Looking for a thrower to keep in my car

[RebelHell]

As the title says, I'm looking for a thrower to keep in my car for emergencies and whatnot. I'll let the standard questionnaire answer any other requirements.

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

Less than $150.
I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ.
I really would like to keep this under $150, but if you show me something I just can't live without I may compromise on price.

3) Format:

I want a flashlight.
I want a portable spotlight.
The key term here is portable. Let's define this as "something my young daughter could carry without complaining about the weight". I've seen some of the crazy lights you people come up with.

4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

Holster carry.
It wouldn't necessarily have to be comfortable on a holster. I understand a lot of light needs a big reflector...

5) Emitter/Light source:

LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)

6) Manufacturer:

I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
I MIGHT look into a custom light. But these tend to be out of the price range.

7) What battery type do you want to use?

I intend to use lithium primary batteries
Preferably CR123. I like that they have a long shelf life and can swapped out quickly without having to worry about charging. I may be talked into something else though. Give me your opinions.

8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).
The more the merrier. But I know price comes into play here so I'll be reasonable.

9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
I'll take all the throw I can get but would like this for a minimum.

10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).

30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
I'd prefer to get at least 90 minutes out of it but will settle for less.

11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.

Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).

12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):

I don't care. But should be intuitive and easy to operate.

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
I don't care.

14)Material/Finish/Coating

I don't care.

15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.

Red filter (for preserving night vision). Might be nice but certainly not necessary.

 

[Cereal_Killer]

My thrower recommendations in your price range are a quark turbo- QB2L-X ($90), or any of the XP-G2 armytek predators ($100-125). Either will throw quite a bit farther than you state you need, if you wanted to spend under $50 (I don't know what sorta area you live in but I personally can't keep nice lights in my cars here, anything under $50 I'd be ok with being stolen) I recommend a streamlight polytac HP, it has more throw than you mention you "need" and the spot is extremely tight, mine has the XR-E de-domed so it might be a little tighter beam than stock but at 50 yards my center hotspot is a only 12-15inches with minimal spill beam. Really a great "budget" thrower. I keep my polytac HP in my horse trailer and use it for trail rides, that way I can carry a throwey light and not be concerned if I loose it.

 

[bluemax_1]

If you're looking for throw, then you want the highest candela possible. Candela = hotspot intensity, Lumens = total light output.

Since you prefer CR123's, I'd recommend a 2xCR123 format (easy portability. Approximately 6" long give or take an inch depending on the light, usually approximately 1" barrel diameter and between 1"-1.75" head diameter).

The 2 lights with the highest candela in this format are the ArmyTek Predator Pro 2.5 with XP-G2 emitter, as Cereal Killer mentioned, and the Supbeam T10. Supbeam is the OEM company that manufactures lights for Thrunite. The T10 is virtually identical to the Thrunite Scorpion v2 except it's geared even more towards throw.

While the Scorpion is available with either the standard or Turbo head (Turbo head = wider, deeper reflector = more intense hotspot), the T10 would be equivalent to a Super Turbo head, (even deeper reflector and higher hotspot intensity).

Both the Predator Pro 2.5 and T10 are in the 30,000 candela range, where most other 2xCR123 lights are anywhere from 7,000 candela (Zebralight SC600) to ~20,000 candela (Eagletac G25C2-mkII, Olight M22, Nitecore SRT-7 etc).

The differences between the T10 and Predator Pro 2.5 are that the T10 uses an XM-L2 emitter vs the PP2.5's XP-G2 emitter. The XM-L2 emitter is a larger emitter and requires a bigger reflector to focus the beam, so the T10 is a little bigger. That said, the XM-L2 emitter also puts out more total light (close to 1000 ANSI lumens vs ~500). There are of course, also differences in the UI and build specs. The T10's UI is identical to the Thrunite Scorpion v2. The Predator Pro v2.5 (there's also a simple UI Predator, without the customizability of the Pro version), has its own UI.


Max

 

[TEEJ]

I'm wondering why you want a thrower for a glove box?

In a car, when you need a light, its more likely to be to change a tire, signal a tow truck/warn off traffic, work under the hood, look for what dropped under the seats, etc.

These functions are typically best performed with a flooder not a thrower.

Assuming you have a floody light for these purposes...what did you have in mind for this light, as far as use?

Is it just that you want it to ALSO throw to a certain range?

