Undecided: Need Help Picking Two Flashlights 18650

I need to pick up two lights, looking for good lumens and good runtime on 18650. Another good important point is reliability (build quality, and won't fail when you need it the most, can be dropped and still work well).
I realize there are other GREAT lights out there, but I have narrowed my list to these seven lights.

If you had to pick two lights from the list (and only two ), which would you pick:

(You can even pick two of the same if you wish to reach two lights quota)

1) Fenix TK11 R5
2) Fenix TK12 R5
3) EagleTac T20C2 Mark II
4) EagleTac T100C2 Mark II
5) MG P-Rocket
6) JetBeam Jet III Pro ST
7) JetBeam Jet III-M
8) OLight M20 Warrior R5


Also, if you want to add, what is a good 18650 battery? Is AW the only thing that should be looked at? Or are EagleTacs any good for their battery?

MG P-Rocket and Jet-III M

I have the Jetbeam, and it's completely bullet-proof. Not the brightest light in the world, but very useful beam profile and has the lowest low of any light I have every used. If that matters to you. Make sure if you're getting an R2 version to get the OP reflector. It doesn't really cost much throw, but cleans the beam up a lot.

My other vote goes to the P-Rocket mainly because I love SST-50 lights, and sometimes you can never have too many lumens

As far as batteries go, I use 18650's that I pinch from laptop packs, or AW IMR's if the current is needed.

AW's 18650-26 always gets good reviews.

Then you'd better put THIS one on yer' List:


Olight M20 Warrior Premium R2



It's a Fine choice for your requirements !



_

Burgess said:

Then you'd better put THIS one on yer' List:


Olight M20 Warrior Premium R2



It's a Fine choice for your requirements !



_

Click to expand...

It's not on your list but don't forget about the Fenix TK30, it accepts 18650's, has really good runtime, and is way brighter and has more features that the TK11 and TK12 you're considering.

I've paid close attention to the search you are performing (and did it myself before the XPG R5 was an option), and my advice is simple.

Buy 2 EagleTac T20C2 MKII lights.

:thumbsup:

With CPF discounts, they are just so darn "cheap", bright as you can find, and pretty darn tough by all accounts.

Of course, your decision probably has some subtle points that makes it much harder.

UI preferences?
Throw vs Flood?
Do you want two different lights for variety?

entoptics said:

I've paid close attention to the search you are performing (and did it myself before the XPG R5 was an option), and my advice is simple.

Buy 2 EagleTac T20C2 MKII lights.

:thumbsup:

With CPF discounts, they are just so darn "cheap", bright as you can find, and pretty darn tough by all accounts.

Of course, your decision probably has some subtle points that makes it much harder.

UI preferences?
Throw vs Flood?
Do you want two different lights for variety?

Click to expand...

For UI preferences, I would prefer reliable changing, and when it changes, it stays, and has to stay. Fenix does this, but my other light did not. It was a Wolf Eyes. Basically, you push the button it switches low to high, etc. If you were to strike a body part with the light, it would switch to a different light setting.

Throw vs Flood, most lights would fit the bill.

Having a background in biology, diversity would be a good case here. In case one brand happens to be bad (or is actually a good brand, but has a bad batch), then it would be better to have lights from different brands.

I have these 2

MG P-Rocket - (neutral white) forward clicky, 3 modes, memory. It's a beast in a small package, extremely useful light but more floody than a thrower cos of the small reflector.


JetBeam Jet III Pro ST - Love the UI, 3 modes is more useful to me than the Jet III M, its one of the slimmest and smallest 18650 lights. Ran it on max and it lasted 1hr 45+ minutes before the protection circuit cut in, cell used was a DX Trustfire protected 18650 (blue), mo issues with that cell yet.

I would buy an Eagletac T20c2 today if they would upgrade their Neutral emitters XP-G R4 neutral white emitters like some of the Quarks have...

I can't buy any more cool-tinted lights (unless it's something special like a super thrower) after using warm and neutral lights. They ruined me for cool lights.

Zebralight SC60 is the best 18650 light I own. The hotspot is wide and so is the spill it's not a thrower but a great overall EDC light. If I had to choose only one 18650 light from my collection this would be it.

Eagletac T20C2 MKII- Would be a great EDC companion to the SC60 for a bit more throw. I carry the SC60 in my pocket and another light is belt carried in it's holster. That light is usually the Eagletac P20C2 MKII but if I wanted to use all 18650 then the T20 would be the obvious choice.

durability wise check this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYiBvkbfx6A it got nice runtimes too... and i saw the actual flashlight on this test its displayed on their store...physically beat up but its still running...

