gore.rubicon
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Can anyone recommend some good 16430/17340/RCR123a batteries?
Flashlight-Fi (LED & Conventional)
- Thread starter Joshatdot
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Chris_Himself
Member of the Trade: HPL Audio Cables
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Quote:
Titanium Innovations. I'm a Surefire diehard but I switched to these and I've never had a pair of these fail on me to date... one time I got a bad pair, but I just put them in backwards lol
JSLAPPA
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I agree with Chris. I love Titanium innovations CR123's. They even sell them shrink wrapped in sets of two or three, for your flashlights. You should never mix lithium batteries, so this is a perfect solution. I also like Rayovac because they are built in the same factory as Surefire. And you can get a box of 100 for $115 shipped. Never buy 123's from B&M stores. You'll pay $2.50 and up each.
For rechargeables, I only will use AW...period.
The ITP is a great light. I have the upgraded Q5 light. I don't use it much, but it puts out over 160 lumens when I use an IMR 10440 LiIon. You will amaze and astound your friends when you show them how much light can come out of a AAA light. Roughly 5X more light than a 4D cell MAG light.
More than the ITP, I like the Maratac AAA a little better. Same LED, same amazing output with the IMR 10440, but it comes in black anodized, natural ano, stainless steel, polished stainless, and pure copper. They all look rather sweet. I always carry two Maratacs with my Leatherman, and two spare 10440's for backup juice.
I know a little about the Sunwayman too, and the M10R is a great light. That company is doing some really cool things right now. I expect to see more from them, as well as copycats, too. My favorite Sunwayman is the V10R in Titanium. A little pricey at $150, but it's a (R)CR 123 light that you can buy a Titanium AA extension for. It's claim to fame is that it has a fantastic ring around the head of the light that you can adjust the brightness. It's a very robust mechanism and is very solid. One light with the ability to switch between 123 and AA batteries can come in very handy. If you were lucky enough, a guy at CPF made 18650 and 18500 bodies for it too. In addition, he also made a replacement tailcap switch in titanium and sold it for only $45 or so. It has 3 tritium vials in it and will glow for at least 15 years. Enjoy.....
For rechargeables, I only will use AW...period.
The ITP is a great light. I have the upgraded Q5 light. I don't use it much, but it puts out over 160 lumens when I use an IMR 10440 LiIon. You will amaze and astound your friends when you show them how much light can come out of a AAA light. Roughly 5X more light than a 4D cell MAG light.
More than the ITP, I like the Maratac AAA a little better. Same LED, same amazing output with the IMR 10440, but it comes in black anodized, natural ano, stainless steel, polished stainless, and pure copper. They all look rather sweet. I always carry two Maratacs with my Leatherman, and two spare 10440's for backup juice.
I know a little about the Sunwayman too, and the M10R is a great light. That company is doing some really cool things right now. I expect to see more from them, as well as copycats, too. My favorite Sunwayman is the V10R in Titanium. A little pricey at $150, but it's a (R)CR 123 light that you can buy a Titanium AA extension for. It's claim to fame is that it has a fantastic ring around the head of the light that you can adjust the brightness. It's a very robust mechanism and is very solid. One light with the ability to switch between 123 and AA batteries can come in very handy. If you were lucky enough, a guy at CPF made 18650 and 18500 bodies for it too. In addition, he also made a replacement tailcap switch in titanium and sold it for only $45 or so. It has 3 tritium vials in it and will glow for at least 15 years. Enjoy.....
Chris_Himself
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Lol I thought that was a custom flashlight at first... that should tell you immediately that the 130 entry price is actually still quite fair by today's standards.
Again, as much as I love Surefire, their finish leaves a lot to be desired. I've yet to find a P60 compatible host that feels as good as an old beater 6P though.. they might not have trapezoidal threads or crazy mechanisms, but the parts fit together very smoothly, and trust me, I've been looking for a way out haha. I have a C2 Centurion on the way with a fistful of 18650's someone is sending to me in exchange for me hooking them up with a Benchmade 42...
