WTB first flashlight sub $100

im not looking for anything in specific, just looking for a good first flashlight for sub $100 and thought i might be able to get a good deal here. i have a list of lights that ive been trying to decide from but having trouble so seeing if i could make up my mind with a good deal!

The list will be very very long at $100 or less. You need more throw than flood? If throw. How far? If flood. How bright? Any particular cell size you like best? You like CW, NW, WW? Low CRI High CRI? Rear clicky? Side switch? Rotary? Dual switch?

Tons of options. If someone gave me $100 and told me to buy them a light. I would probably buy a Zebralight. Some of the most efficient and well built lights going really. Under your $100 price limit as well. You could even throw in a few cells and a charger and be right at or below $100.

http://www.zebralight.com

Just my opinion. I am not a paid spokesman. :smiley:

honestly, thats whats hard, is im not picky at all when it comes to this, just waiting to find something that really tickles my fancy! i have been leaning more towards throw though… no specific distance and definitely on the cooler side. otherwise, cell size doesnt matter as i havent joined an ecosystem yet so im in the free as far as that goes. i would like something titanium or copper, or something tan/fde/burnt bronze, but also not really a big deal for me either!

also, 1000+ lumens, got offered a reylight lan with 10 green trits for $100, but want more power :frowning:

I agree. A ZebraLight would be my first suggestion for an EDC pocket-carry light or headlamp.

I’ve convinced several friends to buy a ZebraLight (or a couple) over the past few years. They’re all very pleased with them.

I prefer the 18650 models, but the AA ones are great too, especially for someone not familiar or comfortable with lithium cells.

Zebralight sc64 hi or Convoy L6

You posted while I was composing my ZebraLight fanboy reply. :smiley:

Are you looking for something to carry every day? Will you carry it in a pocket, in a holster, in a bag, or another way?

If you want a ‘thrower,’ then you probably don’t want a ZebraLight. Oh, and they’re all just aluminum. :partying_face:

every day carry, yes! will be carrying in my pocket. im not necessarily partial to thrower, but i think it just barely beats out flood. the fact that im so fluid in what i want, makes it so hard to decide. thats why i was/am hoping for people to post up some used stuff or just secondary market value stuff to maybe look for a deal and have that influence my decision.

ive posted in a few facebook groups and virtually every response has been olight… cant say im a fan, i feel like for the money you could get a way better performance to price value.

Then perhaps a throwier ZebraLight might still be a good choice.

I own lots of lights of many brands, but no Olights. Nothing against them, I’ve just never been tempted by them.

Have you seen this flashlight search engine by BLF and r/flashlight member Parametrek?

yes i have! havent really looked through it majorly as with my parameters theres still 350+ results.

this may be a dumb question, but are there any budget “customs”? kinda like reylight. cause i really liked the reylight lan, but just not the strength i was looking for.

That Parametrek is a great resource, makes it super easy to find a group of lights that fit your needs and then weed them out feature by feature. I’m not much of a thrower guy. I have a few but, I only really use them when I’m out trying to see across a field around the house. So not really that often.

The Reylight Lan is a nice light. You can get the copper or brass Pineapple for about half as much with the same performance, minus the trits though. Lightbringer carrys a Nitcore MH23 I think. A pocketable small thrower. He loves it. I think it still has a reasonable amount of spill as well. The 600 series of Zebralights have a larger and deeper reflector than the 64 series of lights. Though I am pretty sure all the 600’s come with orange peel reflectors. So they are a great mix of throw and flood.

The DQG tiny 18650 is the smallest 18650 light you can get. I think. Not sure if anything is smaller than it now. It’s been around for a while so I’m not positive on that. Dead simple UI. Not the 1000+ lumens your looking for though. 750 lumens or so. Hard to find them but you can contact George directly and he will sell you one. Let me know if you need his email address.

I only have a few Olights. They are discontinued now. I like the two I have but, don’t have much experience with anything new. The cold white emitters and the impossibility of getting it open to replace them keep me away.

Let me see if I got anything around here you might like. I have thinned down my lights to all but my favorites but I might have a few that need new homes.

when i have time tomorrow and am not so tired ill have to look through parametrek a little bit more, just havent taken the time to sit down and go through all the 300+ options. i may look at the pineapple again, settle for the lower lumens if it comes to it! hoping to find better though.

Oh you can surely find higher output lights than the Pineapple. It’s just a great little alternative material light. Copper, brass and Ti lights get hot very fast at 1000+ lumens. Some lights have a timed step down and some have a temp step down. The higher you go in output the quicker it’s usually going to step down on you. Which is just fine as long as you don’t plan on running it full bore all the time. Lights that handle high temps better are normally aluminum lights with more mass, bigger lights if you will. Then they start becoming less pocketable. Example. The Jetbeam TH20 will crank out 3000+ lumens and hold that for almost 10 minutes. The downside is it’s big, really big, for a 18650 light. Something like a Lumintop FW3A or a Emisar D4 (both mighty fine lights) won’t even get close to a minute at max brightness. Unless, you set the temp threshold at something dangerously high.

When it comes to 18650 pocket rockets the FW3A and the Emisar D4 are almost a must have. You could buy one of each and still be under $100.

both the D4 and FW3A are on my list, just have been undecided. if i was to get an FW3A id probably go through JC customs. another light thats been kinda on my radar a bit is the Thrunite TC15 in burnt bronze. along with the BLF A6

how about a simple copper c8?
banggood copper c8

Self-confessed Zebralight fanboy, here. My 3 favourite are currently:

SC64w HI for a great every day carry light. Very small and light, and easy to pocket. Great modes from very low to very bright.

SC600w MkIV HI for a great all-purpose outdoor pocket light. Quite good throw for such a small light, but enough spill to still be useful up close. Similar to the above, but a little larger.

H600Fc MkIV for a floody headlamp with great colour rendition. A must-have for camping or hiking on trails. Excellent modes from very low to very bright.

IIRC, the SC64 is $79 and the others are $89. All use a single 18650 battery. All use boost-drivers for regulated output, and have excellent temperature control to prevent overheating. The user-interface takes a few tries to get used to, but once you do, you’ll be hooked.

Acebeam TK18

Wowtac A5

I vote Titanium FW3a
(imo copper is too heavy for lights larger than aaa)

some customization bling