If by try to make your own you mean chose your own led and driver combo and fit them to a host (empty flashlight body) yourself then I highly recommend the convoy range. Granted I've not used anything else yet but they are well made and very cheap. The C8 is a great jumping off point, and with an xml2 in a smooth reflector it's a great all rounder, enough throw to see a fair distance with a nice amount of spill to light up what's close around you. You can also get orange peel reflectors for them for about $3, that way you can try different combos and see what works best for you without breaking the bank.