Is Flood to Throw lights the best light for Hiking/Camping?

[Ian2381]

I have purchased several flood to throw lights and an aspherical lens to upgrade my Solarforce L2.
It seems that Its much brighter than most of what I currently have.

Torch light C78 (1xAA)
Romisen RC-29
TANK007 TK707 3-Mode (3*AAA)
R2 Led - HeadLamp Zoomable CREE (3xAAA)

I'm thinking of getting the Romisen RC-29 Neutral from shining beam,

Is there any good quality Flood to throw lights out there using AA/AAA?

Thanks.

My brightest lights compared
From Left to right
1. SOLARFORCE L2m w/ Aspherical lens*(1x14500)
2. Solarforce L2 (1x18650)
3. R2 Led - HeadLamp Zoomable CREE (3xAAA)

__________________

 

[choppytubbs]

My buddy was showing me his new light it was adjustable from flood to throw and ran on AAA. I was very impressed. It was not one of the typical brands that you see here often so I cannot remember the full name but it was a P7 Lazer something.

It was a little whiter than my Dereelight XP-G and had a very useful flood and throw. The Diameter was much fatter than the 1" that I have been using due to its battery configuration. Hopefully I have given you enough info to go on or else someone else can chime in. It seems to be a quality built light for around $72 USD.

 

[gcbryan]

Are you asking if there are any flood-to-throw lights out there using a XP-G?

I'm not aware of any.

 

[Ian2381]

I'm really not familiar with emitters but I'm just curious why there aren't any Flood to throw(ZOOM) flashlight made by known manufacturers, or there any?

Its convenient to have a flood and throw in one light so I think this will be great outdoors or am I missing something?:thinking:

 

[Tuikku]

A friend adviced me to get a cheap flood-to-throw lamp for the first light and as all-rounder.

So, I bought a cheap Romisen RC-C6.
I must say zooming is handy sometimes but its a bit annoying to twist and twist and twist for a while if you need to change mode.

 

[gcbryan]

I'm really not familiar with emitters but I'm just curious why there aren't any Flood to throw(ZOOM) flashlight made by known manufacturers, or there any?

Its convenient to have a flood and throw in one light so I think this will be great outdoors or am I missing something?:thinking:

Lenser makes one (name brand Coast in the US). I think they all the same emitters that are in the flashlight that you already have.

I think when you get to the more powerful emitters the aspheric lens that these lights use aren't as effective. You also lose a lot of light with that approach.

I don't really have a concrete answer but I know that some just prefer to buy a "thrower" and put a diffuser on it for flood.

 

[yellow]

correct, led lenser makes the original.

that typed, these foscuing things are not "the best", they are nice to impress ppl who are not into lights.
- do not feature any spill around the main beam
- that focusing thing prevents them from being waterproof,
- add something that can fail eventually
- no good materials of the lens (by now)
- I dont know any - by now - offering multilevel. And imho at least low/high is a need.

set the main beam to the same size of a "normal" reflectored light that has the same emitter and runs at the same power level - the normal light is brighter and offers spill, main beam fading into spill. Not an extreme break between main beam and no light


PS: I have just put an XP-G into the 18650 DX version: works good
(no link possible, the site is in maintainance actually)

 

[Ian2381]

correct, led lenser makes the original.

that typed, these foscuing things are not "the best", they are nice to impress ppl who are not into lights.
- do not feature any spill around the main beam
- that focusing thing prevents them from being waterproof,
- add something that can fail eventually
- no good materials of the lens (by now)
- I dont know any - by now - offering multilevel. And imho at least low/high is a need.

set the main beam to the same size of a "normal" reflectored light that has the same emitter and runs at the same power level - the normal light is brighter and offers spill, main beam fading into spill. Not an extreme break between main beam and no light

PS: I have just put an XP-G into the 18650 DX version: works good
(no link possible, the site is in maintainance actually)

Coast is not a favorite amongst CPF but I have a TANK007 TK707 3-Mode (3*AAA) which looks and feels good I just don't know if its waterproof (probably rainproof).

This Zoom thing got me curios due to the Headlamp I bought out of Ebay, It throws further, beamed the top of our office building (more than 240 meters) and when in flood it is really bright. It was just built cheap and probably not waterproof.

 

[mn_doggie]

I have purchased several flood to throw lights and an aspherical lens to upgrade my Solarforce L2.
It seems that Its much brighter than most of what I currently have.
Thanks.
.
.
.

1. SOLARFORCE L2m w/ Aspherical lens*(1x14500)
2. Solarforce L2 (1x18650)
3. R2 Led - HeadLamp Zoomable CREE (3xAAA)

__________________

Do you remember where you got the aspherical lense for the L2?
I'm interested.
Thanks

 

[Ian2381]

From DX. It really made my L2 a thrower but you will have to cover the reflector to eliminate the ugly spill or better yet get a smoth reflector but I haven't tried yet coz its still in shipment. its the 28 mm aspherical lens thats less than two dollars. Its not in my L2m modded to take AA or 14500.:thumbsup:

 

[Rjkpsmith]

"I'm thinking of getting the Romisen RC-29 Neutral from shining beam,

Is there any good quality Flood to throw lights out there using AA/AAA?"


