Post by willydigger. FB inFamous on Jul 15, 2013 6:17:14 GMT -8
I don't consider myself a flashlight junkie, but I'm very particular with all my gear. Over the last year or so, I've tried several flashlights that have hit and missed certain criteria.
What is your current go to flashlight and what functions do you put a priority on? Size, Lumens, Battery type, Throw v. Flood, Design, Manufacturer reputation, Clicky v. Twisty, etc.
For a long time I had a Jetbeam BC10. It had nearly everything but a low. Never realized I needed a low, until I tried to get stuff done in the middle of the night. So I moved to several other lights before settling for the Sunwayman M11R. It has the low, but lacks in several other areas.
For now I think priority goes in this order: - Simple User Interface - Decent lumen 100+ - EDC lumen 30-50 - Low lumen < 10 - Good battery life
Next tier includes: - small size - pocket clip
Don't need: - tail stand - SOS/Strobe
That Smurfing Forum is no bueno and HI SPONGBOB. - Kilroy Psychosis is refreshing like a cool glass o' lemonade. - T. YOU HAVE MY AXE, WILLARD DIGGERD OF WESTEROS, FIRST SON OF THE FROG KING - Q Where is the satisfaction in watching other people accomplish things? - Short Make woopy, make waffles make like the wind. - Roy
I picked up an OLight i3 when illumination supply had them on clearance. Does everything I need for day to day use. Max lumen is only 80, but I'm not trying to call Batman, so it does what I need it to. the fact that it's AAA makes battery life a moot point for me.
Edit: And it's small enough that I'll actually carry it.
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2013 6:29:40 GMT -8 by gossimer82
Post by willydigger. FB inFamous on Jul 15, 2013 6:54:14 GMT -8
I think I prefer CR123 as my main light. I like the short, fat style of the light and the run times are good. I have a AAA Maratac that I carry too, but it's for emergency back up. I guess I could technically use the Maratac for my midnight early morning stuff, but I prefer to have one go-to light. I don't want to have to think about anything extra in dark hours.
With the M11R I still have to think for a second on how to turn it off. One wrong move and I'm blinded.
That Smurfing Forum is no bueno and HI SPONGBOB. - Kilroy Psychosis is refreshing like a cool glass o' lemonade. - T. YOU HAVE MY AXE, WILLARD DIGGERD OF WESTEROS, FIRST SON OF THE FROG KING - Q Where is the satisfaction in watching other people accomplish things? - Short Make woopy, make waffles make like the wind. - Roy
I'll +1 on "Simple User Interface" as a top priority. I'm also trying to keep the same class of UI for what I carry and what I have for "the house", so my 4 year old can operate it as well. Twisty UI just doesn't work for me for what I need. And I have now discovered that a mode switch that is essentially flush with the body of the light isn't very convenient to find and operate in the dark/night.
Something that either has memory, so I can have it start out low, or that always starts out low. 600 lumens of eye-melting skull penetration right off the bat is not as useful to me.
I'll +1 on "Simple User Interface" as a top priority. I'm also trying to keep the same class of UI for what I carry and what I have for "the house", so my 4 year old can operate it as well. Twisty UI just doesn't work for me for what I need. And I have now discovered that a mode switch that is essentially flush with the body of the light isn't very convenient to find and operate in the dark/night.
Something that either has memory, so I can have it start out low, or that always starts out low. 600 lumens of eye-melting skull penetration right off the bat is not as useful to me.
Have you found that light, because it sounds awesome!
That Smurfing Forum is no bueno and HI SPONGBOB. - Kilroy Psychosis is refreshing like a cool glass o' lemonade. - T. YOU HAVE MY AXE, WILLARD DIGGERD OF WESTEROS, FIRST SON OF THE FROG KING - Q Where is the satisfaction in watching other people accomplish things? - Short Make woopy, make waffles make like the wind. - Roy
My HDS is my ideal light. 123 battery, four modes that you get with a certain number of clicks (for example, three clicks gets you moonlight from any other mode), momentary, memory, and the customability to set any of the four modes to any number of lumen's within the light's capacity. From any mode a press-and-hold gets you highest level for you tactical-heads, but after 40 seconds max bright drops twenty lumens to preserve battery. Dims in a certain way to let you know the battery is low, can do strobe or SOS if you want but you have to turn it on so you're not stuck with it, a good clip, good size for any grip but still pocketable, bomb-proof, and a very nice beam. Does anything a light with one switch could do, but can be operated the way you need it to operate by anyone (push a button = light).
Last Edit: Jul 15, 2013 17:45:12 GMT -8 by Deleted
Post by willydigger. FB inFamous on Jul 15, 2013 17:52:21 GMT -8
I'd love for someone to come up with a UI that turns the bezel for L-M-H and were the clicky is On/Off. Why is that so fucking hard!?
Anyone have a V11R in black they want to part with? Jeez.
