Tired of "throw"

I like a light that I can tell what's across a city block, but when I want or need one I'll break out a spot light or similar.

For personal lights, I more want a 90-120 degree cone of light with no discernible cornea, just a cone of stupid bright light. That would work inside most houses and room clearing with enough light beyond the room to see down a hall too.

What's really funny is my Streamlight Scorpions are about what I really want but they're just not near as bright as the new LEDs coming out now.

Don't get me wrong, I really like my Fenix and OLight and I tend to carry them as well as a 1X123A China made Cree, but they're not exactly the house clearing lights that let you see in all the corners of a room.

Take a look at the surefire L2. Rather bright, very well built, and almost no throw, just a wide wall of light (less than 90 degrees, though).

The Streamlight ProPolymer with 7 LEDs and 4 AAs is probably the best and cheapest close range light. At over 65 lumens it's bright enough for almost all realistic applications. Long runtime (6-7 hours regulated) and 155 hrs of useful light are impressive. 25 bucks. http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=24

Gerhard said:

Take a look at the surefire L2. Rather bright, very well built, and almost no throw, just a wide wall of light (less than 90 degrees, though).

The Streamlight ProPolymer with 7 LEDs and 4 AAs is probably the best and cheapest close range light. At over 65 lumens it's bright enough for almost all realistic applications. Long runtime (6-7 hours regulated) and 155 hrs of useful light are impressive. 25 bucks. http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=24

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Yup, those are two I'm interested in. Also the LumaHunter M-1. I do appreciate input

I'd recommend modding one of your existing lights with a UCL (ultra clear lens) with Light Diffusion Film fron Flashlightlens.com. This is even better than using a bare emitetr with no reflector, as the LDF actually diffuses the hotspot, spill, and all so that it doesn't cast sharp shadows all over the place when working up close.

I have done that to a couple of maglites, and as a result I can use the cam-focuser to switch the light between a narrow flood, and a completely uniform wide flood with no discernable "donut holes" at any point. I have done this with an ROP-Lo and it's really quite nice.

L4 and L2 are still the kings of flood. Zebralight is coming out with a 123 sized 75 degree light in december and a 18650 light in the first part of next year. The little Q5 AA is about 65 lumens on a rechargeable, but it's brighter on lithium. Both of the new lights will be brighter than the AA version. The AA Q5 is bright to about 8-10 yards inside a house with white walls. It's very impressive as has the widest of any flashlight beam.

Another good flood light is a Lightwave 3000. Not much in the way of throw,but works excellently up close.Oh,and did I mention an advertised run time of 25 days? (Sure,that's not always at full brightness,but in the dark..every little bit helps.)

AMD64Blondie said:

Another good flood light is a Lightwave 3000. Not much in the way of throw,but works excellently up close.Oh,and did I mention an advertised run time of 25 days? (Sure,that's not always at full brightness,but in the dark..every little bit helps.)

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I appreciate it. I'm trying to stay with the 123A or (preferred) 1X18650 batteries, though.

I have a Peak McKinley - 7 white LEDs driven by a CR123. Mine is brass because brass is cool but they come in aluminum and stainless too. Lots of light and quite floody and smooth. Very close to ideal for room lighting and upclose work. Has enough output to light a good chunk of my back yard too. Highly recommended.

Get an L1 - send it to MilkySplit and get him to floodmaster it! This beam basically has no cornea just a flat white wall of light!

Take a look at the Flashflood. http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=170926

If you are trying to stay with primary 123s, then I highly suggest getting an X5 to compliment your main EDC light(s). They don't have the prettiest beams, but they're cheap, tough, reliable, well made, floody, and my favorite part, able to run for incredibly long times on cells that most lights can't get a photon out of. I use mine exclusively on dead cells, and it's great.

The ARC mania SF-V will cover everything you need in a Flashlight. I can't rave enough about it. The pictures posted here on CPF REALLY don't do justice to what this actually shows live.

Keep a look out, I maybe listing one soon on eBay.


Njoy...

qarawol said:

The ARC mania SF-V will cover everything you need in a Flashlight. I can't rave enough about it. The pictures posted here on CPF REALLY don't do justice to what this actually shows live.

Keep a look out, I maybe listing one soon on eBay.


Njoy...

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+1

The ARC Mania SF-V is superb piece of equipment.

L4? I use mine everyday at work and it has always seemed to flood pretty well - which is what I prefer.

If you want a high end light, the McLux Mule series are the absolute flood kings. The poor person's alternative is the Zebralight H50. Nothing else mentioned so far comes anywhere close.

paulr said:

If you want a high end light, the McLux Mule series are the absolute flood kings.

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I've heard of them but I have no idea where to get them.

Try here for the Aleph setup: http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?products_id=1079

Pick up a 3C Maglite and put a Malkoff dropin in it. Then adjust the hot spot down to almost nothing. Great flood beam. Nice indoor light. Stepping outside, just crank it back to a long throwing hotspot.

NA8 said:

Pick up a 3C Maglite and put a Malkoff dropin in it. Then adjust the hot spot down to almost nothing. Great flood beam. Nice indoor light. Stepping outside, just crank it back to a long throwing hotspot.

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That is a good idea. I've got a 3D Maglight that I might have to do that with.

L4 = wall of light
perfect for clearing rooms
so good i stuck it on my shotgun