What is your favourite compact (pocket carry) light?

[Rokron]

This is my mostly used casual EDC and my work EDC is a Sunwayman M10R

 

[reppans]

Quark X on a 14500. Preon Revo SS keychain back-up

 

[Spypro]

I keep my Liteflux LF2XT (neutral tint) in my pant or shirt pocket when I leave the house.

 

[Roger Sully]

Always have my SF E1E with Veleno 2-mode LED somewhere on my person.

 

[shramj]

Rokron, what size Tritum vials did you use and how did you attach them to the light?

 

[HK45]

My EDC (work) Sunwayman M10R , has gone to H.E. double hockey sticks and back with no problems.

 

[HighlanderNorth]

I just got the ZL SC600 based on comments I stumbled upon here at CP Forums. I already had a FourSevens MiniX123 (that I carry on my keychain) so I knew that LEDs were pretty awesome but, even so, I'm simply stunned by the SC600 . It's size, power, UI and the fact it's rechargeable is nothing short of amazing (to me). If this is what I could discover simply by poking around the forum I'm curious about what other great lights are out there and what people consider their flat out favourite compact pocket carry light?

I just got a Zebralight SC600 and a 3100mah Eagletac 18650 battery to go with it. But my 1st LED flashlight was my Jetbeam BC-10. It runs on one Cr123. It has a Cree XPG-R5 LED, which has a very small diameter emitter, which gives it a big advantage in the throw department vs the XM-L. A smaller LED emitter will throw farther in the same size reflector. The XP-G is so small compared to the XM-L, that it will throw a lot father in a smaller diameter reflector! Usually you hear that you need a larger diameter reflector for better throw, but the XP-G is so small it doesnt need that big a reflector.

So anyway, even though the ZL SC600 has an XM-L and a 50% larger reflector and over 500lu, my BC-10 still out throws it! The BC-10 has a much more refined beam, including more refined, more concentrated hot spot.

BC-10 only has 2 modes, and they are VERY simple to operate. You simply turn the bezel a little to go from low(30lu) to high(270lu). It has a rear clicky switch with on/off or momentary. On low it lasts 18 hours with 30lu, and high(270lu) lasts about 1.5 hours. I use Titanium Innovations CR123's, and only pay $1 apiece for them, and one of them lasts me over 3 months in the BC-10. So that about .30 cents per month!

But the BC-10 also has much thicker anodizing, which is much tougher than the SC600's, which is thin. The BC-10 is also about 1" shorter, about 1/2 the weight, and 3mm thinner. But it is built tough and fairly thick.

The greatest thing though is that the BC-10 costs only $38.90, whereas my SC600 was $95! I've had my BC-10 in my pocket every day for 5 months, with my keys and change, and it still has 99.5% of its anodizing on it! I've dropped it onto concrete from 15 feet, and it didnt do squat....

It's difficult to find many single CR123 lights that go up to 270 lumens on high. There are a few new XM-L lights that run on a 123, and they go up to 400+ lumens, but have half the battery life of the BC-10, or less than half, and the BC-10 still will out throw them!

So I honestly think the Jetbeam BC-10 should be the 1st light everyone buys, and maybe the next light everyone buys! I now have 4 different top quality LED lights, and I will buy more, but I can guarantee you that the BC-10 will be the one I use 95% of the time! Its the most portable and useful by far! Plus its cheap.....:thumbsup:

 

[hook63]

The bc-10 has less lux then the sc600 according to selfbuilt's reviews.

 

[baterija]

My LF3XT still gets the overwhelming majority of carry time. It's not the brightest...and not the neutral I've come to prefer. It's just the stock XR-E (Cool White R2) it came with but it's programmed the way I like it and more than bright enough.

 

[witness]

So anyway, even though the ZL SC600 has an XM-L and a 50% larger reflector and over 500lu, my BC-10 still out throws it! The BC-10 has a much more refined beam, including more refined, more concentrated hot spot.

In a practical sense what good is extreme throw? I had the Quark Mini123 which has hotspot that, at first glance, is far more impressive than the MiniX123 that I eventually settled on (particularly indoors). The MiniX123 is more of a flood and out in an open field at night the extra lumens and spread are immediately obvious and, to me, far more practical. The SC600 is impressive in terms of throw but it's the fact that it floods the night and lights up a relatively large cone in front of you that really impresses me. Think about how we live. We flood our homes and streets with light, we don't generally spotlight tiny little patches. I really don't get how extreme throw is of any real use except maybe on a weapon or to impress your pals.

