-V2 is also a must have light if you are looking for a dedicated thrower. I also think you should pick up a “high-tier” multi-xml like a UF-T70, DRY, TR-J12, KING.
I understand what you are saying. I was mildly impressed with the KING’s throw, but it’s still different than a dedicated thrower. I guess I and the people I show off lights to really are taken with very far-reaching beams. But you’re right; with THAT much light, you don’t need much throw to hit anything within recognizable distance. The T70 I don’t have, but want. At that price, I think I’ll wait.
thats a pretty neat idea by putting the head of the stl v2 onto the ke5. is the throw and brightness still the same as 2x18650 but just with shorter runtime?
do you know if i can put the head to the 3t6 onto my ke5 as well?
that uf t70 is too similar to my king in my opinion, so i will pass on that…especially the price drives me away at the moment.
and great pictures, that j12 does look like a beast, but its $20 more than the stl v2 and 3t6.
after reading up on these posts. im more than likely gonna go with the 3t6. i think the throw on that light is good enough. if i needed more, then i would just bust out my tk70 or my varapower turbo.
hey do you guys know if i went with one of those 5xml’s or 7 xml’s, would it be more floody than the king or the 3t6? if so, is there one that only takes 2x18650
thats a pretty neat idea by putting the head of the stl v2 onto the ke5. is the throw and brightness still the same as 2x18650 but just with shorter runtime?
do you know if i can put the head to the 3t6 onto my ke5 as well?
that uf t70 is too similar to my king in my opinion, so i will pass on that…especially the price drives me away at the moment.
and great pictures, that j12 does look like a beast, but its $20 more than the stl v2 and 3t6.
after reading up on these posts. im more than likely gonna go with the 3t6. i think the throw on that light is good enough. if i needed more, then i would just bust out my tk70 or my varapower turbo.
hey do you guys know if i went with one of those 5xml’s or 7 xml’s, would it be more floody than the king or the 3t6? if so, is there one that only takes 2x18650
