Buy a malkoff md-2 with hi/lo ring and the drop in you want. I like the LL and LLL version of malkoff dropins. Not too bright, and long runtime. Ony two modes, high will be as dim/bright as you want depending on how many L's you choose. And you got a lo mode if you untwist the head 1/4 turn. It's oldscool, and it just works.... forever.
is anyone future proofing against 'too-powerful' lights?
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Ozythemandias
Flashlight Enthusiast
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I haven't seen so much genius condensed into such a simple image in a long time
StarHalo
Flashaholic
Bluetooth interface with app that allows you to set number of modes and outputs; A copy for yourself with 500-60 lumens, a copy for grandpa that's single mode 100 lumens, a copy for power outages that's 100-25-0.1 lumens, and it's all copies of the same light..
Of all my lights, my 95+CRI Yuji modded Maglite 2AAA single mode twisty gets the most use....and it is less than 10L...cost to me was less than $8.
All the rest of my lights (except the TN4A HI) are 250L max or less.
All the rest of my lights (except the TN4A HI) are 250L max or less.
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cp2315
Enlightened
I understand what you are saying mick. In real use (for me that is a week camping at Acadia NP every year), I tend to use moderately powered lights more, for example, surefire G2X, Elzetta bravo with M60, old faithful fenix LD20... and am comfortable to let the family to use them freely. All those "family-friendly" lights are less than 400 lumens.
Anything more than 1000 lumens (for example ZL SC600 III HI) I keep to myself, afraid of blinding someone or overheating when untended. They are sure fun to play with, but not practical.
Anything more than 1000 lumens (for example ZL SC600 III HI) I keep to myself, afraid of blinding someone or overheating when untended. They are sure fun to play with, but not practical.
I have found that if I find a light I like it is in my interest to buy multiple units. It isn't so much to protect against "too much" power but because the designs and UIs seem to change over time and other times lights are just discontinued altogether.
ven
Flashaholic
Just come in from shining the x65vn, 10,500lm and 600kcd+ outside with the boss. She loves it, loves the 5000k " like daylight" beam...............So i enjoy my lumens and nothing will change there. However, this weeks flavour of the month kicks out a whopping 320lm max in 5000k luxeon T flavour. The light is the sc62d, really enjoying it on the H2 setting(H1 is 320, H2 is 145lm iirc) for a do it all output. It ended up in my jacket this morning(you know those subconscious things you do, already having another ZL in my inside pocket). So i used it today as my work light on the compressors.
Quite a few of my light i can program, one is in the body of a z2 and has a quad 218b 4000k with the h17f driver(dr jones). This has many options, 2 mode groups of up to 7 levels each, all pre set to what level you want out of 24!. I simply have it set to a 1 mode, guess around 300lm ish for again, a do it all level(i like simplicity..............).
As mentioned, the driver made by Tom and tweaked by toykeeper is today one of the best imho. Ramping UI, instant low/high and pre-set 350ma level(works out around 140 useful lumens). Bat check for voltage readout, parameter settings for driver temp..............goes on inc tactical mode which is like a max/momentary(press hold for light, release and it goes off).
So even today with crazy 30s outputs, some can be tweaked or used with ease at more sustainable levels without burning retinas or anything within 100ft. Yes output gives me
all this time on, but when its time to use for specific applications, i can dial in the output required. This is anywhere between 25 and 300lm in general, most uses i would put between 100 -200lm. Having 1 or 2 lights myself
its still hard to (ok impossible) to have 1 light that works for all my applications. So i have several, different fuels(from 10180 to 26650), different forms, different colour temps and tints. Different LED's, beams be it orange peel,smooth reflectors ,optics be it clear, narrow and frosted etc etc. Then UI, be it rotary,infinite, side switch, rear forward,reverse clicky, multi mode along with single..............you get the picture. Lots of variety which is not always the most user friendly way to go, but keeps my interest constant.
Variety is the spice of light!
Quite a few of my light i can program, one is in the body of a z2 and has a quad 218b 4000k with the h17f driver(dr jones). This has many options, 2 mode groups of up to 7 levels each, all pre set to what level you want out of 24!. I simply have it set to a 1 mode, guess around 300lm ish for again, a do it all level(i like simplicity..............).
As mentioned, the driver made by Tom and tweaked by toykeeper is today one of the best imho. Ramping UI, instant low/high and pre-set 350ma level(works out around 140 useful lumens). Bat check for voltage readout, parameter settings for driver temp..............goes on inc tactical mode which is like a max/momentary(press hold for light, release and it goes off).
