Greetings, first post here. I’m an average EDC user for some time and my current choices are the Wurkkos TS21 at home and the Manker E02 II in the pocket. Both are floody and warm, but throw is limited when i’m out in long beach walks or in the farm.
I searched for a thrower for quite some time by brands like Convoy, which is a very interesting one. Although my needs may be simple, i’m totally overwhelmed by LED options and technical aspects like “driver”, “stabilization” and such. My requirements are, in order of priority:
200 lumens at 200 metres.
Able to keep that for 2 hours.
Warm tint, between 4000K and 5000K. High CRI is something i’d like as well, but i understand that this may need to be sacrificed.
Usable spill around the hotspot, so that i can see around while scouting my way in the cliffs.
Under $70.
18650, but preferably a 21700 battery.
I don’t mind about switch position, onboard charging, interface, hotspot angle, head diameter (it can be large or small) and pocket clip for this purpose. I like tan and khaki colours but basic black is just as fine.
I’m open to suggestions and please correct me if the requirements are excessive or contradictory. Thanks in advance.
Convoy M21A SFT40 perhaps? I know it’s not a warm tint, but throwers are usually not. You can get a warm CCT 519A in the M21A if you want to, but it’s quite a bit dimmer than the SFT40.
Generally, you’re going to get more capability in all metrics as the light and its components increase in size. An 18650 light provides ~50% less run time than a 21700 at a given current, for example. A larger optic is generally going to put more light further down range. A larger light has more surface area and is a larger passive radiator, so it can produce more output for a given body temperature, which for temperature regulated lights means it will have higher continuous output once it hits 50-60C or whatever the temperature limit is set to. There is less phosphor on low CRI LEDs so they are more efficient and might have higher surface luminance, which would translate to more throw and more output for a given wattage and therefor body temperature.
So all of the above basically begs the question: how large of a light are you wanting to carry? An M21A for example is like a “C8” but with a 21700 cell instead of an 18650. A light of this size, with that much surface area, and with an optic that large, and with a high luminance LED, will do what it can within these constraints. Driver efficiency comes into play as well, but I don’t know what topology is used in various lights. Linear is going to be less efficient overall than a light which has a buck or boost driver.
Some of your requirements are hard to fulfill, like 200 lumens at 200 meters for 2 hours, but in the end, you’ll have to just get the largest light you are willing to carry, and then decide for yourself if it does what you need. If not, get something else.
I checked the M21A and the size is fine. Larger and heavier than my Wurkkos TS21 for sure but i don’t mind having that dangling from my wrist via a lanyard if it fullfils my needs as much as possible.
If it’s not too big, I recommend the Convoy M21C with XHP70.3 HI. https://www.aliexpress.com/i/2255800253418541.html
That’s my EDC and it provides throw and flood at the same time.
It doesn’t throw as far as a dedicated thrower, but it provides plenty of flood.
If you get the M21A, I suggest the SFT40 emitter.
That’s the best budget thrower emitter, in my opinion.
It won’t provide nearly as much flood as the XHP70.3 HI, but it will be throwier.
Since the light capabilities are largely dependent on size, and there dozens of options to choose from, the features you said don’t matter ultimately make the determination. Head diameter matters a lot for performance, but switch position, etc. are the types of factors that ultimately lead to choosing one light over another.
You could get a light that is the same size as the TS21 but throws further. It should have a single reflector and LED, rather than being a triple. A high luminance LED will give the most throw, so SST40, Osram WF1 or WF2, SBT90.2, etc.
If a light with an SBT90.2 is within your budget, that LED has impressive efficiency and output and surface luminance, but it can be somewhat green tinted on low output. At higher output it becomes nice and white. Noctigon DM11 with SBT90.2 is $90, for instance. It’s only $40 or $45 with some of the other LED options though.