Best choice for a light with little spill

Weylan · Oct 7, 2008

I am looking for a $30 light. So Kaidomains or dealextreme is fine.
I am looking for an 18650 light for runtime.
I am looking for a High/low.
I am looking for all throw and very little spill.

Recommendations?
My neighbor is a plumber and needs to look 30-50ft away in crawl spaces and does not want to crawl into those icky areas if he does not have to. So a light that can "reach" out and see those far away connections is important. But sometimes there is a ton of insulated aluminum (think very reflective ducting) close and so lights that have a lot of spill, backsplash light into your face and you can't see far away. A VB 16 works well for most conditions (Guess how he got one of these. grin), but still has too much side spill for those times he needs to look way down there.

Who knows of a light from Kaidomains or deal extreme I can get him? He helps out at my house and we work together so I work out giving him lights in trade for work done. $30 is fine, but he does loose them because they get left and people walk off with lights unattended. Don't ask me why they are left unatteneded, I don't know... He has dropped one or 2 down a sewage hole and there is no retrieving some of them too.

Outdoors Fanatic · Oct 7, 2008

Weylan said:
I am looking for a $30 light. So Kaidomains or dealextreme is fine.
I am looking for an 18650 light for runtime.
I am looking for a High/low.
I am looking for all throw and very little spill.

Recommendations?
My neighbor is a plumber and needs to look 30-50ft away in crawl spaces and does not want to crawl into those icky areas if he does not have to. So a light that can "reach" out and see those far away connections is important. But sometimes there is a ton of insulated aluminum (think very reflective ducting) close and so lights that have a lot of spill, backsplash light into your face and you can't see far away. A VB 16 works well for most conditions (Guess how he got one of these. grin), but still has too much side spill for those times he needs to look way down there.

Who knows of a light from Kaidomains or deal extreme I can get him? He helps out at my house and we work together so I work out giving him lights in trade for work done. $30 is fine, but he does loose them because they get left and people walk off with lights unattended. Don't ask me why they are left unatteneded, I don't know... He has dropped one or 2 down a sewage hole and there is no retrieving some of them too.

Inova X1 - first generation.

notnormal · Oct 7, 2008

$28 Thrower WF-600.

Review.

1dash1 · Oct 7, 2008

Weylan:

Sounds like you're looking for an aspheric. Not sure which is the tightest throwing aspheric.

My MagLed w/aspheric throws a tight bore, but is beyond your stated price range. (Besides, the unprotected lens is unsuitable for the work described.)

My X2000 (18650 version) fits your budget and is what I would consider a "throw away" light. Very bright and relatively cheap. Not the greatest build quality, but sounds like what you're looking for. It has virtually no spill.

P.S. Each of the above is focusable, so the beam can be de-focused into a wide flood.

mktech · Oct 7, 2008

Are you familiar with the Task Force 3w from lowes or the professional's favorite 3w from advance auto parts. I have the AAP light and its very focused, the total beam width is about a third the width of a fenix l2d q5. Its plenty bright and runs well on 2c cell. The Task Force is $30 and the AAP is $20.

asdalton · Oct 7, 2008

mktech said:
Are you familiar with the Task Force 3w from lowes or the professional's favorite 3w from advance auto parts. I have the AAP light and its very focused, the total beam width is about a third the width of a fenix l2d q5. Its plenty bright and runs well on 2c cell. The Task Force is $30 and the AAP is $20.

There is a new version of this light that uses a Cree LED. It should be available at Lowe's with "60X brighter" on the label.

Jarl · Oct 7, 2008

I'd recommend against the lowes 2C. Due to it's use of an optic rather than reflector, it's got one of the best spill patterns I've seen, which would certainly cause the dazzle you want to avoid.

Have you thought about sticking an old toilet roll over the bezel (or similar) to block out the spill?

qwertyydude · Oct 7, 2008

He's a plumber, I'm sure it's gonna be black pvc :laughing:

But I'd say the Wf-600 if you can get the led it's gonna do great
.

EngrPaul · Oct 7, 2008

In general, look for a flashlight with an optic instead of reflector, especially one that can be focused.

radu1976 · Oct 8, 2008

Get X2000 from DX . Many versions - 18650 or CR123 or RCR123.
Pure throw when focusable.
Decent money 20-23$. You can choose even a multilevel version.

roymail · Oct 8, 2008

One thing about getting the light at Lowe's, if there's a problem your friend can return it and get a replacement... hard to do with DX, etc.

The Task Force 2C has good throw.

Guy's Dropper · Oct 8, 2008

I'd say first generation INOVA T1, but I'm biased.

Coop · Oct 8, 2008

Get him one of those retracting lanyard thingies too, that should solve the problem of lights getting lost....

Wattnot · Oct 8, 2008

Tiablo A8 or A9. Throws like a pin and has a high and low. Recent sales had the A9 selling at an incredible $55.

And it's "sewage proof" to boot!! :crackup:

UnknownVT · Oct 8, 2008

Outdoors Fanatic said:
Inova X1 - first generation.

Yes, but that might not be bright enough for 30-50 feet.

The idea seems to me to be the right one -
a spot type light using optics/lens - with virtually no side-spill.

Not sure if Target still has them -

River Rock 1.5w 2C

River Rock 1.5w 2AA

(links to reviews with comparison beamshots)
they had been on various sales/closeouts(?)

Just as reference -

Inova X1 Spot - White

where there is a direct comparison beamshot with the River Rock 2AA spot.

DaveG · Oct 8, 2008

I have not seen the RR-2-C or the RR-2AA,in some time but have spotted the 1-AA cell at Target, its has a fish eye lens if I remember right.

Patriot · Oct 8, 2008

All the lights with an optic really minimize spill light and tend to throw everything straight forward. I can vouch for the River Rock lights as either of them are nearly absent of spill and available at Target.

Personally I don't think the old school Inova X1 is bright enough. It's probably only 5-10 lumens.

JLEGG · Oct 8, 2008

how about a fenix E20
Can adjust down to just throw

defloyd77 · Oct 9, 2008

Gerber Firecracker uses a TIR optic and has a nice tight beam.

defloyd77 · Oct 9, 2008

Double post.

Best choice for a light with little spill

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