Falling in love with pocket-size XP-G flashlights lately.
Even more with XP-G2 emitters, but there aren't many yet out there...
I'd like a 18650 sized, not too big head (easily jacket pocketable), which is more thrower than floodier. The small 2100 size is nice, I have a Fandyfire version from DX with XP-G which is good and well driven (2A on high), still would like to have a throwish smaller hotspot.
Tried to focus it better, but I think that's the reflector itself, more biased toward flood.
It looks to me there's a lot of trend or fashion around the XM-L, but sometimes it is so underdriven in small flashlights that I wonder if there's any practical reason to use it there other for the "name" appeal. From a marketing perspective, looks like no flashlight is worth buying today if it does not have an XM-L!
Small flashlights, with small reflectors and low drive current (overheating issues) negate any XM-L advantage.
Much better, in my view at least, a well driven XP-G. And with the small die it makes better usage of the small reflector too.
Thanks jmpaul, but I have yet that edc, #88 same thread
As I wrote there, at 1,4A it's underdriven. I had ordered two of them initially, one was kept stock, the other has "donated" the XP-G2 to the now customized LP D-miniVX, driven at full 2,5A it's really bright now!
The Eagletac D25LC2 with XP-G2 looks very nice. Not cheap, but sure looks promising!
But reading here and there I'm also looking with increasing interest at 4Sevens Maelstrom MMS with XP-G2. Size is larger than the ET D25LC2, but still jacket pocketable. And all the reviews on the net said it's a great thrower for its size, even weapon compatible.
The price difference between the two isn't so big, as both of them are not exactly cheap or budget...
Any experience with them? Which one would you suggest for more throw? Any other competitor?
I concur with scaru that this is a good combination and yes it can be driven a bit harder. Here is something I made a while ago and it continues to impress. Forget the pill I made as everything else is of the shelf. The stock pill and reflector would definitely benefit by being wrapped in aluminium or copper for better heat sinking though.
The ET D25LC2 and the Maestrom are two completely different beasts. Where the ET is slim and pocket friendly, the Maestrom has a bonifide big smooth reflector. I haven't had the fortune of testing the maestrom, but it should easily outthrow the ET. (sorry, you probably know this already).
I'd like to offer up another option, and one I've been carrying now for awhile:
A Quark Turbo xpg on a single AA body. Modified with a cree xp-e2 (!) the little guy still really impresses me every time I turn it on. Overall lumen output is down a little from the xpg, but throw almost doubled (still nice spill). For example:
For now no Xp-e2, I want to experiment a little more with the Xp-g2 first.
The D25LC2 is not a thrower, but it is available with a good driver to push some serious lumens from the xp-g2.
The Maelstrom on the other side has for sure a nice throwy smo reflector, but if they just swapped the xp-g2 in place of the xp-g, with the same driver, I fear it will be underdriven.
The original Maelstrom xp-g specs state 350lm, that means 1,2-1,4A max (maybe less, if I have to go with Match graph... 350lm is only 1A! ). The xp-g2 is wasted at that current. That is something that makes me wait on it. Should be nice if they upgrade the driver to at least 2A, but I don't see any mention anywhere...
The P60 plan sounds interesting. Cheaper, some DIY to do, and the P60 reflector with xp-g2 size ratio should anyway give some serious throw when driven, let's say, at 2,5A...
