Boaz suggested it in the above. It’s a good looker, but I am kind of lost with all those choices I have to select. I think I am going to stand pat and see how a couple of threads develop now that the initial “rush” I felt died out.
I have the ZY-T13, it’s basically a copy of the TC40 by Sunwayman (a premium flashlight maker, I think the TC40 is $125 or so).
For the money the ZY-T13 is super value ($24).
Plus points:
-price vs performance
-good output, it’s not the most driven light out there, but it’s bright enough and won’t over heat
-good overall design
-quite a lot of throw but plenty of usable spill too making it a nice general purpose light
-UI. It has a tail switch that is a forward clicky, I really like this as it gives you momentary. The tail switch only does on/off. The side switch cycles through the modes (although I almost always use high)
Negative points:
-not the best machining ever, it does look budget close up
-pwm on med and low modes
-fairly chunky, but it is a 2x18650 light. It’s about the same length as a 2D MagLite with a slightly bigger head and a lot thinner body
-arrived dirty but otherwise unmarked
For walking about with it’s a nice light as a modern MagLite alternative. But it’s too big to put in a pocket or EDC.
Recommended.
Chicken Drumstick,
You and JohnnyMac make strong, unequivocal recommendation for ZY-T13. Wish it has the option of using one 18650… If I get a Small Sun, it will be T13, not T08. (T08 is too thick as a couple of posters mentioned.)
My suggestion wasn't so much to buy the jacob A60.. rather to buy the commonly held most beloved and reccomended light that members are suggesting ....A thread like krieslers titainium eagletac giveaway thread is helpful to read thru for recommendations as to what members really like ..
If someone says cheap dedicated thrower jacob A-60 will be high on the list
The question would always be .. what do you want the light for ?
if you want to walk the dog .I'd say xpg nw If you want a bike light I'd say multiple lights like an xml and a xpg .
Indoors I'd say nichia , in the wods xpg neutral . front door light I'd say dedicated thrower .overdriven xre..keychain xpe .edc nichia ,xpg nw headlamp. 5mm nightlight,lantern ..white gas....
Depends
I was going to put off ordering any flashlight — unlike many one-flashlight-a-day regulars here — until I came across a warning in the “A60” thread that A60 may not be available. At least to say I have one, going to order A60 with DX (and keep fingers crossed it’s in stock).
Again thanks to all for inputs.
If you even consider the xintd, just buy it! 3 mode nw, be happy.
Next, keygos m10 kit, you now have a 26650 light, two cells and a charger, one cell is spare……hd2010…….
Next, you need an edc pocket light…. You already have some 18650’s, probably spare ones too….
http://www.intl-outdoor.com/edc-18650-xpg2-r5-xml-u2-850450lm-flashlight-p-522.html
Here its a toss up, definitely 3 mode, but xp-g2 for throw or u2 for flood? Or having already bought the xintd, do you have a taste for neutral white and the better colour rendition? Just buy whichever suits and thank me later……
Thrower? I really want to recommend the zy-t08, because you can run it on one cell, and two is the same as its parallel cells, but with the qc issues I just can’t. Good project light, drops in a coat pocket easily, but you have to be ready to mess about. It’s a victim of its own success, buy the t13 and a meter, some protected cells (sanyo’s, Panasonic’s etc) be happy.
Get a sysmax i4 charger, you’ve got a rook of 18650 lights now…
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007URMD4C
There you go, that’s the next six months mapped out, obviously you can jump on any deals/blf specials that take your fancy, but follow this simple guide and you’ll avoid all the disappointments eBay has to offer and have a pretty kicking collection that covers all bases to boot. Without having a load of battery selections to worry about. If you need a bug out bag light…
Read the whole thread, but this light will make the best of what ever you can scavenge, if you pull your finger out you can make it run 2 cr123a’s too…
Hope this helps. :bigsmile:
Small Sun T13 is a very good light, but I would refrain from recommending it to any newcomer. T08 is much safer with parallel battery config, and DX version seems to be consistently good so far.
Of course, if you already know about li-ion maintenance and safety, T13 is the way to go. Better power regulation and the superior user interface. Otherwise, one may want to stick with single cell or multi-cell parallel first.
I thought I kinda decided on T08 vs T13. And thought kinda settled on SmallSun vs XinTD vs HD2010 issue. But then you two come along and present more points to consider. More decisions …
No offense, but the inputs I got reminds me of the black comedian Flip Wison’s trademark line, “The devil made me do it,” “Try it, you’ll like it”.
I do agree with pulsars point that the zy-t08 is more noob friendly, and trust me, I have one, I really like it. It does however have some flaws, that’s what pushes me to not recommend it, or more I recommend it, but be aware the light you recieve will more than likely not be perfect, its a shame, but welcome to budget lights. :bigsmile:
Don’t be torn over the xintd, just buy one. The c8 is just a design phenomenon, its perfect, the xintd c8 is the ultimate revision. You really won’t regret the purchase.
I do know what you mean by “the devil made me do it” but you could spend a fortune looking for the “perfect for every situation light” it does not exist, physics gets in the way, but you can get a nice pocket light, a thrower for those long night hikes and a good flooder for relaxing round the ol’ camp fire.
Your pocket light is the one you really need to tailor to yourself - size, output, type of beam, clip, lanyard, cell type etc. If its on your person, it has to be as comfortable as a set of good work boots. The one I linked suits me, I built my own as a project for my own satisfaction, I don’t believe its better or worse than the built version, but is personally satisfying making something that works and suits yourself so well. For you, it may be completely useless - too big, wrong beam, wrong tint, wrong cell type, wrong user interface. If you can, have a look at a few lights before you buy, get an idea of sizes, then you can make better informed purchase decisions.
