Variable / Rotary Controlled EDC Lights?

One of my favorite lights has long been a Surefire Ultra2 with the variable control ring. In a recent quest to update many of my lights to smaller size with greater lumens, I've discovered the joy of pocket size single cells that pack 500+ lumens, but I've yet to find a variable control that sounded right to me.
I'm aware of the Sunwayman V11r, but I've heard reports of the control dial deteriorating over time. I'm seriously considering spending the bucks on an HDS Rotary, but 250lm seems like a step down from the the power I've gotten used to (even though thats about where I run my brighter lights.)
So, are there any durable, pocketable, variable control, 500lm, lights out there, preferably for under $150?

Nitecore has a couple they market as their SRT series (Smart Ring Tactical).
http://flashlight.nitecore.com/product-category/srt-series

Save yourself the headache. Get you a HDS 325 lumen. Don't let the lumen count or price deter you. They are worth the investment.

Str8stroke said:

Save yourself the headache. Get you a HDS 325 lumen. Don't let the lumen count or price deter you. They are worth the investment.

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I may ultimately go that route. I don't mind paying the price for things I'll use for a long time. My CRK Sebenza knives are a good examples.
What I hate about paying top price for electronics is how fast they are eclipsed by the next version and lights seem to be advancing at a blistering rate.
I believe my ZL H600 MK3 will satisfy me for 5+ years. But, I'm debating whether the HDS 325 would do the same.

JLeephoto said:

I may ultimately go that route. I don't mind paying the price for things I'll use for a long time. My CRK Sebenza knives are a good examples.
What I hate about paying top price for electronics is how fast they are eclipsed by the next version and lights seem to be advancing at a blistering rate.
I believe my ZL H600 MK3 will satisfy me for 5+ years. But, I'm debating whether the HDS 325 would do the same.

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I'm still using an HDS 170 Clicky and a Ra 85Tr Twisty, and haven't bothered to upgrade .... As they say, the night isn't getting any darker, and these work just fine

Go for the HDS 325. It's a rotary control and although it's not a truly infinite UI it has 24 finite levels that covers everything from ultra low to quite a lot. The difference between 325 and 500 lumens is not that great in reality.
It's a great compliment to the Zebralight H600 MkIII, especially the HI version.

Another vote for a HDS rotary, I have a 325 and had the emitter swapped to a XPL HI 4000k. It's one of my favorite lights.

mk2rocco said:

Another vote for a HDS rotary, I have a 325 and had the emitter swapped to a XPL HI 4000k. It's one of my favorite lights.

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Yeah - I have a 4000K XP-L from the first group buy and also a 250 that I swapped a 4000K XP-L HI into . They are almost the same brightness but I like the little bit of extra punch I get from the HI.

Also - on another note - the turbo 500 lumens option on most of these rotary controlled lights only kick in when you're using a LiIon cell and the runtime at that level is limited to short bursts as they heat up very fast. With an HDS you can run it at full blast and heat never becomes a problem. I have bored out of a few of my HDS battery tubes for 18350 cells and turned off the burst ~40 second step-down and have run it full power for extended periods of time with no heat issues.

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:

It's a great compliment to the Zebralight H600 MkIII, especially the HI version.

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My ZL is the HI version and I love the darn thing.
You guys are making a strong case. I just upgraded a handful of lights after about 8 years and I maybe just have stars in my eyes over what seems like crazy high lumens (maybe unnecessarily) from these little relatively inexpensive Chinese lights.
I do try to live by the buy once cry once rule.
Think I will be on the lookout on the WTS forum.

ShineOnYouCrazyDiamond said:

Yeah - I have a 4000K XP-L from the first group buy and also a 250 that I swapped a 4000K XP-L HI into . They are almost the same brightness but I like the little bit of extra punch I get from the HI.

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How is the tint compared to the 4000K XP-L?

Did you swap the MCPCB, or reflow using the stock board? If you swapped boards, what size did you use?

If the price doesn't scare you off you really should try an HDS Rotary. There's nothing else out there like it. You're getting lots of recommendations for the 325 because its brighter, and that seems to be a concern for you. That's fine and its the one you should get if you prefer it, but my preference is for the HCri200, a bit less light but much nicer tint in my opinion.

Another great thing about the HDS lights is that they just nearly don't lose value. Unless you beat the crap out of it, you can always find someone willing to buy it without having to give it away. So worse case is that you find the light doesn't meet your needs and you wind up selling it for maybe a few bucks less than you paid for it, but probably for even money if you buy used to start with. A few buck's shipping and a bit of time and effort is all it takes to try one.

JLeephoto said:

I maybe just have stars in my eyes over what seems like crazy high lumens (maybe unnecessarily) from these little relatively inexpensive Chinese lights.

