I have been a flashaholic for a humble two years now, and since I started roaming BLF there was one flashlight that you all seem to own and adore: the Sipik sk68. So years after many of you saw the light () I finally decided to find out what is special about this light and ordered one (FastTech, $6.76 shipped ). So now I understand a lot of the fuss: it is cheap, it is simple, it has a powerfull zoom, it looks and feels very robust, it eats both AA and 14500, and the spot brightness when zoomed in is on par with any more modern light this size (still long live the XR-E led).
Because I understand this is the one light that can take any truckload of abuse I am curious: How is your Sipik sk68 (-clone) looking now?
Go for a clone 3 mode version or the colored ones.
3 mode clones are on eBay for 5.xx$.
The ultrafire clone without sharp fins is nice too.
I got one today with broken switch… Before throwing it in the bin I played around and dedomed the xre and finally burned the driver with a power supply. But I purchased over eBay so I will get a new one from the seller…
So far every of my sk68 was a bit different, some tail stand some headstand some both. Some have grooves in pill for unscrewing some have a reflector style plate to hold LED in place….many variations.
I’ve had occasional problems with SK68 clones. Put in a 14500 and it works fine… but then won’t work ever again with regular AA.
I have one clone that I like the physical construction of much better than the SK68. The clone has a larger lens in the same diameter bezel. And the bezel has nice thick o-ring which gives the zoom mechanism a very smooth silent sliding feel. Much better than the wire c-ring used in the Sipik SK68.
I haven’t used my SK68s for EDC though. I find them a bit large for my pocket and the shape with all its protrusions and crenelations isn’t the most comfortable in the pocket.
I much prefer the smoother and smaller shape of the Sipik SK58 (especially when used with the SK68’s smooth tailcap). The downside of the SK58 is that it uses a weaker emitter and has much lower output. Fortunately, it makes a great host for modding.
I played around with the additional dropin from the defective one and decided to put a XML in it.
Now I have a dedomed XML U3 driven with the BLF mini driver. Very nice.
I have put it in the ultrafire host without sharp fins, only thing which is not perfect…the tailcap.
I am going to search a nice tailcap with 12 mm diameter and about 5-6mm height.
i have 4 ultraok $5 ebay clones… 3 are fine, 1 isnt doing so good since it took a 3 story drop onto pavement from my deck… still works, just has some carnage to show for it
If you want a grippier tailcap, buy a Sipik SK58 and switch its tailcap with the SK68’s.
The tailcaps on the SK58 and SK68 are interchangeable. They are the same diamter, but The SK58’s has square knurling right to the end and is a little taller. The grippier SK58 tailcap is a nice improvement over the default tailcap for the SK68.
The SK58 has the opposite problem. The grippy textured tailcap looks a little odd with the textures going right to the end of such an elegant smooth little light. It both feels and looks better with the smooth tailcap from the SK68.
) I finally decided to find out what is special about this light and ordered one (FastTech, $6.76 shipped 
). So now I understand a lot of the fuss: it is cheap, it is simple, it has a powerfull zoom, it looks and feels very robust, it eats both AA and 14500, and the spot brightness when zoomed in is on par with any more modern light this size (still long live the XR-E led).
