Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlight

[RCLumens]

Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlight

Greetings! To all of the Lumen-Carrying folk on CPF, your input is greatly valued as always.

I'm beginning a search for the best all-around EDC. I own an SC600 and think it's a fine light. The size works, but something
even smaller would be great also. That being said, if I can get more lumens without sacrificing run-time, I'd go bigger as well.

Net/Net is I love the flood of the SC600 but wish it threw the beam further. Have been eyeballing the Thrunight TN10, 11, 12 as their beams look good, but it only seems as though you can get a decent run time if you double extend the light - so now we're talking about something not so small.

I have an RRT-3 Triple XML which is a GREAT light and is the one I pull out when I need some serious lumens, so I don't want another larger light.

In order of priority, I would list the wants as such with certainly some room to trade positions.
1. Size - 1 or 2 CR123's or AA ideally - Possibly 1x 18650 if the light performs really well.
2. Brightness - both in combination of flood & throw - But do want something that throws more than the SC600
3. Run-time - Want something that can be on hi for more than 30 minutes (not needed to be continuously) but something comparable to SC600 runtimes

Also, I know the shot show is in January - what is the timing for new lights to be released following the show? Perhaps I should wait? Perhaps I should look at a light that I get custom drop-ins? I would need some help with that as I've never gone that route. Thanks to all in advance.

 

[varmint]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I have a TN11 and I get about 2 weeks per 18650 charge, I use it every morning and night with my livestock, I use a setting at about 50% mostly. I am very pleased with this set up.
As far as a A size light I have a Terralux Lightstar 100 that has a very good throw for its size, rated at 100 Lumens and looks it, I am over a month on the same battery.
Larry

 

[Tiggercat]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Taking a guess here, but it sounds like the EagleTac D25LC2 might be worth a look. 2x123 or 1x18650, with a clip, and a stunning amount of throw.

 

[peterharvey73]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I have the RRT-0 XP-G R5/S2 is a good CR123 size thrower; delivering a small, but intense hotspot.
Selfbuilt measures the BC10 XP-G R5 throw @ 167 meters; there are no direct measurements for the RRT-0 R5/S2.

My friend has an all new RRT-0 XM-L with 150 meters of throw.
That's only a fraction more than our SC600, and less than the old R5/S2.
Somehow, I don't really like the grip of my RRT-0, RRT-2, or RRT-3 in the overhand grip.
Somehow, Jb has not designed it for ergonomics very well?
It seems to me that the RRT-0 has been designed for a pen grip/cigar grip???

I also have Sunway V10R Ti and Al in XP-G R5; it throws almost as well as an RRT-0.
Apparently, ANSI @ 130 meters; but it seems almost as good as the RRT-0 R5/S2.
I am about to receive the all new V10R XM-L today, or tomorrow; it has only 115 meters throw apparently, but 400 lumens of flood.
There is also about to be released a V10R Ti^2 XM-L U2 with 500 lumens and 130 meters of throw.
The V10R is great for compact size, and has a great overhand grip.

I have tried a HDS Rotary 200.
It has a large CR123 diameter, and a great overhand grip. The best of the lot, esp if you have big hands.
The rotary is also at the tail end too, so that can be good if you never use the lazy hand shake grip.
The rotary has great throw too; about as good, or at least nearly as good as an RRT-0 R5/S2.
The only downside is the size, and the weight.

4Sevens Quarks are also very popular.
It has a head twist u/i, so it's very compact and short.
However, because the 22mm bezel diameter is so small, don't expect too much throw; it's mainly for flooding.
Even a Quark 123 Squared 2xCR123 XM-L only throws 117 meters, as measured by Selfbuilt.

Like you, I have an SC600 too, and it is presently my EDC.
It is the only compact 18650 that I know of?
I guess ideally, it could do with a magnetic ring for continuous brightness control, over the side switch.
I agree with you, it has only 145 meters of throw, as measured by Selfbuilt.
It has less throw, but the beam is so wide & the battery capacity @ 3100 mAH is so good, that it is presently my EDC.
A 16340 has a pretty poor capcity of just 750 mAH.
Worse, the 16340 has a slower discharge rate than the 18650, so we will never get 750 lumens output out of the present XM-L running on 16340's.
I can understand why the SC600 thread currently has more than 2300 posts - the longest thread?

Personally, all the other 18650's are too big for me to EDC.
Though the TN11 with a big 41mm bezel is a great thrower @ some 270+ meters as measured by Selfbuilt, but it has a two-handed head twist u/i.

Pity there is no perfect flashlight...

 

[swan]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I feel the same, love my sc600, but something with similar output with more throw would be nice-how about the jetbeam bc25, 650 lm, 18650 or cr123 compatible , 9000 lux [190m throw]. Or thrunite scorpion with turbo head option for max throw.

 

[hiuintahs]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I'm an Olight fan. How about the T15 AA light with a T10 body. That way you could have both single AA or CR123 possibilities If you do a little searching around you can find a pretty good price on these as I did recently. (not sure it's legal to post where on the forum)
This is an XP-G R5 with a reflector with slight OP which smooths the hot spot into flood area. This is one of my favorite lights. The T10 and T15 head is the same and as such the driver can't quite get the output on high with AA battery as it can on CR123........so med and high look about the same when using T15 (AA) body.

