Recommend me a zoomie for work use

Alcion

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Hi, this is my first post on these forums, but I've always liked lights.

So to the topic at hand, I want to get a new flashlight for work. I'm a starting aircraft mechanic, and the reason why I want a zoomie is because while I generally use a flood for work, sometimes I require a focused spotlight for either pointing things out to colleagues, or clearly illuminating things in detail at range, for example on a plane tail tip. I find that normal flashlights with a good center spot still have a decent amount of splashed light around it, which actually detracts from when I want to focus on something specific.

A few I considered are the fenix fd41, Brinyte B158 and Zebralite sc600w. I also contacted Vinh about his wowtac a3vn, but he suggested his haikelite ht08vn instead.

Some things that it has to have is definitely a least a couple different output modes. This probably isn't a hard requirement. It should be resistant to getting dirty since its a work environment. I can clean it at the end of each work day, but it should work while dirty for the whole day. And adding to that, I won't be deliberately smacking it against things, of course, but in a work environment it is bound to take some hits so it should be tough enough for that.
Some preference things: My workplace can provide AAA and AA batteries, so I prefer if it can run on those. I don't mind other types of batteries, but as I don't have any, getting them and the charger would add to the cost. And if its other battery types, I would not be able to just go and grab new AAs from work so the light needs to last the whole work day and then I can charge it at home. Also I prefer to have a clip for attaching to a pocket rather than loose in the pocket.

My budget is about $100 cad. I can go higher up to around $200, but I prefer to keep it at around $100 or lower if possible.

Last note, as you may have guessed from the cad note above, I'm in Canada, so shipping costs may also be a factor. Plus I'm moving in just over 2 weeks so shipping time will, at the least, affect where I ship it to.


Thanks for any help offered.
 

archimedes

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Hello and welcome to CPF

Your post above has been approved

Others will probably mention that high quality "zoomies" are pretty rare, for a variety of reasons, but you should get some good advice and discussion here.

You may want to at least consider two separate items for the tasks you describe above ....
 

night.hoodie

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idk how popular they are, but my experience with a Coast HP1 (discontinued, can still be found) is very positive. Not terrible tint, acceptably pure CW, forward clicky single mode zoomie, AA or 14500 and now dirt cheap, but built fairly solid. The Coast HX5 is similar, but not precisely the same. The HX5 is brighter, reversible clip, but the HP1 will throw further.
 

FRITZHID

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I have 3 hp1 lights and have gifted several more and we all like them. I swapped the stock emitters for nichia 219 and run 14500 cells in them but even stock, they are good beater lights.
 

pc_light

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Hi Alcion and welcome to CPF.

I have the FD41 and its a great light. Great in both flood and focused mode (without the squarish emitter looking hotspot.)

Another Fenix zoomie that runs on 4xAA's is the Fenix FD45, its a little larger in size. Both are built stout and have the Fenix's Limited Lifetime warranties.
 

Alcion

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Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that I did see others recommend having a separate one for each task, and while I will keep my existing flashlight as a good general tool, I am currently desiring something I can use in different situations without having to go get a different tool. Just as I have a tool bag full of dedicated tools, so too do I have a multitool in my pocket for quick versatile use.

In regards to the Coast suggestions, I have concerns that they may not be bright enough. I guess I should have mentioned this in my opening post, sorry. I currently use a Thrunite Archer 2A and while good for most use, in some situations it does not work quite as well.

For two opposite end examples, when inspecting a plane tail 10m above me, it works at night but in either sunlight or in a lit hanger, the center hot spot is barely visible. You might think that in such good illumination there wouldn't be a need for a flashlight at all, but the simple even-ness of the light can make it harder to see some things. Which is why i would like something that can be focused and have little spill. The thrunite I'm using, even at turbo which is said to be 500 lumens, has a lot of spill and the center hot spot is barely visible in such a situation.
On the flip side, working inside an unlit plane and needing just general illumination rather than focusing on anything specific, a center hot spot can be blinding and make one small area be a pain to look at. A nice even flood would be better. The thrunite again in this case now has too much center hot spot and not enough spill for even lighting.

This isn't to say that I work only in those situations. If I did, then definitely I would just get two different flashlights. The issue is that I work in situations in between too, which is why I thought a zoomie would work for me. I could definitely be wrong however, and so I come to ask for advice.
 

archimedes

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Most "zoomies" are poorly water resistant, usually not potted, often unregulated, and typically relatively cheaply constructed.

Exceptions to the above do exist, however.
 

ma tumba

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Ultrafire u-f10 or "on the road" i3. Would be my suggestion. Very solid lights
 

Alcion

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Rather than a zoomie, how about a decent thrower with a diffuser cap you can pop on when required?
I would be amenable to that as long as the diffuser can stay attached to the flashlight when not in use. Otherwise I'd probably end up losing it.
 

Scourie

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Okay, I have a better solution;

Eagletac DX30LC2-SR. Spot beam, flood side LED and rechargeable. What's not to like?
 

night.hoodie

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I have 3 hp1 lights and have gifted several more and we all like them. I swapped the stock emitters for nichia 219 and run 14500 cells in them but even stock, they are good beater lights.

