Convoy S series vs. Eagle Eye A6???

beam0 · May 15, 2015, 6:45pm

J-Dub74:

Hey beam0. The A6 was my first choice but it’s been out of stock in NW forever. I can’t wait for the BLF version but that’s taking some time as you know. So I did get the S3 with the exact same options you mentioned but in black. I bought it directly from Simon with the 3 mode group (no blinky). He set it up just the way I wanted and shipped it to Michigan. If I remember correctly it cost a hair over $18 and he threw in a clip and had it to my door in about 15 days. Pretty impressive coming from China. The light is really nice though. Standard Convoy ridiculously high quality for the price, great beam pattern and plenty bright. I’d guesstimate in the 800ish range on the lumen scale on high. I don’t regret it at all but it is still in my opinion too big for pocket carry. Let me clarify that…great for a coat pocket, a little big for pants pocket carry at least as an EDC. I’m still have my little Olight i3s EOS in my pocket everyday. I run it off an Efest 10440 so it’s a lot of light from a really tiny flashlight. I do want more though. That DQG you mentioned looks like a solid choice but I think my wife would lose it if I bought another flashlight right now. :~ I think my next EDC attempt will be a 14500 light. Right now I have my eye on the DQG Tiny AA but I’m going to have to wait a bit.

I also have the Olight i3s EOS, running it on AAA but I want to try Li-ion in it, I understand it’s much brighter on the 10440?

Thanks for the feedback on the S30 and aliexpress seller Simon. If I decide to get one I will buy my S3 from him too, I emailed him about the Grey color.

Exactly what didn’t you like about the convoy clip?

I found in another thread a Solarforce clip fits with a homemade contact spacer, I have several spare Solarforce clips, they are VERY sturdy, but I’d much prefer a deep carry style clip like the convoy clip.
(photo courtesty of BLF member ToyKeeper, click photo for thread)

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Sorry to hear that the S3 didn’t meet the first requirement for the light you want:

Looking at the dimensions of many of these “tube” lights I have to agree, they are a bit too large for pants (front) pocket EDC, that’s why I got the DQG Tiny 18650 (Gen 1) and the Olight S20. Although both are smaller than the Convoy S-Series, EE A6, Roche F12, Etc. they’re still a bit too fat IMO.

I liked the size of my Xeno E03 AA/14500 light but the 14500 battery didn’t have the capacity I needed, I also have the AA/14500 Olight S15 and it is very small and surprisingly very bright, but again battery life is short, (I’m running a protected AW 750 mAh) Also the S15 is almost too small, I’ve lost it (then found it) several times.

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I think I may have found a solution; I’m now exploring another option for an EDC that is slimmer than an 18650 light but with much more battery life than a 14500: The 16650. I recently ordered an Eagletac D25C2, and it should be arriving any day. The size of the light fills the gap nicely between a 14500 light and an 18650 light. The body diameter is only 20mm from head to tail. (twisty switch like the Olight i3s EOS) It’s a discontinued model so I got it for “budget light” price.

Unfortunately 16650 batteries are more uncommon than 18650’s so the choices are limited. I ordered the Keeppower 16650 (Sanyo) protected At 2500mAh it’s actually rated nearly the same capacity of the 18650 (Xtar) 2600mAh batteries I’ve been using.

Hopefully I’ll like the tint of the CW XP-G2 R5 emitter better than the slightly greenish tint of the CW s15/s20 Olights. Also hoping to be able to “magnetize” the tail. If I like the format I may also eventually try the Eagletac D25C2 Clicky with higher output and a clicky tail switch instead of twisty head, and also the option of a NW XML2 emitter.