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dc38 said:
And if you eventually get an m31W

" The input voltage is 0.8 to 3 volts. It requires 1.8v for full output. It is ideal for use with one CR123 primary, two 1.5v AA lithiums, or two rechargeable AA NIMH batteries. DO NOT USE A SINGLE LITHIUM RECHARGEABLE CELL. YOU WILL DESTROY IT!!!"
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Yea just deciding between 31 and Eneloop or 61 and getting back into the li-ion game.
 
JJZ109 said:
The sequel to the Best Flashlight of 2025... Titanium VME MkII
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That's a really good looking light. But pairing the high output 3.7-9v driver with a 16340 body seems pretty mismatched. And this claim from the link seems odd:
a stunning 500 lumens unrestricted by thermal regulation or timers
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I was under the impression the drop-ins have thermal regulation. Although I don't know why I think that, maybe I just assumed? But mainly, that combo is probably not going to hit 100% output even with a fresh off the charger battery. It's just too small a battery, and will probably be out of regulation from the start. There aren't really any "high" CDR 16340's. I think Vapcell has one rated at 3A, but you'll give up a protection circuit.
 
flashlightinterested said:
That's a really good looking light. But pairing the high output 3.7-9v driver with a 16340 body seems pretty mismatched. And this claim from the link seems odd:

I was under the impression the drop-ins have thermal regulation. Although I don't know why I think that, maybe I just assumed? But mainly, that combo is probably not going to hit 100% output even with a fresh off the charger battery. It's just too small a battery, and will probably be out of regulation from the start. There aren't really any "high" CDR 16340's. I think Vapcell has one rated at 3A, but you'll give up a protection circuit.
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Remember when 1Amp from a red AW IMR was the bee's knees?
 
ilikeguns40 said:
I’ve pretty much givin up those drop ins. 3 mode output level spacing is horrible. No low voltage protection when they are rated for 3.7-9v? I’d never run multiple li-ions with no LVP. Protected cells don’t fit either. Running a single li-ion results in the efficiency being absolutely horrible.

MDC AA 1-2v and the 2-3.2v MDC’s are the only ones with good mode spacing and the only practical lights that are worth it.
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I agree. The only Malkoff drop-in that lives in a drawer is my M361. The most spacing is so bad. I never know if I'm in medium or high without cycling down to low and counting, so when I'm using it, I'm just always cycling modes and having to pay way, way too much attention. It's just better to use a single-mode drop-in with a high/low ring in an MD2, or use an MDC AA.


flashlightinterested said:
That's a really good looking light. But pairing the high output 3.7-9v driver with a 16340 body seems pretty mismatched. And this claim from the link seems odd:

I was under the impression the drop-ins have thermal regulation. Although I don't know why I think that, maybe I just assumed? But mainly, that combo is probably not going to hit 100% output even with a fresh off the charger battery. It's just too small a battery, and will probably be out of regulation from the start. There aren't really any "high" CDR 16340's. I think Vapcell has one rated at 3A, but you'll give up a protection circuit.
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Yeah, this is a weird combo. For a dedicated 16340, this seems like it would have been a good excuse to bring back the "old" performance of the drop-ins, use the lower voltage-only, and then get better regulation/runtime.

MY GUESS is that maybe this is just being included to try and lure more people into buying the titanium light. Malkoff is already a premium, and then McGizmo is like an ultra premium pricepoint, and then Kosen adds a premium to that. I'm not sure what the price is going to be for these, but I'm expecting it'll start with a 5 at least. There may be people on the fence who will bite when getting an exclusive 2700K drop-in, with a plan of swapping out to an M61NLL or something.
 
gurdygurds said:
If you had an MDC AA body and a VME head, would you go for an M31W dropin or would you go M61WLL with a 14500?
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I'm all about Eneloops, and I like that the M31W can go in an MD3.

@ilikeguns40 is from my sister Church, the Church of 14500.

He convinced me to do a LL in a VME on the 16340 body, and...that's fantastic. Been using one regularly for years, now (I have both a shrouded and unshrouded).
 
Schokokeks said:
I'm all about Eneloops, and I like that the M31W can go in an MD3.

@ilikeguns40 is from my sister Church, the Church of 14500.

He convinced me to do a LL in a VME on the 16340 body, and...that's fantastic. Been using one regularly for years, now (I have both a shrouded and unshrouded).
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Yea the 16340 with M61wll would be a third option but that would require buying another body as well. I like the older body styles vs the new and also prefer shrouded.
 
gurdygurds said:
Yea the 16340 with M61wll would be a third option but that would require buying another body as well. I like the older body styles vs the new and also prefer shrouded.
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Ah. The unshrouded is still the old body style. But, no tail standing.

