Review: Ultra Fire UF-980L

...and as usual, pictures seem to be exact copies from Manafont.

Heck, even I could smudge those "MANAFONT" text to even slightly less visible...

For Singapore dollars, it looks ok.

Anyway I am also asking if Summer can get us the Sky Ray king.

Definitely from Manafont. :) You can see the watermarks.

Uhmmm... whats exactly the Skyray king may I ask?

Skyray King is a Nitecore TM11 98% clone with a gold finish.

Ah... Thanks... just found the thread....... here

Awaiting your info re SR king!

Just got my UF 980L today. Nice light but the Romisen RC T601 i bought from Shining Beam is brighter and throws further. I was a little disappointed because im looking for a thrower. May try the Sky Ray now. Bryan from Shining Beam says the updated Romisen RC T601 with a XML U2 will be brighter. I can't WAIT!

How do the tail cap current readings compare? The 980 isn't a dedicated thrower but it is a little pocket rocket with a good throw/flood compromise for outdoor use

I wouldn't go with a UF 980L from DD.

That's just me and from what I've gleaned about DD from this forum.

I'd stick with Manafont..JMO......YMMV.

Yup, vote for Mana even though I got one with 3 blemishes in reflector. Still an unsellable, will remain in my collection of couple lights.

Yep. I'm with Streamer. Gotta get your 980L from Manafont.

Foy

Hey Boro . . . glad you like it.

Foy

UPDATE

A lot has been said about the UltraFire UF-980L and with so much glowing praise, the perceived legend can often eclipse reality. The 980L's performance pratically begs for hyperbole but in the unlikely event exaggeration is suspended temporarily, the 980L is still fairly over the top. I've had this torch for eleven months and in that time I've done everything possible, trying to make it fail.

I have failed.

4.5+ amps for 45 minutes? About a dozen times with no ill effects. I've even fed it 6 amps from an IMR for about 5 seconds a couple of times.

Dropped, stepped on, kicked, torn apart/pieces strewn all over the place courtesy two cats with no sense of personal space, motor oil, ATF, sand, dirt, spilled Coke Zero all over it, dunked in Greased Lightining . . . the only thing I haven't done to it is fire a 180 grain SJHP from my 44 mag. (with all due respect to Mr. Smith and Mr. Wesson)

To all who predicted: "that much current will 'burn out' the emitter, trust me" Foy says, "I gotcher emitter right heeere." Do performance gains over 3.5 amps decline rapidly? Of course it does and I certainly do not want all of my lights pushed like this. I also suggest that the illogical insanity of (near) 4 amps is precisely why the 980L is viewed with such reverence. I said it almost a year ago and I stand by every word; the UltraFire UF-980L is a flashaholic's flashlight that will amaze and entertain like no other torch you've ever experienced.

If you haven't already, do yourself a favor; get your hands on a 980L.

youwillnotregretitFoy

One of if not the only light in my collection that has not been modded with the exception of changing the tail cap to a green one instead of black. Still going strong with the exception of the factory defective driver I got which appears to be a one off failure.

Oooh, where do you get the green tail cap? It glows I assume?

GITD was a passing thing for me. I like black better now . . .

althoughblueisnicetooFoy

11 months has it been that long? didn't think I had my 980l for that long..oh well still delivering 4.6a of reliable fury..still one of my favourite lights..

How well does this light throw?

Any idea what kind of distance it gets?

I don't know the exact distance but I just went outside and lit up a car two blocks away. Kind of surprised, actually - didn't know it had that much reach.

daymFoy