Upgrade Path?

Here's what I got:
Dorcy 1-AAA pen light
Incandescent Mag-Lite (with nite-ize 3 diode upgrade)
Inova X5 (first-gen)
Inova XO (second-gen)
Pelican M3 LED (side-click, no tailcap switch)

Carry light is the XO, but the tech is looking dated. They've got the third-gen ones at Target, but... not sure how much an upgrade that is. (To make things muddier, they only publish lumen ratings on the T-series, and only wattage ratings on the X-series - any more data on the current generation or desirable old ones would be appreciated)

I'm either thinking...

Cree drop-in (Terralux) and tailcap switch (night-ize?) for Mag-Lite

New XO (if it was dead batteries or the packaging in the demo model that made it seem dim)

Inova T2 (fits the hoster, but may be merely decent)

DealExtreme DXlight

Surefire 6p with Cree dropin, preferably regulated and multi-mode.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1343
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.6090
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7162
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4296

I was leaning toward $13.35, but it's input caps at 4.2 v with dire warnings. $12.48 looked nice, but it's odd mode memory sounds irritating. And $10.14 has really, really good documentation.

Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Yoy may want to explain your needs better. What are you going to do with the light? Is it for your job? Is it something to carry in your pocket? In a Holster? What are you trying to illuminate? Long distances, short distances? Are you going to use it everyday or just every once in a while?

I recommend spending a bit of money, 50 dollars or so, and getting one really good light to fill your needs.

We can point you in a better direction if we know your needs..........

And welcome to CPF.

Yoy may want to explain your needs better. What are you going to do with the light? Is it for your job? Is it something to carry in your pocket? In a Holster? What are you trying to illuminate? Long distances, short distances? Are you going to use it everyday or just every once in a while?

Click to expand...

Daily carry with a leather holster that used to be a baton holster (I think) - fits the X0 like it was made for it. Gets used every couple days. Generally close range, but this is also my hurricane light - has to have good throw. It's that combination that drew me to the (second-gen) XO in the first place.

I recommend spending a bit of money, 50 dollars or so, and getting one really good light to fill your needs.

Click to expand...

About what I'm planning. That list I posted was a list of potential choices.

We can point you in a better direction if we know your needs..........

And welcome to CPF.

Click to expand...

Thanks

How about a 18650 powered light?

18650 Lithium Ion rechargeable batteries are 3,7v(4.2 off the charger), can support high brightness, usually minimag length, and many options.

A relative cheap light with good throw(100+ meters) is the WF-600(review), with 2 cheaper 18650 batteries and a charger it costs $45. The problem is the head is kinda big. The WF-400 is smaller but it has less throw then the WF-600.

Instead of the Dexlight, how about the Jetbeam CL-E V2.0? It'll be simpler to use(and cheaper) IMO and uses a slightly more efficient LED(P4 vs Q2).

The WF series is just way too big for the holster I've got. That little Jetbeam looks awfully nice - how durable are they?

Also, what about these guys? http://www.batteryjunction.com/fpak2luledfl.html

The Palmblaze gets awfully hot in 15 minutes has a square beam, no side spill and uses a K2 LED. There might be a Cree version coming out. I would not buy the light considering there many other brighter/cheaper alternatives. It was great at the time, but times have changed.

I ordered the Jetbeam, but I'm still interested in something like ridiculously bright. Like this. http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/siemens-ostar-led-its-on-245007.php

Is there anything pocket-sized that'll go toe to toe with something taking wall current? If not, how close can I get?

That Osram is in one Light that I know of, the Superlight V.

How big a pocket are we talking about?

If you mean something Maglite sized, then look at the Most Powerful Maglite Mod thread. They have short run-times though.

ok, so it's possible. Now, can it be made affordable?

And pretty big pockets - I actually use a small belt holster originally, I think, for a small baton.

Pockets big enough for a 10+ watt HID, like these? The 10 watt ones are usually ~500 lumens and the 35 watt ones can go up to 3500 lumens.

I'm getting the feeling that runtime and output are at opposite ends of a sliding scale.

"Bright" and "Cheap to feed" are both priorities, along with low maintenance and durable. Is there one good device that manages to balance these?

Right. Just got the Jetbeam; apparently they got it in stock early ^_^

It's so small! Falls right through my holster.