Again, as much as I love Surefire, their finish leaves a lot to be desired. I've yet to find a P60 compatible host that feels as good as an old beater 6P though.. they might not have trapezoidal threads or crazy mechanisms, but the parts fit together very smoothly, and trust me, I've been looking for a way out haha. I have a C2 Centurion on the way with a fistful of 18650's someone is sending to me in exchange for me hooking them up with a Benchmade 42...
JSLAPPA
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The C2 is my favorite Surefire. I had one Cerakoted at a local gun shop in a couple different colors.
tool462
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I think I'm going to buy one of those copper Maratac AAA's for at home if I can find one for sale somewhere, looks like a great light 
JSLAPPA
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You'll pay $38 for the copper. I got my Maratac lights from Countycomm.
http://www.countycomm.com/aaacopper.html
http://www.countycomm.com/aaacopper.html
tool462
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Quote:
Price seemed steep until I read this:
- Flashlight body is machined of solid billet ultra conductive pure alloy 101 copper.
- Note: this is a solid copper flashlight not plated
Now I want one even more!
deadlylover
Headphoneus Supremus
Quote:
Wow I thought that was a new McGizmo or something!
My Lunasol20 is still going strong after a few years of EDC, I really don't think I'll need another flashlight for a while since 75 lumens on high is more than enough for my uses, and I can always replace the emitter whenever I want. The floody low beam is still the best thing since sliced bread.
Wow I thought that was a new McGizmo or something!
My Lunasol20 is still going strong after a few years of EDC, I really don't think I'll need another flashlight for a while since 75 lumens on high is more than enough for my uses, and I can always replace the emitter whenever I want. The floody low beam is still the best thing since sliced bread.
wolfen68
Headphoneus Supremus
[size=x-small][size=x-small]Hey guys....haven't visited this thread for a spell...[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=x-small]Still enjoying my Eagletac MKII which is a great minimag replacement. However, I am looking for a pocket carry flashlight with a lot of ooomph. [/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=x-small]I want small and simple...and all I really need is a high and low output mode (200 plus lumens for the high...the more the better). I don't care if it needs CR123a's and I don't need a bunch of output modes. If it has some extra frills than fine...but I don't need them. Any recommendations?[/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=x-small]Still enjoying my Eagletac MKII which is a great minimag replacement. However, I am looking for a pocket carry flashlight with a lot of ooomph. [/size][/size]
[size=x-small][size=x-small]I want small and simple...and all I really need is a high and low output mode (200 plus lumens for the high...the more the better). I don't care if it needs CR123a's and I don't need a bunch of output modes. If it has some extra frills than fine...but I don't need them. Any recommendations?[/size][/size]
Chris_Himself
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Lumapower Incendio is a smart purchase because it's size efficient. It's not super thermally efficient but most of us just need light for like 5-10 minutes anyway.... but it's my favorite single CR123 light on the market right now plus it has glow in the dark features!
Eagletac lights are REALLY expensive if you want a pocket rocket that blasts light for short periods of time. They're really meant as duty lights where you might find yourself running a full battery all the way down without any thermal issues...
brentatent12
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There are some really bright (and small) LED flashlights out these days. Many of the more professional tactical lights take (R)CR123A, 18650, or other lithium ion batteries as apposed to the conventional AA or AAA, as they require higher voltage compared to conventional flashlights. CREE XML-LED bulbs seem to be where things are at right now. Check out the Nitecore TM11 for an absurdly bright, yet relatively compact flashlight (2,000 lumen output)!
wolfen68
Headphoneus Supremus
The TM11 is an amazing light...thanks for the link!
However...I'm looking for a throw in your pocket and forget model. That one may be small for a portable dwarf star...but not keychain small.
However...I'm looking for a throw in your pocket and forget model. That one may be small for a portable dwarf star...but not keychain small.
