Need help finding hand held hunting light

LED Flashlights – General Info
29

OK, dct73 and others have my little brain pondering the c8’s.

The http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-64/L-dsh-mini-flashlight-nylon-holster/Detail dct73 reccomended is in budget, I like the high lumens, and is apparently in a tint I would like, and is US based, sounds perfect, but I am still struggling with the beam I would get.

For arguments sake, lets say its between this light and the small sun c-10, how does the small sun c10’s beam , when zoomed in compare to the romisen c8? Would I get a good tight throw without much shadowing from objects in the forground with the romisen c8? Which would be brighter?

As I have thought about this further, I have used a hand held spot in the past, I am now thinking of this light in that regard, so I can forego the zoomie function if I can get a good tight throw. Reality is this light may never be used for a walking light, because if my primary fails I also keep a small AAA led headlamp in my vest as a back up. I have used a Stanley 520 Lumen led spot and found it to be medicore, there is a company marketing a cordless spot to coon hunters for $150, I found it adequate, but not impressive.

I will relinquish to a c8 thrower for performance if the beam would be as good or better than what I have seen from the LED spots out there (but my ideal would be a zoomie that could do it all LOL).

30

Did you look at the pics in the c10 thread?

That will help a little maybe. Also with a zoomie you will have basically no spill around the beam/hotspot you will basically just get a square and depending on you distance it will be quite small.

Hopefully this will help some im not very good at xplainin sum times :bigsmile:

Edited- you can put links on here to what you have used and your opinions so that maybe we can tell you with even more detail what you might like

There is this light called sniper hog lights they sale for $150-200. You get get an equivalent from a china seller for around $30 shipped plus batteries. Some of us found this budget light forum from seeking a cheaper alternative to the overpriced BS!

31

I have no personal experience with XM-L Zoomie but you could have it delivered in time and it has everything you need. It’s not likely to have a neutral emitter and the batteries might be less than you hope for. I probably wouldn’t want to leave it charging in the house when I was gone either. Then again I don’t like doing that with any lithium batteries. But like I said, this would get you started in time for your next hunt. If you can hold off and spend a little more time I think you can find something a little more fitting. I’m referring to three things. Neutral tint emitter. Quality protected batteries. And a decent charger. Most of the stuff we buy around here isn’t available for next day shipping. :slight_smile:

PS: A well driven single XM-L T6 will give you about 800 lumens. Don’t buy into all the inflated lumen claims you see on ebay.

32

apt323 - unfortunately I am “working” now, and I can’t see photobucket pics through our company firewall : ) , I’ll have to wait until I am on my home pc tonight LOL .

I am having a similar experience now with the cost of lights marketed for coon hunters.

I have this spot, http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-SL5W09-Watt-LED-Spotlight/dp/B001U04MCG/ref=pd_sim_auto_1 , I would describe it as marginal in performance, I’m looking for something noticably better. And its now not functioning properly.

Here is a link to a spot light I have seen in use before (scroll down on page) http://www.crystalc2.com/SHOP.html , there is no info on specs really, light is sold by word of mouth and demo’s mostly. Its pretty bright with a pretty tight spot, but I’m not overly impressed with it, cost is also too high.

Here is a link to the head lamp I am using http://www.sunspothuntinglights.com/index.html . Its very bright, and also covers a larger area. Look around in the site, there are pics and videos. The problems is, no focus adjustment, and at times its just not as funtional, hence the need for a hand help light source with a tight beam (also need hand held for shooting the pistol). He now has a new model with a tighter beam, I would probably have liked better, but would still need a hand held light source.

33

Post a picture of the front of your headamp and I or someone here can tell what led is being used. Looks like it is a bike light that is mounted to helment and is nicely done. Makes me want to make myself one now… :bigsmile: .

I think that you will be very happy that you found this site (looking at the prices of the links you posted) as we all have. The only problem with getting lights from china is that sometimes it takes a month for them to get here. It takes some reading on here to understand the terms of the flashaholics. There are lots of very good reviews on here and it will probably take buying different kinds/styles of lights to figure out exactly what you like. As gords mentioned modding is very fun and will make most lights outperform even the manufactures specs. I have been reading (for over a year)and posting here (since March 2012) for a while now and still spend a huge amount of time reading and posting. These people here are great and will not recomend something they dont believe will fit your needs. I am very much a cheap A$$ i try to do it as budget minded as possible almost to a fault…… BLF will help you get what you want!

34

OK - I ALMOST make up mind to pull the trigger on a C8 then find this comment on a review on here of the xintd …

_“Looking for more throw probably. I have a cheap zoomie xre q5 light and it throws better and more intense light (although square in shape) when focused. The C8 overwhelms it with loads of light and spill but the the q5 is brighter compared to the c8’s hotspot. ”
_
… and saw this one rated as having better throw http://www.amazon.com/FandyFire-HD2010-5-Mode-Flashlight-Flashlamp/dp/B0095R78JK

???

