+1 for Ledsmoke. My thoughts, exactly.
Not shure if anyone mentioned that lithium batteries for multi-cell lights need additional attention (i.e. balance checking).
I'm a two-lights fan. A semi-flooder on medium in my hand to illuminate the path ahead and a thrower in my backpocket for occasional spotting. Each in 1x18650 configuration. This way I get the following benefits:
- 2x18650 energy available, without the need for balancing
- backup in case of flashlight breakdown
- each light chosen to best accomplish one task only, no multi-purpose tools for me.
I love my Jacob A60 (the thrower), I use it daily. But without a backup, I'd not recommend it for wilderness at this moment. It has been around only a couple of months now, and we don't know yet how well it stands those 2.0-2.2A it's XR-E is driven at. That's the reason why I bought a spare one, I'd really miss it if it went poof.
+1 M3X is one of the best!!!
+1 the Jacob A60 is the best thrower for the money.
A hearty round of applause to those who posted more answers after the second batch.
I don’t have the suggestion list in front of me …. Partly because it would show me how much money I have spent on flashlights in the last couple days :–0 But I have taken many of the suggestions to heart and ordered 7-8 lights. I am PSYCHED!!!
>>>>>the Jacob A60 is the best thrower for the money
Definitely ordered that one. Thanks!
I’m thinking that a single Q5 may not be what I’m looking for in a long-distance thrower. I should have been more speciific in my original post.
I have about 30 budgie lights so far, mostly Q5s and T6s, running on 18650s and 14500s. The 2x18650 T6s and a 5 q5 2x18650 (spillee) Trustfire are close to what I need but just aren’t bright enough to cover the distance. The 2x18650s (one a zoomie) are ALMOST useful for about a mile, but just fall a few lumens short. I can see the beams (even on some of the smaller single 18650 T6s) hit a landmark exactly one mile from my deck, but the light isn’t bright enough to see much at that distance — except for burro, coyote and other critter eyes which light up like fireballs even a mile away in the deep black moonless desert (not with a moon though). So that’s why I was interested in the x6 or multi T6s.
Soooooooooooo …… If this batch of recommended throwers can’t project far enough, I’ll have to go for the big guns.
My main fear of ordering a x6 is getting a bad one and having to return in, turning a $150 order into a bottomless money abysss. There are a couple U.S. sellers for a few bucks more, so I’ll probably go with one of them. But then on the other hand, I’m thinking the higher-volume Chinese sellers might be turning over their stock frequently enough to get the newest and greatest revisions on the x6 as trustfire (maybe) tweaks specs for the best. Then again, even my smaller chinese lights come through mostly unbroken but looking like they were thrown from a fighter jet at 50,000 feet, so who knows how anything like a large x6 will fare.
I had thought that a less-expesnive but brighter multi-t6 might be a better solution, but most everyone seems to say they are not really spotlights or throwers.
So I anxiously wait for the next 3-4 weeks to fly past to see if any of my new purchases will fit the bill. Plus I still have MORE research from the first batch or suggestions and now this go around.
Thanks again everyone. I never could have found the actual hands-on light experience between different models that has been so kindly offered by everyone here.
I am very happy to have found BLF. I hope I am able to give back as much as you all have given to me so far.
65/48/30W 6000Lumen HID Xenon 6600mAh
$135
Obviously it would be a beast to carry. But at least it comes with a carry strap. Around 15” long, 3” for the bulb holder and 2” for the battery holder. The weight is right at 3 lbs. I have a feeling it overheats. It says Max Head temp is 176 degrees F. As an overheat protection, it says it changes to 45 watts when it reaches 113 degrees F.
