Top 10 production and custom LED lights that changed the game?

[MY]

I was wondering about how far LED lights have come since CPF was just a pup. As a member who has been with CPF basically since the beginning, I have seen a lot of lights come and go. Some lights have been worshipped and others have been cursed. While I have owned many of the older LED flashlights, the new wave overwhelms me simply because they all seem alike. Cookie cutter in, same old light out . . . It has been a long time since I have seen a flashlight, like the ARC LS, being introduced that made me stare in awe at its "incredible 40 lumens" of lights! Perhaps the closest light that I have seen recently that has made me say "wow" is the Zebralight H50.

The question to the CPF collective is: what 10 production and 10 custom LED lights changed the playing field for all lights to come? I will start the list (not necessarily in order of importance). Notice that my customs are limited to the ones that I have personal owned or have known people who own them. Some on my list were easy to identify, others were a toss up and could have gone either way.

Please add your list (rank them if you wish).

Production:
1. Photon II - keychain light
2. Actionlight - multiple LED, LiOn, robust, bright
3. Eternalight - dimming
4. Infinity I - AA form factor
5. ARC AAA - AAA form factor
6. ARC LS - quality 123 form factor, modular
7. ARC 4 - programable electronics, dimming (yea)
8. Surefire E1/E2/TW4 - quality 123 form factor from an established company
9. Surefire U2 - 5 watt, user control
10. Fenix AA - high flux AA

Custom:
1. Mr. Bulk LGI Series - how to mod a mag so that its now a Mr. Bulk
2. Firefly - built on the Larry Light for the masses
3. Larry Light - handmade free light that helped start the EDC form factor
4. Mr. Bulk Lion Series - a blend of flash, oh, aw,
5. McLux I, II - a flashlight is more than just about light
6. McLux PD - set the standard for quality
7. RAW - the hell with runtime, light up the sky with something so small
8. Exlion - small CR2 Ti keychain
9. Mag and Surefire drop ins - turned obsolete into new
10. X4T Surefire Mods - first of the super lights

Regards.

 

[Hodsta]

I'd concur with many of your choices and add the following to the list;

Spys 005 & 007 - incredibly cool UI in an unauthodox but perfectly designed package
Ti PD Mule - the best flood out there IMO and a change from the norm
SF Titan - if you get a good one possibly the best easy carry EDC out there.
HDS EDC - still a great switch and UI and the shoulders the popular Novatac now stands on
EDIT:
Surefire 6P - 'Nuff said!

:thumbsup:

 

[Frenchyled]

+1 for those you have listed and I would add some others

Gatlight

Itishiki

Lighoon

Draco

 

[xcel730]

For Production

(1) Surefire 6P - The standard which many have tried to copy

For custom

(1) Draco / Drake - So small yet so bright

(2) McGizmo Lunasol 20 - So complicated, yet so simple

 

[LED-holic]

For me it is the Leatherman Monarch 3AAA with a cree LED that changed the game. I was introduced to the incredible power of the newer LED lights since encountering the Leatherman at CostCo.

Without CostCo carrying that light, I would never have become a flashaholic and ended up here.

So in terms of mass market exposure, it has to be that light for me.

 

[Crenshaw]

for me, the AA that changed the game was the NDI, it showed us what an AA light is truely capable of

and for me the CR123A light that changed the game, was the P1D, at its time, AFAIK, it was the only one to surpass 100lumens.

the ARC-LS, first prodution light capable of matching incan performance.

ARC-AAA, THE tough light..nuff said

which was the first P60 based 2 x CR123A? the 6P? kudos to that too...

Crenshaw

 

[Empath]

The Arc-LS place in history is that it was the very first commercial production light to utilize a high output LED.

 

[Daekar]

I've not been around as long as some, but in my brief experience the two that stand out in my mind are the Zebralight H50 (tiny AA no hotspot) and the Lumapower MRV (essentially started the LED thrower category).

 

[yellow]

Mag D-cell & Minimag: the 1st good lights
SF 6P - my 1st real good light
SF 9N - best rechargeable incan
any Fenix - better workmanship and material and diversity and price, than the modded led lights till Fenix entered.
imho the effect of this maker, when it comes to Led lights and larger scale production lights was the most obvious ever.
(PS: I dont even use one, my Sf 6P 18650/Flupic mod is yet better. But the Fenix' are lights I can recommend anyone who wants a light, without thinking twice)

 

[NetMage]

Draco - very small, very powerful, good UI
LionCub - modularity (heads/battery tubes) and multi-brightness
SureFire A2 - regulated incandescent, wide and throw
Spy005 - definitely a breakthrough in ease of use, and utlity and size (and price )
SureFire U2 - light I felt would easily replace a Mag for anything
Arc AAA - affordable and tough
Arc LS - LED/CR123 for most people

others in my Sig

 

[MarNav1]

An ML1 has to be part of this list as well IMO. I prefer the Old style head with the new style body, others may disagree. Luxeon or Seoul, both are very nice.

