Looking for good combination thrower and flood

[Spi1993]

I am trying to decide on a larger light with a good combination of throw and spill. I am looking into 2x18650 or possibly 1x26650 lights. I am interested in routinely needing to have a good amount of light at 100 yards, needing slightly less at 200 yards, and still wanting to see some at 300 yards. I do not however want a light in which the beam has such a tight hotspot that their is no spill around it. I am currently considering the following models:

Olight m3x
4sevens Maelstrom x10
Jetbeam BC40

I realize that the m3x is more of a thrower than the other 2, but I can't find a direct comparison between them. If I could get decent throw out of the x10 it would probably be my choice because of size. I would really like to know what I would give up when comparing the x10 and the m3x.

I currently own a BC25 which provides almost sufficient light at 100 yards but is not enough beyond that.

I really appreciate your comments and recommendations.

 

[alohasurftoad]

fenix tk35

 

[TEEJ]

If you want a floody beam that you can also SEE something at 300 yards with, you might want to up the ante to more like a Jetbeam RTT 3 XML than a BC40

:D

I say that because the rating assume that 0.25 Lux is the standard last vestiges of the beam, but, if a surface over 300 yards away is only illuminated by 0.25 Lux, and 0.25 Lux is about what moonlight gives under average/good conditions, you didn't NEED a flashlight to get that if the moon was out. :D

I don't know about you, but if all that's out is moonlight, and I need to see something ~ three foot ball fields away, it better glow in the dark, or be really shiny, and be large enough to resolve in the first place.

0.25 lux is Ok to see right in front of you, to not trip on things, if your eyes are adjusted to the dark...not to SEE things in detail. Even less than 0.25 lux can work close up, etc...but if you need your fovea to be able to focus on a target 300 yards away, those are your least light sensitive receptors, and you simply need more light than that to use that part of your vision.

This is why in a dark enough environment, if you are trying to see if something is there, you need to look to the side of it...because if you look right AT it, you will not see it, because that part of your vision is geared towards color and detail that requires more light, about a 2º cone from ~ the center of your pupil to the target sees poorly in low light.

If you want to be able to SEE something 300 yards away, other than a reflective sign, etc...you really want to hit the target with some more juice, to get the Lux up...and give your foveas something to work with.

Example: A guy is crouching next to a tree 300 yards away in the woods, with some branches hanging around him, some reeds in front of him, and some more trees behind him that breaks up his sillouette, but leaves a lot of him in your line of sight.

You will not be able to tell him from the stuff around him at that range in moonlight. Its typically hard enough in broad daylight.

:D

 

[Spi1993]

I understand that seeing at 300 yards is a difficult task. Most of my light needs will be between 100 and 200 yards. I would also like to keep cost under $150 of I would go for the rrt3.

 

[varmint]

Derrelight V3 you can configure it in so many ways and battery combos, mine with the XML and 2x18500's would be perfect for your needs and with all the acessories available you could do anything with it you wish. My needs are similar to yours and it workd very well, my other everyday light is a TN11 and it would also work very well for you. Spotting something at 300 yds would be very easy with either.