Narrow beam thrower for pizza delivery

[FloorThirteen]

Hey guys/gals,

I'm a pizza delivery driver that is looking for a new light. I've bought at least a couple hundred dollars of flashlights over the years for mounting to guns, using for camping, etc. but none of them seem to be particularly suited for pizza delivery. The reason for this is that when delivering I need a light that has a very narrow beam. I'll be using the light to illuminate house numbers at, but I'd like to find a light with a narrow beam so that I can do so without flooding people's homes and windows with light. Distance between me and the house numbers I have to light up will be between 10-60 yards; I don't necessarily need a light that can illuminate Mars.

Here's some of the requests I have for the ideal pizza delivery light:

• Uses one 18650 battery
• As narrow of a beam as possible with minimal flood
• Has rear-mounted push button on/off, ideally a momentary switch and not a toggle (a combination of both is okay)
• If it has modes other than brightness modes (i.e. strobe, SOS, etc.) I would like them to be very hard to activate or would like to be able to disable them (I'm often using the light inside a dark car while driving, if I accidentally activate the strobe mode I'll be blinded)
• Max price $160 and available from Amazon (ideally with prime shipping)

Thanks in advance for any help with finding a light. I've seen other delivery drivers post similar threads but most recommendations do not consider that flood needs to be minimal and that strobe modes need to be avoided.

 

[Parrot Quack]

Welcome to CPF. :welcome:

The recommendation uses two 18650 batteries. A Nitecore EC4. Can't help you with your need for a laser style flashlight but I have, use and love the Nitecore EC4. Welcome again and good luck with finding your perfect light.

 

[Poppy]

Take a look at the rayovac 2AA indestructible. It has a narrow beam profile, with decent throw. I don't know how well it'll do 180 feet, but it would be good at 100-120 feet.

For a single 18650, you might look at the Fenix zoomie the FD40
I don't have one, but zoomies usually can get down to a pretty tight spot. It has a 70 lumen low, and when all focused into a tight spot, that might reach out sufficiently for you, otherwise, it 220 lumen medium, which should easily do the 60 meters you are looking for.

 

[Str8stroke]

I know you said amazon, but.......
Goto Gearbest
search BLF D80
Buy it
Goto Mtn Electronics
search protected 18650s
Buy them
Wait 2-3 weeks for light (hey its free shipping, just like prime! lol)
Wait 1 week for batteries
Enjoy a a few Large 3 topping pizzas with your left over tips.

EDIT: Don't let the price fool you!

 

[NoNotAgain]

The Olight M2X-UT fits the bill. Single 18650 or two CR123 cells, and a laser type beam with no spill light. Close to 1000 yard beam distance, so at the range you would be using it, the light spot would be under a foot in diameter. $110 from many dealers.

 

[hiuintahs]

I was thinking that the ideal size of light for you would be tube style 18650.........that's basically the Fenix PD32/35 style, or the Nitecore P12GT, or MT20C. There's others but those will easily be able to hit the distances you're talking, but they do have a spill beam to them. That's a function of the size of reflector. They'd also be very pocketable. The narrowest beam semi thrower light that I've come across is an ArmyTek Viking Pro V3. There are others.....even within the ArmyTek line.........I just haven't tried them all. My Viking is up for sale by the way on this forum and also Ebay........but I didn't want you to get the wrong idea why I mentioned it. One of the reasons I am selling is because I'm not sure I like that narrow of a beam with a tight hot spot in the middle.......kind of not the best for up close work........though the low modes make it usable up close. Out of the lights I own, that would probably be the one I'd grab for what you're doing. I wish they had stuff like this when I worked as a driver for UPS 35 years ago.

 

[Tac Gunner]

The Olight M2X-UT fits the bill. Single 18650 or two CR123 cells, and a laser type beam with no spill light. Close to 1000 yard beam distance, so at the range you would be using it, the light spot would be under a foot in diameter. $110 from many dealers.

I second this choice. Either this or the M3XS-UT. If you pm me I can give you a coupon with a significant price break for both (brings them sown to below a hundred bucks each). I have not handled the M2 but have the M3 and the beam is about as tight as you can get from a reflector based light in you price range. Neither are that big of a light.

Another suggestion might be to get an aspheric zoomie light built. A well built one would be able to focus the led to where there is zero spill and is just big enough to light up the numbers

 

[Str8stroke]

The Olight is a awesome light for sure. But not many people have a 1000 yard driveway. Lol OP said they didn't want to light Mars or Uranus.

 

[cistallus]

A non-zoomable aspheric is probably what you want. The DEFT-EDC would be nice but isn't made any more. The DEFT-X can still be had although it's way beyond what you need.

Perhaps there's a similar fixed-lens aspheric that would work for you.

