Help me pick my next 18650 EDC light

[MedusaOblongata]

I've been EDCing the same copper Lumintop Prince for 3 1/2 years, and it's starting to become unreliable. Sometimes it won't turn on, sometimes it will change modes randomly. I figure these lights don't last forever.

I carry it in a leather pouch in my back pocket that also holds a LM Free P4 and CRKT Ripple, so size is very important. It needs to be no longer than 4.6" (117mm) and no wider (at the widest point, not counting the clip) than 1" (25mm).
I would prefer a light that can take a 18650 or primaries.
Clicky tailcap switch is a must.
My use of it is what you would call general. Sometimes indoors, sometimes outdoors, sometimes I need just a few lumens, other times bright is good. Moonlight mode doesn't matter, I've never found 3 or 5 lumens to be too bright.
A little bit more throw than flood, but not looking for a throw monster and definitely don't want a light that gets too long or wide for my pocket.

Infinitely variable brightness would be great if possible (I liked my old Nitecore IFE2 and Sunwayman V10R), whether through ramping or a ring (or another method?).

I carry the same light every day, I neither baby it nor beat it up much.
I'm not a tint snob.

Price range should be under $100, and I'm definitely not looking for something cheap and unreliable.
Weight is not really important.
A slightly crenelated bezel is fine, but I don't want alligator teeth.

I do like copper, but that's really not an important factor.
I'll probably carry the thing every day until it stops working well, or until it feels outdated in 5 years and I can get 3x the runtime and lumens in the same size.

I've seen some threads and videos of the FW3A, but they're over a year old. Is that a good choice?

Thank you,

 

[Katherine Alicia]

if I was buying again from the start and I wanted "dual fuel" so I could run primaries as well then a P60 based light would be my choice, the Seraph SP-6 (or UniqueFire R5 is the same light for half the price!) will do 18650 and Cr123 primaries and you can swap out the light module anytime you like for something more suitable to a given task.

 

[yellow]

ANY good 18650 host (that fits the users "needs")
.+ the actual technology P60 led insert
.
... and i do not get why that is not standard for anyone, at least cpf readers, for at least 15 years.

 

[thermal guy]

It's a little over your budget but take a look at Malkoff's. A MD2 would fit your bill and you can upgrade it to whatever output/tint you want as you go.

 

[Rafael Jimenez]

Malkoff MD2 with high/low switch. It will last for ever, and is reliable. This is if you only want a 1 18650 light. I like the Hound dog a lot! uses 2 18650's.

 

[Scotty321]

How about the copper Acebeam TK18 with Osram LED's (for more throw)?

https://www.acebeam.com/tk18-cu-18650-edc-flashlight

 

[lion504]

Copper Convoy S2+ with Biscotti FW.

 

[ledbetter]

Forget foreign. Forget electronic switches.KISS! Which equals Malkoff, Surefire, Elzetta or Fraz Labs. They will always work, they hold their value, and are easy to update with newer leds. I've stopped even looking at the latest offerings with 10000 lumens, plug in charging, multiple light indicators, etc. Just more crap to fail the first time you drop it. I think they have planned obsolescence like modern phones, though my ifone 5 is still surviving.

 

[Olumin]

I second the Malkoff MD2 (with Hi/Low switch) recommendation. Its a bit over your budget but you wont regret it. Since you are looking for something primarily reliable, its an obvious choice.

 

[draver]

I have just cheaped out and now have the Sofirn SC31 Pro as EDC. I bought 4 of them so far. One for me and my wife's night stands, one for my bathrobe and one for my pocket EDC. The price, versatility, quality and UI all were factors. I love the flexibility that Anduril gives this light. It would be a very nice light without it, but it really "Shines" with all the UI features. Good throw and great flood, easy access strobe, moonlight, and turbo. Illuminated side switch, and less than $30 with discounts AND a decent battery. $1.99 magnetic tail cap, cheap 18350 battery tube, different color temps, USB "C" charging etc. You can tailor it to be as basic or complex as you wish.

 

[MedusaOblongata]

Thank you guys for all the suggestions. I really appreciate it. I've got some more research to do for sure. Some of those suggested are either too long or have side switches instead of tailcap, but I'm reading about them all and other threads to find out what else is out there that I don't know about.

Aren't most P60 compatible lights wider than 1" and/or longer than 4.5"? I thought that was why I hadn't gone that direction before, but maybe there are more compact versions than I knew about.

 

[adamlau]

Jumping on the MD2 + High/Low suggestion bandwagon. Simple. Reliable. The SST-20 in the M61 has good enough throw for outdoor use. You probably don't want to go with anything Osram as they will eat through cells.

