Best 700+ lumen flashlight for $100-150 ???

hoopster

hoopster

Joined
Jan 12, 2007
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If this has already been discussed could someone please provide a link.
Otherwise, I already have good flashlights under 300 lumens but now I'm looking for a serious light 700 lumens and up. The brighter the better but I would like to keep it under $150.
I checked out the Fenix TK35 and an ITP A6 polestar but would love to hear other options.
 
I have the Fenix TK40 and like it a lot. It has four levels of brightness plus four strobe modes. Not too big, I can put it in my back pocket when wearing jeans. Check out Going gears web site, he has videos of several flashlights in this brightness range.

Bruceter
 
The single die SST-50 is what you want.

4Sevens is going to be releasing a model called the S12. It only have a low 250ish Lumen mode and a Maximum 800Lumen mode. Keep in mind that Lumens are not Lumens between brands, some brands use Manufacturer data sheets to judge the brightness of their lights.
 
I recently purchased the Fenix TK45 and I am thoroughly impressed with the overall build quality of it, the UI and the output. The thing is literally like having a car headlight in your hand and it runs of 8xAAs. Some see that as a fault however I like it. Great light with usable levels of output! :thumbup:
 
What would you be using the light for? Do you want more flood or more throw?
 
TheGame said:
What would you be using the light for? Do you want more flood or more throw?
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Ideally I'd like a good balance of the two but definitely don't want all throw with no flood. Therefore, I should probably say I lean towards flood.
Like Hammerface eluded to, I'd like to be able to light things up like a car headlight.
 
Bruceter said:
I have the Fenix TK40 and like it a lot. It has four levels of brightness plus four strobe modes. Not too big, I can put it in my back pocket when wearing jeans. Check out Going gears web site, he has videos of several flashlights in this brightness range.

Bruceter
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+1 :thumbup:

The TK40 is amazing. Its strobe modes are great, and it retains the last mode so that you don't have to cycle through all of them each time you turn it on. As stated, it's a reasonable size and not very heavy. The big selling point for me was that it took AA batteries. I hate rechargeables, since they never seem to be recharged when I need them. CR123 batteries get to be expensive (even at the discount places). It is a great package, and Fenix is a trustworthy brand. My two cents...

- Mark
 
I have the TK35 and TK 40 (and plenty of others). As between those two, I much prefer the TK35 for a couple of reasons. Its considerably smaller, which is groovy, but its so much easier to remove and charge two 18650 batteries in the TK35 as opposed to 8 AAs in the TK40. (I use rechargeables where ever possible). The user interface is preferable in the TK35 as well (IMO). If I go for a while without using the TK40, it can be difficult to remember the different mode functions with the single button on the TK40.

I took both outside just now, and to my eyeballs the TK35 is noticeably brighter on turbo output. I don't think I am imagining things. It could be that the TK35 has a smooth reflector, compared to the TK40's orange peel.

I have also heard at candlepowerforums, though I have not confirmed, that the TK40 has a slow drain on the batteries when not in use. For that reason, I leave the tail unscrewed to disrupt the circuit.

So on my scorecard, the TK35 beats the TK40. Its an awesome light. But it is very subjective and others may have a different opinion.

Its ok if they are wrong. :thumbup:
 
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Bored surefire 6P, 1X 18650, XM-L T6 drop in from KD = atleast 600+ OTF lumens, handheld with about 1hour runtime. Get the single mode run if you're not a fan of a million clicks going through disco mode and other annoying modes.
 
Roger999 said:
Bored surefire 6P, 1X 18650, XM-L T6 drop in from KD = atleast 600+ OTF lumens, handheld with about 1hour runtime. Get the single mode run if you're not a fan of a million clicks going through disco mode and other annoying modes.
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You're looking at a single celled light that eats batteries like a fat kid eats cake

It definitely will not get 1hour runtime.
 
I'd look at the TK40, or possibly 35. I haven't handled a TK35, but I have the TK40. It is a floody light, and should suit your needs well.
 
Fenix really makes a good product? i was kind of talked out of them as being kinda cheap chinese made lights? I like my surefires and have an Inova Inforce but they all eat batteries like crazy!
 
