To 18650 or not to 18650?

I'm trying to decide between the cr123 battery compartment and the 18650 battery compartment. Is the extra run time from the 18650 worth it for the larger size?

Also, does the flush button on an HDS light allow you to tail stand the light?

It depends on your use of the light. I recently purchased a 18650 battery tube without the light for about $185. I did it because I walk my dog pre-dawn and after sunset for 30 to 45 minutes each time, I use my light at max output, and was changing batteries sometimes twice daily. The run time on the 18650 is incredible at over five hours on high with burst enabled.

If you purchase the tube with the light you will not always have an extra tube lying around.

My suggestion, purchase two HDS lights. One with the extended tube and one without. That way you are covered when you want a compact solution and a long battery time run solution. Make sure the two lights have the same user interface - either rotary or clicky - so they can each share the longer battery tube.

I suppose I could buy an 18650 clicky battery tube if the 123 is not enough for my needs. Thanks!

I suppose I could buy an 18650 clicky battery tube separately if the 123 is not enough for my needs. Thanks!

Even with the 18650 tube on it's not a huge edc light. It does take awhile to get used to it after carrying around the standard 123 tube. The runtimes are great and your battery changes will more than likely be few and far between. It really depends on how you use your light. If you use it at work or outdoors for more then an hour or so each day I'd say yes. If you just use it to go to the head at night and help you find that Pesky paperclip you just lost then I'd say no

Thanks for the replies. I'm also trying to decide between a flush or raised button. I may end up carrying this in a holster, but I'm wondering if the flush button allows the light to be stood on it's tail in a stable way. If not I may decide on the raised button.

Very subjective with the flush or raised, me i prefer flush for the easy tail stand ability(candle mode use especially). I have a raised 18650 body, used it for a while but i just prefer the 16340 form/feel in hand or pocket. Flip side, 18650 fed................it will last a lifetime!!! Well almost haha, no need to worry about running out of juice anyway.

With A flush button it tail stands great and makes a very good candle mode light.a raised button is much easier to turn on / off but ya can't tail stand it. Again it all come down to how/what your going to use it for

Spyder333 said:

I suppose I could buy an 18650 clicky battery tube if the 123 is not enough for my needs. Thanks!

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Price it out. Two lights one with the longer battery tube (about $650) versus one light and one battery tube (about $500). If you get the separate battery tube you will always have a battery tube lying around. If you purchase one HDS light, it is almost guaranteed you will purchase another within one year.

Family portrait... My oldest, in the middle. He's all growed up. All because of the 18650s. His younger siblings (on the left) want to be just like him. We're so proud.

Tail standing works great. Camera on lean, not the lights.

Nice Z2 there.

Thanks, from fleabay at a good price. Although I regret missing that OR camo/multicam Z2.

Spyder333 said:

Also, does the flush button on an HDS light allow you to tail stand the light?

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All of my flush button HDS lights tail stand perfectly, although tail standing is not an advertised feature. Sometimes (rarely) air pressure can stretch the rubber button and make tail standing impossible or at least unstable. There's a procedure on the website for equalizing the pressure and restoring things to normal. I have one that is slightly distended from air pressure. It can still tail stand, but it wobbles just a bit.

Also, the rotary 18650 tubes are out of stock. If you want an 18650 tube, then you're exclusively in clicky territory. I also plan to get one soon, either as a stand alone accessory or as part of a complete light.

lion504 said:

Thanks, from fleabay at a good price. Although I regret missing that OR camo/multicam Z2.

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I was on the fence with that one for a week!

I edc my rotary 219b sw45 9080 with the flush 18650 tube. I think it possibly couldn't get much better than this. Lots of quality light for a long period and I think the longer tube is still very much edc able.

I think it's worth having at least 1 18650 in the family but i think I prefer the shorter length of the 123.

Really depends on your daily usage vs pocket size, for me my first HDS (EDC Executive) I went with the CR123 body as I was (still am) using primary cells, I mainly use it on medium 9 lumens so 1 battery lasted me about 7 months before I noticed the output step down when using maximum occasionally. Then for my second light (EDC LE) I again opted for the CR123 body as you can't beat it for pocket carry, FWIW I was used to carrying a smaller Protac 1L and similar sized Malkoff MDC SHO.

If I were to use the light daily on high or maximum I'd want to buy the 18650 body, but then again if I needed high output all the time I'd probability opt for a Streamlight Strion or even a Stinger instead and keep the HDS CR123 as a backup.