Off Topic Flashlights and headlamps?

I have only purchased (2) lights that I depend on for 100% reliability for both hunting and SD in the last 25 years. I prefer small lights. My first was/is a Surefire 6P which is at least 25 years old and has been beaten to death. It has never failed. This made me a big fan of the more expensive lights that are available. Many failures with less expensive lights.

Finding 123 batteries for the Surefire has always been a hassle and I wanted something smaller, brighter, better battery life, and rechargeable from a USB port. About a month ago I purchased a Fenix E30R. It is exactly what I hoped it to be.

There may be many lights out there now that will do the same as the Fenix for a lot less money. But I tried the many lights out there for a lot less money before I purchased the Surefire 25+ years ago and will pay a little more.

I will say the advancement in flashlight technology in the last 25 years is pretty amazing.
 
nettle said:
I have only purchased (2) lights that I depend on for 100% reliability for both hunting and SD in the last 25 years. I prefer small lights. My first was/is a Surefire 6P which is at least 25 years old and has been beaten to death. It has never failed. This made me a big fan of the more expensive lights that are available. Many failures with less expensive lights.

Finding 123 batteries for the Surefire has always been a hassle and I wanted something smaller, brighter, better battery life, and rechargeable from a USB port. About a month ago I purchased a Fenix E30R. It is exactly what I hoped it to be.

There may be many lights out there now that will do the same as the Fenix for a lot less money. But I tried the many lights out there for a lot less money before I purchased the Surefire 25+ years ago and will pay a little more.

I will say the advancement in flashlight technology in the last 25 years is pretty amazing.
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OLIGHT SALE RIGHT NOW!!!!!! HURRY SEEKER 2 PRO Desert Tan 30% off! https://www.olightstore.com/seeker-2-pro-desert-tan.html

I really like Olight, but I don't have a long term track record with them yet. SO, I'm a huge Fenix fan, extremely reliable, great warranty. Which is why I don't buy Budget Light Forums, because they really don't have warranties you can count on. Fenix never leads the pack in brightness, but they are incredibly reliable.

I bought a Fenix E30R about a 6 weeks ago too. Amazing little light. Really nice little EDC light I carry it every day, but like the Olight SR2 Baton II it heats too quickly. Fine if you run it below its 1700 lumen max however and great for an EDC light.

For woods or serious use I'd rather use the brand new Fenix PD36R which I just received. It blows my PD35s, TK16s, and TK20 away. The PD36R is made for long run times. Max 1600 lumens, but will run at 800-640 LUMEN CONTINUOUSLY FOR 6 HOURS STRAIGHT! USB-C and uses 21700 5000MAH battery. Its almost exactly the same size as the PD35, has a similar beam pattern, just brighter and better run times.

I also love the Olight Seeker 2 Pro, higher max output, less throw, lower run time however. I have two now. And I'm done buying lights for a couple years
I'm a big Fenix fan, been using them for years and years, no failures. I like the 18650 battery, and now the 21700, the run times and brightness are fantastic. Many of the 18650 lights can also use two CR123 instead.

CR123 bats can be bought for as little as a $1 at Battery Junction, but I like the 18650s, they stay charged for a long long time. I recharge the unused ones once or twice a year. Amazing.

FOR REALLY GOOD PRICES ON HIGH QUALITY 18650 batteries go to ORBTRONICS and buy their branded 3400 MaH batteries, they are based on the best 18650 which is Panasonic. I've have 14 of these and they have been EXCELLENT.

I also love Eneloop for AA and AAA. AWESOME BATTERIES.
 
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nettle said:
I have only purchased (2) lights that I depend on for 100% reliability for both hunting and SD in the last 25 years. I prefer small lights. My first was/is a Surefire 6P which is at least 25 years old and has been beaten to death. It has never failed. This made me a big fan of the more expensive lights that are available. Many failures with less expensive lights.

Finding 123 batteries for the Surefire has always been a hassle and I wanted something smaller, brighter, better battery life, and rechargeable from a USB port. About a month ago I purchased a Fenix E30R. It is exactly what I hoped it to be.

There may be many lights out there now that will do the same as the Fenix for a lot less money. But I tried the many lights out there for a lot less money before I purchased the Surefire 25+ years ago and will pay a little more.

I will say the advancement in flashlight technology in the last 25 years is pretty amazing.
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Surefire is excellent, You can buy a replacement Malkoff (https://malkoffdevices.com/) head for you 6P to bring it up to date. And you can get good discounts on CR123 batteries at Battery Junction. I have a couple of Surefire Scout lights for rifles which I rely on.

If you get the itch to buy a second light get the Olight on sale or go to the fenix-store and click on the 20% discount. fenixlighting has the same discount. I really like the Fenix PD36R. The PD35s are nice too.
 
