Hello BLF members,
Most flashlights with magnetic tailcaps are designed strictly as close-range flooders or mule work lights. While sticking a wide flood beam under a car hood is standard practice, we’ve seen growing interest in putting strong neodymium magnets on dedicated, high-candela compact throwers.
We wanted to start a technical discussion on the design trade-offs between linear magnetic throwers, wide flooders, and 90-degree work lights—and see how the community views these different configurations.
Linear Magnetic Lights: Extreme Candela vs. Raw Lumens
The Wurkkos TS22 is widely regarded on this forum as one of the best value 21700 magnetic flooders. It outputs a massive 4,500 lumens via Cree XHP70.2/70.3 and offers convenient reverse power-bank charging.
However, optical reach is where the philosophy diverges:
| Metric | SPERAS M4 V3 | Wurkkos TS22 |
|---|---|---|
| Emitter | Luminus SFT42R (Round-Die) | Cree XHP70.2 / XHP70.3 |
| Peak Output | 2,200 lm (2,800 lm w/ TB217 tube) | 4,500 lm |
| Peak Intensity & Throw | 122,500 cd / 700 m | 9,150 cd / 228 m |
| Host Length | 85.6 mm (Ultra-compact) | 122 mm |
| Bare Weight | 91 g | 95 g |
| Battery Platform | Modular: 18350 (standard) or 21700 (extended) | Fixed 21700 |
| Tailcap Magnet | Flat neodymium base | Flat magnetic tailcap |
| Charging | USB-C (45-min fast charge on 18350) | USB-C with Reverse Power Bank |
The Engineering Trade-Off:
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The TS22 lights up an entire front yard with a smooth wall of light, but at 9,150 cd, atmospheric moisture and distance will quickly wash out the beam beyond 100–150 meters in practical use.
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For the SPERAS M4 V3, we paired the circular-die Luminus SFT42R with a focused smooth reflector. At 122,500 cd, it produces over 13 times the beam intensity of the TS22 from an 85.6 mm chassis.
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By retaining a flat neodymium tailcap on the M4 V3, you get a miniature 18350 thrower that can anchor horizontally to machinery or a truck bed and throw a distinct, concentrated beam down a long pipeline, fence line, or perimeter without needing a tripod.
The 90-Degree Alternative: Why Right-Angle Solves the “Stuck to a Wall” Problem
A known limitation of mounting any straight-body flashlight horizontally to a flat vertical surface (like an electrical cabinet) is that the beam projects parallel along the wall rather than into your workspace.
For dedicated close-quarters tasks, our SPERAS SH20 takes the right-angle route:
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Optical Setup: 3 × LEDs under a precision multi-TIR lens delivering 3,000 lumens of wide, artifact-free flood (173 m reach).
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Workplace Geometry: Sticking the tailcap to a vertical beam points the 90-degree emitter straight out into the work area.
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Dual-Fuel Driver: Runs on an 18650 cell for 300 hours on ECO (5 lm), but also natively accepts 2 × CR123A primary lithiums for sub-zero emergency readiness where standard Li-ion cells sag.
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Weight: 56 g bare aluminum chassis, compatible with headband mounting or dual-direction pocket clip carry.
We’d Love Your Feedback:
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Magnets on Throwers: Do you find a strong tailcap magnet practical on a dedicated pocket thrower like the M4 V3, or do you prefer your throwers strictly clean/non-magnetic to avoid metal shavings and compass interference?
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Dual-Fuel Preference: In 18650 right-angle work lights, how important is CR123A primary backup support to you versus pure 18650 optimization?
Looking forward to your real-world thoughts and critique!
— The SPERAS Team