Most Durable Flashlight

[Jazzman56]

Hi CPF

I'm looking for a 18650 flashlight that i can use an abuse for at least (hopefully) the next 5 years :) camping, hiking, canoeing, canyoning, running ect.

I have had a Jetbeam 3m xml and a Klarus xt 11, the jetbeam had a tail switch failure and i disliked the xt 11 PWM (the inductor squealing started to get to me :duh2:)

So long story short i'm in the market again to buy a 18650 flashlight i'm looking for something with these kind of features:

• Has To BE Extremely Durable (caving)
• IPX8 very good waterproofing
• Uses a Cree XP- / XML
• Less than $120
• Has a mode Memory
• Extremely low mode ( >10 lum) (preserving night vision)
• Can be placed in a Holster
• Less than 300grams

What is the best out of these light and which is the most durable brand (+ anything else anyone can think off):

• ArmyTek Predator (not sure on which one maybe the X v.2 XM-L)
• Rofis TR31
• Fenix Tk22
• A Malkoff
• Thrunite T30 (is this really 10m drop rated?)
• anything else ???

Quick Q's

I'm still learning but can someone explain the whole Malkoff flashlight idea (pro's/ con's) a little more please.


Thanks,
Jazzman56

 

[TEEJ]

Malkoff pro's/cons:


The concept of the Malkoff lights are that they are modular.

That means that you can get whatever HEAD body, etc, that works for you as far as light, and form factor now, and, later, screw a new head or body on to meet future needs/take advantage of higher performance features when they are developed, etc.

So, instead of buying a new light when a new LED option comes out, etc, you just buy the new head and swap it for the old one.

If you have a floody head and a throwy head, you could use the same body, and use the head or body du jour for your application that day....and so forth.

So, different cells configurations to maximize brightness, or runtime...different heads to do the same plus beam shape, and so forth, give you the flexibility to adapt the lighting to whatever you are in need of at the time.

The UI's tend to be very simple, on/off + high/low, etc.

The components are high quality, and very durable, making them popular with LEO and other hard-use applications.


The cons are that the parts are expensive, and its sometimes less expensive TO get a new (non-Malkoff) light to fill an application, that the UI is very simple if you WANTED a lot of light levels and blinky modes, etc, and that there are not a lot of beam profile options in certain areas, such as extreme throw/strong flood.

 

[archimedes]

IIRC, some of the early HDS/Ra models were designed with the needs of caving in mind ?

 

[Tulip bush]

Not got one of these but it's looks tough in this ....

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lvA79TAMu6c

 

[gilly]

HDS Systems are great - although hard to find in stock...and no 18650.

Malkoff are top notch also - potted electronics, great build.

Got an Armytek Predator X V2.0 recently - what a beast! They advertise electronics are sealed and potted. Very solid machine with incredible versatility. Not that hard to program either. The lowest firefly mode is less than .1 lumen. Nearly as dim as my HDS that's advertised as .03 lumens. Love this light!

 

[Jazzman56]

Thanks Everyone for your input i understand the idea of the Malkoff (thanks TEEJ) :D

Which HDS systems/Malkoff light is a must have ? i'm not sure on which models of would be the best, i want something that is a compromise between throw and flood.

Thanks
Jazzman56

 

[DTF]

If you are serious about durability, then a McGizmo. Nothing else on your list completely matches up feature-for-feature. It's more expensive than you are looking for but real quality really does cost more.

 

[Jazzman56]

Thanks DTF

Ok so a McGizmo is probably going to be way out of my price range (unless i can find one second hand :D) but which McGizmo is the must have ?

 

[DTF]

For hard outdoor work, the Haiku 6V XML. Mine is complete with the titanium clip that has a 1/4" - 20 mounting hole. Combined with the McGizmo coiled tether with titanium hardware.

See this recent post http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...tion-to-Titanium-and-the-Medical-Professional This doctor is serious about durability.

It's really not a question about cost. It's a question about how serious you are about durability. If failure is absolutely not an option, then.....

 

[gilly]

Which HDS systems/Malkoff light is a must have ? i'm not sure on which models of would be the best, i want something that is a compromise between throw and flood.

Thanks
Jazzman56

Any of the HDS models are great lights. I have a rotary and a clickie model and they are outstanding. You can't run 18650s in either model, although you can get a 17670 tube for the rotary and clickie (if you can find them in stock!!).