 

[quokked]

I think the
Fenix L1P changed the game big time, it introduced us to High Quality Chinese Made lights

and the Surefire 6P as it gave us the P60 assembly

 

[David Gretzmier]

Fenix p1d q5.

This one will hurt but...

The first P7 from dx. sure it may of only put out 400 lumens out the front, maybe 600 with help, but does anyone really look at other LED's the same now? they'll be better production p7's, but it was a game changer.

Lummi's raw and of course

the wee.

 

[JCup]

Don't own any customs. I'm that way about knives, too. I like 'em, but can't get myself to fork over the bucks. And there are those fantastic "production" models like the Sebenza that are so fine, but still pricey. They are what I am willing to buy when the value seems right.

For a long time I thought my Ultrastinger was the ultimate, but then your question was regarding LED's.

1) LRI Photon microlight
2) no-name Chinese 3xAAA w/9 T5's (found at electronics shop in Dallas)
3) Fenix L0D
4) Fenix L2D
5) JetBeam Jet-1 Pro

The last three were all since Dec 07, and I'd have to say the L0D is the most game changing. Carrying a tiny and very bright light in your pocket is a big game changer. Combined with the Eneloop, the utility is amazing.

The Cree revolution is what really seems to make it a whole new game, not just a change.

 

[RWT1405]

Back in the day Mags & Streamlights. The most important though (IMHO) has to be the SF 6P, as I see it. It was THE light that changed everything. My .02 FWIW

 

[metlarules]

Don't forget the Inova X-5. It was the 1st led light that I bought and I remember thinking how bright it was for an led. My how times change.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

1. Photon flashlight (I &II)-the original e.d.c.
2. Princeton Tec Matrix headlamp- the first decent l.e.d. headlight made. Also the first good incandescent/ l.e.d. hybrid headlamp made.
3. CC Expedition- first bright l.e.d. flashlight made.
4. Inova X5- most reliable, tough, l.e.d. light made, the light that first got people to use 123A lithium batteries, the only good clustered 5 mm l.e.d. light made until now.
5. Fenix L1P- the first light tough enough to be tortured by being dropped down 17+ floors of an elevator shaft and surviving. First AA l.e.d. light to match the brightness of D cell bulb lights.
6. Photon Rav'n- first decent R.B.G. color changing l.e.d. light
7. Photon Freedom- first light with infinitely variable brightness
8. Fenix L1D, L2D, P2D- first decent light that can change body tubes to adjust to battery preference.
9. Fenix P3D Q5- first decent pocketable single l.e.d. light to reach over 200 lumens.
10. L.e.d. maglites.- First affordable above average 3 watt l.e.d. flashlights. Bright l.e.d. lights got much more popular, brighter, and more affordable soon after these flooded the market. Average people started thinking about buying l.e.d. lights after Maglite started selling them. To us, I know Maglites stink, but to the common person, they are the top of the line and high quality. I think Maglite selling l.e.d. lights got the average people to associate l.e.d.s with their quality mags making room for better lights to be made and sold. Before these came out, the only good 3 watt l.e.d. light was the Gerber LX 3.0 at $50.

 

[wishywashy7]

Im sure the Surefire 6P would top the list of many.
Fenix L2D - my favorite AA :thumbsup:
SF Titan...set a new benchmark of materials, design, performance, UI...and price
Gatlight

 

[Robocop]

I remember a time when we all were wishing for a single AAA luxeon to be mass produced yet no one seemed to wish to do so. Then Fenix came out with the original LOP that started it all.....many others realized there was indeed a market for such a light and all others seemed to suddenly wish to play.

I still have my original LOP and carry it daily....since then many single AAA power houses have been developed yet few can argue that the LOP started it all as far as small AAA luxeons are concerned.

I agree with many that Arc seemed to lead the single 123 trend with the tried and true original LS. It was an instant classic then and seems to still be today rather slightly modded or factory stock.

I also credit the old Infinity Ultras for making a small, durable and long running AA based light that was brilliant in its simplicity. Seems like the older Ultras were doing what they do long before others caught on.

As far as customs are concerned Orb seems to follow the small as possible yet simple as can be design. It seems to be working well and has inspired many to take the plunge into the custom world of lights. I also believe the ROP was a staple design in leading to many other Mag custom designs. I remember Mr.Bulk offering his space needle a very long time ago and this custom was also responsible for sparking others to invent other designs.

 

[tebore]

ArcLS (First Lux based light
Maglite(Kel-light) (High Quality Aluminum flashlights)
Arc4+ (started the microprocessor controlled and single switch UI craze)
Surefire 6P (P60 standard)
Fenix L1P (First well made China based 1xAA light[First 1xAA based lux light])

That's my Top 5.

You can replace the Arc4 with HDS EDC as the Arc was more beta and had some slight switching problems depending on battery sizes.