$150 to spend on the best, useful light?

PeterW

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Jul 2, 2003
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London, UK
Here's a challege, which is the best, brightest, most impressive useful light. 'Proper size' (>2D) sized preferrably. With NO beam defects (holes or rings) and without being a thin spot, ie a balance of flood and spot. No focussable ones, unless they have NO defects.

Elektrolumens Blasters?
Mr Bulk SNII?
Inretech Helios?
LS4?
Lambda megaclops??

Go on, chip in your $0.01's worth!!

Cheers, there aren't many places where these kind of lights get compared, though lots of you have several so can give your opinions.

PEter W
 

PeterW

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Jul 2, 2003
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London, UK
Brightness.... maximum!!
Runtime.... not too fussed (the former category is more important).
Cost of operation, not to fussed (I like NiMH cells, but the internet does wonderul bargin battery discounts).

As for beam type, which D size light would you never sell as it is the most useful, I have a 1W luxeon for close range, so maybe a spot is the most practical for a D-sized light?!

Cheers again.

PeterW
 

sunspot

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Are the five listed lights the only choice? If not, how about a Tigerlight?
 

krypton

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Mar 8, 2003
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It's certainly NOT a full size flashlight as you requested, but I would not discount an Arc LSH-P. This light never ceases to amaze me.
 

avusblue

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Nov 26, 2002
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Saint Paul, Minnesota
Of those choices, SN II no doubt.

I'd strongly encourage you to include the Surefire L4 in your range of choices as well, its the best all-arounder out there, IMO.

Whatever you buy, enjoy it!

Dave
 

keithhr

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bay area California
I think it's between the Spaceneedle II, Blaster VI with the 3 to D holders allowing use of aa nimh batteries, the L4 would be the edc in pocket choice but the top two are probably the best if you want an LED based light.
 

Phaserburn

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Mar 30, 2003
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PeterW, it sounds like you're not really looking for the best, useful light according to the listing of your criteria. If 2d form and max brightness are your thing, with not much concern about battery cost or runtime, then I'd suggest the SNII. Mr Bulk does great work, and the SN II has drawn raves. Bear in mind none of the lights in 2D form you listed are regulated; is that important to you? The only 2D regulated 5W I can think of is the MR Hotlips mod coming from Hotbeam.
 

js

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Aug 2, 2003
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PeterW,

I don't have a broad range of experience with flashlights,
and I find your requirements somewhat contradictory, on the
face of it. For my uses, "best" and "most useful" don't
go together with "brightest" and "most impressive" or with
"2D" form factor. Not that bright and impressive and nicely
large aren't nice things, just that I wouldn't find those
things to be the most useful. Your requirements are
obviously different.

For me. the Arc LS is close to the perfect EDC light. It is
bright, but not so bright that if I wake up in the middle of
the night it's going to blind me at first. It is small and
disappears nicely into a pocket. It has a good long run
time and is one of the more rugged lights out there. The
Arc can certainly take some serious use/abuse. The Arc is
one of those lights that you come to appreciate more and
more. It's excellence unfolds over time to reveal the
great care and balance of the design. Also, Peter Gransee
stands behind his lights like no other company on this
earth. It's like you're part of a club. He listens to
your comments and suggestions; responds promptly and fully
to your questions; and keeps you informed on all sorts of
fronts. If you EDC two or three lights, then that might
change things a bit, but if you, like me, want the most use
for the least bulk then definately the Arc LS is it.

Just my two cents, as it were. But if I understand your
requirements correctly perhaps the SureFire L4 would be best
for you. It certainly sounds like an awesome light, and
despite my shameful early post on the L4, I am quite
convinced that overheating is not an issue, despite the
5 watt LED.

Hope this helped some, and good luck.
 

jtice

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May 21, 2003
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West Virginia
PeterW..
Can you mod your own?
If so, try a 5W M*g mod of your own.
You cant use a DownBoy converter board from Dat2Zips site when they are ready. (about 30 days or less)
Then you can use 2 - 3 to D batt holders from Elektrolumes site.
The stock M*g reflector works very well with the 5W'ers.
If MAX brightness, is more important thatn runtime... then dont use a converter at all, and Direct Drive it like the SNII. Whats good is, the beam is nice, AND its focusable. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

kz1000s1

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Jun 2, 2002
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Central Arkansas, USA
For short to medium range use, the Surefire L4 is my favorite light, and it's small enough to carry with you when you need it most. It puts out a very bright, even beam that is the most useful of any light I have used. For longer range, one of the other lights on your list might be better.
 

Bill.H

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Nov 25, 2002
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Maine USA
Blaster VI.

If you need a longer runtime, go to the Blaster II or V.

I've heard great things about the Space Needles also, but I've never seen one.
 

FalconFX

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Nov 1, 2002
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Davis, CA
The Space Needles IIs are in a class of their own. If you can ever beg Charlie to build you one, you're in luck. But it's got the longest throwing beam a 5Wer can throw out, not to mention one of the whitest beams I've ever seen.

Obviously, lights like the SNII, Blaster VI, L4, even the PM6 McModules if you can get in line for them, are all great 5W LED lights you can get for at/under $150 that are worth their cost in performance...

PeterW,
I have every one of those lights you'v mentioned below, besides the soon to be released LS4 (unless you meant the L4):
Elektrolumens Blasters (II/VI)
Mr Bulk SNII
Inretech Helios
LS4
Lambda megaclops


And my favorite of those bunch would definately have to be the SNII, only in that it throws its beam the farthest. For usefulness of its beam, I would actually take the Helios over all, because of its wide flood and great concentration of light, and the ability to go 6D for maximum life or 2D (6AA) for small size, or NX05 for somewhat focused light to bare emitters for an extreme flood...
 

Charles Bradshaw

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Sep 14, 2002
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Mansfield, OH
I would recommend the Surefire L4. LS4 is a 1 watt LS, the L4 is a 5 watter in a reflector (no optics and a surefire reflector).

further, the LS4 is not even in beta testing yet.
 

ttran97

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Dec 12, 2002
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Location
California
How about an E1e+KL4 combo? Bright and relatively cheap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Smaller and almost as bright as an L4.
 
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