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That's very understandable. HDS and other "premium" lights get a lot of love around here, for good reason, but there's some very good things being done overseas right now. Its a lot of fun to have 3000+ lumens in your pocket (or 8000+ lumens in your jacket-pocket). And those lights tend to be a lot more mod-friendly, so if you're into tinkering with things the sky's the limit with some of the Chinese brands. Another nice thing is that they're generally quite cheap. Buy some, play with them, take them apart and make them better than they were. Its fun, really. But for daily edc use, when what I need is a very small light that I can rely on to get the job done every time, I still carry an HDS or Zebra most days.

archimedes said:

I'm still using an HDS 170 Clicky and a Ra 85Tr Twisty, and haven't bothered to upgrade .... As they say, the night isn't getting any darker, and these work just fine

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Haven't heard that saying before and it's true, BuT, our eyes are certainly getting older

Here's another way to look at it... battery technology is not changing that fast, especially in the cr123/16340/18350 format. So each time you go up in lumens, your runtime drops. The increases in output from the HDS lights from 120 to 150 to 170 to 200 to 250 to 325 etc over the years have not really been achieved by pushing the led harder (drawing more current) but by leveraging more efficient LEDs as they become available so the runtime has gone largely unchanged.

On the other hand, driving the crap out of an LED (and stressing the battery) to achieve 1000+ lumens from an EDC light is definitely fun, but it's little more than a party trick considering the limitations of the battery and heat dissipation.

1000lm is cool, 2000lm is even cooler.............for a few mins of use before the cell is as good as flat(thats 18350). When you really need to use a light other than just for WOW and you need it to work without over heating(leave alone without panicking it may melt through the floor). Then for real work , HDS has it covered spot on. 200lm can be too much for many uses, but generally has it covered for most edc uses. If bigger output is needed for longer run times, then multi cell 18650's come in to play and use one of those types of lights imo(right tool for the job). 16340/18350 or 14500 will never run long on much over a few hundred lumens..........not enough in the tank as most are 600-840mah tops. Its nice to have a real user light, one that does not need constant thinking "i have used turbo for 2mins, i am down to 3.9v now......."

HDS has it covered , the hi cri mentioned is a very useful ~200lm of 4000k , down to the reflector design it puts out a nice beam with adequate throw/spill for close to moderate distances. Some lights of higher output cant match the usefulness(call it wasted in spill or too intense hot spot for closer up uses). So although 200lm or the 350lm does not sound much today, its usable without any side effects of hot rods(which most step down to this anyway if a small light). Your just cutting out the mah sapping turbo and heat for the 1st minute or so........

Just my opinion on lower lumen lights, reflector design and UI(rotary in this case) far out weigh numbers for me.........

If you like a pocket rocket then cool, take one out with you for WOW, just have a HDS in the other pocket for when then hot rods tank has depleted and you need to get home.........

Str8stroke said:

Save yourself the headache. Get you a HDS 325 lumen. Don't let the lumen count or price deter you. They are worth the investment.

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+1

ven said:

.... (useful info, good recommendations) .... right tool for the job .... Its nice to have a real user light, one that does not need constant thinking .... (more sensible advice and such) .... HDS has it covered , the hi cri mentioned .... adequate throw/spill for close to moderate distances .... Some lights of higher output cant match the usefulness .... (additional rather informative education) .... So although 200lm or the 350lm does not sound much today, its usable without any side effects of hot rods .... Just my opinion on lower lumen lights, reflector design and UI .... far out weigh numbers for me....

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Great advice on low output, from the member with > 15K (!) posts .... If only there was some sort of graph or chart to explain this line of reasoning

Thank you archi, coming from the flashlight god himself:bow:

We all like our WOW lights, its part of the fun and interest for me, but when it gets down and dark.............flashlights are tools. For example, no mechanic or engineer(or who i know of anyway) uses a $10 set of spanners or sockets from a supermarket..............not if they dont want spanner rash and rounded nuts anyway. You buy the right tool, it still gets used 20...30.........40yrs later and then gets passed down to younger hands.

I only own two lights...

ven said:

Thank you archi, coming from the flashlight god himself:bow:

We all like our WOW lights, its part of the fun and interest for me, but when it gets down and dark.............flashlights are tools. For example, no mechanic or engineer(or who i know of anyway) uses a $10 set of spanners or sockets from a supermarket..............not if they dont want spanner rash and rounded nuts anyway. You buy the right tool, it still gets used 20...30.........40yrs later and then gets passed down to younger hands.

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Fine tools are indeed a joy to use.

Emspop said:

I only own two lights....

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Excellent choices

archimedes said:

Excellent choices

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Reading so many of your posts over the years that I lurked here about Peak lights I new I had to try one so I finally landed the Oveready edition as a backup/companion to my HDS. Couldn't be any happier with either so THANKS