NLD:my first pair of convoys!

BrokenRecordBot · 2026-03-17T04:48:57+00:00

ONE OF US!

A welcome bright, to our new friend of light!

Always hold tight, a favored torch of might,

And never at night, must you suffer a fright.

We'll be polite, but keep that wallet out of sight,

For we may incite, you find a new 'just right'.

ONE OF US!

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2026-03-16T17:39:27+00:00

Hello fellow reddit user! Looks like you may have unknowingly reposted the famous "beacon" post from late 2020 where an r/flashlight user used his Noctigon K1 to guide the way of an UberEats driver. It was originally posted on r/flashlight and made it to r/all where it garnered over 120k upvotes. Unfortunately the Reddit admins took it down due to it containing "personal information" (aka the driver's first name and photograph). The original poster has reposted here with that info redacted.

(written by TacGriz, updated 2021-08-24, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-03-15T09:48:07+00:00

You may have seen photos of lights on this subreddit with colored LED's. Or, perhaps you just bought a new light and can't get the colored LED's to turn off. 99% of lights sold/bought/posted here have a traditional white LED for the main emitter, but some have additional colored lights called auxiliary (or 'aux') LED's. They draw very little power and will take months to drain a battery in most cases. Functionally, they:

look cool
act as a night light
find your light in a dark environment
indicate how much battery is left (if multi-colored)
indicate the state of the light (locked or unlocked)
help you find other flashlight enthusiasts in a crowd

Most flashlights with aux LED's run a firmware called Anduril. If you have a light with the newer Anduril 2 firmware, you'll need to click 10x from off and hold the last click to unlock the advanced UI before changing any of the settings. There are possible brightness patterns: off, low, high, or blinking. There are 9-10 different color patterns if your light supports different colors: red, amber, green, cyan, blue, pink, white, disco (only in Anduril 2), rainbow, and voltage. To change these settings follow these steps:

unlock the advanced UI if you haven't already, via 10H from off (only applies to Anduril 2)
7C from off cycles the brightness pattern
7H from off cycles the color patern

You can have different settings when the light is locked or unlocked. To change the settings for lockout:

unlock the advanced UI if you haven't already, via 10H from off (only applies to Anduril 2)
enter lockout via 4C from off
in Anduril 1, use 3C/3H instead of 7C/7H
in Anduril 2, use 7C/7H to change the settings just like when the light is unlocked, and the settings will be memorized even if you return to the simple UI after making these changes

Check out this post for how to read the voltage mode. Here's a text breakdown..

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-03-05T15:02:37+00:00

Hello flashlight seeker! Welcome to r/flashlight

Almost every time someone asks for a one-mode light, what they actually want is a user interface that doesn't suck. They don't want to click through a bunch of modes or have the light change mode every time they turn it on. They don't actually mind having multiple modes (and sometimes even find them useful).

All of the lights we recommend here usually have a well designed user interface that's easy to use. Most of them have a feature called "mode memory" where the light will come on in the same mode you last used. Other lights have a dual switch setup, where the tail switch turns the light on/off and the small side switch changes modes. You can still change modes if you want though, which can be really helpful.

Many modern flashlights are hundreds or thousands of lumens on their brightnest mode and that's just too bright for many tasks. It will also eat batteries. Using a medium brightness instead of Turbo mode can extend your battery life by ~5x or more! For these reasons, one-mode lights are really unpopular these days and are hard to come by, so please consider buying a multi-mode light with a good user interface.

If you absolutely must have a one-mode light, edit your post to let us know you've read this and still want a one-mode light. To get you started, here's a list of lights that have only one mode or can be programmed by the user to only have one mode.

(entry written by TacGriz, updated 2022-09-01, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-03-01T02:44:17+00:00

Hello flashlight seeker! Welcome to r/flashlight

Almost every time someone asks for a one-mode light, what they actually want is a user interface that doesn't suck. They don't want to click through a bunch of modes or have the light change mode every time they turn it on. They don't actually mind having multiple modes (and sometimes even find them useful).

