Flashlight for EDC/Technical Theater

Hello, I am looking for a flashlight for both EDC and technical theater applications.
Feature Requests:

• Small sized flashlight, so it can fit in a pocket, but also not micro/tiny sized or too stubby. A pocket clip would be nice.
• Battery: 1x18650 or similar. Some type of rechargeable.
• Brightness: pretty bright! Probably somewhere over 500 lumens, but also must have a sub-lumen mode. It needs to see all the way up 100 feet to see things in the grid, so I think 500 lumens should be enough for that (?)
• Budget: Under $70, not including charger/batteries as needed.
• UI: Tail mount button, preferably with momentary, and then probably a side button for UI things. Either multi-stepped intensity operation or dimmable, something like that. Important: needs to have a shortcut from off to get to a sub-lumen mode!
• Extra credit for secondary red or blue LED, but I'd rather the above features than this one.

I've seen the Nitecore 20C, which looks nice, but I'd like for something brighter, and the ThruNite Neutron 2C V3, which again looks nice, but I'd like a tail switch. I'm trying to find a light that will serve me many years to come. Let me know what you all think!
Thanks!

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Thank you, and welcome to CPF

:welcome:

Plugging your requirements (1x18650, tail switch, under $70, with clip, > 500 lumens and sub-lumen) into my database finds 23 possible lights. But of these I don't think you will like any of them. It comes down to that tail switch. Because of the tail switch UI none of these lights have a direct shortcut to firefly which I imagine would be crucial for your line of work. Even the ones with side switches and tail switches work like this. The side simply changes the mode and doesn't provide shortcuts.

If you increase your budget then you can get into the lights that have a tail switch and a magnetic control ring. (The ring lets you dial in a mode before turning the light on.) Or you could loosen the requirements to include side-switch-only lights. Those will almost always feature a shortcut to get directly to firefly. The Neutron 2C would be a much better option for you than any tail switch light. Also take a look at the Armytek Prime C2. I think they have a sale going on now.

If you take away the tail switch requirement, the Nitecore EA11/EC11 would be ideal. I don't know how you define moonlight, but the Low Low is one lumen, and the high with a 14500 in the EA11 or a 18350 in the EC11 is 900 lumens. Since the two are identical except for the power source, the following applies to both. There is a supplemental red led for night vision/extreme low light use. There is a nice holster that comes with the light, and it carries well on one's belt. I EDC my EA11 and it really works well in that mode. Best of all, with a little shopping around you should be able to find it for around $50 USD.

Over your budget, but a good fit for most other requirements. My son asked for similar requirements for a deployment flashlight and we are both happy with the Olight M2Rvn. I'm not an Olight fan, but once Vinh works it over I like them a lot and don't have to deal with Olight directly.

You might look at the Convoy for about $22
[h=1]desert tan S2+ flashlight, with XPL HI led inside and ar-coated glass,biscotti firmware[/h]
with the biscotti firmware you can choose 12 different modes, with or without memory.
For example you might choose mode 2:
0.1% 1% 10% 35% 100%
with no memory, it will always come on at 0.1% about one lumen, and you can click it up to about 1000 lumens @ 100%.

Well, it looks like I'll be going for the ThruNite Neutron 2C V3 after all! The Olight M2R is definitely outside of my price range, but I did find its little brother, the Olight M2T appealing. However, I decided the tail switch wasn't worth the $20 difference for me, especially as I've reconsidered that feature in general over the last few days.
The Convoy also looks really interesting, especially with how customizable it is, but I'd rather save that adventure for later. I'm a little pressed on time right now to fall down that rabbit hole. Maybe I'll be able to eventually build one with the $20 I saved from compromising on the tail switch!
Thank you all for great recommendations!