# Looking for a 1x18650 XM-L light small enough to be EDC-able: MarsFire A T6, perhaps?



## jk037 (Jun 20, 2012)

Afternoon all,

I've only very recently made the leap from NiMH-powered lights to Li-Ion, with a Trustfire 3T6 and some Ultrafire & Trustfire 18650s.

To say I'm impressed is an understatement (perhaps these 18650 & XM-L things really are the way forward!); both in terms of power output and runtime this light is just phenomenal. Consequently, I'm now pondering upgrading from my Quark Mini AA EDC light to something with an XM-L driven by an 18650.

Now most of the 1x18650 lights I've seen which feature an XM-L are rather bulky, with a pronounced "lump" of a head that makes them highly un-pocketable. However, I happened to be perusing Manafont just now and came across the Marsfire A T6 (SKU 10397), priced at a mere $18.66 - just under £12 in proper money (). This is the slimmest and straightest light of it's kind that I've seen and I am very tempted to pull the trigger!

Before I do, I'd be interested to hear if anyone has any experience with this light and/or has any alternative recommendations at a similar price point.

If not I'll just have to take a chance on it; hell, if I have a few mins spare one day I could even post some pics and a mini-review!

Cheers dudes (and dudettes of course),
Jonny


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## cyclesport (Jun 20, 2012)

IMO anyone who wants a quality torch and expects it to function properly over time, to stay away from the budget Chinese lights, (fill in the blank)fire, etc. Some are probably okay to use for light duty around the house, and if you're not trusting your life with them. Even if/when they work the drivers are cheap and generally run down batteries quickly, and PWM is very noticable on these type lights. You might luck out with a good one or it could lead a short life with little chance of recouping you funds.

An alternate suggestion, since I bought one a few weeks ago and really like it, is the EagleTac D25LC2. The light itself is barely larger than an 18650 cell, can be had w/XM-L U2 emitter, has great run time, excellent beam pattern & tint, good UI (although too many flasher/disco modes, but fairly easily avoided) and is hella bright. It does exceed your alloted Marsfire budget X 3 but I'm sure you'll be happier in the long term. EagleTac also has a ten year warranty and they're customer service people are extremely helpful.

Just my opinion...good luck!


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## enomosiki (Jun 20, 2012)

Avoid Ultrafires like the plague and spend your money on something that will actually work and won't fall apart.

My recommendations include;

Zebralight SC600
ThruNite TN12
Spark SL6

The three lights utilize XM-L and are driven hard enough to produce at least 600 lumens, can accomodate 18650 and are small enough to be pocketable. They are expensive compared to your Ultrafire, but are worth the price in the long run.


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## Overclocker (Jun 20, 2012)

jk037 said:


> Afternoon all,
> 
> I've only very recently made the leap from NiMH-powered lights to Li-Ion, with a Trustfire 3T6 and some Ultrafire & Trustfire 18650s.
> 
> ...





that marsfire t6-a is actually pretty decent for a budget light. i'm sure it will serve you well. very bright, i estimate 600-700 lumens out-the-front 

and nope the PWM isn't noticeable at all. but given the price the driver is a simple linear, not a buck/boost that gives great regulation like a zebralight sc600 which costs over 5x as much

some others you might also wanna look into:

1) shiningbeam s-mini. not very bright. sucky clip. about 42usd i think

2) zebralight sc60. well not xm-l, but very easy to carry, great runtime, great user interface. 69usd


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## dajabec (Jun 20, 2012)

Might want to google the Uniquefire 2100. Very small and bright. You should be able to find it for around $15


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## Overclocker (Jun 21, 2012)

dajabec said:


> Might want to google the Uniquefire 2100. Very small and bright. You should be able to find it for around $15



the uf2100 threads are pretty bad, and too few


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## Bwolcott (Jun 21, 2012)

xeno s3a is the smallest 1 18650 light ive seen


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## Aaron1100us (Jun 21, 2012)

Suprized no ome has mentioned Solarforce. L2 series host $20 or so, pick out a P60 drop in and a 18650 battery. I have an L2P with an XML-T6 running at 2.8 amps which gives around 650 lumens and an L2T with an XML-U2 at 4.2 amps w/3 modes, 1000 lumens on high. Both are single 18650 and easily pocketable.

Sent from my PB99400 using Tapatalk 2


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## ^Gurthang (Jun 21, 2012)

Shining Beam S-Mini, I-mini, L-mini. All 18650 and very pocketable. A new contender [still waiting for a promised review] is the Roche F12, very similar to the SB mini series.


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## Bwolcott (Jun 21, 2012)

^Gurthang said:


> Shining Beam S-Mini, I-mini, L-mini. All 18650 and very pocketable. A new contender [still waiting for a promised review] is the Roche F12, very similar to the SB mini series.




how is the I mini 18650 compatible? do they sell a replacement tube for it?


