M6 vs. 10X?

[Chrontius]

Okay, with all the questions I see on making the M6 rechargeable, here's a turnkey solution that comes with a nice charge cradle. It's even got the dual-beam thing that people just adore on the Aviator and the L-series.

Thinking about eBaying a 10X. Convince me (not) to.

 

[Juggernaut]

How much? That’s the big question, I always thought you could just make a better more practical version of the M6 with the Wolfeyes M90 with 3x 18650 cells and an EO-13 “700 lumens + 1 hour run time + rechargeable + ¼ the price = Awesome!”. So if I had the choice between an M6 and a 10X I’d go with the 10X because I can’t think of any light that is similar to it.

 

[Chrontius]

For future reference, I do already have a ROP but am considering something a tad bit more wieldy. The Rattlesnake doesn't really strike me as being any better in that regard. Weildy, rugged, and not having to baby it to prevent kaBOOM events, mostly.

Yeah, the M6 is a better mod platform, but... M6 moddery strikes me as hilariously expensive.

As for price, whatever I find for either on Ebay or the marketplace. I don't plan on paying full price for either.

 

[Juggernaut]

If you can get it for under $300 then it would be a steal:twothumbs, just be careful on Ebay. At first the price might seem to good to be true, but you might get sniped out in the last 10 seconds “I lost out on 4 different Carbide Lamps in the last 26 seconds! I didn’t know people wanted them so badly:eek::ohgeez:!”

From pictures I’ve seen the 10X is much smaller then I always thought, it will probably be more wieldy then even a 2-C Maglite:thumbsup:.

 

[RichS]

For future reference, I do already have a ROP but am considering something a tad bit more wieldy. The Rattlesnake doesn't really strike me as being any better in that regard. Weildy, rugged, and not having to baby it to prevent kaBOOM events, mostly.

Yeah, the M6 is a better mod platform, but... M6 moddery strikes me as hilariously expensive.

If you don't already have an M6, I would recommend it over the 10X for one big reason - the reflector.

Yes it would be nice having the low/high available as on the 10X, but for high-output light like these two, the throw capability would be a big factor for me. Although I don't have a 10X, it stands to reason that since the reflector of the M6 is larger and deeper than the 10X (since there is only one), I would say that it would easily out-throw the 10X. Besides this, the M6 creates one of the nicest beams known to man.

The design/form factor of the M6 is also much better IMO. Regarding the expensive modding, my favorite setup is the HO-M6R on 3x17670s. This really isn't too expensive with mcocod's holder ($29). Then you just need the LF lamp ($25) and 3x17670s ($30). I wouldn't call that too over the top as far as mods go.

The icing on the cake with the M6? The ability to run an MN15 for 2.5 hours on primaries. :huh:

Downsides of the 10X vs. M6 (for me):

- NiCad battery instead of Li-ion (memory, requires special treatment, etc., such as you can't top it off)
- $90 for a replacement battery
- Polimer body vs. Aerospace grade aluminum body of M6
- Only 20 minutes runtime on high vs. ~40 minutes on M6 with HO-M6R

Just my 2c.

 

[computernut]

Next year I'm wanting to get a 10X or M6. I really like the idea of the 10X as I could use the low for walking the dog on the trails at night and kick it into high if I wanted to check something out in the distance or just wanted to show off :whistle: With the rechargeable battery and cradle I could charge it at home or in the vehicle and not have to swap 123's in the middle of a walk. Having the dual bulbs is nice too as if one blows you aren't left in the dark (I'd have a spare light anyways).

The M6 on the other hand is a wicked looking light but chewing through 6x123's in an hour with the default configuration is a bit crazy so I'd definitely be looking at a rechargable solution. I don't like grips that are too big or too small and the M6's body looks huge.

I'd really like an M6 but for my purposes I think the 10X fits my uses better. I wish that someone local would have one so I can try it out.