You could try a cheap Sipik SK-68 clone for under $5 from Amazon, just to see what an aspheric looks like like projecting the LED die image - but the ones I've tried still have some spill, whereas a better quality non-zooming aspheric probably wouldn't.

 

[cyclesport]

You could try a cheap Sipik SK-68 clone for under $5 from Amazon, just to see what an aspheric looks like like projecting the LED die image - but the ones I've tried still have some spill, whereas a better quality non-zooming aspheric probably wouldn't.

+1 This is a very sensible suggestion for your application. Ordinarily, I never recommend aspheric lens zooming lights to anyone as an EDC light since it's kind of a one-trick-pony, but for under $10 the single-mode version Sipik SK68 (or copy), and a 14500 li-ion will probably amaze you by it's throw and output, and how it can pinpoint the addresses you're trying to see without much peripheral spill. It will have 2 or 3 dimmer rings in the spill beam (you reference as flood), but basically most of the light (99%) will be focused down to a single square image of the LED die.

If it turns out you like the design, you can then spend more on a better quality zoom light, like a Coast or perhaps the new Fenix FD40 *(this is a newly released light and looks like it may be one of the best made lights in this catagory)...but really, the SK68 will be more than enough, has just one mode; high, and is for all practical purposes, tailor made for your needs.

 

[bykfixer]

If you're shining from the inside of a vehicle through your windows nothing except a laser will shine without blinding you.

That being said a Streamlight Strion LED or Stinger LED will give you the rechargeable option you seek, pencil beam hot spots and interfaces that provide hi everytime you turn it on, and you can hold the on button to lower or raise the brightness by holding the switch down. 2 quick clicks gets you strobe if need be. The big A sells them.

I use a 160 lumen TL 2 LED that easily shines 500' without waking the neighbors due to the intense pencil beam. Runs only on primaries but after a few months I'm still using the ones it came with. One mode only. It was like $65 at the big A.

X2 on the Rayovac Indestructable 2aa...using eneloops.

Or...
The PK Warrior 2. That one uses rechargeables in 16000 size or the 18650 as well as primary 123's. If you end up with an unfriendly trying to make off with your earnings it's also a great self defense item at both ends. A side switch near the tail switch takes you from 5 to 288, to 618 to 1000 lumens and it stays on the setting you last used.
The PK version is only available through PowerTac, but a non PK version is available at the big A.

Lastly
The Coast HP7R is a rechargeable via micro usb to the cartridge in light or out, comes with a spare cell and easily throws 500' when adjusted to spot..easily. It's designed to be a pencil beam light with only 250 lumens. But when head is slid back it becomes a half way decent flooder. Has a hi/strobe/lo rear switch. Got mine at the big A.

If I delivered pizzas the Stinger would be my first choice.

 

[Poppy]

Lastly
The Coast HP7R is a rechargeable via micro usb to the cartridge in light or out, comes with a spare cell and easily throws 500' when adjusted to spot..easily. It's designed to be a pencil beam light with only 250 lumens. But when head is slid back it becomes a half way decent flooder. Has a hi/strobe/lo rear switch. Got mine at the big A.

If I delivered pizzas the Stinger would be my first choice.

I was thinking of a LED lenser as a "quality" zoomie, and here in the states Coast is it's brother. I didn't know that they made a USB rechargeable. Do you know what size Li Ion battery do they use?

 

[bykfixer]

I've never cracked open the proprietary cartridge Poppy. But it's a bit longer than the typical 4aaa magazine. Makes me think it may be 4 aaa sized units in parallel or perhaps a say...uh, 26550 sized cell?
But I ran it for a good 12 hours 30 minutes here, 45 minutes there...before it wasn't as bright as my 125 lumen Malkoff'd G2.

When fully charged it was just as bright and threw just as far as my LED 2D mag lite.

You can crack open the light, slide the tail cap away from the body a bit and expose a micro usb port. About a 2 hour charge and you can plug your cord to a backup cell the out of the light.

It also comes with a magazine that holds regular batteries.

Edit:
Did a little investigation into the cell for that Coast


3.7 volts aye?


^^ peaked inside...says 18650
At the other end you can see the C in Coast. Seems they have their own version of an 18650.


^^ charging spot in light or out.

Now that little housing over the cell seemed to be able to be disassembled...like one side lets go and the other side hinges.

Poppy, I may have to take it to the lab....

 

[RickZ]

this option looks ideal.

I know you said amazon, but.......
Goto Gearbest
search BLF D80
Buy it
Goto Mtn Electronics
search protected 18650s
Buy them
Wait 2-3 weeks for light (hey its free shipping, just like prime! lol)
Wait 1 week for batteries
Enjoy a a few Large 3 topping pizzas with your left over tips.

EDIT: Don't let the price fool you!