Lumintop L1A-L2A-L1C Your thoughts

jhc37013

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Joined
Feb 17, 2009
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3,268
Location
Tennessee
I thought it finally time I give Lumintop a fair chance I have decided to order a TD15X and in doing so the L series caught my eye so I think I will also get a L1C and L1A to find out just what Lumintop is up to.



I think I have a good idea what I will get with the TD15X with all the great reviews and member comments but there is little that I can find about their smaller EDC L series lights so I thought I would ask is anyone carrying these around and what your thoughts are.



They look well made comfortable to hold and they look made for a pocket. It looks like they have a nice size head that may help with throw and it's not a TIR type optic like a E1B so I would expect some spill as well.



So how about it I know some of you are surely to own one and more?
 

crossliner67

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Apr 3, 2010
Messages
110
I sell them here in the Philippines bro. The latest batch of L1c tubes have smaller inside diameters as opposed to the 1st 1 that reached my end. You may have issues if your predilection is to utilize robust rcrs. Remember that the battery has to be able to jump up and down whilst you dribble it w/ your index finger otherwise you would not be able to change modes if it has no play. It's a twisty hence battery to bore fit is crucial. L1A and L1C they share the same holster size and the former is kind of too long for its sheath the flap sort of gets strained. Finish and tooling on these models yeah very nice. I suggest you go for the L1c and get an extra L2a tube/holster for it. L1c head w/ L1a body does not work too well and the light that comes out is dim. Different circuitry I would surmise. L1a head w/ L1c body does though or L1c head + L2a body and vice versa. Get that tailstanding cap too while you are at it. My fellow countrydude bro Roadkill has a very thorough review re the L1c. Mabuhay bro.
 

GearedUp

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Mar 10, 2011
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The L1A is an impressive little light when used with a 14500 battery. The light is well made, and good looking. The length of light fits in my hand nicely and isn't too short like some 1xCR123 sized lights. I'm really liking the look of the turbo head on the small light, although it's not the most comfortable to pocket carry.

I'm using mine with an AW 14500, which is supported by Lumintop. I definitely see an increase over an alkaline AA. If I remember correctly, the L1A on 14500 should match the output of the L1C. Mine has a nice tint, no green or blue.

It's a good little thrower for its size. The throw was comparable to a friend's 3D LED Maglite, but the L1A had a much wider beam. Mine does show a slight donut hole which would seem to decrease the maximum throw distance. The donut hole is not bad enough to noticed in normal use outdoors though. I've given up on XPG's with small smooth reflectors, I have multiple that show obvious donut holes.

The UI works flawlessly, and the switch is good. I'm not a fan of flashy modes, and they are not hidden. The mode memory is a big plus in my book, I leave mine on high always. I would have liked a moonlight mode, but not a deal breaker for me as I wouldn't use it that often anyway.

The two way clip is nice. The clip is very stiff and is sometimes tricky to clip into my jeans pocket. I could probably pry it open a bit to be a little looser but haven't tried yet. I ordered the optional tail standing ring with mine for just a few bucks, I'd recommend it.

Overall...:twothumbs
 

maniacyak

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Oct 25, 2010
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I originally posted this before the recent CPF downtime & data loss, so have just retrieved it from Google's cache for reference.

I have an L1A and a 2AA battery tube, plus the tailstanding accessory.

Things I like:
  • I really like the look of the light, with its polished bezel and tailcap ring.
  • Good quality accessories (two-way pocket clip, lanyard and nylon holster) included.
  • Throwy beam with tight hotspot thanks to a deep, smooth reflector.
  • Good anodizing & square-cut threads
  • Forward clicky
Things I don't mind but are worth mentioning:
  • The switch has quite a light feel to it - it's not as positive as, say, the one on my JETBeam E3S.
  • The clip can only be fitted at the tail end of the light.
  • The head is much larger than average for a 1AA light.
  • It's a smooth reflector around an XP-G, so while the hotspot is pretty tight there's a bit of donut hole too.
  • The knurling is OK - could be grippier, could be worse.
  • Tint is average, somewhat cool.
Things I'm not impressed with:
  • My 2AA battery tube is too short. An AA cell is 50mm long, but the 2AA tube supplied is only 48mm longer than the 1AA tube. It feels like the tailcap spring is fully compressed and that I'm crushing the batteries if I try to screw it all the way closed.
  • There was no lubrication on the threads or o-rings as received. Given that modes are selected by twisting the head, this isn't great.
  • The grippable surface of the tailcap is very slim (about 1/8") and there's no knurling on it, making it fairly difficult to remove and replace if you want to take off the pocket clip or switch bodies. (You can remove the head to replace batteries however.)
  • The o-ring in the tailcap doesn't sit in its own groove, which means it's easy to damage it when screwing the tailcap back in - and my example didn't come with any spare o-rings.
  • It's fiddly to replace the SS tail ring with the tailstanding accessory - some needlenose pliers are a must. I tried using tweezers and accidentally tore the rubber switch boot as I twisted them.
  • The rubber switch boot isn't very robust - and isn't a standard type, so replacements can only be sourced from Lumintop. No spare switch boot included with my example.
As you can see, most of my gripes are about the tailcap design. It has the makings of a really great flashlight, but for me the details let it down. :sigh:
 

Deal4

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Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
243
Thanks maniacyak for reposting your thoughs!
Could I be nosy and ask why you got your light? I have seen a number of sites that say it comes with an extra switch boot and o-rings.
Would you recommend this for EDC? I am thinking of this or maybe the Zebralight SC50+ for EDC.
Thanks alot!
Shad
 

crossliner67

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Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
110
I originally posted this before the recent CPF downtime & data loss, so have just retrieved it from Google's cache for reference.