 

[Josey]

I've had both the M6 and 10X. They are both extremely well-built lights, but both have fallen behind the technology curve.

The 10X is nice because of the charging cradle, but you're charging a NiCad. The dual beam seems nice, but I found it a problem. The high beam doesn't give you much runtime. You can try to save that runtime by using the low beam, but then when you go to use that high beam, you'll find that your use of the low beam has robbed what little high-beam runtime you had.

The M6 in stock form is a beautiful light with a nice beam, but in today's market it's not all that bright and the runtime is very short. You can feed it 18 123 cells an hour or look for a aftermarket solution that is still not that great.

For about the same price as either the M6 or the 10X, I bought a Wolf Eyes Super Storm: 1300 lumens with a very nice beam, multiple brightness levels and good runtime. And it has a built in charging jack to bring the 3x18650 Li-ions back to full strength without fuss.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I've had both the M6 and 10X. They are both extremely well-built lights, but both have fallen behind the technology curve.

The 10X is nice because of the charging cradle, but you're charging a NiCad. The dual beam seems nice, but I found it a problem. The high beam doesn't give you much runtime. You can try to save that runtime by using the low beam, but then when you go to use that high beam, you'll find that your use of the low beam has robbed what little high-beam runtime you had.

The M6 in stock form is a beautiful light with a nice beam, but in today's market it's not all that bright and the runtime is very short. You can feed it 18 123 cells an hour or look for a aftermarket solution that is still not that great.

For about the same price as either the M6 or the 10X, I bought a Wolf Eyes Super Storm: 1300 lumens with a very nice beam, multiple brightness levels and good runtime. And it has a built in charging jack to bring the 3x18650 Li-ions back to full strength without fuss.

The WE Super Storm is a nice LED light and this is the Incandescent Section. The OP is trying to decide between two incandescent solutions of similar quality and price.
I'm pretty darn sure that he would have mentioned it if the wanted an LED alternative...

 

[Josey]

Hey Outdoors:

It didn't escape my attention that the Super Storm is an LED. And I did address the OP question about the specific incans he wanted to know about, but the larger point is that they are outdated in today's market. And before he spends a ton of money on one of those two lights, he might want to consider an alternate technology in the same price range.

He specifically asked to be convinced not to buy an X10. While I liked my M6, mostly as a work of art, I couldn't wait to get rid of my X10.

 

[RichS]

Hey Outdoors:
It didn't escape my attention that the Super Storm is an LED. And I did address the OP question about the specific incans he wanted to know about, but the larger point is that they are outdated in today's market. And before he spends a ton of money on one of those two lights, he might want to consider an alternate technology in the same price range.

I'm sure the OP member is aware of LED options (after 1300+ posts), but he is looking for an incan in this class for a reason. A high-output LED is not a viable alternative in many cases because the light it produces is so vastly different. LEDs of course serve their purpose, but I wouldn't make the assumption that the OP is only looking at the two incans in questions only because he's not aware they are "outdated"...

The product of the M6/10X and the LED light that you mentioned is vastly different, and to many people it would not be a good alternative.

If the "product" you are looking for is quality outdoor illumination, which would you consider "outdated"?

 

[Josey]

I live outdoors -- 7 miles off the grid. All my high-power flashlights are for outdoor illumination.

But, OK, fine. I would not get the X10 because the runtime is too short and the brightness is not very good. If you use the low beam -- either bulb -- you will run down the NiCAD so quickly that little if any any runtime will be left on your high beam runtime.

I'd also avoid it because the NiCAD technology is a little out of date. Not many manufacturers are moving into NiCAD technology. Most are moving toward more advanced batteries.

 

[Juggernaut]

:duck:Oh no the creepy ghost LED shot is back:eeew::green::sick2::barf:!

 

[leukos]

I didn't try the search function, but I bet someone has done a mod on the 10x to change out those NiCAD's with some LSD NiMH, why not?

 

[Superdave]

the large reflector in the 10x is very similar to the M6, i've compared both beams side by side and they are similar as well.


