? on $25 Luxeon light as gifts for S. America

Last year in my travels to South America (Argentina and Chile Andes), I found that many park rangers were still carring mini-mag lights that were barely usable. I will be going back this spring to do some work with these folks and would like to give them a dependable high quality AA based luxeon light. I am limited to about $25 since I have to get a dozen. Since this light will see duty everyday, it has to be dependable above all else. The light will be pocket and belt carry so it can't be too big - maglight size would be good. Runtime is probably more important than brightness but it should at least be brighter than a maglight.

What would you recommend that I buy. I am up to date on the high end of the luxeon sprectrum but really don't know much about the low end. I have heard good things about the $20 Brightguy UK eLED (but it is a little big?). Other ideas are SL 3AA, Costco Dorcys, and Maglite + cheap sandwich. I have not personnaly seen any of these lights. What do you experts think that I should bring?

Thanks. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

The AA SL Task Light will do it. If you buy a dozen, I think you can deal a bit to get the $ 25 price. VERY nice light for the money.

The UK is dim as heck, compared to the SL Task-Light, but cheap.Think 1/3 as bright.

No experience with the Dorcys.

I think the sandwiches would exceed your $$ amount.

If you weren't limiting the batt choice to AAs/AAAs, I'd suggest the SL TT 1L or 2L series, or even Pelican M6 Led. However, with your price range and requirement for a LS, I think either the SL Tasklight or the UK eLed would fit the bill. Otherwise you may want to also consider some of the cheaper (I think) LS lights from Nuwai or as such.

Else, you could just buy them (a lot of) the Infinity Ultras as backups for their existing Mags, maybe?

AA battery size is essential - CR123 batteries are non-existent.

Having only heard but never seen the Dorcy, it may be a better price point light than the SL 3AA.

What is a good price for a SL 3AA?

lamda's $20 mini-mag ill pill kit w/dat2zip $1.50 lens. specify R2K for better tint. Kits includes NX05 and rubber collar to support NX05. aprox. same output as LSHP.

Lamda is out of stk, but i have an extra coming.

UKE 4AA eLED will give 50% more light than a minimag, regulated for over 10 hours of even brightness with a few days of dimmer light after that. It might be a bit larger than you want though. $20 a pop is well inside your price range though.

cy talked aobut the Lambda pill, that would be interesting to ask the ranger for his minimag and convert it for him. The run time is not all that great however.

I think that most of the ranger's lights are probably minimag type so the sandwiches may not fit. I would like to present a "new" light to them. If I could get the SL 3AA for $25, it seems to fit the bill although there are other lights that might do better like the Costco Dorcys.

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JohnK said:
The AAA SL Task Light will do it.


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Is AAA a typo, or did I miss this one? Could you please post a link? TIA

i'd think the Streamlight 3AA luxeons would be best, but i'm afraid you probly cannot find them for $25 a-piece.

altho i'd reccomend contacting some CPF sponsors and seeing if it's possible to work a deal out for that price, since you're buying a dozen.

Isn't the SL AAA light a 3 AAA light? It may be too long for the job, but if not is an excellent choice.

Jerry

I suggest the UKE 4AA eLED. It's really very little larger than the MM (wider only) and is really only 'dim' relative to what folks here abouts want.

It's clearly superior to the lights they're now using, has excellent battery life, and is very robust indeed. IMO, a very impressive product.

Doug Owen

I still want to know about the SL AAA. Is that a typo or is there a light that I'm not familiar with. Also the Costco Dorcy? The Dorcy that I'm familiar with is the two pack of the Spyders and they're 123s.

My vote goes to the UK 4AA eLED. The SL 3AA Luxeon would be brighter, and you could probably do better than published price for a dozen, but if you're concerned about the larger size of the UK over the mini mag, I think that the 3AA form is much less convenient to carry. I've got a SLGI that I love, but I don't carry it on me. My vote goes against the SL TT 3AA, because I don't care for incans. Personal choice.

What hasn't been mentioned is the new SL 2AA Jr Luxeon that's due out the end of this month. It is expected to be bright, but only one hour run time at full brightness. We don't know what the brightness or runtime is after it drops off. Price is expected to be $30 and I suspect that you could do better with the dozen purchase.

