What was your best/favorite/coolest flashlight of 2017

ChibiM

Enlightened
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Aug 27, 2009
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Holland
Looking back to the past 12 months, what flashlight did you like the most?

Or even, what were your best flashlights of 2017?


Mine: BLF Q8
 

eh4

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
1,999
Emisar D1, no question.
Not the D4, though that's a really, really neat light as well.
The "D4 UI v2" ("Narsil lite") user interface is a real game changer, Toykeeper's v3 sounds like a really functional improvement on v2, but last I heard it's unlikely to be implemented any time soon.
This UI (v2) is available on several drivers at Mountain Electronics:
MTN-15DDm ;
MTN-17DDm ;
MTN-20DDm ;
MTN-22DDm ;
and
MTN-30DDm .
 
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zespectre

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Lost in NY
I'd have said the Jetbeam Jet E10R, except it had its thunder stolen by the Nitecore TINI right at the end of the year.
 

bykfixer

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Good thread.

Kinda hard to nail it down to three for me, and I dang sure find it pert near impossible to pick just one. So....
- Best: Pelican 2360 (gen 5) 2x AA- flashing battery meter and starts on 30 lumen low is why I picked this one.
- Favorite: PKDL PR-1 (016 fav too)- bright, great grip, super small and 200 lumen medium make it still my go to light.
- Coolest: Malkoff 1x AA MDC M31W in a VME. 150 lumen bomb proof jewel thief light, what's not to like?

IMG_20171228_092526.jpg



Now to this guy, the best/favorite/coolest vote for 2017 goes to Ven for that little bolt thing-a-ma-jig he got for Christmas. A 300 lumen compression fitting mule is flat out Kool and the Gang.
 
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Thetasigma

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For production, easily the D1 and D1S, absolutely love them with the nice neutral 4000K XP-L HIs.
Though I threw a 3000K 219C into the D1 after this picture for the giggles.

iERl6QpG9iUzMhfIZ-sdYGSFRI1FlVTTaSKlJjg8pPLgFClb-aWCQC5EP7u_2eAp0PimMdZT65vIot1O0HCLmmVn32Dnv1gSZYJrmlxnTyfQ1ZyuZBgH_8_ua4OrmqNl7YvP0GDYfKPp8VZXgWIyhlpW4WB5FwxNZdzx0lSc-AckiVsUkTFqiJD9X_RMTfZWHvSBw_7yPygPN8-WmAxKHGVHMz7c_TOile7-b5niK6yfklmvpwSXSfZBvK1WwbeJd9gmsdgceUVTGOFHaVVTlK0ibYYmsYPztctxWUdGSbVXmY-4b2RPhrq-6Go4SrdKQnKTTVI67HL3Dt4ISaA7hE4ptTbujbpidsyfMR52U-1TJtbD5tOXaSCggcWapMMdqoEjFM0gtDEg2dW8HPukyhj98qYJtJWTXzLpju7pRgt3u7shn4ITJaIUgc0ZOzwu_rfB_HKPuZqcCnEXIM487RTZReNNkQy9Q8kPZyieyi6GFu8RCjxVNQen-kJQN3tyNH50MKK49pg0g43TW2kHyJeOCoqbwlWzd-crFkW0r4nPY226ra4X_k9CtNNeJ7kgFhhhq_zH8CuYRzXpIhOkGiMLpsyLqU6LXAw2p_SC=w1766-h1324-no
PJ9OVoo3Ob1ZbsC-yoJtZXbmdDlEfJ-KHP6B1a9G_q29KImOB3-4CkIOyzG4eAd4HeuKud7M7v6BnoII_g-SJN_nsdZHZjUuqePX0F7q-4UckqzRmSRrJmJse90RJ5LMAtXocXp_jyex8yv8NJXBywk7adHCSYxI3_ATHADM3v9MPQvbLu6c63f602nwjCD8GqTMMCUrRXiIPmaLTvGLCUvTw_EK7VqQWD6iTw-C9E0S9m6ioRSsKGJgEUMojmRT1ThmOXkZ8EQYfdVN9lA_baI5BQG4pljXQpSSydUhYltLelDJr8fT0pMt_M9x6fHbjrK3gazjSgVJ3B3Mb7aOxNan--5SIoXkB6FBafdZe-KV9WNz9lCHEPJZIGxddu9gLTtkEYupoSv3vBDPW3hESidponLgk_89L3fdKKxmWOo6uQaq_rVfGYhm3_4n3QcrU6HgPJjpXIHmQaTyIwYT5cMJptBLeTCgCZgUWejfL31b_lmIbpuaODyyC4zTDAr2VA9XnlBfrQqx8saOlHQB9EkUz1317_BMYBl5rRQLZF5ugg9Em4wTEtgrHs0cyvj3sHTRJtLbZ-zK0k5fFkEXCnROOKAcSD-hZXtSozvN=w1766-h1324-no
 

TimeOnTarget

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The HDS Rotary with Nichia has become my go to light, but the BOSS is pretty dang cool style wise.
 

kj2

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May 22, 2010
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The Netherlands
Flashlight: Olight R50 Pro. Puts out an amazing amount of light for his size. Easy rechargeable and well spaced output-modes for me.
Headlamp: Lupine Blika. 2100 lumens from such a little lamp is just astonishing!
 

richbuff

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Nov 21, 2014
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Prescott Az
Acebeam X65vn. If there is anything that puts more light at 400 meters/quarter mile, someone please let me know. One year later, the X65 is unsurpassed at what it does. There are many lights that put out much more light much closer to my feet, and many lights that put out some light a lot further out. This light is the perfect compromise between a toe-burning mega lumen flooder and a tiny beam low power thrower. This light has the beam performance/beam profile that I have been looking for. The X65 is the mid-range master blaster. I am thinking about going to the courthouse and legally changing my middle name to X65. I only have two of these, one for each hand. I fantasize about buying two more, and ganging up four of them. The developer at Acebeam who decided to put five XHP35 into a flashlight should win the Flashlight Nobel Prize.
 

seery

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As 2017 draws to an end...the Acebeam K60 continues to be my all-time favorite all-around light.