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## jk037 (Jun 21, 2012)

Thanks for the replies guys - all your input is appreciated!

I'm well aware of the shortcomings and inconsistency of the xxxFire-branded lights; my own take on things is that I'm prepared to accept the compromise in outright build quality and consistency in favour of the enormous performance-to-cost ratio on offer, and also that I will probably have to make a few tweaks e.g. cleaning, tightening, soldering, sealing, lubricating etc etc.

(Also there is the factor of anything costing over £15 GBP being subject to import VAT; this in itself is not a problem, however our delightful postal service charge a blanket £8.00 charge on top of that for delivering ANYTHING that is subject to import VAT! So that $42 (£26.80) light, subject to £5.35 of VAT plus that loathsome £8 charge, ends up costing £40.15 or $62.87. Which sadly writes off the S-mini, Xeno, Zebralight, and Thrunight offerings on grounds of cost  Hence my interest in the "budget" end of the spectrum!  )

I looked at the Solarforce L2P and the Uniquefire 2100 but the Uniquefire lacks any "low" mode and the Solarforce is too bulky a shape for my pocket.

Bloody hell, reading that lot I'm starting to think I'm a little fussy...


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## ^Gurthang (Jun 21, 2012)

OOps, Walcott is right the I-Mini is AA, not 18650..... oh doh!


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## march.brown (Jun 24, 2012)

Aaron1100us said:


> Suprized no one has mentioned Solarforce. L2 series host $20 or so, pick out a P60 drop in and a 18650 battery. I have an L2P with an XML-T6 running at 2.8 amps which gives around 650 lumens and an L2T with an XML-U2 at 4.2 amps w/3 modes, 1000 lumens on high. Both are single 18650 and easily pocketable.


My Solarforce L2i fitted with a flush bezel is very pocketable ... Less than 130mm long and with a recessed tailswitch as standard ... It is slightly fatter than the L2 , but looks much nicer and feels better in the hand ... Gorgeous in the sand colour ... Just put in your chosen drop-in and away you go ... It will even work on three AAA Eneloops too ... Super value for money.
.


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## march.brown (Jun 24, 2012)

jk037 said:


> Also there is the factor of anything costing over £15 GBP being subject to import VAT; this in itself is not a problem, however our delightful postal service charge a blanket £8.00 charge on top of that for delivering ANYTHING that is subject to import VAT! So that $42 (£26.80) light, subject to £5.35 of VAT plus that loathsome £8 charge, ends up costing £40.15 or $62.87. Which sadly writes off the S-mini, Xeno, Zebralight, and Thrunight offerings on grounds of cost  Hence my interest in the "budget" end of the spectrum!


I have been caught a couple of times for import duty ... Anything over £18 is subject to some (seemingly) arbitary percentage tax added , then VAT is added to all this ... The Post Office then make a charge because they collect the customs duty and pass it on to the Customs guys ... If however the item is received as a gift , you are allowed up to £36 before being taxed ... Strangely enough , some of the far eastern sellers send the items as "gifts" for some reason ... I'm not certain whether this is strictly legal , but a lot of foreign sellers do it as standard ... You can always ask them if they send the parcel as "gift" before you buy.
.


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## jk037 (Jun 24, 2012)

march.brown said:


> I have been caught a couple of times for import duty ... Anything over £18 is subject to some (seemingly) arbitary percentage tax added , then VAT is added to all this ... The Post Office then make a charge because they collect the customs duty and pass it on to the Customs guys ... If however the item is received as a gift , you are allowed up to £36 before being taxed ... Strangely enough , some of the far eastern sellers send the items as "gifts" for some reason ... I'm not certain whether this is strictly legal , but a lot of foreign sellers do it as standard ... You can always ask them if they send the parcel as "gift" before you buy.
> .



The threshold has actually come down to £15 now (thanks a lot, George ****ing Osbourne)! 

I'm aware of the "mark as gift" trick, but if Customs ever happened to investigate a package and find that this had been done on something that should have been taxed, I can't imagine they'd take kindly to it. And the last thing I want is to have anything to do with the taxman.

Rant removed, your description of your Post Office is emotional rather than factual.
If you want to rephrase your comments in less emotive language please do so.
Norm
*Thanks Norm, but no: I stand by my seemingly-deranged rantings. The Post Office really is that bad and only getting worse! 
Ta,
Jonny*


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## march.brown (Jun 24, 2012)

jk037 said:


> The threshold has actually come down to £15 now (thanks a lot, George ****ing Osbourne)!


 I suppose that is why some sellers put a very low selling price and a very high postage charge ... Still the same total cost.



> I'm aware of the "mark as gift" trick, but if Customs ever happened to investigate a package and find that this had been done on something that should have been taxed, I can't imagine they'd take kindly to it. And the last thing I want is to have anything to do with the taxman.


Has the "cost of the gift" also been reduced from £36 ?
.


