Need a new light for duck hunting

Hey guys,

First, thanks for being up to date and passionate on the subject. I have been browsing threads and this forum is knowledgeable!

My scenario is; I need a quality light, that has excellent waterproofing. It needs to fit in my wader pouch that is 8"x8" (10" diagonally)

I need the light to hit tule patches roughly 500+ yards. I'm thinking the light needs to output a minimum of 1000 lumens and be capable of 5hrs. (not continuously, just not reduced output)

One thing I do run across is fog. Sometimes its patchy and low lying, sometimes its like being in a cloud. Scatter is an issue with my current light, but I was reading on here beam angle helps with refraction?

I think I need protected batteries? I'm not big on maintenance, so typically I might use the light on Saturday, and recharge six days later the night before I use it again. I'm saying this because I know nothing about the new batteries.

I do know I want a quality battery. I did read that the SkyRc3000 is a great charger?

Looking for a good set up, I know nothing.

My budget is around $200-250

A few lights I checked out were:
Olightx7
K70

Thank you for the help!

Hey bro, I can't really help much as my knowledge of current lights are a bit poor but try r/flashlight at Reddit. The people there are a knowledgeable bunch. Good luck!

Hey Jminer, welcome to CPF.

Light: First, a couple of words you'll see in recommendations below...the first is "throw", usually expressed in distance calculated from the candela (related to lux). It sounds like throw is what you're after--seeing objects 500 yards away, without spreading a bunch a light all over the place into fog and nearby objects. Lumens are often not proportional to throw. To the contrary, often the highest throwing lights do not have the highest lumen ratings. The two lights you mentioned are fantastic examples of the two ends of the spectrum: the X7 is a "flooder," with a spectacularly-high lumen rating but not much throw, while the K70 is a "thrower," with a much lower lumen rating but much better throw. The firearm analogy: the X7 is a cannon loaded with buckshot; the K70 is a rifle. If you are looking for an easy-to-use, durable, high quality thrower, check out the kit (includes batteries, USB charging cable, etc.) for the Olight SR52-UT Intimidator (cool name, too). It has an 800m throw, a dead-simple user interface (click to turn on/off; hold down to change modes low/med/high), good quality, IPX8 waterproof, and a 4-hour runtime on high with no stepdown. And, if you get the kit, then your charger and battery questions become moot.

Chargers: you mentioned the SkyRC3000 charger, which is a VERY sophisticated charger for multiple battery chemistries, smartphone/computer interface, and detailed cell analysis. There is nothing specifically wrong with that kind of sophistication, except the cost and learning curve for use. A standalone charger will probably charge cells a bit faster than the in-flashlight charging in the SR52-UT, so it might be a good accessory. And, most other lights that people will suggest don't have built-in charging. So, if you want a standalone charger, I might suggest starting with a much more simple model for your first (and maybe only): maybe something like the Opus C3100 for lithium ion only, or the XTAR VP4 for multiple chemistries (NiMH as well as lithium ion). I would suggest a 4-bay charger, especially if you get a multiple-cell light (like the SR52-UT)--that way, you can charge all the cells at once, and keep them perfectly balanced with each other.

Batteries (cells) are a huge topic, and will depend on what light you get. The Olight kits provide a high quality set of cells that are matched to their lights, and covered by their warranty. I recommend either getting one of those kits; or, choose a flashlight first, then query CPF for recommendations on the most appropriate cells (most flashlights already have some kind of answer in a thread--you won't be the first to ask, "what is the best cell for my new ____").

Best of luck!

Hey thanks Keitho, I get the firearm analogy, that helps. I think I'm interested in a throw type for my scenario with the fog factor? (Does that sound correct)

Thanks for the charger info, greatly Hey thanks Keitho, I get the firearm analogy, that helps. I think I'm interested in a throw type for my scenario with the fog factor? (Does that sound correct)

Thanks for the charger info, greatly appreciated.

I read about the intimidator months ago and forgot about it. How's the diode rank in diode hierarchy?

Also, is there a preferred Kelvin temp for fog? I ask because a few years ago on here. That's what I was after.

I read about the intimidator months ago and forgot about it. How's the diode rank in diode hierarchy?

Also, is there a preferred Kelvin temp for fog on these lights? I ask because a few years ago on here I was reading on fog lights for my truck and ended up getting 2700k.

Any other throw lights worth looking at along with the k70 and intimidator?

What are some comparable floods to the x7?

Jminer99er said:

Hey thanks Keitho, I get the firearm analogy, that helps. I think I'm interested in a throw type for my scenario with the fog factor? (Does that sound correct)

Click to expand...

Yes, I think that throw will work well--you don't want a bunch of light spreading out and reflecting off of fog and other foreground stuff, making your target harder to see.

Jminer99er said:

I read about the intimidator months ago and forgot about it. How's the diode rank in diode hierarchy?

Click to expand...

In my opinion, all the LED that Olight puts in their equipment is high end. In the SR52 UT, it is an XPL-L HI, which is well suited for thrower flashlights.

Jminer99er said:

Also, is there a preferred Kelvin temp for fog on these lights? I ask because a few years ago on here I was reading on fog lights for my truck and ended up getting 2700k.

Click to expand...

In general, for flooders, I tend to like warmer lights for nighttime (like your 2700K headlights). Up to about 4500K usually looks pleasing to my eyes at night. But, for throwers, there aren't many that use warmer LED; and, the color temp doesn't matter to me as much. For me, flooders are useful to reveal textures and colors; throwers, on the other hand, are useful to reveal shapes of specific targets.

