UltraStinger, Mag Charger, or TigerLight

I'm looking for a rechargable light with mega output to compliment my LED flahslights. Any suggestionns between these lights?

Some more info: If I got the Mag, I would want to do the Welch Allyn upgrade. Do I just need to buy the bulb? Can this be done to the Ultra Stinger

The mag and ultrastinger are both the same price (about2/3 the price of the tigerlight).

Thanks for your opinions on these lights!

[ QUOTE ]
RH said:
I'm looking for a rechargable light with mega output to compliment my LED flahslights. Any suggestionns between these lights?

Some more info: If I got the Mag, I would want to do the Welch Allyn upgrade. Do I just need to buy the bulb? Can this be done to the Ultra Stinger

The mag and ultrastinger are both the same price (about2/3 the price of the tigerlight).

Thanks for your opinions on these lights!

[/ QUOTE ]

Unmodded, Tigerlight would get the nod being brighter. I own the UltraStinger and the Tigerlight and the Tigerlight is the clear winner in the Throw Department.

If you would go the WA Bulb route with the MagCharger the nod would go in favor of the MagCharger both in terms of brightness and throw!

I am not aware of bulb upgrade for the UltraStinger. Maybe someone else does?

Dave

RH:

I have the US and the TL. The TL is the brighter of the two but I can squeeze a bit more distance out of the US by adjusting the focus to a tight beam. This is a requirement for me since I need to illuminate distant areas but it may not apply to you.

Another thing to consider is that the battery can be swapped pretty quickly in the US as it loads like a conventional flashlight. The TL requires that the reflector/light assembly be removed first and then the batter is coaxed out. If you are a casual user this shouldn't be a problem. If you think that you will need more than an hour of light at one time then the US with a spare batt. would be the way to go.

Of the two, I am more likely to grab the TL to investigate things that go bump in the night since the pepper spray gives me the option to spray and retreat. My wife, OTOH, seems to like the smaller diameter US barrel and conventional switch location.

Chris

I have the TigerLight (FBOP 8" version) and the UltraStinger.

Without a doubt don't get the UltraStinger!
Now the choice between the TL and the MC (with modded bulb) is more difficult. To be honest I would like to get the MC myself. I would love to see a photo of the TL next to the MC. I get the impression the TL is shorter and perhaps more light-weight.

Both the TL and MC are solid duty rechargeables.

Al

I like the slimmer profile of the UltraStinger, and it has more throw than I am likely to need from a practical standpoint. Even with the beam defocused to a larger spot, it still effectively illuminates objects over 200 yards away.
It also works with the same charger as my Stinger, as well as the PolyStinger, Stinger XT, HP, and XTHP, should you decide to buy other lights in the lineup.

I don't have the specs in front of me but IIRC the Magcharger is almost 2x as heavy as the Tigerlight. The MC is basically a 3D Mag with different lamp/reflector and with a recharging system. I have a 3D Mag and it's fine for using around the house, but is so heavy that I wouldn't want to lug it around anywhere. I carried it a couple of blocks once to work on my car, and was tired of lugging it even after that short distance.

The MC with WA01160 bulb combo is tremendously impressive. Actually, Phaserburn bought this setup AND a Tigerlight, then spent a few evenings comparing the two. In the end he kept the MC with WA01160. He was convinced that was the better light. I've never seen the two in competition, but I do have the MC with WA01160, and it's a monster. Plus a word from experience: DON'T PUT IT HEAD DOWN ON A WOOD SURFACE WHILE IT'S ON! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Of those choices you mentioned, i own both the tigerlight and ultrastinger. Of those two the tigerlight is the winner in both the brightness dept, and durability. That thing is a light emitting tank! The ultrastinger is nice too, but it isn't as robust as the tigerlight. I have no opinion on the mag light other than I would not own one because of the shady practices of that company. It is baisically up to you, remember the cpf motto: when it doubt, buy them both! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Some specs: (From "Instant Specs for 54 popular lights" as seen in Reviews sticky)

*RECHARGABLE LIGHTS*

Magcharger…………. 12 ½"…….. 2 5/16"……….. 1 ½"………… 30.6oz… ... .175L/40,000 CP
Ultrastinger……………11 5/8"……2 3/8"………….1 1/16………..16.3o……….……...75,000 CP
Stinger HP…………..…8 5/16"….. 2 3/8"………….1 1/16"…...11.8oz……………….40,000 CP
Tigerlight……………… 8"……….....…2 3/8…………..1 11/16"…………19.4oz………...….285 L
Polystinger…………….7 3/8" …….1 5/8"………….1 1/8"…………. 8.3oz…………….15,000 CP
Pelican M9…………….7 5/16"……..1 5/8"………….1 ¼"…………9.3oz……………....20,000 CP

Brightnorm

Just a note on the above chart, the Tigerlight mentioned is the FBOP version, the standard TL with OC is 11".