 

[RebelHell]

I'm wondering why you want a thrower for a glove box?

In a car, when you need a light, its more likely to be to change a tire, signal a tow truck/warn off traffic, work under the hood, look for what dropped under the seats, etc.

These functions are typically best performed with a flooder not a thrower.

Assuming you have a floody light for these purposes...what did you have in mind for this light, as far as use?

Is it just that you want it to ALSO throw to a certain range?

I already have a nice multi-LED flood light for roadside maintenance and the like. I also have my Preon 2 on my person almost always. What I'm looking for is a thrower I can keep in my car/truck (I'll probably get two) so it will always be available for anything else that comes up. I am into Geocaching with my daughter and have been caught out after dark and would like to have something I know is nearby. I chose CR123 because I already buy them in bulk for my weapons lights/eotech and they have a long shelf life without having to worry about recharging/overcharging and failed rechargeables. Keeping spare batteries on hand is never a problem and I figure they are far more likely to produce the light I want over alkaline batteries.

Another quick question...Between the ArmyTek Predator Pro 2.5 and the Supbeam T10, which would you say had more usable light spill?

 

[TEEJ]

I already have a nice multi-LED flood light for roadside maintenance and the like. I also have my Preon 2 on my person almost always. What I'm looking for is a thrower I can keep in my car/truck (I'll probably get two) so it will always be available for anything else that comes up. I am into Geocaching with my daughter and have been caught out after dark and would like to have something I know is nearby. I chose CR123 because I already buy them in bulk for my weapons lights/eotech and they have a long shelf life without having to worry about recharging/overcharging and failed rechargeables. Keeping spare batteries on hand is never a problem and I figure they are far more likely to produce the light I want over alkaline batteries.

Another quick question...Between the ArmyTek Predator Pro 2.5 and the Supbeam T10, which would you say had more usable light spill?

Do you mean literally "Spill", or did you mean wider beam angle?

I ask because the beam characteristics of either don't really have that much spill, they both have mostly hot spot/corona.


If you tell me a max range you'd be OK with, say in meters, and what size spot of light you'd want at that range (Or any given range), I can narrow choices down.

 

[RebelHell]

I'm not exactly sure...I'm still kind of a noob when it comes to flashlights.

I like the two options that bluemax_1 posted (I looked up beam shots) and I'll probably end up going with one of those (maybe one of each). But would there be something in the same price range with a little more kick? Maybe a 4xCR123?

 

[bluemax_1]

The Supbeam T10 and Predator 2.5 have pretty close spillbeam angles but the Supbeam will have a somewhat brighter spill.

If you don't mind the bigger size of 4xCR123 lights, try the Armytek Barracuda or Eagletac GX25L2 Turbo. Both are about 10" long with about 2.5" head diameter and 1" bodies, weigh between 14-16 oz loaded, and in the near 60,000 candela region. The Eagtac has a wider spill, and the Armytek has a slightly brighter hotspot.


Max

 

[BlueBeam22]

If you're okay with a rechargeable light, look at the Stanley FatMax 755/2000 lumen 10 watt LED spotlight $50 from Lowe's or Walmart. From all of my experience with it, I believe is the most powerful LED thrower you can buy from a regular offline store at a budget price range. It will provide the runtime you need and has 500+ yards throw, in a very compact and lightweight package and the best rechargeable battery chemistry. Just a thought.

 

[bluemax_1]

If you're okay with a rechargeable light, look at the Stanley FatMax 755/2000 lumen 10 watt LED spotlight $50 from Lowe's or Walmart. From all of my experience with it, I believe is the most powerful LED thrower you can buy from a regular offline store at a budget price range. It will provide the runtime you need and has 500+ yards throw, in a very compact and lightweight package and the best rechargeable battery chemistry. Just a thought.

Great price on it, but as with these commercial plastic offerings, the output claims are pretty exaggerated. 2000 lumens from an XM-L emitter? You won't get that measured at the emitter (much less OTF Out The Front or ANSI specs) even with the newer, brighter XM-L2 U3.

Any actual measured candela/lux numbers for this light? If it can hit the 50,000 - 60,000 range, it's a great deal if the build quality/reliability/runtime is decent.


Max

 

[RebelHell]

Great price on it, but as with these commercial plastic offerings, the output claims are pretty exaggerated. 2000 lumens from an XM-L emitter? You won't get that measured at the emitter (much less OTF Out The Front or ANSI specs) even with the newer, brighter XM-L2 U3.

