Vision impaired navigation light.

[meerkat8472]

Hello, I am new here and would like some help.
I have a severe vision impairment with terrible night vision. I want to get an extremely powerful flashlight for navigating at night.
I need a lot of light (I'm thinking around 10,000 lumen), all the time. So I want a light that doesn't drop down to lower light levels after a minute or so.
Preferably I want a light that gives out a huge but steady amount of light from beginning to end of battery life.
I don't mind what size it is so long as it can be put on a belt in a holster or similarly portable.
I know that what I'm asking for probably doesn't exist, most flashlight makers seem to want to show off with huge turbo modes that don't last but still, I thought I'd ask. Below I've tried to fill out your checklist.

1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?
Online

2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!
Essentially unlimited.

3) Format:
I want a flashlight (hand held/self contained).

4) Size:
MEDIUM - Holster/belt ring carry. (>7 inches)

5) Emitter/Light source:
LED

6) Manufacturer:
I want to buy a light from a large/traditional manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
I would like a light from a specialty manufacturer (Possibly limited run/Custom).

7) What power source do you want to use?
Any rechargable lithium batteries.
7a) If you have selected a rechargeable option
I don't care

8) How much genuine out the front light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light.
There is no such thing as too much light
Burst/Turbo mode Category: Preferably none.

9) Flood vs Throw: Flood covers an area, Throw reaches out to a distance.
Narrow Flood: I want a sharply defined flood area that will project some distance for tasks like trail walking.

9a) Distance: How far away will you typically need to see with this light
Due to my different needs, distance as you know it, doesn't really apply.

10) Runtime:
Up to 30 minutes, but really as long as possible

11) Durability/Usage:
Slightly Important.

12) Switch Size, Type, and location:
Any switch will do.

13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection.
Any UI is fine, but no bloody strobe mode no bloody SOS mode and no bloody beacon mode.
Either that, or a way to not easily activate them or a way to lock them out

14)Material/Finish/Coating
I don't care.

15) Water resistance
IPX4 (Splash resistant) or more

16) Storage conditions
In house when I'm not carrying it.

17) Special Needs/extras:
None that I can think of.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Welcome!
Can you tell us all your applications? Is it just trail walking? How far away do you hope to see with this tool? Would you consider one flashlight for far away seeing and another flashlight for closer needs?

There are multi emitter flashlights with larger battery packs that may suffice, yet still, one should consider using the minimal amount of light needed for the task at hand.

Going to ask @Monocrom to look at this.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Given that you do not seem to be constrained particularly with cost, consider trying one, then perhaps another.

 

[Monocrom]

Going to ask @Monocrom to look at this.

Two HUGE issues. 10,000 lumens that don't kick down to a lower level after a minute or two (at most) of use, and small enough to fit onto a belt.

Literally one light comes to mind that will be the closest.... Thrunite TN50. (Obviously I'm not going to recommend a light I don't own.) I have that model, it is very impressive. Soda can sized. Comes with a belt holster. Proprietary internal battery. Not ideal, but currently the best solution for getting its 16,000 rated lumens of output on the highest setting.

Yes, this thing is a little Beast of a light! Unfortunately it's also one of the greatest improvised hand-warmers you will ever encounter in your Life! So, the problem is the sustainability of the highest setting for longer than a minute or two. Not happening.

Technology at the current time, a true 10,000 lumens light that can pump out THAT amount of output without kicking down almost immediately to a much lower level, is going to be huge in construction. Fitting onto a belt? Maybe if the Jolly Green Giant were real, you could fit it onto his belt.

 

[Voider of Warranties]

Two HUGE issues. 10,000 lumens that don't kick down to a lower level after a minute or two (at most) of use, and small enough to fit onto a belt.

Literally one light comes to mind that will be the closest.... Thrunite TN50. (Obviously I'm not going to recommend a light I don't own.) I have that model, it is very impressive. Soda can sized. Comes with a belt holster. Proprietary internal battery. Not ideal, but currently the best solution for getting its 16,000 rated lumens of output on the highest setting.

Yes, this thing is a little Beast of a light! Unfortunately it's also one of the greatest improvised hand-warmers you will ever encounter in your Life! So, the problem is the sustainability of the highest setting for longer than a minute or two. Not happening.

Technology at the current time, a true 10,000 lumens light that can pump out THAT amount of output without kicking down almost immediately to a much lower level, is going to be huge in construction. Fitting onto a belt? Maybe if the Jolly Green Giant were real, you could fit it onto his belt.

What about that Jetbeam model (M64, was it?) that you facetiously referred to as having "lighthouse mode?" Just wondering on behalf of the OP whether that might be worth a shot.

 

[Monocrom]

What about that Jetbeam model (M64, was it?) that you facetiously referred to as having "lighthouse mode?" Just wondering on behalf of the OP whether that might be worth a shot.

I actually considered it for a minute, but no. Too long for belt-carry.
Not nearly enough lumens for the OP's needs.

Light house mode as I called it is more about throw than anything else, with a more concentrated hot-spot.

 

[meerkat8472]

Ah, I see.
I thought I might be overdoing it a bit with my lumen requirement. All I know is I've had a couple of lights that I think were around 2000 lumens and they weren't good enough. I know lumens aren't everything though, so how about 5,000 Lumens, are there any lights that can maintain that?

 

[ebuchner]

All I know is I've had a couple of lights that I think were around 2000 lumens and they weren't good enough.

Can you tell us exactly what your last couple of 2000 lumen lights were? Depending on the manufacturer and brand, their rated lumen output could be much less than what was claimed on the package. Knowing that might make it easier to figure out what might be more practically feasible for your needs.

