36mm head diameter is fat even compared to a typical P60 flashlight. For my pocket, ~24mm is ideal for a 18650 but I believe (hope) I will have no problem with the 28mm head diameter of ST2C.
Same reason, not so pocketable (I carry my main light in front pants pocket). But I will still get a 7g6cs at some point, just not for pocket carry.
And I confirmed from an owner that it is forward clicky, I also contacted Solarforce and I am waiting for their response on this.
I totally agree. For these reasons it didn’t make it at the top list.
Clip position is a major issue for me, also tailstanding could be disregarded if everything else was perfect and the price lower. I am not giving up on it yet but I think there are better overall choices for what I want. S20 doesn’t have a tail switch at all.
There are many great lights available right now and at one point I was buying every light I liked. But right now I can’t financially backup a “buy them all” mentality and after using flashlights so much, I am much more conscious on what I really like to use and what covers my needs.
Thanks for the responses. All makes perfect sense. Regarding the S20, only mentioned it b/c it’s the M18s cousin. Definitely does not suit this tactical criteria.
Really got me thinking about the T1! Hoping someone puts up a thorough review of one soonish. At roughly half the price of these others, albeit simplified with less features, it seems like a really good value.
Yes, T1 looks like one of the almost perfect choices. And the absence of a second electronic switch could be one possible point of failure less. The silver colored head is …eeeh but on the other hand I never had a single problem with a Solarforce host and I hope the driver to be equally reliable.
I agree with you on the S Mini. I bought the same XP G model you have. Some friends came over and liked the light so much, they asked me to order 2 for them. I decided to give the XM L version try. When it came, I found I liked the XP G better. These people stayed for a few months and when they left, all the S Mini lights were gone.
I ordered another XP G S-Mini to replace my light a few weeks ago. Feels like an old friend. Many times it seems like the perfect light for the situation at hand.
Totally agree Aleister. Have had nothing but good experience with SF to this point.
If they make a neutral tint version of the T1 I will be head over heels in love! :heart_eyes:
Like you, I look for small and light. I also like a decent tint, simple UI and the ability to use both rechargeables and primaries (this is important when traveling - especially out of the country). I had high hopes for the Thrunite T10/Saber 1A: size and weight are near perfect, and the longer top section makes it the easiest operating twisty I’ve owned, but continuing contact issues in all three examples I’ve had bump it down the list. My two favorites now are both EaglesTacs: A D25A mini w/XP-G2 and a new D25C clicky in XM-L2 NW that retains medium mode with a 16340 (and I still like my L10 w/Nichia). The main difference in what we’re looking for seems to be the clip: for me they add bulk, so I remove them and carry the light in the inside watch/coin pocket that most of my dress pants have, or the top watch pocket that most jeans and work pants have (this works with lights up to about 80mm long). For anti-roll I re-install the clip screws, if present, or add a tiny split ring or piece of lanyard if there were no screws.
My current EDC is nitecore EC25. Really like it except the higher low mode. I tried to EDC my newly bought XinTD but it really does not fit my dress pants. Sign.
Before this, I EDC zebralight SC600 for about a year.
Even before that, DRY for two months.
Other things I EDC occasionally are:
thrunite T10
self built UF 602C with nichia 219
dedomed XPG2 in L2m shorty
I prefer a powerful torch for EDC with long burning time (so 18650 or bigger) and reasonable throw.
My ideal EDC will be ZL SC600 with dedomed XML-2 and smooth reflector. Is there some expert here doing this?
Clipped with a lobster claw to my belt loop i have a 4sevens Q mini cr2 i’ve been EDCing for the past year, most of the time i forget it’s there cause i never feel it, and a tank007 E09 on my keychain.
I’m not much help, through the week, my upper size limit is a 3up 3 x 18650 tube light……
My standard edc’s are an 18650 tube, a p60 sized 18650 light I built, a tlf mini 02 on my house keys and a zy-t08 in my day sack.
I am however looking to build another 16340 light using a de chipped qlite driver and an xp-g2 for when cavernous pockets are not an option.
My week day edc lights have become part of my work gear so max available output and runtime trump overall size, fancy ui etc.
My ideal edc would be a trustfire t2 with tailcap lockout, that’s all that keeps me from carrying mine more, side clicky, 3 mode nanjg and xp-g 4c makes it a very nice light to use, turning on in the pocket does not, it does go in a dress jacket pocket though as it looks classy enough and lessens the chance of accidental activation.
The sun rises here around 4:30am and it doesn't get dark till around 11pm at the moment. One of the advantages (or disadvantages if you like artificial light) of living at 57 degrees north in the "summer".
It snowed 20 miles from here last week. Just look at the weather reports for the A939 (Blocked by snow last Thursday) which is 55 miles west of here.
I typically EDC 1 light which varies depending on my mood.