Any actual measured candela/lux numbers for this light? If it can hit the 50,000 - 60,000 range, it's a great deal if the build quality/reliability/runtime is decent.


Max

While I may still be catching up with the technical jargon, I don't see how the build quality can be anywhere near decent at that price point. I'd much rather spend the extra cash now and have a light I can trust. Buy once cry once.

 

[bluemax_1]

While I may still be catching up with the technical jargon, I don't see how the build quality can be anywhere near decent at that price point. I'd much rather spend the extra cash now and have a light I can trust. Buy once cry once.

LOL, good philosophy. Those Stanley lights are also substantially bulkier than the other recommended options.

As for the technical jargon, a brief description of the ones used thus far

- emitter: This is he LED itself. There are quite a lot of emitter options available at the moment, especially when you consider older versions. The XP-G (sometimes typed XPG) emitter is made by a company called Cree. The XP-G2 is currently the newest version of this emitter (and comparably brighter than the older versions when driven at the same current). The XM-L is also made by Cree and is a physically larger emitter (bigger die size and larger diameter). The XM-L2 series is the current newest iteration of it, and there are also what are known as flux 'bins'. You'll see mention of U2 bins, U3 bins, T6 bins etc. The bins are the emitters separated by their tested output when manufactured. The XM-L2 U3 IIRC, would potentially be the brightest of the current XM-L crop.
Because the XP-G2 is a smaller emitter, it can produce a more focused hotspot with a smaller reflector. The larger XM-L(2) emitters require a bigger reflector to focus the light more. Given the same sized reflectors, the XM-L series tends to produce more of a flood of light compared to the more focused beams with the smaller XP-G2. The XM-L2 does have the potential to put out more light than the XP-G2 though, when both emitters are driven similarly (meaning say, when you power a flashlight high enough to drain a fully charged Li-ion 3400mAh capacity rechargeable battery from full to flat in 60 minutes, an XM-L2 light will put out almost double the total lumens at those drive/power levels compared to an XP-G2 flashlight).

- Lumen output measurements at the emitter, OTF or ANSI: manufacturers used to quote emitter lumens (and some still do), meaning the total light output measured at the emitter. This is used for inflating the maximum output numbers (since higher numbers tend to be more impressive). Later, manufacturers began using measured OTF (Out The Front) numbers, meaning these are lumen outputs measured with an integrating sphere (a device used to measure the total light output of a light source), measured Out The Front of the flashlight, which provides actual output measurements after losses due to the transmissivity of the glass lens, the reflective efficiency of the reflector etc.

Most recently, the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) devised a set of standards for rating flashlights known as the ANSI/NEMA FL-1 specifications, which detailed specific testing circumstances to even the playing field and reduce 'fudge factors' that manufacturers could use to boost their numbers. For instance, the FL-1 lumen measurements dictate that the measurements be taken 30-120 seconds after the light has been turned on. As LEDs heat up, their output declines. Taking the lumen measurement immediately after turning the light On tends to provide higher figures than a user would realistically see (and some manufacturers would drive lights harder (at higher currents) for the initial turn on to provide higher OTF numbers, but the drive current would decline rapidly as the flashlight was incapable of dissipating the heat generated at high drive levels (using such techniques, the lights could measure 2-5X the OTF lumen output at turn On vs say, 3 minutes after the light is turned on). The ANSI FL-1 lumen output measurement provides the emitter with some warmup time before the measurement is taken allowing the emitter to stabilize somewhat.

- As mentioned there is a difference between lumens and candela (or lux, and what in old standards was called candlepower). Lumens are the total measured light output of the device. Candela is the intensity of the light at 1 meter. Candela measurements are not actually taken at 1 meter distance since many lights have reflectors that may not fully focus at 1 meter and may need a bit more distance to fully focus the beam. Since there's a simple mathematical relationship between distance and candela though, it's easy to take the measurements at say 5 meters or 10 meters, and then calculate the intensity at 1 meter for ANSI standards. BTW, any light that quotes candlepower figures almost certainly exaggerates it specs. The candlepower term is outdated and was used before any standardized methodology was instituted (i.e. don't believe all those 12 million candlepower spotlight claims).