I highly recommend the SL 3AA Luxeon. Great quality, beam, throw, spill, runtime, & switch. The only thing negative about this light to some people would be it's length. Otherwise, this light is outstanding. If you need shorter, I would wait a couple months and get the Jr. model. Just saw it online from a dealer who lists it at $29.99, but not available until May.

here's a look @ Quickbeam's review of the Underwater Kinetics 4AA eLED.
it shows a nice comparison beside a Minimag. as you'll see, they're pretty much the same size, only the UK eLED is slightly widened to make room for two more AA's.
and just look @ that regulation, and the safety approvals..

maybe you could order yourself one of these lights to compare with a Minimag, personally. i imagine you'd be better prepared to drop the money for a dozen of them afterwards.
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but again, the UK, it's waterproof, dustproof, smokeproof.. after thinking about it, i cannot imagine choosing the SL 3AA luxeon over it.. the only benefit the SL has over the UK is in the brightness/throw department.. and that's 'cause it has the deepest reflector i've ever seen.. it adds the length of almost another AA battery, making it seem almost like a 4AA light. don't get me wrong, i luv my SL 3AA luxeon, but for rangers in South America, i'd go with the UK.

^my 2 coppers^

Also, you might consider the Inretech 2AA adaptors. The cost is 25 bucks apiece...output blows away a stock MM. Best performance is achieved with lithium AA's, and the run-time is awesome!

PJD

"dependable high quality AA based Luxeon light. I am limited to about $25"

"MY", that is a tough one......I've been looking for something like this in that price range but nadda so far.....

considering you are not going to get a great Luxeon for $25 possibly consider lights that use 3 or more of the smaller LEDs (5 mm) like the streamlight 4AA 7led for example....but there are many other makes in the 3/5mm arena that toss out a decent light for the price range/AA bat. you are currently limited to.

but as BlindedBTL said...maybe a deal with CPF sponsors is possible.....at $35 there are a couple of more options…..are you limiting yourself to hand held only?

best of luck, rob

....[ i'll have to take another look at the UK 4AA though ]........

[ QUOTE ]
MY said:
I think that most of the ranger's lights are probably minimag type so the sandwiches may not fit. I would like to present a "new" light to them. If I could get the SL 3AA for $25, it seems to fit the bill although there are other lights that might do better like the Costco Dorcys.

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The SL 3AA is huge compared to mini-mag. the ill pill sammie is designed to fit into mini-mag. The only problem you may have it some of the older mini-mags may have a smaller ID. Just lightly sand the board for perfect fit.

If you have the time, current list is open aprox. 2 weeks delivery. Lamda's ill pill board w/optics is $7. add 1 watt lux $8 or less, add $1.50 lens, add artica alumina $1($10 tube, add rubber collar $1 = $18.50 + lot's of time

A better solution is ask lamda to build 15 Q3K ill pill kits. for drop in solution of $22. Beam almost same brightness,pattern as LSHP. aprox 75 min runtime w/1850 milliamp nmh AA's. should be close to 2 hours w/alk

The best part is Rangers already know and love the form/funtion of mini-mag. It will just be brighter and run longer.

my favorite mini-mag mod is with lamda's kit. even though I have several other sammies from dat2zip to compare to. MM+ R2H, MM+ TWOK, BB500 R2H. Sure these will be brighter, but the Q3K ill pill makes the most useful light, most simular to how LSHP just makes a useful light. Not as bright but more useful.

If ill pill kits not available, I would give infinity ultra Gov model for $15 ea. 10+ hour runtime, hard anodized. single AA.

While not the brightest, but how about the Opalec? Price is just about right, and runtime is pretty good at approx 10 hrs (advertised). Only problem might be some of them might be using the older MiniMags, so they may not work...

Another one that comes into mind is also the CMG Reactor 2AA. Not sure if Batterystation still has them on specials though.

The SL Task-Light is THREE AA's.

Typo, Typo. A guy can't even sleep around here.

I just was in my dark basement comparing the mini mag with a CMG reactor. Phisically the reactor have a slighty bigger head and is 4 m m longer.
The Reactor beat the mini mag in useful light, because flood the area with a white light. The throw is about the same. Overall I think the Reactor is a much better light with a long runnig time and a forever bulb.
I bought mine from Campmor about two weeks ago.
They are running a sale right now for $l9.97 and if you are willing to buy a dozen, they should do even better.
check www.campmor.com.
Hope this will help.

Juan C.

Is better to be a flashaholic than an alcoholic