 

[Owen]

Aren't most P60 compatible lights wider than 1" and/or longer than 4.5"? I thought that was why I hadn't gone that direction before, but maybe there are more compact versions than I knew about.

You've been a member long enough to know that most people don't even bother to read what they're replying to on here

I get the Malkoff love and all(of my 6 handheld flashlights, 4 are Malkoffs, and 3 are MD2s), but that doesn't make them fit in your pocket.
My old and new EDC lights are both Zebralights, so they don't meet your criteria, either.

The Convoy S2, Klarus E series lights, and that Acebeam TK18 are what came to my mind when reading your list, due to their size. I don't actually know anything about them, have just looked at them on the internet.
The Klarus E1 and TK18 interest me, so I'll suggest those
Talk about bias, though. Part of me automatically distrusts them, because they don't cost enough!
The Convoy S2 is really intriguing, too. You can buy it as a host, and build it yourself, and I've read it's easy to fit a McClicky in the tail. Hmmm...

 

[adamlau]

You've been a member long enough to know that most people don't even bother to read what they're replying to on here

lol....Convoy is one of the few CN choices I trust. Square threads! Simple drivers, will customize beyond what their Aliexpress store advertises to suit your needs within reason, good overall build quality, responsive CS and very receptive to the enthusiast community. Most P60 hosts I have come across are not wider than 1" due in part that most firearm mounts for lights are tailored for 1" wide hosts.

 

[Owen]

Convoy is one of the few CN choices I trust. Square threads...good overall build quality, responsive CS

Stop it, you're gonna push me over the edge!
I don't even know where my soldering iron is, or have my modding toolbox any more.

Thread drift...sorry!

 

[lightfooted]

Olight Warrior Mini. It's my EDC nowadays but it has some issues according to some folks. The proprietary cell is the only major drawback to it. But if you think of it more like a phone then it's not so bad. Replacing the cell after 3-4 years may not even be needed as you may have moved on to something else entirely or at the very least will just spend the cost of the original light on the branded cell to replace it. There have been issues where the light has turned on for some folks while in their pocket. It's happened to me once but was totally my fault. You could also try to find an older Olight M2T...I've seen some still for sale on a few sites. I have one of these as well. Great light but really should have had the two level output like the Mini instead of Hi-Strobe like it does.

I like my FW3A but I'm not sure it's a great EDC. It just doesn't feel like it could be dropped without doing damage to something inside. Personal opinion though, it might actually survive very well.

 

[Beard Man]

Malkoff MD2 with high/low switch! :twothumbs

 

[liteboy]

If you like the sunwayman v10 (I did and regret gifting mine), then the Jetbeam RRT01 Raptor is very similar, just slightly larger and thicker, able to accommodate 18350 cells. It even has body kit to extend length to 18650 but makes the light look ugly IMO. However. If you don't mind asthetics, that will be your first choice!
The RRT2 is 18650 and 21700 and has a rotary ring as well but not infinite brightness. Both have rear forward clicky.

I highly suggest you check out skylumen.com for a wide variety of options from a guy (vinh) who mods these lights, making them brighter and customizable re LED brand and color temperature. He also makes custom P60 dropins that stand with the best out there. Many flavors to choose from, single throwers, triples, quads, mules, etc

Photos from L to R
Surefire 6p with Cryos bezel and Oveready triple dropin
Lumens factory titanium host with VOB dropin
Jetbeam rrt01 with body kit in background

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[BLUE LED]

The Notigon KR4 is similar to the Lumintop FW3; it's just newer. They are not throwers, so i what you are require more throw then maybe the KR1 with it's choice of LED's

• W1 (Osram CSLNM1.TG): 900 Lm, 110,000 cd
• W2 (Osram CSLPM1.TG): 1300 Lm. 100,000cd
• CREE XP-L HI, with 3 choices: 6500K / 5000K / 4000K: 1300 Lm, 45.000cd
• Luminus SST40 with 2 choices: 5000K / 6500K: 2200 Lm, 29.000cd
• 
  

The numbers are a little higher than what you will receive, but it's not far off.

 

[BigusLightus]

I've EDC'd a dozen or so lights through the years. My absolute fav was some version of the Zebra H600. I carry it on my belt in the smallest SolarForce holster. It might not meet all your spec's but most lights are a compromise of some sort.

If you have the space for a 6P size light then the Malkoff MD2 hi/lo with M61 Neutral hi cri is my favorite.