IMO someone needs to mod a M6 to be like an A2, there is plenty of room to add several LED's around the reflector and the electronics side of things can't be too bad to engineer. I'd do it but i sold my M6 back to Socom1970. :grin2:

 

[RichS]

the large reflector in the 10x is very similar to the M6, i've compared both beams side by side and they are similar as well.

Good information Dave, thanks for this info. I was making an assumption on the reflector differences since I have never owned a 10X.

IMO someone needs to mod a M6 to be like an A2, there is plenty of room to add several LED's around the reflector and the electronics side of things can't be too bad to engineer.

:takeit::paypal::twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

:duck:Oh no the creepy ghost LED shot is back:eeew::green::sick2::barf:!

Holy crap!! That pale and lifeless LED is just atrocious. Thank God we still have this outdated incanDECENT technology at our service!

 

[Superdave]

Good information Dave, thanks for this info. I was making an assumption on the reflector differences since I have never owned a 10X.


:takeit::paypal::twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

I'll see if i can talk Socom into bringing both lights to work next Monday and i'll take some beamshots and other pictures for this thread. I'm sure he won't mind.. lol

 

[paulr]

From a utilitarian perspective I'm sure the 10X has its virtues, but the M6 is a work of art while the 10X seems like a bunch of vacuum cleaner parts bolted together by comparison. There have been a bunch of rechargeable setups for the M6, some more successful than others, but I get the impression that the better ones work pretty well. The M6 is one of the lights I'd like to own someday (smooth bezel version only, heh) no matter how obsolete it is. The 10x, probably not.

 

[Monocrom]

How much? That’s the big question, I always thought you could just make a better more practical version of the M6 with the Wolfeyes M90 with 3x 18650 cells and an EO-13 “700 lumens + 1 hour run time + rechargeable + ¼ the price = Awesome!”. So if I had the choice between an M6 and a 10X I’d go with the 10X because I can’t think of any light that is similar to it.

I have a similar set-up, but I went with the shorter extender for use with 3x18500 cells in my Wolf-Eyes M90. The EO-13 is closer to 450 lumens out the front than the advertised 700. Still, far from weak. I agree that it's a great alternative to the M6 in stock form. I'm not a big fan of battery-carriers in general. And, unlike Surefire which still does not offer a holster for the M6, Wolf-Eyes does for their M90.

However, I recently bought two custom 3x17670 battery-carriers and a couple of LF HO-M6R lamps for my M6. There are just so many incredible options for the M6. It also beats my W.E. M90 when it comes to throw. The SF 10x Dom. on the other hand seems to be a dead end in flashlight evolution. There's nothing aftermarket or custom out there for it.

I've handled a 10x. Easily one of the most comfortable lights of its size out there. Very lightweight. Excellent grip. Better than the M6's. Contoured to fit the hand. (Unlike an M6). A light with no aftermarket or custom options is fine, if it's a great one. But the 10x suffers from nagging problems. You have to unscrew the head a bit before putting it in its charger. In an emergency, you can't just yank it free from the charger and use it. Got to tighten that head back down. This has to be done every time. Can't be good for the threads. The charger itself is known for developing problems where it won't charge the light at times. There's a fix for it, but considering the price of a 10x, the charger seems plain cheap. Speaking of price, a new M6 is a better bargain than a new 10x.

If anything, the 13v. Wolf-Eyes M90 is a better reason not to get a 10x, than not to get an M6. The W.E. rechargeable option beats the S.F. one in terms of price, batteries, and charger. Output would make for a good discussion. The 10x wins in terms of dual-output.

 

[Petersen]

Never regretting the M6
- only regret showing it to the Mrs.... now it stands on her bedside......

so need to by a replacement for her so I can get it back.:thinking:

- Get the M6 :twothumbs

Like this article describes,
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/13/f...3afe3e1e0&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

"an object of art"