I’m new to the world of flashlights I own a few Amazon cheap usb-c flashlights and one O-Light that doesn’t get enough love. I’d like to find something that does it all has a decently long battery life and I prefer to keep it under 8” if possible as it will be used for work and going on walks with my gf. My budget isn’t very defined as I don’t know how much a good flashlight should run. I’d ideally like to stay under $150 if possible. I’m looking forward to seeing some decent recs thank you in advance!
Would help if you could narrow it down a bit more. $150 is a really permissive budget for one light, especially when you're not after anything exotic. (I'm an engineer on a cargo ship--my flashlight is probably my most frequently used tool and an essential piece of safety equipment. Most days I carry a Wurkkos FC11C, which costs about $30.)
I really appreciate that! Honestly I’m not really sure what to ask or look for as I just need something I can use for work, I do building maintenance and to take on walks at night with my girl, so it’s more of a safety thing I just need reliable and I honestly thought I’d need a larger budget but I’m glad to see I’m among the right crowd to narrow down not only a great option but well within budget!
No worries! Honestly not sure I'd recommend an FC11C these days. Mine have been great, but they're all a couple years old, and there have been enough complaints more recently that it seems possible their quality control has gotten worse.
The Skilhunt M200 is pretty similar, I'm that it's a smallish, general purpose light with a simple interface, decent runtime and a good balance of throw/flood. It's about twice the cost of the Wurrkos, but also built to a significantly higher quality level.
I will definitely be adding that to the list of great recommendations you guys have shared with me. I will probably be purchasing a few if I can squeeze them into the $150 budget to get a feel for the variety of options.
I have an m21h with a warm tint sft70 and the thing absolutely rules. I got a couple other lenses in case I want a tight beam or a wide beam (they were like a buck apiece). Battery was a selectable option, got something that was like middle of the road for price.
The m21h has a usb port for charging too, I'm not sure about some of the other models
When you say “does it all,” do you mean that you want a thrower with a good amount of usable spill? I’m assuming you don’t want a flood. Also, is onboard charging a dealbreaker for you?
Pardon my ignorance since I don’t know all the lingo i just need a good everyday use flashlight that does a little bit everything well enough. Nothing very specific in particular. Id like a flashlight that can throw a decent distance and a nice illumination without draining the battery immediately.
If you want something more throwy, I’d recommend the M21K with either LHP73B or F150r in 5000k (easier on the eyes at night). I know you’re just starting out so I want to make sure you are aware that battery choices absolutely matter and will affect the output of the LED. If you end up going with convoy, I’d recommend spending a couple extra bucks and getting the Linkdata 65p.
If you’re looking for something floodier, that still packs a punch and has a customisable beam profile, I’d recommend the M21H with LHP73B in 5000k and all the TIR optics to go with it so you can play around and find your favorite. Both have USB-c charging, but the M21H is considerably more pocketable than the M21K, which has a much bulkier head (and is better at dissipating heat).
If you’re more of a tail switch kinda person (will not have USB-c charging), I’d recommend the M21B. I saw that someone recommended a 26650 cell flashlight to you but unfortunately I’d have to advise you against that because the capacity isn’t that much of an upgrade from the 21700 cells, and I’ve heard of some long term battery health issues with 26650 and 26800 cells.
I love convoy flashlights because they’re fantastic quality and inexpensive (and shipping covers tariffs), so I can’t speak to the flashlights from other brands like Fenix or Emisar/Noctigon that I have longed for, but haven’t purchased due to the price. Imo, pick like two and see what you end up liking from each one and why, and then go from there.
Funny enough I have their Seeker model I believe. I love it my only issue is the battery dies a bit too quickly on the high setting and i feel like it doesn’t have enough throw. Would you say the Marauder is a big enough improvement?
The Maurader 3 is absolutely insane. I literally feel like I have the sun in my hand. The seeker 4 pro has a 260m throw. The Maurader 3 has 1000m. And the battery is ginormous. On moonlight mode it would last for 14 months. 14 months.
That is absolutely insane I will definitely be keeping an eye out for it I feel I see them constantly go on sale so I hope I can catch a great deal on tik tok or something thank you!
Most of the time, when people say they want a flashlight that can "do it all", what they're actually meaning is a light that has the least amount of weaknesses. For the most part, a light that can do it all, by definition, cannot do any one thing perfectly, or worse, does everything poorly.
