vacation light! Traveling by car through Europe

theburtse · Mar 28, 2016

Hi There!

looking for a light to do duty during vacation. looking for the 1" format.
I like a stainless steel bezel (crenelated or not) but it might not be utterly important.
I picture something that could slip into my jeans while going out for evening dinner
as well as standing on the night stand at hotels.

Moon light mode is important for reading whilethe rest of the family is asleep.
18650 batteries are mandatory. Maybe look at some animals in the
dark from the car and...well...you never know!

I don't like the usb rechargeable:s

Been browsing the EAGTAC D25LC2 Tactical, Nitecore P12GT (both w XP-L HI v3 emitters)...
pls advice!

====Flashlight Recommendation Checklist================

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

____I don't know yet
____Up to $25.
____Up to $50.
____Up to $100.
__x__Up to $200.
____Up to $300.
____Essentially unlimited.

4) Size:

____MICRO - Keychain size.
____TINY - Every day carry (2-4 inches).
___x_SMALL - Every day carry (4-7 inches).
____MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7 inches)
____LARGE - Big enough to need its own travel case.
____I don't know/I don't care.

7) What power source do you want to use?

18650

8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is not a happy experience).

__x__I want search and rescue type illumination (800+ lumens).

9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.

____All Flood: I am doing "arms length" tasks like reading and campsite cooking.
____Wide Flood: I want a defined flood area for semi-close tasks like after-dark campsite tasks or working on a car.
_x___Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.
_x___Wide Throw: I want a beam with a noticeable hot-center for distance throw and a significant amount of "side-spill". Good for rough trail hiking, search and rescue, and general distance work.
_x___Narrow Throw: I want a beam with a very tight "hot center" and minimal "side-spill". Good for distance viewing, fog, and looking through dense undergrowth.
____Turbohead: I want a far-distance projector with a sharply focused spot of light and minimal or zero side-spill. Good for extreme distance and impressing your friends.

9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light (check all that apply)
____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
____Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
____30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
__x__50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
__x__150+ yards (I am searching from a helicopter)
ours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).

11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.

____Not Important (A "night-stand" light).
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
____Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
__x__Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't know.

17) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any/all below.

____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
____Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
___(x)_Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking, Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

Parrot Quack · Mar 28, 2016

A Nitecore MH20GT to be released for general sales in about three weeks.

A Nitecore SRT6 or SRT7.

mcnair55 · Mar 28, 2016

Good choice in the Eagletac.

Kudzu · Mar 28, 2016

How do you feel about P60 hosts and drop-ins? My absolute favorite light right now is a PFlexPro drop-in in a Solarforce host. You can get any bezel you want, or a couple and change them. I went for a Nichia 219B emitter for the amazing color, but he sells XML2's and XPL's as well.

He uses a driver with a choice of 22 mode groups. Fully potted. It uses (unnoticeable) PWM, but nothing's perfect. Otherwise, it's perfect.

theburtse · Mar 29, 2016

@Parrot Quack: for the required 1" format (more "pocket friendliness") the SRT5 seems more appropriate
@Kudzu: Will look into that more! Unaware of the P60 "mix-n-go" concept!
@Mcnair55: Do you have 1:st hand experience of the EAGTAC D25LC2?

More lights to consider in this size?

theburtse · Mar 29, 2016

Kudzu! the P60 is a "bigger" light, right? not 1" flush....:ironic:

mcnair55 · Mar 29, 2016

theburtse said:
@Parrot Quack: for the required 1" format (more "pocket friendliness") the SRT5 seems more appropriate
@Kudzu: Will look into that more! Unaware of the P60 "mix-n-go" concept!
@Mcnair55: Do you have 1:st hand experience of the EAGTAC D25LC2?

More lights to consider in this size?

I have the D25A clicky and the D25C clicky and as the D25LC2 is on offer from one of the UK vendors will be adding it to the collection on the basis of how good the single cells units have been for me.

