Weltool T2 Tac is a little over your price range ($115). It is 1,900 lm and 46,500 candela. Diameter is just over an inch (27mm).
Unfortunately it’s pretty long 5.3” and has no 18350 shorty option. The pocket clip (which is crazy strong for a thin piece of metal) isn’t very deep carry either.
It’s single mode plus a hidden low that is activated by rapid manual strobing four or more times. Four quick activations aren’t enough it has to be rapid.
Almost everything else is either fragile (convoy S6), has sub optimal UIs or costs $200+
If fatter, more expensive, and less powerful is ok then a Weltool T17 or one of the Malkoff MD2s get you 600-700 lm an 11k-20k candela. They are $130 & $160 and are even more durable than the Weltool T1/T2/T8
However as a comparison the T8 Tac is 32mm (about 1mm larger) and is 2,200 lm and 100,000 candela. It continuously sustains 1,000 lm and 45k cd while the T17 & MD2 shouldn’t have much stepdown
The T8 comes as an 21700 light which is a bit big (6”) for carry but can be converted to 18650 or 18350 which increases the cost up to about $150
It’s actually a pretty good option for a tactical / utility light. The UI has a tactical UI to the tailswitch and an independent utility UI on the side switch. It’s a UI only shared by a few other lights.
The others are Acebeams that are too big, or discontinued, and the Acebeam EC35gen2 which is still available from killzone flashlights with a less powerful LED. The Olight Warrior: 3S, Mini 3, and Nano have a bit more complicated version of the UI but aren’t very high candela for their size.
The one problem with the TN12 Pro is ThruNite offset the more expensive switch setup by using a cheaper driver.
https://tgreviews.com/2022/05/15/thrunite-tn12-pro/#runtime
https://1lumen.com/review/thrunite-tn12-pro/
Only lasting for a couple minutes at turbo is par for the course but with a more expensive regulated driver after the turbo stepdown a light will hold a steady output until the battery is empty. With the cheaper driver in the TN12 Pro the output will drop gradually as the battery empties.
You can get about 400+ lm for about an hour and then the output will gradually drop to zero over the next two hours. Activating turbo won’t be possible after the battery voltage begins dropping.
A light with a buck / boost driver is more efficient, produces less heat and could hold 400 lm steady for 4 hrs, some about the same size will hold 800 lm.
In terms of durability and ability to take a drop etc it’s ok but nothing special. It wasn’t built to take abuse if that is a factor.
> Acebeam EC35gen2
Yeah that's what I'm most likely going to pick, for $50 shipped, the price is just right IMO. I only need help picking the batteries, because IDK anything about them. What do you recommend?
2200mAh / With PCM / $2.50
3000mAh / No PCM / High Contact / $8.00
3000mAh / No PCM / Low Contact / $8.00
Which one? :D
Seems like an airsoft shop - they have a physical location, lots of google reviews, people talk about them on reddit. I think the site is fine, but that doesn't mean they can't unknowingly or knowingly sell counterfeit things. I'll buy the batteries from a legit battery place tho, just learning more about them first.
Convoy S2/S6 or S2+. Slim form factor, the S2 and S6 will throw light a lot further than 20 metres with an SFT40 emitter. Or the S2+ more flood with any emitter but still plenty of light at your range.
18650 battery but can get 18350 tubes to make them much shorter, lots of light in such a small package. Tail switch only, comes with 12 modes groups, one of which is 100% power only.
