If you could just have 5 of the flashlights you’ve been coveting/thinking about show up on your door step tomorrow, what would they be?
Not caring about how much they cost, just the ones you’ve been scoping out…
I think for me right now it would be:
-Emisar d1k
-also the new da1k
-Zebralight sc65c hi
-Skilhunt ec200s-red
-oh, and maybe a Prometheus Alpha…
I’m pretty fresh to “building my collection” so I’ve got a lot of options … not to say you can’t have repeats if youve already got one!
Ive been spending a lot of my free time looking and learning and following the trail deeper, and I wanna see what y’all are looking at!
This is a better question than “if you could only have one light…”
I’ll have to think about it as I’m more picky nowadays and don’t like buying lights that aren’t suitable for me.
Having said that i am curious about some lights across a broad spectrum. In no particular order -
A zebralight
A megalumen (maybe imalent)
A top throw lep
Last 2 slots i need to think but probably jewellery lights
I figured some of you guys wouldnt have anything “new” to add… so in the absence of any new’uns, what are your three most carried?
Theres some good choices! A couple i havent seen yet. im interested in this rotary concept now.
Yea, 519a all the way for the skilhunt. im not a big fan of mini’s… ive gotten so used to having an 18650 in my pocket that anything less just leaves me wanting…
So many choices for emitters in Hanks lights… what are y’alls favorites there? i guess that really just comes down to taste and intended use… (In matters of taste, there is no dispute…) i havent experienced most of them, so its hard to say, but I super duper love the XHP70.3 HI r9050 4000k in my M21F. is the 50.3 basically just a smaller version of the 70.3?
My first 519a’s should be arriving any day now in a S21E (4000k) and S2+ (4500k), with an SFT40 (5000k) S2+ so ill get to experience those standby’s.
I also EDC two keychain flashlights…
Tunenge S15
Rovyvon Aurora A23
My headlight of choice is the Sofirn HS20.
My lantern of choice is the Sofirn LT1S.
The two lights that I use the most are the Convoy M21E and the Sofirn HS20.
Nice. I just finished a leather holster for my M21F and I’ve been carrying it all over just to get a feel what it’s like to have such a “big” light on me. I’m finding it quite nice!
Hmm… how to add pictures?
This is pretty true, I do have a lot of lights, like most here, but also, I feel like the itch is scratched and there isn’t really anything that makes me excited. I’m lacking a 2*AAA light and a rotary light, but happy to wait.
The Reylight aluminium 2AAA came into existence a while ago, went out of stock, and I’ve not seen it since. The easy activation of the switch on my AAA Reylight makes me worry I won’t like the 2AAA version…
Lots of 2AAA on the market but none really jump out as the perfect one, either the mode spacing, UI, size/bulk, emitter or something else is enough of a niggle to put me off.
On the rotary front, it’s pretty much only HDS ( $$$ ) and jetbeam RRT to choose from. Wurrkos/Sofirn do some nice looking hall effect switch dive lights, but they’re all pretty bulky.
I quite like unusual lights; for reasons unknown even to myself… I’ve been eyeballing the Asafee AF11 (on AliExpress). It would need an LED swap and for $20 is pretty expensive for a simple 18650 twisty, but, it’s the only 18650 twisty light I’ve seen…
I’m waiting for everyone to finally realise CREE XE-G LEDs are great for “fun” lights because they come in so many colours… Maybe I should just learn how to design/order my own PCBs…
Edit to add: if you’re looking to throw money at flashlights, I’d strongly reccomend a USB rechargeable 10180 keychain light, Sofirn discontinued their SC01 for reasons I can’t understand, but it’s probably my most used light for the fact it’s always on my keys so always with me.
Heres my new M21F leather holster with a “Double X” sheath clip and magnet closure. i spent way too long making this… but a lot of that is “design-build” process.
The new Preon mk 3’s have 519a’s in them. i have an older P1 copper that i never use any more, altough i do love it. im not crazy about the (is it called reverse clicky?) where a half press before a full click cycles the modes, but not when its on.
Yes, reverse clicky lets you toggle the modes while the light is clicked on. Forward clicky you can toggle/advance modes before the switch clicks on.
Mode memory based on time off Vs time on makes a difference, in all my time here, I’ve never quite worked it out though. I’ve a single light that behaves “strangely” compared to my other lights, and I suspect it’s a combination of forward clicky plus mode memory type that makes it “unusual” in the collection.
If you like a forward clicky… Have you tried the tactical tail switch for your M21F? Not sure it would work with your holster though.
I (fairly) recently bought a M21H (XHP70.something) to see what the largish TIR hype was about, and ordered the tactical tail switch- it’s a great combo!
Firstly, I think it only comes in black? Secondly, do be aware it’s quite a simple light- you put the tactical tailcap on, make sure it’s clicked “on”, turn the light on with the side switch and set brightness with the side switch, then turn it off at the tail. Next time you click the (forward clicky) tail, it’ll come on in the last brightness. A couple of times, I’ve forgotten the tail switch and wondered why the side switch isn’t working!!
Ha, yea thats a thing… my copper P1 was definitely a “splurge gift” from my partner.
i appreciate the “craft quality” that prometheus/foursevens puts in… being a maker myself…
I generally prefer side switches to tail, and have a genuine dislike for the tail/side combo. I dont want to have to switch my grip to change modes or turn it off. im usually switching modes quite a bit as im going oot n’ aboot.
It was between the M21h ans M21F for me. im happy i went with the M21F, but im sure ill end up an H as well before too long… although the Emisar d1k may supercede that. I certainly dont “need” all of these lights… but that thought doesnt hold much weight to anyone on here I reckon…
Yup, I’m with you there. The M21H is one of my only forward clicky lights, it serves a niche.
I went mad a while back trying to convert a convoy L6 into side clicky only: that light is ruined by the dual switch setup.
I think if you like side switches, either of the emisars will be good, I have 3 (much) older emisars that still get regular use (D4 219a, D1S XPL-Hi and a D1 XPL) and a DW4 that gets occasional use. They’re all very nice lights.
Given you like side switches, if it’s on offer, I’d reccomend a Sofirn SP10 Pro (I picked up my last one for about $14). It’s a compact side clicky AA light. Some (correctly) complain the switch is hard to find, but I set the pocket clip in a way that “points me” toward the button. There is (was?) also the 16350 version which has an illuminated button.
If you’re looking for “pointless lights” for the experience rather than use, I’d reccomend picking up a P60 host and Xenon bulb from Kaidomain. Fun to see where we’ve come from, I actually really like the xenon beam, there’s a combination of intensity, CCT and colour rendering, that few of my LEDs match, in my opinion.
When I’d be out’n’about on the daily, I’d have my MH20 in my jeans-pocket. Now, I practically live in shorts in summer and fleecies in winter, even when I go out shopping or whatever, so I either don’t carry anything in pockets, or I just don’t have any pockets.
In my murse, though, I got a holstered SP32Av2 (had to look it up) in Chameleon Color, that’s molle-ed onto the side. TCLOed to keep the cell from draining.
Around the house is my ubiquitous TS10 “nighttable light”, and Tacklife “kitchen light”. I don’t technically “carry” either, though.
I had that little Oilight iR2D2 or whatever, on a huge-loop lanyard I could wear as a necklace (no pockets, remember), but fiicr where I put it.
That’s about all I “carry”. If I had to go back to wearing, like, actual pants, it’d be my MH20 in the pocket.
… not to say you can’t have repeats if youve already got one!
