Decisions, decisions Down to three...

I've narrowed down my next foton werfer purchase choices to three...The Streamlight TL2 LED, the old style, which is on closeout at Brightguy, the Pelican M 6 Led, the Nuwai ALX 512L, or the Elektrolumens XM3. Hmmm, that seems to be four, desn't it? They are all about the same price, so any information/personal experiences with any or all would be welcome. I've read Flashlight reviews, and there seem to be darned few lights he doesn't like. Or are they all that good? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Until next time...

While I don't own any of these lights (feel free to dismiss all of the following now) I have played with the M6 and the Elektrolumens- I believe you mean XM3. The M6 is a terrific light. The XM3 is also good, but the fit and finish isn't quite as nice and the unit is larger and heavier- but you have the advantage of 2 AA's. As for the streamlight, I know they were well regarded in their day but its agreed that they are totally outclassed by the newer version- of course this doesn't mean its a bad choice if the price is right. As for that Nuwai- never seen it, but I can tell you- Nuwai quality is generally very good but that light looks really big (about six inches) for a 2 CR123 since the on-barrel switch takes up the length of a whole battery. You could get a Q1/3 for around the same price and its a whole lot smaller. If you're not married to that type of switch and don't mind CR123's, I think the M6 is the best of this bunch, or just follow CPF mantra and "by them both" er..um...all four /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
Hope this has helped,
Jon

M6 Led needs some work, but is worth the price. The TL2, I have heard, is awesome an would not be a bad choice.

I would suggest that your choice depends on what you believe is/are the most important characteristics of the flashlights. List these characteristics in order of priority. Then match your potential flashlight characteristics to your prioritized list of characteristics. This will help selecting and eliminating flashlights of interest.

Good luck!

Pelican M6! I tried out the SL TL2 at the local LE supply and was less than impressed with the beam quality.

Mark

Have you checked out the new Pelican 3 Watt HA Type 3 Natural M6 LED? It's regulated too. http://www.batterystation.com/cpf.htm

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy23.gif The Streamlight TL2 LED /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bumpit.gif

Definitely go for the TL-2 LED, but take the new version, the improvements are more than worth the $16,95 extra.

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Pwdrkeg said:
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy23.gif The Streamlight TL2 LED /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/clap.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bumpit.gif

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So tell me what you really think! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

I have a TL-2 LED (old version) and a Pelican M6 LED. The TL-2 seems real weak beside the Pelican- I would recommend the Pelican and it is available for a good price with CPF discount at batterystation.com. If you are willing to spend a little more then the NEW TL-2 LED sounds really good. The Elektrolumens sounds good but its biggest advantage (for some people) is the use of AA batteries vs. CR123's.

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So tell me what you really think! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

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Sniper,

I have had my Streamlight TL 2L for about 6 month now. I use
it for work and everyday use. As a HazMat Specialist I often
enter dark buildings with no lights. The high beam is a very
bright white spot with good spillage, excellent color definition
and very good runtime. The low beam is very good for general
use and navigation in dark areas with a run time of more than
10 hours. I also like the switch location, it can be activated it with
the thumb during the more traditional hold and activated with
the index finger while using the tactical grip. I do not understand
the need for a tail cap switch, however, each person has his own
preferences. The size fits well in my hand and is easy to carry.
I have also made and added a thin plastic disc with a thin metal
terminal in the center, which sits on the battery terminal in the
battery tube. This allows me to use the Pila 168S rechargeable
Li-ion battery with very little loss of runtime. I can also drop in the
standard 123A batteries if I wish, without removing this disc. I
recently gave my son, a local law enforcement officer in town, this
light for Xmas, he loves it. At an intermediate price level for a light
of this type, I find it an excellent value. FlashlightReviews.com
said "Well made, well designed, and overall a winner in my book."
I strongly agree. I am sure that there are many excellent flashlight
available, but the Streamlight TL 2L works well for me and I can
highly recommend it.

Tom /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

hey sniper, welcome to CPF and why dontcha stay awhile!

the pelican is a very good value, but I like the TL-2 better. I like the TL-3 even more, but it's more bucks. Both solid performers. I find the pelican fit and finish not as high as the streamlights.

(of course, if a Surefire is in the budget, I like that even more)

welcome again,
daloosh

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Surefire_Rocks said:
M6 Led needs some work, but is worth the price.

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What's that supposed to mean? Specifics, please. What do you know? "Needs some work" leaves a lot of room for speculation. From what I have read, the M 6 should be as good or better than comparably priced lights.

It needs regulation and a Luxeon 3. For picky flashaholic types, I imagine a clicky tailcap and Type 3 anodizing would also be required.

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scudinc said:
It needs regulation and a Luxeon 3. For picky flashaholic types, I imagine a clicky tailcap and Type 3 anodizing would also be required.

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From my research, If I understand correctly, the clicky tailcap is part of the M6 Led, and didn't somebody mention "semi regulated" somewhere? I've read so much, it all blurs together.

I guess I'm not yet a picky flashaholic type. For the time being, I just want reasonable run time, kid tough, reliable, light off, and go! HA III is not a real selling point to me, at least not yet. A little bit good-looking won't hurt my feelings any, either.

It seems you're right about the clicky bit. My M6 incandescent is a twist-type switch.