Budget thrower

[Prat]

Hey all, new here, cool forum! :thumbsup:

I'm looking for a "beater" thrower for under $50 that I won't get too upset if I lose or break and that I can signal pilots in airplanes with.

Seriously, I want it to throw as far as possible for the price! Any brand or non-brand will do (DX specials) and the cheaper the better! But I would like it to hopefully last more than a month!

It will be mostly just for fun, to spot wildlife in a local county park that I cycle at night (I'm tired of seeing things bounding away in the moonlight!).

Compact would be nice, but I know throwers aren't small and I will have room in my bike pack or jacket to put this in so larger than EDC is fine.

So what's your pick? So far I have seen the Ultrafire WF-008 Cree Q5-WC 5-Mode 230-Lumen LED Flashlight (1*18650) recommended. I don't really know much about or care about what batteries are good, but I suppose 18650 is the best?

Help me spend some $$$ on a fun toy! Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[superpila]

Hey all, new here, cool forum! :thumbsup:

I'm looking for a "beater" thrower for under $50 that I won't get too upset if I lose or break and that I can signal pilots in airplanes with.

Seriously, I want it to throw as far as possible for the price! Any brand or non-brand will do (DX specials) and the cheaper the better! But I would like it to hopefully last more than a month!

It will be mostly just for fun, to spot wildlife in a local county park that I cycle at night (I'm tired of seeing things bounding away in the moonlight!).

Compact would be nice, but I know throwers aren't small and I will have room in my bike pack or jacket to put this in so larger than EDC is fine.

So what's your pick? So far I have seen the Ultrafire WF-008 Cree Q5-WC 5-Mode 230-Lumen LED Flashlight (1*18650) recommended. I don't really know much about or care about what batteries are good, but I suppose 18650 is the best?

Help me spend some $$$ on a fun toy! Thanks! :thumbsup:

the Aurora WF-600 should throw slightly better, but it's a bit more expensive and comes in just two modes (well this would be a plus for me)

 

[BlueBeam22]

Get the Stanley 5W Rechargeable LED spotlight $40 from Wal-Mart. That is an unbelievable thrower and will put light on objects past 300 yards. It is very compact and lightweight, and rechargeable too.

 

[worldedit]

What about an Eagle Tac T100C2. Its a quality light within your budget. Its compact, runs regulated on 18650 and throws good with long runtime.

 

[Prat]

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm going to look at every one offered in here!

What about an Eagle Tac T100C2. Its a quality light within your budget. Its compact, runs regulated on 18650 and throws good with long runtime.

I've been thinking about this one actually, but more for a "serious" or "quality" light. I know it's about $50 so it's in my range, but it seems more of a general all purpose light than just a thrower. I'm sure it throws well as has been said, but would it throw AS well as a cheaper light made more for just throwing?

If I could get a cheap thrower (like under $30) that would REALLY throw and then a "better" more general use light for slightly more (like the T100C2 or a Fenix TK10 or 11) that would be the best.

Btw, this will be my first "real" light; I only have a 2 D Maglite now, so I'm sure any nice LED will be great, and maybe a more regular flashlight would throw well enough for me, but I'm really looking for something to blind drivers miles away! (Of course not really, but something really powerful would be fun!).

 

[geek1]

Don't look further, the Romisen RC-C6 Q5 from shiningbeam.

- possibility of insane throw due to aspherical lens
- low budget
- Romisen quality tends to be quite better then other low-budget brands like Ultrafire
- flood option will be very usefull on your bike
- compact/EDC
- excellent regulated driver (constant brightness)
- runs on a single RCR123 or CR123 in case you don't have rechargables and a charger yet

 

[jhc37013]

What about an Eagle Tac T100C2. Its a quality light within your budget. Its compact, runs regulated on 18650 and throws good with long runtime.

+1 Sounds like you need a T100C2. Thats the first light to come to mind when I hear the term "budget thrower" heck its the first light that comes to mind when I hear thrower alone. That or a MG Mini II R2 with turbo head.

 

[Prat]

Don't look further, the Romisen RC-C6 Q5 from shiningbeam.

- possibility of insane throw due to aspherical lens
- low budget
- Romisen quality tends to be quite better then other low-budget brands like Ultrafire
- flood option will be very usefull on your bike
- compact/EDC
- excellent regulated driver (constant brightness)
- runs on a single RCR123 or CR123 in case you don't have rechargables and a charger yet

Looks odd, but cool! It does seem that Romisen is better quality than some other cheap brands, and shiningbeam is a good site.

I should make clear that I'm not looking to put this light on my bike (I actually have little problem riding in the dark, been doing it for years, yes that sounds crazy but try it, it really isn't hard, especially as I don't ride on streets with cars, I drive my bike to a park and ride it's wide gravel and paved trails after dark when hardly anyone is around, especially in the cooler/cold weather I ride in--I'm just starting my riding season and will do so until it gets to hot in June--and then drive my bike home; but I am planning on getting a cheap under $10 LED to mount on my bike), so I am unconcerned about flood: I just want something that throws like nuts (but not something so crazy as a laser lol).

I also don't mind buying rechargeables (I don't have any yet) as they are the better buy, no?

What about this? A copy of the Rapidfire Spear: RQ CREE Q5 LED 2-Mode Flashlight(1*18650)

http://kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductID=5558

 

[Prat]

+1 Sounds like you need a T100C2. Thats the first light to come to mind when I hear the term "budget thrower" heck its the first light that comes to mind when I hear thrower alone. That or a MG Mini II R2 with turbo head.

You really think I'd be impressed enough with the throw on it to not need to go for a cheaper (slightly maybe) no brand thrower?

Maybe I should get it as, like I said, I want a "regular" flashlight anyway and if I wasn't impressed with the throw I could always get a cheaper thrower later.

Is the Mark II kit any advantage? Doesn't it have a smooth reflector that is better for throw? And what about the T20C2? I know it cost more, but is it worth it? Also, isn't the P10C2 supposed to throw better? It's about the same price and smaller...

I don't know how you guys make up your mind with so many choices and considerations to choose from! Maybe that's why so many of you have multiple lights! My poor wallet!

 

[Monocrom]

The current version of the Lowes Task Force 2C model is a very good budget thrower. Decent build-quality too.

 

[ZMZ67]

Keep in mind that the 2D Mag you already have can throw better than most LED lights.The TerraLUX TLE-6EXB drop-in will fit your Mag and is around $20+ shipping.I really like the 2C X 3CR123 Mag Mod for an inexpensive thrower but that uses an incandescent bulb and has short runtime.

 

[geek1]

Well, since you're asking for "nuts" -throw instead of "good" -throw you have 2 options IMO:

1- collimatorhead/aspherical lens
2- recoil mirror construction

Because leds in recoil throwers have less heatsinking service life will be likely shorter, so I suggest an aspherical lens.

 

[geek1]

Keep in mind that the 2D Mag you already have can throw better than most LED lights.The TerraLUX TLE-6EXB drop-in will fit your Mag and is around $20+ shipping.I really like the 2C X 3CR123 Mag Mod for an inexpensive thrower but that uses an incandescent bulb and has short runtime.

A 2D Mag is not quite EDC

edit: oops, didn't see "larger than EDC is fine"

 

[Jay611j]

What about the $20 Husky 2D 200 lumen light from Home Depot? It out throws my TK40.

 

[corvettesR1]

How about one of these with the recoil mirror.http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26121

or maybe this ultrafire.http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26121

 

[Zeruel]

Budget throwers:
MG RX-1
Dorcy Rechargeable
Ultrafire Recoil Led WF-008
DX Super Thrower
X2000 Zoom

 

[fishx65]

The 220 lumen Dorcy is $39.99 shipped from dorcydirect.com (U.S. only). Very solid rechargeable thrower. For around $7.00 each you can also get the holster and a spare battery stick. Nice thing would be not having to puchase batteries all the time.

 

[HitecDrftr]

What about the $20 Husky 2D 200 lumen light from Home Depot? It out throws my TK40.

Actually, these are only $14 now, on clearance at Home Depots everywhere.

(The tags all say $19.99, originally $29.99, but they ring up as $14.)

Won't find a better thrower for the money anywhere.

If you want one, you will probably need the sKu, since they are clearance.

HD part# 039953519048, SKU 626731. It can often be found in an unopened corrugated box now (look above the flashlights in the racks above) using the SKU.

Here are a couple of threads on the Husky:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=209624

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=211092

-Hitec-

 

[Prat]

Guys:

Thanks so much for all the help and recommendations! :twothumbs

I'm going to have to take a little bit to look at all of these and maybe reassess what I really want. Maybe I got too excited in my quest for a first "real" flashlight that I went overboard in my goals, but I've always liked to see how far I can light things up, ever since I was a kid and playing with cheapo flashlights. But then I don't exactly want a spotlight either; it has to be somewhat transportable! (And something the size of my mag is not going to be).

I may end up buying a more general light like one of the Eagletacs and then see if that impresses me enough anyway (I have a feeling it will). Then I could worry about a more specialized thrower if I felt the need to still get one.

I'll let you know, and any other info./suggestions is welcome!

 

[angelofwar]

The ray-o-vac 4 watt from sears??? Workks good on rechargeable C-Cells as well.