LTB a Rechargeable Flashlight

[ford]

Not sure where to post this so I'm sure one of our great mods will move it to the proper section if need be.
Basically I'm looking for as bright as I can get with rechargeable batteries (would like to be able to charge in truck or house) to be used for tracking game or anything else in the woods after it gets dark. Would it to be small enough to fit in a back but I'm also not looking something so big it takes to hands to carry (being sarcastic). Of course I'd prefer Cree LED but open to anything.
I'm looking for anybodies experience & recommendations. Thanks in advance.

 

[Slackwolf]

Fenix TK series are nice, Olight, Thrunite, and several others. I have a few TK15's and TK22's that have been through hell over many years and outlasted my streamlights and surefires.

Fenix can be had mostly from Amazon for cheapest. For batteries, chargers, and the other brands i like http://www.illumn.com

Just get something that takes single 18650's if want compact. They will typically run on dual primaries also (cr123a) in a pinch.

Keeppower 18650 protected 3400mah panasonic cell battery is a solid low amp draw battery. For a high drain, go samsung 3000mah+ cell.

Budget light forum has a lot of good info and some cheap light options. I have some BLF edition $25 lights that kick ass on a samsung high amp cell and spring mods.

 

[Viking1204]

http://www.ledlenserusa.com/flashlights

I've tried several different rechargeable flashlights and my go to flashlight is always My Lenser M7R. Super bright with an adjustable beam that widens to light up an entire room or goes narrow to see over 150 or more. Holds a charge for a long time and recharges using a magnet. Very durable too, dropped mine several times, once from a tree stand, still works like a champ after 5+ years of ownership.

 

[SAWMAN]

Several recommendations. Go bright . . . you wont be sorry. Mine have a high,med,low,setting. Walking .. low is enough. Tracking .. definately high.
2000L is good . . . 4000L+ is better. I carry a 4K in my pack and a much smaller 2K in my pocket. (I also have a 4000L headlight in my pack.) I also carry 6 extra batts in my pack.
Only buy the lights that take the 18650 batts. My 4K takes two .. my 2K takes one.
Buy your lights and batts on ebay,from China (most of the American stuff comes from China anyway).
Only buy the 3000mAH - 6000mAH batts.
This stuff is not for military or LEO use. However for what I expect out of it,how I use it,it is great . . . and damn cheap. ---SAWMAN

 

[DaBreeze]

I have had several of these over the years and love them.
Cant tell them from Surefire or Streamlight. IMO
About $6.00 each.

https://www.amazon.com/UltraFire-Wf...9_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=8S6APC94DF0J32BGMQTP

 

[FrankT]

I just got a new 8000 lumen headlamp with charger and batteries off ebay for $9.00, they are everywhere for cheap cheap.

 

[Slackwolf]

I just got a new 8000 lumen headlamp with charger and batteries off ebay for $9.00, they are everywhere for cheap cheap.

Lumens aren't always actual tested, just like battery mah on chinese cells.

There are cheap quality high output lights out there, BLF is proof of that. But claimed Lumens usually isn't even close on a lot of lights out there. I have several 5000+ lumen hot rod lights running on 4 Samsung 30q cells. I can run the same light on cheap chinese 4000mah+ 18650's and get half the output. I can also put them against certain chinese $10 4x 18650 "10,000 lumen" lights and it is embarrasing to the Chinese lights. Fenix tk75 is a 4k lumen light and will actually do it on protected 18650 cells. Thrunite TN36 is a 6500 lumen light that is nicknamed the wall of light and will equally back it's claims on output.

But a $9 light is a $9 light, if it works. But lumens aren't always lumens. For the 18650 cells, they are not always created equal either. There are a lot of panasonic, samsung, and sanyo fakes in protected and unprotected high draw. Then there are really cheap like the ultrafire junk. Keeppower does actually use real oem cells and i use them and olight for my various protected batteries. Panasonic 3400mah based protected batteries are good all around batteries, but there are tons of fakes. For cheap high output 18650's of the unprotected variety, samsung is hard to beat. 30q is a favorite for me for the price point.

