Best price to value ratio?

Which flashlight do you think represents the best price to value ratio? I'm particularly interested in your opinion about single cell lights.

In my opinionn after owning Surefires, HDS, Peak, Bight-Ops, Inova, and few Chinese lights I firmly believe that Inova Lights are the best value per dollar. They may not carry the newest LEDs but they are rock solid and built like tanks. I would go with the X or T series lights, only trouble is the only 1 battery lights that have are the X1 and the TIROS version T1 (both great lights). The new X1 should be out soon with a 2 watt LED for around $20 at Target. The new T1 (without the TIROS optic) is coming out very soon, I think tomorrow. It is a 2 cell light but still pretty small and very bright. Hope this helps.

That's a good call Daylo, I'm a big fan of Arc & HDS, but as you say, what you get for the price when buying an Inova is stunning VFM.


CFU

Greetings!

Daylo said:

In my opinionn after owning Surefires, HDS, Peak, Bight-Ops, Inova, and few Chinese lights I firmly believe that Inova Lights are the best value per dollar. They may not carry the newest LEDs but they are rock solid and built like tanks. I would go with the X or T series lights, only trouble is the only 1 battery lights that have are the X1 and the TIROS version T1 (both great lights). The new X1 should be out soon with a 2 watt LED for around $20 at Target. The new T1 (without the TIROS optic) is coming out very soon, I think tomorrow. It is a 2 cell light but still pretty small and very bright. Hope this helps.

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I agree 100% with this assessment. I also think Princeton Tec is an exceptional value for the price, but for different reasons.

Best wishes,
Bawko

Marcus Aurelius said:

Which flashlight do you think represents the best price to value ratio? I'm particularly interested in your opinion about single cell lights.

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It really depends what you personally value. Many people value "quality" more than performance so they are inclined to like Surefire, Inova, or HDS for their rugged and sturdy build. On the other hand some people (myself) want the best performance per dollar and am not so worried about the build, as long as it is decent. I really like lights made by Fenix,Lumapower, and most recently my Rexlight.
I got my Rexlight for $30 which I consider to be the absolute best value of any light ever sold. When you factor in the great finish and good quality of the light along with the great performance on common AA cells and INCREDIBLE brightness on a 14500 cell it is truely a great light! It can compete with nearly all lights in both long runtime and bright output but costs hardly any more than a Surefire lamp.

It would be hard to beat these two one cell lights at the same price. ELITE,C2
I don't have either, but I have read good things about the C2.

I think the Surefire E1e, E1L and L1 are great values if you get the right price. Retail, its not such a great value, but still great lights. Check out the CPF specials at OpticsHQ or TacticalSupply if they are still available.

Fenix lights are pretty good, as are the lights from dealextreme.com. For the price, there are some lights at dealextreme that are too good to pass up.

schiesz


schiesz

I am EXTREMELY pleased with my DX "U2" light. It's brighter than my dad's L2 and L2D, has throw for miles and plenty of flood, and I can run it guilt-free on 18650s. I was also pleasantly surprised by the solid feel. I still can't believe how good of a light it is for about $40 including charger and spare batteries.

I've had no quality issues with the Fenixes I've bought (9 of them so far), so they're excellent values in my book for performance and price. Before the Crees came out, the L0x and L1X Fenixes represented cutting edge performance, EFFICIENCY (lots of clones scrimp on the circuit design), and very good quality. No switch problems, no thread problems, no centering problems, fine anodizing, etc...just solid lights. Judging from their run times, it looks like Fenix is is maintaining their sophistication of circuit design in their Cree lights, and I've got a Fenix Cree coming which I hope (and expect) will match the older ones.

My Jetbeam CLEs at $36 were excellent values for their features and because they they were one of the few lights which came close to the Fenix CE lights in reported efficiency. Mine were fine but about 30% of the CLE early buyers have apparently reported problems. YMMV.

Maybe I've just been lucky but, speaking only from my own experience, I'd have to point to Fenix as the value leader among large scale flashlight manufacturers with in-US dealerships.

I would have to say the silver River Rock 2xAAA lights I got for $2.50 each on clearance at Tarket.

In general though, the lower end Inova products are an excellent value. I have a couple of the 2xAAA Bolt Series lights and I assume that the new X1 will have a very similar beam/brightness. At $20, that should be a very good value for a light you can buy at a retail store.

Fenix L2D CE at $50.

2AA form factor is excellent in the hand, easily pocketable, and allows for very high efficiencies. I can use any AA I have sitting around. No crazy rechargeable lithiums waiting to burn my house down. Output is perfectly regulated and modes are very well setup and easy to access. Durable. Great blend of flood and spot. Tailstands. This is the kind of light that a modder would have sold for $250 a year ago.

Minjin said:

Fenix L2D CE at $50...

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It's $56.50 at FenixStore, including shipping.

I am also EXTREMELY pleased with my DX "U2" Eastward YJ Cree light. It has great throw and lots of flood.

Best of all, it can run on my 2400mah 18650 cells for over 2.5 hours.

I also like the solid feel.

At $25, it can't be beat.

Larry Cobb

nerdgineer said:

It's $56.50 at FenixStore, including shipping.

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-5% for the CPF coupon puts it at $53. But was that really something that needed to be corrected? :ironic:

LEDite said:

I am also EXTREMELY pleased with my DX "U2" Eastward YJ Cree light. It has great throw and lots of flood.

Best of all, it can run on my 2400mah 18650 cells for over 2.5 hours.

I also like the solid feel.

At $25, it can't be beat.

Larry Cobb

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I would have to agree. For the price it's hard to beat. It may not have the name brand feel, quality or features but it sure does perform like it. Output is amazing.

I say any Fenix (except the P1D-CE)

PS: no DX at all. Sure they are cheap, but so is the machining on them. I like them for hosts and such, but opening for chaning batts and closing again is awkward (depending on model of course, there are some where its just annoying and some where one could get really angry)

yellow said:

I say any Fenix (except the P1D-CE)

PS: no DX at all. Sure they are cheap, but so is the machining on them. I like them for hosts and such, but opening for chaning batts and closing again is awkward (depending on model of course, there are some where its just annoying and some where one could get really angry)

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The DX model mentioned on the above post is cake. Can't get any easier than that. Screw off, screw on.

The $12 light from DX or KD, so called P1 clone (MXDL 3W Cree); the quality is poor but the output is insane with 3.6 rechargeable 123 battery. Out of 50 or so odd lights that I have purchased over the years, I consider this to be the best price to value ratio.

And if you don't like it, you have lost only $12 on it

- Vikas

The Dorcy Super 1 watt CR123 flashlight (41-4262) is an excellent value. It is sold in Target stores in the USA for about about $20. Solid construction, clean, white light with few if any artifacts. Reverse clickie tail switch.

http://www.dorcy.com/products.aspx?p=414262

+1

Vikas Sontakke said:

The $12 light from DX or KD, so called P1 clone (MXDL 3W Cree); the quality is poor but the output is insane with 3.6 rechargeable 123 battery. Out of 50 or so odd lights that I have purchased over the years, I consider this to be the best price to value ratio.

And if you don't like it, you have lost only $12 on it

- Vikas

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