It wouldn’t be the internet without some kind of flaming.
Yes, I do overthink and I will plan far in advance of decisions. I know that’s not everyone’s preference.
For CRI, I’m sure it has it’s place. I don’t have a strong opinion yet as I haven’t experienced it myself. Being a generally picky person, I’ll probably form a view after some exposure.
Right now I’m obsessing about the tiny form factor lights that I would consider true EDCs for my purposes. My brain is turning to mush after looking at the Olight I1R, Wuben G series, Trustfire Mini2, Acebeam M50, and I keep finding more that are essentially variants of the same thing.
2 things no one has mentioned thats quite important for EDC
lockout … unless recessed a side switch is MUCH more likely to turn on inadvertently, especially with things like keys in the pocket
Will you lock it out every time you use it and then relock it after, or risk the 2000 lms burning a hole in ur pants
A mechanical tail switch when deep carry pocket clipped is much less likely to turn on
Which brings us to … pocket clip … if yr planning to pocket carry the light in yr pants then deep carry is the way to go, much less protrusion when when sitting down, more discreet
Some good lights have god awful clips, some can be remidied with an aftermarket part, etc
If you pocket carry every day instead of using a holster, these 2 issues probably trump any hand wringing over CRI or tint
You can tell if a person pocket carries their light daily as itll be full of scuff marks and bare metal where the anodizing came off
High CRI doesn’t matter to everybody, but it is something you should probably try at some point to see if it’s important to you. The reason I brought it up is your mention of electronics. If I’m trying to distinguish between the orange-on-white and the red-on-white in a 50-pair bundle, or read the value bands of an old-school resistor, color rendition matters.
My suggestion (which you can take for what it costs you) is not to do what I did: I collected a bunch of cool tints and low CRI lights before I discovered what I really liked. Now I’m stuck with torches I’ll never EDC again.
The saying in computer programming “Build one to throw away, because you’re going to anyway” applies here. You’re not likely to know exactly what you want until you’ve tried a few things.
Not my MH20. The clip chewed a hole on the edge of my jeans pocket where it normally sits, but it (the light, not the jeans) looks as good as new. And in fact I bought it used, too.
Dropped off my bike-seat onto hard concrete, still no dings or chips.
For me, generally CT/tint is more important than CRI, but I like higher CRI, too.
For the longest time, the generic 4C that came with S2+es looked absolutely beautiful behind a TIR lens that mixed the colors nicely. It’s like warm sunlight. Yeah, it’s above the BBL unlike, say, the 4A/4D, but it’s more “natural”, even if not as “rosy”.
So, frankly, if you want a great starter light to mod, get a S2+ with a 4C in the reflector, then throw in a nice TIR lens to replace the reflector. 5min mod, if that.
After you’re used to that, see if you prefer warmer/cooler. Get a high-CRI light and compare. Etc. Just like in that potato chip commercial, you can’t stop at just one, so go with it and don’t fight it.
Regarding a first 18650 light, a Convoy S2+ with a modern driver is a no brainer. Cheap, robust and powerful enough for much anything. Not the shortest though. However, i do prefer the BLF A6 for it’s driver and max output. Not much more expensive if you catch a deal. No USB charging though.
Eagle eye X2R is a safe choice too. Similar tube light, moderate output with USB. Their X1R headlamp is worth looking at too.
If you can spend a little more, I’m quite impressed with the new Astrolux EC01. There is a deal going on around $25. Can’t beat the feature/price ratio.
At a slightly higher price tag but without USB, the Lumintop FW3A is a remarkable light, and the Emisar D4V2 is a little jewel that is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket - especially in 18350 configuration.
There are quite some nice Sofirm lights too, but i’m getting lost into their names an versions…
About AAA lights, i consider the Ultratac K18 one of the all time best. Small, stylish (especially the SS version) and 10440 compatible. The Lumintop Ant and Tool Ti are some of my favorites too. Jetbeam Jet µ is a reliable,twisty i would recommend too.
So many lights… you have to start somewhere but don’t need to stop there.
I’d really hesitate to recommend a FW3x to a n00b. [Unless I’m woefully mistaken…]If you’re used to unscrewing the tailcap to charge the cell, and doing so would end up losing the little doodad in there that jumps out, you’d be SOL unless you find it.
Many people use the S2+ with an unprotected battery and are eager to tell new folks to do the same. So I assume Convoy has added low voltage protection, etc. Is that correct? From an old post:
Bearbreeder Personally, I think the only thing I would realistically EDC is a rechargeable keychain light and that doesn’t need a clip (but the expensive Jetbeam Mini-TI EDC has one). 40mm x 14mm sounds so practical. I’m not sure where the limit is, whether ~60mm, but at 70mm I start having second thoughts. I didn’t know they even existed before this thread, which is what has me so exited about this off-topic detour from 18650 lights that I would not EDC. I should probably make a separate thread for this topic.
One thing I have had for years on my keychain is a SuperTalent Pico USB drive:
I didn’t weigh it but 6g seems about right and a delightful 30mm x 12mm x 3mm. Durable, practical, and a fun conversation piece.
Makes sense. Watching lots of beamshot comparison videos is slowly giving me a better idea of what it’s like.
Lightbringer Wow that Nitecore MH20 has it all. I guess it better at that price. But really nice. Oh, and in a review, Mocarny put a Lumentop EDC Pico through the washing machine and a vacuum cleaner with positive results.
Thanks patmurris for a very nice selection of lights! You are all making it very difficult to stick to the plan of “just one or two” and I am noobishly trying to stay determined! I had my eye on the Eagle Eye X1R, but in video reviews the SP40 had a nicer beam and better brightness.
Out of curiosity, why are tube lights so much more popular than 90 degree lights? At first I thought the latter looked weird, but after thinking about it, it seems to me to be the most versatile.
You sure about that? I only have the old 105Ds with the crappy UI in them, and I had one do a slow blink for a few minutes, then 3 quick blinks and off.
Those that I replaced with the 105Cs and soldered the appropriate “star” pad, I don’t recall ever running down to vapors.
They’re ~80bux regular price, but I got most of mine at ~50bux with code.
Ask in any of the code-threads if anyone could get a code, or just see if they’re in perennial flash-sale or anything.
And check to make sure if there’s a NW/CW option. I never understood the pissing’n’moaning about all Nitecores being CW, as I quite liked the color on mine. And checking, yep, mine’s quite nice.
I’d have to dig out the others (which I so don’t wanna do) to check what their CT/tint might be.
But yeah, once I started EDCing mine, it displaced all my other lights, and I suspect it’ll be my main EDC light for a long time.
“The new Biscotti firmware includes low voltage protection, while the ‘old’ 3/5 mode firmware have low voltage warning only, it does not provide low voltage protection.”
I mean its easy enough to ask simon
Just make sure you ask if theres low voltage SHUTOFF, “protection” can be lost in translation
Well… it’s funny how we all see things differently. I guess it depends on what you need a light for. IMO tube lights are more natural to handle/use whereas a 90 degree light only makes sense when tail standing, magnet stuck or attached as a headlamp. Each has it’s own applications.
Wellp, I could always just ask that particular S2+ if I’d be inclined to run down the cell to vapors again…
I wasn’t hallucinating. Blink every 10sec, 30sec, whatever, for a few minutes, then blink-blink-blink and off. I was actually surprised, as I didn’t think S2+es had LVP, either.
