# New guy needs a real flashlight



## e_dogg (Sep 13, 2009)

Hey everyone,

My next door neighbor's house caught fire a couple of days ago (thankfully, nobody was hurt) and the fire fighters told me to climb into my attic and keep an eye out for any embers that may have drifted in through the vents. Well, I found out that the cheap-o LED lights I bought in a 4 pack at Home Depot weren't even strong enough to throw a beam through my whole attic (and I'm in a small house). I knew they were weak, but didn't realize they were *that* weak.

So, I need a real flashlight...and, after reading reviews around here and at flashlightreviews.com, I'm pretty confused and have even less of an idea of what I want than I did before. I was originally thinking that I'd get a Maglite but then I remembered how awesome a friend's Surefire was so I started looking for reviews. I'm hoping that I can get some recommendations from you knowledgable folk. I found the questionairre here and thought that if I answered some of the questions, maybe you guys could guide me.

First off, I'm in the US and can buy online. And I can probably talk my wife into a budget of $40-50 but probably not more than that (I can already hear her saying "What the hell do you need a $100 flashlight for!?" )

Size-wise, 4-6" would be good so that I could put it in my pocket when I take my dog for a walk. But I could probably do a ~10" light if it would suit my needs better. The large size is appealing as I could use it as a weapon if need-be. But compact is also appealing, so I'm a bit torn there. And I'd definitely like a metal case.

Rechargable batteries are intriguing but I don't think a necessity. I'm ok with spending extra money on CR123 or lithium AA batteries if it increases the light brightness, quality, and battery life. The light's not going to get a whole lot of use - just mostly while walking my dog and random around-the-house or camping use.

I'm not sure what kind of beam I'd like. I've never really had a "good" flashlight per-se so I'm not sure what the different beams are like. I saw the pictures in the various reviews, and it's really hard to get a gauge of what the light is really like by them. It seems like a narrow beam would be best so that the light can pierce into bushes while I'm taking my dog for a walk. But a wider beam sounds good so that I can see where I'm going and don't step in a hole.

And, finally, I have no idea what bulb type I want. The lights I have now are multiple-LED ones. They're just a cheap Husky (Home Depot's house brand) light with 6 small LEDs in the head and a reflector and they work in a pinch but they're so weak that they get drowned out by 7pm twilight. I also have a ~10" Brinkman with 4 large LEDs in the head that works ok, but not great. Plus the light seems very blue-ish rather than a white color. So my experience with LED lights leaves me disliking them a little bit.

Thanks!


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## hyperloop (Sep 14, 2009)

Here's my recommendation to start you off:-

1. head on over to shiningbeam.com

2. check out the Romisen RC N3 warm white LED, you can see some of my beamshots here

3. if you want whiter light (which most people starting out usually do), you can see the comparison with the Romisen RC N3 *II* Q5 (2 mode, 2xAA), both these lights can run off 1xCR123/RCR123s to make them smaller and handier (but in 1xCR123/RCR123 mode both lights only have a single mode and will run about 40 minutes (RC N3 warm white) and 47 minutes (RC N3 II Q5) which is what i have experienced as i own both.

4. you can probably get *both* for just over $50  so one for you and one for your wife

5. dont forget the CPF discount code "CPFuser"

6. Bryan's (shiningbeam) service is *excellent*, from order/payment to shipping took less than 24 hours for me.

enjoy your lights, hide the credit card payments or bank statements from She Who Must Be Obeyed and :welcome:


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## Globalstaff (Sep 14, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> Hey everyone,
> 
> My next door neighbor's house caught fire a couple of days ago (thankfully, nobody was hurt) and the fire fighters told me to climb into my attic and keep an eye out for any embers that may have drifted in through the vents. Well, I found out that the cheap-o LED lights I bought in a 4 pack at Home Depot weren't even strong enough to throw a beam through my whole attic (and I'm in a small house). I knew they were weak, but didn't realize they were *that* weak.
> 
> ...


I like your post much. Hope more info:twothumbs
 website update


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## Twinkle-Plank (Sep 14, 2009)

How a quark AA^2 for $59 with free p&h from http://www.4sevens.com


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## Crenshaw (Sep 14, 2009)

+100 for a quark.

its the latest and greatest from 4sevens.com

and heads up, youre not going to be able to resist more lights, in excess of 100$ in the future.


Crenshaw


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## Fonly (Sep 14, 2009)

whats been said allready it top rate stuff, I dont know how much the price differs in the US, but I've been Eyeing a Fenix LD10 for a while now, and once I talk my lady into it, I think I will try and get one.

Just to give you something to look at, Surefire E2DL's are nice.


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## Legend (Sep 14, 2009)

May I recommend the EagleTac P100C2 or T100C2 in the $40-50 range.


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## strinq (Sep 14, 2009)

I doubt he wants a 123 batt light.
So my recommendation would be the Quark AA or the Eagletac P100A2. 
Both cheap and good.


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## vali (Sep 14, 2009)

I think the 2xAA lights are ideal for emergencies. You can find AA cells almost everywhere and using 2 of them you will get more runtime and brightness.

- RC-N3 from ShiningBeam. You can use CR123A with this one too.
- Quark AA^2
- Fenix LD20 (or TK20 if you plan to be hard on the flashlight).
- Eagletack P100A2 or P10A2.
- Nitecore PD20. (Beware, parasitic drain in the batteries).