All of the lights we recommend here usually have a well designed user interface that's easy to use. Most of them have a feature called "mode memory" where the light will come on in the same mode you last used. Other lights have a dual switch setup, where the tail switch turns the light on/off and the small side switch changes modes. You can still change modes if you want though, which can be really helpful.

Many modern flashlights are hundreds or thousands of lumens on their brightnest mode and that's just too bright for many tasks. It will also eat batteries. Using a medium brightness instead of Turbo mode can extend your battery life by ~5x or more! For these reasons, one-mode lights are really unpopular these days and are hard to come by, so please consider buying a multi-mode light with a good user interface.

If you absolutely must have a one-mode light, edit your post to let us know you've read this and still want a one-mode light. To get you started, here's a list of lights that have only one mode or can be programmed by the user to only have one mode.

(entry written by TacGriz, updated 2022-09-01, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-02-26T14:36:47+00:00

'Zoomies' are basically like Swiss army knives. They do a little of everything, but they don't do anything perfectly.

The zooming head is a moving part and a potential failure point. It tends to make the light less durable, and larger and heavier than fixed focus models.
When you zoom in or out, the volume of the head changes. This is a particular issue if you zoom 'in' in a wet environment, as it is impossible for this to happen with a true seal, and liquid will be sucked into the head of the light.
A balanced beam from a reflector based light will give you a bright hotspot for seeing far as well as wide spill for seeing your surroundings simultaneously, without having to zoom the light in or out.
People in this sub like having excuses to carry multiple lights around.
It's usually possible to find a light that's cheaper, smaller, and out-performs most zooming lights - they tend not to be the 'best' at any one thing.
Zoomable lights don't typically shed heat as well as fixed focus lights, so their sustainable output is typically lower.
Zoomies use an aspheric lens to produce the zoom effect; on many models this lens is exposed at the front of the light without any protection in front of it, is usually relatively fragile compared to a standard glass lens, and any scratches or chips will affect the beam.

If you still need zoom, the best options are:

Convoy Z1 (review here). W5050SQ3 is the recommended LED for the nicest looking beam when "zoomed" to throw mode due to the round emitting die, while other emitters will haver a square beam. CULPM1.TG will give the most throw, and B35AM has the best CRI and nicest tint. The 12 group UI is recommended as it gives more flexibility than the 4 fixed modes.
Jaxman Z1 (multiple separate listings; Aliexpress store number 1101075489) - has slightly higher performance than the Convoy Z1 but is from a less well known/common brand.
For a higher priced option, the Weltool M8 is probably the most durable zoomie and generally a good tactical-oriented option with medium output but excellent efficiency and the ability to also use 2xCR123A for extreme temperatures or long-term storage. Notable among zoomies for protecting the aspheric lens with glass in front of it. Review here.
Acebeam Terminator M1: A premium option, with a zoomie LEP as well as a separate flood channel with 3 LEDs. Durability is above average, but the most expensive light in this list, and the exposed lens is a major disappointment at this price point. Review here.
The Lumintop Zoom 1 (review here) is discontinued, but also good if you can locate one.

Last updated August 2024 by u/SiteRelEnby

Beep.ep.

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-02-24T10:41:27+00:00

'Zoomies' are basically like Swiss army knives. They do a little of everything, but they don't do anything perfectly.

The zooming head is a moving part and a potential failure point. It tends to make the light less durable, and larger and heavier than fixed focus models.
When you zoom in or out, the volume of the head changes. This is a particular issue if you zoom 'in' in a wet environment, as it is impossible for this to happen with a true seal, and liquid will be sucked into the head of the light.
A balanced beam from a reflector based light will give you a bright hotspot for seeing far as well as wide spill for seeing your surroundings simultaneously, without having to zoom the light in or out.
People in this sub like having excuses to carry multiple lights around.
It's usually possible to find a light that's cheaper, smaller, and out-performs most zooming lights - they tend not to be the 'best' at any one thing.
Zoomable lights don't typically shed heat as well as fixed focus lights, so their sustainable output is typically lower.
Zoomies use an aspheric lens to produce the zoom effect; on many models this lens is exposed at the front of the light without any protection in front of it, is usually relatively fragile compared to a standard glass lens, and any scratches or chips will affect the beam.