 

[Nonprophet]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Easy--a Quark AA2 X head on a Quark AA body running off a 14500 battery! Should be about 350-400 OTF lumens, and small and compact. It's my EDC and it constantly blows people away with how much light such a small platform produces......!!


NP

 

[tensai_telebikun]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I think OLIGHT EOS1 better(CR123×１）

 

[hiuintahs]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Easy--a Quark AA2 X head on a Quark AA body running off a 14500 battery! Should be about 350-400 OTF lumens, and small and compact. It's my EDC and it constantly blows people away with how much light such a small platform produces......!!

I recently acquired a Quark 'X' AA2 with the BF sale so I've seen others mention this setup. I'm kind of stuck on AA eneloops and don't do anything with CR123 batteries either............but maybe I need to expand my horizon oo: !

 

[RCLumens]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Love your comments PeterHarvey73! Couldn't Agree more and you certainly see where I'm coming from as far as runtime/flood/throw mix. I may have to wait until
next year too see if anything decent comes out - or perhaps go for a TN and see what the UI is like. I had an older Olight M-31 that did the twisty thing - not a big fan...

Cheers!

 

[RCLumens]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Will definitely Have a look! Thanks so much for the input

 

[RCLumens]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I've been looking at it and I also like the 1.5hr stated run time on high. Do you happen to know if the 650lm coming out of the JetBeam bc25 is OTF? As for the scorpion, the beam profile, would seem to be good, but I'd hate to spend $160 total w/turbo head to get the package. Maybe I'll find a used one - but the measurements seem to fit the bill. Many thanks!!

 

[RCLumens]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Many thanks!!

 

[peterharvey73]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Do you happen to know if the 650lm coming out of the JetBeam bc25 is OTF?

Yes, a copper heatsink for 650 lumens OTF ANSI and 189 meters of throw; strangely the more expensive RRT-2 & RRT-21 XM-L's only have 460 lumens for only 155 meters of throw as measured by Selfbuilt.


The SC600 is a very special phenomenon.
It is actually a 1x18650, that is incomparable to a 1xCR123 or 1x16340 light.
It's the SC600's compact 107mm length by 30mm width that makes it comparable to single CR123/16340's.
By comparison, an RRT-0 or HDS 200 Rotary are both some 97mm in length by 25mm in width.
Thus an extra 10mm longer, by an extra 5mm wider.

Under normal circumstances, the 1x18650 will always wins over the 1x16340, due to the single 18650's up to 3100 mAH in capacity, and the much faster discharge rates of the 18650.
Because a 16340 can only discharge at 1.5 amps maximum, most 16340 lights peak at 450 lumens eg Thrunite 1C, Lumitop Incedio V5, 4Sevens Quark 123 etc.
Even the new V10R XM-L only has 400 odd lumens, while the new V10R Ti ^2 delivers 500 lumens.
The RRT-0 XM-L peaks at 550 lumens, and provides a lot of controversy at that.
A 16340 will never allow us to drive the XM-L emitter to it's maximum recommended amperage of 3 amps, to produce 1000 odd lumens; only an 18650 will allow this.

Thus, the SC600 is a special light, and is the most popular, with more than 2300 posts in it's thread.
However, if the SC600's extra 10mm in length by 5mm in width is a concern, then we have all the other above mentioned CR123/16340 model options available...

 

[RCLumens]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Many thanks PH73! Excellent points! The size is great but again would go somewhat larger and stick with 18650 if it delivers the punch. My best guess is that perhaps 2012 will bring something other than a custom build to the table. Perhaps we'll see it in a new version of a zebralight. But I'd have to agree - they really nailed it. Size, output, run time, quality, it really is a special light. If anyone could make something brighter and better and only a bit bigger, they might be the ones. So many thanks for your input - it's greatly appreciated! Cheers, RC

 

[JohnnyBravo]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I EDC the JetBeams BA10 and PA10. Both on an AW IMR 14500 cell. The PA10 is rated at 650 lumens but only has that one Turbo mode. While the BA10 is probably around 400 lumens +-, and it has the ability to loosen the head a 1/4 turn to reduce the output to "low mode."

 

[Rokron]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I don't know much about this new Sunwayman T20CS yet but you can check it out. http://www.sunwayman.com/html/products/201112/69.html it runs on 2 CR 123's or 2 16340's or 1 18650. IMO, this looks to be one very nice light .

 

[Rokron]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I failed to mention, it's not available yet but will be real soon so keep checking the dealers.

 

[Craig K]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

Surefire LX2 is a great light with good throw.

 

[jondotcom]

Re: Your Opinion - BEST & BRIGHTEST single or double CR123 or single AA EDC Flashlig

I think OLIGHT EOS1 better(CR123×１）

That and the ITP a1 is clearly the best bang for the buck, but clearly not the brightest on a CR123, but rcr123 might make it rank up there for short bursts.