If you plan to use alkalines, dont store the cells inside the flashlight. They can leak and destroy the light. Most forum members will recommend you to buy Sanyo eneloops. These batteries dont lose the charge when not in use, will not leak, the runtime in high will be better than alkalines and, of course, you can recharge them.

Another option is to get Energizer lithiums. They are not cheap, but you can put a pair of them in a light and forget about the thing until you need it (up to 15 years IIRC).


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## woodasptim (Sep 14, 2009)

A $20 Maxfire LX from walmart might be a good place to start. That was one of my first.


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## carrot (Sep 14, 2009)

The 4sevens Quarks are, in my opinion, currently the best EDC lights available under $100. The Nitecore EX10 and D10 are also very good. Check out my Guide to High-End Lights, linked in my sig.


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## e_dogg (Sep 14, 2009)

Thanks for the quick replies and advice, everyone!!!

It looks like all of the recommended lights are LED. I'm a little gunshy of LED since all the lights I have right now are LED and they suck as far as brightness and light quality go. Granted, I only have experience with these cheap-o LED lights, but I'm still a little hesitant on them. Do these higher end lights have better brightness, distance, and light quality? Could you tell me how they compare to a regular Maglite as that's about the best quality light that I have experience with (other than a brief encounter with my friend's Surefire)?

Also, for the record, I'm ok with CR123 batteries if they yield brighter light or longer battery life.

Thanks again for the warm welcome and great advice!


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## e_dogg (Sep 14, 2009)

hyperloop said:


> Here's my recommendation to start you off:-
> 
> 1. head on over to shiningbeam.com
> 
> ...


 

Thanks for this info! I love the price and the idea of having a couple of these. One question, though. It says that it's got a "Tactical momentary-on forward switch". Does this mean it doesn't click on and off and that I have to hold the switch down to keep it lit? My friend's Surefire was like that and I'd much rather have a click switch.


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## NE450No2 (Sep 14, 2009)

I would recommend you take a look at the Sure Fire G2, or G2LED.

Both of these are great lights for the money.

They are very reliable and rugged.

Either one would be a great first flashlight.

And if you get really hooked, no matter how many flashlights you end up with, one of these will still have a useful function for you.


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## qip (Sep 14, 2009)

start out with a Quark 2AA


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## joel95ex (Sep 14, 2009)

fenix pd30....just bought one...keep it in back pocket next to wallet and don't even know it's there. well worth the $67 bucks.....excellent output and lightweight.


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## ZMZ67 (Sep 14, 2009)

I agree with carrot and qip,go with the Quark.The 2AA is probably the best model to start with.I like the neutral tint Quarks but they are selling out fast. You may be satisfied with the standard model anyway it will not be as blue as 5MM LEDs.


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## e_dogg (Sep 14, 2009)

It sure seems that a lot of you like the Quark AA2!

How does the Romisen RC N3 compare to the Quark AA2? I know that most things have a "you get what you pay for" rule, but is it worth getting 1 Quark for the price of 2 Romisens?

It also looks like the neutral white version of the Quark AA2 is out of stock. They have the nuetral white version of the AA2 Tactical in stock, though. Is the only difference between those two the way you switch light modes?


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## HKJ (Sep 14, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> Could you tell me how they compare to a regular Maglite as that's about the best quality light that I have experience with (other than a brief encounter with my friend's Surefire)?



They blow the Maglite away, I have compared a lot of lights here, including a 6D maglite. For the same amount of power a led usual gives between 3 and 10 times more light.

Here is a Fenix TK20 (2xAA batteries) and the 6D (6xD batteries):









At long distance the 6D will be a bit brighter than the TK20, due to the bigger reflector with better focus.


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## bigchelis (Sep 14, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> Thanks for this info! I love the price and the idea of having a couple of these. One question, though. It says that it's got a "Tactical momentary-on forward switch". Does this mean it doesn't click on and off and that I have to hold the switch down to keep it lit? My friend's Surefire was like that and I'd much rather have a click switch.


 
Great post and good info on your need for a light.


It just means it is a forward clickie and that as soon as you put preasure the light goes on. Put more presure and the light stays on permanately untill you turn it off or the cells get depleted.

:welcome:


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## JeffInChi (Sep 14, 2009)

Legend said:


> May I recommend the EagleTac P100C2 or T100C2 in the $40-50 range.



+1 kind of a bluish tint, but a nice smooth beam, great throw, and just enough spill to round it all off nicely


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## Niconical (Sep 14, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> One question, though. It says that it's got a "Tactical momentary-on forward switch". Does this mean it doesn't click on and off and that I have to hold the switch down to keep it lit? My friend's Surefire was like that and I'd much rather have a click switch.


 
A forward switch turns the light on shortly after you start to depress the switch. You then have 2 options. 1) Hold it there, then release when you no longer need light. 2) Depress a little further and it will then click on and stay on when you release. To turn off you then click off. 

To simplify, a "tactical momentary-on forward switch" is just click to turn it on, click to turn it off, like you want, but with the addition of being able to do short bursts (or longer of course) without actually going as far as a full click.


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## jginnane (Sep 14, 2009)

I'm in a somewhat similar position to e_dogg ... this application is for three glove compartment emergency lights for our cars, and a house "spare". Based on recommendations here, I just ordered 4 of the Romisen RC N3s. The car flashlights will probably get their own lithium batteries for long life storage -- any particular brand recommended? Should I keep the batteries bagged separately outside the lights?

As far as the extra house light, I may screw all 4 extension tubes together (if I don't need them for the batteries, of course!)