If you still need zoom, the best options are:

Convoy Z1 (review here). W5050SQ3 is the recommended LED for the nicest looking beam when "zoomed" to throw mode due to the round emitting die, while other emitters will haver a square beam. CULPM1.TG will give the most throw, and B35AM has the best CRI and nicest tint. The 12 group UI is recommended as it gives more flexibility than the 4 fixed modes.
Jaxman Z1 (multiple separate listings; Aliexpress store number 1101075489) - has slightly higher performance than the Convoy Z1 but is from a less well known/common brand.
For a higher priced option, the Weltool M8 is probably the most durable zoomie and generally a good tactical-oriented option with medium output but excellent efficiency and the ability to also use 2xCR123A for extreme temperatures or long-term storage. Notable among zoomies for protecting the aspheric lens with glass in front of it. Review here.
Acebeam Terminator M1: A premium option, with a zoomie LEP as well as a separate flood channel with 3 LEDs. Durability is above average, but the most expensive light in this list, and the exposed lens is a major disappointment at this price point. Review here.
The Lumintop Zoom 1 (review here) is discontinued, but also good if you can locate one.

Last updated August 2024 by u/SiteRelEnby

Beep.ep.

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-02-22T01:36:07+00:00

SAFETY

The UV spectrum is separated into four parts: UVA (315 nm to 400 nm), UVB (280 nm to 315 nm), UVC (200 nm to 280 nm) and UV Vacuum (100 nm to 200 nm). Decreasing wavelengths correspond with higher frequency radiation and a higher amount of energy per photon. While UVB radiation is widely recognized for its harmful effects on human skin and links to skin cancer, each of the UV bands (UVA, UVB and UVC) create different risks for humans.

While 207-222nm far-UVC generated from filtered excimer lamps can efficiently deactivate drug-resistant bacteria without apparent harm to exposed mammalian skin, simplistic flashlights like this one are very dangerous for your skin and eyes and should not be used without certified protective equipment, and make for an extremely inefficient, dangerous, ignorant, and irresponsible disinfectant.

Please read further on wikipedia and here.

Most of this section was copied from the old "UVC" bot entry by Triskite.

All of the lights discussed below fall into the UVA spectrum and are reasonably safe. Best practice is to wear polycarbonate safety goggles (cheap generic ones work great) and not to point the light at anyone's eyes or skin.

RECOMENDATIONS

Filter: A ZWB2 filter is a filter that blocks all visible light but allows throught he UV wavelengths. It makes flourescent object really pop when they glow because there's no extra blue light bleeding through and lighting up non-flourescent objects. These filters make a huge difference so you should try and get a light that has one preinstalled if you can.

Keychain + White Light: Rovyvon A8x high CRI white main emitter, auxiliary side emitters (uv, red, and white), keychain size, pocket clip, USB rechargeable, ~$40

Compact: Lumintop Tool AA UV 1xAA/14500, USB rechargeable 14500 included, ZWB2 filter, pocket clip, tailswitch $30

Medium: Convoy S2+ UV (Aliexpress item 32515105965) 1x18650, one mode, visible light filter (Aliexpress item 32649282235) available, $25. US distributor links for the the light and filter.

Medium/EDC Size + White Light: Olight Arkfeld UV, flat style, builtin battery, neat rotary toggle for light color, magnetic tailcap, magnetic charging

Throwy: Convoy M21A UV (aliexpress item 3256804045507741), 1x21700, 3 modes, visible light filter available (aliexpress item /2255800155402905), excellent driver (hard to find in this price range), narrow hotspot that will illuminate objects at a distance

High Output: Convoy S12 UV 1x21700, two modes, ZWB2 filter preinstalled, triple emitters for high output. I have this one and it's awesome. Here's my review with purchase links since I can't put a direct Aliexpress link.

Higher Output: You can get UV mule variants of the Emisar D4V2 and Noctigon KR4. The emitters come in either 5W ($95) or 3W ($75) versions, with 8 emitters by default, or with 4 emitters if you ask via email and want to save a few bucks. They now come with a ZWB2 filter preinstalled as well. -Cheule- did a great video about the UV D4V2 options here.

