Alternatives to Olight S30RII?

Long story but I've lost my patience with Olight after my original S30R died. I sent it back and they replaced it with an S30Rii, which also started having problems so I sent it in to them only to have them return it to me unfixed.

So, I'm looking for an alternative. I like the size, the 1000+ lumen output, and the rechargeable feature. What currently available lights might be a good alternative with the features I mentioned?

Are you willing to elaborate what the problems were? The one thing about my S30RII is the flickering that keeps recurring, for the rest i love the versatility of this light.

Marfenix said:

Are you willing to elaborate what the problems were? The one thing about my S30RII is the flickering that keeps recurring, for the rest i love the versatility of this light.

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Sure. My original S30R had a problem with the tailcap. They sent me a new tailcap. Eventually the light simply died. I sent it to Olight and they replaced it with an S30RII. After a couple of months, the S30RII started having problems. First it would no longer go into turbo mode. Then it stopped turning on. I sent it in to them and after they got it they sent me an email telling me that they were sending me a replacement. Instead, they sent me back the broken light I had sent them. It was not fixed and would initially not turn on. After taking off the tailcap a few times, it would turn on again but still not go into turbo mode.

I emailed them and they apologized and asked me to ship it back to them yet again. After thinking about it, I decided I didn't want to pay to ship it back to them a second time given that they were supposed to send me a replacement from the start but instead sent back the broken light still not working right. I told them thanks, but no thanks, and simply decided to stop buying Olight products. I guess they caught me on a day in which my patience in general was thin but I really hate dealing with stuff like this. If I send you a broken light and you tell me you're sending me a replacement, don't send me the broken one back still broken and then expect me to pay another shipping charge to send it back to you a second time.

So, I'm basically using it as a 400 lumen light because that's as bright as it will get. In the meantime, I'm looking for something from another manufacturer to replace it.

I've been looking at the Nitecore MH20 and MH20GT. Also checking out the TM03. I have a Nitecore P12 I really like so I'm thinking another Nitecore may be the way to go but I'd love to get some more suggestions before I buy something.

Wow, i completely agree with the fact you do not like to be taken for a ride. That would mean the end of the line for me too! Thank you for your reply!

I would not get the TM03 it needs a special battery and gets quick hot

a light with higher max output has advantages if you run it at lower mode that gives you the 1000 lumens

Try the EC4SW
http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/ec4sw
it got not the USB charger
but if you run it at 1000 Lumens it doesnt get hot
too hot lights suffer and the battery inside as well

How about the thrunite tc12?

http://www.thrunite.com/thrunite-chargeable-flashlight-tc12-3400-1/

Lexel said:

I would not get the TM03 it needs a special battery and gets quick hot

a light with higher max output has advantages if you run it at lower mode that gives you the 1000 lumens

Try the EC4SW
http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product/ec4sw
it got not the USB charger
but if you run it at 1000 Lumens it doesnt get hot
too hot lights suffer and the battery inside as well

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That looks pretty cool but I'm not a big fan of multi-battery lights. At least not for what I'm currently looking for. I did see that the TM03 uses a special battery but it's included with the light so it's not really a big deal to me. The 2800 lumen burst mode isn't something I'd use often but it looks like it might be nice to have for late night dog walks. Based on the size though, I'm leaning towards the MH20GT.

Also looking to pick up a Nitecore Tip but I've been reading about the lockout battery drain issue and I'm not sure who, other than Nitecore direct, is selling the new version without the lockout battery drain problem...but that's for another thread.

Gee85 said:

How about the thrunite tc12?

http://www.thrunite.com/thrunite-chargeable-flashlight-tc12-3400-1/

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I like that one. I'll definitely add it to my short list. Right size, right output, rechargeable, seems to tick all the boxes.

Any more suggestions?

GTRmiami said:

Any more suggestions?

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Lots of awesome 1 x 26650 lights out now, good for dog walks.
Acebeam EC50/60, Manker u21vn, Olight R50 Pro (ik u probably hate this company, try a inspected VN mod version), Eagtac makes some nice 18650 lights too.

Dad owns a MH20GT for EDC and loves it, not a lumen powerhouse though for dog walking.

OnlyownEnergizer250lumen said:

Lots of awesome 1 x 26650 lights out now, good for dog walks.
Acebeam EC50/60, Manker u21vn, Olight R50 Pro (ik u probably hate this company, try a inspected VN mod version), Eagtac makes some nice 18650 lights too.

Dad owns a MH20GT for EDC and loves it, not a lumen powerhouse though for dog walking.

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At 1000 lumens shouldn't it be pretty much as bright as the Olight S30RII? I was looking at the regular MH20 and it's also rated at 1000 lumens but from what I can tell, it looks like the GT is just designed for more throw vs the regular MH20 is a bit floodier. Does that sound right?

And I don't really hate Olight, just a bit annoyed with their customer service right now, not to mention I've had a few of their lights go bad. With so many other flashlight manufacturers out there, I'm looking for alternatives that might give me better long term results.

I would look at the Fenix UC30, it's basically the same style as the S30R II but a Fenix. The quality and customer service from Fenix is outstanding.

Id vouch for the fenix uc30 or 35.

I ended up getting a Nitecore MH20GT through an Amazon lightning deal. Something like $80 for the light, a Nitecore 3400mah battery, two CR123 batteries, and a couple of other accessories.

I decided on this one not only for the price but because it is a thrower and I already have plenty of floody lights like a Zebralight SC600 MKII and a Nitecore P12, so I figured it would be nice to have a good thrower. I've only had it for a couple of days but so far I'm very happy with it. It actually does make a good dog walking light because it has so much throw that I am able to check things out from a distance to make sure there are no loose, possibly aggressive, dogs approaching (a problem where I live). I also tried it out at a large dog park the other night. It's pitch black there at night and I was able to let my dog loose without worrying. I could light him up very clearly from one end of the park all the way to the other end which is about 200 yards. Didn't even need turbo mode.

To follow up on the Olight issue, the S30RII started having even more problems. It started flickering and the low battery indicator would start flashing even with a fully charged battery. I decided it was too expensive to just toss it so I emailed Olight, told them about the additional problems, and asked them if they would be willing to cover the shipping back to them since they returned the light to me still broken, and it was now having even more problems. They sent me a prepaid shipping label and I sent the light back to them. Hopefully they resolve it this time around.

Either way, because of the Olight problem I ended up with an awesome little pocket sized spotlight.

Sorry to read about your problems with the Olight. I have one that rides in my front pocket daily and have had no issues with it for nearly a year.
I do have a ThruNite TC12 as it is very similar to the S30R as a backup.
Glad to read also that you found a replacement that fits your needs.

Lateck,