need a new light!

Hello guys,
I'm in need of a new light.

Currently, i am using a fenix pd30 for hiking and camping, also walking my dog.
It is a great flashlight for my needs, however the color of the light starts to bother my eyes after about 5 minutes.
I was shown a higher end light from a buddy, it had a neutral light, and much stronger @ 500 lumens. What I liked was the color, it was like sunlight poking through a hole, not the intense blue I get from my fenix pd30. It made my fenix look bad...

Anyways, if anyone could recommend a similar sized flashlight that tales 18650 eneloops, i would be thankful!

I am considering a ready made from darksucks, but open to slightly cheaper light, though I would pay for quality.

If you don't mind paying for quality and wants a more neutral tint, I say go for the HDS with Nichia 219 LED and an 18650 battery tube. I have that setup and it is great. Though only rated at 170 lumens, it is ample for a lot of usage which I will need to put it through.

Alternatively, a Zebralight SC600w or SC62w would be great. They run much brighter than the HDS but gets pretty hot pretty fast. I find myself usually running it in the medium output levels mainly and switching only to max for spotting.

Budget????

Look for anything with a Warm tint, say below 5000K. Also already mentioned anything with a Nichia 219 or 219B.

Welcome to the forum.

Tixx said:

Zebralight SC62w 18650 Flashlight Neutral White

930 lumens

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I second the recommendation. It has a very different interface than your Fenix, but a similar size. The SC62w beat out my V11r neutral for the top spot for me.

Lou Minescence said:

I second the recommendation. It has a very different interface than your Fenix, but a similar size. The SC62w beat out my V11r neutral for the top spot for me.

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Agreed here as well, the SC62w has a nice warm/neutral tint like you're looking for with a golden color to it, very natural and useful. You have 930 lumens turbo mode which is thermally regulated or can do the 335 lumens which lasts for 4 hours. The medium modes are very useful at night for most of the activities you mentioned and provide around 70 lumens while lasting over 30 hours at that setting. Extremely compact and good for EDC.

pjandyho said:

If you don't mind paying for quality and wants a more neutral tint, I say go for the HDS with Nichia 219 LED and an 18650 battery tube. I have that setup and it is great. Though only rated at 170 lumens, it is ample for a lot of usage which I will need to put it through.

Alternatively, a Zebralight SC600w or SC62w would be great. They run much brighter than the HDS but gets pretty hot pretty fast. I find myself usually running it in the medium output levels mainly and switching only to max for spotting.

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Missed the bottom of this. So that is 4 for Zebralight. I tend to pocket carry so the SC62w worked better for me. The SC600w is awesome if you holster or don't mind the larger head diameter in whatever way you carry. It does add additional throw.

Thanks for the reply everyone!

Wow I guess sc62w seems like a really good pick, i will have to research it

My budget would be around 300 to 400, can't see paying any higher for a single light.

MrJino said:

Thanks for the reply everyone!

Wow I guess sc62w seems like a really good pick, i will have to research it

My budget would be around 300 to 400, can't see paying any higher for a single light.

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For $300-$400, you could buy a small collection of really nice lights!
I second the recommendation for the SC62w - great light! Also consider the SC62d - not as bright, but it puts out really, really nice looking light that's really pleasant on the eyes.

I'm putting the sc62d on hold for now, looks like a great light though.

I have made an order for qr beta copper and alpha ready made.
Both seem to be USB compatible with its batteries, which is a plus.

Accidently ordered a AA eneloop charger and batteries, does that mean I have to shop for a AA light? Lol

I think in that category you will be pleasant with this all-around flashlight:

ArmyTek Prime C2 Cree XM-L2 T6 LED Warm White
LED: Cree XM-L2 LED T6, Max 975lumens Neutral White 4000k
Distance throw 180meters
Hotspot/Spill - 20/80degrees
Aircraft-grade aluminium with Type III hard anodizing 400HV
Premium Antislipping matt surface treatment
Impact Resistant TIR Optic Lens with Sapphire
6Modes - 975lm (1.5hr), 390lm (3.8hr), 185lm (9h), 32lm (48h), 1.8lm (18d), 0.2lm (100d)
Powered by 1x 18650, 2xCR123A,2x R123 Li-ion
Waterproof and dustproof standard - IP68
Impact resistant 33ft
Size 120mm x 24.5mm, Weight 62g
Price 77$

MrJino said:

I'm putting the sc62d on hold for now, looks like a great light though.

I have made an order for qr beta copper and alpha ready made.
Both seem to be USB compatible with its batteries, which is a plus.

Accidently ordered a AA eneloop charger and batteries, does that mean I have to shop for a AA light? Lol

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What exactly do you mean by "USB compatable with its batteries"?
Any battery that can be charged with USB then is USB compatable right?
These lights do not take a battery that is unique in anyway at all and any other light using the same batteries can charge exactly the same way as these.
Further to my knowledge there is no provision whatsoever with these lights that makes them easier or able to be charged with USB so I just do not understand what you are trying to say here?

Thanks in advance for helping me understand.

And of course it means you need an AA light now!You needed one before but just didn't realize it yet!

Sorry, what I meant is that the charger can plug into usb.

I just bought an eneloop charger that doesn't plug via usb, only wall socket. It will be returned for a usb one.

MrJino said:

Sorry, what I meant is that the charger can plug into usb.

I just bought an eneloop charger that doesn't plug via usb, only wall socket. It will be returned for a usb one.

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There are low cost USB chargers available for 18650 (and other LiIon cells).

MrJino said:

I'm putting the sc62d on hold for now, looks like a great light though.

I have made an order for qr beta copper and alpha ready made.
Both seem to be USB compatible with its batteries, which is a plus.

Accidently ordered a AA eneloop charger and batteries, does that mean I have to shop for a AA light? Lol

Click to expand...

I used to say it all the time, then stopped, but since your using this in a somewhat critical situation ZL would be my last choice, truly amazing engineering with unreal runtimes, but I have found them to be about as reliable as a birthday candle. Yes you can chime in and say the ZL you have is reliable. On average... not so much. Years of threads to back that up.

If AA - Malkoff 2 X AA setup

If CR123 - HDS 1 X CR123 or Malkoff Turnkey with Hi / Low ring 2 X CR123.

I always prefer lithium primaries for critical stuff like backpacking.

MrJino said:

Sorry, what I meant is that the charger can plug into usb.

I just bought an eneloop charger that doesn't plug via usb, only wall socket. It will be returned for a usb one.

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I still wonder if you don't think these lights batteries are somehow different than every other light that uses the same batteries and thus can be USB charged too?
I own a Beta myself and have always wanted an Alpha too but their batteries are the same as everyone elses too.

Anyway your post sounded to me as though there was some battery magic in your deciding on these lights and I just didn't understand that.

Let us know when they land.

Amelia said:

There are low cost USB chargers available for 18650 (and other LiIon cells).

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Turns out the alpha ready made comes with a 18650 charger that is usb.
eneloop combo aa/aaa charger also, couldn't find one in usb, so I'll keep this one.

thanks for your help everyone, sorry if my posts are a mess.