EDC CR123 ~1000 lumens Recommendation

I have been wavering between the Olight S series, EC11, and MK II Turbo lights. Each can throw 900+ but each has a small gotcha: short time at high lumens, finicky battery to get higher output, can't swap out the battery, etc.
However, this is my first serious EDC light so I don't know if those little things matter much. Please feel free to share what makes one of these lights stand out against the others in your opinion.
I'll be carrying it in pocket or clipped on pocket. The use case is lighting up brief walking portions of my morning commute, and possibly using the the high lumens to discourage crazies during parts of said commute.

Thanks for your input

I have the EA11, which is the little brother of the EC11, and I really like it. I run with a 14500 cell, so it is about the same brightness as the EC11, but I can still use a regular AA cell if the need arises, albeit at lower output. I don't carry it all the time, but when I think I need to take along a little more than my Microstream and Tip CRI, it goes on my belt. It is small enough and light enough that I really don't know it is there most of the time. I am a little bit rotund (!), and have never had good luck with clipping things to be waist band or pocket, so I can't speak to that. They do have some serious parasitic drain, but a quarter turn of the tail cap takes care of that without any problem. I really like the secondary red LED as well. I don't use it much, but I like that it is there.

Something too add, any light fed on a CR123 will not make 900lm. CR123 cells are good for 1.5a tops, 16340 high drain cells would be required and it would still be short lived due to limited capacity. For higher output, maybe consider 18350 fuel , especially now with the new aspire 18350 cells. These have changed things quite a bit, good for a little over 1100mah tested(spec at 1300)and can handle near 10a.(just a thought)

I do believe EDC lights should be a little special, after all your going to be relying on and used regular. Check this little beast if you like your throw, new from vinh and looks awesome
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438458-FourSevens-Goliath-R


Good luck in your quest, 16340(rcr123)is my fav form factor for EDC, here is a 16340/CR123 size haiku and an 18650 fed sc63w for size


As you can see the sc63w is compact, also very light with well over 1000lm's. UI is great!

Here is another pic i have found, zl sc5c mkII (AA fed) Novatac 120 (16340/CR123 size) D4(compact 18650 with crazy 3800lm output and awesome UI)PK pocket rocket(16340 which starts on high and around 550lm=very bright) HDS 16340/cr123 , two ZL's which are 18650 fed and another Novatac


Just thoughts thats all as there are some pretty compact 18650 lights which will give you plenty of output, useful beam and UI. However , the little Olight is super compact/tiny itself though. Not sure on reliability down the line with the small Olight. My advice regardless of which you do choose, have another suitable light for back up or even rotate. If it fails or gets lost you are in the dark.

:welcome:

Timothybil said:

... never had good luck with clipping things to be waist band or pocket...have some serious parasitic drain, but a quarter turn of the tail cap takes care of that...

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Thank you, Timothybil. That's exactly the kind of detail a noob like me needs (also rotund, lol). You made me remember I have to do some more research in the chargers area of the forum if I don't opt for the four sevens combo

Thanks again

ven said:

Something too add, any light fed on a CR123 will not make 900lm. CR123 cells are good for 1.5a tops, 16340 high drain cells would be required and it would still be short lived due to limited capacity. For higher output, maybe consider 18350 fuel , especially now with the new aspire 18350 cells. These have changed things quite a bit, good for a little over 1100mah tested(spec at 1300)and can handle near 10a.(just a thought)

I do believe EDC lights should be a little special, after all your going to be relying on and used regular. Check this little beast if you like your throw, new from vinh and looks awesome
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?438458-FourSevens-Goliath-R


<snip>

:welcome:

Click to expand...

Wow! Thank you for all the information. V54's stuff is beautiful, and what he does with the MK II is jaw dropping.