wvalkering
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2016
- Messages
- 1
Currently I have mounted a D25LC2 clicky to my helmet for nightly rides on MTB trails. However, I lost the 2x 18650 batteries and the output is a bit on the low side, the batteries were 8-9 years old anyway, the loose-head thing sucked as with vibrations it went from tight-loose-tight-loose etc. without touching it. Im looking for a new light which is more reliable and has a consistent high output which should be able to sustain it with some 15-20kmh winds passing by to cool it.
An 18650, low weight should be fine but maybe a 21700 might be better as it has longer runtime. Primary use is for the bike, and sometimes some EDC usage or during camping to light the tent.
I only found a Fenix E35 v3.0 as an option, but there are so many brands now and the Fenix I only found because of the 21700 it takes. The wider beam looks nice. I havent looked for 18650 options as there are so many of them.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
This will be mail-order or Online (location doesn't matter).
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
Not sure, as im in the EU I would like to spend up to a max of €100 on batteries + light but prefer to be around €70-80 for 2 batteries + light. Should be similar in dollars I guess.
3) Format:
____I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).
____I want a self-contained headlamp.
____I want a mounted light (typically for a bicycle or vehicle)
The flashlight will be mounted on my bike helmet as primary use for night rides in the woods (i have a mount that fits perfect for the D25LC2 or any cilinder shaped light of similar size). Weight is a thing as it pushes the helmet down constantly. A BC30 (bike light) with 2x18650 is way too heavy.
If anyone knows a good way to use a headlamp mounted to a helmet which can be used for edc-usage thats also great, whatever light I have is the perfect one for edc anyway. And I keep my D25LC2 as well as its not dead.
4) Size:
____SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).
5) Emitter/Light source:
____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
Anything throwing a lot of light is good. No need for high cri, warm white or other fancyness.
6) Manufacturer:
____I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
7) What power source do you want to use?
____I intend to use Rechargeable cells based on less common formats (18500 or 18650 Li-Ion, RCR123, et-al).
____I don't know/I need more information on power sources.
Im not sure, it should fit in my Nitecore UM4 charger. 18650 or 21700 or any common format.
7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I don't care
I prefer plain batteries as I have that at the most. A fixed battery pack is a no-go, I need to be able to swap the battery or replace it after longer use. However, a usb-port in the light might be nice so I can charge it in the car now and then.
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want search and rescue type illumination (800+ lumens).
Anything significant above the D25LC2 is good.
____SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.
I dont really care about turbo modes. Cant use them for a sustained hour trip anyway.
9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
____Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
____Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.
A bit wider than the D25LC2 would be good. I have a BC30 on my bar but need to be able to illuminate what my head is pointing to in corners etc.
9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
So most corners/obstacles are like 10-20 meters away but as soon as speed goes up a bit more throw would be nice. Not looking for the 'look at me i can make a tree over 600 yards light up'
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous output).
____90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).
Now this is a thing. Im ok with swapping batteries during the trip. I stop to drink anyway or get a snack, take a photo, etc. but during winters I wear gloves and this makes things a lot harder. If the perfect light is an 18650 unit which has 90 minutes runtime im ok with that, but if I can get 2+ hours runtime on something like high (not turbo) would be awesome. In general I bike 60 minutes and commute around 20 minutes but as the tracks get expanded I might have 90-minutes of bike riding. I also need to use it for repairing a bike, assist with emergencies on the trails etc.
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
Shouldnt fail, might be lethal But I have backup lights so not to worry a lot.
12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):
____Any size switch will do.
____I need a BIG switch (I'll be using gloves or have very large hands or coordination issues).
____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
____I want a remote switch (usually found on high-end bicycle headlights)
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
Not so sure about this. An easy to use switch is nice but the eagletac has issues with the loose head, thats a no-go.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a beacon mode. (Regular flashes at full power to show location.)
A beacon/sos mode would be nice in case of serious accidents I need to be able to point location to a helicopter (or most likely a terrain vehicle).
14)Material/Finish/Coating
____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's higher end flashlights).
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't care.
Whatever is available, aluminium is fine. Weight is a thing.
15) Water resistance
____IPX7 (Waterproof to 1 meter/30min)
As long as its not going to die during heavy rain storms.
16) Storage conditions
____Automobile glove-box (wide temperature swings, long standby periods, critical reliability)
17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below.