Hellbore said:

I would buy an Eagletac T20c2 today if they would upgrade their Neutral emitters XP-G R4 neutral white emitters like some of the Quarks have...

Click to expand...

I have the "MKI" version of the neutral (or warm) depending on your reference. If the tint and efficiency are the same on the new MKII, but with the new OP reflector and user interface, I'd venture that the XPG R4 emitter choice would be a relatively minor upgrade on a new EagleTac. Mine is bright as hell (250ish lumens), with 3 hour runtime. Of course I have the smooth reflector, so I treasure mine as a throw machine. And believe me it does.

As far as the OP's "reliable changing" it is hard to beat a twisty UI. Mine won't switch modes from impact or vibration that I've seen, and it's tactile, so you can decide what you want in the dark. Just wish there was a way to select low mode (and I wish it was lower) without turning on the light.

entoptics said:

I have the "MKI" version of the neutral (or warm) depending on your reference. If the tint and efficiency are the same on the new MKII, but with the new OP reflector and user interface, I'd venture that the XPG R4 emitter choice would be a relatively minor upgrade on a new EagleTac. Mine is bright as hell (250ish lumens), with 3 hour runtime. Of course I have the smooth reflector, so I treasure mine as a throw machine. And believe me it does...

Click to expand...

Look at EagleTac's specs for the light:
http://www.eagletac.com/flashlights/t20c2.html

Max Output (XP-G R5 Cool White) 5 / 60 / 300 O.T.F. Lumen
Max Output (XP-E Q4 Neutral White) 4 / 45 / 215 O.T.F. Lumen
Max Output (XR-E R2 Cool White) 4 / 50 / 230 O.T.F. Lumen

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Looks like the Neutral only hits 215 lumens. I guess that's not terrible, Quark Tactical 123x2 claims about 213 OTF lumens. I just wish they would use a higher flux emitter. 40% less output than the cool white version...

Hey you know what would be awesome?

Does anyone have both versions of the T20C2, the XP-G R5 and the XP-E Q4 neutral? Beamshot comparison would be awesome...

knucklehead87 said:

durability wise check this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYiBvkbfx6A it got nice runtimes too... and i saw the actual flashlight on this test its displayed on their store...physically beat up but its still running...

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting that video.

From the light there the TK12 or Olight M20 but you might also consider the SUNWAY M20C - awesome UI, fit & finish, etc...

MattK said:

From the light there the TK12 or Olight M20 but you might also consider the SUNWAY M20C - awesome UI, fit & finish, etc...

Click to expand...

Now I want to buy THREE and not just TWO. :mecry:


But, I won't have the money then for other toys.


So, Fenix TK12+OLight M20.
Should I go M20 or the "S" edition?

For a THIRD light...
Is EagleTac T20C2 MkII better, or the Jet III-M?

M20 vs M20S is a call you can only make for yourself but if you think you'll be one handing the light frequently or changing modes/levels alot go M20S. If you're a 'my lights are always on high' guy go with a regular M20.

Think about doing the Olight M20/M20S and the Sunway M20C. Selfbuilt's M20C review is here: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/283700

Hellbore said:

Look at EagleTac's specs for the light:
http://www.eagletac.com/flashlights/t20c2.html

Looks like the Neutral only hits 215 lumens. I guess that's not terrible, Quark Tactical 123x2 claims about 213 OTF lumens. I just wish they would use a higher flux emitter. 40% less output than the cool white version...

Click to expand...

Wow, if mine is the same output as the MKII Q4, I was "snookered" a little when I bought it in late 2009. EagleTac was claiming 300 lumens for the cool version and 270 lumens for the warm white.

In my comparisons with a Quark AA2 (209 lumens) and P20A2 MKII (230 lumens), my EagleTac is significantly brighter I think. 215 lumens just doesn't seem right.

Anyway, it's irrelevant since the MKII ratings are probably pretty accurate, and the warm tint light is significantly dimmer.

Just an update -

I really wanted the Eagletac, and I wanted it in Neutral or Warm, but I was worried about not having the highest output.

Then I had an Aha! moment... I don't know why I didn't notice before, but Eagletac sells both the XP-G R5 Cool White and the XP-E Q4 Neutral as drop-in modules!

So I couldn't resist, I just ordered the T20C2 MKII with XP-G R5, along with a XP-E Q4 Neutral w/SMO reflector drop-in!

So now, if the Neutral is not bright enough for me, I can go back to the cool white XP-G R5, and/or mod one of them with a brighter Neutral emitter

I love options and modularity, and I couldn't resist... The fact that the T20C2 has screw-in LED modules you can change out, and alternate tailcaps (for tailstanding), colored filters, weapons mounting and remote switch kits, etc. made it suddenly much more attractive to me and I had to get one