 

[meerkat8472]

I'm afraid not. They were both unbranded Chinese things. So yeah, their claims may well be rubbish. The one I'm currently using runs on a 21700 cell and while it is better than nothing, it's not much better than nothing. I need something 3-5 times as powerful at least. I apologize for my vagueness, I don't have a lot of flashlight experience. So far, you all have been very helpful, I'm actually considering the Thrunite TN50 but apart from its turbo S mode of 16,000 (for 80 seconds). I can't find the lumen levels of its lower settings. I might also consider the TN36, but it needs a seperate battery charger.

 

[Monocrom]

Ah, I see.
I thought I might be overdoing it a bit with my lumen requirement. All I know is I've had a couple of lights that I think were around 2000 lumens and they weren't good enough. I know lumens aren't everything though, so how about 5,000 Lumens, are there any lights that can maintain that?

No.

 

[Monocrom]

I'm afraid not. They were both unbranded Chinese things. So yeah, their claims may well be rubbish.

You were absolutely lied to. No Doubt at all. Those things weren't remotely pumping out anywhere near 2000 lumens.

Also, I have the TN36 as well. You're better off with the TN50.

 

[Monocrom]

I'm actually considering the Thrunite TN50 but apart from its turbo S mode of 16,000 (for 80 seconds). I can't find the lumen levels of its lower settings.

Basic Google search turned up the following:
(Which I then confirmed after contacting Thrunite.)

Turbo S = Over 16,000 lumens (down to under 3000 lumens after 80 seconds.)

Turbo = 7600 lumens (down to just under 3000 lumens after just over 3 minutes.)

High = Just under 3600 lumens (down to 3000 lumens after 12 minutes.)

Medium = 1157 lumens.

Low = 190 lumens

Firefly = Just over 1 lumen.

Strobe = 2900 lumens.

Runtimes:
I only bothered with the realistic ones.
Med. = 11 hrs.
Low = 50 hrs.

 

[LEDphile]

Ah, I see.
I thought I might be overdoing it a bit with my lumen requirement. All I know is I've had a couple of lights that I think were around 2000 lumens and they weren't good enough. I know lumens aren't everything though, so how about 5,000 Lumens, are there any lights that can maintain that?

Mains-powered light bulbs are pretty good about publishing realistic lumen numbers, along with being relatively standardized. So here are some numbers for comparison:

Incandescent lamp type/wattage (or the LED equivalent)
* 40W general service: ~500 lumens
* 60W general service: ~800 lumens
* 75W general service: ~1200 lumens
* 100W general service: ~1600 lumens
* 90W PAR38 flood: ~1000 lumens

 

[meerkat8472]

Thank you everyone, you've all been very helpful. I think I will get a TN50. Though it does surprise me a bit that it still seems to be one of the best in it's category despite being at least a 5 year old design. I thought things moved a bit faster in the world of flashlights. Oh well, it still seems like it will suit me well, so I'm looking forward to getting one.

 

[DaveTheDude]

I wanted to make a comment without necessarily reviving a months-old thread. The discussion above was largely about lumen output, however there did not appear to be a discussion about the lux on target at the distances you typically navigate. This is important because there are quite a few lights with really high lux numbers, greater than the 28K candela produced by the TN50, that can be generated at relatively low lumen output, and which might suit your purposes better.

This isn't a criticism of the TN50: it's one helluva soda can light. That noted, if after some time passes and you find that the TN50 doesn't fully meet your needs, I recommend that you consider a light that yields higher candela numbers. The higher the candela, the more light on target. The brethren will be happy again to offer recommendations for such a light. (For example, there are light engines available as a drop-in to an 18650 host that will generate twice the TN50's candela numbers, using just a single 18650 cell.) But if you're happy with the TN50, then consider this comment as just a footnote to your journey down this illuminating rabbit-hole of an obsession a hobby.

But, if you're just the least bit curious about this, and if money isn't an object, get yourself a high candela light and experiment to see which suits you better. That said, it's a dangerous path when you start to compare lights this way. Soon you'll see another light you might want to try, then another, and another. You'll tell yourself you can stop buying new lights at any time...

Sure you can...

You have been warned.

 

[meerkat8472]

Hello Dave, and everyone else,
I meant to post an update a while ago but kept forgetting. I have bought a TN50 and have been using it for the past couple of months. I use it in high mode usually, which is just a bit above the level it drops too for the remainder of it's runtime. At that level it suits me perfectly.

Dave, I did consider candela as opposed to lumens but my understanding is, and correct me if I'm wrong, that the only way to get bigger candela numbers without increasing lumens is to tighten the beam, and I wanted a fairly wide beam. Wide without being a floodlight that is. If anything I find the TN50's beam to be a little tight in the hot spot, but only a little. This is why I focused on lumens instead of candela.

The TN50's max power is ridiculous and pretty useless but it is fun party trick. It is large but I like the size of the battery for its runtime. I'm used to carrying a pouch of tools and stuff on my belt as it is, I just cleared a bit of space in there and it's fine. As I've said above, I've been carrying it continuously for the last couple of months, and having all the light I need at any time for the first time in my life has been, and continues to be, wonderful.

So thank you everyone for the recommendation, it was great.

 

[DaveTheDude]

I'm glad that the TM50 works for you. There are more than enough posts about lights NOT working out; it's refreshing to read about a success story. 👍

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Thanks to @Monocrom for the TN50 suggestion.

 

[Monocrom]

Thanks to @Monocrom for the TN50 suggestion.

I was happy to help. Best part is, this thread was started when Thrunite had their big 50% off sale on a handful of lights. Including the TN50.