Highest quality 5mm cluster lights

[enLIGHTenment]

What are the the best built 5mm LED cluster lights on the market at the moment? Has anything displaced the Inova X5 and Peak Mckinley or are they still the best built 5mm cluster lights available?

(I'm looking for something relatively small, with a wide flood, for map reading. Cluster lights usually fit this requirement better than traditional single emitter lights.)

 

[Flying Turtle]

I consider the original Photon Proton to be a higher than average quality cluster light. While I now also have the newer Proton Pro the older Proton still gets plenty of use around the house, mainly because of its smooth beam. To me it has a quality "feel", and its variable levels plus red LED is just icing on the cake. It's plenty small (1AA) and the pocket clip works well. Other cluster lights may give a wider flood, as these seem optimized for throw. Not sure, but I imagine this older Proton is still pretty easy to find.

Geoff

 

[Marduke]

I consider the original Photon Proton to be a higher than average quality cluster light. While I now also have the newer Proton Pro the older Proton still gets plenty of use around the house, mainly because of its smooth beam. To me it has a quality "feel", and its variable levels plus red LED is just icing on the cake. It's plenty small (1AA) and the pocket clip works well. Other cluster lights may give a wider flood, as these seem optimized for throw. Not sure, but I imagine this older Proton is still pretty easy to find.

Geoff

+1 to the updated Photon Proton with Nichia DS's

 

[2sparky]

I think pentagon lights has a model with a cluster of 5mm LEDs its called the S2 and comes in black or olive and looks pretty cool to boot.

 

[KeyGrip]

I'd go for the Peak because of their use of "Snow" emitters and the different power levels available.

 

[jufam44]

I'm still a fan of the X5-it's a great little light, and loves 123a cells my surefire spits out after they're "used up." The runtime on the thing is amazing, and IMHO bright enough for general purposes uses.

 

[quatra2008]

x5

 

[jdong]

Throw in another vote for the Inova X5 -- wonderful light, I've had it for almost a year and no complaints at all.

 

[mrmike]

I happen to really like the Streamlight Pro-Polymer with the 7 LEDs for floody use.

 

[RWT1405]

+1 on the Inova X5!

 

[cave dave]

I would think the X5 is a bit bright for reading a map :thinking:

The Zebralight is all flood and very smooth, and many single emitter lights can achieve all flood by removing the reflector or using a diffuser.

My personal best bet is any 1" diameter light (think Novatac) with the Surefire F04 beamshaper.

 

[Khaytsus]

http://tinyurl.com/2vkr4j



The ultimate showerhead flashlight.

 

[Alero]

Another vote for the X5. However, my favorite is the TekTite Expedition series, especially the 300 with 7 LEDs.

 

[jdong]

http://tinyurl.com/2vkr4j



The ultimate showerhead flashlight.

lol that just SCREAMS "exponential decay discharge curve" to me tao=30m if you're lucky.

 

[asdalton]

Another vote for the X5. However, my favorite is the TekTite Expedition series, especially the 300 with 7 LEDs.

+1

I'm holding onto two TekTite lights--a 12-led and a 2-led version--just because they're built so well. They also have consistently warm tints, which is almost unheard of in 5-mm LEDs.

 

[Xak]

I don't own one, but Pentagon makes a clustered LED light that looks very high quality.

http://www.pentagonlight.com/item_detail.cfm__id.128