Noob question re: cheapies

[amateur6]

Howdy folks --

Thanks to a packaging project at work, I got to play around with a bunch of consumer-grade (you know, wal-mart, home depot -type stuff) LED flashlights [note: I didn't buy them, so maybe they're not all in the same league, price-wise]:

- Inova X5
- Dorcy Metal Gear (1 watt Luxeon)
- Target store brand 1 watt Luxeon
- Inova Radiant AA-series ("Super Bright")
- Brinkmann 3 watt

Despite being the ugliest of the bunch, the Brinkmann's throw is the best by far. Questions:

1) Is that just because (or mostly because) of the 3 watt LED?
2) Is there anything else out there that compares well (or blows it away) in the sub-$20 range?

I'm planning on picking up a SF or Fenix sometime when I have some extra cash, but in the meantime I'm just wondering who rules the cheap side of the tracks? Thanks!

 

[Gunner12]

Well, it has a lot to do with the reflector geometry. A deeper and wider reflector would usually result in a further throwing beam.

Who rules the budget section of flashlights? Well, I would have to say the Cree/Seoul/Rebel lights getting good reviews on Dealextreme/Kaidomain. They use the current gen LED, the ones getting good reviews at least have decent quality, and they include shipping in their price(not to mention they are bright, for example this one has similar output to the Maglite 4D). Look on there, there are quite a few lights that will beat the Brinkmann in output and throw, like this one, this one, this one...(if you stick a current gen LED in the Brinkmann, you would get at least double the output).

DX and KD are both on Chinese New Year vacation right now, along with the bad weather, now is not a great time to buy from them. I'd wait till they are back from vacation.

:welcome:

 

[amateur6]

Well, it has a lot to do with the reflector geometry. A deeper and wider reflector would usually result in a further throwing beam.

[...]

DX and KD are both on Chinese New Year vacation right now, along with the bad weather, now is not a great time to buy from them. I'd wait till they are back from vacation.

Makes sense -- the Brinkmann does seem to have a really deep reflector!

Many thanks for the links and the tips... I can tell I'm going to be in trouble here! Ah well, at least it's cheaper than collecting camera lenses, which is what I've been (unintentionally) doing recently...

 

[KeyGrip]

- Inova X5: Not the brightest of the bunch, but incredibly durable, simple, and can put out a lot of light on dead batteries.

- Dorcy Metal Gear (1 watt Luxeon): Probably decent, and you could use it well enough, but I'd save my money for a Fenix.

- Target store brand 1 watt Luxeon: Save money for Fenix

- Inova Radiant AA-series ("Super Bright"): The Radiants are good lights, not the greatest, but good.

- Brinkmann 3 watt: No experience.

Despite being the ugliest of the bunch, the Brinkmann's throw is the best by far. Questions:

1) Is that just because (or mostly because) of the 3 watt LED? Throw is more a property of the reflector design. If the Brinkmann has a larger and deeper reflector, it'll throw further. Also, don't put too much stock in wattage claims. Today's 3 watt emitters can out-lumen 5 and 7 watt emitters.

2) Is there anything else out there that compares well (or blows it away) in the sub-$20 range? Depends on what you want the light to do. There isn't much in the way of quality and durability in that price range, but there are some really bright lights. Check out Kaidomain and DealExtreme. Remember, you get what you pay for. Anyway, if you're looking for a dedicated EDC (Every Day Carry) light, go ahead and save your money for a Fenix. The Inova is the only one I'd recommend because it works so well on dead batteries, but that's about it.