 

[zenbeam]

I just got a Zebralight SC600 and a 3100mah Eagletac 18650 battery to go with it. But my 1st LED flashlight was my Jetbeam BC-10. It runs on one Cr123. It has a Cree XPG-R5 LED, which has a very small diameter emitter, which gives it a big advantage in the throw department vs the XM-L. A smaller LED emitter will throw farther in the same size reflector. The XP-G is so small compared to the XM-L, that it will throw a lot father in a smaller diameter reflector! Usually you hear that you need a larger diameter reflector for better throw, but the XP-G is so small it doesnt need that big a reflector.

So anyway, even though the ZL SC600 has an XM-L and a 50% larger reflector and over 500lu, my BC-10 still out throws it! The BC-10 has a much more refined beam, including more refined, more concentrated hot spot.

BC-10 only has 2 modes, and they are VERY simple to operate. You simply turn the bezel a little to go from low(30lu) to high(270lu). It has a rear clicky switch with on/off or momentary. On low it lasts 18 hours with 30lu, and high(270lu) lasts about 1.5 hours. I use Titanium Innovations CR123's, and only pay $1 apiece for them, and one of them lasts me over 3 months in the BC-10. So that about .30 cents per month!

But the BC-10 also has much thicker anodizing, which is much tougher than the SC600's, which is thin. The BC-10 is also about 1" shorter, about 1/2 the weight, and 3mm thinner. But it is built tough and fairly thick.

The greatest thing though is that the BC-10 costs only $38.90, whereas my SC600 was $95! I've had my BC-10 in my pocket every day for 5 months, with my keys and change, and it still has 99.5% of its anodizing on it! I've dropped it onto concrete from 15 feet, and it didnt do squat....

It's difficult to find many single CR123 lights that go up to 270 lumens on high. There are a few new XM-L lights that run on a 123, and they go up to 400+ lumens, but have half the battery life of the BC-10, or less than half, and the BC-10 still will out throw them!

So I honestly think the Jetbeam BC-10 should be the 1st light everyone buys, and maybe the next light everyone buys! I now have 4 different top quality LED lights, and I will buy more, but I can guarantee you that the BC-10 will be the one I use 95% of the time! Its the most portable and useful by far! Plus its cheap.....:thumbsup:

Quite frankly I appreciate your enthusiasm for your BC10. Mine has grown on me quite a lot in the relatively short time I've owned it.

 

[Rokron]

The size ot the trits are 1.5x6mm and they came preinstaled in a drilled cooling fin from Steve Ku. The trits are held in place with cut pieces of o-ring.

Rokron, what size Tritum vials did you use and how did you attach them to the light?

 

[witness]

I just checked out the B-10 and it's power, run time and UI look real good but...

I haven't found anything to match my MiniX123 in terms of size to usable light ratio. It's 2/3 the size of the B-10 but has significantly more than 2/3 the performance (210 lumens for 1 hour). I carry it on my keychain and don't even notice it's there. For me I want something ultra compact and powerful (miniX123 can't be beat so far) or something that has stupendous power than can be pocketed without being obtrusive (there may be better lights out there but the performance to size ratio of the SC600 is pretty attractive).

 

[Colonel Sanders]

I have been thinking about a BC10 for awhile. It's throw and output on RCRs very much intrigues me. Check out Selfbuilt's review for the numbers.

What I wonder is how the Klarus and Lumintop P1Cs compare? The Lumintop has a bigger head and should throw better...IF it shares the BC10s incredible output on RCRs. Anyone know?

 

[Colonel Sanders]

The bc-10 has less lux then the sc600 according to selfbuilt's reviews.

Not if you install a 3.7v cell. Of course, it's runtime goes waaaaaaay down and it will run HOT!

 

[Colonel Sanders]

"I really don't get how extreme throw is of any real use except maybe on a weapon or to impress your pals."

And that's why there are so many different flashlights made...different strokes for different folks! I say, buy 'em all at least once.

 

[AZPops]

Since I found that the Maratac I've been carrying on my key ring has a parasitic draw, .... the V10R is back on the key ring!

I sure wish I could afford a Titan! .... May be next month! ... ......................................... :devil:

 

[hook63]

Not if you install a 3.7v cell. Of course, it's runtime goes waaaaaaay down and it will run HOT!

It is is more impressive with an rcr but I haven't seen where they say you can run it. I'm still thinking of getting one.

 

[H2oplayer]

For years I carried a olight t10. If I had any complaints it was that it was not built to tail stand. Recently I picked up the jetbeam RRT-01 and am liking it a lot. The t10 now lives in my truck.

 

[coltchris]

Ditto Jmantyger; LumaPower IncenDio V3U Limited Edition (XM-L T5) Neutral