That Smurfing Forum is no bueno and HI SPONGBOB. - Kilroy Psychosis is refreshing like a cool glass o' lemonade. - T. YOU HAVE MY AXE, WILLARD DIGGERD OF WESTEROS, FIRST SON OF THE FROG KING - Q Where is the satisfaction in watching other people accomplish things? - Short Make woopy, make waffles make like the wind. - Roy
You know I have a lot of great lights. At work I need something that will last a long time and not have a problem being dropped a lot. the light that fits that bill so far is a Coast HP4. My back up for that is whatever I have in my pocket. Usually the Jetbeam RRT01.
I chased the "perfect knife". That ends in bankruptcy.
So I'm pretty sure there is no such thing as the "perfect light", because two modes is pretty much all it takes to make the UI too complicated.
I prefer to have a couple different lights, for different applications.
At work, I need a simple, durable flashlight with a lot of throw. My Streamlight Polytac fills that role, but I don't use it anywhere else.
For EDC, my Streamlight Key-Mate works. It's all flood, but I don't need to search for airplanes, I just need to find my shoes. It weighs almost nothing, and has a very strong pocket clip, so it always stays where I put it.
My toolbox has a Mag-Lite in it. The same durability requirements are present, but I want a larger light with a focusing lense.
Given that the different features and functions can shuffle themselves based on the situation, I think you should expect to have at least two flashlights.
As for the people who have seven, twelve, and more.... I collect knives, so I've got no business telling the rest of you what not to spend your money on.
I don't really care for highs myself, usable low modes is where it's at for me personally.
I can think of several lights that meet your requirements, the Olight i1, the Quark 123 mini, the BLF mini 01 or 02 (NOT the TrustFire versions) all start in a <5 lumen low mode, then go to a medium of 40 to 50 and then to their highest setting after that. They are all twisties though, but also some of the smallest ones around.
The Olight S10 I described to you yesterday in the other thread is definitely my winner though. After playing with it some more it's almost perfect to me. I can choose if I start either in low (3 to 4 lumen) or moonglow mode, but also in one of the higher modes if I choose to thanks to the memory. It does have a strobe but it's not likely to be turned on by accident.
It's very personal though, which UI will work for you. I'm afraid you'll just have to start trying some out if you're as picky as I am.
I'd love for someone to come up with a UI that turns the bezel for L-M-H and were the clicky is On/Off. Why is that so fucking hard!?
Anyone have a V11R in black they want to part with? Jeez.
The HDS rotaries have a tail twisty that is a hard setting for variable brightness with a tail clicky for on/off. Twist to wherever you want lumens-wise and then turn on/off at your convenience.
Post by willydigger. FB inFamous on Jul 19, 2013 5:21:15 GMT -8
I've probably bought $200 in flashlights, but I haven't bought a $200 flashlight. I'm not there yet. The M11R is growing on me. The deeper detents tell me when to stop turning and I'm getting familiar with the twist operation. Your HDS with the new clip looks great BTW.
That Smurfing Forum is no bueno and HI SPONGBOB. - Kilroy Psychosis is refreshing like a cool glass o' lemonade. - T. YOU HAVE MY AXE, WILLARD DIGGERD OF WESTEROS, FIRST SON OF THE FROG KING - Q Where is the satisfaction in watching other people accomplish things? - Short Make woopy, make waffles make like the wind. - Roy
I've probably bought $200 in flashlights, but I haven't bought a $200 flashlight. I'm not there yet. The M11R is growing on me. The deeper detents tell me when to stop turning and I'm getting familiar with the twist operation. Your HDS with the new clip looks great BTW.
It's hard to justify that much in a flashlight for sure... I frankly could get by with just a Maratac. Hell, I could get by with a Fennix 05 and a Cadet as my only EDC. I just like this shit. But, I went for a Haiku this Spring, which I sold, and was then able to get a few $100+ lights. The Haiku scratched an itch but was just too much money for one thing (like my Strider was). I find the $150~ range to be about perfect: I don't wish for something nicer, but I don't feel like I've settled.
And the HDS lights really do everything. Other than being Ti, hitting 500+ lumens, or the other "extra" niceties flashaholics seem to chase, the HDS lights just out-perform everything in their size bracket.
i want minimum 150 lumens, preferably more like 200
1XAA but probably 1x cr123
prefer clicky
high and low-low only would be ideal.....i have no use for all the strobe crap or medium modes.
Ti is preferable, but not a must. currently trying to figure out what my next light will be......a Ti v10r has had my eye for quite a while but i dunno. An HDS is also appealing but they seem hard to get
Reliability and runtime and small size are my 3 main concerns when buying a light.. I dont care about output like i did when i started collecting flashlights.. All my clickies die (including my two surefires), so now im twisty only.. I have not had a twisty break. I seem to but allt of small aaa twisties right now like the olight i3s (love that light!)
Last Edit: Jul 24, 2013 19:17:52 GMT -8 by thekapow