Do I need a CREE?

M

maury

Joined
Sep 24, 2000
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Can anyone explain (in simple terms, please) what CREE means? I’ve been looking for a small (single AA) flashlight for travel and keep seeing that designation – usually on more expensive lights.

My current travel light is a Fenix CIVICTOR which doesn’t seem to be made anymore. It has lasted for about 10 years and I just figure it is time to pick up something else.

So: do I now need a CREE?
 
I have a couple of their inexpensive CREE headlamps and they are great. The 3 watt unit will put a square spot on the top of a 300 foot telecom tower that you can read the color codes on the cables with from the ground.
 
I've had lot's of small lights over the years and the Fenix LD20 is FANTASTIC! I like it better than lights I've paid twice as much for.
 
The LD20 will change your life, women from multiple ethnic baqckgrounds will want to mate with you... if you only want single AA, get the LD10 or LD01...
 
Smokinape said:
The LD20 will change your life, women from multiple ethnic baqckgrounds will want to mate with you... if you only want single AA, get the LD10 or LD01...
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LOL,I have to hide my LD20 just to get a break.:eek:One HECK of a light!:D:thumbup:
 
Bought a pack of three identical flashlights from Costco, LumenMaster or something. Cost 18 bucks for the pack, and they claim 160 lumens using the Cree bulbs. They are the brightest handheld flashlight I've seen. Including stupid expensive surefires. Cree bulbs put out an incredible amount of light per watt, but they gobble up batteries.
 
Haze240 said:
Bought a pack of three identical flashlights from Costco, LumenMaster or something. Cost 18 bucks for the pack, and they claim 160 lumens using the Cree bulbs. They are the brightest handheld flashlight I've seen. Including stupid expensive surefires. Cree bulbs put out an incredible amount of light per watt, but they gobble up batteries.
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I think I may have bought the same ones from Costco, but I got mine for $15. They had them marked down from the $18 so I bought two packs. They have the CREE bulbs which I know are good and for $5 bucks a light you can't go wrong. Does anyone have any feedback on these lights. I know they are probably not as good as all the big names, but again for the price they were too hard to pass up.

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I put CREE upgrade kits in my 3D and mini maglites and they are well worth the price.
The mini is more than the 3D was and the 3D is closer to car headlight.
 
I find Cree to be just a name to describe that it in fact is a quality product

Not to be mistaken, there are good, great and even better Cree LED Emitters

I would not buy a Light that is advertised with Cree unless I know which one it is, it's like buying a BMW but not knowing if it's the brand new model or a used 25 year old one
 
I have gone through some of the costco lights, good value but not very durable.... light flicker and tail caps swotchs wear out...

I keep them in the cars and garage as backups to my edc lights...
 
The Civictor V1 used a Lumileds Luxeon 1 LED. Current Cree-based flashlights mostly use the Cree XP-G LED which is more than 2x as efficient (probably more like 2.5-3x). This efficiency translates to (more modern) flashlights being several times brighter than your current Civictor V1.

You might enjoy the 4sevens Quark MiNi AA as a replacement for your Civictor V1.
 
Cree are an Led manufacturer,the emitters seem to increase in efficiency and output accordingley-P1,Q2,Q3,Q5,R2 and all those inbetween.I love my AAA and AA Fenix flashlights,but there are a lot of very good manufacurers out there eg Maratac ant Quark.
 
maury said:
Can anyone explain (in simple terms, please) what CREE means? I’ve been looking for a small (single AA) flashlight for travel and keep seeing that designation – usually on more expensive lights.

My current travel light is a Fenix CIVICTOR which doesn’t seem to be made anymore. It has lasted for about 10 years and I just figure it is time to pick up something else.

So: do I now need a CREE?
Click to expand...

“Cree is a market-leading innovator of lighting-class LEDs, LED lighting, and semiconductor solutions for wireless and power applications.” (from their web site)

baldtaco-II said:
Cree is a bulb manufacturer - A darn good one too, but the bulbs turn up in lamps from humble to silly expensive and all sorts in between.

http://www.cree.com/about/overview.asp
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If you call a "bulb" anything that emits light then yes, however LED (light emitting diode) has a radically different concept than an incandescent bulb.

Smokinape said:
The LD20 will change your life, women from multiple ethnic baqckgrounds will want to mate with you... if you only want single AA, get the LD10 or LD01...
Click to expand...

Only if you carry it in your pant’s front pocket, due to it’s longer size and pronounced shape they may mistaken it for something else :)

metalfof said:
Cree are an Led manufacturer,the emitters seem to increase in efficiency and output accordingley-P1,Q2,Q3,Q5,R2 and all those inbetween.I love my AAA and AA Fenix flashlights,but there are a lot of very good manufacurers out there eg Maratac ant Quark.
Click to expand...

There are also recent R4 and R5 editions.
 
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