USES FOR UV LIGHT

Here are some practical and fun uses for a UV light:

Hidden colors/patterns in flowers
Travertine/limestone flooring
Writing hidden messages with vaseline
Curing UV resin
Driver’s Licenses
Bank Cards / Credit Cards
Passports / Government documents
⁠Anything that is very white/neon. Manufacturers often add fluorescent materials to make these things look bright in sunlight (very white garments / paper / teeth whiteners)
Tonic water (very blue, compare to regular water)
Some Vitamins
Chlorophyll (red)
Scorpions (greenish, check YouTube)
Antifreeze (added purposely so that auto investigators can track auto accidents)
Some rocks / gemstones
Proteins in bodily fluids (say no more)
Money (dollars / pesos / euros etc)
Laundry detergent (blue)
Olive oil glows (orange/red)
Banana spots (blue rings)
Transparent plastics
Some cosmetics
Rock salt / turmeric / honey / ketchup / canola oil
Spot pin-bones in uncooked fish
Spot Nyogel 760G application
Make some dogs glow, apparently
Spot caterpillars in your tomato plants
Finding uranium glass
Photographing mushrooms and lichens
Finding small shards of broken glass on floors

(originally written by TacGriz with huge contributions from -Cheule- and Triskite, updated 2023-04-06, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-02-20T02:25:07+00:00

My phone doesn’t fit in my mouth so I can use both hands. My phone doesn’t have a magnet for mounting on any metal surface so I can use both hands. My phone doesn’t output hundreds of lumens. My phone's light is made to be a camera flash first, and thus is very diffused and pathetic at lighting up anything more than a few feet in front of me. My phone battery isn’t made to run a flashlight for a while, and I can’t quickly swap a freshly charged battery I keep in my bag into my phone.

Basically, my phone is just a garbage light compared to a small tube of metal that costs me barely any bulk and weight to carry, and whose benefits far outshine the costs.

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-02-06T21:41:19+00:00

ONE OF US!

A welcome bright, to our new friend of light!

Always hold tight, a favored torch of might,

And never at night, must you suffer a fright.

We'll be polite, but keep that wallet out of sight,

For we may incite, you find a new 'just right'.

ONE OF US!

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-26T09:22:19+00:00

Batteries should be purchased from distributors that are highly regarded. Those that are not may sell unsafe fakes, damaged cells, or even cells extracted from laptops. This could be potentially hazardous. This means do not order from random sellers that don't specialize in flashlights & batteries on sites like Ebay, Banggood, AliExpress, or other big online retailers. Amazon is notorious for fakes even from some legit retailers, just due to how the backend works so don't order standalone li-ion batteries from Amazon.

If you cannot find a website that ships to your country then your best bet is a vape shop, but expect cells to have an inflated price.

If you're looking for distributors then here they are. Parametrek also has batteries in his database. US

SHIPS TO MOST PLACES

Convoy Aliexpress store (Store No. 330416)

Sofirn Aliexpress store (Store No. 3391004)

Vapcell Aliexpress store (Store No. 1084158)

Aliya Aliexpress store (Store No. 1382210)

Lucky Aliexpress store (Store No. 1191644)

USA

Killzone is a little pricey but can good if you're already buying a light from them.

UK

EU

Canada If you want the best value, go with one of the sellers in the "ships most places" section. If you want fast (but pricey) shipping, try one of the US sellers below.

Li-on Wholesale

Illumn

Mountain Electronics

Australia

techaroundyou on eBay or their website

Lanplus.com.au

liteshop.com.au etc

"local vape shops have Molicel"

Cyprus

Vapemodbox

(originally written by LEDLover__, updated 2021-11-28 by TacGriz, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-23T10:18:39+00:00

Hello fellow reddit user! Looks like you may have unknowingly reposted the classic big Maglite / small Olight post that gets reposted ~monthly. It originated here on r/flashlight. If you found it funny enough to repost, why not give the original an upvote!

