Is this flashlight out there?

I'm apparently impossible to satisfy. Here is what I'm looking for:

1. Must be replaceable so no custom lights or anything over 75 dollars.
2. No sandwiches. Of the five I've had all but one shorted out.
3. Single cell, can be li-ion, lithium , nimh, alkaline
4. lux 3 but must be able to either swap emitter or pick a decent tint
5. 2 level or more but two or three is best but not flupic
6. 17/20 mm reflector or better
7. Reliable switch that is 100% predictable on either stage. No flickering.
8. Should stand up to abuse and be water resistant.
9. must be under 3.5 "
10. I don't care how it's coated, painted, anodized etc

I'm really enjoying this one:
http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/swat-tactical-p-326.html?osCsid=61ecd9344b4f9d4a6c9f5e91a33fff09
(cheaper in the Dealer's corner)

The only thing it doesn't have is multiple brightness levels. It's about the same size as any 2x123 lights but the 18650 give MUCH longer run times. I get about an hour of full brightness and about two hours of dimmer but still blindingly bright light. The star is a fake but it's easily swaped for a real one...though the color of the one I have is very good. It isn't regulated as they claim, but li-ion lights don't really need to be regulated...

That does look like a cool light. Like a led based, more economical Strion but it's a bit too large. I'd like to keep it under 3.5 inches and this is a stretch. Ideally it would weigh less than 80 grams. Emillions MB3W-HA was almost perfect except the switch is very unpredictable. It is a torch from the same people as the Triton ( www.ydzm.cn ).

BatteryCharger said:

I'm really enjoying this one:
http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/swat-tactical-p-326.html?osCsid=61ecd9344b4f9d4a6c9f5e91a33fff09
(cheaper in the Dealer's corner)

The only thing it doesn't have is multiple brightness levels. It's about the same size as any 2x123 lights but the 18650 give MUCH longer run times. I get about an hour of full brightness and about two hours of dimmer but still blindingly bright light. The star is a fake but it's easily swaped for a real one...though the color of the one I have is very good. It isn't regulated as they claim, but li-ion lights don't really need to be regulated...

Click to expand...

xochi,
...It really does not seem like you are asking for too much. I would like everything on your list but I would like it to be hard anodized and for it to make at least 50 real lumens on the highest setting. Amazingly there does not seem to be a flashlight that meets our simple requirements. Hopefully Peak or Fenix or perhaps another maker will build exactly what we want. My HDS B60 meets or exceeds all of the requirements except that it cost a lot more than $75.
jc

ONLY a mod!!, at best homemade, because then You can have the light levels You want.
[edit: Sorry, i forgot take a Dorcy 1AA/3LED as a host[/edit]

I currently have the following: Dorcy 2AA/4LED-kind cheapo, electronics removed. Head bored out to fit a fraen optics. Where the rubber band was, 2 holes and 2 small pushbutton switches glued in place from the inside (perfect space, because there is room enough between the led and the optic). Instead of the rubber a plastic piece with a nipple that turn the switch on when placed on the hole (3 holes, because 3 light levels). Then a lux mounted on an alum plate acting as heat transfer from led to the head, press mounted/epoxied into the head.
A Badboy glued to the alum plate, 1 Ohm resistor soldered directly on, 2 "smaller" ones leading to the switches. Thus 3 levels: no switch pushed, low, one of the switches pushed: med or high.
Leads to led and switches going through the heat plate to led and switches (no surprise).
Negative Badboy-contact by a copper "feeler" contact going to the barrel.

Surely all is very crude (just have a dremel tool), and its NOT watertight, but there is glue around the switches, till now rain or snow or whatever did not do any harm. Still except for the plastic piece instead of the head rubber band and the front lens (for who knows what to look for) are the only marks to note the light is modded.

I took this light because it is shorter than a minimag and because of the momentary/twist switch on the back. Also thanks to the direct mounting into the metal of the head, the heat can go away from the led much better than a sandwitch f.e.
Interresting thing is, that the cheap rubber on the barrel feels a whole lot better than all my Minimags or the fenix, especially now in the cold.

PS: naturally the inside of the head got a coating with glow in the dark powder, when modding, make it right
PPS: Next time there will only be 2 light levels, shifted by a momentary switch that is engaged by twisting head and bezel, then the light will be watertight.

Why not have a look at an Amilite. Price is about $72. The only requirement it doesn't meet is the dual stage. I've stuck a photon II on the end and it does everything I need in a small package.