Poor Mans Zebralight?

[Spartan]

I’m a bit of a loss….

I don’t see any conflict on the subject. The one that is more expensive is also known to have better components and the one that I’d cheaper gives one a bang for the bucks. Both can coexist without competing with each other.

I see flashlights as a “latest and greatest” hobby. No one will care about the Q8 if there is a 20,000 lumen Q9 in their hands.

[Agro]

@emarkd

* Ramping UIs are great but calling it better than a rotating piece of hardware is simply personal preference. For me I find a knob much more intuitive and easier/faster to use than a ramping button. But that’s also my opinion.

Me too. QTC twisty is my all-time favourite UI.

@chadvone

I remember when led output crossed the 100 lumen mark. There was no way I would ever need anything brighter.

HDS taught my how to us a light to maximize run time. Even with brighter lights and larger capacity cells. I still default to the HDS way.

Peak taught me how to maximize runtime. As it gets darker outside it allows me to progressively reduce brightness, something a typical mode based UI can’t match. But 24 modes of HDS might be enough.

Nowadays I love to get both efficiency and peak power though actually I rarely need to conserve energy.

[emarkd]

@Noir

…What simply baffles me is that they still don’t offer a 18350 tube (its also the main thing that keeps me from buying one). There are simply no downsides, its the same length and people can still use CR123A/16340 batteries (perhaps a sleeve is needed to prevent rattle, but those are cheap), you get 50% more runtime with a 18350 compared to a 16340 and the slightly bigger diameter of the tube is no problem (and doesn’t make the light bulkier) since the tail and head is bigger still.
All a bit off topic, I know, but I would love to see something new from HDS, at least a 18350 tube, maybe even something completely new.

…Some time ago there was an Eco series of lights on the Zebralight spreadsheet.

…In conclusion: the best option for the “poor mans Zebralight” is probably simply a discounted older generation Zebralight.

Great post! I cut most of it to save space but overall I agree with much of what you said. I would like to say, however, that I think you’ve missed one “feature” of the current 16340-sized HDS tube that would be lost with 18350 — cigar grip. Honestly the current HDS, while absolutely huge for its cell size, is one of the most comfortable lights to hold and use, in my opinion. Mostly due to its “waist”. That would be lost with 18350. That said I’m all about choices so I also really hope they offer that in the future, for folks who want it. But I’d hate to see the current battery tube disappear in the process.

I was really quite excited about the eco-series Zebralights. Too bad they turned into vaporware. But I agree fully with your conclusion: The best “poor-man’s Zebra” is just an older Zebra. There are no substitutes that even come close to ticking all the boxes.

@DOC1500

This is always the direction this world is headed in. Everybody’s trying to one-up the next guy with the next best thing that comes out on the market. Or with a new modification.

Yep, you got it. Many of us also dabble in guns and knives and you’re right — its no different really. Tiny “advances” that probably don’t matter in the least for most folks, but we obsess over it. Welcome to your next obsession

@Spartans

No one will care about the Q8 if there is a 20,000 lumen Q9 in their hands.

Again with the lumens. I know this forum especially obsesses over eeking out every last lumen, even if you can only tell the difference using an integrating sphere, and that’s fine, fun even. But from a user’s perspective its not usually the most important factor. I personally would still very much care about my Q8 IF this hypothetical Q9 is much larger physically, or is much floodier, or has some stupid-fast stepdown regulation because its can’t manage its heat. Or any number of other factors. The Q8 is a great balance of size/output/runtime and that matters…to me at least.

@Agro

QTC twisty is my all-time favourite UI.

I have several Peak lights (and a few cheaper options with QTC) and also love the simplicity. They can be pretty fiddly though. So for me my favorite is probably the HDS Rotary, just because I know exactly what its going to do every time - no chance of jumping around. Plus being able to set the output before hitting the power switch is a pretty nice feature sometimes.

[Spartan]

@emarkd

@Spartans

No one will care about the Q8 if there is a 20,000 lumen Q9 in their hands.

Again with the lumens. I know this forum especially obsesses over eeking out every last lumen, even if you can only tell the difference using an integrating sphere, and that’s fine, fun even. But from a user’s perspective its not usually the most important factor. I personally would still very much care about my Q8 IF this hypothetical Q9 is much larger physically, or is much floodier, or has some stupid-fast stepdown regulation because its can’t manage its heat. Or any number of other factors. The Q8 is a great balance of size/output/runtime and that matters…to me at least.

I don’t disagree. My point is that as a hobby, it’s not static. One may buy a beautiful rifle/shotgun and admire it for the rest of ones life. Todays “great” flashlight will be eventually be overrun by technology and will be tomorrows door stop.

To me, the ideal flashlight is a EDC with max lumens, least heat, maximum options, least power consumption.

[waloshin]

I agree the best pormans zebralight is a used one of a clearance one.