i am not only a noob to budget flashlights, but also a noob to posting things like this. i currently have several flashlights that i use nearly daily (or nightly), and need fairly high quality as i really depend on them. my primary light is an insight hx150 which is wonderful, but as i cannot use rechargeable 123’s, i get tired of being in the middle of something and having the light grow dim. i need something with really good throw and flood, and is built fairly well. you guys have sold me on the solarforce, as they seem pretty much like a upper tier flashlight for a cheaper price. i just dont know which drop in to get. i have decided on a l2p for the body, but dont know the differences between the lc- xm l2 and the xml2-u2. or is the newer t6 actually as good. all are fairly reasonably priced, but i am going blind looking back and forth trying to figure out which one to get. any help would be appreciated.
You kind of have different priorities if you are looking for a light with “good throw and flood” as the P60’s are pretty much flooders. You may want to look at the C8’s for something with more throw and good flooding. Don’t get me wrong, I was using my Solarforce last night to light up the edge of my property from the opposite edge and getting a good amount of light at the edge to see everything. Not sure of the distance, I have a rectangular shaped lot approx. it is “X” wide and roughly 2/3 - 3/4 “X” deep, an acre total. When I use my equivalent to a Keygos M10 light (roughly similar to a C8 but with a slightly deeper reflector) I can light up the edge much brighter with a little less flooding.
I am out of date on the latest P60 drop-ins, but the Solarforce XML-U2’s should be good drop-ins. The T6’s are actually old, first gen. XML’s I believe (someone will correct me if I am wrong), and are not as bright per amp as the latest XML’s. I use the “$16” Ultrafire drop-in that Manafont sells (or sold) in my Solarforces, that was the recommended drop-in at the time, even over SF’s own offerings. Not sure if they have come out with an equivalent drop-in that uses the next gen. XML’s or not. I am in no need to replace my drop-ins, they still work fine and are plenty bright, but if I were to buy a new P60 host, I’d certainly look around for a newer drop-in with one of the newer XML’s.
I have been using surefire and streamlight for a long time, but they burn through the batterys so much, and I get tired of ordering them, so I have gone to the cr123 light, as my employer furnishes them. (It is an act of congress to get two of them but I can every now and then. ) I use it for searching and looking into confined spaces and such, and guess I just want a good dependable 2nd and 3rd light. I have carried two on my person and two in the car, but sometimes the car gets pretty far away and I cant always make it back for the stronger big streamlight mags.
So what I am saying is I just need a good overall light……… not sure about the flood to throw ratio. I guess I shouldnt have thrown that phrase out there not knowing what it really meant.
I love the Hx150, it works great. But, I would like something that is brighter during searches, and still can throw out to see people in the woods and such. Am I asking for the perfect $10K flashlight that just does not exist, or what?
I talked with the clerk at lighthound, who stated most people who do what i do buy the L29 with the XML-U2. I was just wondering what you guys who actually use the lights thought.
And thank you for your prompt reply, I was kinda expecting to wait a week or so.
Solarforce is the best host out there and I love their dropins in single mode. Intl-outdoor does have what I believe is the best dropin currently out there. http://intl-outdoor.com/xml2-p60-dropin-module-alxm2-p-740.html Personally I prefer the 2-3 mode options. Get a pair of Panasonic 3400 mah batteries and a good charger.
does the charger really make that big of a difference if i bought protected 18650’s? I kinda went “under”board and bought the next to cheapest charger from Fast Tech. Should I now slap myself and crawl under someone’s yard light?
the only reason i ask is most of the guys on here seem to use the solarforce more often. (unless they are into the high dollar stuff or mod’s). But if that drop in is made as good as the SF, i will definately take a look at it. Thanx
I have all the P60 Solarforce they make except for the L2X. But if you are wanting good throw. The P60’s just dont do that well. You make wanna check out the Crelant 7G2cs… It looks just like the SOLARFORCE L2T, but with a much deeper reflector giving it much better throw.
& A forward clicky! I love forward clickies!!! <3
I’ve got a quite few Solarforce hosts and they are great value and good quality, amazing for the money.
I’m using one of these for a couple of weeks and it has an Orange Peel reflector to help with the spill while giving a decent throw. Not the 1400 lumens that it claims but a lot of light for the money.
Comes in 1, 3, and 5 modes and I think in smooth as well as the Orange Peel.
