Best single 18650 thrower

Anybody know which lights are the best throwers just using one 18650? And any idea which ones don't have too tight a hot spot?

thanks

Thrunite Scorpion can take 2 X CR123 or 1 X 18650 and they are good throwers without too tight a spot, although that is very subjective.

i'm really pleased with the nitecore MH25 I just got. Has about 800 lumens, good throw and a largish hotspot (like any XML). I'm loving the built in charger feature as well.
Also, the UI is good. cycle through low,med, high, sos, then, if you need a burst you can one-hand twist quickly and easily to Turbo, then back . not too expensive either. If you don't want self-charging you have to choose between the MT25 (XPG) -narrow beam, longer throw, or the MT26, (XML) more lumens, less throw. These are even less expensive.

Tulip bush said:

Anybody know which lights are the best throwers just using one 18650? And any idea which ones don't have too tight a hot spot?

thanks

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The best THROWERS, have smaller spots, for any given lumen output.

The reason is that a single 18650 light only has so many lumens to work with...and can either spread them out wider in a floodier beam that can't project as far, or concentrates them into a tighter beam that throws further....but covers a smaller viewable area.

As everyone's needs are different...there is no "best", just different solutions in search of an application.

So, the best for YOU might mean a certian minimum range that you need, and, a certain sized spot at a certain distance that would work for you.

Can you describe the above, and, help us make a recommendation?

Thanks all, but I've decided Now just don't need throw........my fenix tk41 will do. I'm contemplating a good smaller sized light than my tk. Pd32 ue...........klarus xt11......z600 I just can't decide.

Tulip bush said:

Thanks all, but I've decided Now just don't need throw........my fenix tk41 will do. I'm contemplating a good smaller sized light than my tk. Pd32 ue...........klarus xt11......z600 I just can't decide.

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I probably sound like a broken record by saying it over and over, but I just love the PD32UE. Perfect in my opinion! The tint is amazing; unquestionably the best balance of cool and warm (~5000K). I think the Zebralight warm tint (4200K) is too warm, but not bad. Personally I just can't do cool whites any more. Plus, the beam is also perfect with a huge, even hot spot and still decent throw. This is what I call a "daily user", covering 98% of your needs well and probably good enough in a pinch for the other 2% (just making numbers up now )

Tulip bush said:

Anybody know which lights are the best throwers just using one 18650? And any idea which ones don't have too tight a hot spot?

thanks

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I'm still a newbie myself; but, from what I've been learning. The above is extremely contradictory. I would like to know what the best single 18650 battery is too. I wouldn't have thought it be the scorpion. I usually try to refer to selfbuilt's beam shots. I just ordered an armytek predator. I figured it was the best plus I like the UI capability of it. However, now I'm curious what light everyone recommends as "best" and where the predator ranks to it.

The Armytek Predator XPG2 is a good single 18650 thrower. It has a lux of about 30k. I recently bought a Lumintop Hunter T5 also with an XPG2 led, it has a lux of about 33k.

For the newbies, please take note of the lux rating. the higher the lux the better the throw. It means the light is more concentrated therefore can throw the furthest.

If you want ultimate 1x18650 throwers, look to the aspherics like the Dereelight Nightmaster or the XSearcher, also from Dereelight.

But if you want the ones that use reflectors, the Armytek and the Lumintop T5's are some of the best out there.

Anything over 30k lux in a 1x18650 format is a great thrower.

Because for anything more than 30k lux, you need a bigger light with more cells to put out more light, for example, the Thrunite TN31, one of the best multi-cell throwers out there.

Also, if you want to know the difference between the lights with reflectors and the ones with aspherics, aspherics do not use reflectors, instead it uses a curved lens to focus all the light into a single, tight beam, which usually has no spill. It's good for mounting on sniper rifles or for seeing stuff extremely far. The ones with reflectors have decent amounts of spill to illuminate the area around the tight hotspot in the middle. You can have reflectorized lights to come close to aspherics, but then they'd have to be big like the Thrunite TN31 or the Olight SR95UT.

Anyways, feel free to look around in the forums, you will learn a lot here.

Welcome to CPF!

Thanks all. I've a lot to learn. Thing is I quite like looking at all the lights I can afford in my price range.....I'm like a kid in sweet shop. I keep thinking about the zebralights 600/52 and the others I've mentioned above, they all sound like good lights, I'm attracted to the simple side of the klarus xt 10/11 and the pd32 ue sounds ace too, the armytech predator sounds cool, but I think it might be a bit technical for my needs, also attracted to the size of the zebralights.