This will provide more insight to the ANSI measurements and standards
http://flashlightwiki.com/ANSI-NEMA_FL-1

- hotspot vs spill: the hotspot is the brightest part of the beam seen at the center of the (usually) circle of light visible when the light is aimed at a white wall. The brighter the hotspot, the more the light will throw. The spillbeam is the wide, dimmer part of the circle of light. Some lights have a tighter, more focused hotspot, some have a wider hotspot. Some have a wider spillbeam, some have a narrower spillbeam. Depending on the reflector's geometry, it's possible to have one flashlight produce a beam with a narrow, intense tight hotspot with a wide spillbeam, vs another flashlight that has a wide dim hotspot with a narrower spillbeam.

If you look at the links to the ArmyTek and Eagletac lights provided, you'll notice that they provide hotspot and spillbeam angles, eg. the Predator Pro v2.5 XP-G2 has a 4-degree hotspot and 40-degree spillbeam. The Armytek Barracuda although using the larger XM-L2 U3 emitter, also has a larger reflector, thus also producing a 4-degree hotspot and 40-degree spillbeam. The Eagletac GX25L2-Turbo on the other hand, produces a 5.7-degree hotspot and a 53.1-degree spillbeam.

Link removed as per the banner at the top of the page
Why has my link been removed? - Norm



On the other hand, both these lights use the XM-L2 emitter, but the beam profiles are quite different

Link removed as per the banner at the top of the page
Why has my link been removed? - Norm


The ArmyTek Viking Pro v2.5 (used to be called the Predator Pro X denoting the use of an XM-L emitter) still only has a 40-degree spillbeam, but a 10-degree hotspot compared to the XP-G2's 4-degree hotspot. In contrast, the G25C2-mkII has a 6.9-degree hotspot and a 58-degree spillbeam, meaning the G25C2-mkII both simultaneously out throws the Armytek Viking Pro AND casts a wider beam. I personally prefer the the Eagletac's (6.9-degree hotspot, 58-degree spill) beam profile to either of the Armytek's beam profiles (4-degree hotspot, 40-degree spill for the XP-G2, or 10-degree hotspot, still 40-degree spill for the XM-L2), which is why I carry the G25C2 for work.


Max

 

[wedlpine]

Any actual measured candela/lux numbers for this light? If it can hit the 50,000 - 60,000 range, it's a great deal if the build quality/reliability/runtime is decent.

This is basically the same light as the Black and Decker one. I have the B&D one and the packaging stated that the candela was just slightly over 100K.

I carry this in my squad at night. Much easier to use then the spotlight mounted to the A pillar.

I love it.

 

[bluemax_1]

This is basically the same light as the Black and Decker one. I have the B&D one and the packaging stated that the candela was just slightly over 100K.

I carry this in my squad at night. Much easier to use then the spotlight mounted to the A pillar.

I love it.

If the 100K figure is accurate, that's actually pretty impressive at the pricepoint. Given that the reflector is quite large, it's definitely possible.


Max

 

[Poppy]

LOL, good philosophy. Those Stanley lights are also substantially bulkier than the other recommended options.

As for the technical jargon, a brief description of the ones used thus far

- emitter: This is he LED itself. There are quite a lot of emitter options available at the moment, especially when you consider older versions. The XP-G (sometimes typed XPG) emitter is made by a company called Cree. The XP-G2 is currently the newest version of this emitter (and comparably brighter than the older versions when driven at the same current). The XM-L is also made by Cree and is a physically larger emitter (bigger die size and larger diameter). The XM-L2 series is the current newest iteration of it, and there are also what are known as flux 'bins'. You'll see mention of U2 bins, U3 bins, T6 bins etc. The bins are the emitters separated by their tested output when manufactured. The XM-L2 U3 IIRC, would potentially be the brightest of the current XM-L crop.
Because the XP-G2 is a smaller emitter, it can produce a more focused hotspot with a smaller reflector. The larger XM-L(2) emitters require a bigger reflector to focus the light more. Given the same sized reflectors, the XM-L series tends to produce more of a flood of light compared to the more focused beams with the smaller XP-G2. The XM-L2 does have the potential to put out more light than the XP-G2 though, when both emitters are driven similarly (meaning say, when you power a flashlight high enough to drain a fully charged Li-ion 3400mAh capacity rechargeable battery from full to flat in 60 minutes, an XM-L2 light will put out almost double the total lumens at those drive/power levels compared to an XP-G2 flashlight).