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## JaffoAZ (Jun 25, 2012)

All these seem like good suggestions, but I totally understand the need for a true budget torch. 

I am a newb, but I bought a Ultrafire wf-502b from Amazon before I'd done any research really, aside from review on that Amazon product page. While I waited for it to arrive, I read forum posts like a crazy man, and learned a lot more - that Ultrafire lights can be clones of their own clones, a crap shoot, etc etc - and even different models (50x series) can come in a variety of differen quality levels, from horrible to crappy to decent to really pretty damn good. And, apparenlty many fairly popular Chinese sellers sell fake Ultrafires that really suck. I, apparently, somehow ended up with a very nice authentic Ultrafire, and it seems pretty solid. Aside from the cons of the 502b design (cheesey belt clip attached with screw that are tapped through the body rendering any "water resistance" non-existent if the clip is removed, and maybe too much tolerance inside the head for easy heat-sinking from the drop-in), it is a well machined and finished, solid as heck budget P60 host that came with a generic but powerful XM-L T6 module all for about $16.00 shipped. I don't regret this purchase at all, but agree that it may be a little much for a pockitable EDC, as is my new Solarforce L2 which I simply LOVE. That being said, Solarforce also has the L2m (1 x cr123 or equivalent li-ion rechargable), and then there's the Ultrafire 501a that is essentially an even smaller host that also take cr123-size batteries. Both are P60 hosts and almost half the size of the normal 18650 hosts, and both are very well liked among the budget crown. Manafont seems to sell genuine Ultrafire torches and bodies, and that all-too popular XM-L T6 3-mode drop-in that people seem to dig. The UF wf-5-2a body is less than $6 shipped, and that drop-in is running just under $16. In terms of quality, the L2m is the way to go, but again, a little larger. 

And of course this info only really matters if you have the slightest interest in a pocket rocket that will be as powerful and bright as the normal-sized P60 hosts, but is pocket-sized, and takes a CR123 size cell. I have a 501a on order, along with the UF XM-L T6 drop in, so I will have better first-hand experience once it arrives and I've messed with it. But it seems like an awesome option to me. If I like that little guy, I will definitely pay a few dollars more for a SF L2m just... because. 

Good luck!


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## qwertyydude (Jul 4, 2012)

My new favorite edc is definitely my Fandyfire 2160. Of course there is the obligatory teardown, cleaning and repair/rebuild. But after that I find it is very compact being a cylindrical 18650 light and it's pretty well sealed too. I also replaced the driver with a 1.5 amp 3-mode hi-mid-low from KD, the original is a 2.2 amp, measured at 2.5 at the tailcap. That got the light too hot. But the new one has absolutely no visible PWM, not even waving your hand rapidly in front shows PWM and 1.5 amps keeps the light cool without too much of a hit in overall brightness, barely noticeable. So now it's my new favorite.


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## CarpentryHero (Jul 5, 2012)

The Zebralight clone looks like a winner, the T50 I think? For on a budget, it's a little thicker than your marsFire at the head.


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## CarpentryHero (Jul 5, 2012)

jk037 said:


> Thanks for the replies guys - all your input is appreciated!
> 
> I'm well aware of the shortcomings and inconsistency of the xxxFire-branded lights; my own take on things is that I'm prepared to accept the compromise in outright build quality and consistency in favour of the enormous performance-to-cost ratio on offer, and also that I will probably have to make a few tweaks e.g. cleaning, tightening, soldering, sealing, lubricating etc etc.
> 
> ...




So would all these extra costs be nullified if there was no money exchanging hands? If so the WTT section might be of interest for trading. No taxes paid for a trade (that rhymed, that's right I went there)


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## Tiresius (Sep 8, 2012)

Stepping away from budget lights, please keep in mind that you're going to use this light as an EDC. It has to be very reliable and will be there when your life depends on it. I'd spend some on a decent EDC. Size-to-lumens, I know that Eagletac D25LC2 mini is a tiny contendor priced at $56. The NW is rather warm as well. I own the clicky version and it has replaced all my P60's as EDC. It hasn't failed me since day one.

Plus, the run times on medium mode (1) exceeds 8hrs and was still on when I woke up.


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## BLUE LED (Sep 9, 2012)

There is the EDC 18650 by Hank at International Outdoor. 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?343161-cheap-bright-18650-light-for-the-car

Post 23. It is around $21 shipped and they declare a lower amount on the invoice.


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## jk037 (Sep 26, 2012)

Forgot about this thread! I got my Marsfire T6 a couple of months back, so far I'm very impressed, it's much better built and finished than I was expecting and has a good level of output. My only criticisms are that the "low" mode isn't quite low enough at times, and that it has a "Hi-Mid-Low-Strobe-SOS" UI whereas I'd have preferred "Hi-Mid-Low-Extra Low".

I took some current and voltage readings when I first got the light but can't remember where I wrote them down!


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