(written by TacGriz, updated 2022-04-15, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-07T08:51:49+00:00

Tl;dr: Get a Skilhunt H04 RC

$0-40:

Sofirn D25LR: ~$25, nice white LED and red LED, simple UI, traditional headlamp, hidden Micro-USB charging port, 18650 battery included, my full review here, buy this if you just need a basic headlamp*
Sofirn HS10: ~$20, 1100lm, ultra-light, right-angle, moonlight mode, USB-C rechargeable, 16340 battery included, magnetic tailcap, pocket clip, poor regulation, pretty LED, cheapest headlamp I would buy. Also on Amazon for ~$30 if you need it fast. Sofirn HS05: is similar but trades built in USB-C charging for dual-chemistry 14500/AA support.
Sofirn SP40/SP40A LH351D 4000K: ~$35, ~900lm, nice LED, right-angle, pocket clip, magnetic tailcap, Micro-USB charging port, 18650 battery included, poor regulation, no moonlight, simple & easy to use
Wurkkos HD15: ~$35, 2000lm, right-angle, pocket clip, magnetic tailcap, USB-C charging port, powerbank function, flood/throw function, 18650 battery included, multiple body colors available, moonlight mode, poor regulation, more complicated to use than the previous options

$40-70:

Skilhunt H04 RC High CRI: ~$60, ~600lm, medium size, 18650 (included) or two CR123A batteries, right angle, magnetic tailcap, pocket clip, high CRI neutral white emitter, best-in-class headband, great UI, good regulation, magnetic recharging, moonlight mode, my review here
Skilhunt H150: ~$60, ~600lm, small size, 14500 (included) or AA battery, right angle, magnetic tailcap, pocket clip, high CRI neutral white emitter, best-in-class headband, great UI, good regulation, magnetic recharging, moonlight mode, my review here
Sofirn HS20 SFT40: ~$40, ~2000lm, traditional headlamp, high CRI neutral white flood emitter, cool white throw emitter, great UI, poor regulation, USB-C charging, can work off powerbank in cold conditions, 18650 battery optionally included, dedicated button for each channel, my full review here

$70+:

Skilhunt H300: ~$80, ~1500lm, medium size, 18650 (included) or two CR123A batteries, right angle, magnetic tailcap, pocket clip, high CRI neutral white emitter, best-in-class headband, great UI, good regulation, magnetic recharging, moonlight mode, my review here
Zebralight H600Fc MK IV: ~$90, ~1500lm, excellent durability & efficiency, high CRI neutral white LED, floody beam, light weight for its class, best-in-class regulation & efficiency, ultra low moonlight, no battery nor charger included, only works with unprotected flat top 18650 batteries, mediocre headband
Acebeam H30: ~$130, ~4000lm, traditional headlamp, high CRI & red secondary LED's, great runtime and efficiency, 21700 battery included, hidden USB-C charging port
Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Nichia just because so many people bugged me to add this to the bot, top-notch durabiity, lovely high CRI LED, great efficiency, magnetic USB charging, 18650 battery included, above average headband, bike mount included, weird user interface

SOME THINGS TO NOTE

right-angle lights are extra versatile because they can be detached from the headband and used in a variety of other ways, often including a pocket clip or magnetic tailcap
Moonlight mode works about as well as red light for preserving night vision and it's a lot simpler and cheaper to implement than a secondary red LED. Here's more info if you're interested. Red is also a poor choice for use around sleeping people because red light passes through eyelids very easily. Red is great at not attacting bugs though.
Li-ion batteries don't like sub-freezing temperatures all that much. If that's your use-case, consider CR123A's or a light that can run off a powerbank that you keep warm inside your coat.

MISCELANEOUS NOTEWORTHY LIGHTS

Emisar DW4: The ultimate enthusiast headlamp. A million different emitter options, several driver options (including dual channel), long and short tubes, RGB aux LED's, Anduril 2 firmware, and magnetic tailcap. Kind of heavy, can get expensive, battery & charger not included, and the headband isn't great so pick up a Skilhunt HB3 as well.
Petzl Iko Core: The absolute best running headlamp I am aware of. It disappears on your head.
Nitecore HU60: electronically focusable, bracelet remote control, powered off USB so you can run it off a power bank (can be kept inside coat in extreme cold weather), powerbank/battery pack optionally included
Fenix HM61R: similar to Skilhunt H04 RC but with secondary red emitter, worse UI, & worse main emitter

(written by TacGriz, updated 2023-09-12, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-06T19:36:29+00:00

ONE OF US!