65W HID rechargeable Torch
Power output 65W/48W/30W/SOS (4 Modes)
Brightness 2700LM(30W) 4800LM(48W) 6000LM(65W)
Color temperature 6000K
Optical efficiency 80LM/W
Bulb life span 3500hrs
Battery 6600mAh
Irradiation range over 1.6 km
Continual illuminate time 150mins (30w) 120mins (48w) 100mins (65W)
Length 385mm
Diameter of bulb holder 80mm
Diameter of holder 50mm
Material Aerospace-Grade Aluminum alloy (6061-T6)
Surface treatment Flat Silver Type III Hard Anodized Finish
Reflector High efficiency, Aluminum alloy
Glass lens High temp toughened quartz glass lens
Battery life ≥500 times
Battery charger voltage 12.6 v
Charging time About 5 hours
Backup light 1W LED bulit-in battery pack
Ballast input voltage 9 ~ 16V
Working current 5.4 A
Head running temperature 80°C max
Color Black
Weight （including battery) 1350g(6600mAh battery）
Weight (including battery and with suitcase) 2.75kg
Wow!! That sucker is big!!! But bright. Now we need someone other than me to buy it and review it to see if it’s any good. ;) ;)
The temperature could be a problem. Then in survival situations, you could cook on the bezel!
You could even start a fire with it if you carried a magnifying glass with you! How is that for survival?
Check out this Youtube link on Flashlight Starts Fire
Pretty funny! 
Enjoy your stay here, Tom Smith!
I just got my X6 in the mail. It took 10 days from China. This thing is awesome!!! I have been shining it all over the mountain where I live. Being new to this , I am amazed at this light. Check the link & scroll down… It comes with all the extras!!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TrustFire-X6-Tactical-SST-90-18650-LED-Flashlight-Torch-Battery-Charger-Set-/190725921046?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:US:3160
Just Goofing off… Distance 50 feet. Setting High
Beautiful photo! Goin’ into the cloud right now for retirement in a coupla’ of years to remind me bout what I wanna see in person before I pass away…
Yep! Arrived from China in 10 days… Thought that was pretty fast.
Nice score and thanks for the pic - will keep the seller bookmarked!
Hey Dale:
Thanks for adding (especially your great pix) to the thread that I started a ways back, trying to convince myself that an x6 will be a useful addition to my stable of favorite throwers.
Do you have an HD2010 or another brightish thrower to compare the x6 with?
I was just about to pull the trigger on an x6 a whiles back and some BLFers compared it with the HD2010 and said that it wasn’t much brighter here: Trustfire x6 vs sky ray king
I’m starting to think that +perhaps+ (like a lot of lights reviewed on BLF), some X6s are “oh-my-god-jeepers-creepers” super bright and others are “just super bright.” And it sounds like you got one of the brighter-than-the-sun X6s.
Maybe parts differ in the driver; maybe the emitter is better (though probably not applicable here); or maybe there were free sno-cones (or exotic dancers) on the assembly line the day yours was made. 
Which motivated the assemblers to make a GREAT x6 instead of just a good one.
I’m finally back home in the Death Valley area. Despite the full moon mucking things up for light-testing purposes (you can read by it up here), I have started testing some of the great lights acquired while my knee was mending down south. The light-less dark up here shows both how great and how ineffectual a bright light can be, away from the dimming effect of light pollution in LA. I want a throwing light that’s about 50% or more above an HD2010.
Is the x6 that light? Maybe a light like that doesn’t exist?
If I could just get a light that’s bright as my SRK or j12 but throws, I would be happier than a quahog.
So how does the x6 compare with any other throwers you have?
If you have a HD2010 do not get an X6 unless you want to mod it in some way. They both are around 50k lux stock, however mine (I'll say this for ILF: on an uncalibrated but seems to be accurate meter) does 135k lux for the minute or two before thermal protection kicks in.
Also note: scaru’s reading does not apply to a STOCK model. His has been modified and dedomed.
There is not much variance between stock lights, most will output around 1350 lumens OTF and 45kcd.
Thanks for pointing that out, I didn't make it particularly clear.
An X6 in stock form is a formidable thrower. Add a few easy modifications to make full use of the salad bowl reflector, huge heatsink, and a properly driven SST diode and you have one of the best in the business..