Thing I need to check is that it can hold a decent amount of lumens after the step down and that they hold full brightness till the end rather than a gradual decrease in brightness. The only thing I read about the klarus is people kept mentioning the pmw ( think it was this not sure, have to check, didn't have a clue what they were on about)

it will be my first 18650 light. I have to keep reminding my self I'm not just getting it for throw, because I'm pretty obsessed with the good throwers out there too.

Well the "best 18650 thrower" must be the modded smallsun from onestoptrowshop.. It's a modded zoomlight with 100K lux, but it prob got a really narrow beam when focused for full throw.

You've mentioned the ZL SC600 a few times...and I'm just pointing out it is no thrower, at all. Maybe 50-60 yards useful range at the most. Its a FLOODY light, not a throwy light.

Again, an 18650 only has so much total light to work with. A thrower uses a narrow tighter beam to concentrate the lumens into a small area, to make the smaller area further away, brighter looking.

A floody light takes the same lumens, and spreads them out over a wider area...so you can see more at a time...but without that bright hot spot that a thrower needs.

The SC600 is GREAT for close range tasks, seeing stuff w/in 50 yards or so, hiking w/o stepping on a snake or tripping on a root, etc.

The new version will be pumping out ~ 900 lumens...a wall of light.

A tight beamed light might only put a few inch wide circle of light on the trail in front of you....too small to easily see roots, snakes, etc, unless you are going slower, and sweeping the light in a search pattern to stitch together what's out there through a "paper towel tube view"....but might be ABLE to light up a ravine or a grizzly 300 yards further off in the distance...something the SC600 could not.

Between those are beam angles that are more floody/less throwy - more throwy/less floody, and so forth....so things like a floody beam that shows the trail well, but can throw 150 yards, are popular if you don't have a lot of lights.

If you HAVE a lot of lights, you can simply use the floody one(s) for the trail and pull out the thrower(s) if you want to see what's way out there.

Tulip bush said:

Thanks all, but I've decided Now just don't need throw........my fenix tk41 will do. I'm contemplating a good smaller sized light than my tk. Pd32 ue...........klarus xt11......z600 I just can't decide.

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yeah your TK41 will do now for throw, you can always get a 1x18650 thrower someday.

Well, if you are eyeing an EDC 18650 now, you should actually just limit your choices to the following:

1. Nitecore EC25
2. Fenix PD32UE
3. Klarus XT2C
4. Zebralight SC600
5. Nitecore PC25
6. Fenix E35
7. Lumintop ED20

The Klarus XT11 isnt really an EDC light as the head is quite bigger.

Thanks Teej and road kill and everybody lose who has taken the time to respond,,, I've sort of narrowed it down to possibly the pd32ue....sc600......xt2c. Although i haven't checked out all the lights on your list road kill...yet. Really tempted tempted with the new zebra.......decisions decisions....:shrug:

I bought the zebralight sc62 (75$) about a month ago. I LOVE the 900 lumen wall of light she puts out. : )B. Next will be the new zebra h603w headlamp. . . I need to get that TN4A before I plunk down the bills for another zebra. Uh, I might have flashaholic tendencies.

What Are Some Of The Better Single 18650 Throwers?

I have been focused on other projects lately, but I still have flashlights on my mind from time to time. Anyway, what are some of the better single 18650 throwers right now?

What about the M2XUT Javelot from Olight? Seems to get good reviews as a thrower but is definitely not an EDC.

Sun Light said:

What about the M2XUT Javelot from Olight? Seems to get good reviews as a thrower but is definitely not an EDC.

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Yeah it's a great thrower of a light and i am quite pleased with its performance. I would never pocket it due to its size, but i have used it as an EDC when I know I will be needing something with a bit more throw.

On that note, since the M2XUT, has there been anything new that came out which can out-throw this using the same 1x18650 format? There is an M3XUT now, but it needs more than one cell to drive it to throw far.

Any suggestions people? (aspherics aside, of course)

Hmm. I don't have any serious throwers in my arsenal right now. I think my top guy is my 2D Maglite at 412 meters. Besides the M2XUT Javelot and Nitecore P30, I'm curious as to what other contenders are out there w/ the 1 x 18650 set up...

JohnnyBravo said:

Hmm. I don't have any serious throwers in my arsenal right now. I think my top guy is my 2D Maglite at 412 meters. Besides the M2XUT Javelot and Nitecore P30, I'm curious as to what other contenders are out there w/ the 1 x 18650 set up...

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The top of the single 18650 throwers = M30CvnT. I am astounded each time I turn it on!

https://skylumen.com/collections/v54-lights/products/m30cvnt-300k-lux