Looking for a few good lights

salparadise

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
8
I'm new to the forum, new to modern flashlight technology, and ready to acquire a few good lights. I want to make some choices with the larger strategy in mind. I recently discarded a bunch of mini-mags and other cheapos due to alkaline battery leakage, or just not being something I wanted to keep around. I'm over the mini-mags.


What I'm left with is an older Surefire G2, a 3D Maglight, an older Princeton Tech 4C diving light, and a Klutch 3-AA LED light (cheap). The Surefire G2 is a P60 incandescent, 65 lumens. The 3D Mag was upgraded to LED at same point but it's output and beam are pitiful for a thing of this size.


My plan is to choose four lights in different categories, and decide whether to upgrade the old Surefire and Mag. I'd appreciate suggestions for any or all of the following:


1. Primary light. I would not call it an EDC because I probably won't actually carry it, but I will keep it in utility bags for work and travel. I want a quality build, floody beam (neutral, not cool white), nice fit and finish. I'm thinking 80-150 bucks more or less. I don't need programmable, fancy or finicky electronics. I don't want strobe. Two or three modes would be plenty. I want to feel the quality in my hand, and I want it to be supremely reliable, by a company known for the same.


2. A smallish floody with a smooth, neutral beam and overall quality that I can clip to a baseball cap and use like a headlamp, or stick in a pocket and hardly know it's there.


3. Powerful larger light, perhaps up to soda can size with multiple emitters. Only thing is, I don't want to pay $350. It doesn't need to be the bestest or the mostest, but a good beam, reliability, and overall quality are always appreciated.


4. An inexpensive but pretty good light to buy several copies of to stash in various places (cars, tankbag, etc.). Maybe something like the Convoy S2, but I'm open to suggestions.


*What would you do with the Surefire G2? Malkoff drop-in? It uses 2 CR123 batteries, so does that mean 18650 would automatically work?


**What would you do with the Mag 3D. It's in perfect condition, but the output and beam are awful. The Malkoff LCD conversion is rated at 325 lumens, which seems not-so-great for the size. What other mods would redeem this light and make it fun and interesting... or would you just spend that money on something else?
 

Timothybil

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 9, 2007
Messages
3,662
Location
The great state of Misery (Missouri)
1. Primary light. I would not call it an EDC because I probably won't actually carry it, but I will keep it in utility bags for work and travel. I want a quality build, floody beam (neutral, not cool white), nice fit and finish. I'm thinking 80-150 bucks more or less. I don't need programmable, fancy or finicky electronics. I don't want strobe. Two or three modes would be plenty. I want to feel the quality in my hand, and I want it to be supremely reliable, by a company known for the same.
Lumintop GT Mini. A single 18650 cell light with a very tight hot spot with a nice even spill around it. You can either use the ramping UI that it defaults to, or chose just about any UI settings you want via programming.Nitecore P30. Another single 18650 light, with the standard Nitecore UI. Another light with a very tight beam and just the right amount of spill. Either light is ideally sized to fit comfortably on a belt.

2. A smallish floody with a smooth, neutral beam and overall quality that I can clip to a baseball cap and use like a headlamp, or stick in a pocket and hardly know it's there.
Lumintop Tool AA 2.0. Works with either a single AA or a 14500 rechargeable cell. Very light and compact, with a reversible clip.

3. Powerful larger light, perhaps up to soda can size with multiple emitters. Only thing is, I don't want to pay $350. It doesn't need to be the bestest or the mostest, but a good beam, reliability, and overall quality are always appreciated.
Nitecore TM06S. Quad LED light soda can size with lots of power.

4. An inexpensive but pretty good light to buy several copies of to stash in various places (cars, tankbag, etc.). Maybe something like the Convoy S2, but I'm open to suggestions.

Lumintop Tool AAA. Single AAA cell light. Very small and light weight, but still packs enough power to make it a nice closer area light. Use lithium primary cells, and you can stash them safely for years without a problem. Using lithium primary cells also gives good temperature tolerance, especially when it's cold.

*What would you do with the Surefire G2? Malkoff drop-in? It uses 2 CR123 batteries, so does that mean 18650 would automatically work?
Malkoffs are good. They are all single mode lights that are built like a brick outhouse, and the customer service is bar none. If you like better color rendition get the ones Illumination Systems sells with the Nichia emitters. Or get the CUXM/CUXP drop in from Mountain Electronics with the Nichia emitter option. You have your choice of several different mode combinations.

Except for the TM06S all of these lights are under $100 each, with the Lumintops under $50 each.
 
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