As good as the SC600 but with USB charging?

I love ZL lights. They have the best UI (my opinion). I have 5 ZL lights now but none of them are 18560 and I'm ready to take the plunge into the 18650 world because I need the power and the runtime for walking in the woods at night (a backup to my headlamp). Based on being around here for a bit I know the SC600 is a great light but I really like the convenience of just plugging into a USB charger (and not having to remove the battery and buy a separate charger).

Are there any lights that are as good as the SC600 (quality, size, brightness and UI) with USB charging or should I just go the route of buying a separate charger and getting the SC600?

Thanks for any thoughts.

The details of the UI are slightly different but armytek has always felt similar in UI to me. They have a lot of usb and magnet charging options.

Buck91 said:

The details of the UI are slightly different but armytek has always felt similar in UI to me. They have a lot of usb and magnet charging options.

Click to expand...

Thanks. Will check it out.

I see that Fenix has a PD35 that's USB chargeable but I've always hated hunting for that side button....

Convoy S9 - usb charging, not a big fan of the UI.. Quality and output are ok.
Skilhunt M200 - magnetic cap charger... UI is ok, quality a step up from Convoy.... output wasn't too bad.
The ZL sets a standard though for output , UI and regulation.... but you pay for it

Me, I prefer taking batteries out and using a good 4 bay charger. The usb plugs.. eh, the ports wear, that tiny board in there is the charger.... meh

I see your point and I haven't ruled out getting the sc600 and a charger. Just want to see my choices.
To be honest picking the right batteries sort of scares me. I don't know much about them. With the USB chargers I don't have to deal with that.

I think you will have a hard time finding a light that compares to Zebralight. The combination of high CRI options, tiny form factor, super efficient drivers, build quality and UI will be hard to find in other lights. I personally find the Fenix 18650 lights significantly larger than the zebralights.

Armytek has a pretty good UI and very good build quality, but their lights don't offer high CRI, and the compact models come with a TIR lens so you can't customize the beam like you would with the Zebralight line up.

I totally get the functionality of charging the light with USB, but I still recommend you get an external charger as they will do a much better job charging your lithium ion batteries.

It can be a little overwhelming to pick a battery. Unless you are getting a hot rod light, your best option is the ncr18650ga cell. They make it in flat top and button top depending on the light requirements. Unprotected versions are best in performance and fit in Zebralight. Use protected cells if using in a cheap light.

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Just get the batteries from ZL too and any decent simple charger and you will be good to go.
The in light charging is just not as fast,complete or ideal for the batteries or your lights and you never really know what is happening with them either and the ritual of charging is just part of the process to me.

I rarely charge in light any of the ones that have that feature and likely never will.

I think if you're trying to get something like a Zebralight, just get a Zebralight and deal with separate charging. USB charging is nice, but it will hurt waterproofness, increase size and weight quite a bit, be slow at charging, and you run the risk of breaking the fragile micro-USB port. It's nice for people that just don't want to deal with a charger, but if that doesn't bother you, go with a simple charger.

Thanks all!

I was going to buy the battery at ZL with the light but they offer several. Which do I want?
And which will have the most throw?

EDIT: Decided on the SC600w HI. On backorder. Ugh! :sick2:

Wrecked said:

I was going to buy the battery at ZL with the light but they offer several. Which do I want?
And which will have the most throw?

EDIT: Decided on the SC600w HI. On backorder. Ugh! :sick2:

Click to expand...

Yeah, I really like the SC600w IV HI for outdoors. Very good all-purpose outdoor light. Not so great indoors, though, since it's too throwy. Stick a Sanyo GA battery in it for best performance and run-time. If you're using it in very cold weather (such as -20C), you might want to consider a higher-drain cell like the Samsung 30Q or Sony VTC6. They'll perform better in cold conditions.

I'm so glad it's throwy. Better to see those coyotes!

I'd add that, if you're worried about cells, definitely go with the one on the ZL site (that's what I use in all mine), Sanyo NCR18650GA. If you want to compare it, and find out why ZL recommends this cell, you can check it out in the very powerful comparison tool by cpf member HJK, http://lygte-info.dk/info/batteryIndex.html. While you're there, you can check out comparisons of chargers, and narrow down your search: https://lygte-info.dk/info/roundCellChargerIndex UK.html. Narrow your search by deciding what you want in a charger (multiple chemistries or just Li-ion, 21700/26650/18350/etc., number of slots, number of amps, his rating, price, etc.), then scan his reviews for quirks and comments and a lot of test data.

They need a "Thanks" button in these forums....

there is one

Wrecked said:

I was going to buy the battery at ZL with the light but they offer several. Which do I want?
And which will have the most throw?

EDIT: Decided on the SC600w HI. On backorder. Ugh! :sick2:

Click to expand...

Fish for lightly used catch and releases..
use sanyo 18650GA cells

For the record, I settled on an sc600 IIIw HI and a... sc600fd IV plus as my favorite pairing (throw/flood)... Not sure if the III w HI came in a cool ( I'd swap in a second)

I have a sc700d just for the the new format. but the ZL is just in a different league