Parrot Quack · Mar 29, 2016

A JETBeam RRT0SE. But it uses RCR123 or AA batteries.

http://www.jetbeamlight.com/ShowProducts.asp?ID=5

theburtse · Mar 29, 2016

Parrot Quack said:
A JETBeam RRT0SE. But it uses RCR123 or AA batteries.

http://www.jetbeamlight.com/ShowProducts.asp?ID=5

But fot JETBeams, the WL-S2 fits the bill more, right?

theburtse · Mar 29, 2016

mcnair55 said:
I have the D25A clicky and the D25C clicky and as the D25LC2 is on offer from one of the UK vendors will be adding it to the collection on the basis of how good the single cells units have been for me.

Could you pls send me the link to the vendor? In a PM maybe? :thumbsup:

Parrot Quack · Mar 29, 2016

theburtse said:
But fot JETBeams, the WL-S2 fits the bill more, right?

I don't know. The RRT0SE is a sweet pocket light I used in my work. I'm now retired. It's smaller and lighter. If that's what you want, the RRT0SE is your light. If the larger and heavier WL-S2 is your light, then the RRT0SE is not your light. Personally, my EDC is a key fob based light (Nitecore TUBE) and for every day use, I like a larger light, the Nitecore EC4S. But that's me. My next light purchase in the collection is expected to be a Nitecore MH20GT.

Tre_Asay · Mar 29, 2016

Zebralights have a selection of brightness levels that are hard to beat in their class.

Kudzu · Mar 29, 2016

theburtse said:
Kudzu! the P60 is a "bigger" light, right? not 1" flush....:ironic:

You're right - the head is about 1.25 inches in diameter. You can get the same emitter and driver built into a Convoy S2+ body from PFlexPro, which is more pocketable, but you lose the customization options.

Zebralight is also a great choice.

Poppy · Mar 29, 2016

theburtse,
I agree with you in that I like the cigar shaped lights 1 inch from front to back as general purpose lights.
Many manufacturers make them and you may be splitting hairs defining one as much better than another.

It seems that last year everyone was recommending the EagleTac D25CL2 and it seems that everyone who has one is happy with it. I don't have one. But a have a couple in that body style.

Like mcnair55, I also have the D25a clicky, and the D25a2 mini. I like them both and wouldn't hesitate to get another Eagletac. They are quality lights.

Lights with that body style, will not typically reach out much beyond 200 feet effectively, so if you want to occasionally see further, but don't want to spend much on a light that won't be your edc, you might look at the Convoy C8 light, only about $18 and it is a good mid range thrower. Single 18650 light.

Other lights similar in body style to the D25CL2 are the Fenix Pd35, Convoy S2+ (there is one with a stainless benzel, but unless you get it modified they don't have a moonlight.)

Here are some that selfbuilt tested a few years ago
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...d-up-Review-(D25C-D25A2-D25LC2-XM-L-amp-XP-G)

Eagletac D25LC2: Weight: 50.0g, Length: 116.3mm, Width (bezel): 22.5mm
4Sevens Quark Q123-2 X (Regular tailcap): Weight: 44.6g, Length: 112.7mm, Width (bezel) 22.0mm
Jetbeam PC20: Weight: 60.0g, Length: 127.5mm, Width (bezel): 22.6mm
Lumintop ED20: Weight 84.4g, Length 121.6mm, Width (bezel) 25.2mm
Spark SL6: Weight 77.8g, Length: 125.5mm, Width (bezel) 30.9mm
Thrunite TN12: Weight: 64.0g, Length: 126.9mm, Width (bezel): 24.1mm
Zebralight SC600: Weight 87.2g, Length: 107.8mm, Width (bezel) 29.7mm

KeepingItLight · Mar 29, 2016

In the 1" format, the Nitecore P12GT that you found may fit the bill. Another possibility is the ZebraLight SC600 Mk. III HI.

Since you will probably want a backup light, you might buy a compact thrower to fill that role. The upcoming Nitecore MH20GT or the Astrolux S2 both feature the Cree XP-L HI emitter. On a budget, the Convoy C8 or the ThorFire C8s can do the same job, albeit, with a lesser emitter.

Of these, I own the S2 and the C8s. Actually, my "S2" is the BLF Kronos X6. It is identical to the S2, made by the same company. Only the name is different. I believe the S2 will out-throw all the other lights listed in this post. My "C8s" is actually the ThorFire C8, a close sibling of the C8s.

I have a P12GT on the way.

mcnair55 · Mar 29, 2016

theburtse said:
Could you pls send me the link to the vendor? In a PM maybe? :thumbsup:

Sorted,pm on way.

Poppy · Mar 29, 2016

Two other lights to look at are the skilhunt DS21 and DS21 HI
I am not sure but I THINK that the DS21 will throw a broader beam than the DS21 HI, but the DS21 HI will reach out further.

For a general purpose light I prefer a broader beam.

The C8 mentioned above, and the P60 dropins do have larger heads. One could carry a P60 benzel up in a back pocket of jeans, well actually a C8 too, but not into a restaurant, and still look classy.

theburtse · Mar 30, 2016

hmmm... i think (hope

) I'm down to three:
The DS21 HI, ZL SC600w HI or EAGTAC DX30LC2....or the very cool DX30LC2-SR

Any thoughts 'bout these? The ZL is good because i already know the interface, so some convenience there.

(The P12GT, M1X Striker and WL-S2 among others just seems to be too long IMHO (ca 140mm or thereabouts)

Red Bird · Mar 30, 2016

I too am looking for a new light for an upcoming trip to the UK and France. We visit family there every couple of years or so. In the UK we stay at typical small villages with minimal street lighting. In France it will be a farm house surrounded by kms and kms of fields and orchards, with no street lights (dark). Last trip I took my Quark QTA (single AA) for indoors and my first-generation Fenix PD35 for outdoors.

The Quark was perfect for night time bathroom breaks in pitch black, set at 4 lumens. The PD35, on its lowest setting of 10 lumens, was too bright for that task. Also, while a great light for my home turf surrounded by lots of trees, I found it lacking in the open fields when I had to go fetch people for supper.

I am looking for a new pocketable thrower for outdoors. I have an Olight M22 thrower which I treasure, but it might be a bit too big to carry around in the pocket of a pair of cargo shorts. I am looking too at the ZL SC600w HI and the DX30LC2, and am favouring the latter at the moment. It should suit those out-in-the-field-trips as well as something "tactical" for nights at the pub (I like the one press HIGH). There is insufficient data on the throw of the new ZL for me to buy it now, plus I will need to buy a couple of flat top batteries (all my current stock are protected Panasonics).

I also own a ZL SC52W headlight, so am familiar with their UI and that too will be travelling. Just thinking an easy-to-use thrower might be best for this trip. Depending on your budget, maybe a single floody AA for indoors and a goofing-around thrower for outdoors, depending on where you are staying?

mcnair55 · Mar 30, 2016

Red Bird said:
I too am looking for a new light for an upcoming trip to the UK and France. We visit family there every couple of years or so. In the UK we stay at typical small villages with minimal street lighting. In France it will be a farm house surrounded by kms and kms of fields and orchards, with no street lights (dark). Last trip I took my Quark QTA (single AA) for indoors and my first-generation Fenix PD35 for outdoors.

The Quark was perfect for night time bathroom breaks in pitch black, set at 4 lumens. The PD35, on its lowest setting of 10 lumens, was too bright for that task. Also, while a great light for my home turf surrounded by lots of trees, I found it lacking in the open fields when I had to go fetch people for supper.

I am looking for a new pocketable thrower for outdoors. I have an Olight M22 thrower which I treasure, but it might be a bit too big to carry around in the pocket of a pair of cargo shorts. I am looking too at the ZL SC600w HI and the DX30LC2, and am favouring the latter at the moment. It should suit those out-in-the-field-trips as well as something "tactical" for nights at the pub (I like the one press HIGH). There is insufficient data on the throw of the new ZL for me to buy it now, plus I will need to buy a couple of flat top batteries (all my current stock are protected Panasonics).

I also own a ZL SC52W headlight, so am familiar with their UI and that too will be travelling. Just thinking an easy-to-use thrower might be best for this trip. Depending on your budget, maybe a single floody AA for indoors and a goofing-around thrower for outdoors, depending on where you are staying?

Due to an exceptional offer here in the UK and after a good google through all my known info sources I have just ordered the Eagletac D25LC2 mainly due to its smaller size than others running on 18650.

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