- Lumen output measurements at the emitter, OTF or ANSI: manufacturers used to quote emitter lumens (and some still do), meaning the total light output measured at the emitter. This is used for inflating the maximum output numbers (since higher numbers tend to be more impressive). Later, manufacturers began using measured OTF (Out The Front) numbers, meaning these are lumen outputs measured with an integrating sphere (a device used to measure the total light output of a light source), measured Out The Front of the flashlight, which provides actual output measurements after losses due to the transmissivity of the glass lens, the reflective efficiency of the reflector etc.

Most recently, the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) devised a set of standards for rating flashlights known as the ANSI/NEMA FL-1 specifications, which detailed specific testing circumstances to even the playing field and reduce 'fudge factors' that manufacturers could use to boost their numbers. For instance, the FL-1 lumen measurements dictate that the measurements be taken 30-120 seconds after the light has been turned on. As LEDs heat up, their output declines. Taking the lumen measurement immediately after turning the light On tends to provide higher figures than a user would realistically see (and some manufacturers would drive lights harder (at higher currents) for the initial turn on to provide higher OTF numbers, but the drive current would decline rapidly as the flashlight was incapable of dissipating the heat generated at high drive levels (using such techniques, the lights could measure 2-5X the OTF lumen output at turn On vs say, 3 minutes after the light is turned on). The ANSI FL-1 lumen output measurement provides the emitter with some warmup time before the measurement is taken allowing the emitter to stabilize somewhat.

- As mentioned there is a difference between lumens and candela (or lux, and what in old standards was called candlepower). Lumens are the total measured light output of the device. Candela is the intensity of the light at 1 meter. Candela measurements are not actually taken at 1 meter distance since many lights have reflectors that may not fully focus at 1 meter and may need a bit more distance to fully focus the beam. Since there's a simple mathematical relationship between distance and candela though, it's easy to take the measurements at say 5 meters or 10 meters, and then calculate the intensity at 1 meter for ANSI standards. BTW, any light that quotes candlepower figures almost certainly exaggerates it specs. The candlepower term is outdated and was used before any standardized methodology was instituted (i.e. don't believe all those 12 million candlepower spotlight claims).

This will provide more insight to the ANSI measurements and standards
http://flashlightwiki.com/ANSI-NEMA_FL-1

- hotspot vs spill: the hotspot is the brightest part of the beam seen at the center of the (usually) circle of light visible when the light is aimed at a white wall. The brighter the hotspot, the more the light will throw. The spillbeam is the wide, dimmer part of the circle of light. Some lights have a tighter, more focused hotspot, some have a wider hotspot. Some have a wider spillbeam, some have a narrower spillbeam. Depending on the reflector's geometry, it's possible to have one flashlight produce a beam with a narrow, intense tight hotspot with a wide spillbeam, vs another flashlight that has a wide dim hotspot with a narrower spillbeam.

If you look at the links to the ArmyTek and Eagletac lights provided, you'll notice that they provide hotspot and spillbeam angles, eg. the Predator Pro v2.5 XP-G2 has a 4-degree hotspot and 40-degree spillbeam. The Armytek Barracuda although using the larger XM-L2 U3 emitter, also has a larger reflector, thus also producing a 4-degree hotspot and 40-degree spillbeam. The Eagletac GX25L2-Turbo on the other hand, produces a 5.7-degree hotspot and a 53.1-degree spillbeam.

Link removed as per the banner at the top of the page
Why has my link been removed? - Norm



On the other hand, both these lights use the XM-L2 emitter, but the beam profiles are quite different

Link removed as per the banner at the top of the page
Why has my link been removed? - Norm


The ArmyTek Viking Pro v2.5 (used to be called the Predator Pro X denoting the use of an XM-L emitter) still only has a 40-degree spillbeam, but a 10-degree hotspot compared to the XP-G2's 4-degree hotspot. In contrast, the G25C2-mkII has a 6.9-degree hotspot and a 58-degree spillbeam, meaning the G25C2-mkII both simultaneously out throws the Armytek Viking Pro AND casts a wider beam. I personally prefer the the Eagletac's (6.9-degree hotspot, 58-degree spill) beam profile to either of the Armytek's beam profiles (4-degree hotspot, 40-degree spill for the XP-G2, or 10-degree hotspot, still 40-degree spill for the XM-L2), which is why I carry the G25C2 for work.