I'll give you an example of a light I think might come close to what you're looking for... Acebeam's Terminator M1 V2, specifically the Nichia 519A 5000k emitter version.
The light has high CRI light in a decently floody beam on one channel. It has an LEP light on the other channel, that zooms in and out with an internal focusing mechanism with a range of a full mile of throw (ANSI rated). And it' has a protected USB-C port, removable 21700 battery, decent IP68 rating for all-weather use, a great user interface that includes shortcuts to 100% output, low moonlight and Strobe. And it even has a red light emitter for insect avoidance and decent night vision preservation. All operated by an efficient driver that gives you the most runtime and stable output from all the emitter options on the light.
It also costs nearly $300... Most people would turn around the moment they see the sticker shock.
It's hard to find a light that can tick off so much, and cost under $100. Not even a more basic one, such as the Fenix LD45R, is cheaper than $120 on sale. Other lights that can give you ancillary options such as UV light or dedicated red, green and blue emitters or a laser all in one body, they typically come in over $100, such as the Acebeam UC25, Loop Gear SK06 or the Arkpro Ultra. And even these lights skimp on a handful of features, such as a sealed non-removable battery, horrible IP-ratings for water/dust ingress protection or a horrendous beam profile or tint as green as Shrek with food poisoning.
Start with the Acebeam Terminator M1 V2 (Nicha 519A 5000K version) and see if you can stomach the cost. If you can't, then check out the Fenix LD45R. And if that's still too high, then check out the Wurkkos TS27 or the Convoy M21H paired with a bevy of emitter options.
Yeah I honestly haven’t been down the rabbit hole too deep but I appreciate your time and educating me with all the options I should be looking at. I think at the moment $300 is a bit much for my current needs but longevity and quality with best bang for the budget are the top of my priority list without knowing how to get more specific.
Well, since you were initially looking for a light that you can use for walking or general purpose, maybe start with a relatively cheap option, such as the Convoy M21H and select the LHP73B 5000K emitter option and add the Reliance RS50 21700 battery. You can also order 1 of each of the different TIRs to try with the light. It comes with the 12-degree TIR by default, but the 3-degree forms a tight fat hotspot that's excellent for outdoor use. And they're so cheap that you would really want one of each to try out. They're very easy to pop in and out.
The light has USB-C port for recharging, uses a TIR optic that forms a decent throwy hotspot (out to 200-300 meters distance) but also throws light out nearly 180-degrees wide in a soft spill, making it nearly perfect for walking around and having good peripheral vision. It all costs less than $40 to boot.
It should give you a somewhat still pocketable general purpose light that has very little weaknesses. Its beam profile will look very similar to this:
You are the second person to suggest this one I believe so I will definitely be looking into it! Honestly the usb c is just ease of use preference but I don’t mind any other form of charging my light.
The port is there really for peace-of-mind. I don't typically use it unless I don't have a choice or I'm on a trip and need to just top off charging on the battery just before taking it out. Normally if you have the time, a good external charger, one that you can control the power/current with to slow-charge it, would be ideal.
Also, in an emergency, you can hook the light directly via USB-C cable to an external power source, such as to a wall outlet/charger or to a battery powerbank, and run the light on almost all modes (except highest) from external power.
(Acebeam L16 2.0 pictured, with battery completely removed, connected via USB-C cable, running completely off of the external powerbank)
Take a look at the Vapcell S4+. It has a handful of other features, such as capacity test, reviving-recharging, storage (3.70V) charging, and temperature sensor, along with the ability to control each channel independently, and customize how much amps each channel can charge (250 milliamps up to 3,000 milliamps for each channel).
My current favorite do-it-all flashlight is the Wurkkos TS28. It uses the large 21700 battery for long run times and has a built-in USB-C charging port. It throws a strong, powerful beam that leans towards throw (spot) but also has lots of good side spill.
It also has an easy to understand operating system and a magnetic tail cap. It fits easily in a jacket pocket and will MOL also fit into a pants/cargo shorts pocket.
I have a blue one (very good color) which is going for $35 incl battery right now. This is an excellent flashlight. I actually have two.
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u/CubistHamster 4h ago
The Arbitrary List of Popular Flashlights is probably a good place to start.
Would help if you could narrow it down a bit more. $150 is a really permissive budget for one light, especially when you're not after anything exotic. (I'm an engineer on a cargo ship--my flashlight is probably my most frequently used tool and an essential piece of safety equipment. Most days I carry a Wurkkos FC11C, which costs about $30.)