I love my Olight M30, it's much smaller than any other 700 lumen light I've seen. Throw is plenty for me, but I guess it's not a specialty of the light. 8, 120, and 700 lumens. Also a strobe setting, I use two 18500 rechargeable batteries.

EDIT: Actually Olight just came out with the M31 not long ago... $150, 800 lumens, much better thrower apparently.

http://www.batteryjunction.com/olight-m31-triton.html

I may have to buy one :(
 
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Striderco said:
Fenix really makes a good product? i was kind of talked out of them as being kinda cheap chinese made lights? I like my surefires and have an Inova Inforce but they all eat batteries like crazy!
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Fenix lights are great. My next light purchase may be a TK50, one of my next 2-3 for sure. (One of the new ThruNites, and a couple 4sevens on my list)
 
I do know that Fenix makes great lights. I'm really leaning towards the TK35 out of all the suggestions so far. It will still be awhile before I can fund this purchase so I'll keep researching some of these other options.
My brightest light so far is a Surefire G2 with a 5 mode LED drop in. Not really sure the Lumens, (probably between 200-270) but it's pretty bright for it's size. Seems to have quite a bit more throw than flood though.
 
Fenix are great lights. But I had one just go belly up and was out the money. My son works for a retailer who sells them - sells a lot of them. He couldn't even get anyone from the distributor or manufacturer to return his email or phone call to talk to about replacement, repair, or nothing. We tried for months and gave up.

He can place an order for more lights for his store but no customer service to talk about issues or discrepencies.

But I guess there is karma as the distributor a year later gave my son's business a new model as a demo. When my son called and emailed for six months to discuss about returning it and/or to be able to purchase it (for me) he never heard back from them. That was three years ago. So I'm borrowing that light now until the day the distributor says he wants it back. Finally my son decided to drop the Fenix line.

The morale of this story from my little ol perspective...they're a good light, they're not cheap, and if they die you just as well count on it being a disposible light - unless your resources are better than mine!

Now on another note...years ago, back in real early 1990's, I bought a new fangled light from a company called Laser Products and they had this brand new 6P flashlight that rocked the tactical world. I still have it. Now they have morphed into Surefire and have a gazzilion lights. They contacted me personally after I registered my light for the warrentee and asked my opinion about the light. I gave them some feedback and as a result they created their second model (back in the 90's) called the Z6. They even sent me three Z6 free of charge for my input (one for me, the wife and the son - but dang not for the dog). They're service and support has been stellar in my opinion. Yea their stuff is probably made in China now but at least I can call someone and get immedate assistance.

Now regarding brightness...everythign is a tradeoff. More brighter = less run time. More run time = less brightness. BUT as one's eyes adjust to the night you don't need as much brightness (Lumens) and the brighter the light the more it compromises one's night vision (eye sight not technology). Other than wanting a brighter light for the CDI factor and to impress your friends you've gotta weight the +/-.
 
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Quirt said:
Fenix are great lights. But I had one just go belly up and was out the money. My son works for a retailer who sells them - sells a lot of them. He couldn't even get anyone from the distributor or manufacturer to return his email or phone call to talk to about replacement, repair, or nothing. We tried for months and gave up.

He can place an order for more lights for his store but no customer service to talk about issues or discrepencies.

But I guess there is karma as the distributor a year later gave my son's business a new model as a demo. When my son called and emailed for six months to discuss about returning it and/or to be able to purchase it (for me) he never heard back from them. That was three years ago. So I'm borrowing that light now until the day the distributor says he wants it back.

The morale of this story...they're a good light, they're not cheap, and if they die you just as well count on it being a disposible light - unless your resources are better than mine!
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I've had a $25 ITP go belly up also. I just figured it wasn't worth the trouble to get it looked at. That's not good news about Fenix customer service. Do you know how old the light was when it quit?
 
That's a fine light, but think of it as having three flashlights screwed together. Yes it will look brighter but it'll be a throw-less light, since the reflectors are so small
 
xtestifyx said:
That's a fine light, but think of it as having three flashlights screwed together. Yes it will look brighter but it'll be a throw-less light, since the reflectors are so small
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I wondered about the reflector size. I also figured you have 12 volts split between 3 LED's vs 12v going to one LED in the TK35. I guess that could be irrelevant depending on the circuit.
 
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