The vaping market really made 18650's come a long way in max amp draws and high capacity. To the point that the spring wire in some flashlights now is the weak link in max amp draw, rather than the battery. Spring bypass mod and instant gain on some.

I have a modded 1500 lumen, realistically close to 2000 lumens in neutral white BLF edition light that out throw several 5k lumen claimed lights on the same batteries. The market is cut throat and anyone will claim anything....

Btw, the heat sinking required on some of the new hot rod 5k+ lumen led's would probably melt your face off if used in headlamp config. So i wouldn't bank on that 8000 lumens.....

 

[FrankT]

yeah Slack I understand all that as I have 20+ lights and 50+ batteries, I can tell you they are BRIGHT and that is what I use them for. He did not ask the technical review just where and how much. The US over priced lights are typically sourced in the same factories as the cheap Chinese lights...a bright light that works is a bright light that works.

 

[Slackwolf]

yeah Slack I understand all that as I have 20+ lights and 50+ batteries, I can tell you they are BRIGHT and that is what I use them for. He did not ask the technical review just where and how much. The US over priced lights are typically sourced in the same factories as the cheap Chinese lights...a bright light that works is a bright light that works.

I agree that a bright light is a bright light. But depending on spread, throw, color, and format needed, chinese lights won't fit the bill or even come close to their claims.

For chinese lights, budget light forum is the place to be. Their design builds that they partner with chinese manufacturers are hard to beat. $20-40 for different form factor lights with good components and criticized to death. Even the blf manker a6 from several years ago is still kicking ass. $25 1x 18650 light. Can range widely in lumens based off battery used. I still wouldn't use it as a weapon light like i do well proven lights though.

A reasonably priced light with good customer service and will produce it's claimed light is worth the money if only buying a few lights.

 

[FrankT]

LOL, been fitting fine for 5 years for many people no matter the claims...I have some expensive lights from US manufacturers and they work no better and have later found where they sourced them from...same place!

 

[Slackwolf]

LOL, been fitting fine for 5 years for many people no matter the claims...I have some expensive lights from US manufacturers and they work no better and have later found where they sourced them from...same place!

To each their own.... out of the 100 some odd lights i have still and the just as many that i have given away, there was a noticeable difference in build quality in a $30 10,000 lumen aliexpress/banggood chinese light and a thrunite tn36 6500 lumen. When a 1000 lumen single 18650 light out throws a supposed 10k lumen 4x 18650 light on the same batteries, theres an issue. Or when a light falls 40' onto concrete, i would prefer it to survive.

Sure the issue in your higher quality lights isn't battery choice? I can make all of my lights weak compared to a chinese burner if i pop in an ultrafire, any of the *fire cells, or a fake panasonic/samsung/sanyo cell. Most oem cells are out of japan, not china.

 

[SAWMAN]

And . . . . . . get all your CR123's on ebay,from China also.
I am paying from $.92 to $.98 each for them. They are used in my thermal. ---SAWMAN

 

[FrankT]

Look the American only fan boys and those who pay way too much for their lights and batteries always say these unconfirmed tests and comparisons, nothing new here, just do what you think is best.

As I said the chinese lights and batteries are good to go for the most part, use many of the same parts and give you great bang for the buck. If you would like to compare, PM me and you can see the quality and brightness for yourself, proof is in the light not in a forum discussion.

 

[bobinbusan]

Them Chinese is doing what we did 70 years ago and what the Japanese did after war II, they are making & selling there stuff like we did to them before all this got started and this guy had a hand in it. The work of W Edwards Deming, for instance, was rapidly accepted in Japan but was ignored in the US for decades.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistori..._did_the_us_do_such_a_good_job_of_rebuilding/

 

[Slackwolf]

Look the American only fan boys and those who pay way too much for their lights and batteries always say these unconfirmed tests and comparisons, nothing new here, just do what you think is best.

