Really sounds like a lottery on these. I'm looking forward to hearing whether the Air Accent version is really 2 modes and whether it has decent build quality. I wouldn't mind paying a little more for 2 modes. Otherwise looks like Tom Top might be the best source? I'm leery of Tmart; I've never gotten anything good from them. Cheap, but not good.
UltraFire AA Mini Thrower off ebay for $6.99 shipped. Ordered 2/11, delivered 2/23. Very nice light for $7. It is a one-mode however.
don't even ask how many ways something that should be simple enough can go wrong. there are probably more ways than we've imagined yet. 
yeah, almost always it is somewhat of a lottery. that's part of the fun though, right? i keep trying to convince myself of that. i can say for sure though, i just got a tomtop version from blf member soytnly (who, by the way is an over-the-top great guy to deal with, and HIGHLY recommended) and it is an astoundingly good flashlight. not even astoundingly good for the money, just astoundingly good. i would be very happy with it even at twice the price they are selling for, which is about $7, shipped, (usd) last time i checked. to your point though, i fully realize that i could order another, (uh, i did) and the lottery is in effect again.
I've got to wonder what this little Sipik thing was, originally -- the weird flat base with the holes drilled in it, the odd proportions, the sliding piece, the cooling fins.
I keep thinking it was something like the housing for a shock absorber or some odd piece of other hardware.
Someone -- oops -- had an extra half billion of them made by mistake somewhere in China.
And they've been in warehouses somewhere. And one day someone said, "if you can put a switch and LED into that tube thing, I know how you can get rid of them"
(grin).
And a hello to everyone in China, we like what you do and we wish we could talk to you directly and learn more about how this stuff gets made.
Pointer / crossreference, someone else asked about Airaccent (or spammed it, not sure which) and I xref'd this one at
Is the one you got from soytnly one that he worked on first, https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/5979#new , or straight out the bubble-wrap? And is it your first Sipik clone, or do you have another to compare it with?
Reason I ask is that I ordered one from Tom-Top ages ago that never arrived (they refunded me without fuss, fair play) and I've been thinking about ordering another. As you rightly say, lotto time again, but it can work for us as well as against, i.e. this time I could get lucky. A lot of good reports about the Tom-Top version, and they were jolly decent about my refund, so I'd like to give them another chance.
"very well." .. would General Beckman comment now 
i must be one of the very few on BFL who still hasnt fallen for this strange-looking design..
it's a legendary design nonetheless. copied by countless flashlight brands!!
It's a Nitecore Extreme, right? But that one didn't have the ability to focus.
or Romisen RC-A4 (1x CR123A):
http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-193/Romisen-RC-dsh-A4-II-NW/Detail
http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-166/Romisen-RC-dsh-A4-II-Cree/Detail
I got a Sipik clone from ebay seller campingsurvivals, and supposedly this is a Q5 model. Has a plastic lens, but works great. I'm amazed at how this thing can throw a beam.
Is the original Sipik SK68 still sold? I did a quick google search and all I found were clones. It almost seems that the clone has overtaken the original....
There are still 'Sipik' branded versions around, a couple in hank's earlier post http://www.airaccent.com/advanced_search_result.html?y=0&x=0&search_in_description=1&keyword=sipik+68
Off-branded versions definitely outnumber those with Sipik labels.
and
Bah! :(
I got mine today. It's a silver model 1-mode only. I already have 3 pieces black 1-mode. I don't even like silver flashlights (even though the finish on this one seems better than on the black models).
They have changed their description, even though the link still remained the same and states that it was advertised as 3-mode.
I already sent a request for refund. Has anyone ordered and received theirs? This is the first time ever that I've received a wrong item, from any Chinese webshop.
I hope they play fair.
Viktor
Edit:
I got a full refund. I can say everything best for Tmart. Very fast and polite customer service.
Heh. Description changed halfway through.
I'm disappointed. :(
Edit:
Not dissappointed anymore. They gave me a full refund and let me keep the light. Considering the expensive shipping to return it I guess this was the best solution for both parties.
Got a perfectly OK 1-mode (labeled as "Citipower" / Cree)
here's another if you're looking
"Driectlry from Factroy, China" -- and they have various other LED lights and light sources as well
from ebay seller sale_goldmax
Came in 8 days to the West Coast. Just like the Tomtop one I got first, except it's got the white text on the outside flat spots.
I have to start telling myself, there'll be another model soon, and I really could have too many of these ...
Which 3 mode Sipik SK-68 clone has the best build quality and is the brightest (most lumens)? Please post link.
Numerous links and info in this thread here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/5581
Several other current threads on the same thing. Truth is, the 3 mode Sipik lottery is just too unpredictable to rely on links or recommendations, otherwise I'd buy several more myself. Quite a few of us have ordered more than one from the same seller and got two completely different versions, sometimes in the same envelope.
Single mode direct from Tomtop for $7.10, just for reference:
http://www.tomtop.com/7w-300lm-mini-cree-led-flashlight-torch-adjustable-focus-zoom-light-lamp.html
I've seen them as low as $5 off and on.
I see other ebay seller names also using the Tomtop picture with the Tomtop logo
I'm still waiting on the "2-level" from AirAccent; the tracking number worked once but has been blank since then.
I have an UltraFire 1 mode. I was amazed at the difference when I popped in a 14500!