I'll post comparison pictures later, when my webspace payment goes through.

http://gallery.mac.com/chrontius/100047

There's my beamshots.

Still thinking about getting an Inova T series, T1 or T2, after the Jetbeam chewed through its lanyard. Now it's no longer easy and quick to retrieve in the proper orientation, it's jangling around getting the finish beat off its edges against my keys or lighter or whatever. That's not giving me warm fuzzies about its ruggedness; on the other hand, I beat the crap out of my Inovas with barely a scratch.

BatteryJunction has a good deal on 2007 T1s.

Lessee... Inova stats by generation:

From Inova's brochure describing their older, TIROS version tactical lights:

• TIROS T1: 35 lumens, 1.5 hours
• TIROS T2: 40 lumens, 5 hours
• TIROS T3: 85 lumens, 2 hours
• TIROS T4: 100 lumens, 2 hours


• T1-WB 85 lumens, 1.5 hours
• T2-WB 85 lumens, 1.5 - 5 hours
• T3-WB 100 lumens, 2.5 hours
• T4-WB 125 lumens, 2 - 2.5 hours
• T5-WB 125 lumens, 3 hours


• T1-MP 100 lumen light output for 5 hours
• T2-MP 125 lumen light output for 4 hours
• T3-MP 150 lumen for 3.5 hours
• T4-MP 175 lumens for 2 hours with High, Low and Strobe
• T5-MP 200 lumen for 3 hours with High, Low and Strobe

The third-gen T-MP series is rumored to have its runtimes all overstated by one hour, but a "moon mode" after the main burn, unlike the current T-WB series.

T1/2 fits my holster, but T2 has the head that holds it in place instead of relying on a friction-fit (which I don't really trust...) - anyway, a current T1 is $39, but a next-gen T2 is going to entail paying retail.

Thoughts?

If you are buying form Inova, I'd wait a bit until they release their current gen LED lights(I think they will be using Cree LEDs).

The HAIII on the Jetbeam might not be as thick as the Inovas, and the edges might be a bit sharper, which would make it easier to wear off. Overall it should be relatively durable though.

What are you looking for in your next purchase?
Same criterias or different ones?

The HA3 on the Inovas is not, IIRC, on the front edges at all - stainless ring.

Either way, it shouldn't chip against my keys.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/t1-wb.html

$38.95 for the 2007, vs. $54/$64 for the T1/2 respectively. Since I'd probably get the T2, as I like my throw, but for S40 I'll compromise a bit.

Anyway, same priorities - a good balance of brightness and runtime, regulated for a few real solid hours (The remarkably flat runtime chart of the 1.4 watt Xo is part of why I bought one) - but if it's bright enough, an hour and a half, two hours is acceptable. Good balance of flood vs. throw, biased towards throw - if I need to light a room, I'll aim at the ceiling. Main use is everyday carry, T2/XO is about as big as I can comfortably do (without answering too many questions - the bouncer at a Dragonforce show was once very taken by my X5 - but fortunately didn't take it). I like something that feels solid enough to be used as an impact weapon in a pinch, but would rather avoid something like a Surefire's spiky crenellations - the X5 was ideal here, the Xo good enough, the Jetbeam was lacking. This is going to - if I'm not lucky - double duty as a tac-light, so... not sure what else to take into consideration.

BTW, I think the latest inside rumor was a new-generation K2 that outperforms the Luxeon Rebel in the new Inova T-lights.

Also thinking about a Surefire 3p with a Cree Q5 dropin module. Will a 6p sized lamp assembly fit the 3p body?

It should from what I know, but I don't know too much about Surefire models.

Assuming it works, you will need at least a RCR123 battery to power the drop-in. Or modify a drop-in with a boost driver.

I was planning on carefully picking a drop-in that's stated to run on 3v - DealExtreme has two; one has very good documentation.

Single-stage dropin

Unfortunately, it's ballparked at only about 160 lumens... I'd SWAG the current at the diode at 700 mA for about 4.2 volts, based on the efficiency graph posted here - and I have no idea if they'll be making a Q5 version of this, or if I can swap in a Q5 emitter.

At 3v it would be running at direct drive and the LED would be around 100 lumen at most.

Good to know. Any of these things designed for a standard 123A battery, or am I looking at buying RCR123s no matter what?