You won’t go far wrong choosing a Solarforce, they are very adaptable, I’ve got one as a dedicated UV lamp with 6x123A 3v primaries in it to give 18v. yet I can turn it into a 3v shorty if I need one
does it seem as durable or well made as the solarforce drop-ins? if it does (good soldering, ect…) that might be the way to go. i guess i will have to get over my fear of ordering from more than one company, it seems like i may be piecing this together from three different countries!!!
I can’t say… Bad things happen when I tear lights apart. So I don’t do the sh*t. LOL 
If you get a Solarforce P60 host, spend the extra money and get the P1d. It is worth it.
Regarding P60 drop in’s, I think the intl outdoor listed above is the best budget P60. Just keep in mind that it runs at 3.04A on high, which is A LOT for a P60. That thing will overheat really fast on it’s highest setting.
If you want a higher quality one that is made from a solid piece of aluminum and is thermally potted, check out the EDC+ X60L drop ins. They cost more than the intl outdoor one, but they have better thermal properties. Either way, you are probably going to want to wrap the P60 with copper tape or aluminum foil because Solarforce hosts tend to have a lot of room inside the P60 area, which will cause them to overheat more quickly.
i thought this phrase was some type of tecki lingo. you mean to actually wrap the thing? do i wrap the the end of the drop in? or the exterior of the body of the flashlight. and yes i know, i am pathetic…………… sorry about my lack of knowledge!!! (But thats why i am talking with you guys)
ok, you guys rock…………………
Dude there is no need to apologize. These forums are here so people can share their collective knowledge and help the enthusiast community grow and prosper.
Check out this video:
LOL +1 Beat ya!!! 
Doh!
The L2P is my favorite. And I just discovered something that surprises me. The P-60 drop-in CAN indeed have spill AND throw! I recently bought a P-60 drop in from Solarforce to go with an L2P, the 3 mode XM-L2 1 or 2 cell. But I didn’t like the tint. So today I pulled the aluminum star w/XM-L2 out of there, and dropped in a Noctigon with XP-G2 R5 2B. Now we’re cooking! And burning less fuel to boot! It runs at 1.79A and still performs very well. I have it in a L2m shorty with an Efest IMR18350.
Looks like this
Just built both these lights. The one on the right is using a modified Q-Lite driver with 4 stacked chips, has a solid 6061 aluminum heat-sink filling the host and a Carclo 10048 TIR optic. Same emitters in both lights, same Noctigon copper pcbs. The Q-Lite version L2m in these pics was even using an AW IMR18350 for 3A of power output. But the lower powered Solarforce driver is actually delivering more light! Nice!
So whether you’re tossing protons at 24 yds or 97, I think a fairly simple emitter change in a P-60 drop-in will have you quite happy. I haven’t looked, you might actually find a drop-in with the XP-G2 R5 already on board. Worth a shot!
Edit: I bought this drop-in from Solarforce XM-L2 U2 P-60 and added a Noctigon copper pcb and XP-G2 R5 2B emitter. So it probably cost me about $24 for the drop-in after the mod, and the L2P complete is $16.99 L2P This is a favorite set-up.
I bought a P1D for my wife to use and don’t like the protruding switch, too easy to have it bumped on accidentally, which has happened. Love the light, just not the switch.
Has anyone else wrapped a 1/4” wide strip of coke can around the host, behind the o-ring? This will allow the head to engage the host directly right where the emitter is, allowing heat into the head via a direct thermal path. If you’re wrapping the pill, try wrapping this overlooked portion as well. It’s kind of difficult, as you have to start the head and cover the o-ring, then use a sharp tweezer or similar to get the strip to start up under the edge of the head. This is a dead area and is right there at the emitter, perfect place to pay attention to.
dbc, your pictures are great. other than put a drop-in in, i probably wont be modding much. i can take apart any gun i get, sharpen any knife put in front of me, and remember to put the seat down (less my wife wake me up by rocking the water bed- and we dont own a water bed) ; but tossing protons and nocigon copper P38 space modulators is a little out of my league…………………LOL
I think you guys are right. I am over analyzing this stuff. I have come to realize how easy it is to get addicted to doing this, and I havent even bought one yet!!!
I think I am going to try the XML-U2, and if I dont like it, I can always get back with you guys and break out my high school solder kit…………. hopefully nobody near New Braunfels, Texas hears a loud “pop” should I have to do this.
mucho thanks my new amigos, and “shine-on”
“I dont always use 18650’s…………but when I do, I use them in budget flashlights” Stay illuminated my friends.