The reason i got the 4x7135 model is im hoping the heat is low enough that the kids can use it and not have it get to hot in its default form.
I have only bought the one as a test.
edit: just read my last post. i should have said i got the s2+ with 4x7135 not with 4 drivers.
Hmm, odd. I’d expect the first questions would be along the lines of what’d be best as far as flashlight type (zoomie, reflector, etc.), other details like that, but you already got the model picked out. 
Whenever I’m asked for recs, the first thing I ask is “Whaddya gonna do with it?”. For flashlight noobs, I’d recommend a zoomie like an SK98, even though they’re (zoomies) my least favorite types (hate the lumen-loss when zoomed), but they make great near-mules for general-purpose grubbling around in closets, lighting up icy walkways in winter or rocky trails when hiking, and so on. A smaller SK68 could take AA-sized cells (14500 Li or AA alkies). And at least for the ’98, the lens+bezel unscrews to make a really nice mule if you want a wiiiiiiiiiiide flood.
Otherwise, for reflector lights, SMO or OP? You want that hotspot to be a little throwier, or blur it for a nice gradual transition at the expense of throw?
Something really throwy like a C8 with a bigger head and reflector, or more compact like a smaller P90-based light?
Narrow it down from there, and then you can pick brands and models. So if you like the S2, you probably want something compact and with a reflector, and aren’t interested in anything too floody.
From everything I’ve heard, you can’t go wrong with a Convoy…
Oh, sorry, forgot to add the bit about cells.
I like protected Panasonic NCR18650B cells, because I’ve done my share of bumping the light on and forgetting about it. I’d rather have the cell not go supernova if run down too far with a dumb driver. You need to make sure your light (and charger!) will accept a longer cell if you want protected, though.
If not, you can get the same Panny without protection.
Or, scavenge old laptop battery-packs and weed out the 1 cell that typically goes bad and use the rest. Cheapest route to stockpiling good 18650s…
Amazon, Ebay, etc., it’s a crap-shoot whether you get genuine cells or marginal cells in a fresh wrapper. Buyer beware. Lots of times, I’ll get a deal on a nice battery-pack (Staples, Microcenter, etc.) and typically get known-good LG or Samsung cells from those. And I can still use the guts as a charger with digital percentage charge-o-meter, etc., which is nice.
Lots of people like brands like EagleTac, OLite, etc., but I don’t have any experience with them.
Just stay away from anything with “fire” in the name.
Lightbringer,
Thanks for the replies. I am glad someone wondered if i was asking the right questions. as a newbie im happy to take advice.
hopefully below makes sense or at least let you in on my thought pattern enough to help.
I already have a couple of meco zoomies coming from banggood, but after ordering i was wondering about the quality of them,
so i started looking for reviews etc but after looking around i didnt find any so i figured they are either rubbish or very new,
but i was seeing lots about the convoy s2+ and the BFL A6 and its variations.
Both lights looked like reasonable general purpose outdoor lights and seemed to fit with the smaller size i was looking for. Also they seem to get a pretty good rap around here generally so i figured i couldn’t go to wrong with either. but i was worried about the heat output if i gave them out to my family, hence the questions above,
While looking around on here i saw the astrolux SS and thought that it looked really cool. but i did wonder if the copper and stainless make much difference. (i was thinking i might get one for myself and maybe even dad for christmas if they are good)
Coming from an RC world I knew enough about lion batteries to know i should get decent ones but i didnt know which ones were good.
As for do i want a throwie or flood, well i dont know that i really want either, currently it just general purpose lights and a bit of WOW factor. Im happy to by another light if i find i need something difference once i get these and work out what i need. same with tints. without seeing and using them i really dont know what i want. i have some cool whites and neutrals coming so i will see what i prefer,
The best bit is with what i have ordered, even if i dont like these lights its not alot of money wasted as i can use the parts etc as well as batteries. and once i have had a play i will be able to ask better questions.
Also, not that i have really looked but i cant say that i have heard of lithiums going nova from running flat, i thought it was when charging them after that it was the problem. but i could be very wrong.
Im happy to listen to any advice, but i guess like most here sometimes i like to buy toys just because. 
i hope the above at least makes a little sense
We were all noobs once…
I have no idea about them. The only zoomie I’m familiar with is the SK98 (well, clones of the Sipik), and generally, they suck, qualitywise. Hollow pills, so the LED star rests on a ledge, and the hotspot right underneath the LED just floats in midair. Cheapest drivers imaginable, too. I was going to plug the pill and swap a 1.4A 1-mode driver (20mm) to make it usable.
