Looking for - Waterproof 1x 18650 torch with about 500 Lumens and 2 hours runtime

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

I would like to ask for the expert advice from fellow forum members to recommend me a few torches to consider for the purposes of wading depth illumination.

The use case:

- A flashlight is attached to the end of a alum/wooden pole and used below the surface of the water while wading in knee to waist deep water to help illuminate the water to find sand crabs. The user will be walking in the water holding the light in one hand, and a crab scoop in the other hand.

- It will be used for 1-2 hours, and should therefore have up to 2 hours runtime, minimum 1.5 hours.

- It will likely be moved around with some speed (so it will need to be water resistant to a higher depth)

- It will occasionally be stuck into the sand/mud by accident.

  • Salt water use - should be easy to wash down and have no areas that will trap water —> Corrosion after use.

Features that are sought after

- Must be 1x 18650 compatible (not keen to go to 21700 etc… just want to simplify battery stocks but open to consider if its a really perfect torch).

- Maximum 2x 18650 but maybe only in a side-by-side format with a small head.

  • Must be relatively light weight. Not keen on a long torch as it will be uncomfortable another handle.

- UI should be fairly simple to get to the required output. Ideally power on/off. Complex UIs are allowed but importantly, the 500 lumen mode should be easy to access for the layperson. Sometimes a programmable UI might allow for a 1 or 2 mode to be programmed, while a simple 5 mode clicky that forces you to go through strobe is bad.

- UI wise - 2 modes - a High and a decently low low would be perfect. More modes acceptable if it doesn’t make it to complicated to use. (so up to a 5 mode clicky with no strobe is ok)

  • Definitely not strobe modes (unless hidden)

- Output of about 300+ lumens has been sufficient, 500 ideal, 800 even better (but starts to push the limit of battery life).

- Tint - not critical, but neutral preferred.

- Beam pattern - A throwy beam is preferred, but a balanced beam will work. Floody is probably less preferred as the water tends to be slightly murky and penetration is already limited, but this isnt a deal breaker.

- USB charging - Not needed - Unless its a hidden charging port. Waterproofing is a priority.

- Battery protection - ideal to be inbuilt, but not critical with access to protected batteries. I currently have 2600 protected cells and 3500mah unprotected. An inbuilt low battery warning/stepdown is preferred to use existing unprotected cells.

  • 1” body design to be compatible with mounting hardware (not too important but nice to have).

- Waterproofness is important (of course) and should not be compromised by mode changes/turning on the light. Waterproofing must be foolproof - no flimsy usb port covers.

- Price - Anywhere from $30-150 is acceptable. Want a minimum build quality to ensure waterproofness.

- A budget option is great as it will allow for rough use without guilt.

  • A more expensive option that does the job better is also allowed but as a torch that will dig into mud it can hurt a bit to scratch it up.

Current torches being used

- Armytek G109.2 - is older but has double o-rings, about 400 lumens and 2+ hours battery life. about the $100 mark. Great torch but not available anymore in that model.

  • Lumintop P16X (i think). 2 mode. A mid priced torch with low range features, has about 800 lumens on high, but due to the un-regulated driver, drops down over time as the battery drains. Kinda works, but nothing fancy or regulated. Low mode is a resistor in series when you unscrew the tailcap halfway! Seriously low tech solution for low mode and relies on a resistor to drop the voltage to the unregulated driver!!

Torches being considered

  1. Current Armytek Predator Pro V3- Pretty sturdy option at the mid to higher end of the price range. Problem is that the preferred 500 lumen mode to get 2 hours runtime requires the head to be loose which may compromise the waterproof seal.
  2. Armytek Doberman Pro - pretty much the same as above, just a more compact head for a slightly less throwy beam. Same problem with the loose head on the High mode.
  3. Another P16X - but its kind of a meh torch, won’t get any daily use due to the very basic feature set.

- Would love to hear what other people can find which might do the job.