Also, FWiW, I considered non-battery lights -- the ones using quick-charge capacitors able to be primed from a cigarette lighter in the car. I reluctantly passed on that because in the event of a real emergency, I didn't want to be dependent on the availability of a car battery.


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## divine (Sep 14, 2009)

Is there something you can tell us that puts out the color of light you would like to have in a flashlight?

I think that would help us.

From what I've gathered so far, you should probably get a Neutral Emitter light, but I'm not so sure.. You could also want a VERY white light, which is actually a bit more common here.

Almost any light (except some keychain lights) talked about here will not have the blue tint that the multi emitter lights do (9 led, 5 led and so on..).


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## divine (Sep 14, 2009)

jginnane said:


> I'm in a somewhat similar position to e_dogg ... this application is for three glove compartment emergency lights for our cars, and a house "spare". Based on recommendations here, I just ordered 4 of the Romisen RC N3s. The car flashlights will probably get their own lithium batteries for long life storage -- any particular brand recommended? Should I keep the batteries bagged separately outside the lights?
> 
> As far as the extra house light, I may screw all 4 extension tubes together (if I don't need them for the batteries, of course!)
> 
> Also, FWiW, I considered non-battery lights -- the ones using quick-charge capacitors able to be primed from a cigarette lighter in the car. I reluctantly passed on that because in the event of a real emergency, I didn't want to be dependent on the availability of a car battery.


I wouldn't use any more extension tubes than what comes with a single light... because the light is probably not designed to run off of that high of a voltage, and you could ruin the light. FWIW.


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## Chrontius (Sep 14, 2009)

woodasptim said:


> A $20 Maxfire LX from walmart might be a good place to start. That was one of my first.



Sadly discontinued, or I'd own another... a rechargeable battery incident a while back fried my tailcap.


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## e_dogg (Sep 14, 2009)

bigchelis said:


> Great post and good info on your need for a light.
> 
> 
> It just means it is a forward clickie and that as soon as you put preasure the light goes on. Put more presure and the light stays on permanately untill you turn it off or the cells get depleted.
> ...


 


Niconical said:


> A forward switch turns the light on shortly after you start to depress the switch. You then have 2 options. 1) Hold it there, then release when you no longer need light. 2) Depress a little further and it will then click on and stay on when you release. To turn off you then click off.
> 
> To simplify, a "tactical momentary-on forward switch" is just click to turn it on, click to turn it off, like you want, but with the addition of being able to do short bursts (or longer of course) without actually going as far as a full click.


 
Thanks for the clarification!

I think I've got it narrowed down to the following. Could anyone speak to the "effective range" of these lights? Would they do a good job lighting something up 50+ feet away? I'm thinking along the lines of shining a light into the bushes while I'm out for a walk when I hear something rustling around. I'm less concerned about temperature of the light and more concerned about seeing my way thought the dark. Though, given a preference between 2 otherwise equal lights, I'd take the more neutral tone.

*Romisen RC-N3 Warm White (I'd probably get 2-3 of these at their low price)
*Romisen RC-T7 (Haven't seen much info about this but it looks like it might have more light than the 2xAA/2xCR123 lights that have been recommended)
*Quark AA2

Have C and D cell lights gone the way of the dodo? It seems like all the lights discussed here are AA, CD123 or 18650. The larger form factor of the C and D cell lights is a little appealing for the self-defense aspect of it.


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## jeffe (Sep 14, 2009)

For $17.66 shipped, I really like the Ultrafire A10 HA-III Cree Q5.
I've had one for several weeks and it has been reliable and a great thrower for a single AA battery.


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## hyperloop (Sep 14, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> Thanks for the clarification!
> 
> I think I've got it narrowed down to the following. Could anyone speak to the "effective range" of these lights? Would they do a good job lighting something up 50+ feet away? I'm thinking along the lines of shining a light into the bushes while I'm out for a walk when I hear something rustling around. I'm less concerned about temperature of the light and more concerned about seeing my way thought the dark. Though, given a preference between 2 otherwise equal lights, I'd take the more neutral tone.
> 
> ...



50+ feet? no problem at all, if you're out in the woods, then i would strongly recommend the warm white led, i have tried both "white" leds and "warm" leds and i find that the warmer tints seem to "penetrate" the greenery better.

the Romisen RC - T7 would definitely be much brighter, its using 2x18650s for an input voltage of 7.4 volts (12 volts if using 4xCR123) as compared to 2.4 volts to 3 volts for a 2xAA light but its also going to be a lot longer and heavier too.

Bear in mind that my recommendation was based on your targeted budget of $40 - $50, if the budget were higher, then the recommendations would be different  i restricted myself to AA lights as these would be cells that every household should have and are also easily available off the shelf. 

have you seen CPF-er selfbuilt's 2xaa roundup?, also, if you really dont mind using CR123s, then check out Solarforce they're having a build your own light package for under $40, or a newbie package that comes with everything you need. Also, check out Batteryjunction for good deals on CR123s (best to buy in bulk)

Have a bright light in one hand, a baseball bat in the other, does away with the need for the D cell light cos if you're in the woods, bashing away with your primary light source might end up leaving you alone in the dark


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## e_dogg (Sep 14, 2009)

hyperloop said:


> Bear in mind that my recommendation was based on your targeted budget of $40 - $50, if the budget were higher, then the recommendations would be different


 
Yeah, I'm pretty certain that $40-50 is about all I could talk the "boss" into.  I see a ton of choices in the $100+ range but that's definitely too much.