ScottsBad said:
OLIGHT SALE RIGHT NOW!!!!!! HURRY SEEKER 2 PRO Desert Tan 30% off! https://www.olightstore.com/seeker-2-pro-desert-tan.html
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Hey Scottsbad, Olight is definitely quality I've got an SR BatonII from them which was meant to be my go to light. Easy to charge, small and light for an 18650, but I rarely end up grabbing it outside the apartment. It has a very large clean spot but no real spill. Kind of like a stage light. However I did take advantage of the free I3E EOS Desert Tan deal they have running. Looks great and free with 5 dollar shipping. Anyone here reading this should check it out.
 
Also, speaking of flashlights/headlamps. A bit ago I asked on Budgetlightforums for recommendations for a great high CRI headlamp to grill at night with. Finally I found a Fireflies PL47 L-shape with 4 sst-20 4000k emitters running on a 21700. I am so excited for this to get here. Cooking steak and burgers at night some flashlights can wash out color and I want to pull off the bloody steak and leave on the pink chicken!!
 
nydude said:
Also, speaking of flashlights/headlamps. A bit ago I asked on Budgetlightforums for recommendations for a great high CRI headlamp to grill at night with. Finally I found a Fireflies PL47 L-shape with 4 sst-20 4000k emitters running on a 21700. I am so excited for this to get here. Cooking steak and burgers at night some flashlights can wash out color and I want to pull off the bloody steak and leave on the pink chicken!!
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I'd like to hear more about this when you get it. Haven't tried any of the SST-20's yet, but ordered another FW3A with that emitter that should ship this week. I also should receive 10 loose sst-20's soon. Might try to do a swap and put one in my Skilhunt H03.
 
nydude said:
Hey Scottsbad, Olight is definitely quality I've got an SR BatonII from them which was meant to be my go to light. Easy to charge, small and light for an 18650, but I rarely end up grabbing it outside the apartment. It has a very large clean spot but no real spill. Kind of like a stage light. However I did take advantage of the free I3E EOS Desert Tan deal they have running. Looks great and free with 5 dollar shipping. Anyone here reading this should check it out.
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I got that Seeker 2 Pro when it was on special last time and it's awesome! I also got a couple of those PL-Pro Valkyrie Weapon Lights and they are perfect for the nightstand guns!

Olight makes great stuff and they are pretty much my go to but there are a lot of great inexpensive lights out there.

I also got the I3E EOS for the $5 shipping. Thanks for posting that! :thumbsup::cool:

It is a great time to be alive!
 
nydude said:
Hey Scottsbad, Olight is definitely quality I've got an SR BatonII from them which was meant to be my go to light. Easy to charge, small and light for an 18650, but I rarely end up grabbing it outside the apartment. It has a very large clean spot but no real spill. Kind of like a stage light. However I did take advantage of the free I3E EOS Desert Tan deal they have running. Looks great and free with 5 dollar shipping. Anyone here reading this should check it out.
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Yeah, I like the Olight stuff (gave my wife the BatonII for her purse), but I haven't been using Olight as long as the Fenix stuff. Lately, between the Olight sales (also got a couple freebees this order) and the Fenix ongoing 20% off, I've picked up 7 lights not including the freebees. Also, I just ordered the new Fenix headlamp.

I ended up giving my kids two PD35s and two older TK21s. It was just time for a refresh.

I really like my Seeker II Pro, but I gotta tell ya, I like the Fenix PD36R a little better even thought the user interface isn't as good. Both 21700 lights.

I had originally ordered the Klarus XT21? 21700 light, but they were taking forever to ship so I cancelled. Its a physically bigger and brighter light, but it didn't have the best run time profile at all brightness levels.
 
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nydude said:
Also, speaking of flashlights/headlamps. A bit ago I asked on Budgetlightforums for recommendations for a great high CRI headlamp to grill at night with. Finally I found a Fireflies PL47 L-shape with 4 sst-20 4000k emitters running on a 21700. I am so excited for this to get here. Cooking steak and burgers at night some flashlights can wash out color and I want to pull off the bloody steak and leave on the pink chicken!!
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Nice, I love the idea of a 21700 headlamp. I just don't want to mess with anything I have to spend too much time researching or that I cannot send back. So I did just buy this new Fenix HM65R headlamp the other day. Its a bit lighter and looks less clunky for its capacity compared to my HL60R Hasn't arrived yet. Fenix HM65R.jpg

This brand new light has a magnesium body, dual lights (flood and spot), a new ventilated headband, and good run times using 18650. Also 20% off. Headband design and comfort are important to me and I've found Fenix to work well for me. Grippy without being uncomfortable. YMMV IMHO No, I don't work for Fenix LOL.

I have multiples of Fenix headlamps for the family, HL60R (a tank), HM50R, HL50, and some older ones.
 
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ScottsBad said:
OLIGHT SALE RIGHT NOW!!!!!! HURRY SEEKER 2 PRO Desert Tan 30% off! https://www.olightstore.com/seeker-2-pro-desert-tan.html

I really like Olight, but I don't have a long term track record with them yet. SO, I'm a huge Fenix fan, extremely reliable, great warranty. Which is why I don't buy Budget Light Forums, because they really don't have warranties you can count on. Fenix never leads the pack in brightness, but they are incredibly reliable.