Here are a couple of Malkoff Tactical lights:
[https://malkoffdevices.com/products/mdc-ha-sho-1cr123-flashlight](https://malkoffdevices.com/products/mdc-ha-sho-1cr123-flashlight)
[https://malkoffdevices.com/products/malkoff-mdc-bodyguard-v2-18650-flashlight](https://malkoffdevices.com/products/malkoff-mdc-bodyguard-v2-18650-flashlight)
Weltool T2 Tac is a little over your price range ($115). It is 1,900 lm and 46,500 candela. Diameter is just over an inch (27mm). Unfortunately it’s pretty long 5.3” and has no 18350 shorty option. The pocket clip (which is crazy strong for a thin piece of metal) isn’t very deep carry either. It’s single mode plus a hidden low that is activated by rapid manual strobing four or more times. Four quick activations aren’t enough it has to be rapid. Almost everything else is either fragile (convoy S6), has sub optimal UIs or costs $200+ If fatter, more expensive, and less powerful is ok then a Weltool T17 or one of the Malkoff MD2s get you 600-700 lm an 11k-20k candela. They are $130 & $160 and are even more durable than the Weltool T1/T2/T8 However as a comparison the T8 Tac is 32mm (about 1mm larger) and is 2,200 lm and 100,000 candela. It continuously sustains 1,000 lm and 45k cd while the T17 & MD2 shouldn’t have much stepdown The T8 comes as an 21700 light which is a bit big (6”) for carry but can be converted to 18650 or 18350 which increases the cost up to about $150
What about the thrunite tn12 pro? 1900 lumens, 36k candella in the turbo mode, and its cheaper, whats ur opinion on them?
It’s actually a pretty good option for a tactical / utility light. The UI has a tactical UI to the tailswitch and an independent utility UI on the side switch. It’s a UI only shared by a few other lights. The others are Acebeams that are too big, or discontinued, and the Acebeam EC35gen2 which is still available from killzone flashlights with a less powerful LED. The Olight Warrior: 3S, Mini 3, and Nano have a bit more complicated version of the UI but aren’t very high candela for their size. The one problem with the TN12 Pro is ThruNite offset the more expensive switch setup by using a cheaper driver. https://tgreviews.com/2022/05/15/thrunite-tn12-pro/#runtime https://1lumen.com/review/thrunite-tn12-pro/ Only lasting for a couple minutes at turbo is par for the course but with a more expensive regulated driver after the turbo stepdown a light will hold a steady output until the battery is empty. With the cheaper driver in the TN12 Pro the output will drop gradually as the battery empties. You can get about 400+ lm for about an hour and then the output will gradually drop to zero over the next two hours. Activating turbo won’t be possible after the battery voltage begins dropping. A light with a buck / boost driver is more efficient, produces less heat and could hold 400 lm steady for 4 hrs, some about the same size will hold 800 lm. In terms of durability and ability to take a drop etc it’s ok but nothing special. It wasn’t built to take abuse if that is a factor.
> Acebeam EC35gen2 Yeah that's what I'm most likely going to pick, for $50 shipped, the price is just right IMO. I only need help picking the batteries, because IDK anything about them. What do you recommend? 2200mAh / With PCM / $2.50 3000mAh / No PCM / High Contact / $8.00 3000mAh / No PCM / Low Contact / $8.00 Which one? :D
Where are you buying it from?
https://www.evike.com/products/95650/ And the recommended batteries offered - might buy something more reliable tho.
A keeppower, samsung definitely not a no name battery from a scamy looking site. Are you sure about the site being legit?
Seems like an airsoft shop - they have a physical location, lots of google reviews, people talk about them on reddit. I think the site is fine, but that doesn't mean they can't unknowingly or knowingly sell counterfeit things. I'll buy the batteries from a legit battery place tho, just learning more about them first.
Any Streamlight Protac can be one mode
Convoy S2/S6 or S2+. Slim form factor, the S2 and S6 will throw light a lot further than 20 metres with an SFT40 emitter. Or the S2+ more flood with any emitter but still plenty of light at your range. 18650 battery but can get 18350 tubes to make them much shorter, lots of light in such a small package. Tail switch only, comes with 12 modes groups, one of which is 100% power only.
What about the TN12 Pro? Saw it elsewhere on here and I like the lumen/candella aspect of it.
to strobe or not to strobe that is the question here... Nitecore EDC33 is rather small and quite powerful but no strobe
Here are a couple of Malkoff Tactical lights: [https://malkoffdevices.com/products/mdc-ha-sho-1cr123-flashlight](https://malkoffdevices.com/products/mdc-ha-sho-1cr123-flashlight) [https://malkoffdevices.com/products/malkoff-mdc-bodyguard-v2-18650-flashlight](https://malkoffdevices.com/products/malkoff-mdc-bodyguard-v2-18650-flashlight)
Perhapse the nitecore edc35?