Help needed for new LED

First things first, this site is the most informative I have ever seen. Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

I'll get to the point. I need an LED light that has long peak burn time (4hrs), CR123 batteries, lightweight, 8" or less in length and very, very bright. It will be used for hunting and outdoor use(finding harvesting game after sunset and getting out of the swampy bottoms safely)

Thanks for your suggestions,

JScott

I don't know of any bright regulated 123 lights that will go for that long

My Streamlight TL-3 five watt gives me that run time with some dimming near the end. It will NOT quit at that point, just gradually dim for many more hours.

I appreciate your situation; I am a hunter, and you don't want the durn thing to quit when you're 10 miles from nowhere.

The cheapest I've found it is here:

http://www.lapolicegear.com/sttlledtali.html

Another reliable supplier is here:

http://www.brightguy.com/detail_int.html?cart=10762746972867027&sku=STR88106

And a review here;

http://flashlightreviews2.home.att.net/reviews/streamlight_tactical.htm

Welcome to the CPF JScott, If theirs an answer you will find it here.

Maybe the SL 2-L might go for 4 hours...the PM6 LED might as well...Pelican claims "the brightness will noticeably decline after 4 hours of operation". But it might be dimming after 3. Maybe someone will have some other ideas...might have to go with something that uses 3 batt...not sure about meeting the 8 inch or less requirement.

Welcome to the group!

Ken

Ken

Thanks guys. After my extensive use of the search function, I am leaning towards the TL-3. I'm hoping some more experiences/opinions will be shared to go along with yours.
Also, it appears TN is well represented here.

I just noticed that JScott.

The TL-3 meets your size/length demands as well.

The 2/123 lights mentioned (Pelican M6 LED, and SL TL-2 LED) are good ones, the Pelican will out throw either of the others, but has a lot FEWER lumens than the TL-3.

I've found a narrow beam almost useless in tracking, and the wide hot spot, and very nice side spill with the TL-3 also is a plus.

what about the new CR123/3 Watt light Wayne is making @ Elektrolumens?

www.elektrolumens.com
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=455382&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=14&fpart=1

I hesitate to tell one that he doesn't need what he thinks he does, and this is not intended to be that.

I personally would not carry a TL-3 in my pack or on my person while hunting. It would be too large and bulky for me.
I have a TL-2LED and it is small and bright. I can't imagine that I would need a brighter light.

My own choice for a light to carry with me and to use for walking before daylight, and after dark, and one that would have a decent throw is the Streamlight Twin Task 2L. It is superior to a 2D Maglite and is small. The LED is supposed to be usable for 28 hours.

If you have considered that light, then forgive me for suggesting it and ignore what I have said.

For me, having backpacked in sheep country and such stuff, I tried to keep the amount of weight I carried as light as reasonable. A few ounces here and a few there and you have a pound or several.

Jerry

I agree the TT 2L might be a good pick. I read in the Surefire catalog that the KL-1 head on a E-2 body will run brightly for 4 hours at 17 lumens. Brighter than Pelican claims for the M6 LED at 15. Not sure how far the KL throws...I know its not as far as the M6-Led but still might be a good pick as its brighter as a whole and is regulated to hold the brightness. Surefire claims tend to be conservative.

Ken

Fantastic suggestions, thanks. In the past I carried a Maglite 2D in my backpack...heavy, heavy. This past year, I needed a very bright light to aid me in finding a blood trail from a deer I had shot. I used my Surefire E2e, WOW!
It was like a piece of sunshine in my hand. Found deer.
Unfortunetly, the sunshine didn't make it through the weekend hunt. So in essence, could I be looking for a longer lasting LED E2e?

I have both a Pelican M6LED and a Surefire KL1. The M6 is brighter by a bunch, and has a much longer throw. The Streamlight TL-2LED is also brighter than the KL1, but it also is not comparable to the PM6 in either total light or throw. However, the TL-2LED is almost as small as the E2. If I needed a small bright light with long battery life, probably the TL-2LED would be my choice of the lights I have.

However, I continue to think that the TT2L is the best single choice. The LED mode is not in the same league with the other two I mentioned, but it has a long run time, and the Xenon is bright enough for anything I can imagine for hunting.

If you want a brighter LED than the LED of the TT2L, then maybe the KL1 mod with the Surefire E2e would be a good choice since you already have the E2.

In the out-of-doors the LEDs are good because of their long run times, which results in not carrying so many batteries.

Jerry

How about the KL1 head with a 3x123 cell body? Not sure if you can still get the Vitalgear bodies from any of the dealers here, but if you can get your hands on one, you're looking at around 5-6 hours runtime easily, IIRC. Not sure if the brightness will be sufficient though...

Oh, and don't forget to have a backup light as well... and a backup for your backup light... and another backup... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif My suggestion would be the Inova X5t as a backup, lightweight, water resistant and really LONG runtime... Happy hunting (for both lights and game)!!

There have been a couple of Vitalgear bodies on Ebay. I am not sure if the auction is over or not, but Surefireparts had some.

I had previously bought one of each from him. I like them, although I have not tried the 3x123 body yet with the KL1.

Jerry

Princtontec Yukon headlanp. 3 AA, long runtime. low and bright light level. Hands free operation for cleaning game and you can get a red bezel if needed. I'm very impressed with mine, I wish I'd of had it this last deer season it would have been a lot easier cleaning the deer than trying to hold it in my mouth. Another great headlamp I use is a Black Diamond Supernova. 3 LED with 3 brightness levels, a reletivly long throwing incadesant, enough for trail walking anyway, again with 3 brightness levels, uses 4 AA for a very long run time. Take a look, I think you'll like them for what you want it for.