Best flashlight for like 200 dollar?

[GBD]

If you want a good bright light with lots of throw and if your budget is 200$..

I have to say, you really can't go wrong with an SST-90 build with some aspherics.

This way you will get your brightness (9A should give you 2200lm - 2300lm) and once properly focused with an aspheric, it will give you a square beam with very far throw.

probably my favorite setup so far with flashlights. XM-Ls are good too, but I find them alot more handy as flood lights, thier throw is pretty piss poor in comparison to the luminus series of SST-50s/90s. The XM-L does decent throw under aspherics, but once again, it won't match an SST.
If the TK45 left you unimpressed... TBH, an XM-L won't impress you much either.

LEDs aside. do what proto said, and grab yourself a good 35W-50W HID. You will not be dissapointed.
I suppose either way is to go.

EDIT: 473'd post

 

[steviedezie]

Just because a sst-90 can handle 9A doesnt mean we HAVE to put that much into it. For good battery life, 6-7A will give you very good efficiency and better run times. If you happen to run 32600 batteries, your run time in a 3 D maglite will be at least 1h 30 minute on HIGH. not the full 2200 lumens, but 1700 is pretty damn good, and considering the good throw on a sst, you wouldnt care about the extra 45 minutes of run time from a XM-L.

 

[jayrob]

XM-L T6 in a 2 cell build (32600's) will give 1000 lumens for over 3 hours...

I'm just saying... Smaller build, longer run time. Yes, less lumens. But 1000 lumens is very bright!

With the 3 mode driver I'm using, you can put it on medium if you know you will need it all night. It will run for over 9 hours on medium. (about 380 lumens)

40 hours on low.

Lots of people at Candle Power Forums like it a lot anyway...

 

[steviedezie]

does KD still sell that driver? I noticed they have been sold out of alot of their drivers lately...only a handful in stock...most of which are just x# of amc7135 boards. Theres some folks on CPF that have had good results over driving XM-L's with crappy DX SST-50 drivers, supposedly 4A to the led, but in reality only 3.4A...they say its as bright as sst...i was going to try but that seems a bit risky.

 

[jayrob]

Yes they sell it. It's linked in my thread...

I'd rather stick with 3 Amps. It will actually do 3.1 Amps or so.

I don't want to sell a build that may not last long.

But yeah, for a personal build, might be worth kicking it up for experimental...

 

[borgqueenx]

How much was a total build again jayrob?
And do you include batts and charger?
A hid sounds cool bit its really on the border of being portable. They are soo big!

 

[Lotus_Darkrose]

Jayrob's light WOULD make an amazing camping light, that's for sure.

 

[jayrob]

How much was a total build again jayrob?
And do you include batts and charger?
A hid sounds cool bit its really on the border of being portable. They are soo big!

I can include the batteries and charger if you want. But you may save a few bucks on shipping if you get them direct. The 32600's are at Kaidomain for about $36 dollars a pair. The link to them is in my thread. The charger is at lighthound and the link is also in my thread.

The complete light (without batteries or charger) is $129 plus shipping. But if you also want the voltage monitor, then that is an additional $58 dollars.

So there are options. If you get protected cells, you may not want to get the voltage monitor. Or you may still want it because it is pretty cool...

I just so happened to have found some 5500mAh 32650's on e-bay that have protection. I bought the 6 that he had. I do have 2 available. (once received)

These are for someone who is getting one of my lights. (not selling the batteries by themselves)

Anyway, the 32650's will fit a 2D Mag with only shortening the spring a little. (easy) The tail cap mod I show in my thread is mainly for using 26650's. Because with those, I use a fiberglass sleeve that touches the tail cap. (where the stock spring is fit into) But with the 32650's, you don't need the sleeve. So you can just shorten the spring...

I'm going to sell the pair of 32650's with a solder blob ready on each one for $48 dollars for the pair. (with light)

Anyway, there are some options that will affect the overall price of the build. So just PM me if interested in ordering one!

 

[borgqueenx]

as i can see on the photos(but want to make sure) its a thrower?

 

[jayrob]

as i can see on the photos(but want to make sure) its a thrower?

Yes I would consider it a 'thrower'. But it also has very nice spill...

There are quite a few people on Candle Power Forums that have done comparisons with my build, and other lights that they own.

See some of the comments listed here in this 'feedback post':
FS: 1000 Lumen XM-L T6 Maglite Mod With Voltage Monitor - Parts, or Complete Light!

 

[Lotus_Darkrose]

It will definitely be a great thrower with the rebel reflector. (not that it wouldn't throw pretty well with the stock one.)

 

[jayrob]

That's one of the options for the build. A Rebel reflector...

Several have gotten that option. There is not room for the voltage monitor with the Rebel reflector though.

But yes, you are correct. The stock reflector is still a really nice thrower. My four personal builds all have the stock reflector. (except one of them has an aluminum reflector from KD, but it's throw is similar to the stock reflector)

 

[borgqueenx]

some links to comparisions to other lights would be cool

but you have so many options damn that lol
i have no idea what to buy at your options pack to get the most lumens and good throw. i dont want to lose to much lumen over throw though.

 

[Lotus_Darkrose]

I haven't been on CPF as much as I used to, but after seeing some of those pics from your xm-l I can't stop thinking that I NEED that light for camping now. I like my R2 thrower (HS-802), but the hotspot/beam is so damn tiny, and my Stanley HID isn't that convenient (and sure as hell doesn't last 3 hours).

The problem is money, and my woman complaining about it haha.

 

[jayrob]

I know what you mean about the money thing... I would hate to think what I have tied up in all my laser and flashlight stuff...

some links to comparisions to other lights would be cool

but you have so many options damn that lol
i have no idea what to buy at your options pack to get the most lumens and good throw. i dont want to lose to much lumen over throw though.

I think you can get a good idea from reading the comments in that feedback link that I posted above...

In my opinion, the stock reflector is just fine. Most of the comparisons talked about in those feedback comments are all using the stock reflector. Just a couple of them are the Rebel reflector.

You can save money by not getting the voltage monitor option if you just know to check the voltage of your batteries once in a while. Or I can just make the heatsink if you want to DIY. The thread is laid out in a 'tutorial' type style for do it yourself...

You could also get the single battery 'Stubby' version. In that build, you don't need a voltage monitor. Because the driver I'm using for the 'Stubby', requires a minimum input voltage of 3.2. Which is not a dangerously low voltage for the Li-Ion battery.

Remember too, I do have a pair of protected 32650's that will be available as soon as I receive them...

 

[borgqueenx]

I know what you mean about the money thing... I would hate to think what I have tied up in all my laser and flashlight stuff...





I think you can get a good idea from reading the comments in that feedback link that I posted above...

In my opinion, the stock reflector is just fine. Most of the comparisons talked about in those feedback comments are all using the stock reflector. Just a couple of them are the Rebel reflector.

You can save money by not getting the voltage monitor option if you just know to check the voltage of your batteries once in a while.

Or get the single battery 'Stubby' version. In that build, you don't need a voltage monitor. Because the driver I'm using for the 'Stubby', requires a minimum input voltage of 3.2. Which is not a dangerously low voltage for the Li-Ion battery.

Remember too, I do have a pair of protected 32650's that will be available as soon as I receive them...

what happens if i dont check voltage? will the battery just die and need a recharge or something not-so-nice?

i dont wanna read all those nice feedback. i know your trustworthyness.
i just wanna see a list with comparisions done. and not just 1 flashlight ^^ or it is my fenix TK45.