I have an L1A and a 2AA battery tube, plus the tailstanding accessory.

Things I like:

  • I really like the look of the light, with its polished bezel and tailcap ring.
  • Good quality accessories (two-way pocket clip, lanyard and nylon holster) included.
  • Throwy beam with tight hotspot thanks to a deep, smooth reflector.
  • Good anodizing & square-cut threads
  • Forward clicky

Things I don't mind but are worth mentioning:

  • The switch has quite a light feel to it - it's not as positive as, say, the one on my JETBeam E3S.
  • The clip can only be fitted at the tail end of the light.
  • The head is much larger than average for a 1AA light.
  • It's a smooth reflector around an XP-G, so while the hotspot is pretty tight there's a bit of donut hole too.
  • The knurling is OK - could be grippier, could be worse.
  • Tint is average, somewhat cool.

Things I'm not impressed with:

  • My 2AA battery tube is too short. An AA cell is 50mm long, but the 2AA tube supplied is only 48mm longer than the 1AA tube. It feels like the tailcap spring is fully compressed and that I'm crushing the batteries if I try to screw it all the way closed.
  • There was no lubrication on the threads or o-rings as received. Given that modes are selected by twisting the head, this isn't great.
  • The grippable surface of the tailcap is very slim (about 1/8") and there's no knurling on it, making it fairly difficult to remove and replace if you want to take off the pocket clip or switch bodies. (You can remove the head to replace batteries however.)
  • The o-ring in the tailcap doesn't sit in its own groove, which means it's easy to damage it when screwing the tailcap back in - and my example didn't come with any spare o-rings.
  • It's fiddly to replace the SS tail ring with the tailstanding accessory - some needlenose pliers are a must. I tried using tweezers and accidentally tore the rubber switch boot as I twisted them.
  • The rubber switch boot isn't very robust - and isn't a standard type, so replacements can only be sourced from Lumintop. No spare switch boot included with my example.

As you can see, most of my gripes are about the tailcap design. It has the makings of a really great flashlight, but for me the details let it down. :sigh:

You are mistaken bro. All you need is a a cut tire interior for better traction if you intend to remove the ss ring. Twist it in a jerking motion. All Lumin lights including the Worm and the Silver Fox that reached my end were complete of accessories.
 

shortstack

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 29, 2008
Messages
239
The L1C worked great for a while, used it for about 3 months, 5x a week, multiple times a day. It recently stopped working, unless i bump it against something, used mostly rechargeable 3.0v cr123s. Sent a message to the dealer I purchased it from.
 

Deal4

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Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
243
Why not the SC51?
The SC50+ isn't my final decision, so maybe you can convince me which way I should go!:thumbsup:
My favorite emitter is the XP-E instead of the XP-G. The SC50+ uses the XP-E while the SC51 the XP-G.
I have heard that the SC51 is basically pure flood, and I want a balance in throw and flood.:)
 

maniacyak

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Oct 25, 2010
Messages
13
Location
Scotland
Could I be nosy and ask why you got your light? I have seen a number of sites that say it comes with an extra switch boot and o-rings.
I'll assume you meant "where", as no one on this forum needs a "why" to buy a light. :devil:

I got mine from SBFlashlights, I think in the second batch they received. It's a non-standard model without strobe or SOS modes, so this may be why the accessories differ. (I haven't taken it up with the dealer because I don't think it's worthwhile - for either of us! - for them to mail a couple of ounces of rubber several thousand miles to me.)

Would you recommend this for EDC? I am thinking of this or maybe the Zebralight SC50+ for EDC.
If it meets your needs, use it. Personally I find the ZL SC51 suits my EDC needs better.
 

Deal4

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
243
I'll assume you meant "where", as no one on this forum needs a "why" to buy a light. :devil:
Right you are!:ohgeez:
Who needs an excuse to buy a light?:)
maniacyak, could you explain the difference in beam pattern between the ZL SC51 and the Lumintop L1A?
They both use the same emitter, so I'm just curious of your thougths since you have both of them.
The ZL SC51 is the real winner when it comes to size, that's for sure!
 

FroggyTaco

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Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,145
Location
Central Ca
I have heard that the SC51 is basically pure flood, and I want a balance in throw and flood.:)

I am not sure where you picked that bit up, but only the SC51F is all flood.

The SC51 is just like the SC50+ but with a larger hot spot that some people say makes the light seem "floodier".
 

Deal4

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 10, 2010
Messages
243
I am not sure where you picked that bit up, but only the SC51F is all flood.

The SC51 is just like the SC50+ but with a larger hot spot that some people say makes the light seem "floodier".

Ok, I knew that SC51 uses the XP-G emitter, but the way I was hearing reports it sounded that with the combo of the shallow reflector and the XP-G emitter it made the beam much floodier than other XP-G lights.
Guess I'll have to look up some beam shots!
 
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