1 main EDC (soon) + 1 backup (later)

Hi,
I'd like your input on two lights. Please let me know if I'm expecting too much

, and what compromise you think I should make.

Current budget: $150, could go up a bit
Time of purchase: the Main EDC is prioritized, ideally during the 4th of July discount period
Country of purchase: USA

Main EDC: easy access
Length: ideally up to 6''
Switch: forward tail with momentary and on/off function (I'm open to side button or twisty head/tail for mode change)
Mode: Up to 3 (High-Medium-Low / High-Low / High), with memory
Beam pattern: both spill and throw (NOT a pencil beam, I prefer a medium hot spot and a decent, meaningful spill. I'll leave this to your interpretation)
Throw distance: >=200m / 820ft / 273 yd (It's easier to reduce the throw than to increase it. If I can spot something spooky from far away, I have more time to escape. If I need to see at a closer range, I can point the light downwards.)
Brightness (if it adds to throw distance): >=30kcd (It's easier to reduce the brightness than to increase it)
Battery: 1 or 2 x 18650 / 26650 / 20700 / 21700 (for large capacity)
Battery life: >= 1hr on CONTINUOUS >=200m throw/30kcd mode (be it a Medium or High mode, as long as this is continuous ) (I don't mind if the light can drop out black when out of battery, as long as I have the most time on this sustained mode)

Backup/Hobby: in backpack, at home, no fast access needed
Length: up to a foot long
Switch: forward tail with momentary and on/off function (I'm open to side button or twisty head for mode change)
Mode: Up to 3 (High-Medium-Low / High-Low / High), with memory
Beam pattern: both spill and throw (NOT a pencil beam, I need to have a medium/large hot spot and a decent, meaningful spill. I'm not sure how large these should be, so I'll leave it to your interpretation)
Throw distance: >= 500m / 1640 ft / 546 yd (It's easier to reduce the throw than to increase it)
Brightness (if it adds to throw distance): >=70kcd (It's easier to reduce the brightness than to increase it)
Battery: 2 or 3 x 18650 / 26650 / 20700 / 21700 (for large capacity)
Battery life: >= 1hr on CONTINUOUS >=500m throw/ 70kcd (be it Medium or High mode, as long as this is continuous) (I don't mind if the light can drop out black when out of battery, as long as I have the most time on this sustained mode)
I have used parametrek to narrow my search. However, many of these lights won't hold a continuous output, but rather, they drop significantly after minutes or even seconds and remain at this much lower output, until they drop again due to battery capacity.

Again, please let me know if I should compromise.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Oooh it's a bit quiet here, so I'll start...
Now I don't know much and i do swim against the tide, but the light I always carry (you'd call it my EDC) would never be a throwy light. For something I need all day and night long I use a Triple Nichia which gives me a very useable low stress light. A thrower is going to make me hunt the beam around whereas something more floody just lights stuff up.
When I go on a dog walk with a thrower, there's always this ball of light bouncing around ahead of me, which is really not relaxing. I take a Triple and I'm walking into a lighted area with no need to point the thing.
Just a thought...

P

I appreciate the input. Do you mind telling me what light you use as the EDC?

I'm not sure why there are some views, but you're the first one to reply lol.

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https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...Conversion-of-an-Ra-Twisty-to-a-Nichia-Triple

Before that, an Oveready Nichia Triple.
P

Oh, that looks fancy lol.

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Check the Malkoff website. They have a number that meet your requirements. Sign up for their Email and you will get 20% off your first purchase. Simple, solid, and lifetime warranty.

A couple of points for clarification. Do you mean that your budget is $150 for both lights or $150 for each light? Also, are you using ANSI standards for your throw distance requirements?

@340pd: I have a Malkoff list. I just want to know if there are other options.

@Modernflame: If I can get both for $150, that's great. Otherwise, $150 for the main EDC for now. I can go up a bit. The backup will have to wait. Regarding standards of measurement, ideally the numbers should come from end users, with graphs, and beamshots.

QMT93 said:

.... Throw distance: >=200m / 820ft / 273 yd....

Click to expand...

peter yetman said:

Oooh it's a bit quiet here, so I'll start...
Now I don't know much and i do swim against the tide, but the light I always carry (you'd call it my EDC) would never be a throwy light.....

Click to expand...

Two hundred meters of throw, for EDC ?!

Really ?

Everyone's needs are different, but wow oo:

I have "throwers" that don't do 200m, lol

So I'm asking for too much? How far should I be looking for?

QMT93 said:

So I'm asking for too much? How far should I be looking for?

Click to expand...

You probably don't want to ask me ... fifty lumens and fifty feet ? :laughing:

LMAO, I forgot you and your graph. In my defense, I simply think that it's easier to reduce the throw than to increase it. Does that seem justified?

QMT93 said:

LMAO, I forgot you and your graph. In my defense, I simply think that it's easier to reduce the throw than to increase it. Does that seem justified?

Click to expand...

Joking aside, you give up a lot to get, what?, tens-of-thousands of lux .... runtime, beamshape, host size, etc, etc, etc

Could you do with "only" 12K lux? M61T.

What type of environment are you in ? Urban, suburban, rural ? Mountains, desert, woods ... what ?

I just want to be aware of my surroundings .

Why do you recommend M61T and not M61HOT, besides that I can use it with an MD4 body?

QMT93 said:

I just want to be aware of my surroundings ....

Click to expand...

I'm glad to provide my opinion, but I'd like to hear more about your "EDC environment" first ....

A not so well lit parking lot, followed by a dim lit bus stop on a sketchy route. I go home when "social workers" start their job on the sides of the streets.

QMT93 said:

A not so well lit parking lot, followed by a dim lit bus stop on a sketchy route. I go home when "social workers" start their job on the sides of the streets.

Click to expand...

So ... urban area ?

Wide open and empty, or lots of buildings around ?

Distance from door to vehicle ?

Maximum (typical) distance between you and what you want to illuminate ?

I leave the store, cross a parking lot to reach one side of the street. Then I will have to wait for about 2 minutes to cross the street to get to the bus stop. Then probably 15 to 20 minutes waiting for the bus. The total amount of time from when I leave the store to getting on the bus would be about 30 minutes or more. This is when I need the light. Sorry, I wasn't sure what to put in the previous post, and right now, I think it's about one block from the store to the bus stop.

There are buildings, but only shops, and stores, which are all closed by the time I leave the store to go home.

I only take the bus.

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QMT93 said:

I leave the store, cross a parking lot to reach one side of the street. Then I will have to wait for about 2 minutes to cross the street to get to the bus stop. Then probably 15 to 20 minutes waiting for the bus. The total amount of time from when I leave the store to getting on the bus would be about 30 minutes or more. This is when I need the light. Sorry, I wasn't sure what to put in the previous post, and right now, I think it's about one block from the store to the bus stop.

There are buildings, but only shops, and stores, which are all closed by the time I leave the store to go home.

I only take the bus....

Click to expand...

So, one "standard" city block is ... not too standard

Maybe 250-300 feet, on average ??

If that is the case, personally, I would most certainly not want a 700'-800' + very bright and tight "thrower"

In a rather dark surrounding environment, this will tend to give you "tunnel vision"