Max

Max,
That was a great explanation, and should be a newbie required reading prior to asking for a recommendation.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ep-in-my-car&p=4229370&viewfull=1#post4229370

 

[EZO]

I'm wondering why you want a thrower for a glove box?

In a car, when you need a light, its more likely to be to change a tire, signal a tow truck/warn off traffic, work under the hood, look for what dropped under the seats, etc.

These functions are typically best performed with a flooder not a thrower.

Assuming you have a floody light for these purposes...what did you have in mind for this light, as far as use?

Is it just that you want it to ALSO throw to a certain range?

Something I keep noticing on these boards, especially lately, is the fact that folks who live in urban and suburban areas often work on the assumption that everyone's flashlight requirements are the same or at least very similar to theirs. Those of us who live in rural areas have a different perspective. In urban and suburban areas there are plenty of streetlights, traffic signals, lights from stores, parking lots, signage and perhaps other ambient light. There are usually other car's headlights adding to the mix and all in all when you need a flashlight it is indeed as you say TEEJ; change a tire, signal a tow truck/warn off traffic, work under the hood, look for what dropped under the seats, etc. These needs apply here too of course, but with the added fact that there are no streetlights out in the countryside and one often finds oneself driving along long lonely rural roads, past farms, fields and forests. There are many times when there is a need to see what's going on out there.

Some examples:

A friend and I came upon a car that had just hit a deer in the road. After we attended to the two shaken up young female passengers and their somewhat damaged automobile I scanned the field next to where the accident happened with a Masterpiece Pro-1 I had with me and found the badly wounded and dying deer lying in the field about a hundred yards out with little effort. When the game warden arrived on the scene he was appreciative of the fact that we had located and dispatched the animal and could show him the where the carcass was.

Another time I was hanging out at a friend's house at night out in the backyard when we heard four motorcycles coming screaming past his house on a curvy blacktop road at an insane speed. Suddenly, we heard a horrific sounding screech and a loud muffled thud and knew right away that something bad had happened. Some guys were out driving their bikes at about 80 miles an hour or more on a 35 mile per hour section of rural road when one of these guys failed to negotiate the curve and went careening into the darkness and hit a tree somewhere out there. It turned out that he was the youngest and least experienced in the group and the last bike in line so that his friends ahead of him didn't even realize what had happened until sometime later. I ran to my truck, grabbed a throwy flashlight and ran out to the road where I saw skid marks on the curve and was able to locate the victim very quickly by scanning the old apple orchard he went into even though he had traveled quite a distance. First I saw his mangled bike near the tree he hit and then I found the driver about twenty feet away, all without having to leave the side of the road and go hunting for him in the darkness. The kid was pretty bashed up and bleeding but fortunately his worst injury was a badly broken leg. Glad we were there when it happened and glad I had a thrower in my truck.

During Tropical Storm Irene I was able to light up a damaged bridge and raging flooded road from such a distance that we knew not to even both trying that route to get to our destination and we avoided going down a steep hillside road anywhere near a dangerous situation.

I wouldn't be without a thrower in my vehicle. (But it wouldn't be the only light I'd want to have in my glove box either.)

 

[RebelHell]

Max,
That was a great explanation, and should be a newbie required reading prior to asking for a recommendation.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...ep-in-my-car&p=4229370&viewfull=1#post4229370

Yes, thank you very much Max. That helps quite a bit. And while I've read up on the terminology before I've never seen it put quite so eloquently. Need a Mod in here to copy/paste that to the sticky.

 

[Cereal_Killer]

I just got my review sample yesterday, I will add the crelant 7G5cS to the list, its a little cheaper than the other offerings and at 100,000cd with the aspheric head its quite the spot thrower (the standard head provides plenty of throw AND a little more usable light). It's under $80 if you look hard enough and it can take 4xCR123's (but I run mine on 2x18650's). The aspheric head is an additional price (~$25) but unless you need a perfectly square spot with zero spill its plenty in stock forum.

 

[jh333233]

Olight M3X
Simple two-moded(Tight/loose head) UI
90k+ throw with 2*18650(Can work with 3 Cr123A, for long-term preparation and mobility)

 

[CamoNinja]

Olight M3X
Simple two-moded(Tight/loose head) UI
90k+ throw with 2*18650(Can work with 3 Cr123A, for long-term preparation and mobility)

or this [h=2]ArmyTek Barracuda XM-L2 U3[/h]