Help me pick a light!!

Alright, I've been lurking for a little while now, and I need to pick up a light. I have a few, like an original Surefire 6p, a couple Mags, along with some assorted others, and I just purchased a Nuwai 3 watt from 3rd shift. But I'm looking for something a little better maybe. I know you're going to ask what I intend to do with it. Preferably it will be an EDC. I like the smaller lights to begin with, but something larger would be ok if it was an amazing light. I don't mind LED or incandescent. New or used would be ok too. I don't need it to be new. Oh, and I'm looking at not much over $100-150. Maybe a little more for something that wows me I also don't care if it's modded or not, although the idea of a modded light that puts out tons of lumens sounds cool. I'd be interested in throw as opposed to flood or sidespill. I've been looking and quite truthfully, some of the options and descriptions on some of the lights totally lose me. Like I was interested possibly in an Aleph, but I have no clue what some of the options mean. Anyway, any suggestions from you guys would be greatly appreciated!!!

Bumpus,
First of all, Welcome to Candlepower Forum! It is good to have you here. I will tell you what I just got my hands on and it has very quickly become my EDC light of choice. I have the Surefire E1e light with the newest KL1 LED head for it. It is amazing!!! Top notch quality, VERY bright, VERY white, VERY good throw with a small amount of spill, decent runtime for a single SF123 lithium cell (about 1.15 hours constant brightness in regulation, then another 2 hours of declining but useful light out of regulation). Cost is 134.00 for both together. It ends up measuring in at about 3.6 inches long. If you want a bit more brightness and slightly more than twice the runtime and you don't mind it being about an extra inch long(about 4.7 inches long), get the E2e with the new KL1 instead for a cost of 151.00. The extra benefit with this combo is you can get a Pila Rechargeable lithium 168S battery to go in the E2e+KL1 for guilt-free lumens!! Either one is well worth their respective prices and will quickly become your go-to light. Have fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Welcome to the forums!

Socom1970 gave you excellent recommendations. If you do go the 1xcell route, some of us here have tried and are having really good results with the Battery Station CR123 rechargable cell. These cells also happen to work well on my QIII and on my 1xcell Vital Gear body with KL4 head (my EDC).

Will

The KL1 is a good recommendation, especially if you love throw. The KL1 is sold as a flashlight head only as shown on Surefire's website, not a complete flashlight. You will need a power pack (a body) and a switch to complete it, as Socom has mentioned you can use Surefire's E1e or E2e lights to supply the power pack and switch, or if you want to do it cheaper you can go with a third-party body.

The magic of the Executive series lights (E1e/E2e/KL1/KL4 included) is that there are many third party compatible add-ons for it. You can use an Aleph body and tailswitch as well to build a less expensive light. I think the switch is $15 and the body is $22 at the Sandwich Shoppe. $15+$22+$56 for your KL1, under $100 even /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif or the Vital Gear body as suggested by wquiles.

Thanks for the replies so far! These are great suggestions. I hadn't thought about rechargeables either, which socom brought up. Anybody else have a thought? So far it's looking like everybody likes the Surefire Executives with a KL1 head. Anything else?

I alway recommend people pick the Surefire E2e as their first Surefire. It provides only very slightly less output (60L v 65L) over the 6P but a better runtime (75mins v. 60mins). The biggest advantage is it is a lot more convienent to carry!

You can always add a KL1 or KL4 head to the E2e. If you want even longer runtime and don't need the extra lumens get the MN02 lamp that puts out 25 lumens and will give you a runtime of 150 mins.

Great recommendation!

.... having bought all of those I found out the hard way /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

Personally if I had to do it all over again, it would be cheaper to buy the L4 LumaMax first (~$135), then buy the E2e + lamp bezel later (~$30) if I wanted an incan (not) rather than buy the E2e (~$80) and then the KL4 conversion (~$100) and the clickie (~$30). Essentially I save something in the region of $30-$45 by going for the L4 from day zero.

Of course, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif so I have all kinds of Surefire parts sitting around in various wierd combinations and I spent more than I had to, but then again, this is CPF and these darn lights........ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


bumpus.. there is one thing none of them are telling you that you must know.

HIDE YOUR WALLET AND RUN!!! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!! The lights will eat you out of house and home!

..... but I may just be a bit too late, it seems /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Welcome to the addiction!

No Kevin, I'm not entirely sucked in yet, but well on my way, I'm afraid Thank you all for the recommendations.

here is another one that you might be interested in looking at the pentagone lights X2 or the X3.. they are some wicked tough lights ..

X2 Features
* Xenon Gas-Filled Lamp
* Aerospace Grade Aluminum Body
* Momentary and Constant On/Off Tail Switch
* Double O-Ring Sealing

Specifications
Brightness: 70 Lumens
Run-Time: 60 Minutes
Batteries: Two CR-123A
Bezel Size: 1.25"

X3 Features
* Xenon Gas-Filled Lamp
* Aerospace Grade Aluminum Body
* Momentary or Constant On/Off Tail Switch
* Double O-Ring Sealing

Specifications
Brightness: 135 Lumens
Run-Time: 90 Minutes
Batteries: Three CR-123A
Bezel Size: 1.5

Welcome to cpf bumpus!!!!!

That 3 watt you bought from me will be a good reference starting point in your developing flashoholism. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
There are many here willing to offer some really cool, leading edge handheld light sources.
The modified lights are the real leaders of the pack in technology here on cpf.

Good luck on your quest, bumpus. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif