Work EDC

[Przemo(c)]

Hi there,

I am looking for small EDC for my work. The requirements are as follows:
- size about 100 mm (+\- 10 mm) - this is to fit perfectly in hand with a glove, not to take too much space in the pocket and at the same time to comfortably switch on / off. Things like Olight's smallest baton are too small. Currently I'm considering Acebeam TK18 (105 mm), but would like to have some choice. I also looked at Klarus E1, but it's not bright enough. Thing is, it's 1000 lm at turbo, but goes down to 400 after some time and I need at least 1000 constantly.
- 1000 lumens minimum constantly, not only turbo
- tactical switch, not side button. Side can be as an alternative or mode switching, but the tail switch must be the main one
- modes numbers are irrelevant, can be only one
- decent brand
- waterproof
- budget up to $100
Maybe someone has something in mind. So far I looked at: Nitecore, Jetbeam, Fenix, Olight, Acebeam. None of them except Acebeam fulfills my requirements. They're either too big or lacking tail switch.
Thanks in advance!

 

[3_gun]

What you want does not exist. No light in the size you want will do " at least 1000 constantly" unless you mean come on at 1000L & 30sec later be at 500L or less & you state you don't want that happening.

Any light that is going to give 1000L constantly is going to need to be MUCH larger to manage heat.

The one light I have that will do what you are looking for is an Acebeam E70 but it's longer (over 5") & much heavier but I use it as my EDC & will hold 1k/L for over a hour as tested by 3rd party review.

 

[fulee9999]

1000 lumens of constant power is basically a large and heavy searchlight... Are you border patrol or search and rescue..?

 

[CHNeal]

Your output specs are readily available. It's the size and price that's stopping your wish from coming true.
Malkoff M91B on a MD3 body gives you what you want except the diminutive size and budget…

 

[bykfixer]

So it really comes down to physics that have not been achieved yet. That is constant 1000 lumens in a 4" long flashlight.

About the best those can offer are 5-600 lumens constant. The good news is one can barely tell the difference between a 500 lumen and 900 lumen beam. I have a 320 lumen light that rivals a 750 lumen light. The difference is the 750 lumen number broadcasts the beam about 20 degrees wider, but things lit in the distance are practically the same.

So it really kinda hinges on what duties the light would be used for. The shape of the beam can create the illusion of more power. In other words candela is probably more important than lumens.

If not for the $100 budget cap I'd suggest the $150 3rd Elzetta Alpha with a hi/lo tailcap for constant output with an optional low with a simple tailcap twist. Or the $105 gen 2 now on clearance.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Milwaukee Rover 18 volt 1500 lumen floodlight. It's under $100 (battery costs extra though), handle fits nicely in hand, and it puts out over 1000 lumens of non-dimming light. It will not fit in your pocket though.

No compact light will put out 1000 lumens continuously. It will either dim to protect the l.e.d. from heat or cook the l.e.d. and then dim. 1000+ lumens continuous needs a large heat sink to draw heat away from the l.e.d. so it doesn't burn out. Get a real work light like the Milwaukee and a backup pocket light for the less demanding tasks.

 

[kerneldrop]

I have to ask too...what do you do to need to send a constant 1,000 lumens?

 

[Przemo(c)]

Sorry, I wasn't precise enough. What I meant was that I needed a light which could maintain around 1000 lumens throughout a day for some short period of times. For example about 20x a day for a few seconds. What I need it for is to look inside lorry trailers to see what's in. If the lorry has only a few pallets at the far end, we're looking at around 50 feet plus you have to add the not very transparent bay door plexiglass window. I know what I'm talking about, cause up to now I was using Acebeam's penlight which is claimed do have 400 lumens and it was not enough for me or just barely enough. By the "constant" I meant that the light I need won't go to lower setting after 5 seconds and that will be it. Also I was looking for a little bit of an upgrade if buying new. Hope it makes sense this time.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Nitecore E4K. There is nothing more compact that puts out that amount of light for a decent amount of time. 1050 lumens on high (does dim down, but not in seconds). Turbo at 4400 lumens (25 seconds at a time. 320 lumen setting for close to an 8 hour shift with no dimming.

 

[fulee9999]

Ah okhay, that sounds like more in the realm of current technology

Maybe checkout Streamlight Protac HL-X ( a.k.a. Streamlight 88085 ) or the SureFire G2X MV, they fit the bill and are sturdy enough.
Come to think of it, maybe even an ArmyTek Partner C2.

 

[aznsx]

Hi there,

I am looking for small EDC for my work.

Since it hasn't been mentioned, some recommend the 'Parametrek' database as a good search tool, so you might also want to run your requirements against that database too. I haven't used it much, but the couple of times I did it provided some worthwhile info. Just a thought...

Edit: Just to add, my last purchase was an Elzetta Alpha Gen3 (mentioned by Bykfixer), and I have to agree that but for a little cost overrun, that might be a great choice for your application. Its design is particularly well suited for repeated, but low duty cycle (short duration) operation / use delivering over 800 lumens initially, while also delivering over 500 fairly flat after that. That fits well with my work requirements, which are similar to yours. It's a pro-grade great handling ~4" light, and with the standard (vs 'flood') optic should provide the candelas to inspect those loads. It uses rechargeable Li ion 16340 cells for low operating costs, and supports CR123A as well. Check both of these output graphs and see what you think. I haven't had mine long, but it's already becoming a friend - one of those 'I'd buy another one tomorrow if I lost it' lights. I hate to suggest things which are 'over budget' to people, but it's good enough I'll make an exception

https://elzetta.com/the-elzetta-alpha-gen3-modular-flashlight/

 

[3_gun]

Lumintop FW3X checks every box & a quote from a 3rd party review "the output is held at around 1000 lumens for almost an hour before stepping down with low voltage protection. I personally would probably just forget about Turbo mode, and enjoy my 1000 lumen EDC 18650 flashlight!". A series of 20 or so 1 minute bursts of 1000L seems to be well within reach.

Lumintop FW3X Lume1 Flashlight Review - ZeroAir Reviews

The Lumintop FW3X Lume1 flashlight was recently released in updated form. This version has a center RGB emitter and maintains the constant current buck/boost hardware. It's a nice release - read on!

zeroair.org