Recommendation for pocket carry light

I'm looking for a general outdoors light but I'm having trouble finding my ideal light. I used to be happy with a AA Maglite...until I found these forums.

I'm looking for...

Pocket sized
Pocket clip
2x CR123 and 1x 18650 battery options
200+ Lumens
I prefer more of a thrower and cool colored.
$100 or less

I would use the light 50% of the time for general outdoors/woods, 30% fishing, 20% other. I'd like it to fit comfortably in front jean pockets.

The problem I have is that most pocket sized lights that are around 25mm diameter are only CR123. The lights that can use either CR123 or 18650 become more tactical and larger, around 35mm.

Thanks for the help.

At the moment I'm pocketing Quark 123-2 R2 and using a single 17670 though you can get a 18650 tube for it too. It's quite small at only 22mm diameter and 113 long and clips very well in my overalls top pocket. Very bright and reasonably throwish considering how much area it will light up at closer range.

I think the L-Mini is the light you're looking for. It is scarcely available.

assuming that you have cells and a charger already, you might wish to head over to SB Flashlights and build your own solarforce light, the options there allow you to chose almost everything.

However, i fish too, mostly at night, and i find that warmer tints are better outdoors (but that's just me). I bought a Fenix TK20 (2xAA, 2 mode) neutral white LED light from 4sevens for under $50 and its serving me very well. It's tough as nails so i dont fear dropping it and finding that it wont work.

Good luck with your search

for pocket lights i like the eagletac p10c really much. it doesn't cost a bundle like the jetbeam ones.

Switching from a 2xcr123 (or 2x rcr123) light to a single 3.7v 18650, will call for a broad voltage head. My first choice, also noted above, would be the Quark 123x2. There is an 18650 body availble for $25. However, keep in mind that the 18650 body will not stay in regulation, so your light will dim the entire time.

You could opt for the Quark 123, and be able to keep the 18650 in regulation the entire time, but then you don't get the 123x2 length you want with the single 123 body.

Throwing all your requests in the dumpster, how about this:
1. Nitecore D10 clipped to left front pocket
2. Nitecore D10 clipped to right front pocket
3. 4 spare lithium AA's in coin pocket
4. Nitecore D10 clipped to back left pocket
5. Nitecore D10 clipped to back right pocket

What? Did I say something wrong:shrug:

The only thing with the Quark 18650 body is that it adds some length and it becomes quite a bit larger than a small 18650 light.

How about your back pocket? I've got a 6P in my back pocket - bored for 18650. Multitude of drop-ins (I've got a moddoo triple in it - but that's over $100 right there) for it. If you want to go clicky netkidz has a retrofit clicky for the standard twisty - or electron guru has a mcclicky retrofit.

jslappa said:

Switching from a 2xcr123 (or 2x rcr123) light to a single 3.7v 18650, will call for a broad voltage head. My first choice, also noted above, would be the Quark 123x2. There is an 18650 body availble for $25. However, keep in mind that the 18650 body will not stay in regulation, so your light will dim the entire time.

Click to expand...

The Quark 2x123 stays in regulation for quite a while on a single 3.7v 17670 from what I've seen on runtime graphs. Why wouldn't it have regulation on an 18650?

LightWalker said:

The Quark 2x123 stays in regulation for quite a while on a single 3.7v 17670 from what I've seen on runtime graphs. Why wouldn't it have regulation on an 18650?

Click to expand...

I saw the Selfbuilt runtime graphs where he included the 123x2 head and the 17670. Based on the new head that replaced his faulty one, you can expect about 31 minutes of regulated power. At 1hr and 45minutes runtime to 50%, you only are getting about 30% of your runtime IN regulation. That's far from "quite a while". Even if you conservatively got 4 hours of runtime from start to finish on a 17670, that 31 minutes fo runtime then becomes like 8% IN regulation.

If you want long runtime, get the 123 x 2 head. If you want the 18650 IN regulation the entire time, get the 123 head.

Also, the 123 x 2 head maxes out at 980mAh, driving the LED harder than the max 750mAh head of the 123.