My vote is for the keygos ke-5 from keygos.com. Brighter than all the lights suggested. (except perhaps the xin, but have one on the way.) Cheaper than most ($21). Fast shipping and good packing.
Has a great combo spill and throw that will never let you down. Small. Fits easily in a cargo pants pocket. Half the weight of the hd2010 and maybe (maybe) a hair dimmer, but hardly noticeable. Plus, as some point out, the dedicated throwers are great for finding someone behind a tree at 100 yards, but for normal walking, hiking, etc., they don’t work so well. You have this eye-searing spot (even on low) 1 foot in diameter, 10 feet in front of you. Although the ke-5 has a great spot, it’s also usable for walking. Think perhaps a monsterly bright C8 with better throw?
The M10 is a great light, but MUCH dimmer. Ke-5 blows it off the map; ke-5 even beats it on mode 2. 
Yes, there were a few bad ones produced during the summer, but I have ordered 6 now over the last month or so and all are fine. Better than fine. Perfect.
There are many review threads here about the light, so I won’t duplicate efforts. Easily one of the best budget lights produced.
I’ve been following your thread ubehebe, I do need to get a ke-5, don’t do the m10 down too much though, I agree its regulated and underdriven stock, but the kit is a real good way of getting into 26650 lights in one hit and the m10 is well built and capable of taking much more than the standard driver has to offer, I’ve got a 4a ramping driver just waiting for me to pull my finger out and fit, I have high hopes of this set up, my m10 has also been one of my work lights for a while it takes a knock and shrugs it off and is slender enough to pocket rather than put down between tasks.
To me, its a bit of an unsung hero tbh.
>>>>To me, its a bit of an unsung hero tbh.
I agree. That’s why I said it’s a “great light,” although somewhat of a mystery. It would make more sense to put the ke-5 emitter/driver in the m10 and vice versa. The ke-5 innards would have put the m10’s formidable heat-sinking fins to better use than the stock combo.
>>>>>I’ve got a 4a ramping driver just waiting for me to pull my finger out and fit, I have high hopes of this set up, my m10 has also been
Hey ditto here. I LOVE the beam pattern. One of the cleanest, without artifacts I have seen. I have drivers and U2/U3 emitters on the way. I got the Nanjg AK-47C20 driver.
What did you get for the 4a driver? I didn’t see any specifically that listed the amps, but then I didn’t try every site in the universe. I got the nanjig on recommendation because my driver expertise ain’t that great.
Of course, I ordered all this BEFORE I tried to get the m10 pill out, which ain’t gonna happen. It’s in there until the dinosaurs roam again, but I think I can still get a new driver and emitter in by soldering down inside the flashlight tube. Since it’s a 26650, it looks like there may be just enough room.
However, slightly under-driven lights to me are not all bad, and I NEVER meamt to imply that. In fact, they may be the best for newbies who don’t want to worry about burning their hand with the overdriven hot rods. There is NOTHING more annoying to me than lights that get too hot to hold in minutes. Pretty much usless for anything but bragging rights. I have almost burned down my house several times by leaving lights tailstanding unattended that reach atomic-meltdown levels. Not the M10. A light like the m10 is extremely valuable for when I need usable bounce light and don’t want to check the light every minute, going “is it too hot yet? Is it too hot yet?”
In fact, one of my fave lights (also a Keygos) is a solid underperformer brightness-wise, but NEVER ever overheats and has a HUGE spill. Just GREAT for walking at night without burning your eyes up. And superb for rock-solid no-overheating tailstanding. Plenty of light, just maybe not enough to spotlight a hummingbrid 200 yards away. I speak of the venerable Keygos C11 zoomer. I like it so much that I have two. I will hotrod one when this batch of goodies arrives, but leave one as is for no-fuss bounce lighting chores.
PLEASE post pics of the m10 mod when you do it. I think there are a lot of m10 fans out there.
And Gords, do yourself a favor and get a ke-5 before they change the driver or otherwise muck it up. It is just about the only light that elicits a “wow” from me every time I click it on. It’s a barn burner. I know that gets said a lot around here, but it’s really not an overexaggeration. And at 7 ounces, it’s like carrying a battery without the light. If you like the m10, the ke-5 will blow you away.
Get it from keygos.com though. That’s the site I have been ordering from for the recent 6. I think much of the summer’s problems came from ordering it from other sites and trying to use cheepie *fire batts in it. It sucks a lot of juice and needs an unprotected or a keepower or a high-output battery. 18650 TFFs are hit and miss for it (same prob with the HD2010).
And I have nothing to do with keygos. I’m not a shill.
Here you go ubehebe, I bought the last of the stock though 
http://www.intl-outdoor.com/4a-3mode-2745v-circuit-board-p-546.html
There’s a post on this knocking about…
I think we need to badger them to get more stock in, because I want more of them….
I agree, keygos knocks out some awesome lights, and good kits too.
Keygos KE-5 sure looks nice. And the reflector looks deeper than the most that gives nice tapered look. XinTD was sort of falling out from the list, but now it’s back in. Also feel like I learned something from the above exchanges. Thanks for the inputs.
No worries, glad we could help next time your wallet needs emptying next time want an opinion, don’t hesitate to ask, that’s why we’re all here. :bigsmile:
No bugging needed. I spoke Hank and he said more are arriving next week.
Next time? This forum doesn’t give time to build up pockets. There’s no shortage of “Try it, you’ll like it.” This forum needs to change the name from Budget… to BudgetBusting… LightForum.
>>>>>XinTD was sort of falling out from the list, but now it’s back in.
I want my xin to arrive to put it up agianst the ke-5, hd-10, uniquefire c10, etc. to see what it does. Have to see what all the fuss is about!
Looking forward to your review.