But, you never know...I might be able to talk her into a little higher budget. Are there better options in the $60 range? I found that RC-T7 for about $55. And I'm definitely ok with the larger size if it yields a significant performance improvement, but wouldn't want any larger than that (it's 8.5").



hyperloop said:


> have you seen CPF-er selfbuilt's 2xaa roundup?, also, if you really dont mind using CR123s, then check out Solarforce they're having a build your own light package for under $40, or a newbie package that comes with everything you need. Also, check out Batteryjunction for good deals on CR123s (best to buy in bulk)


 
I saw a similar roundup but not that specific one. I'll check it out! Thanks! And, I'm totally ok using CR123's and other non-AA type batteries. They're not as hard to find as people make them out to be - just gotta know where to look in the battery section.

How difficult is it to build a light? Is it a matter of putting things in their place and screwing it together? Or does it require soldering? If I have to solder something, then I probably should skip it since my solder points always wind up looking like a bird crapped on the wires.



hyperloop said:


> Have a bright light in one hand, a baseball bat in the other, does away with the need for the D cell light cos if you're in the woods, bashing away with your primary light source might end up leaving you alone in the dark


 
While an excellent point, one hand will be occupied by the light and the other will be occupied by my dog's leash. Maybe one of the small RC-N3's would be prudent to take along as well as a larger light.

Damn, see what you made me do? Now I gotta talk my wife into letting me get 2 lights!!!


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## allburger (Sep 14, 2009)

a great place to start is romisen lights or ultrafire lights on deal extreme.

Google deal extreme. 

Thats what got me hooked. You can get these lights for great prices with free shipping. This will definetly lead into buying high end lights later on. 

I recommend the ultrafire c3!! or Romisen G2!! Both are like 10 bucks, shipped. 1 AA battery, effective range of probably 100-150 feet. maybe more. i haven't used mine outside in a while. These little lights will blow you away.

You have to know that these cree brand led's put out so much light they are making incandescent maglites look like kids toys. All from a AA battery. 

We all know these lights aren't lifetime warranty quality, but mine has lasted about 3 years with good use. For the price, it introduces you to high powered compact lights at a really good price.


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## hyperloop (Sep 14, 2009)

i started with Dealextreme, i still order from them but not so much lights anymore, more for spare parts, other odds and ends. I'd try shiningbeam, great service, order/payment via paypal to shipment took less than 24 hours, i ordered some clicky switches from DX and last count it was 2 months and its still 'processing'. So i'd rather eat that $5 shipping fee to singapore and have my light in within 7 days than wait and wait and wait and wait..... 

As for Ultrafires, i got my first ultrafire c3 in 2007, its still around, banged up and all but it still works great, the recent 2 i ordered (stainless steel) weren't up to the mark, one had flickering issues and the other died after a drop. I had another aluminum C3 as well, found that the clicky was a bit off but fixed that myself.

Thankfully, i realised that i could salvage parts from it (the stainless steel one) and maybe use it as a testbed for modding (when i finally get around to getting a soldering iron). The lenses for the C3 are a perfect fit for my Nitecore EX10 (whose lens i broke).

There is some truth to the saying "you get what you pay for", i got a Nitecore EX10 and recently broke the lens, i emailed Nitecore and within 4 hours i got a reply stating that they would send me a replacement lens for free. Now THAT is service


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## jginnane (Sep 14, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I think I've got it narrowed down...
> 
> *Romisen RC-N3 Warm White (I'd probably get 2-3 of these at their low price) [...]



FWIW, I knew I wanted at least 4 lights. When I got to shiningbeam.com, I started by picking 4 different models. (They're all good, right?  )

But as I checked my basket, I realized I wasn't sure if I'd even gotten all the same battery size. I saw that some of the blue (higher color temperature) lights might be better in some applications than others, or some would be brighter but not last as long. I reluctantly acknowledged I'd have to put in an awful lot of time really understanding all these differences, and maybe by the time I had it all sorted out there'd be something else to confuse me. But the sample pictures provided in this thread showed a good enough mix between spot and flood, and the warm color is real easy on the eyes.

So -- I just got all 4 the same. With luck and fresh batteries, I can keep at least 3 alive for an upgrade in 3-5 years, if necessary.

The only other option at the end was whether to get 4 more expensive lights (but still all the same). Most of the experts in this forum could make a wise choice ... I'm not able to.


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## e_dogg (Sep 14, 2009)

allburger said:


> a great place to start is romisen lights or ultrafire lights on deal extreme.
> 
> Google deal extreme.


 


hyperloop said:


> i started with Dealextreme, i still order from them but not so much lights anymore, more for spare parts, other odds and ends. I'd try shiningbeam, great service, order/payment via paypal to shipment took less than 24 hours, i ordered some clicky switches from DX and last count it was 2 months and its still 'processing'. So i'd rather eat that $5 shipping fee to singapore and have my light in within 7 days than wait and wait and wait and wait.....


 
Yeah, I'm familiar with Dealextreme for their gaming console parts and other random parts. I didn't realize they have good flashlights too. While their prices are crazy cheap, their shipping takes *forever* so you can't be in a 
hurry. But it's good to know that they have some good lights there.




allburger said:


> Thats what got me hooked. You can get these lights for great prices with free shipping. This will definetly lead into buying high end lights later on.
> 
> I recommend the ultrafire c3!! or Romisen G2!! Both are like 10 bucks, shipped. 1 AA battery, effective range of probably 100-150 feet. maybe more. i haven't used mine outside in a while. These little lights will blow you away.
> 
> ...


