Top throwers using 18650, neutral in color and 6in. or smaller.

ijustwantausername said:

I had no idea flashlights could be this addicting, nor that I would be joining a forum about them, but at any rate I'm looking for those specs. Nothing else really matters other than it needs to be pretty rugged.

I bought a PD35 and it was pretty good but the cool white didn't have the throw or the best light for wooded areas that I need (I hunt/fish/camp). That has now turned into dads Christmas present . I then bought an Eagletac G25C2, MKII, neutral in color and its an awesome flashlight but I figured with such a nice difference over the PD 35 (to my eyes) maybe there is something that pushes the envelope a little more in that size.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

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TEEJ said:

Do you need to SEE anything at long range, or, is ultimate range on a single 18650 light with neutral, and under 6", the only criteria, as stated?

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ijustwantausername said:

Really its both, seeing and ultimate range, if it makes any difference.

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TEEJ said:

Well, its a HUGE difference actually.

To use an extreme example, as per your spec, a laser would be perfect. It could have the maximum range, and, size, cell and color, etc...but, other than a neutral dot on something, you would not see much else.

The next step up would be to an aspheric lensed light, which projects a picture of the LED onto distant objects. These CAN be used to see with, and, are the primary method of maximizing a small light's throw...but its still not a wide beam...its a square (Or whatever shape the LED is) spot of light, with a very tight beam angle, typically between 1.4º and 4º or so.

We use them for shooting, for search and rescue/disaster response and other scenarios where there's no other way to see as far as needed. These lights have almost all of their light in a bright hot spot in the shape of the LED, and there's none or little spill.

The step after that is a reflector-based light, which is a more traditional looking light, in that the beam has a central round hot spot, a corona around that, with some spill (unfocused light that lights up the area right in front of you).

These cannot throw as far, but, they will have a wider beam angle, so the beam is more fanned out, perhaps 6º - 60º, with closer to 10º or less for progressively more throw.


Out of the above options, is there a type that sounds more like what you might want?

Also - If you know a particular range of interest you'd like to be able to see something at, mention what you'd want to be able to see at what range.

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ijustwantausername said:

Haha, the laser part made me laugh. Definitely looking for a flashlight, no lasers. Lets put it this way, since I don't know all of this fancy light jargon, how about something with comparable flood to a G25C2 but with more throw, say a good 75 yards or more throw.

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Wiggle said:

Comes in over 6" by 1/8" or so but I also recommend the Armytek Predator 2.5.

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