Any zoomie will go from full flood (most useful mode) to batsignal (projecting a pic of the LED), but with nasty lumen loss (half to even a third of the intensity, depending). So it can kinda be the best of both worlds, from wide flood to (much lower intensity) zoom, and with almost zero spill when zoomed.
That’s the issue. With big brightness comes big heat. That either stays bottled up and cooks the LED, or gets wicked away to the outside world (the flashlight body and your hand) to keep the LED cooler.
Only way to not cook the LED and not use the flashlight as a hand-warmer is to limit the current/wattage going to the LED. And that’s mainly determined by the runtime you want/need, and brightness you want/need.
For me, with a Panny B, 1A current gets me at least 3hrs runtime, which except for maybe extensive use when camping or during a blackout or something, is plenty of runtime for me to not have to worry about recharging and/or swapping out batteries.
Panasonic, LG, Samsung, those are the ones I’m familiar with. The Pannies are 3400mAH, the others I’ve pulled from (new) battery packs and are anywhere from 2200mAH to 2600mAH.
Depends on what you want it for. Close-in work, something floody like an aspheric (zoomie) is best, hands-down. Long-distance spotting (“What’s making that noise in the tree??”), something throwy is best, with a smooth reflector. Medium range, looking what’s up ahead on the road, something in-between is best (orange-peel reflector to smooth out the hotspot and get a little more light to the sides).
Dunno, but CW just annoys me now. WW is a little too orangey for my taste, so something in NW for me is best. 4000K is a nice CT to bring out reds and browns, and 5000K just “seems whiter” without being harsh like CW.
WW for use as a nightlight, for example, is nice and “homey”, but for me, not too great in a flashlight.
That’s why I roll my own. I can build multiple pills with everything exactly the same except for the emitter, and then swap to see what I like best, and for what use. And I can swap SMO vs MOP reflectors if I want, too.
Exactly. Or even resell ’em and/or give ’em away.
Yeah, overcharging them kinda hurts them (and reduces their capacity), but draining them to nothing is Really Bad.
Now try building them…
You end up giving lots of bux to Fasttech and other places, getting emitters (of course in both 16mm and 20mm), drivers, pills, (better-quality) hosts, you name it. Then hit Amazon for cheap-ass lights to use as hosts (literally throwaway pills), so you can throw together pretty much anything in one sitting.
But be warned, it’s been a real race to the bottom as far as “quality” this past year. I was able to get ’501s, ’502s, C8s, etc., which were good quality (if not a genuine Cree XM-L, then at least pretty damned good Cree clone). Now, forget it, you’ll get a LatticeBright chip the size of an XP-E (no, not even a -G) that throws MAYBE 80-100lm. And plastic front “glass”, plastic reflector, half-size Al pill, ugh.
My first C8 clones were actually pretty good, a decent 300lm or more, as were especially the ’502s I got. I shouldda stocked up back then, because now, I’m afraid to even guess what I’d get.
So now, with a batch of truly horrible fake C8s (okay for maybe 1A, not more), I went and got a real Convoy host, and it’s night’n’day. A work of art by comparison. It’s not even worth the bother to go swapping reflectors and the like in the cheap knockoffs anymore. Throw in some XP-E2s (white and colors) and be done with ’em. Then go buy the Real Thing and customise it to your liking.
As I mentioned above, I like being able to do things like have multiple pills in different CTs, just to see which I like better and for what, without having to buy multiple flashlights for each. And that’s in addition to the different drop-ins I already have (XM-L/XP-L, 1-mode/multimode, NW/CW/WW, etc.).
But once you start, it’s hard to stop. But it’s fun!
Yeh, I hear ya. Same here.
I agree with this. The Astrolux s1 can be frustrating even for me and I have over 100 led flashlights. It is one of those beautiful things that is not for the feint of heart, die hard oriented type light. I’d actually say this here Eagle Eye x6 here would be great for kids. It’s extremely bright, has great throw and has a tried standard for a UI. That is, it works, it works well, it does what it should and you don’t never think twice about it. For your wife, the Convoy seems like a good option if she would carry it in a purse day to day.
I hadn’t read the entire thread. I see you do understand some about the firmware. However, the Eagle Eye x6 is still a good light, and I like the untimed mode memory very much.