Now that I think about it more, I would like to have a decent flood/throw ratio. Like say a good flood at around 600 feet. (I don’t know if I’m being realistic for wanting a small compact flashlight.)
What do you look for in the specs for that type of stuff?
Those two above seem nice. Not concerned with the budget since I’m only getting one for the foreseeable future; at least for now lol.
Also, I really like having a tail switch instead of a side switch, seems more natural. But not a huge deal. Hard to find a tail switch with the specs that I’m looking for.
if your looking for a good combination of flood and throw output in a smaller package you may have to look at the triple-emitter lights, such as a Acebeam X40, Solarstorm Warrior, etc. If you want to keep to a smaller light. Usually to get a good thrower with a good flood capability you have to go with the larger, more expensive lights like a TK75, BTU Shocker, etc.
I actually saw that thread but it seems scattered on the info I want. I don’t want just a good thrower.
I figured I would specify on what I’m looking for and some vets would probably know some good ones offhand; which is whats happening so far
BTU Shocker or Fenix TK75 are the best for flood and throw but they are big lights. Something smaller like a Supbeam X40 or Thrunite TN30 will give lots of flood but not as much throw. For a smaller and cheaper light go for the Solarstorm/Fandyfire Warrior.
I definitely like some of those thrulite ones. I’m leaning towards one of them now.
Nitecore has some pretty crazy ones, namely the tiny monster series.
The Maxtoch one above looks pretty nice. But why is it so cheap? And would that be good for an ok flood distance? I’m not sure what to look for in the specs for that.
Maxtoch make high performance low to med price lights. Its their market position. Quality is very good. You do not have to pay heaps to get quality and performance.
Plenty of reviews on maxtoch lights on this site - all good.
Mision M12 combines good flood (XML2-U2) with long distance central hotspot.
That's funny - complaints I've seen on the M12 was it's too pricey . It's an excellent compact single emitter throw, and can use 5000+ mAh rated cells (26650's). It's not like the more expensive multi-emitter lights, with side electronic switch's, it's a simpler tail switch. The simplicity of it keeps the price down, but the quality of the components is up there with the pricier lights.
Getting throw in small package is tricky—it usually requires a wide reflector
( even in short, single cell lights)
Opinions are as varied as forum members.
I’d say you need a baseline light to start with, and decide IF you need more
flood OR more throw OR smaller size than that light.
Like buying a small motorcycle before working up to a 750 or 1000cc track bike.
For a well regarded entry level flooder/thrower that isn’t too huge or expensive—
I’d recommend the HD2010. It’s about $30 and very capable
See how it works for your needs before buying a $100 light
. It's an excellent compact single emitter throw, and can use 5000+ mAh rated cells (26650's). It's not like the more expensive multi-emitter lights, with side electronic switch's, it's a simpler tail switch. The simplicity of it keeps the price down, but the quality of the components is up there with the pricier lights.