Need some suggestions

First thank you all for sharing your experiences here. This board is great!

I am really having a struggle to pick a light due so many options and led types. I did a search in the forums (including the budget thead) but there are so many posts and lights.

I own a Fenix P1D and as portability is a concern, I am looking to buy a small EDC (1xAA or 1x123A) as brightest as possible (Q5s?), and with the best cost. Prefer throw rather than flood.
Budget is tight, so the cheaper the better and would buy from DX if necessary. If I can stay in the $50 range, will be great.
I am not concerned with the latest and greatest technology like digital infinite brightness control and would be happy with some 2, 3 or 5 mode light.
Forward or reverse clickie. I don't like the P1D twist switch.

Any input will be appreciated.

A better throwing 1 AA light would probably be the Jetbeam Jet-1 Pro but it cost $80.

You already have the P1D. Is that amount of throw enough?

Thank you for the suggestion Gunner.
Mine P1D is the first gen and the throw is ok. I would like more than that if possible but does not need to be a throw monster specially because I undertand the reflector size limitation.
I in fact almost bought a Tiablo T9 over DX, but cancelled it as I wouldn't carry it in my pocket due the size.

Grab an iTP C9 from either the Marketplace thread or Shiningbeam. It'll fit nicely in the Fenix P1D holster. Nice deep reflector for its size and it throws better than the P1D due to the smaller hotspot. I have the C9 and the P1D Q5; I used to EDC the P1D until I got the C9 - smooth continuously variable output from around 4-5 lumens to max with memory and can set it anywhere in between.
Selfbuilt did a review of it, check out the Flashlight Reviews sub-forum. About $50 shipped.

+1 for any of the JetBeams, they feature Mil-Spec anodizing, a sapphire crystal lens, 2-225 lumens infinitely variable output, and they're priced the same as comparable Fenix models. I EDC'd a Fenix P2D for several months until I got a Jet, I haven't used a Fenix since. If you're ready for the next step beyond Fenix design, with a higher high, lower low, better build, and more options, JetBeam is what you've been looking for.

Thank for the inputs folks.
To make my choice easier (and it maybe will help someone else) I am trying to put together a chart of the lights in this range, and thats what I found so far:

123's
JetBeam JET-II IBS (123) $67 225lms
JetBeam JET-II Pro IBS (123) $67 225lms
EagleTac T10C (123) $65 220lms
EagleTac P10C (123) $59 220lms
iTPC9 (123) $50 190lms
Fenix P2D premium (123) $56 180lms
Olight T10 Premium Q5 (123) $52 135lms
NiteCore EX10 (123) $59 130lms

AA's
Jet I Pro IBS (AA) $80 225lms
NiteCore D10 (AA) $59 130lms
EagleTac P10A (AA) $58 130lms
Olight T15 Premium Q5 (AA) $52 90 lms

Based only on this comparison, I would pick the JetBeans due the cost benefit, besides prices are an aproximation and can be off.

I am just wondering if their lumens aren't over rated as the others use the same Q5 leds and wont hit 225 lumens.
Hard to believe that the JetBean I IBS can peak 225 lumens with one AA cell...is it true or at least close?

The Olight t10 Q5 08 model rated at 190 L, throws surprisingly well is closer to your target price. Its more slender then the others but has a deep relector. Its hot spot is comparable to my jet II pro.

Ignore the Lumen figures, they don't compare too well. I'd put a 120 lumen light is the same range as a 150 lumen or even a 170 lumen one depending on how they calculated the lumen rating.

The Jetbeam hits 225 lumen(IIRC at the LED) with a 14500 Li-ion battery.

Lumen figures between different manufacturers are just a general guide, though I've found that Fenix and JetBeam lumens are quite close.

The AA-powered JetBeams (Jet-I series) are 130 lumens on a standard/primary AA (same as a Fenix L-series), and 225 with a Li-ion as noted above. The 123-powered Jets (Jet-IIs) also get a boost with Li-ion/RCR cells, to 250 lumens

I did a mini-review (with lots of photos) of my fave/EDC JetBeam, the Jet II IBS here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/202315

Yes, manufacturer lumen claims are usually BS. Pay no attention.
If I were you I'd consider the ITP, the Olight, the EagleTac P10A or a Lumapower ConneXion. All high quality lights at around $50. Then again the Nightcore D10 is in this price category as well. Personally that's the one I'd go for but I like shiny new things. Olight is also a bit fancy but not overwhelming. The Eagletac is also a new kid on the block getting good reviews. Very simple 2 stage output adjusted by twisting the head, loose for low thight for high. Likely the best no nonsense light is the Lumapower. I don't recall much about the ITP.

In the end you just have to make up your mind and take the leap.

PhantomPhoton said:

Then again the Nightcore D10 is in this price category as well. Personally that's the one I'd go for but I like shiny new things.

Click to expand...

I would endorse that comment 100%.

I'm in Houston and just "came back" from being without power for 13 days due to hurrican Ike.
As you might imagine, I got a chance to use virtually all of my 40+ collection of lights. I've got some Jet-Beams and Deree's and Tiablo and Liteflux and Surefire, and all the rest of the ones that everyone here would immediately recognize the names.

But being without power at all and in the dark for two full weeks has made me appreciate some of these lights more than others.
Of all my lights, the ones I ended up picking up more than any of the others were, in order:
1. The EX10 and D10
2. The 6P's with M60L dropin's.
These were the main lights my wife and I ended up "using" for moving around in the dark.
Half of my collection immediately became useless due to their using only rechargeable batteries. The rest were all lights that ran on CR123, AA, or D-cell.

Then for room-lighting tail-stand duty, I also used the EX10 and D10 quite a bit at lower settings, then the LiteFlux and 120P, and a most honorable mention goes to the Electrolumens 1-D as a tail-stander room-lighter that ran more than 40 total hours on just one D-cell battery. It used only 2 D-cell batteries during the entire two weeks, and it was left on quite a bit in the evening and at night.

So back to the original question, I totally agree with recommending either the D10 or EX10. The only caveat is that if a person likes the EX10, you should consider having a rotating backup stash of CR123 batteries of around 50 batteries or so.
But if you like the easy availability of AA's in even the worst emergencies, then the D10 is the way to go. (By the time the power came back on, I had used around 20 of my stash of 50 CR123 batteries to power all the lights that use them, and I used about the same number of AA cells during that same time.)

My .02

Maybe the q5 rc-c3 or rc-n3 from shiningbeam.com If u don't mind a single mode. I always hear great things about the nitecore EX10, and that is only a tiny bit above your budget.

I'm fairly new around here so I might not be the best person to give any suggestions but I'd like the opportunity to take a stab at it anyway.

How about considering a Fenix L1D-CE Q5? Probably not the throw leader in the 1xAA category but reasonable output & respectable runtimes on 1xAA battery. Multiple output levels so you only use the light you need and also extend battery life. With 4sevens free shipping & CPF discount it's around the $50 price point. Just my newbie 2 cents.

Try the Olight T-10 you won't be disappointed. Besides you can buy a T-15 battery tube for 10 bucks more and have a light that will run on cr123/aa.
http://www.batteryjunction.com/specialedition-t10-olight.html
http://www.batteryjunction.com/tube-olight-t15.html