What lights to buy?

[dubious speculation]

Thanks livinloud :beer:

The K40vn certainly looks awesome, going up in the budget

How much would you recommend this over a SKR? It is getting a bit on the expensive side but I guess you get what you pay for in terms of quality, the K40vn certainly looks like an absolute beast, quite compact as well

 

[Livinloud]

K40vn is a throwing machine with a good amount of spill. It doesnt touch the SRK in terms of flood but then again the SRK can only be used for 10-15 min on low before it gets too hot to hold (under 5 min on high). Vinh is able to mod pretty much any light you can buy so if you want a certain light built, you can get it sent to him and then modded.

I highly suggest staying away from the SRK since its hit or miss if you will get a good one and 9/10 its not a good one. SRK is wayyyy over rated IMO and for not that much more you can get way better. Stock 7G5CS is better than a SRK, IMO. IS just had a deal on the TM11 for $99.00 (its over now) but that would have been a solid SRK replacement. CPF has a few TM11's for sale for $100-125 shipped (if you want a pure flooder)

All depends on budget vs quality and flood vs throw. What exactly are you looking for. I know OP has a few 3x XML and SRK talk in it but then you threw in the A60 so im not sure if you are looking for flood or throw or possibly both? If you want both then the K40vn is IMO, the best option......be warned, once you buy a Vinh light, you will be DYING to buy more! Im wanting him to build me a green thrower and also a flood light

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

There is no fair way to compare the K40vn to a stock Skyray King. Totally different lights, purpose, quality, and price.

As lights go, the K40vn would certainly get more of a WOW reaction. I didn't mention it because it was somewhat higher in the budget.

Vinh does do good work... those issues I had he fixed very quickly, and the one time I didn't like a light, he took it back no questions asked. (I probably would have liked if I didn't already have bigger aspherics)

 

[dubious speculation]

Thanks guys,

in what way can you compare a K40vn to a SKR. The lumen output is higher on the SKR although livinloud said the K40vn had superior throw. Is there anything else that is of significant difference between the two besides quality and price? What do you think is the best value for a first 'real' flashlight?

 

[Livinloud]

well ill put it this way. i bought a SRK M4 and sold it within a week of owning it. Bought a K40vn a few months later and I have no plans of EVER selling it

 

[InfinitusEquitas]

Just get the K40vn and call it a day. Or if you're going that route, the X40vn is somewhat more practical imo.

You really can't compare the K40 to regular flashlights... it's just not in the same league, and while I do now own two flashlights that beat it, I don't see myself selling anytime soon, if ever.

 

[dubious speculation]

Thanks again :beer:

I still really don't see the advantages of the K40vn over the SKR simply because, being an unaccustomed person to flashlights to me the SKR is better because it is cheaper and has more lumens. IE when you said the K40vn gets more of a WOW factor over the SKR what part of the K40vn has this wow factor over the SKR? I am only going to stretch my budget that high if I see some huge advantage of the K40vn over the SKR.

Thanks guys :beer:

 

[ryansoh3]

The K40VN is a far reaching thrower, and you can easily see the beam in the sky. Not very useful for short distance use, because the hotspot will be too bright compared to the spill.

Here are some photos of my K40 that I modded:
Supbeam K40 Mod thread | BudgetLightForum.com

 

[The Lightning Stalker]

These just went on my wish list:
SingFire SF-316 5 x Cree XM-L T6 3000lm 5-Mode White Flashlight - Deep Green (4 x 18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme
Rustu R64s 6 x Cree XM-L T6 5-Mode 3000lm Cool White Flashlight - Dark Grey + Silver (4 x 18650) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

And here are some Nitecore ones that look really nice, but are way more expensive:

 

[dubious speculation]

Thanks everyone for all your help :beer:

Well unless I see something which is particularly awesome with a sub $70 price I think I will go with the SKR, simply because it has a pretty low price at only $40 with plenty of lumens. If ever I decide to get a wicked thrower than I'll have a look at the K40

