Choosing a first 18650 flashlight

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
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Lumitop Copper Tool w Nichia and eSwitch, from drop.com

I dont usually keep a light on my keys, Im a minimalist

buy I do like to use a jump ring with a quick release so I have the option to group my light with my keys, such as when traveling.
Here is a thread about AAA options, with pics:

I like the reversible pocket clip for use on a baseball cap as a hatlamp too

for those who do not yet appreciate High CRI… which chicken looks more appetizing?:

the main advantage of High CRI is that it shows Reds that Low CRI does not…

I suppose if you just want to see the Bear, it makes no difference what color it is…

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ValuseekeR Thanks for the helpful comments and comparisons.The Thorfire TK01 is pretty neat, with the captive head being a distinguishing feature. I’ve been wondering what prevents the heads from falling of twist-type flashlights, and how common that is. The Lumintop Tool AAA looks nice too, but I wish it were smaller. In general I haven’t found exotic material flashlights overly interesting (yet) due to being worse in weight, cost, thermals, etc.

Lightbringer Interesting. I don’t have an actual EDC, but thinking about it I suspect most of my use would be on high/medium, while only rarely would I want low/moonlight for extended or dark use. But that’s just a guess. Goes to show the range of use-cases. At the moment I simply don’t have a strong opinion on light mode order.

withoutink Do you not find an 18650 flashlight too bulky to carry without having a specific reason for it? By carry I mean on your person. Perhaps some toss it into a bag, in which case that’s less of an issue. Yes, quite an enlightening hobby. :smiley:

jon_slider Nice pic! The top chicken looks more “normal” to me, though a bit overexposed and maybe a bit yellow/green, but still recognizable, while the bottom one looks like it’s under a heatlamp with unrepresentative coloring. Both make me hungry though! :wink: Thanks for that AAA thread, very useful with ideas. I tend to be minimalist too, and if it’s not on my keychain I won’t take it with me at all.

For an actual EDC, AAA feels like the upper limit or maybe even past it. Some interesting options include ThorFire TK01 (nice captive head, but no availability), Thrunite Ti3, Lumintop EDC01, Astrolux A01, Olight i3E EOS (maybe the shortest of the bunch), and of course the Sofirn C01S. They’re all about 70mm x 15mm, with some shorter by ~5mm.

Then I started seeing tiny keychain flashlights and the small size (40mm x 14mm) and weight (12g) are so appealing! The identical looking Olight I1R EOS and Lumintop EDC pico. There’s also the Manker TC02 but I’m not sold on touch control, and that shape is… well… different haha

43

If you need high CRI to eat chicken …

Well then thats definitely the epitome of some kind of privilege :wink:

Just pick a lamp and buy it, dont overthink it

Especially the sofirns, if you get tired of it then give it away or it becomes a beater lamp

Theres alot of overthinking on these forums

Its what you do with the lamp that matters, not what a spec sheet that might or might not be accurate says

44

Why do Low CRI people hate hearing about High CRI,
and become insulting and disrespectful,
calling it overthinking, and a privilege, to see real colors.

Maybe they are overinvested in Low CRI lights :wink:

Or maybe Im overinvested in High CRI… lol

Friends dont let uniformed friends buy lights with Low CRI.
Low CRI is so… yesterday… lol

45

Or maybe these high CRI folks use their nichia for dog walking and BBQ

And not much else :wink:

Interesting how the OP preferred the low CRI chicken in yr photo

Seems he needs to be sent to a high CRI re-education camp :stuck_out_tongue:

46

Or maybe the OP is looking for an EDC light. For most of what I use my EDC light for, high CRI helps. Some of us actually use our lights to help us see stuff.

Camping lights, emergency lights, fishing lights, bike lights, hunting lights, gun lights, etc. are all different things, and I don’t care as much about CRI for all of those. I’m not sure why you think it’s an insult to imply that people use every day carry lights for every-day things.

47

If one cant see normal things without high CRI, then perhaps and optometrist appointment is in order

I mean 99% of the worlds population uses not so high CRI flashlights for everyday tasks, and these folks do more hands on work than many here

If you NEED high CRI you might just be a 1%er

Fear the person with one well used and well worn light, not the flashaholic with a dozen high CRI lights that barely get used

To paraphrase a knife guy :wink:

48

You’re quite the pyromaniac in a field of straw men.

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Its literally a flaming high CRI chicken BBQ

Just dont pick the low CRI chicken like the OP

Its just like wine, cant pick the bottle of yellowtail without “re-education” :smiley:

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It wouldn’t be the internet without some kind of flaming. :smiley:

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.

51

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

52

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.

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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.

Color me impressed.

54

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.

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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. :smiley:

56

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.

57

But does it survive the washing machine test

Cause if carrying it every day of the year sooner or later the EDC will get into the washing machine

Is it spin cycle rated :wink:

58

Ummm, no, as I got my weekly routine, and it involves clearing out every nook’n’cranny in any jeans or anything with pockets.

59

People screw up, not to mention significant others might decide to toss stuff in the laundry

Being able to survive a washing cycle is probably pretty important for a EDC that one carries every day of the year :wink:

60

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: