If I could only buy one? I’d go for the Sunwayman because it’s MUCH cheaper.
If I was being given one as a gift and didn’t have to pay? I’d take the HDS.
The HDS rotary interface is one handed, complicated and does everything that I have ever asked for in a light. That said I no longer own one because it was being passed by brighter, less expensive and lighter weight rivals.
V11R. I appreciate the ruggedness of the HDS but not for what 3 high end Chinese lights cost. Buy 6 V11R and keep 5 for backup and I think you’re better off.
If you like 18650s, the V20C might be more what you’re looking for. Comparable lights are also available from Nitecore, Jetbeam and Niteye with better output and vastly lower prices than HDS. None position their rotary control as conveniently as the HDS. The Thrunite Lynx does, if you can find one. Its UI is to program several discrete modes in to the stops on the rotary switch though, which seems worse that the smooth dimming of the other options.
I own the V20C and it’s a fine light as well.
Or, if you want a 18650 RRT01 without a S2 body, you can also buy a RRT01 extender to give it 18650 support.
Or a native 18650 light, as others have suggested. There are several, especially if you’re willing to consider slightly larger items. I wouldn’t mind a Nitecore CU6 or SRT7, for example, and the SRT7 has a nice control ring.
I’ve had both a RRT01 and a V11R. I’d take either one over the HDS Rotary, even if they were free. But then, I prefer djozz’s EDC over any of the above (I have one almost identical to it). And it’s not even in my top five EDCs, which all together cost less than the HDS the OP spec’d out.
Aaaasrrrggggg
Too many choices and none of them are just quite right. Thanks for the other suggestions.
If a poll was just a poll, with no option to add comments, I’d have just seen the results and probably gone with the V11 .
Now after reading all the comments, don’t feel like getting either. Went to look at the Nitecore SRT6 and V25C. Both looked great on first look.
Then I see they are 33mm ish heads. Since I have a flip up 25.4 inch diffuser on the way, they are out. Not spending yet more on another diffuser
The Nitecore SRT5 is the right size but has lots of the bloody blinky modes
I remember about a year or two ago I started looking for a lamp and gave up, I got so fed up . I can see this happening again. I keep knocking things off the list of what I want my ideal light to be. but still not finding it. You find one light that seems to fit your already compromised list of features, scroll down the particular lights festures and then. BANG. a feature you are trying to avoid.
Your last post is spot on.
When I first thought to post this question, my fingers ht the poll button by mistake on the iPhone So I thought “Hey, lets just leave it and create a Poll, so i just get a straight ‘answer’ with no comments. I had not realised there cold be comments added as well.
Probably just as well, because now I see there are more options, I wont get either.
Though…I do so like the look of theta HDS…but a load of money to waste.
I have a C21C on order and wondered about adding the V11 to the same parcel.but have left it for now…just got the C21C coming.
I’d like to order the SureFire Aviator A2 too, but no one on this forum from the the USA is prepared to act as a buying agent for me. 
even with the chance of getting 40% discount on any SureFire product for themselves. Like you “LedSmoke” I am in Europe and can not buy direct from SureFire.
I have the V11R, and my wife says Im not allowed to get the other one you mention (LOL, like I listen), so I guess its the V11R so far. I like the V11, its easy in the pocket and a nice light. I also have 3 V25Cs, they are pocketable, but are not lightweight in there, you will notice them. The V11R, I forget its there all the time. To me the V11 and the V25 are not comparable due to size.
On that the V25C is a nice light too, lightly OP reflector makes for a nice beam and decent spread, I keep mine in the holsters I bought for them separately (not included in the SWM box). The V11 just goes in my pocket naked, it came with a sheath but I choose not to use it, its unnecessary for EDC IMO.
SWM, just a note, I find that odd the one that needs a holster, does not have one, while the one that its superfluous for has on… wait, I get it, you know we will buy the one for the 18650 light separately.
I never use any of these holsters. I have a small box of them, kept just in case. I’d rather have a slightly cheaper price, and a waller box, without all the unnecessary fancy box wrapping hoses things come in, so wasteful.
if you want a holster it could be an optional extra added if you want it when buying.
I have an SRT5, and I never notice the blinky modes, other than strobe, which is possible to hit by accident on occasion when going to max with gloves on. I’ve found beacon useful on occasion for making myself visible to oncoming traffic.
That is good to know, thanks
I would not be using gloves ever with it. So are the detents quite good ? Generally easy enough to feel.
1.- Natural user interfaz is in head, not in tail.
2.- Aesthetically, v11r is a winner.
3.- Sunwayman is a quality manufacturer.
There is a button also. The V11r cannot go from off to a pre-selected level as easily as a Rotary with just one hand. That is where the Rotary shines.
The interface is not intuitive, it is programmable. With one hand, you can rotate to approximately whatever level you want or click straight to max or strobe. It isn’t cheap but in my experience, if you get one that has no problems, it stays trouble free for years. There are also 18650 tubes available. It ain’t cheap but this is a mid-tech light and not for the budget minded at all.
I’ve got a V11R and a V20C.If I had to choose again,I would go for the RRT01 because:
- It can take 18350’s,about 50% more autonomy than a 16340.
*Extremely low low with miniscule parasitic drain.
- Can be left on standby for weeks,the V11R led goes down to moonlight,but doesn’t go out,you have to click the switch.(The V20C led can be rotated off without “locking out” with it’s tail switch,I virtually never turn mine off at the tail)
The 18650 tube option is the only reason I held off from buying one a few weeks ago. Henry reied to me with a detailed e-mail regarding things I asked and did say the 18650 tubes were in production. When I last looked they were not yet on the site.
I am happy to scroll up from Pia to a level I want so not concerned by that on the V11R.
I’ ve had lots of good suggestions on another post and have two that I found to my liking on the way from FastTech
I just don’t know what to do now, quite frankly it is really getting me quite irritable I’ve spent just about every walking hour over the past 10 days-2weeks thinking or working flashlights, getting no further. The bloody things are even infiltrating my dreams and waking moments during the night. Been in bed now for an hour but can’t sleep due trying to figure a way to make a new ‘pill’ with post for LED mounting on a Suprabeam Q2 I noticed I can get another 1mm travel each end of the zoom slide to give both wider flood and tighter beam if I can just re make the pill and turn a threaded nylon collar instead of the Torx screw fit collar.
All this when real jobs like re building my Harley or finish the new e-bike just get ignored.
For the price they’re asking, it better not have problems. For that price I could get half a dozen similar premium-brand lights, use whichever one works the best, and still have five backups.
Well, sounds like there’s no hope for you. It’s a terminal case, past the point of no return.
Yep 
Time here is now 4 in the morning
Just back from the beach. I have been planning a 24-36 hour timelapse looking South to start tomorrow at around 3pm.
Wide angle 15mm lens, in order to capture sunset, the full night sky, sunrise, all day to sunset again, capturing the Suns full arc across the sky on the shortest day. Weather not looking good though.
Went out, took some test exposure shots, which took maybe 10 minutes, then spent the next 40 mins playing with flashlight beams
Took a couple of beam shots, not comparisons just random shots. In camera conversion to JPEG, no edit, upload to iphone via EyeFi card, nowI’ll attempt to FTP them from the phone