Looking for a pocket sized 18650 light

[Magichunter]

All of the lights that use 18650s seem to be over 6.5 inches long. Any suggestions for something that is shorter and pocketable??

 

[Vikas Sontakke]

If you are willing to go down to unprotected 17670, there are few low profile lights which are pocket friendly e.g. Romisen RC-F4 etc.

- Vikas

 

[Magichunter]

Thanks but I already have protected 18650's.

 

[ThatGuyBri]

XTAR (lighthound) 122mm length x 31mm
Wolf Eyes Fox 140x32mm x 32mm
Dereelight CL1H 140 x 34mm

I recently bought the Wolf Eyes Fox.

 

[Magichunter]

Who sells the Wolfeyes Fox?

 

[fasuto]

Who sells the Wolfeyes Fox?

Fox on PTS

I think the Wolf Eye Sniper is shorter, I have one, very nice and feels good on hand, a little heavier. Good price also. I recommend it

 

[Lighthouse one]

This is considered a good quality light- similar to a huntlight- and it can easily be upgraded with any drop-in.

 

[PayBack]

It's a shame there's nothing like the Fenix P3D but that runs on a single 18650. I'd like a medium range light to compliment my thrower (Tiablo A8). Sure I could actually get the P3D (and likely will) but prefer the econmy of 18650s.

 

[Daekar]

I've got a Lumapower D-mini with the PEU 18650 upgrade tube which I'm very happy with... it gets EDC'd about half the time. Runs on high for about 3 hours flatly regulated, and pretty darn long on medium and low, I don't remember how long. I've never run out of battery before. The nice thing is, it's only about 5.3125 inches long... about the smallest 18650 light I've ever seen. With the OP reflector in it's a great every-task light, nice throw, wide hotspot, good flood. Might be your best bet.

 

[Magichunter]

Thanks for this information Daekar. It's funny but the reason why I'm now so interested in purchasing another 18650 light is because I too just upgraded my D mini with a Q5 emitter and D65 tube and it's really great.

I did a very unscientific run time test two nights ago using a Tenergy 3.7 V 2600 mAh battery. The D mini ran very, very brightly for FOUR consecutive hours and then I had to shut it off when I went to bed. I think that's going to be hard to beat but I'd still like to find something comparable that's easy to carry in a pants pocket.

Everyone's suggestions are very helpful and I've been checking out all the leads.

 

[Marduke]

It's a shame there's nothing like the Fenix P3D but that runs on a single 18650. I'd like a medium range light to compliment my thrower (Tiablo A8). Sure I could actually get the P3D (and likely will) but prefer the econmy of 18650s.

Check out post #10
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=187838

 

[Daekar]

Thanks for this information Daekar. It's funny but the reason why I'm now so interested in purchasing another 18650 light is because I too just upgraded my D mini with a Q5 emitter and D65 tube and it's really great.

I did a very unscientific run time test two nights ago using a Tenergy 3.7 V 2600 mAh battery. The D mini ran very, very brightly for FOUR consecutive hours and then I had to shut it off when I went to bed. I think that's going to be hard to beat but I'd still like to find something comparable that's easy to carry in a pants pocket.

Everyone's suggestions are very helpful and I've been checking out all the leads.

Haha, well, great minds think alike! Here's something that PEU has been working on for a little while, the Neoca 18650. I've been trying to wait patiently for it but it's been extremely difficult - tenative dimensions are 3.85 inches long, 0.86 inches in diameter! There are some 1x123a lights that size! I hope they don't end up being too expensive, but I probably will buy one anyway... they look perfect.

 

[Vikas Sontakke]

Neoca looks fantastic. It has been only 14 months since the project has started, give it some more time

Seriously, that is the best design. There can be a shorter tube to support single RCR123 version. Also with the right converter the longer tube can support 18650, 17650, 2xCR123A and 2xRCR123A power source. If the price can be kept under $100, I suspect he can sell all 500 of them.

- Vikas

- Vikas

 

[Monocrom]

Thanks but I already have protected 18650's.

The main issue is that one 18650 cell is as long as two CR123 cells. There's a limit as to how short a light can be, and still allow an 18650 to fit. When most folks think pocket-sized, it's usually something as short as one CR123 cell.

 

[Daekar]

The main issue is that one 18650 cell is as long as two CR123 cells. There's a limit as to how short a light can be, and still allow an 18650 to fit. When most folks think pocket-sized, it's usually something as short as one CR123 cell.

Are you sure about that? I can't think of very many power-LED lights that are that size. Lummi Wee... maybe the Draco, I'm not sure... I'm out of ideas. I think maybe it would be more appropriate to say that, "When most folks think pocket-sized, it's usually something as short as a light that runs on one CR123 cell."