____Pocket/belt clip
A cone-like diffuser would be nice so I can use it for camping inside the tent But is a secondary thing.
An 18650, low weight should be fine but maybe a 21700 might be better as it has longer runtime. Primary use is for the bike, and sometimes some EDC usage or during camping to light the tent.
I only found a Fenix E35 v3.0 as an option, but there are so many brands now and the Fenix I only found because of the 21700 it takes. The wider beam looks nice. I havent looked for 18650 options as there are so many of them.
1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
This will be mail-order or Online (location doesn't matter).
2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
Not sure, as im in the EU I would like to spend up to a max of €100 on batteries + light but prefer to be around €70-80 for 2 batteries + light. Should be similar in dollars I guess.
3) Format:
____I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).
____I want a self-contained headlamp.
____I want a mounted light (typically for a bicycle or vehicle)
The flashlight will be mounted on my bike helmet as primary use for night rides in the woods (i have a mount that fits perfect for the D25LC2 or any cilinder shaped light of similar size). Weight is a thing as it pushes the helmet down constantly. A BC30 (bike light) with 2x18650 is way too heavy.
If anyone knows a good way to use a headlamp mounted to a helmet which can be used for edc-usage thats also great, whatever light I have is the perfect one for edc anyway. And I keep my D25LC2 as well as its not dead.
4) Size:
____SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).
5) Emitter/Light source:
____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
Anything throwing a lot of light is good. No need for high cri, warm white or other fancyness.
6) Manufacturer:
____I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
7) What power source do you want to use?
____I intend to use Rechargeable cells based on less common formats (18500 or 18650 Li-Ion, RCR123, et-al).
____I don't know/I need more information on power sources.
Im not sure, it should fit in my Nitecore UM4 charger. 18650 or 21700 or any common format.
7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
____I don't care
I prefer plain batteries as I have that at the most. A fixed battery pack is a no-go, I need to be able to swap the battery or replace it after longer use. However, a usb-port in the light might be nice so I can charge it in the car now and then.
8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).
____I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want search and rescue type illumination (800+ lumens).
Anything significant above the D25LC2 is good.
____SPECIAL NOTE: Burst/Turbo mode Category - There are several lights that will run at a super bright maximum for a very limited period (usually 5-10 minutes) and then will "step-down" to a lower level for thermal control. Check here if this is acceptable.
I dont really care about turbo modes. Cant use them for a sustained hour trip anyway.
9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
____Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
____Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.
A bit wider than the D25LC2 would be good. I have a BC30 on my bar but need to be able to illuminate what my head is pointing to in corners etc.
9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
So most corners/obstacles are like 10-20 meters away but as soon as speed goes up a bit more throw would be nice. Not looking for the 'look at me i can make a tree over 600 yards light up'
10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum continuous output).
____90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).
Now this is a thing. Im ok with swapping batteries during the trip. I stop to drink anyway or get a snack, take a photo, etc. but during winters I wear gloves and this makes things a lot harder. If the perfect light is an 18650 unit which has 90 minutes runtime im ok with that, but if I can get 2+ hours runtime on something like high (not turbo) would be awesome. In general I bike 60 minutes and commute around 20 minutes but as the tracks get expanded I might have 90-minutes of bike riding. I also need to use it for repairing a bike, assist with emergencies on the trails etc.
11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
____Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
Shouldnt fail, might be lethal
But I have backup lights so not to worry a lot.12) Switch Size, Type, and location (choose all that apply):
____Any size switch will do.
____I need a BIG switch (I'll be using gloves or have very large hands or coordination issues).
____I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights).
____I want a remote switch (usually found on high-end bicycle headlights)
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
Not so sure about this. An easy to use switch is nice but the eagletac has issues with the loose head, thats a no-go.
13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.
____I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a beacon mode. (Regular flashes at full power to show location.)
A beacon/sos mode would be nice in case of serious accidents I need to be able to point location to a helicopter (or most likely a terrain vehicle).
14)Material/Finish/Coating
____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
____Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's higher end flashlights).
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't care.
Whatever is available, aluminium is fine. Weight is a thing.
15) Water resistance
____IPX7 (Waterproof to 1 meter/30min)
As long as its not going to die during heavy rain storms.
16) Storage conditions
____Automobile glove-box (wide temperature swings, long standby periods, critical reliability)
17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below.
____Pocket/belt clip
A cone-like diffuser would be nice so I can use it for camping inside the tent
But is a secondary thing.
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