So even today with crazy 30s outputs, some can be tweaked or used with ease at more sustainable levels without burning retinas or anything within 100ft. Yes output gives me
all this time on, but when its time to use for specific applications, i can dial in the output required. This is anywhere between 25 and 300lm in general, most uses i would put between 100 -200lm. Having 1 or 2 lights myself its still hard to (ok impossible) to have 1 light that works for all my applications. So i have several, different fuels(from 10180 to 26650), different forms, different colour temps and tints. Different LED's, beams be it orange peel,smooth reflectors ,optics be it clear, narrow and frosted etc etc. Then UI, be it rotary,infinite, side switch, rear forward,reverse clicky, multi mode along with single..............you get the picture. Lots of variety which is not always the most user friendly way to go, but keeps my interest constant.Variety is the spice of light!
archimedes
Flashaholic
I sorta wish I'd gotten a few LF2XT when they were $60 new ... a couple dozen of those would've probably been sufficient
Ozythemandias
Flashlight Enthusiast
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I sorta wish I'd gotten a few LF2XT when they were $60 new ... a couple dozen of those would've probably been sufficient
A couple hundred of those would've probably been sufficient to live a luxuries lifestyle now with the going rates
Ozythemandias
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
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I sorta wish I'd gotten a few LF2XT when they were $60 new ... a couple dozen of those would've probably been sufficient
A couple hundred of those would've probably been sufficient to live a luxuries lifestyle now with the going rates
That's a great way to put it...Family Friendly Lights. I take comfort in knowing someone can just use the damn thing without having to think about it.
Family friendly or nonflashaholic friendly is a good description of a lot of my favorite lights. I have a simple single mode 4K hi cri Malkoff single aa. It is probably 120 lumens and the output might be anemic to some. But it is the light that most people respond favorably to, well till they find out the price. But it is easy to use , no extra clicking or blinding blue/white glare just a nice reasonably bright pleasent light output.
My non flashaholic comrads really dig the Malkoff M31W beam from a 2xaa Rayovac indestructable... until they find out it was $15 plus $42 for "the light bulb" lol. (Plus $25 for the 8 pack of eneloop pro's and $36 for the Nitecore D4 charger)
xdayv
Flashlight Enthusiast
Just added back some 6P + Malkoff drop-ins, and some more P60 incan bulbs! 
Yes bykfixer they really like the heft of it and that it feels so solid. Plus the beam looks like a very bright incan of old. The reaction is always smiles and comments like what a tough little light. Followed by the old slowly handing it back with a disbelieving expression when they find out the price.
I never mention price or give unsolicited recommendations for lights. Even when asked for advice, I'm reluctant. If I try to edit down the compromises to match their level of interest, I end up sounding like Rain Man.
Chad Varnadore
Newly Enlightened
You can buy a pair of Ironclad Exo Tactical impact gloves - most colors, other than maybe black, are still shipping with a "free" (if you buy the marketing) Nebo LED flashlight. It's one mode only, takes a AA battery (included) and is probably in the 50 lumen range.
Lou Minescence
Flashlight Enthusiast
One brand of light that might be future proof is Zebralight. I mostly use the lower modes on all my lights. The problem with most of the high lumen output lights is the huge jumps in their mode spacings. Example is my recent Acebeam L30. Nice light with a 1 lumen low. The problem us the next step up is 200 lumens. There should be a 40 lumen choice in between. The mode steps get bigger from there. Zebralight has lots of lower settings before it gets to 200 lumens. Then the Zebralights have a nice high setting.
A big blast of lumens doesn't bother me as long as I have enough low settings. There is no need to stay away from lights with thousands of lumens as long as they have a useful low selection.
Older lights had tighter mode spacing and therefore were more practical.
A big blast of lumens doesn't bother me as long as I have enough low settings. There is no need to stay away from lights with thousands of lumens as long as they have a useful low selection.
Older lights had tighter mode spacing and therefore were more practical.
I sorta wish I'd gotten a few LF2XT when they were $60 new ... a couple dozen of those would've probably been sufficient
I missed out on the Liteflux LF2XT. Debated for a while but never pulled the trigger :shakehead Wish I had a "few" neutral LF2XTs myself. Heck I am still lamenting the fact that I didn't buy multiples of the original X1s and CMG Infinitys with green LEDs!