Hi guys, lately I've been considering getting myself a new torch (flashlight) so I'm hoping you can help me out. Now, I'm not an aficionado or hobbyist, I'm joe public to whom anything better than boggo-standard will be good.
My initial search threw up the LED Lenser P7/T7. It has good reviews, is the right sort of size, uses standard cells, has good battery life and is currently ~£35. That's at the top end of my budget. I'm not really interested in anything that doesn't use AA or AAA unless there's a very compelling reason. To help you gauge my (lack of) understanding, I can't really see the practical differences between the T7 and P7.
This was all looking good (range seemed impressive), then I saw comments about the design being 'unsophisticated' and suggestions that either better (brighter) is available for the same price, or an equivalent should be cheaper. Apparently the CREE Q5 is where it's at (at this level). Presumably there's more to it than just the LED though? The reflector and/or lens, the circuitry? I'm out of my depth here.
Three alternatives I've turned up are
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brightest-including-Duracell-batteries-Amazon/dp/B005JS6YXK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1321029496&sr=8-10
http://www.dinodirect.com/ultrafire-led-flashlight-cree-xpe-r2-5mode-235lumens-m10-currency-GBP.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nebo-Redline-Tactical-Strobe-Batteries/dp/tech-data/B0049M8I22/ref=de_a_smtd
And there are quite a few more. Would anyone be kind enough to comment on those?
Maybe what I'm missing is that the runtime is good and not all of the others have flood/spot? Would this account for the price difference? Do you guys find an adjustable beam to be a must?
What should I be looking for and what can you recommend that's readily available in the UK?
P.S. just to check that I'm understanding the units, the P3 is rated at ~15 lumens, so even on low intensity (15%), the P7 should be about twice as bright, correct?
edit: I notice that quite a few of the torches on dinodirect come with a charger; I'd consider these instead of AA/AAA if they're much better. Don't know how good this deals are but they may not be on for long, so any advice appreciated.
My initial search threw up the LED Lenser P7/T7. It has good reviews, is the right sort of size, uses standard cells, has good battery life and is currently ~£35. That's at the top end of my budget. I'm not really interested in anything that doesn't use AA or AAA unless there's a very compelling reason. To help you gauge my (lack of) understanding, I can't really see the practical differences between the T7 and P7.
This was all looking good (range seemed impressive), then I saw comments about the design being 'unsophisticated' and suggestions that either better (brighter) is available for the same price, or an equivalent should be cheaper. Apparently the CREE Q5 is where it's at (at this level). Presumably there's more to it than just the LED though? The reflector and/or lens, the circuitry? I'm out of my depth here.
Three alternatives I've turned up are
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brightest-including-Duracell-batteries-Amazon/dp/B005JS6YXK/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1321029496&sr=8-10
http://www.dinodirect.com/ultrafire-led-flashlight-cree-xpe-r2-5mode-235lumens-m10-currency-GBP.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nebo-Redline-Tactical-Strobe-Batteries/dp/tech-data/B0049M8I22/ref=de_a_smtd
And there are quite a few more. Would anyone be kind enough to comment on those?
Maybe what I'm missing is that the runtime is good and not all of the others have flood/spot? Would this account for the price difference? Do you guys find an adjustable beam to be a must?
What should I be looking for and what can you recommend that's readily available in the UK?
P.S. just to check that I'm understanding the units, the P3 is rated at ~15 lumens, so even on low intensity (15%), the P7 should be about twice as bright, correct?
edit: I notice that quite a few of the torches on dinodirect come with a charger; I'd consider these instead of AA/AAA if they're much better. Don't know how good this deals are but they may not be on for long, so any advice appreciated.
wolfen68
Headphoneus Supremus
Well, after research I'm going to try an Eagletac D25C and a LumaPower IncenDio V3U XM-L T5 Limited Edition. My preference goes in my pocket and the other goes in my wife's purse to replace her aged maglite solitaire.
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