You may be right, but this light isn't designed for them. It's designed for those of us who want rechargables with high energy density (because RCR123a doesn't really qualifiy...) for our EDCs. After EDCing my D-mini w/18650, I'm spoiled and I don't want to go back. I'll use a smaller CR123a light for those days when my pockets just CAN'T fit an 18650 light or I can't use my L2D-CE in its holster... but in general, it looks like this Neoca might be a winner. Check the size specs against other 2x123a lights... they're very favorable. Check them against 1x123a lights (especially ones with clickies) and you'll start to be impressed.

Also with the right converter the longer tube can support 18650, 17650, 2xCR123A and 2xRCR123A power source. If the price can be kept under $100, I suspect he can sell all 500 of them.

I sincerely hope PEU decides not to use a converter which has such wide voltage inputs because that will worsen the efficiency and regulation on 1x18650. If he does pick such a course, I hope he makes the 1xLi-ion converter available too... I don't need another jack of all trades master of none light. Also, I think that the $100 price point is probably unrealistic. If he DID manage to keep the price that low somehow, he CERTAINLY would sell all he could make - I suspect it will be (understandably!)somewhat more than that, although he would know much better than I. If sufficient demand manifests, he may decide he wants to make a 17670 body... but the 1x123a market is cuthroat and he may not want to bother with a form factor any smaller than 18650/17670. After all, this light gathered so much attention precisely because it was an 18650 light that was small... an as-yet unfilled market niche.

 

[txmatt]

The main issue is that one 18650 cell is as long as two CR123 cells. There's a limit as to how short a light can be, and still allow an 18650 to fit. When most folks think pocket-sized, it's usually something as short as one CR123 cell.

I thought the same thing when I saw this first posted: no such thing as a "pocket-sized" 18650 light. I can fit a deck of cards in my pocket but no way I'd want to. Most people think 1xCR123 or smaller is pocketable. Personally, I won't pocket anything larger than a AAA light at the largest, and have chosen a Wee as my EDC. For me, anything larger than AAA in my pocket is a nuisance when you're sitting down.

 

[RecycledElectron]

http://www.lighthound.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3154

The Xtar is a tiny, inexpensive 18650 only light, runs for about 2.5 hours on a 2500 mah Trustfire protected battery, at about 150 lumen. It does get hot for the first 35 minutes or so. There's not a lot of metal in the light so you have to heatsink it with your hand. It's HAIII anodized. It's quite small and though not as comfortable to EDC as my Olight T20 (which rides in my back pocket 100% of the time), it's doable.

I too am waiting for PEU's light. I hope it's geared to 18650 only, for efficiency's sake.

 

[Vikas Sontakke]

Xtar specifications are suspect. That light does not LOOK like it has HA-III coating. If you DO have that lights and you can ascertain the claim, then I admit my error.

- Vikas

 

[RecycledElectron]

Yes, I do have that light, have had it for nearly 2 months. It does have very good HAIII coating, as the use I have put it to, riding in my front pocket with knife and keys would have scratched a HAII knife by now. I've also thrown it into a coat pocket with other flashlights that have HAIII coating, and it would have been scratched by them, and it has not. I have not taken a knife blade to it to see how hard it is to scratch up, if someone wants to buy one to test I wish them well. It also has a Solarforce R2 P60 drop-in now. :twothumbs It isn't really any brighter than the P4, but no longer gets hot.

OK, just to satisfy my curiosity, I checked the amperage with a not topped off Trustfire 2500 protected cell. I get 60 ma on low and 350 ma on medium and high. That's pretty much what preliminary tests ran on that drop in. It's not pushing the R2 very hard. Gives a nice brilliant white beam, quite nice for walking in the woods at night. And I suspect that it will run for a loooong time. I believe that the R2 specs at 114 lumen at 350 ma if direct driven, but the drop in appears brighter than that. Perhaps the Vf of mine is quite low. My wife's RC-F4 is a little bit brighter and is a known factor at about 125-130 lumen out the front, but the R2 throws a beam about 3 times as broad. That being said, the original P4 P60 drop in has a deeper reflector, tighter beam and is noticeably brighter and throws better than the RC-F4.

I don't believe that Lighthound inflates their specs, like DX and Kaidomain do.

This light is much improved over the one reviewed here:
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/xtar_3w.htm
in that the switch boot is no longer flimsy and it has the upgraded anodizing. Is it perfect? No. But it is as good as I'm likely to get in a pocketable 18650 light short of a Gotham (which Lighthound is out of at the moment-if I had the money) or PEU's creation.

 

[Rudi]

Mr. Bulk's Dragon/18650 is only 115 mm long.