Any of the Malkoff lights are outstanding. I have a Hound Dog XM-L which has outputs of 80 and 800 lumens. I run it on two 18650s with the MD4 body. They are coming out with their new EDC light in the next couple of weeks - may want to check that out. (although that will be 123-sized)

 

[Jazzman56]

Thanks for everyones input :)

It's between the Armytek Predator Xml and a Malkoff

Which Malkoff should i get, i want something floody, preferable with an XML emitter.

(i'm also open to getting a second hand Malkoff which will help with the budget :D)

Any thoughts??

 

[Norm]

Unfortunately your poll results seem to be more a popularity contest rather than a true reflection of the facts.

Edit: looks like things are heading in the right direction now.

Norm

 

[JustinTime]

Unfortunately your poll results seem to be more a popularity contest rather than a true reflection of the facts.

Norm

Please explain.

 

[twl]

Thanks for everyones input :)

It's between the Armytek Predator Xml and a Malkoff

Which Malkoff should i get, i want something floody, preferable with an XML emitter.

(i'm also open to getting a second hand Malkoff which will help with the budget :D)

Any thoughts??

With those criteria, I would recommend either the Malkoff MD3 with Hi/Lo switch and M91A drop-in, or a Malkoff Hound Dog XML. The Hound Dog has a larger head and can throw pretty well, but it also has a strong side spill that could be called floody.

 

[gravelmonkey]

Unfortunately your poll results seem to be more a popularity contest rather than a true reflection of the facts.

Norm

Usual 'Recommend me a light for...' behaviour!

The Armytek Predator is pretty much fully programmable (complicated but it gets you what you want) and unless they've changed the new XM-L models they have some sort of back-up circuit that allows the light to work (at low mode) even if the main driver goes :poof:.

Downside, I think the beam profile is more of a spotlight than a flood.

The Malkoff's are very solid and will probably out-live you in a cave which is reflected in the price, downside is that they don't have a low-low to preserve night vision... I suppose you could always get something cheap but reliable like a Fenix E01 for backup/night vision duties.

GM

 

[cland72]

Malkoff, no doubt about it. For extra flood you could email Gene and see if you can get a M61 with an XML instead of a XPG2, athough for me the XPG2 seems to have plenty of throw as is.

 

[roadkill1109]

wouldnt the surefire flashlight come to mind when durability is needed?

 

[gilly]

Hound Dog XM-L is great - still has good useable spill although it does throw quite a bit. Armytek XM-L has a nice balance of throw and spill also - I have both of these lights. (the Armytek XP-G2 is the real thrower). Agree with post above - Malkoffs are great but I do miss the lower-low. In that regard the Armytek Predator XM-L is giving me everything I want - solid build, less than a lumen up to 590 OTF. Programming is not that tough - I had it down in about 30 minutes and there are youtube videos to help...

Don't know what the moderator's post is about...these are great lights we're discussing here.

 

[Norm]

Please explain.

As already mentioned, it's usual with this sort of poll for people to vote for flashlights they own. Because more people own cheaper flashlights than own more expensive unbreakable lights, Malkoff for instance, poll results are often skewed in favour of cheaper popular lights.

But it looks like Malkoff is in the lead at the moment.

Norm

 

[JustinTime]

As already mentioned, it's usual with this sort of poll for people to vote for flashlights they own. Because more people own cheaper flashlights than own more expensive unbreakable lights, Malkoff for instance, poll results are often skewed in favour of cheaper popular lights.

But it looks like Malkoff is in the lead at the moment.

Norm

Ah, ok. I don't know why people do that. They do it with everything they own. I've talked to friends on other forums about it and the best reason we can come up with is; people want to justify their purchase. I too buy "cheaper" less durable lights. I have an Armytek but I wouldn't say it is brighter, better, more durable, or whatever than anything else just because I own it. Especially if I don't have any experience with the other particular lights being discussed. How could I know if I've never compared them all first hand. Anyway, thank you for the clarification. Btw, $100 flashlights aren't cheap to me; just less expensive than better lights. I have a super difficult time spending more than $100 for a flashlight. To each their own and I'm sure the quality goes up as the lights get more expensive. I just can't do it.