Hi Ian2381, I am not sure If you have seen this thread yet or not -
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=263818

The link is for the Wolf Eyes Krait, which is a 2xAA aspheric flood to throw light. On the second page of that thread there is a good review of the light by somebody who already bought one. It is available at ptsflashlights- so check it out and see what you think...:twothumbs

 

[Ian2381]

Hi Ian2381, I am not sure If you have seen this thread yet or not -
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=263818

The link is for the Wolf Eyes Krait, which is a 2xAA aspheric flood to throw light. On the second page of that thread there is a good review of the light by somebody who already bought one. It is available at ptsflashlights- so check it out and see what you think...:twothumbs

Thanks for the information, Maybe in time I might get this light but will have to try first what I just have in my next camping trip, I also just purchased the Romisen RC-29 Neutral from shining beam since based on reviews neutral LEDS are good for outdoors but never heard of Neutral Zoomable light.

Is there someone have a review of Zoomable light on actual outdoor use?
Thanks

 

[jankj]

Thanks for the information, Maybe in time I might get this light but will have to try first what I just have in my next camping trip, I also just purchased the Romisen RC-29 Neutral from shining beam since based on reviews neutral LEDS are good for outdoors but never heard of Neutral Zoomable light.

Is there someone have a review of Zoomable light on actual outdoor use?
Thanks

You have. :devil:

Not yet, that is - but after your next camping trip, you have a review. I'm looking forward to read it :thumbsup:

Myself, I go with a neutral zebralight (all flood) and a quark neutral (reasonable good throw). Most of my camping lightning needs are done with the all-flood zebralight on my forehead.

 

[bfksc]

I have purchased several flood to throw lights and an aspherical lens to upgrade my Solarforce L2.
Is there any good quality Flood to throw lights out there using AA/AAA?
Thanks.

I have a MiniMag LED 2xAA from several years ago that has a flood/throw zoom had on it, but it sucks compared to the Quark AAx2 Tactical R5 I use now. The beam on the MiniMag is aweful, the flood is not a flood, just a big sloppy ringed beam that cuts the overall output. And when set to throw, it has very little spill and the spot is too small to be useful. Plus it doesn't have adjustable output levels. And to top it off, the Quark has nearly double the runtime when set to a slightly brighter output level, and on Max it's blinding compared to the lousy MiniMag output.

In fact, I haven't used the MiniMag since I bought the Quark a few months ago, and I figure I'll just give it away to someone. Probably my friend's kid.

I also have a MagLED 3xD with the same type of flood/throw head, but again the Quark is much better with its spill and hotspot. And since it's brighter with the spill when needed, has longer runtime when set to Low for general outdoor night use like camping, and it's a lot smaller and lighter, it's a no-brainer. I'll be getting rid of the big heavy Mag as well I suppose. I was going to keep it as a backup light, but I haven't used it either and I don't want the Alkalines to be dead and leak when I go to use it some day.
:sick2:
My wife has an aluminum Energizer 2xAA light that she really likes since it has just one output level (about Med) and a side switch which she prefers over the tailcap switches. Both the Energizer and Quark use the AA cell Duraloops so no leaks and good runtimes. Gotta like that.
:thumbsup:

 

[joe1512]

From what I have read, there is no really solid flood to throw with outputs competitive with existing lights of that class.

There may be some oddballs that are good, but I suspect getting your hands on one would be difficult.

I think a good quality, high output flood to throw with 2CR123 or 2xAA would be great, but flood-to-throw just doesn't seem to be very high on the priority list for flashlight makers.

 

[John_Galt]

I've found that reflectored lights work much better than zooming lights when camping... Here's why: with the reflectored lights, you have a tight, throwy hotspot, and a gradual transmission to sidespill, then to darkness.
This is nice, because you can have the light illuminating things further down the trail, and still have foreground illumination with the sidespill.

In my experience, zooming lights are not so great outdoors. You have to constantly switch back and forth between spot and "flood" as conditions on the trails change.

 

[TorchBoy]

My brightest lights compared
From Left to right ...
3. R2 Led - HeadLamp Zoomable CREE (3xAAA)

Got a wide beamshot of that?

In my experience, zooming lights are not so great outdoors. You have to constantly switch back and forth between spot and "flood" as conditions on the trails change.

I quite like that. Not only "because I can", but on a zooming light the wide beam is smoother (great for short wanders) and the narrow beam has better throw (awesome for spotting possums).

 

[moviles]

you tested the c78 with 14500? with 1xaa you only will get 5000-6000 lux@1m.......
but with 14500 you will get 12000-14000 lux @1m :thumbsup:

I have tested too the dx 28mm lens and are bad

the focal length its too big
only a little more thrower than the standard 22 mm lens

we need find somewhere 28mm aspherical lens with better focal length , the dx 28mm lens are bad :thumbsdow

 

[Riddick]

before i hit the rack small comment on flood to throw
Try a beam diffuser flood to spot in a second besides you'll be using flood more
Spot/throw get all the glory its like a kickass ice cream sundae
but flood , lowflood gets the job done its like a burger with all the fixings!!
and a cold beer too!!

 

[Riddick]

Qh yeah to answer the original question
Best light for camping & hiking in the woods is a low flood, remember in the wilds runtime is King