Jminer99er said:

Any other throw lights worth looking at along with the k70 and intimidator?

What are some comparable floods to the x7?

Click to expand...

There are lots of throwers out there; you'll probably get a lot more good recommendations from others here. The K70 is physically large with a very long throw; the SR52UT is more compact, has USB charging, and not quite as long throw. My recommendation is to start with the simplicity and compactness of the SR52UT, and see what you like and don't like about it. There is no "best" light (just like there is no "best" lever gun, revolver, rifle, or shotgun), so have fun finding out what works best for you!

I see the thread title, and my first thought is, "Well, you'll need something long enough to get a good swing..."

the.Mtn.Man said:

I see the thread title, and my first thought is, "Well, you'll need something long enough to get a good swing..."

Click to expand...

My first thought was, "You'll need a pretty bright light to kill a duck..."

lol
There is a legal shoot time. These lights aren't far off from singing feathers haha.

Question: what do you think about tn40? To big? What you said about identifying shapes and a longer distance is what I'm after, and it appears lux is significant part.

I found the sr52ut on skylumen. When he tweeks the light does it reduce the run time?
https://skylumen.com/products/sr52utvn?variant=5876316996

There is also a tn40svn on there. (Tempting)
https://skylumen.com/products/tn40svn-high-output-thrower-r?variant=50941169028

Jminer99er said:

lol
There is a legal shoot time. These lights aren't far off from singing feathers haha.

Question: what do you think about tn40? To big? What you said about identifying shapes and a longer distance is what I'm after, and it appears lux is significant part.

I found the sr52ut on skylumen. When he tweeks the light does it reduce the run time?
https://skylumen.com/products/sr52utvn?variant=5876316996

There is also a tn40svn on there. (Tempting)
https://skylumen.com/products/tn40svn-high-output-thrower-r?variant=50941169028

Click to expand...

For your first first Skylumen link, the SR51UT consider spec #2.
You'll benefit from the neutral color temperature, the lower battery drain, and the greater range of throw.

I prefer lights that have a lowest setting that's 80x less or more than the lowest setting of that SR51UT, but as long as you have a second light with you, maybe a single AAA or AA light on a vest lanyard or an efficient headlamp or something, you won't have to spend time cursing the 80 lumen "low".

The TN40SVN is going to burn up batteries to get the range you need, and light up everything around what you're looking at, rather than give you a focused and efficient aimed light, it's the 8 gauge shotgun option.

Copy that.

Hey people thanks for the patients! These lights and batteries are confusing... Button top, flat top, protected, high drain, reverse polarity, cutoff regulated... I had a tn42 in the cart, but the batteries kept me from pulling the trigger and the fact it would be like carrying a Stanley thermos in my chest pouch lol

eh4, I have multiple headlamps while I'm out. (cheapies) I'm going upgrade to a quality 18650 this week.

I'm 80% there on the sr51ut spec2. Are there any other medium thrower to consider ie K40 or tn32ut?

Ok, wow the tn42 looks like a lot more light than the sr51UT. Quite a bit bigger too.

The sr52UT is the light I'd probably want, but I don't understand the purpose of lighting up the tules, if it's to find them, or to put them on center stage.
sr52UT should give you a relatively stealthy beam of light, not extremely bright but tightly focused, better for looking for something that you already know is there without lighting up everything else around it, with long runtimes, and really long runtimes on the 80 lumen low, -put it in a bucket for close area lighting, or bounce the beam off the inside of your boat.

If you want to look at a distant area, like looking at a page instead of looking at a single word, then you might be happier with a more monster light that throws with more power and less focus.
The sr52UT will charge in your car and fit in your wader pocket.

I don't have any popcan style lights or monster throwers btw, I'm just reading stats and looking at video, and comparing those with memories night kayaking with a warm Predator XB-H.

about "K40"
Remember to look at where the light intensity is declared, usually around where the max range is claimed. On the L3 K40 page it says:

" Max beam distance: 700 meters.

• Peak beam intensity: 75000cd."

...so at 75000cd it will only be around 1/4 the intensity of sr52UTvn option #2.

eh4, I need it for area lighting. I'm looking for cover, is it thick or sparse, is it a large diameter and whether or not I'm in the middle of a pond and if open water is around, or how far my target is from the next walking dyke.

I hunt on public refuges, and its a rat race. If I start into a pond to early or to late or in the wrong location, guys will just pass me by on the road turn into the pond and possibly end up where I wanted to be, its critical I see the area.

Right, so you probably do need more raw power, someone here must know exactly what would suit, but if you dig through YouTube you're going to get a good idea of the the beam profile that various lights provide.

The VN modded sr52UT option #2 would increase throw but do so by increasing the focus and decreasing the overall output, so maybe that's not the right direction.

Check out this great video, tn32 compared to several other lights, in appropriately bad conditions:
https://youtu.be/Puv-3L_0hgw

And wow, this one:
https://youtu.be/L-wIEg5ouwE

I'm an avid duck hunter and have depended on my Fenix line of lights and headlamps and can attest to their ruggedness and ability to handle some seriously nasty weather during our hunts. I normally run Fenix E35UE when walking into the blinds and the Fenix TK47 when in the boat to spotlight out way thru the swamps and find out blinds in the dark. I always pair them up with Sanyo NCR18650GA button tops. I have had these lights dropped in freezing water, rained/snowed/sleeted on constantly and they have yet to miss a beat. As for farting around in the blinds or walking around outside the blind I have one of two headlamps on me either the Fenix HL55 or the Thrunite TH20 with a 14500 stuck in it. Both are super headlamps for hunting.