To play Devil's Advocate, if you get the M61WLL, you can always rotate that in if you get an older body style down the road.

M31W is awesome if you want to do some 2xAA Shenanigans, though.
tex.proud said:
Craptastic timing! I don't have "Hobby Money" until next paycheck. Launching these near the end of the month, well they will sell out before I can get one.
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I REALLY wish he'd put out some sort of preview calendar. Maybe I'm just poor, but there aren't really "impulse" buy items, but more ones to budget for.
 
gurdygurds said:
would you go for an M31W dropin or would you go M61WLL with a 14500
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It could be what you want from a light differs from what I want. But comparing an M31L to an AA MDC, you get 100 lumens for almost 90 minutes from the MDC. You get like 45 lumens for about 80 minutes from the M31L (I don't have an M31 non-L) I think it illustrates the inefficiency of running an M31 on a single AA though. You'll (almost certainly, but I don't have one/never tested one) get more lumen hours from the M61LL and not just because a 14500 is a bit more energy dense than an Eneloop.

I'll have an M31W soon, so I can post back with more concrete numbers about the actual lumens from an Eneloop, but I have tested an M31L 219b. It seems interesting in a pinch but not very impressive otherwise. It's not that much light for not that long a time. It might have a long tail though.
 
flashlightinterested said:
It could be what you want from a light differs from what I want. But comparing an M31L to an AA MDC, you get 100 lumens for almost 90 minutes from the MDC. You get like 45 lumens for about 80 minutes from the M31L (I don't have an M31 non-L) I think it illustrates the inefficiency of running an M31 on a single AA though. You'll (almost certainly, but I don't have one/never tested one) get more lumen hours from the M61LL and not just because a 14500 is a bit more energy dense than an Eneloop.

I'll have an M31W soon, so I can post back with more concrete numbers about the actual lumens from an Eneloop, but I have tested an M31L 219b. It seems interesting in a pinch but not very impressive otherwise. It's not that much light for not that long a time. It might have a long tail though.
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Thank you sir. I know the lumens and runtime and all, just like to hear why people have chosen certain set-ups. For now I'm sticking with Eneloops and hunting for a M31LLL, but still may play with am M31W again even though runtime is far from great.
 
flashlightinterested said:
It could be what you want from a light differs from what I want. But comparing an M31L to an AA MDC, you get 100 lumens for almost 90 minutes from the MDC. You get like 45 lumens for about 80 minutes from the M31L (I don't have an M31 non-L) I think it illustrates the inefficiency of running an M31 on a single AA though. You'll (almost certainly, but I don't have one/never tested one) get more lumen hours from the M61LL and not just because a 14500 is a bit more energy dense than an Eneloop.

I'll have an M31W soon, so I can post back with more concrete numbers about the actual lumens from an Eneloop, but I have tested an M31L 219b. It seems interesting in a pinch but not very impressive otherwise. It's not that much light for not that long a time. It might have a long tail though.
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You're 100% right.

The MDC is WAY better if you want only one AA light. The M31 is ENTIRELY fun because it works in a pinch. I like that I can swap it between an MD1.5, slap it in a VME head on an AA body, or move it into an MD3 with 2xAA, or into an Elzetta Charle with the old head, or put it in the Malkoff adapter in a Maglite, and run it with 2xD NiMH cells (or one and a spacer). It really does have poor efficiency and performance on a single cell, though. It doesn't look as bad to the eye as it does on the output graphs, but it's maybe one of the least efficient AA options out there.

BUT, if you're living that white Eneloop life, they're practically free to use per charge, so the Shenanigans are worth it, hahahaha.

If you want a more practical, useful, buy-it-for-life, survive-the-apocalypse AA light, just get the MDC AA. It's beyond fantastic, and the new body is even better (it pockets much, much better, and balances in the hand like a dream).
 
I have a stand alone AA MDC and an MD3 that I have a ln m31 head setup for 2xAA. I use them for different purposes. But like the others said….. bomb proof edc survive anything light….. go with the AA MDC.

My MD3 is setup with different heads and batteries, that I usually take when I am camping or traveling.

I also edc the Cr123 MDC. It’s a fantastic light also. But I always worry about battery availability with the cr123 if the SHTF
 
IMG_2734.jpeg

Welp. Say goodbye to any future LLL and LLLL engines. What was possible before is no longer possible now!
 
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