Many thanks to everyone :beer:

300th post

 

[Livinloud]

Thanks everyone for all your help :beer:

Well unless I see something which is particularly awesome with a sub $70 price I think I will go with the SKR, simply because it has a pretty low price at only $40 with plenty of lumens. If ever I decide to get a wicked thrower than I'll have a look at the K40

Many thanks to everyone :beer:

300th post

As mentioned above, the SRK has a duty cycle like lasers do. after 10 maybe 15 min (depending on which SRK is bought or shipped) it will be too hot to hold on medium/low. after 5 min on high its way too hot to hold. The SRK is so impractical if you want to use it for more than 3 min on high or 7 min on low. Your hand will hurt to hold onto it.

The heat sinking in the SRK is absolute junk. The reason i say K40vn is since there are 5 or 6 (forget right now) power levels so you can turn it on low and use the light at short range or throw it on high and then throw a beam 300-500 yards

IMO it doesnt matter how cheap and how many lumen it has, if i cant use it since it over heats, what good does saving money do? if you are after a wall of lumen for cheap then look in the TR-J18 or FandyFire (solarforce) SP03, UltraFire UF-T90, or SingFire 12T6. atleast you will be able to hold those for longer since they have a battery tube away from the heat source for lack of a better term (just woke up, give me a break )

 

[dubious speculation]

Thanks Livinloud,

The Solarforce SP03 looks like a pretty solid thrower from the reviews I read on CPF. But IMO its a bit big for what I want to use it for. I'll think about it but I will most likely get the SKR and if I dont like I'll sell it

 

[Livinloud]

Yeah, there is always that route. Thats why I picked it up since there is always a market for them. Who knows, you may love the SRK. If you dont, someone here or on BLF will buy it. I dont suggest the M4 since the extra emitter will increase the heat and thus decrease run times. If you do get the M4 be prepared for the heat and possibly mod it to deal with it better

 

[dubious speculation]

Thanks livinloud. The one I'm most likely getting is the 3*XML from FT

https://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10003058/1234001

With only 3*emitters as opposed to 4 it hopefully won't heat up as much as you've experienced with your 4*XML SKR. From the reviews of the SKR i've read on BLF they said that it doesn't heat up as much as a DRY. I didn't even realise there was a SKR with 4*emitters and even 6*emitters claiming 8500 lumen outputs, sounds almost as outrageous as the claims of 5 watt green lasers on aliexpress

 

[Livinloud]

well if the 6*XML was driven properly then the 8500 lumen isnt out of the question but the BIGGEST issue with SRKs are the drivers. its kinda hit or miss if you get the good driver. there are so many knock offs of this light so there are a ton of different drivers and set ups. HOWEVER, FT is generally good when it comes to keeping quality goods and if they get a knock off they dont go back to them or update the description with the info.

now you have to pick from U2 or T6 bin......what are you looking for in the beam/light? super bright or more natural realistic colors?

 

[dubious speculation]

well if the 6*XML was driven properly then the 8500 lumen isnt out of the question

I thought as a general rule of thumb a T6 or U2 emitter can go to about max 1000 lumens driven at 3 amps.

the BIGGEST issue with SRKs are the drivers. its kinda hit or miss if you get the good driver. there are so many knock offs of this light so there are a ton of different drivers and set ups. HOWEVER, FT is generally good when it comes to keeping quality goods and if they get a knock off they dont go back to them or update the description with the info.

I've only ordered from FT once before and even though shipping was pretty slow at 3 weeks it was still faster than DX month and a half long waiting process. My only gripe was my package from FT was considerably squashed and battered. The contents of the package where squashed as well but the products themselves where fine. This may not be FT fault. I'm not sure.

now you have to pick from U2 or T6 bin......what are you looking for in the beam/light? super bright or more natural realistic colors?

Well I'm not exactly sure to be honest. I've never seen or experienced a T6 or U2 emitter in person but I guess I was leaning more to the brighter emitter at the expence of a less natural color.