Hey all just a few questions:
1. Are there any comparisons in terms of flood and throw between the Shocker and the TK70? They have the same head with a somewhat similar reflector so I thought it would be a nice comparison.
2. Should I go for the DRY or regular driver? How much instability to decrease in run time will occur with DRY?
3. Would you go for a TK75 instead? Any other light you would go for instead that has a nice flood-throw combination?
Thanks!
DRY driver doesn’t help. TK70 probably has a slight edge just for size and UI, but if you need the extra throw or might want to mod it or need to save some money go for the BTU.
Ya I’m thinking of the BTU… something of a hybrid of the TK70’s throw and the TK75’s floodiness and spill. I like it.
Why doesn’t DRY help?
Oh ya I found some comparison shots between the TK70 and the BTU here: BTU Shocker.. A review for the layman. ( Nightshots, Hotspot shots w TK70 )
Surprising that despite the extra 800 lumens of the BTU the TK70 looks brighter!
Those shots were when Dale had the NW emitters iirc. I believe that with a CW BTU the results would have been different.
Exactly right…
I see no need for the DRY driver, the stock driver is plenty and can be boosted slightly if desired.
I do not have the TK70 or TK75 so I cannot compare. From a budget perspective, the BTU gives a $50 coupon right now allowing you to get $200 worth of stuff for $150.
From the comparisons I have seem, these lights perform very closely and the decision should come down to aesthetics, run time, and brand recognition.
The BTU has been called a clone, but I think it is unique enough to be more of a hybrid.
P.S People have reported the BTU battery carrier holds the batteries poorly. This was not an issue on mine; the springs were reversed, making the batteries very stable inside the holder.
Hey I tried to look for that $50 coupon on fancy flashlights but could not find it anywhere. How do you still get that coupon? Also has anyone ordered from fancy flashlights?
The Shocker has the exact same head as the TK70, so it wouldn’t have more flood, just maybe slightly brighter spill (on paper, that is).
The DRY driver doesn’t help because the normal driver already pushes the XML to 3.8A, and the DRY driver would be around 4.5A, and the higher the current, the less gains. It would be almost imperceptible to the human eye. You would just be wasting power, and as such I rarely use mine in Turbo since the gap between Hi and Turbo isn’t that large.
I think the promo ended. The promo code would be your order number which you can apply to future orders. The promotion used to show at the bottom of the item webpage. It’s not there anymore.
Once you order, Ric upgrades you to VIP and gives you a coupon code to use on your next order.
I’m not sure when it ends, but if you go to the BTU shocker page on www.fancyflashlights.com (currently down) you can scroll down to the “Surprise Promotion” notice. The coupon is good until May.
Ah I see. Sucks if promotion is over. For $150 and $50 credit to buy some 18650’s I was really close to buying. But with no promotion, no deal.
I am considering this light vs the TK75. I like the fact that this light has the TK70 head and thus deeper reflectors for more throw than the 75 but the reputation of the 75 and Fenix’s name standing behind it means a lot compared to the relatively unknown BTU. So it will be a tough decision.
I think you should go with the TK75. The quality and UI is far superior to the BTU.
I'm still glad I have a BTU but I only paid $100 for it. I wish I had gotten the CW version. I consider it more of a conversation piece than anything. I have had it for over a month and I still haven't found its "niche". It's unwieldy and my NW version isn't very bright IMO.
It seems like most who bought the NW versions are not impressed. The CW owners seem to be very satisfied with them though.
Interesting. So if I go for it I should go CW for sure. What are your thoughts on the Black Shadow terminator compared to these lights (BTU and TK75). I guess it has more flood and less throw?
I got the BTU and the U3 Terminator. The BTU is my “What was that noise outside the house” light.
Because the Terminator is more portable, it definitely see’s more usage.
I refer to it as the poor man’s NiteCore TM26. I would love to see a comparison between the two.
The Terminator has less throw than the BTU, but the spill is brighter, and the hotspot is fatter.
The comparison is the same like Patriots beamshot video when he compares the Fenix TK75 against the NiteCore TM26.
Ah I see. Ya I figured the terminator was more of a flooder with some throw.