Nice. HP1 is an excellent candidate for LED swap, if it is not too much to do. While my HP1 lasted (my sister stole it), I enjoyed it, but I wanted to have this done (I can't solder stuff that small). I know of a guy that can do this, had him do work before and will eventually get more work done, but his skills are not cheap and the low cost of HP1 makes his work a little too much for this light. If you would consider finding a new HP1 and swapping in a warmer highCRI Nichia 219c and selling it to me, PM me with your price, and I'll let you know roughly how long it will take me to ramp up to meeting your price.


In regards to the Coast suggestions, I have concerns that they may not be bright enough. I guess I should have mentioned this in my opening post, sorry. I currently use a Thrunite Archer 2A and while good for most use, in some situations it does not work quite as well

Wow. I find stock Coast HP1 with 1.2V NiMH bright enough, and far too bright on 14500, but depends on time of day... 14500 & HP1 is good for my daylight use (but my AW14500 are dwindling, I keep destroying them, out of 6 total, have 3 left). If a 2A Archer is sometimes not bright enough, I doubt HP1 will be either. But I also wonder about your eyes, but I don't really grasp your usage case. Older eyes will not adjust as fast to large changes in light intensity, and diet plays a role in this as well. I have stepped into danger working in construction sites, when outdoors morning to noon, and stepping into the unfinished structure that is not dark inside, but because my eyes were adjusted to direct Sun, was experienced as more or less completely dark with eyes that are blind and not adjusting fast enough to be safe, especially in a structure with unsecured drops in the floor. But by an hour after dark, my eyes are adjusting, and the more adjusted my eyes become, the less useful to me the brighter lights become. But I am not doing any extreme flashlighting, nor needing very bright lights after the Sun goes down.

If you need very bright lights, by all means, get very bright lights. Just keep in mind brightness is not ultimately what matters, but what you can see. IMO, encouraging and preserving dark adapted vision is safer than ignoring this ability of human eyes to see in the dark, and I see more with less light with dark adapted eyes than I do with brighter lights and no dark adaptation, and limited cell capacity stretches further, too. It is possible preserving dark adapted vision is just not practical where you work, if there are bright installed lights everywhere, and that would not surprise me.

Incan A2 Aviator might be an option for you, configured with a brighter lamp to achieve 140 incan lumens, though it would be pretty special if you could find and configure this for under $100, but it can be done with patience (sometimes CPF members really nearly give stuff away to other members). Surefire's EDCL2-T and Tactician lights are not zoomies either, but they are bright, though at least $50 over your budget... but they are a nice price compared to Surefire historical prices, and Surefire stuff seems to hold its value right at the price paid, if it does not in fact appreciate for whatever reason.
 
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Alcion

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@night.hoodie
Sorry, I'll try to explain better.
My thrunite works fine in the majority of situations. Basically anytime I can get decently close to whatever I'm looking at, say within 3 meters. For further away things, it also works fine when its nighttime or otherwise in an dark ambient setting.
Where it is not sufficient is for far away things in a well lit setting such as in a hanger or outside daytime. I still need a bright spot in those cases for inspection because things are often easier to spot when there is contrasting light. IE when going from different illumination levels and there is an uneven change when you expected an even change. The contrast is more difficult to achieve in these situations because a weak light would just get absorbed in the general bright ambiance. This is also why a light with a larger spill area also doesn't work as well, since the spill area makes the contrast weaker. I have found that on turbo on my thrunite I can still see the main spot area in such a situation, but the spill area is making it tougher.
The other situation is in an unlit ambiance where I am working in a general area very close up to something. For example, crawling in the guts of a plane where the area is barely bigger than your body so everything is less than half a meter away. Since it is dark, there is no problem with not enough light. The thrunite has way more than enough, I have to turn to a lower setting. The problem comes in the bright spot being a lot brighter in such close range in the dark than the spill area. It still works, it just makes my eyes tired when looking at a brighter spot then a less bright spot and then back. It's kind of like looking at a light, looking away, then back.

Just to add:
I've been looking at the Brinyte B158 recently and it seems to be roughly what I'd like, in that it has a very tight point when zoomed and an even spread when not. It just has a bunch of small issues like the ugly square focus, the rings when changing zooms, the lack of a clip and not using AAs, all of which I can live with if there isn't a better option.
Hopefully this example shows what I'm looking for?

Thanks everyone.
 
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night.hoodie

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I think a customized highamp pocket-rocket in a zoomie host you like is your best option, and possibly within your preferred budget. With a better idea of what you're seeking, however, I'd be surprised if features sought do not exist in at least a few models. I'm still learning about zoomies, and with very limited exposure, I'm not aware of any pocketable or belt-holster zoomies nor fixed focus lights capable of daylight spotting. Other CPF members tend to know more.

idk it occurred to me a laser could work, but probably only in the movies. I don't think a white-laser is practical, but have you heard of the LEP flashlight, Acebeam W10? I can't say for certain that would do it either, and it is not within stated budget. I am not really aware of the current state of any available "white laser" flashlights I remember hearing that were in development. Also, might not be legal to point at an aircraft.

Alcion, there is another Fenix, FD65, solid review here from a new member.
 
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bykfixer

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Maglite.

Welcome aboard.

I like the Coast HP7 with eneloop pro cells but todays Maglites are putting out some serious throw or fllod depending on your head setting. A 3C ML50 is pretty good and not real big.
 
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