 


hyperloop said:


> As for Ultrafires, i got my first ultrafire c3 in 2007, its still around, banged up and all but it still works great, the recent 2 i ordered (stainless steel) weren't up to the mark, one had flickering issues and the other died after a drop. I had another aluminum C3 as well, found that the clicky was a bit off but fixed that myself.
> 
> Thankfully, i realised that i could salvage parts from it (the stainless steel one) and maybe use it as a testbed for modding (when i finally get around to getting a soldering iron). The lenses for the C3 are a perfect fit for my Nitecore EX10 (whose lens i broke).
> 
> There is some truth to the saying "you get what you pay for", i got a Nitecore EX10 and recently broke the lens, i emailed Nitecore and within 4 hours i got a reply stating that they would send me a replacement lens for free. Now THAT is service


 
Maybe the Ultrafires would be a good replacement for the junky Husky lights I have scattered around my house. From reading a little bit about them in the 2xAA roundup that Hyperloop linked to, it seems like their QC is a little hit and miss.


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## carrot (Sep 15, 2009)

I guess "good" is terribly relative.


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## hyperloop (Sep 15, 2009)

carrot said:


> I guess "good" is terribly relative.



yep i definitely have some terrible relatives  sorry, couldnt resist that.

e_dogg: for your first light and if you want a budget light, i'd say go with shiningbeam, i may only have had a few orders with bryan but all have been flawless.


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## elwood (Sep 15, 2009)

www.shiningbeam.com has a few of the lights that DX has. He's located in the US and shipping is extremely fast.


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## kramer5150 (Sep 15, 2009)

2 lights I think you should consider are the fore-mentioned RC-N3-Q5 from shiningbeam.com. For $25 I really don't think it can be beat as an overall value. I've had mine for almost 2 years and its still going strong, despite how much I drop it. FWIW I have the original single mode Q5-WC version.

But also give the fenix TK20 a look. Its a few$$ more than $50, but I think the added durability, history of reliability, and water/mud resistance might be worth the extra$$. theres some great pics of one in use here...
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/219738

Both lights are 2xAA which I think would be ideal for you. My suggestion would be eneloop AAs.:twothumbs


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## e_dogg (Sep 15, 2009)

kramer5150 said:


> 2 lights I think you should consider are the fore-mentioned RC-N3-Q5 from shiningbeam.com. For $25 I really don't think it can be beat as an overall value. I've had mine for almost 2 years and its still going strong, despite how much I drop it. FWIW I have the original single mode Q5-WC version.
> 
> But also give the fenix TK20 a look. Its a few$$ more than $50, but I think the added durability, history of reliability, and water/mud resistance might be worth the extra$$. theres some great pics of one in use here...
> https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/219738
> ...


 
I just clicked the link to your reviews in your sig and noticed your YouTube username. I watched your Romisen review last night and heard the shout out to Candlepower Forums. Thanks for the informative review!!!

Speaking of YouTube, I watched a review on the Quark AA2 and saw an instructional video on the AA2 Tactical. I really like the programability of the Tactical model. I'm really torn between the Quark and the Romisen now...I love the Romisen price but the Quark looks like it's a better quality light.


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## ZMZ67 (Sep 15, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> It sure seems that a lot of you like the Quark AA2!
> 
> How does the Romisen RC N3 compare to the Quark AA2? I know that most things have a "you get what you pay for" rule, but is it worth getting 1 Quark for the price of 2 Romisens?
> 
> It also looks like the neutral white version of the Quark AA2 is out of stock. They have the nuetral white version of the AA2 Tactical in stock, though. Is the only difference between those two the way you switch light modes?


 
Since it seems like you are interested in CR123s, I will change my recommendation to the single CR123 Quark.The same light really with a much smaller body(you can always buy the 1AA or 2AA body seperately if you want them).Besides the switch the tactical only has two modes at a brightness set by the owner.The regular Quark has 8 modes that are preset.Good descriptions are available on 4Sevens web site.The Romison is cheaper but I really like what the Quark has to offer especially with the neutral tint.There may still be some neutral standard Quark heads available but it will be more expensive buying the individual parts and putting the light together.Sounds like you want the tactical model anyway but again I don't know how long the neutrals will be available.


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## hyperloop (Sep 17, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I just clicked the link to your reviews in your sig and noticed your YouTube username. I watched your Romisen review last night and heard the shout out to Candlepower Forums. Thanks for the informative review!!!
> 
> Speaking of YouTube, I watched a review on the Quark AA2 and saw an instructional video on the AA2 Tactical. I really like the programability of the Tactical model. I'm really torn between the Quark and the Romisen now...I love the Romisen price but the Quark looks like it's a better quality light.



IMHO, the Romisen is a balance between quality and price, its really affordable (though some of my non-flashaholic friends balk at that price while shelling out hundreds of Singapore dollars for drinks :thinking and a decent quality. 

Quarks would very likely be more durable but of course at a higher price, its like getting a decent 4 wheel drive or getting a customised Hummer, both will do the job but one may last through more extenuating circumstances than the other, nuclear attack, chemical attacks etc.

But if you dont really need something THAT durable, a decent quality light would be the Romisen, having a programmable light is great but i dont program them all the time, its just done to suit different needs, e.g. if travelling, i'd set the first mode on max or fast strobe for self defence, then the other modes to more general use modes. If going to the theatre, 1st mode minimum to see seat numbers etc and the other modes to whatever i think i might need.

