need a new light... recommendations??

Wdarryl

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
2
I need a new light , I have a Ultrafire C8 SSCP7 but it has not held up well so am in the market for a new led light...I am a helicopter tech so durability is important...also if anyone has any tips on finding parts for the ultrafire let me know


1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

Online


2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest! :)
____I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ.


3) Format:

____I want a flashlight.


4) Flashlight-specific format/size:


____Every day carry medium (4-7 inches).


5) Emitter/Light source:

____LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)


6) Manufacturer:

____I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
____I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.


7) What battery type do you want to use?

____I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc


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 impossible).

____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 ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).


9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
____Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)

All the adds say the ultrafire is 900 lumen and it was good for doing inspections at work


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum 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).


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).



12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):


____I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights)


13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
____I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime
____I want a selector ring. maybe
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)maybe


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 flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
____Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't care. as long as its tough... appearance can be damaged as long as the light does not break


15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard

options but not necessary

Thanks for any input and sugestions...
 

skyfire

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 4, 2009
Messages
1,823
Location
Los Angeles
i did inspections on 777 and 747 for months with a quark 123-2T, it does the job great, compact, durable, in-expensive. will accept 2xRCR123 or 1x17670 li-ion. the throw was good enough for my needs. about 2 weeks ago i switched to a nailbender SST-90 warm tint drop-in a dereelight CL1H using 1x18650 li-ion. it floods! light up a big area of the fuselage now. with that said. i say go for a P60 host, such as a surefire, 6P, C2, Z2. solarforce's L2P is only $20. my dereelight host was about $35. then get a nailbender SST-50 or SST-90 drop-in. if your willing to spend more oveready.com offers modified surefire hosts that are:twothumbs
 

JBorneu

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 12, 2008
Messages
233
How about the Sunwayled M40C (review) (another review)? It's very new, so apart from the manufacturer warranty there can be made no claims about reliability, but it seems to be sturdy and it should be better than an ultrafire (a brand known for unreliability), and it will provide a nice flood with great runtime on medium from 2 18650's.

On another note, don't believe ultrafire's lumens claims, I don't think that one really puts out 900 lumens. I don't think any light does that running from 1 18650, but I may be wrong.
 
Last edited:

Wdarryl

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Aug 13, 2010
Messages
2
Cool thanks for the input I like the looks of the sunwayled...cheers
 
Top