This is my favorite single 18650 flashlight, but are there better ones out there?

[wildsquirrel]

I have been using these type of flashlights for years. They have a bright Cree XML-T6 led (though I once got some phony ones that had a weaker led before). They have adjustable focus which goes from a beam so crisp you can see the led shape on the wall, to a pretty wide spread. They are about as compact as they could possibly be, but also have a very cool tactical look.

I've tried a few other single 18650 battery flashlights before and they weren't as good. Most were unnecessarily much larger, or weaker, have no sort of zoom and a bad light pattern, etc.

However I am wondering if there are any better single battery, zoomable, somewhat budget friendly flashlights I'm just unaware of?


I know these are cheapo chinese flashlights, and for some reason they don't seem too popular. I also do find it annoying the way you cycle through useless modes including an sos type mode (although there are actually both 3 mode and 5 mode variants). They also haven't seemed to have changed in about 6-10 years or so I feel like there would be ever better and stronger ones by now.

Granted I know there are some flashlight models around $80 or more, which I have never even seen first hand. The budget ones are all I have ever seen hands on. But when looking at more expensive ones online, many aren't even zoomable, and I don't see much to justify them being 10 times the cost. Perhaps they do have a brighter led leading to more light in full spread mode, but then I would assume if they lack a zoom they would still be less bright compared to the xml-t6 being focused at more of a distance. I would find it hard to justify the 10x cost unless it really were significantly superior.

 

[Dicaeopolis]

I have not used one of those before, but years ago I tried a few Chinese made lights. I actually use my lights every day at work and quite a bit more in the winter months when it gets dark early. Every one I tried broke from a drop or the switch wore out within a couple of months. So to me, it is worth the cost to spend more for one good light that lasts for years. I don't think I can upload a picture here or I would show you the Malkoff I carry daily. I carry two in the winter. The only lights I actually need. Anything else I buy is just for fun. I also have an HDS rotary I keep on nightstand for middle of the night so I can adjust the amount of light where I want. I wouldn't want to be without that either. .

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I have several cheap chinese 18650 lights and they work good for what I paid for them after I defeated the next mode memory on the zoomies. Mine cost about $4-$8 and then I went up a notch to the $20-$35 range and have quality lights with high quality LEDs in them instead of clone LEDs and good drivers and construction. IMO it is worth spending $30 or so for a well made light over the cheap chinese ones. I still use the cheap chinese ones as I don't worry about damaging them. The output of my cheap zoomies is at most about 250 lumens while my $25 Sofirn 18650 is about 500 and over 1000 on Turbo with a warmer tint. Zoomies are nice and fun to use as they can concentrate the light to obtain a brighter light but when you hop to over 2-3 times the output the need to zoom is a lot less.
I also have A Wowtac A2S headlamp and find it is extremely useful. They do make a few higher end zoomies but they are very few and far between and some of them don't zoom as tight as the cheapos showing the actual grid lines of the LED likiet a projector.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Yeah, you can get a pretty good light for around $30. You'll get nothing but crap for $10. If you're buying it for kids to play with, or if you tend to lose lights a lot, then a $10 light might be worth it. Otherwise, pay a bit more and get something nice.

Oh, and almost all zoomies are crap. Get something with a decent general-purpose beam profile, instead.

 

[wildsquirrel]

after I defeated the next mode memory on the zoomies.

I'm curious for more details about this. What exactly did you change about the behavior? Are there instructions on the web?


I've been hearing a lot just recently about people trash talking zoomies, but not sure why. I had one stand up to long term construction use in a pocket or even loose in a toolbelt with other junk. Probably took a few drops. These ones I have like the photo seem durable enough that I can't really imagine them breaking without some real significant accident or being dropped in the mud or something. And they are only about $6-8.

I think they are pretty amazing lights for the price. Quite happy with them. The only reason I even ask about another is seeking an even better brighter one since I think led technology has evolved in the past 6-10 years but these flashlights have stayed the same. But maybe I'm just oblivious to how much better a higher end one might be, having never seen it.

I do see it seems most $30 range lights are now using the lh351d emitter. Not sure exactly how it compares to the XML-T6 since I couldn't find a direct comparison, but I'm guessing its a lot brighter and higher CRI. I might pick one up to see how they compare. Although so many have unnecessary stuff like a usb port and charge circuitry making it longer etc. Really wish I could find a super compact zoom one like the ones I have, just with a newer/better emitter, and without the mode cycling through unnecessary modes.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I'm curious for more details about this. What exactly did you change about the behavior? Are there instructions on the web?