Also of interest, all of the above lights are shorter than a MAG 4D which is a whopping 15".

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Size15s said:
I would love to see a photo of the TL next to the MC. I get the impression the TL is shorter and perhaps more light-weight.

[/ QUOTE ]

Impression??! Do you even read CPF? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

Well until I see some photos or handle them both together...

4½" extra makes a lot of difference (where have I been told that before?)

So the TigerLight 8" is more or less a MagCharger with a third of the body in length and weight chopped off?

Al

I'll have photos of all three side-by-side by this PM, if anyone wants to see them...EDIT...Pic SHOULD work (depending on Imagestation...)


--dan

Thanks Dan!

[ QUOTE ]
FlashlightOCD said:
Just a note on the above chart, the Tigerlight mentioned is the FBOP version, the standard TL with OC is 11".


[/ QUOTE ]

Good point, I'll note thatin the master chart.

Brightnorm

Dan, thanks for the pic... that looks like the SL-20X, then the Ultrastinger, then the Magcharger, then the FBOP?

The FBOP looks noticably thicker than the Magcharger. I think the difference looks larger than the 1/8" difference shown in the chart. I guess the numbers in the chart are approximate.

[ QUOTE ]
paulr said:
...The FBOP looks noticably thicker than the Magcharger. I think the difference looks larger than the 1/8" difference shown in the chart. I guess the numbers in the chart are approximate.

[/ QUOTE ]

Paulr,

The chart numbers should be accurate to 1/16" and .1oz. I remeasured the Tigerlight and found that although I was within that range, the diameter was in fact 1 11/16" and I have corrected it. You have sharp eyes!

The complete chart is available in reviews:

INSTANT SPECS FOR 58 POPULAR LIGHTS

I've taken pains to keep the accuracy within those limits but I have asked readers to let me know if they spot any discrepancies.

Thanks,
Brightnorm

I'd like to add a few things, if I may.

I don't own the MC, but I have read, more than once, where someone ran the MC w/ WA 1160 constant on and it melted something or other: reflector or bulb pedestal or both. The MC was definitely NOT designed to run that hot and at that current! If you can get your hands on the PMR for the MC (Perfect Mag Reflector - specially made Carley reflector for a group CPF buy, now closed) then that might solve or at least help the problem.

Now the TL can run an entire battery discharge with no problems, just like the SF lights. Yes, the TL will get definitely warm, but nothing to concern you. I often need to run my high power incans for 30-45 minutes at a time, or longer, so I would not get the MC unless I could solve the over heating issue.

As for the TL vs. US or MC, I have never owned either the US or MC, but what I can say is that the TL is AWESOME! I love it. It is a VERY well built, simple, bomb proof light. It is HA type III, so it does not scratch very easily and will look good for at least a decade of normal use, vs. the normal type II which seems to look like dog meat after a few months. It has gold contacts inside and a rear mounted switch and the beam has a nice combination of focused hot spot/good throw, and good useable spill light. And, the company is really great to deal with and stands behind their lights. Go for the TL! You won't go wrong!

Also, you didn't hear it from me, but certain of us incan. boys are scheming up an equivalent WA bulb upgrade for the TL. How's 500 lumens sound? Run time to be determined, and will have to be a bulb/reflector combo assembly. TL may soon be on top again . . .

What? Did someone say something? OK . . . moving on . . . nothing to see here. These aren't the droids you're looking for.

I'm listening /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Wilkey

js, it would be difficult to melt the reflector of the MC, given that it's made of aluminum. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I'm too lazy to open mine right now, but seem to recall at least part of the bulb pedestal being made of ceramic. Note that the MC uses a bi-pin bulb, not PR base. Melting of a couple minor parts *could* occur, but it would be unlikely.

I've run mine on WA01160 for up to 20 minutes at a time with no apparent damage.

Maybe they redesigned the MC at some point to make it a little more robust? Got mine as a Christmas present in December 2002.

That said, I really like the feel of that 8 inch Tigerlight! Very nice. Sadly, I don't have one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mecry.gif