Okay. Here I am. I have never done any flashlight modding, and am not that conversant with the technical jargon. I am about to stick my toe into new waters and purchase my first host and dropin. When I start reading voltage and amps specs I realize that I really don't understand much. Therefore, I come to you. The "Mavens of Modding" to make sure I don't take a left turn out of ignorance.
What I have in mind is a light that can take 2XCR123, 2X16340 or 1X18650. A really good host that is streamlined, not too tactical. Typ III anodizing. The best output available without overtaxing the light. Nichia dropin because I've never had one. No disco. Hi-med-lo.
I would like this light to be high quality, so that gives some extra leeway. I know this is a budget light forum, but everyone has a different budget. Let me decide.
I'm going to leave this to you guys/gals now. I'm just going to stand back and let you do the work for me. Please leave links to what you have selected for me, and please, no drawn out bickering with each other.
I agree with both of the above .I'd probably grab both hosts ,they are super nice for little money . the L2m lets you run 18650 or take a spacer out and run a 18350 ,a16340 or a cr123.. big light /little light in a nicely made package .hard to beat for 11$
You read my mind apt323. The L2P is the best/coolest looking SolarForce P60 body IMO. E1320's drop-in's are so good I have 3 of them and even a couple of his UF-2100 mods.
my advice would be to get a Solarforce host. I’ve only just entered the p60 world, but for the money they quality of the Solarforce hosts certainly seems impressive and I doubt will be bettered elsewhere.
Recently I got a new 2012 Edition L2M. I think one of these would tick all your boxes, bar Solarforce claiming it’s on Type 2 anodising not HAIII. That said it is actually a matt finish like HAIII and so far has seemed pretty durable.
The L2M is completely modular, so you run it on a single CR123A or an 18650 (with included extender). Or any other battery combo that’ll fit in the tube.
So far I’ve only got SF’s own XML-U2 drop in. I have no complaints with it so far, although I’m lead to believe other drop ins are driven harder and thus brighter.
That said, if it’s your first venture into p60’s I’d say just order a L2M and SF’s own dropin and maybe one of their 18650 V3 batteries. This way it’ll all turn up together and you can use it straight away, where as if you order bits from different places you’ll have to wait for them to all to arrive to use them.
And at the end of the day, the entire concept of the p60 format is to allow interchangeability of drop ins. So you might as well get yourself a couple to chose from
Would I need the single mode L2 switch, or would the three mode work too. The Malkoff Nichia says 200 lumen’s. Is that static, or would it depend on battery.
I may have to put this on hold for a bit. A jug of water got spilled on my ipad, and I had to order a new one. Unexpected $$$$
Please keep any thoughts or suggestions coming.
I am still quite interested in nichia 219 drop-ins, as I have never had one or seen one. Is 200 lumens about it for a nichia retail? What other LED would be a real gasser?
Okay. I finally ordered a host and drop-in, but I know you guys are going to jump all over me.
I went with a Malkoff MD2 Turnkey 2 mode with a Malkoff M61 Nichia 219 drop-in.
I know, I know. I shouldn’t have wasted my money and should have bought a SolarForce instead. Indeed the price kept me away, but I got a sale package that saved me $30… batteries included.
…and I’ve never had a Nichia 219, and I wanted one really bad.
Let me play with this one a little and then I can always play around with Solarforce experiments.