Do you want full regulation, or longer runtime? I know i gave examples of the 17670, but the 18650 will just add runtime, so the % doesn't change at all for in regulation, and out of regulation.

jslappa said:

I saw the Selfbuilt runtime graphs where he included the 123x2 head and the 17670. Based on the new head that replaced his faulty one, you can expect about 31 minutes of regulated power. At 1hr and 45minutes runtime to 50%, you only are getting about 30% of your runtime IN regulation. That's far from "quite a while". Even if you conservatively got 4 hours of runtime from start to finish on a 17670, that 31 minutes fo runtime then becomes like 8% IN regulation.

If you want long runtime, get the 123 x 2 head. If you want the 18650 IN regulation the entire time, get the 123 head.

Also, the 123 x 2 head maxes out at 980mAh, driving the LED harder than the max 750mAh head of the 123.

Do you want full regulation, or longer runtime? I know i gave examples of the 17670, but the 18650 will just add runtime, so the % doesn't change at all for in regulation, and out of regulation.

Click to expand...

Here at http://www.light-reviews.com/4sevens_quark123_2/ the 17670 seems to stay in regulation for most of the runtime. This review was done November 2009.

That's a big difference! Here is the link to Selfbuilt's runtime graphs, etc.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/234960
31 minutes of regulation, before the lumens start dropping.

So, who's graph is right? Selfbuilt is well-respected.

I have a 123 x 2 Ti Quark, and the 18650 body, but I don't want to risk burning the LED out as the Ti head builds up extensive heat.

They both seem to show a dip at the 30 minute mark.

Frankly it doesn't matter who's graph I look at, until the 17670 gets to around seventy minutes any dips and slides don't seem to be large enough in magnitude to be of any consequence to me whether it's in regulation or not. The differences probably aren't even noticeable to my eyes.

JaguarDave-in-Oz said:

Frankly it doesn't matter who's graph I look at, until the 17670 gets to around seventy minutes any dips and slides don't seem to be large enough in magnitude to be of any consequence to me whether it's in regulation or not. The differences probably aren't even noticeable to my eyes.

Click to expand...

That's good to hear. I haven't used mine on max with a 17670 long enough to know yet.

The OP pretty well described the JetBeam 3 Military -- battery requirements, 225 lumens, etc -- and I know I carry mine in my front left pocket almost 100% of the time. Even the cost is right -- $84. See it here.

Pete2s said:

I'm looking for a general outdoors light but I'm having trouble finding my ideal light. I used to be happy with a AA Maglite...until I found these forums.

I'm looking for...

Pocket sized
Pocket clip
2x CR123 and 1x 18650 battery options
200+ Lumens
I prefer more of a thrower and cool colored.
$100 or less

I would use the light 50% of the time for general outdoors/woods, 30% fishing, 20% other. I'd like it to fit comfortably in front jean pockets.

The problem I have is that most pocket sized lights that are around 25mm diameter are only CR123. The lights that can use either CR123 or 18650 become more tactical and larger, around 35mm.

Thanks for the help.

Click to expand...

Bored SureFire C2 from ElectronGuru, plus a Malkoff M30. You will not regret...

so whatever happened to Pete2s?

what light was finally chosen?

4Sevens Mini 123 with AW Protected R123A batteries.:thumbsup:


lovecpf

Pete2s said:

I'm looking for a general outdoors light but I'm having trouble finding my ideal light. I used to be happy with a AA Maglite...until I found these forums.

I'm looking for...

Pocket sized
Pocket clip
2x CR123 and 1x 18650 battery options
200+ Lumens
I prefer more of a thrower and cool colored.
$100 or less

I would use the light 50% of the time for general outdoors/woods, 30% fishing, 20% other. I'd like it to fit comfortably in front jean pockets.

The problem I have is that most pocket sized lights that are around 25mm diameter are only CR123. The lights that can use either CR123 or 18650 become more tactical and larger, around 35mm.

Thanks for the help.

Click to expand...

Jetbeam lll pro ST. uses 2 c123, or 1x18650. nice slim design, small enough for comfortable pocket carry. jetbeams are usually designed more throwy. dont think it comes with a clip though.

another light mentioned above is the jetbeam lll pro M. little bit bulkier, can use both types of batteries, one of the best looking lights ever imho. has pocket clip.

olight m20 uses both battery sizes, as do the fenix tk11. but neither of these i would consider pocket carry.

i think the jet lll pro st would be perfect for what your asking.