I bought a Fenix E30R about a 6 weeks ago too. Amazing little light. Really nice little EDC light I carry it every day, but like the Olight SR2 Baton II it heats too quickly. Fine if you run it below its 1700 lumen max however and great for an EDC light.

For woods or serious use I'd rather use the brand new Fenix PD36R which I just received. It blows my PD35s, TK16s, and TK20 away. The PD36R is made for long run times. Max 1600 lumens, but will run at 800-640 LUMEN CONTINUOUSLY FOR 6 HOURS STRAIGHT! USB-C and uses 21700 5000MAH battery. Its almost exactly the same size as the PD35, has a similar beam pattern, just brighter and better run times.

I also love the Olight Seeker 2 Pro, higher max output, less throw, lower run time however. I have two now. And I'm done buying lights for a couple years
I'm a big Fenix fan, been using them for years and years, no failures. I like the 18650 battery, and now the 21700, the run times and brightness are fantastic. Many of the 18650 lights can also use two CR123 instead.

CR123 bats can be bought for as little as a $1 at Battery Junction, but I like the 18650s, they stay charged for a long long time. I recharge the unused ones once or twice a year. Amazing.

FOR REALLY GOOD PRICES ON HIGH QUALITY 18650 batteries go to ORBTRONICS and buy their branded 3400 MaH batteries, they are based on the best 18650 which is Panasonic. I've have 14 of these and they have been EXCELLENT.

I also love Eneloop for AA and AAA. AWESOME BATTERIES.
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Scottsbad,

Your detailed reply very much appreciated. I wanted a good quality EDC light as small as possible and the E30R works well for that. The E30R has more of a flood beam than a focused beam. The Surefire 6p has the focusing ability.

The Fenix PD36R looks very nice. I am kind of hung up on Fenix cause during my CCW training and CCW self defense training all the instructors recommended Fenix.

How long will a Fenix 18650 rechargeable last? Seems like they stay charge forever and I now have two of them.
 
nettle said:
Scottsbad,

Your detailed reply very much appreciated. I wanted a good quality EDC light as small as possible and the E30R works well for that. The E30R has more of a flood beam than a focused beam. The Surefire 6p has the focusing ability.

The Fenix PD36R looks very nice. I am kind of hung up on Fenix cause during my CCW training and CCW self defense training all the instructors recommended Fenix.

How long will a Fenix 18650 rechargeable last? Seems like they stay charge forever and I now have two of them.
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Depends on the light, but I've found that I have never run one completely out of battery. Even the older ones have pretty good run times. But, I'm sort of conservative with my use, I run my lights on adequate light most of the time, preferring to conserve battery, and only using bright light when I need to. The advantage of the longer running lights is that I don't have to be as conservative. So, if you like a lot of light, the bigger battery makes a difference.

If you are not near a power source for several days you will still be fine with 18650 lights if you are conservative and watch the battery indicator. Alternatively, simply buy a spare battery and keep it charged.

If I am out by myself, I don't run super bright, but if I'm with others walking on a trail I run bright. The other thing is that if you share your flashlight a second battery is a good idea.

I am excited about the 21700 powered flashlights, because I can forget about a spare battery and avoid battery power anxiety HAHAHA. But the 18650 lights will serve you well. I have several that I rely on, I'm just a periodic flash-aholic. 18650 lights are lighter weight, smaller, batteries more common, and all the bugs are worked out.

I remember the days when the best light was a 2-4 D cell Maglight with a Zenon bulb. We've come a super long way from that.
 
HDS Systems are my favorite EDC flashlight. I have carried one everyday for several years, mostly a rotary with a Nichia 219B LED. My most recent purchase was a rotary with the Nichia 219C High Noon LED. I have 5 of them now. They are spendy but there is no tougher EDC flashlight IMO. I also have several Surefires, many with Malkoff upgrades, several Malkoff flashlights and one tough as nails Elzetta. Flashlights are nearly as addictive as guns and knives.

 
Wow. Tons of great info here. Thanks guys. You all made me realize that I haven't bought a new light in a while. Never had a rechargeable setup, always just carried lots spare batteries. Think I am gonna go rechargeable this time. Will most likely be a Fenix as I have always had good luck with their stuff.

Garth
 
You can't go wrong with Fenix or Olight. I just received my free ($5 shipping) i3e EOS Olight and it is a super cool little light! It's barely bigger than a AAA battery
 
Yup that Olight came in. Really nice little light. It's at the bottom. More brown than desert, but very cool.
Zt1F3KN.jpg
 
Unkillable lights aside from surefire would be Arymtek or Fenix. Avoid the crap with built in usb chargers 99% of those lights flooding the market with build in chargers cant's get wet or survive a 5ft drop without insta killing it.
 
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