For me, my EDC flashlight is combination pocket toy / tool. I don’t really need it for work. I look for the following in my EDC:
Small size suitable for pocket carry (1x18350 or 1x14500 or smaller. 1x18650 is too large).
Pocket rocket - I like having a light that is as bright as possible that I can wow people with. Long runtime at max power isn’t needed… that’s what modes are for.
single-cell - Having read up on the risks of multi-cell li-ion lights I’ve decided I prefer single cells.
Floody beam suitable for short range use - When I use my light it’s usually looking at something up close. I rarely need throw in my lights, though having the option to throw is nice.
One-handed operation - I like lights that are easy to use with one-hand. This means clickies or magnetic rings. I consider twisty lights like the DQG18650 too unreliable when used with one hand.
My current rotation varies among the following (I mod my own lights):
Heavily modded Sipik 58 zoomie - anodizing removed and aluminum polished up. Dr Jones 2.8 amp Nangj 105c driver with shortcuts to ultra-low, 10% and max, plus 2-way ramping. Rebuilt switch mechanism and electronic switch. Reflector added and aluminum heatsink added. Zoom mechanism adjusted with stops added. Emitter is a 5,000k XM-L2 neutral on a 16mm sinkpad. Runs on AW IMR 14500. (probably around 800-850 lumens out the front in flood mode)
2. Heavily modded Sipik 58 zoomie - anodizing removed and aluminum polished up. Zoom mechanism removed by epoxying sliding bezel to body. Running on 3.04 amp Nangj 105c driver from International Outdoors. Set as a 4-mode driver with ultra-low. Completely rebuilt pill with copper heatsink added. Lens and bezel ring replaced with flat lens. Emitter is 3xNichia 219 4500k 92 CRI on a parallel 20mm triple star with triple TIR optic. (approximately 500-550 lumens)
3. Heavily modded Roche F12 - anodizing removed and aluminum polished up. Emitter replaced with 3x XP-G2 on parallel 20mm triple star with triple TIR optic. Copper heatsink added below star. Driver replaced with 5.0 amp driver from International Outdoor. Driver has 4 mode groups which can be toggled by leaving the light in one group for 10 seconds until it blinks then doing a half-press to cycle to the next group (group 1: high, med, low; group2: ramping from ultra low to max with option to stop anywhere in the ramp; group 3 various strobe modes; group 4: single mode max power). Body tube cut in half and 3.3 cm section removed from center of tube, then rods drilled and tube glued back together changing tube from 1x18650 to 1x18350 size. Runs exclusively on AW IMR 18350. This one is my brightest light (approx 1000-1100 lumens)
4. Modded Jetbeam RRT-01 - reflector and driver replaced with ones from a Niteye EYE10. Head disassembled and magnetic ring lubed up for a much smoother feel with no metal grinding. Emitter swapped to 5,000k XM-L2 neutral. (approx 700-750 lumens out the front)
I think the EYE10’s driver is higher current than the stock driver on the RRT-01. The light is brighter than my TCR-01 using the same XM-L2 neutral emitter but with the stock RRT-01/TCR-01 driver.
This explains why reviewers rated the stock EYE10 about 21% brighter than the stock RRT-01 with both lights running on IMR 18350 (668 lumens for EYE10 vs. 550 for RRT-01). If they had been using the same current driver the EYE10 should only have been about 7% brighter due to its U2 emitter.
On a much more minor note the EYE10’s driver has both a hidden strobe and hidden SOS vs. the RRT-01’s driver which only has the SOS.
Interesting. Thanks for the info. Why not just buy an eye10 then? Not being a smartass, genuinely curious… have considered buying each of those lights, but not both.
Actually I have an EYE10. The problem with it is it has other things I disliked compared to the RRT-01:
The EYE10’s control ring is only half knurled which makes it very awkward to use one-handed.
The EYE10’s anodizing is slicker than on the RRT-01 which makes it even harder to grip.
The EYE10 has 16 detentes on the control ring. These give the light effectively 16 preset brightness settings, but you lose the ability to make fine adjustments in brightness between those settings. Despite having a driver that is infinitely variable, these mechanical detentes on the ring effectively destroy the flexibility of being infinitely variable.
The detentes on the ring make the EYE10’s ring very noisy. It sounds like a zipper when cycled quickly.
On the other hand the EYE10 does some things better than the RRT-01:
Higher power driver with more hidden modes.
Orange Peel reflector (though to be fair, the later model RRT-01s also use OP reflectors).
I had both lights and mixed and matched to make what I consider to be a better light than either. I also upgraded to a stronger emitter than either, and one with neutral tint.
There are many great lights available right now and at one point I was buying every light I liked. But right now I can’t financially backup a “buy them all” mentality and after using flashlights so much, I am much more conscious on what I really like to use and what covers my needs.
for two months.
