BEST "OVERALL" SINGLE CR123 LIGHT AVAILABLE

[LBD]

:wave:
Kind of an open question.
I am looking to buy a single CR123 light.
I want rechargable battery compatability, very durable (drop on concrete), very pocketable (smaller is better), very bright with the latest LED available and also a decent beam.
Price is not an issue but i do not necessarily need the most expensive.
I am also looking for one that has a simple user interface.
I don't need or want a quadzillion output levels, but a few would be alright if that is all that is available.
I don't know which is better, twisty or clicky.
Any suggestions?
Thanks for any replies.
LBD

 

[HoopleHead]

NovaTac 120P

 

[PhantomPhoton]

New to the market and possibly still on backorder a bit, but definitely one of the most durable lights available. The Ra Twisty. Definitely worth a look.
There are plenty of other possibilities out there too. Ranging from a Fenix P2D, to more limited production creations like a Lunasol or a Gatlight.

 

[paulr]

You are asking for things that are in tension with one another. You want a small light and you want a rugged light. Small lights are small because they use thin walls and fine threads. That goes against ruggedness. The most rugged 1x123 light is the Ra Twisty which is what HDS made after moving on from Novatac. It is quite bulky and heavy for a 123 light (about 3 ounces) but it is bombproof. Someone on a backpacking thread compared it to a 4-season bombproof mountaineering tent, i.e. a great item but overkill for most ordinary users. Something like a Fenix P1 series is much smaller and about half the weight, but doesn't compare in toughness. You have to choose your own priorities.

 

[tricker]

wait a while and see how the arcLS does.....i hear a novatac beam is beautiful and the Ra is indestructible.....lets see if the LS puts those together


though i still love my p1d Q5

 

[Gunner12]

The Nitecore Extreme also seems interesting.

So does the Arc6.

I prefer clickie because it allows easy one handed operation.

 

[:)>]

Here are my picks:

1. McGizmo Ti PD-S... The king of 1 x CR123 lights. Price not a consideration.
2. Ti Nautilus... If price is not a consideration but size is.
3. Ra Twisty... If price is a consideration and a clicky is not needed.
4. Novatac 120P... If price is a consideration and a clicky is needed.
5. Ra Clicky... If you can wait, this just may be the new king or co-king of the hill.
6. Arc 6... If you can wait and you want a smaller light that promises to be pretty wonderful.

Any of the lights on this list are fantastic.

 

[Yapo]

I'd suggest a P1D Q5 as it is small,solid,simple,bright and can run on 3.7v rcr123 but it does lose it's 3 different levels of light until the voltage drops lower but for me it can be a good thing in a way as it acts as a low battery indicator for me. It feels nice and solid and it can probably take a fair few "normal use" falls on concrete with no problem or a P1 CE if u want simpler and cheaper but it's not as bright...
or maybe a Novatac 120P/T/E or an RA twisty as mentioned before for more ruggedness and $$

 

[craigberesh]

If you can wait a short time I would recommend the ARC 6

 

[ROK]

The BitZ is another candidate.

 

[LED_Thrift]

The AmiLite T5 has the nicest beam I've seen in a single cr123 light, though I certainly haven't seen them all. It's a bit floodier than most, but it does have a hotspot. It has two levels, great build quality. It is a clicky, and relatively small. I think it is about $75, IIRC.

Peak Caribbean might also be considered. Tremendous build quality, great beam, and very good efficiency. However, it is only one level.

 

[curlyfry562]

The new Nitecore defender infinite, they just got them in at TAD

http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme gear/flashlights main/extreme_infinity.htm

$88.00

200Lumens

 

[cernobila]

How about the Fenix P2D Rebel 100 or even better, the Wolf-Eyes Angel C which can run on both, the CR123 and the RCR123 without loosing any levels.

 

[LED_Thrift]

One note: almost any [possibly every]single cr123 light can run on 3.0v rechargeables [from BatteryJunction or AW]. The only thing is they don't have high capacity, so runtime is short. They do give you the rechargeable option for a light that can't handle 3.7v, though.

 

[gswitter]

Another vote for the Ra Twisty - easily my favorite light right now.

I'd also add the Surefire L1 Cree, since no one's mentioned it yet.

 

[dmz]

Nitecore Extreme

 

[Gladius01]

Fenix P1D 180 lumens Q5

 

[yaesumofo]

The Surefire E1B is a fantastic light with 2 levels a simple UI and is one of the brightest single cell lights on the market. It has a lifetime USA warrantee it is made in the USA and costs aroound $100.00
You simply can't go wrong with the E1B.
On the other hand....
Maybe the HDS ra clicky. an arc 6 killer.
a mclux PD -s is a great light. Or a Lunasol 27 or 20...
any of the older MrBulk flashlights.
The Novatac 120P Is fantastic
Yaesumofo

 

[Oddjob]

The McLux III PD-S and the Ra Twisty top my list but I am partial to simple twistie UI's.

 

[davedds]

Cheap but for 23 bucks why not??? --> Romisem RC-N3 modded with a Q5 in it. You can find it in the "dealers corner" here at cpf...It can use a CR123, 2AA's, and even a RCR123... Check it out...