It requires getting to the driver board and using a pencil to wipe graphite across the capacitor that controls the duration of the memory circuit. When you find the right one and get the right amount it will reduce the time it remembers the current mode. I used to have a page to post a link search "next mode memory LED" I think will do it.

I've been hearing a lot just recently about people trash talking zoomies, but not sure why. I had one stand up to long term construction use in a pocket or even loose in a toolbelt with other junk. Probably took a few drops. These ones I have like the photo seem durable enough that I can't really imagine them breaking without some real significant accident or being dropped in the mud or something. And they are only about $6-8.

The next mode memory is probably an issue until you defeat it the light is irritating. The lights sometimes also can have poor quality control and exhibit electrical problems and the sliding action can be too stiff or too loose. I have one that if I bump the head it changes modes on me. They can break as the construction is flimsier than better made lights too. The problem is these lights are not made in the same factory all the time but different factories and quality can vary hugely you may get a really good one, or a mediocre one.

I think they are pretty amazing lights for the price. Quite happy with them. The only reason I even ask about another is seeking an even better brighter one since I think led technology has evolved in the past 6-10 years but these flashlights have stayed the same. But maybe I'm just oblivious to how much better a higher end one might be, having never seen it.

I do see it seems most $30 range lights are now using the lh351d emitter. Not sure exactly how it compares to the XML-T6 since I couldn't find a direct comparison, but I'm guessing its a lot brighter and higher CRI. I might pick one up to see how they compare. Although so many have unnecessary stuff like a usb port and charge circuitry making it longer etc. Really wish I could find a super compact zoom one like the ones I have, just with a newer/better emitter, and without the mode cycling through unnecessary modes.

[/quote]The "XML-T6" on these is but a ruse to make you think there are Cree brand LEDs in them when in fact they are chinese clone LEDs. For the price they are adequate but not the quality nor the efficiency of an actual Cree LED. I'm not sure if they can even be driven as hard as a Cree LED either but then there is the driver circuits on these lights typically 3 modes H/L/Strobe and compared to the $30 lights it is more like medium/medium low. The tint/cri of these lights is inconsistent and all over the place. I'm guessing that on a fresh battery you may get 300 lumens but likely more closer to 200 lumens IMO but I'm not that great at estimating things others may have a better eye for that.
There are othe lights with 5 modes and no next mode memory but they have their annoying issue of excessive strobe modes often a strobe AND SOS mode and if you don't use them you have to cycle through them to get back to High again.
IMO if you get a decent one of these lights that take 18650s or AAs for around $5 they are nice but when they start creeping up towards $10 then it gets more of a gamble as you could buy 2 of them to get one that you like and that pushes you towards the price of a higher quality light with a nicer UI and brighter and dimmer modes and often hidden strobe modes.

My one issue with zoomies that goes back to their predecessors that were the "moon ball" type magnifying glass output is when zoomed out you have a bright ball of light that can shut down your eyes and anything in the ball area you can see but there essentially no spill light and you can't see beyond the ball so you are constantly having to move the ball around to see things while a reflectored or well made optic light has spill and you can see at the edges without moving the light. In other words if you are walking in confined areas you can see things that would be in your peripheral vision areas with a reflectored light but not necessarily with a zoomie. The hot spot when zoomed out also exhibits little spill light. Basically in order to concentrate the light you lose all spill and can basically only see within the focused light area everything outside of it is dark as your eyes are oversaturated.
Once you get a decent higher output reflectored light with a high power quality emitter you will desire its beam to a zoomie more often.
BTW most $30 lights are using CREE XML, and XPL emitters but there is a wide variety of them often using Nichia and other emitters I've lost count of the half dozen or so emitters used now but these better LEDs are a lot more consistent in tint and output vs the clone emitters that you can have one blue another pink and then green it is a crap shoot on them and if you are doing something that color rendition is an issue you may have to get a half dozen of them to find the right tint to use often different color shells from different vendors as batches of them probably use the same LED batches.
I was happy with mine after I got the next mode situation worked out, but now I have high power cree multimode lights in the $30 range I now consider them more disposable and grab my 1200 lumen Sofirn or my 2 18650 headlamps that do 900 lumens on turbo and have 5 lumen low modes and hidden strobe modes. There is nothing as awesome as a 1000 lumen LED light with a nice reflector the first time you go into Turbo on a dark night and a wide area of your yard lights up almost as bright as daylight the zoomies pale in comparison and quality output.
Well spaced modes also are wonderful as with the cheap chinese lights you get something like 100/50/25 or 100/50 percent modes and the 30 dollar range of lights you get something like 0.1/0.5//15/50/100% modes and the super low modes on some lights are "hidden" and Turbo modes on some are hidden too so you get outputs of 5 lumens/125lumens/500 lumens and it cycles from L to H instead of H to L like most of the cheap lights. Having it start from Low is a huge advantage because you don't shut down your eyes nor wake up people around you that may be sleeping plus the lower output conserves power you can run at 5 lumens on more efficient emitters a lot longer than low on a zoomie perhaps 5-10 times longer.

