I don’t have any of the lights in the OP, but I have a bunch of L2x (including one of the SS ones), and a bunch of C8s, plus 2 SK68 clones.
TK75, Olight SR92 and RC40.
those are a bit above $ 50
I have to vote for SRK, C8, HD2010.
If we take a longer period (not only the last 3 months): SRK, C8 (started with the Q5 and goes on to XM-L2), Solarforce L2 or HD2010
You are right. Think I kinda knew that already but what the heck. LOL
LOL! Be a rebel bro!!! :bigsmile:
I have to make my wife believe they are budget lights don’t I?
It would behoove you I imagine.
For some unknown reason the Tank007 just doesnt appeal to me. I have seen that many like them & say they are good little lights. Might have to buy one just to say I have one… LOL
If we go by your original description of what ‘popularity’ is…as in “These three lights seem to be the most discussed lights in the forum…these three lights are always popping up.”, etc., then I would think the Sky Ray King would definitely be #1. Second perhaps the C8 or HD2010….and I think the third would be either the SK68 or some sort of P60.
My choices don’t really have to do with my personal opinion of each…I’m simply going by the description in the op. I might hate or love the SK…but it sure comes up an awful lot!
Honorable mentions? ZY-T13, EA4, Home Depot Defiant/Armormax, XinTD.
popularity does wax and wane, 12 months ago it would be kd c8, ke-5, uf980l,dry, all ground breaking xm-l based lights, all now all but forgotten.
I think the next big thing in throwers may be hard driven xp-g2’s, I’m certainly doing my best at this, they come close to the lumens of a reasonably driven xm-l, and throw like a hard driven xre, I certainly wouldn’t use an xm-l in a thrower having started to play with xp-g2’s.
Love the P60 lights… The SK68 comes in handy running sound board when I need light but not too much of it.
me too, love P60 lights for its flexibility to swap the led and can do a lego too…
they still exist and popular if the host has beautiful look 
SK68 has to be in there imo, it has been a budget champion for over 2 years now and nobody is beating it for the price.
Defiant 3C super thrower, I would have to agree. The thread by garrybunk who started it all has 748 replies in only 3 1/2 months. Still comes to the top almost daily. It has to be on the list of most popular lights.
I got two myself. There is also several off spring threads on the same or similar light from home depot.
Seems to be very popular given the number of days from garrybunks discovery.
+1 for the DST and for garrybunk!
Most popular budget lights I’ve noticed are:
SRK
C8
DST
Others: SK68, Jacob, ZY-T08
Yeah, I think the Newbie cruising the Internet, would have found a C8 like I did. That was back in the day of the Q5. Then I found out about the R5 and then the T6. I joined the forum, and got my first bright light, a 3T6. Now, looking back, I think — if I had been a little smarter, I would have gone from a C8 to a 3T6, to a SRK, then to a Small Sun either a T08 or T13. I have them all now, plus about 30 other torches. So my list:
C8
3T6/SRK
Small Sun T08/T13
These 3 FLs are great for collectors.