If push comes to shove, just get what you REALLY want (note, "WANT" not what you think you need  cos sooner or later, you're going to go for the Quark anyway, might as well just give in to the temptation now and be done with it).

GO QUARK!! (then get a Romisen later)


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## e_dogg (Sep 17, 2009)

I was going to pull the trigger on a neutral white Quark AA2 Tactical when my wife asked "how much is it?" I told her $60 and she flipped. And her dad said "Get a Maglite!" :ironic:

So...guess it's the Romisen for now.

I really need to remember the adage "it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission" and use it more often.


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## fiorano (Sep 17, 2009)

Remember to save some bucks by using the discounts from our fine CPF vendors:

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=181841


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## fiorano (Sep 17, 2009)

Another thing, e_dogg.

You, your wife and your father-in-law will be _blown away_ by how much better even an inexpensive LED flashlight like the Romisen is compared to old crap plastic C and D lights and incandescent Maglites. No comparison.

We're way past the little 5mm key-chain lights nowadays - although those are very handy. Modern flashlights with Power LED emitters are _incredibly _bright for their size. Amazing really.

Welcome to the addiction - and hold on to your wallet!


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## hyperloop (Sep 18, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I was going to pull the trigger on a neutral white Quark AA2 Tactical when my wife asked "how much is it?" I told her $60 and she flipped. And her dad said "Get a Maglite!" :ironic:
> 
> So...guess it's the Romisen for now.
> 
> I really need to remember the adage "it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission" and use it more often.





so true! but go for the Romisen RC N3 warm white, you will *not* regret it, get that, 4xeneloops and a charger and you are set! You *MAY* want to get some CR123s to use the light in its CR123 mode. You can get them at decent prices from batteryjunction or you could order from here, i have ordered these before and no issue with them as i use them in single cell lights *only*, if i wanted to use these in 2xCR123 lights i'd measure the voltages to ensure they matched as closely as possible using one of these DMMs it's cheap and it works enough for my purposes.

please post with your reactions and feelings about the light and its usage and also the reactions of your wife and dad in law, should be interesting to see their reactions to the Romisen as compared to the standard 3D incand maglite.


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## jginnane (Sep 19, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I was going to pull the trigger on a neutral white Quark AA2 Tactical when my wife asked "how much is it?" I told her $60 and she flipped. And her dad said "Get a Maglite!" :ironic:
> 
> So...guess it's the Romisen for now.




FWiW, I got my four Romisens a couple days ago, decided to skip the 123As and use AA lithiums, and so I got an 8-pack of "Ultimate" Energizers and an 8-pack of backups. Then I loaded each light, and put one in each car. My wife was watching, tried the fourth which was intended for the house, said "Oh, that's nice!!!" and it disappeared into her purse. So now, I may have to get an extra light. 

Last night (Friday) I'd turned in early. My wife was on the computer. She came running in and woke me up -- "The power is out!" So the first thing I grabbed was my keys, because they have an LED on the chain. Then I went to her car and retrieved the Romisen light ... and she found the one she'd just collected from me in her bag.

Once those two Romisens were on, she calmed right down. We stuck one in a cup (the bottom clickie doesn't let it stand up) and the light bouncing off the ceiling was enough to light the whole room. Then we sat using the laptops until the power came back up and the desktops turned back on.

From this experience -- I'm happy enough with single mode. I'd never need strobe, and reduced-power isn't something you want in this kind of a situation. (That's more for when you're out hiking, and absolutely must fine-tune battery life as long as you can.)

I also really like the "warm white". It's a very natural tone ... I would guess just slightly higher than 4300 Kelvin on fresh lithiums.

Build quality on the Romisens? If the top was equivalent to a Nikon camera, these would be like Pentax, Vivitar, or Olympus. One O-ring is sticking out on one, and on another light, there's something funny on the threads. (You'd need rubber-coated grips to be able to twist that particular connection apart, which unscrews easily on the other 3 lights.)

Since I wound up with one light less than I was planning for, I'm going to have to keep reading this forum until I find the "perfect" light for me -- 4 lithium AAs, focusable lens, "warm light", and about 300 lumens. That probably narrows it down to about a hundred models from 2 dozen brands, right?


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## qwertyydude (Sep 20, 2009)

I'm really happy with my dealextreme C78 flood to throw zooming 1xAA light for $10 I don't think you can beat it for versatility with it's super smooth flood and it's absolutely astounding throw, 50 feet is nothing. Try 300 feet at least when zoomed all the way. It's very efficient with how it utilizes the light from it's led and did I mention it's only $10?


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## carrot (Sep 20, 2009)

jginnane said:


> Since I wound up with one light less than I was planning for, I'm going to have to keep reading this forum until I find the "perfect" light for me -- 4 lithium AAs, focusable lens, "warm light", and about 300 lumens. That probably narrows it down to about a hundred models from 2 dozen brands, right?



More like 0.

Streamlight and Underwater Kinetics both make lights in that form factor (4xAA), but they are nowhere near 300 lumens. More like 80lm, max... if even that. 

And the problems with the configuration itself... 4xAA is too long to be a single tube (unwieldy), and so has to be side-by-side... and it's very expensive to machine a side-by-side configuration out of metal. Molded out of plastic is cheap, so that's what is on the market.


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## Max_Power (Sep 21, 2009)

Ah, you are now in the territory of CR123A primary batteries and Lithium-ion 18650 rechargeable cells.

