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What is your ideal pointer host size?


  • Total voters
    22





Darktron

Active member
Joined
Dec 9, 2018
Messages
133
Points
43
My favorite is 21700 battery sized due to the ammount of power that can be drawn from single battery and capacity in it aswell best all rounder for the size.
 

loreadarkshade

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2020
Messages
337
Points
63
Totoally agree, my all-time favorite host is the Convoy M21B which I use in my "Eos" series
Small but powerful
18650 just aint enough
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
139
Points
28
What I personally want more of are quality low-ish power (5mW to 50mW) pen-style lasers with tailcap buttons (the side buttons on pen-style hosts break too easily and feel cheap). My favorite example is the Z-Bolt BTE-4S (pictured below) but what I really want is that same style in a <50mW blue.

IMG_1649.jpgIMG_1650.jpg

The Sanwu Pocket seems to check most of those boxes for me (wouldn't mind it a little longer though). But just wish they had more low-ish power options. I do plan on buying their 3 new 10mW DPSS ones, but haven't just yet.

(edit: pictures)
 
Last edited:

Ears and Eggs

0
Staff member
LPF Site Supporter
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
Messages
2,883
Points
113
I really like the pen style hosts, they are just such a classic. First red and first green laser I ever owned were pens with side button. As was said though, some of these are really cheaply made these days and the button feels bad and sometimes breaks, so would be great to get a really good quality one with a bunch of the newer diodes and DPSS modules in it. Like back in the day when CNI had the classic black and gold with a whole bunch of different power options and wavelengths.



LaserGlow used to have the golden Lyra, but that seems to have gone now too. Would be sweet to have it back or something similar with a good quality mechanism with more wavelength and power options.


Gold-Lyra-1.jpg
 
Joined
Jan 13, 2011
Messages
139
Points
28
I wouldn't mind a side button if it had a shelf for the driver/button PCB or something to similar effect. But so many of these are just free-floating PCBs inside the tube and if the buttons don't break, then it's the diode pins that snap off...

Even then, though, 1 of my 4 Laserglow Anser/Libra pens has button issues and they have a shelf. The button clicks but doesn't actually close the circuit unless I push it really hard. So you still need a really good quality button switch.
(edit: double-checked the issue with my pen)
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 12, 2013
Messages
751
Points
43
Thank you @loreadarkshade for running this! My favourite and definitely most used is the pen style 2xAAA pointers. My ideal pointer is a black leadlight with the Sharp 488nm GH04850B2G. Shoutout to @RA_pierce for the most badass leadlight photo and collection :love: 2nd favourite is 2x21700 for max power :sneaky:

@andrewProgrammer The MXDL 3W host fits your requirements for pen style clicky switch. Or the Microstream Streamlight, @BowtieGuy has done a build with this one.
 

Viruzzz

New member
Joined
Jan 3, 2023
Messages
17
Points
3
Either small like the Sanwu pocket, or large like the Sanwu striker. Although I don't particularly like the look of most of sanwu's lasers, I prefer the anodized black exterior ranther than the polished aliminum, but those two sizes are ideal in my opinion.
 
Joined
Nov 6, 2017
Messages
292
Points
28
Sanwu Guardian 488nm.jpg
My guardian 488nm ^

For me ideal size is 18350 mainly because I have a lot of those batteries lol. But also because its such a nice form factor, also the Jetlasers PL-E Mini because they can fit 2 18350s !!
Smallest hosts like the pocket or laser pens suffer from poor battery life and heat dissipation, and bigger ones are harder to casually carry around, single 18350 size host is balanced right in between.
 




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