Small EDC 50ish bucks. Preferably powered by unicorns and butterflies.

[Shniggysaurus]

Checklist questions :

1. Online order
2. $50 or so (will pay more if I need to)
3. Flashlight format
4. Tiny size (3ish inches)
5. led
6. Buy from large manufacturer
7. Power source stated in title but cr123 and rechargeable lithium (rcr123, 16340) will work. I have setup standalone charger.
8. Max lumens possible for the small size. (I have been seeing around 450)
9. Wide throw or narrow flood 50 to 100 yards
10. Runtime based on brightness
11. Would like a durable light
12. Switch - would like to be able to tail stand
13. At least 3 brightness levels but would like the ultra low setting (moonlight)
14. Durable finish
15. Prefer ipx7 but not a deal braker
16. Prefer wide temp range
17. Special needs - see title

Thanks so much for the help!

 

[Bob Damon]

The popular Olight S10 fits most if the criteria, (other than the butterflies) I don't think it can throw 100 yards. Hard to get throw in a small size for less than $50.

 

[radiopej]

Olight S10 as mentioned above is pretty good - Vinh is also doing a run at the moment.

EagleTac D25C Clicky is very good - XM-L2 versions on Li-Ion should be able to hit near that mark.

Both have moonlight, are IPX8 and are just awesome. S10 has a magnet in the tail, so you can just have it hang on things.

D25C will go direct drive on Li-Ion, making it brighter. You still keep moonlight, but the mode spacing doesn't feel right anymore. S10 will "only" give 400 lumens, but it keeps everything regulated the same on primaries and rechargeables.

 

[Shniggysaurus]

Both those lights look awesome and exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks so much for the recommendation. Does anyone have experience with both lights and prefer one? I like the Eagletac better in paper but the magnet might come on handy on occasions.

 

[tphill]

I currently edc an eagletac d25c Ti and really like the light. I run it on Li-Ions and it's plenty bright, but I mostly use the lower modes.
I used to carry a magnet (one of the strong neodymium ones) for work. It attached to everything, keys, knive, light etc. Didn't like it. I personally wouldn't get the S10 for that reason. Just my .02.

 

[cland72]

FourSevens QPC, QTC

 

[radiopej]

I have both. I had the old S10 and just received the new S10 today.

For me, I really love that the S10 is regulated with Li-Ion. Also, it happily takes protected and unprotected 16340s. The D25C Clicky that I have takes both, but it crushes the battery a bit on protected cells. It made me stop using the protected cell as twisting the head feels horrible.

The D25C Clicky has the advantage of letting you turn mode memory on or off, as well as selecting 2 subgroups of modes - one with moonlight, one without. On top of that, there's 2 main mode groups. If the head is fully tightened, your tailcap alternates between turbo and strobe. With it loosened, it cycles through all the other modes. Sometimes the head feels too lose and makes me worried. With the S10, it's entirely controlled through the one button in different ways.

The S10 has a rather genius way of doing it. It memorises the last mode. Once on, holding the button cycles through modes. Double clicking from off goes straight to high. And here's the genius idea - from off, hold the button for 2 seconds for instant moonlight.

I tend to carry a lot of lights - that magnet is very useful. I love my D25C, but there's just something so solid about the S10. I'm carrying the D25C over the S10 on my pocket chain, but honestly, it's probably just because the D25C was there first. The S10 is on my bag strap. I suppose the D25C has less chances of accidental activation since the switch is on the tail. The S10 has a digital lockout function, but may turn on if squished.

How do you plan to carry it?

 

[radiopej]

Also, if you find the magnet annoys you, it comes out with tweezers