Something I learned long ago, is to buy the quality stuff the first time, because if you don't then you will end up buying it anyway after being unsatisfied with the cheap stuff.

Check out www.malkoffdevices.com for "bulletproof" P60 drop-in modules and the MD2 body that houses them. Yeah, it's a $100 light. Actually more like $125, if you get the hi-lo ring for it (which I highly recommend, you don't want 230 lumens for raiding the fridge or reading a menu.) 

But you only need to buy it once, and it will serve you for a lifetime. And if it doesn't, Gene's service after the sale is the best!


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## Roberts30 (Sep 21, 2009)

I think you would like a Solarforce L2, I love mine and am impressed everytime I turn it on..


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## AusKipper (Sep 21, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I was going to pull the trigger on a neutral white Quark AA2 Tactical when my wife asked "how much is it?" I told her $60 and she flipped. And her dad said "Get a Maglite!" :ironic:
> 
> So...guess it's the Romisen for now.
> 
> I really need to remember the adage "it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission" and use it more often.



Dont forget to let us know what you think once you get it


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## e_dogg (Sep 21, 2009)

AusKipper said:


> Dont forget to let us know what you think once you get it


 
I definitely will! I'll probably pick up a pack of Eneloops and a charger too. I also saw a good deal at Costco for Energizer lithium batteries ($19 for 12) so I'll probably get those as well.

Is there much of a difference in running it with a CR123A battery vs. the 2xAA batteries? From what I can tell it's not a huge performance difference, right?

Thanks again, everyone, for all of your input and support! I really appreciate it!


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## AusKipper (Sep 21, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I definitely will! I'll probably pick up a pack of Eneloops and a charger too. I also saw a good deal at Costco for Energizer lithium batteries ($19 for 12) so I'll probably get those as well.



Sounds like a good idea, squirrel away the lithiums for a rainy day and use the eneloops the rest of the time.

Dont forget, lithiums have a loong shelf life


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## hyperloop (Sep 22, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> I definitely will! I'll probably pick up a pack of Eneloops and a charger too. I also saw a good deal at Costco for Energizer lithium batteries ($19 for 12) so I'll probably get those as well.
> 
> Is there much of a difference in running it with a CR123A battery vs. the 2xAA batteries? From what I can tell it's not a huge performance difference, right?
> 
> Thanks again, everyone, for all of your input and support! I really appreciate it!



Its easier to carry around a 1xCR123 light in your pocket, heck, i have 2 on me right now, my EX10 and my RC N3 warm white and let's not forget my LD01 on keychain duty.

Powerwise, i find the difference in output higher on my RCR123s (4.2 volts fresh off the charger) than with 2xeneloops (roughly 2.6 volts) but runtime is vastly different.

have you received and played with your lights yet?


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## Rexlion (Sep 22, 2009)

e_dogg, you weren't supposed to tell the wife what you were up to!  Just order away and when the package comes, if she asks how much, you say as little as possible :devil: Or tell her you can always sell it later and get most of your money back anyway... which is about true if you sold in at the MP.

If you want a light that will blow your socks off, save up for a MG PLI or RX-1, around $60 for a quad-die light that will make you grin every time you turn it on high. Or pull a fast one on the family... they said get a maglite, right? Well, get a maglite that's modded with a hot P7 emitter (another quad die), and when it comes don't tell them it's special. They will think you are a good frugal purchaser, and you will get to enjoy about 700 lumens! I got my P7 mag from Dave, a/k/a kz1000s1.

The Romisens are decent lights, maybe a tad less bright for a lot less $$$. I have a couple (bought 5, gave 3 away as gifts recently). My latest is the RC-C6 with focusing head. I also enjoy the Fenix TK20 (wonderful warm beam) and Nitecore D10 (smooth piston instead of clicky) and PLI (almost as bright as the Mag). I just don't tell the wife what I'm up to... :naughty:


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## e_dogg (Sep 23, 2009)

hyperloop said:


> Its easier to carry around a 1xCR123 light in your pocket, heck, i have 2 on me right now, my EX10 and my RC N3 warm white and let's not forget my LD01 on keychain duty.
> 
> Powerwise, i find the difference in output higher on my RCR123s (4.2 volts fresh off the charger) than with 2xeneloops (roughly 2.6 volts) but runtime is vastly different.


 
Thanks for the info! I'll probably use it in 2xAA mode for now to preserve run time unless the need for smaller size presents itself.



hyperloop said:


> have you received and played with your lights yet?


 
No, I just ordered the Romisen WW RC-N3 today. I just opted for the basic USPS First Class mail so it will probably take 4-5 days to get here from NY.



Rexlion said:


> e_dogg, you weren't supposed to tell the wife what you were up to!  Just order away and when the package comes, if she asks how much, you say as little as possible :devil: Or tell her you can always sell it later and get most of your money back anyway... which is about true if you sold in at the MP.


 
Yeah, I need to get better about asking for forgiveness instead of asking for permission.  



Rexlion said:


> If you want a light that will blow your socks off, save up for a MG PLI or RX-1, around $60 for a quad-die light that will make you grin every time you turn it on high. Or pull a fast one on the family... they said get a maglite, right? Well, get a maglite that's modded with a hot P7 emitter (another quad die), and when it comes don't tell them it's special. They will think you are a good frugal purchaser, and you will get to enjoy about 700 lumens! I got my P7 mag from Dave, a/k/a kz1000s1.


 
I looked around at that a little bit and that sounds kinda cool. Unfortunately, I suck with a soldering iron so probably wouldn't want to do the mod myself.



