Recommendation for best WOW Led Light

[Yukon_Jack]

Folks,

All the LED flashlights I have collected/purchased so far have been for some real or imagined usefull purpose/function. I am now looking to buy a light for the sole purpose of impressing both knowledgable and unknowledgable folks. My need is for the most impressive/WOW factor LED flashlight I can obtain for $300 or less. It "must" be relatively small, not larger than 3 - C123 size or similar. Smaller would be better since really bright small LED flashlights tend to have an advantage in the WOW factor.

This light "must" be bright and "must" be cool/impressive. Runtime is of little important. Would be nice if it would take rechargables so I can WOW the heck out of folks without having to worry about battery costs.

[Lebkuecher]

I believe that out of all of the lights available the Fire Fly III would fit the bill. Very small, more programmable then a HDS and as bright. The light is very well made and is very nice looking. The light also runs on R123 protected batteries. Some people could easily put this light on a keychain. I have yet to hear a poor review on the CPF.

[Sigman]

WOW - there's so many out there...but at the top of my current list is just about ANYTHING that tvodrd or McGizmo are involved in!!!!!

[randyo]

Have MillerMods make you up a 1.5W ARC-AAA. That should get some looks.

[h_nu]

Maybe not the ultimate but most non-flashaholics seem impressed by the Peak Rainier. People seem to think because it's relatively small it's OK to look into the beam. Performance on regular CR123's is feeble but on the rechargeable it's very good.

[Long John]

Hello Yukon Jack

Give me about 2 weeks. Than I can give you my answer.

Best regards

_____
Tom

[Radio]

Maximum WOW!! can only be obtained by the smallest AND brightest. Find an original U-bin ORB and run it on an RCR, You can thank me later.

[Blindasabat]

Not so small, but impressive for an LED light: the LED Logic Striker VG. Throws far more lumens downrange than any stock light reviewed on FLR <See Here>. 2x CR123 or RCR123, $130, adjustable levels, strobe. It's kind of like a brighter, bigger FireFly III with it's features, just tons more throw.

[Illum]

I originally bought the XO for the effect, but after a little over a year, it has lost its wow effect since Dorcy, etc companies introduced Luxeons into the non-flashaholics market...

My next light, I dunno...
probably a LuxV, cheapest, plz

[LumenHound]

Maximum WOW!! can only be obtained by the smallest AND brightest. Find an original U-bin ORB and run it on an RCR, You can thank me later.

I think Radio has the right answer. A U-bin ORB will get the attention of even the most jaded flashlight aficionado.

[BrightIdeaOSU]

Both the Fire~Fly III and the Rainier are excellent lights in their own right, and the wow factor is high. The Rainier is more impressive outside with it's great throw (for it's size), and the Fire~Fly is more impressive to the geeks of the world, with it's. . .well, everything about it is would make any tech head drool; computer controlled, programmable, tiny, tough and rechargable. Another one that I wouldn't think of, but guests seem to always pick up and play with, is the Rigel Skylight I have on my bedstand for overnight. Probably the dial-a-light control.

[yaesumofo]

No doubt about it. The ORB RAW and the ORB RAW NS. These are tiny and bright as hell. Always the best light to break out if you want to impress.

If you want cheap just get a qIII. Best bright for the buck.
There is so much out there.
If you want a real tool grade flashlight don't bother with anything but a McLuxIII PD. It is the best. Simply skip the rest.

On the other hand take your pick of any one of these and you should be able to impress.

Yaesumofo

[Perfectionist]

Sterling Silver Orb Raw ..... ideally with U bin .....

[Alin10123]

Pretty much anything elektrolumens makes will fit the bill. One that comes to mind is the tristar phazer. Everytime people got it they were like "wow that's bright". It's the length of a 2D maglite but it's only as thick as C cells. It's definately got a "wow" factor to it.

[nisshin]

ElektroLumens is also working on this: Little Friend. Due to come out maybe at the end of May, over 200 lumens!

[glockboy]

Orb Raw U-bin
ElektroLumens Little Friend
Mr. B. Chamelion
Mr. B. Lion Cub U-bin

[Dawg]

The Orb Raw gets my vote as well.

[JanCPF]

KL4+E1e+R123 = Surefire TW4; 65-100 (real) lumens of regulated whammo wow wall of light.