 

[Chicken Drumstick]

I have been using these type of flashlights for years. They have a bright Cree XML-T6 led (though I once got some phony ones that had a weaker led before). They have adjustable focus which goes from a beam so crisp you can see the led shape on the wall, to a pretty wide spread. They are about as compact as they could possibly be, but also have a very cool tactical look.

I've tried a few other single 18650 battery flashlights before and they weren't as good. Most were unnecessarily much larger, or weaker, have no sort of zoom and a bad light pattern, etc.

However I am wondering if there are any better single battery, zoomable, somewhat budget friendly flashlights I'm just unaware of?


I know these are cheapo chinese flashlights, and for some reason they don't seem too popular. I also do find it annoying the way you cycle through useless modes including an sos type mode (although there are actually both 3 mode and 5 mode variants). They also haven't seemed to have changed in about 6-10 years or so I feel like there would be ever better and stronger ones by now.

Granted I know there are some flashlight models around $80 or more, which I have never even seen first hand. The budget ones are all I have ever seen hands on. But when looking at more expensive ones online, many aren't even zoomable, and I don't see much to justify them being 10 times the cost. Perhaps they do have a brighter led leading to more light in full spread mode, but then I would assume if they lack a zoom they would still be less bright compared to the xml-t6 being focused at more of a distance. I would find it hard to justify the 10x cost unless it really were significantly superior.

That looks like an SK68 which uses an AA battery or 14500. The older ones with the CREE XR-E were arguably nicer. Had way more throw and still ok'ish output with a 14500. The XM-L ones will have more lumens and be brighter on flood mode. But they have way less throw.


The SK68 isn't a bad little light. I still have a couple. And have gifted many. But there are WAY better lights out there.


Something like a Convoy S2+ for example. It isn't a zoomy light, but you'll get flood and throw at the same time with them. Zoomy lights are kind of fun. But hugely compromised at almost everything. Close up such as map reading the flood is good. But outside or larger areas they show their limitations that they just can't light up much area at any sort of distance.

The Convoy S2+ can be had for under $20 delivered. Either buy direct from Convoy via their Aliexpress store or from somewhere like Banggood.

Also grab yourself some 'good' 18650's. I personally find the Samsung 30Q to be a good mix of capacity and high amp performance.

If you really want a zoomy check out the YLP Falcon. It is really good spec and uses a TIR optic, which gives a much better zoom beam than the asperic lenses IMO.

https://ylplight.com/en/katalog/1/falcon-f15/

 

[lightfooted]

To answer the title question: Yes, many but if you are unwilling to buy one to try...you will never fully understand the difference in quality and output between your zoomie and a real flashlight. I've seen that particular light in person and I'm not sure that it's even 200 lumens...of course it might have been an older version but still, not really as bright as they want you to think.

You can still find the Wowtac A1 and A1S for sale on Amazon and it is several orders of magnitude better a light. I suggest it as a great start for the better flashlights because it is still a relatively inexpensive light and is also well built.

 

[lumen aeternum]

>
My one issue with zoomies that goes back to their predecessors that were the "moon ball" type magnifying glass output is when zoomed out you have a bright ball of light that can shut down your eyes and anything in the ball area you can see but there essentially no spill light and you can't see beyond the ball so you are constantly having to move the ball around to see things while a reflectored or well made optic light has spill and you can see at the edges without moving the light. In other words if you are walking in confined areas you can see things that would be in your peripheral vision areas with a reflectored light but not necessarily with a zoomie. The hot spot when zoomed out also exhibits little spill light. Basically in order to concentrate the light you lose all spill and can basically only see within the focused light area everything outside of it is dark as your eyes are oversaturated.
>

When you want to illuminate "far" in the woods, spill is not your friend. Every nearby twig & leaf reflects & ruins your far vision. When LEP projectors come down in price, that's what I'm gonna get. Wonder when someone will do an LEP in green.