I have been looking for something that suits this, but not finding many ‘perfect’ fits for the specification.
Many dive torches are 21700, which is ok, but their design isn’t particularly clean for the price.
I wouldn’t mind a budget torch, but would like someone to vouch for its waterproofness. I don’t mind a budget model but I don’t have much up-to date experience with recent models. In the past I have bought budget ones that have inaccurate construction tolerances that render o-ring seals weak or useless, or there is no o-ring/gasket at the lens end of the head. Makes me a bit weary for this underwater application.

Thanks in advance!!!


2

Sofirn SD05 21700 but can use 18650, DF10 18650 magnetic switch. I think they have a SD03 too

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The SD03 is quite bulky.

I second the DF10: small, 18650, 5000K 90CRI LH351D led, reasonably throwy, built as a dive light but I would not trust it at 50 meters depth.

Edit: I’m not sure how well it regulated, highest output is specified as 1050lm, medium 350lm, could be nice if the medium is regulated well.

Edit2: you may be rightly concerned about mud under the ring.

4

Thanks for recommending Sofirn.

Had a look at the models and the SD02 looks simple enough.
Its an 18650, has a metal button switch (which can catch dirt/sand/grit) but might be cleanable when it does get jammed.

The SD05 - rotary switch is a simple UI, but I get even more worried about grit under the ring. the 21700 support gives great battery life though, and would still take an 18650.

The DF10 - interesting light. Great emitter. Compact is nice, but the UI sounds kinda annoying. Off is nestled between High and SOS, so turning the ring to either end either gives you low, or SOS.

Thanks for the recommendations! I will add the SD02 and SD05 to the list of lights to consider.

Edit 1 - There was mention of grit under the ring in the thread discussing the SD05. I personally have many magnetic ring torches V10R(s), TN30, TN32, and Love the UI, but the grit issue is a real problem. I have taken apart a few of them to clean them, but doing so opens up the glued threads and I then discover that under the ring is the join between the halves of the head, so any salt-water mixed in with grease is sitting there on the join line. Mixing salt water and a greased up ring isnt great. On the other hand, the metal button over a rubber boot design of the SD02 does also trap dirt, I’m just hoping its not as bad a problem, but I know its not guaranteed either. (yes I know I’m being picky on a theoretical level, but isn’t that the fun of finding the ‘perfect’ torch for every application?)

Edit 2 - Regulation is not super critical. The un-regulated P16X does not give any issues and the eye adjusts to the light output and realistically 600 down to 400 lumens is not perceivable over an hour.

5

If even a 21700 is unappealing, you’ll really hate this…

I personally like the DV-S9. Simple as dirt mag slider, waterproofed out the wazoo (triple O-rings at the tailcap!), simple brightness control like a wallswitch dimmer.

The red ring unscrews and lets you take out the slider and clean it if need be. No grease, no nuttin’.

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Oh yeah, even though it takes a 26650, you can use a plastic sleeve, rubberbands, or a folded up napkin to center an 18650 just fine. A lot of kits come with an adapter of some sort, but it’s not critical.

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Agree with @Lightbringer. I have 2x DV-S9 and a very similar ‘clone’. All work fine, all have been scuba diving to depth. Seem well made. As stated, the switch IS magnetic, but extremely simple. Removal and cleaning are not a big deal.

Some magnetic switches (and others) can be a hassle if used near or in sand, which it sounds like these will be. Some switches also have springs and bearings for detents, that are NOT stainless and go to hell from rust even if rinsed well.

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Yeh, aside from the triple-O-ring-sealed tailcap and the front bezel, that beastie’s pretty much hermetic. Even the magnet in the slider is molded into the slider itself. No springs, no rubber switch-boots, no nuttin’.

A pair of those big fat rubberbands like you find around stalks of broccoli could be used to affix it to the end of that stick in the picture. Maybe a small block of styrene-foam between to keep it from shifting around.