As I said the chinese lights and batteries are good to go for the most part, use many of the same parts and give you great bang for the buck. If you would like to compare, PM me and you can see the quality and brightness for yourself, proof is in the light not in a forum discussion.

Really? Unconfirmed tests like what? Saying a $10 chinese light is the same as a $70-100 known brand light? Or that a chinese headlamp can actually produce 8000lumens? Or that all lithium ion cells are the same? Go home, you're drunk....

To the op, do your research on a forum such as candlepower and budget light. Little better info over there on this particular subject..... Tons of reviews, beamshots, light meter tests, runtime tests, etc. Usually from folks who actually have spent time on an electronics test bench. Figure out if you want more fill or throw and what size format light. Some lights you can swap bodies from a single 18650 / dual cr123a to a single 16340 and back. Don't take one person's claims of they are all the same..... illumnation supply (illumn.com) is a good place to shop with great customer service. There are others out there too, but just shop around. Nitecore makes decent/cheap safe chargers if you don't have hobby chargers.

I'm not brand loyal to any on lights or cells. I have plenty of chinese lights as well as from other countries. My batteries all have cells out of japan.

There have been plenty of repeatable tests on lights and batteries. With lights, there are a lot of factors other than it just being "bright". There are HUGE differences in batteries. Even comparing similiar capacity 18650's from the same manufacturer, say panasonic for example. You can have batteries seperated by 100mah capacity, but one can handled twice the current due to being designed for a different purpose. Throw other manufacturers in mix and a 3000mah high amp battery will outlast a 3400mah low amp battery in a high draw light. You can neuter a good light with a crap battery. I've also seen first hand an ultrafire "4000mah" vent during charging and that will change your opinion on crap batteries.

I personally will take an efficient well designed light that performs. Rather than a poorly designed light that needs more batteries and more leds in a larger body just to come close in output. Not all chinese lights suck. But they are not consistent even lot to lot. Even crap chinese brands can produce good lights when designed right. Manker lights suck, but the blf manker a5 is a good $25 light. There was a lot of R&D time spent. Same goes for all their other project lights they have group buys on once produced. They are not for the faint of heart though.

 

[FrankT]

yes Really, you are making a light much too difficult. I want to see in the night with a light all of them do that. When I can see and ID a hog 250yds away or light up an entire house or 2 with my lights that is good enough for me.

 

[Slackwolf]

yes Really, you are making a light much too difficult. I want to see in the night with a light all of them do that. When I can see and ID a hog 250yds away or light up an entire house or 2 with my lights that is good enough for me.

My first response was pretty simply put. A few reputable moderately priced brands, a forum to browse for more info, and a place to purchase that does not carry crap. There are a few overpriced poor performing name brand lights out there. Surefire is one of them. Still quality builds, but poor performers for the price.

Saying they are all the same because they all light up is bad information..... Almost as bad as the lumen output claims. Just because you throw crap cells in a good light and it lights up the same as a chinese light doesn't make them equal. Sounds like they fit the bill for you though.

 

[Mozella]

yes Really, you are making a light much too difficult. I want to see in the night with a light all of them do that. When I can see and ID a hog 250yds away or light up an entire house or 2 with my lights that is good enough for me.

I'm with you. Go cheap and buy plenty of them. A flashlight on your night stand is worthless when you're in your car. I've got flashlights everywhere, several per car, nightstand, reloading room, kitchen counter, range bag, kitchen utility drawer, a few in the garage, on my computer desk, camera bag, etc. They all work great, put out a lot of light, and none of them cost very much money.

 

[DaBreeze]

Better get your Asian junk before the Donald gets to DC. We gonna start making all that here.

 

[bobinbusan]

Like we use to :hat:

Better get your Asian junk before the Donald gets to DC. We gonna start making all that here.