Looking forward to 2018 and all the great lights it will bring! :party:
 

scout24

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Dec 23, 2008
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Penn's Woods
Two relatively inexpensive ones for me. The Emisar D4 is pretty sweet with the 4000k XPL's in it. Easily a top UI for a side switch light. Second is already out of production- 4sevens Mini MkII Turbo. Smooth, tiny, and wow does it throw for it's size. Honorable mention to the BOSS 35 from last year, still ruling pocket time. Rotary HDS gives the BOSS a bump from time to time, and rules the night stand.
 

ven

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Oct 17, 2013
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Good thread.


Now to this guy, the best/favorite/coolest vote for 2017 goes to Ven for that little bolt thing-a-ma-jig he got for Christmas. A 300 lumen compression fitting mule is flat out Kool and the Gang.


:laughing: , it is super cool for sure, the little knucklehead is genius!
BBglF8Rl.jpg


Acebeam X65vn. If there is anything that puts more light at 400 meters/quarter mile, someone please let me know. One year later, the X65 is unsurpassed at what it does. There are many lights that put out much more light much closer to my feet, and many lights that put out some light a lot further out. This light is the perfect compromise between a toe-burning mega lumen flooder and a tiny beam low power thrower. This light has the beam performance/beam profile that I have been looking for. The X65 is the mid-range master blaster. I am thinking about going to the courthouse and legally changing my middle name to X65. I only have two of these, one for each hand. I fantasize about buying two more, and ganging up four of them. The developer at Acebeam who decided to put five XHP35 into a flashlight should win the Flashlight Nobel Prize.

For the larger light, the x65vn is a fav of mine to, gets quite a bit of use and the 620kcd and 5000k never wears off
RRdrRdvl.jpg


D1 and D4 have to be up there for 2017 winners, excellent value, clever UI and crazy output.............flashaholics dream
5idNUJ3l.jpg

C1NI2RAl.jpg

Always within reach, the little PR1...............love this light with the PRX tail cap.
uvPDXwUl.jpg

Older light but new this year, a fav of mine the sc62d, luxeon T 85cri in 5000k . Love this light! Its not my brightest ZL, it does not have the highest CRI, nor the latest UI.............work that one out:thinking:
p0YIoj7l.jpg



I could keep going i guess, 2017 has been fairly quiet for me, my lights tend to be more finely tuned (needs) than typical wants these days. Still i like to mix old with new, classic light with modern LED.

:thumbsup:
 

skillet

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Green Co. , Bluegrass State
Convoy L6 (bumped up by VoB) and Ebay Surefire Hellfighter made portable with custom rail mounted on Pelican 1060, parallel 3S LiPo packs for more run time than I have exhausted yet... (Yes, it's a little heavy and yes, there are LED's brighter but come on, it's just so jawdropping cool to have a rail mount light in the "palm" of the hand)
 

ven

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Ven- That's too cool... details?

Fed on
lG258Chl.jpg


Specs originally at 4.4a start up 1140lm from the xp-l2 v5 4000k, 30s 3.7a 980lm which lasted a minute or two. Its been tamed to 1a and 310lm which is plenty bright. The actual tint on this xp-l2 is not like the zebralights(no where near as yellow), its actually very very nice. Twist on/off direct drive, magnet in tail.
Length – 37mm
Width – 19mm
Weight – 69g (with 10250 cell)

310lm – 1A

yNtaTQ4l.jpg

ppnqXlTl.jpg


Toughest light i have for sure!!!

Trying for some pics but imgur does not like me today:thinking:
 

RSMJR87

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Dec 29, 2017
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CA
My favorite duty flashlight is a toss up between the Surefire P3x Fury (Modded for 2x18650 batteries) and the Surefire P1R Peacekeeper.
 

archimedes

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For me, for 2017 ...

Best production torch
OR B.O.S.S. Ti 70 in XP-L HI 4000K + red

Best custom torch
Sigma Regulus Proto

Best value torch
Emisar D4 in XP-L HI 5D 4000K

"Coolest" torch
First-Light Tomahawk MC

So, I was pretty impressed by the Emisar series this year, and tried the D4, D1, and D1S. The star of this show is the UI, shared by all of them of course, but the D4 edges the others primarily on account of its more generally useful floodier beam.

In the production arena, I had been clamoring for a BOSS in Ti for some time, and it did not disappoint. Glad to see the lightly stonewashed "raw" finish, and much prefer the warmer rosier tint of this 4000K HI over the very slightly greenie 4500K RD in my Satin Black Aluminum version.

As for customs, I can't really improve on my Regulus handmade in gorgeous AlBr. I posted a mini-review and comparison with the BOSS elsewhere here, but it has the look and feel of a fine tool which has been passed down for generations.

And just for its weird / odd / cool factor, the Tomahawk is the most unusual and unique of the torches I tried over the past twelve months. I can't say that the UI is easy or intuitive to use, but the form factor and features are unmatched.

Since New Years is now only a couple days away, I guess that'll do it for 2017 ... :wave:
 
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