35

heres some beamshot links maybe this will help some

viffer750 beamshots - nice pics

rdrfronty lux measurements - very good info

theres even more this is just a starting point

36

Hd2010 is an absolute monster compared to a c8, the led is severely over driven due to it going direct drive on high, it is a bigger light though, with a bigger reflector.

Listening to what you are saying, I do think you want an aspheric lense. This has just been linked in another thread,

http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10000613/1057200-z6-cree-xm-l-t6-700lm-5-mode-memory-convex-lens-le

And here’s the thread, to give you some context,

That light comes with a charger and some acceptable cells to, and that company may get it to you in time for your hunt, maybe see if they offer priority shipping.

If it suits, you could then get someone to swap out the driver and led for some more oomph, and if you don’t get on with it, it will have served to give you some direction, and you can use the cells/charger elsewhere.

I’m just playing with a c8 xm-l I put together, and it may be too floody reading your comments, same for the hd2010, they put out plenty of light, but maybe not in the way you need.

In the short term though, that z6 would be a good start, and at $25 with cells/charger, no great loss if its not quite right. :slight_smile:

Or leaves plenty if you feel its almost there with a few tweaks.

37

Hey Gords1001, that’s the same light I linked in my last post. What a co-incidence. Trustfire Z6. Only difference is my link had a higher price :frowning:

38

It’s possible its your link I pinched from another thread, hence posting the thread link, I know little about zoomys other than that I’m not keen, but I thought the suggestion could be usefull and fasttech seems to ship pretty fast in general. Not guaranteed, but mostly pretty fast.

I take no credit or kudos, just sharing what may have been missed. :slight_smile:

39

I did see the pics of the c10 beam shots, thanks. I think ideally I may need something a little larger, but hard to say without out putting to use.

There have been multiple votes now for the same zoomie… could the trust fire z6 be the one FYI, Sears sells this exact same light for $74!!! Couldn’t believe that mark up!!!

I am about ready to accept the fact that I am going to have to buy something, to have a base to start with and make future decisions on my experience, likes and dislikes with it. I am OK with this if I don’t have to spend too much, and that looks doable.

…still got to dig out the camera and get a pic of my current head for those curious about it.

40

I meant my link in post #30. I don’t care. I don’t read everybody else’s links all the time either. Just thought it was funny we picked the same one. :slight_smile: Cheers! :slight_smile:

41

:slight_smile: no worries, what we both didn’t do was see if we could find a review of said light……

42

I think I am going to order the Z6 unless I stumble on something else before this afternoon, otherwise I’m going to drive myself and the wife crazy searching LOL.

Thanks for the review link, I couldn’t see any of the pics mentioned in the review though? I also did some looking on here and found a few reviews, one would be a praise and the other indicating the light was “garbage” . Reviews on both ends of the spectrum are not uncommon for about any product though depending on reviewer’s perspective and experience, so I am going with the majority rules approach : ) .

43

Just wanted to say thanks again - hopefully you haven’t played a role in creating a new obsession for me : ).

I ordered an Ultrafire XML zoomie from a US Ebay seller, less the $16 shipped, this light but not this seller.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Adjustable-Focus-UltraFire-1800lm-CREE-XML-T6-LED-Flashlight-Torch-Zoom-In-Out-/230853847037?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item35bff627fd#ht_6619wt_1211

Not the exact light that was reccomended but very close, I hope :). Its a good starting point for me at least.

Thanks to your advice I have been in contact with Kumabear and will be placing a battery order shortly and am going to pair them with a nitcore charger he has approved of.

I am already pondering the next purchase, but we want go there just yet until I actually get this one in hand…

44

That looks a good choice, load the carrier up with eneloops or primaries and run a single run of insulation tape around, you have two choices of back up cell, and as its 3aaa, there’s still the option of a nanjg in the future to get rid of the blinkies.

Hope it works out for you Eddie and any questions, you only have to ask. :bigsmile:

45

Eddie have you received your light? If so let us know your thoughts……………

:heart_eyes: this or :cry:

46

Find Eddie’s other thread - modding a zoomy, I think he likes it, even on 3 * AAA. :bigsmile:

What he is after is a 3 mode driver swap and possible nw emitter swap if your interested in helping? 8)

47

Ok thanks gords

48

gords definitely one of the most helpful (at least to me) members on here , and pretty well summed it up.

Thanks for checking in on me. I see you found the other thread, The link should anyone else be interested https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/15002