Rexlion said:


> The Romisens are decent lights, maybe a tad less bright for a lot less $$$. I have a couple (bought 5, gave 3 away as gifts recently). My latest is the RC-C6 with focusing head. I also enjoy the Fenix TK20 (wonderful warm beam) and Nitecore D10 (smooth piston instead of clicky) and PLI (almost as bright as the Mag). I just don't tell the wife what I'm up to... :naughty:


 
Sounds like you've got it down!!!


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## e_dogg (Sep 23, 2009)

Holy crap! I put in the order this morning and just got an email from Bryan at Shiningbeam with my tracking number. AWESOME service!!! :thumbsup:


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## Rexlion (Sep 23, 2009)

Yeah, Bryan is always that awesome.

Bryan also carries the ITP A3 Eos (AAA) 3-stage twisty-switch lights. At about $20 these are another incredible bargain. So small, yet good output. I'm sure once you get the Romisen you will be back to Shiningbeam for more... I know I was.


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## e_dogg (Sep 28, 2009)

Well, I got my light today! It actually arrived to my PO box on Saturday but I wasn't able to pick it up until after work.

I'm very pleased with the light! I ordered the RC-N3 WW in grey. The warm white color is really nice. It doesn't seem quite as harsh as a cool white would be (at least by imagining the cool white/blueish color of my crap multi-LED lights but Romisen bright).

The body seems to be very good quality without any noticable machining defects and the "O" rings seem to make a good seal. After loading it with a couple of Energizer lithium AA batteries, I didn't notice the rattling around that some people have mentioned on CPF. Maybe that only happens when the head is removed? Or maybe they've tightened things up?

After taking my dog on an evening walk and seeing how it performed, the beam seems to be really good for my needs. It lights up to the other end of the small park we walk to and penetrates the bushes very well. And it has a good amount of flood to it.

My only gripe is that I really wish it had a high beam and low beam. It's great for penetrating into the brush but if I need to see close up to clean up dog poop or something (joys of dog ownership :ironic it's pretty overpowering.

But, so far, so good! One of these days I'm going to try getting one of the Quarks so that I can get the different output levels. Hopefully they'll still have the warm white version by the time I'm ready to buy.

Thanks again for everyone's input! I really appreciate all the guidance and warm welcome!

lovecpf

Edit: I forgot I had a question...

Is there any reason I shouldn't run it without the reflector head on? It seems like that might be a good way of using the light in a "candle" mode.


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## hyperloop (Sep 28, 2009)

glad you like it, i wish mine had a low mode too, but that can be easily solved by just getting another light!!  or carry your other LED light with you to use when u need low mode.

As for using it without the head, i dont see any issues, just make sure that no water gets into it and clean any dust off it before replacing the head.

Next light, get an itp AAA light for your keychain so you will never be without light.


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## Dude Dudeson (Sep 28, 2009)

If you get a Romisen RC-N3 go for the RC-N3 II version, at Shiningbeam as mentioned above.

It has two modes, real useful.

Saw your comment about your current dim LED's - the RC-N3 II on high easily lights stuff up 150 feet away at night.

Great thing about this model (and the regular RC-N3) is it'll run off either 2 AA batteries or one CR123.

For around $25 delivered the deal is nearly impossible to beat.


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## hyperloop (Sep 29, 2009)

you can check out some comparison shots of the RC N3 II on high with the RC N3 warm white here


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## e_dogg (Sep 29, 2009)

hyperloop said:


> glad you like it, i wish mine had a low mode too, but that can be easily solved by just getting another light!!  or carry your other LED light with you to use when u need low mode.
> 
> As for using it without the head, i dont see any issues, just make sure that no water gets into it and clean any dust off it before replacing the head.
> 
> Next light, get an itp AAA light for your keychain so you will never be without light.


 
Good suggestion! Might even be a good one to get for the wife so that she can find stuff in her purse.

I used to have one of those little button-cell LED lights on my keychain and it was awesome! It's since fallen apart and has been replaced with a keychain swiss army knife, which has been even more useful. I'm not sure that I have room for both, though...but maybe I'll give it a shot as funds allow...



Dude Dudeson said:


> If you get a Romisen RC-N3 go for the RC-N3 II version, at Shiningbeam as mentioned above.
> 
> It has two modes, real useful.
> 
> ...


 
I saw the RC-N3 II when I ordered my light. Unfortunately, they didn't have it in the warm white version. But thanks for the suggestion nonetheless!


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## hyperloop (Oct 1, 2009)

if you want some cheap throwaway keychain lights, get these i've ordered maybe 10 packs of these as giveaways and they've always been well received. Think they come in white and a few other colours too.


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## e_dogg (Oct 4, 2009)

hyperloop said:


> if you want some cheap throwaway keychain lights, get these i've ordered maybe 10 packs of these as giveaways and they've always been well received. Think they come in white and a few other colours too.


 
That's exactly like the keychain lights that I've had in the past. They're great!!! And those are much cheaper than the $10-15 that I've spent on the ones that I've broken and/or lost. Thanks for the link!


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## hyperloop (Oct 5, 2009)

e_dogg said:


> That's exactly like the keychain lights that I've had in the past. They're great!!! And those are much cheaper than the $10-15 that I've spent on the ones that I've broken and/or lost. Thanks for the link!



anytime man, you might want to check out dx for 2016 cells as well if you can be bothered replacing the cells in those lights once they die, me, i just order 10 more.


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