recommed me a light (Yeah, I am new)

Hey people,

Ha, never knew there would be a flashlight forum out on the internet, but you learn something new every day .

Anyways, just recently purchased a inova X1 (even though I have always liked playing with flashlights :weird and to be honest, it left a little more to be desired. While it is a decently powerful light, it is pretty much a spot light and doesn't go to far.

So my quest to find another flashlight has begun. I was looking around at the inova t2 and x0, and they seem to be what I want. However, before I buy, I just want to make sure there isn't something else I should look at beforehand.

So, let's recommend me a light for $50 or below. I really want the brightest one I can find, but in a compact shape.

FEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENIX

Welcome to CPF

Hello and Welcome to CPF!

Maybe you're familiar with the Streamlight 4AA ProPolymer Luxeon? It's very affordable, well built and bright with a decent side spill. Oh, and hey yes! It does have throw!

Others will respond soon enough. Anyhou, hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

heh, may I also ask for a link to said recommended light and where to purchase from

Thanks

The X0 is a great light as far as I am concerned, it has a good throw and is built like a tank, I have not had a complaint with mine. The X03 is anoher good flashlight in the same line. Yes there are a lot of others out there too, I am finding more all the time frmo these other helpful gentlemen here, I am sure you will get a lot of replies.

The Fenix is smaller, in the size range of your X1 but with a much greater sidespill and useable light pattern most like, it is on my shortlist also.

http://www.lighthound.com

That's in regards to what CroMAGnet said about the Fenix.

Fenix L1P -- compact 1xAA luxeon light
Surefire G2 -- slightly hefty, but comparable to a minimag, 2xCR123A incandescent light

We could go into a lot of questions about what your primary use for the light would be, what sizes interest you most, how you'll carry the light, what batteries you prefer, what runtimes you need, what brightness levels you need, whether you prefer flood or throw, what kind of switch you like, if you need a super hard coating, and on and on --- but I won't ask.

Since you started with the X1, I'll just assume you want something in that size range. Therefore, I'll just recommend the Fenix line, either the L0P (AAA), L1P (AA), or L2P (2xAA). The L1P is very popular on this forum. It's my personal favorite and the light I carry every day. I've modified mine for 2-stage brightness level and consider it to be about as close to the perfect light that I've owned -- and I own quite a few other lights.

By the way, by participating in this forum, you are officially a flashaholic -- like the rest of us here. Welcome, my friend.

Alberto has a good point. Tell us what you want to do with it.

Like CHC said, Propoly is an excellent choice for many things and uses 4AA batts $22.95 somewhere on the forum

Check out the Fenix L1P in action against a bunch of custom mods. HERE

Propoly is a great medium distance light. Say to 50 yards ish :shrug:

The Fenix is more everyday and closer say to 20yards max ish

Found the link in the forum for ya. ProPoly LUXEON

Here is a great site for flashlight reviews, Lots of info on many differents lights. worth checking out before buying at light.
http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews_index/reviews_index.htm

Well. I do like the size of the X1 that I have now, but like I said, its full output lacks for me. I just use it to carry around, keep in my car, things of that nature. And I do like the idea of having something to carry around when the power goes out thanks to the lovely amount of hurricanes we have.

Battery type doesn't matter much

Here's a solid player with the best beam of em all IMHO

Q3 LINK to Amondotech Only $29 with battery

Click on the Q3R link in my sigline to see what you can do to make it a pocket rocket as they say...

Lots of people EDC the Q3 (Every Day Carry)

CroMAGnet said:

Here's a solid player with the best beam of em all IMHO

Q3 LINK to Amondotech Only $29 with battery

Click on the Q3R link in my sigline to see what you can do to make it a pocket rocket as they say...

Lots of people EDC the Q3 (Every Day Carry)

Click to expand...

How does it compare to the x0 or t2?

I have never had an X0 or X2. I once had a pretty nice Inova I think it was X3 or 5 and I hated it because the beam was so tight it was useless to me. I like a lot of spill or flood most of the time. So I sold it to my neighbor

The Q3 has a very nice reflector which has a very smooth transition from the spot in the center to the spill. It's probably more powerful than the X0 or X2 but if you make it a Q3R then it would blow em' all away IMO.

QIII is ordered

I can recommend you several lights under $50

1. Fenix L0P, L1P, L2P - any of those are right at the $50 mark. Contact (cpf member) foursevens for those... (better yet, go to the CPF chatroom, look for him there and tell him I sent you :naughty: )

2. The Q3 from amondotech (but i see you've ordered that one already)

3. Streamlight 4AA ProPoly Lux - appx. $28 @ fox-intl.com

4. LedBeam - $26 from ledbeam.com

5. Dorcy 3D Super 1 Watt - $22 at Target

Along with the Fenix and Q3, I'd also recommend the Streamlight Scorpion LED (~$40). It's longer at 5.75" (a bit longer than an L2P) and runs off 2x 123As. It's got great output and great throw and has very good run time. The tint is bluish, but not really noticable under actual use. It has a very tight and bright hotspot and large, usable spill beam.

Good for you. The Q3 was one of my first lights and was a lot of fun modding. If you plan to mod it, I'm sure you will be rewarded well for you efforts. Keeping it stock is fine too. I have a stock one right now with a 2-stage tail clickie made by 4sevens.

The great thing about the CR123A battery is that it has a 10yr shelf life, so if you let it sit in an emergency kit it should be fine for a while. Just make sure to have a few spares and probably keep them in a waterproof container to prevent damage. The bad thing is that the batteries are harder to find and more expensive. You can get them cheaper at amondotech, so stock up. Also at another CPF supporting dealer with special CPF pricing page HERE

No you still need to get the Propoly LUXEON and the FENIX L1 because they take the regular AA batteries. AND you can use Energizer L91 Litium batteires for more power, output, runtime and shelf life again.

Another way to look at the CR123A is that when they rush the local stores for all the AA batteries during a Hurricane, the CR123A's will pro'ly still be there.

Cheers

CroMAGnet said:

No you still need to get the Propoly LUXEON and the FENIX L1 because they take the regular AA batteries. AND you can use Energizer L91 Litium batteires for more power, output, runtime and shelf life again.

Click to expand...

Agreed. Get the Fenix LIP. The Q3 is great, but the Fenix seems more practical for EDC.

Lite said:

Agreed. Get the Fenix LIP. The Q3 is great, but the Fenix seems more practical for EDC.

Click to expand...

Fenix makes a good EDC too but you can run RCR123 which is lighter than the HEAVY MiMH AA if you want rechargable. Also the Q3R BLOWS away the FENIX in LUMENS, THROW and beam quality, so it's a far better light IMHO. But the FENIX is a must have. It's a two thumbs up light. 5-stars for sure.