Jan

[ROVER]

I don't own one, but the ORB really impressed me too. It pretty much sacrifices usability for "WOW"

[chesterqw]

thor with a lux V or a luxIIIr/o

how nice will the throw be?

[Yukon_Jack]

Could someone please help me choose just the right ORB RAW? I am not interested in the sterling silver one - but the brightest and best? Best place to buy? I'm ready to order and just need to make sure I'm ordering exactly the right one. I do not have one locally available to look at - so will take the advice of this board. Does sound like what I'm looking for, particulary since it is rechargable so I can WOW the heck out of folks as often as I get the urge. Everybody is sick of seeing my "useful" long running and practical lights

All in fun - but I am seriously going to buy the best WOW light this weekend. Many thanks

[diddy808]

How about a Ti 27L McLux. If you can find one.

I just got a Streamlight 4aa Luxeon.....most bang for the buck!

[Outdoors Fanatic]

No doubt about it. The ORB RAW and the ORB RAW NS. These are tiny and bright as hell. Always the best light to break out if you want to impress.

If you want cheap just get a qIII. Best bright for the buck.
There is so much out there.
If you want a real tool grade flashlight don't bother with anything but a McLuxIII PD. It is the best. Simply skip the rest.

On the other hand take your pick of any one of these and you should be able to impress.

Yaesumofo

Holy Crap!

That's a sheeitload of expensive flashlights!!

[Dawg]

I just got a Streamlight 4aa Luxeon.....most bang for the buck!

Me too! I got the all black for 25 bucks. Its like, my favorite right now. The UPS truck will be here again today. I am sure they will bring another new favorite.

[dirobesh]

Received my Orb Raw yesterday with the two-stage switch. Showed it to my mate - on the low setting he reckoned it was cool, cranked it up to full power and his first word actually was "Wow!" I rest my case.

[Planterz]

"WOW" in my opinion comes from maximum brightness in the smallest package. The clear winners in my mind are:

KL4/E1 body (or FB1)
Fire~Fly III
Orb Raw
Jil Intelli
Peak Rainier

A Jil Intelli won't outblast any of these, even the smaller Orbs, but it's still damn impressive. Especially when you hit someone with the strobe. The TW4 (KL4 head on 1cell body) won't outthrow any of these except maybe the Jil, but it'll put out a wall of light that'll illuminate the entire side of a house or a yard. The Fire~Fly III is quite bright on "burst", deceptively bright for its size, but it won't outblast an Orb Raw or Peak Rainier. The strobe will impress anybody though. The Orb Raw is the clear winner for output vs size. The Peak Rainier will probably outthrow all of these, and is the brightest short of the TW4, but will outthrow it considerably. The only disadvantage IMO of the Rainier is that although it's small compared to a minimag or C/D mag, it's not as small as the other lights mentioned.

Of all those, the biggest WOW ratio (brightness/size) will probably come from Orb Raw or the Fire~Fly III. If you get the FF3, set it to Mode 4 with a 12 or 13Hz strobe. I think that's the sweet spot for inducing seizures in your friends.

[Jay R]

My Orb Raw always get the most/best comments though I have an Orb NS on order...

[LEDninja]

Electrolumens My Little Friend
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=106491
Beamshots at 100 feet
http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/show...&postcount=128

The Orb RAW is even smaller with impressive brightness.

[Lunarmodule]

Dawg,

With that new Space Needle en route, you are certainly in line for a serious WOW factor experience when you power THAT monster up, time and time again.

So many mentions of the U-bin Raw. +1 on that for me. It was the first that came to mind, because everyone who sees it is flabbergasted by the light output and its deceptively small size.

I have a lower dollar contender thats just as much fun. A Fenix L2P, with a CR2 body from the Fenix Store (4Sevens) running an RCR2 350mAh cell. About 25-30 minutes of Orb Raw brightness, not quite the U-bin punch, but brighter than most 3W T-bins for a while. Great for a subcompact backup light that can pack a wallop for a short time and is rechargeable.

Affordable, unique and fun!

For a larger size WOW light, its the Superflashlight III all the way, but they `are no longer in production and at the upper spending limit.

[Paul6ppc]

How long have you been running the l2p on a cr2 lion? Hows it holding up? I was thinking the same thing with a rcr123,only I was going to use it with the L1T.