Help me choose...

[Rusty Joe]

...the best thrower tactical clicky LED for under $100 bucks and where (not online!) I can get the lil' bugger.

 

[Rusty Joe]

And regulation is important. Size, second.

 

[TomH]

Check out the PT series lights from Streamlight.

http://www.streamlight.com/product/class.aspx?cid=30

I EDC the PT 1AA and absolutely love it.

Streamlight has a product locator on their website, but you should be able to find these lights at your local police/uniform supply store.

 

[CarpentryHero]

The Streamlight Supertac. Call around at local gun shops or check online for local suppliers. Not sure were your located, so naming stores I know is pointless unless you live nearby

 

[Rusty Joe]

The Streamlight Supertac. Call around at local gun shops or check online for local suppliers. Not sure were your located, so naming stores I know is pointless unless you live nearby

I'm in San Antonio, TX now, so Academy and others have them, but these aren't batting 300-ish lumens.

 

[CarpentryHero]

True but it outthrows everything I own except my HID hehe.
Not sure were the SolarforceUSA fellas are located.
A Solarforce L2M or L2P with the R5 dropin and a masterpeace pro head might work.
Maglite 2D with the Rebel LED is an affordable option.
Could ROP mod a 2D Incan maglite for under 100usd. Tough to find all the components locally.
1100 lumens of Incandescent awesomeness.
Pelican D3854 bulb, metal reflector, better glass and 7.2 volts (6AA too 2D cell works)

 

[CarpentryHero]

San Antonio and under $100. What brands have you seen around?
TiabloA10 was 100usd on the website, but I'm not sure which stores carry it down there. I'm in Canada. I apologize for not being able to help better

 

[Rusty Joe]

San Antonio and under $100. What brands have you seen around?
TiabloA10 was 100usd on the website, but I'm not sure which stores carry it down there. I'm in Canada. I apologize for not being able to help better

Oh, we got everything down here, and at better prices than the forsaken north...though I love you guys' weather. If only you had Mexican food. :thumbsup:

I have Inova, Mag, and Fenix (TK11), among others. So when I say 300 lumens, I mean out-the-front and considerably over 340-50. This Tiablo should be brighter than that, but I see it's not. And the TK11 is nice, but not throwy enough [RANT: why are so many of these high-power buggers flood lights?]

Believe it or not, the Coleman Max 90 lumen has become my go-to light for almost everything. It throws nearly like a Mag, has great un-dimming runtime (9 hours' worth), has a strike bezel [SECOND RANT: why don't more high-end lights come with these?], and can stand on end, unlike nearly every other light, cheap or expensive, I've ever owned.

And I'm still not over the fact that the lumens hype that has me and everyone here taken almost seems like a myth. These super-leds aren't as bright as the incans 50 lumens weaker than them. Don't give me that "lumen increases are not always visible to the human eye" biness. Rating system should be more accomodating to the eyes.

Guess I'm going with the ROP. I'm actually excited about it. I've heard it's the cat's meow. Are there any prepackaged kits with the parts all together?

 

[nbp]

Guess I'm going with the ROP. I'm actually excited about it. I've heard it's the cat's meow. Are there any prepackaged kits with the parts all together?

I built a ROP and it's great, but it really isn't what you asked for originally* and you are not going to be able to get all those parts without going online, so how is that an acceptable option based on the OP?

And if it IS acceptable to buy online, then you should strike that statement from the OP and you will probably get a bunch more suggestions. There's a gazillion hosts and dropins that would probably make you happy if you weren't restricted to buying locally, which it would seem you aren't if you're going to build a ROP.



*A ROP modded maglite is not a tactical clicky, not LED, probably not under $100 unless you've got batteries/charger already, and certainly not well regulated. :shrug:

 

[Rusty Joe]

I built a ROP and it's great, but it really isn't what you asked for originally* and you are not going to be able to get all those parts without going online, so how is that an acceptable option based on the OP?

And if it IS acceptable to buy online, then you should strike that statement from the OP and you will probably get a bunch more suggestions. There's a gazillion hosts and dropins that would probably make you happy if you weren't restricted to buying locally, which it would seem you aren't if you're going to build a ROP.



*A ROP modded maglite is not a tactical clicky, not LED, probably not under $100 unless you've got batteries/charger already, and certainly not well regulated. :shrug:

Point taken, my friend. I've moved past my gripes. A 2 D Mag will have to suit me for throw and power. I have my little tactical clicky, I guess. Either that or I'll have to start my own flashlight company! lol

I'll buy online.

How fast will the ROP drop in lumen output?

 

[nbp]

There are a number of good ROP threads that may have better answers than me, but I can give a ballpark. I usually never run mine till it's dead, but IIRC you get about 25-30 min burntime with 6AA cells with the 3854 HI bulb. In my experience with good LSD cells like Eneloops the majority of the time is pretty even output and then it goes from bright to dead in like 2 or 3 minutes. So I suppose my earlier statement was only partially true, it's sort of regulated by the discharge curve of the cells which is decent with good batteries, but runtime isn't that great. Hope I didn't confuse you more, I'm not a battery expert.

 

[hotlight]

next time you're in Houston, you can check out lighthound...... if you ordered online, you'd probably get it next day.

it's like being in a gun store, but with flashlights/li ions/other cool stuff you aren't going to find at any other brick and mortar.