What’s kept you interested?

[vicv]

Searching for a modern successor to my beloved LX2 has to be the main thing keeping me looking at new releases. No one makes a flashlight with a small head and similar lumen:throw ratio nowadays.
Got an Olight S2R II and Warrior X Pro(the only company besides Surefire with a two stage switch as far as I know) and they are excellent flashlights but somehow just don't light a fire in me.
Old Surefires are the ones that keep me excited and being able to afford some of the "hero" flashlights that I couldn't even dream of owning 10-15 years ago is what keeps me in the hobby recently.
And what finally, after all those years got me to post here.

Ya unfortunately there is no successor to the lx2. That thing was in a league of its own. The edc2l or whatever the new one is called is closest. But it's not the same build quality, and they made it 1200 lumens, when it should have been 400. With a smaller led than the xml, lux would've gone up. As well as runtime. No dual stage switch unfortunately, but look at the convoy s6. Get an sst-20 4000k or a Nichia 519a around 4500k and dedome it. Order with the 5a buck driver. Then set 1%, 10%, 50% mode, and that'll be a throwy little light with 95+ cri and great runtimes. Probably 20 lumens, 150 lumens, 400 lumens. The reverse clicky is no two stage LOTC, but for $15? Worth a shot

 

[ViperaPiper]

Ya unfortunately there is no successor to the lx2. That thing was in a league of its own. The edc2l or whatever the new one is called is closest. But it's not the same build quality, and they made it 1200 lumens, when it should have been 400. With a smaller led than the xml, lux would've gone up. As well as runtime. No dual stage switch unfortunately, but look at the convoy s6. Get an sst-20 4000k or a Nichia 519a around 4500k and dedome it. Order with the 5a buck driver. Then set 1%, 10%, 50% mode, and that'll be a throwy little light with 95+ cri and great runtimes. Probably 20 lumens, 150 lumens, 400 lumens. The reverse clicky is no two stage LOTC, but for $15? Worth a shot

I've tried a C8+ and a S21B both with Osrams, that I bought as gifts. Haven't tried a S6 yet, but I gradually found out that I really don't like flashlights with reflectors. The only reflector beams that I find pleasing are incans. 😀

 

[vicv]

I've tried a C8+ and a S21B both with Osrams, that I bought as gifts. Haven't tried a S6 yet, but I gradually found out that I really don't like flashlights with reflectors. The only reflector beams that I find pleasing are incans. 😀

Fair. Funny, the LX2 is the only light I've ever ever liked with an optic. All the rest of the optics I've ever seen are floody. A deep, smooth reflector throws a tighter beam in my experience. Besides surefires. But I hear ya. Hard to beat a p90 or an a2 aviator beam. Actually it's cheap but my absolute favorite incan beam, if I had to pick 1, is from one of those kaidomain 3.7v 10/15w p60 drop ins. It draws 1.8A so more like 6.5w. But it's a tighter beam than any of the p surefire drop ins or lumens factory ones. And they're $3 each. I must have over 20 hours on my first one and it's still going strong. I have three more backups in case they ever stop making them.
I can understand not liking the osrams. Those are useless. Like a lep. They're too focused. The s6+ is basically an s2+ but with a very deep reflector. Throws really well for its size

 

[ViperaPiper]

Fair. Funny, the LX2 is the only light I've ever ever liked with an optic. All the rest of the optics I've ever seen are floody. A deep, smooth reflector throws a tighter beam in my experience. Besides surefires. But I hear ya. Hard to beat a p90 or an a2 aviator beam. Actually it's cheap but my absolute favorite incan beam, if I had to pick 1, is from one of those kaidomain 3.7v 10/15w p60 drop ins. It draws 1.8A so more like 6.5w. But it's a tighter beam than any of the p surefire drop ins or lumens factory ones. And they're $3 each. I must have over 20 hours on my first one and it's still going strong. I have three more backups in case they ever stop making them.
I can understand not liking the osrams. Those are useless. Like a lep. They're too focused. The s6+ is basically an s2+ but with a very deep reflector. Throws really well for its size

I have to get some of those 3,7V Incan dropins! Right now I'm using a Nextorch 6V lamp on two 3.0V RCR123As because I don't care if it burns out. As for optics I really like the smoothness of the TIR and the fading spill it produces. The beams on my few Olights are very pleasant. They are too wide to be perfect for my liking though. :/

 

[vicv]

I just last night replaced the smooth reflector in my convoy s2+ with a 25 degree optic. I like it more than I was expecting. I generally prefer a much tighter beam. But my m21A with dedome 519a taught me that a light may be too throwy for general use. 😱.
And I can definitely see the appeal. It's definitely less efficient having those lumens all over the place, but I have plenty to spare and many 18650s. So why not waste a 100 lumens or so to spill?
With an lx2 I'd just put an f04 on it, if I could find one, when wanting a floodier light. Can't turn a flooder though into a thrower