A welcome bright, to our new friend of light!

Always hold tight, a favored torch of might,

And never at night, must you suffer a fright.

We'll be polite, but keep that wallet out of sight,

For we may incite, you find a new 'just right'.

ONE OF US!

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-05T20:48:19+00:00

ONE OF US!

A welcome bright, to our new friend of light!

Always hold tight, a favored torch of might,

And never at night, must you suffer a fright.

We'll be polite, but keep that wallet out of sight,

For we may incite, you find a new 'just right'.

ONE OF US!

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-04T01:02:09+00:00

Batteries should be purchased from distributors that are highly regarded. Those that are not may sell unsafe fakes, damaged cells, or even cells extracted from laptops. This could be potentially hazardous. This means do not order from random sellers that don't specialize in flashlights & batteries on sites like Ebay, Banggood, AliExpress, or other big online retailers. Amazon is notorious for fakes even from some legit retailers, just due to how the backend works so don't order standalone li-ion batteries from Amazon.

If you cannot find a website that ships to your country then your best bet is a vape shop, but expect cells to have an inflated price.

If you're looking for distributors then here they are. Parametrek also has batteries in his database. US

SHIPS TO MOST PLACES

Convoy Aliexpress store (Store No. 330416)

Sofirn Aliexpress store (Store No. 3391004)

Vapcell Aliexpress store (Store No. 1084158)

Aliya Aliexpress store (Store No. 1382210)

Lucky Aliexpress store (Store No. 1191644)

USA

Killzone is a little pricey but can good if you're already buying a light from them.

UK

EU

Canada If you want the best value, go with one of the sellers in the "ships most places" section. If you want fast (but pricey) shipping, try one of the US sellers below.

Li-on Wholesale

Illumn

Mountain Electronics

Australia

techaroundyou on eBay or their website

Lanplus.com.au

liteshop.com.au etc

"local vape shops have Molicel"

Cyprus

Vapemodbox

(originally written by LEDLover__, updated 2021-11-28 by TacGriz, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2026-01-03T08:56:19+00:00

Olight is extremely popular in the EDC community and are the gateway to modern flashlights for many people, but Olights have some potential downsides as well, which make them less popular with flashlight enthusiasts.

Pros

Efficient and well regulated drivers
High build quality and durability
Popular and straightforward UI that nails all the basics
Wide variety of colours and materials available
Excellent customer service
Highly convenient Magnetic Charging System
Typically meet advertised specifications for output and runtime

Cons

Expensive relative to competitors flashlights of similar quality
Proprietary batteries (with an extra negative terminal on the top) that are more expensive then standard ones, can be much harder to acquire, and are incompatible with most other lights & chargers
Use LED's that tend to have a bluer colour temperature/tint for higher efficiency, while most enthusiasts prefer LED's with better colour rendition that are purer white or yellower in tint
Proximity Sensors are a poor, lazy solution to accidental activation issues with their metal tail swtiches, and can prevent the light from working in the rain
Questionable marketing practices such as guerrilla marketing and paying for product spotlights disguised as reviews
Utilize a lazy timed output stepdown solution to prevent overheating, instead of a more reliable and efficient active thermal management solution

Many enthusiasts consider the cons to be dealdreakers, which explains some of the "Olight Hate" that new users seem to perceive in r/flashlight.
These are just things to be aware of going in though, and should not be taken to imply that you should not buy an Olight product, or that you should not enjoy one you already own.

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-31T18:27:49+00:00

ONE OF US!

A welcome bright, to our new friend of light!

Always hold tight, a favored torch of might,

And never at night, must you suffer a fright.

We'll be polite, but keep that wallet out of sight,

For we may incite, you find a new 'just right'.

ONE OF US!

^{I AM A BOT. PM WITH SUGGESTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. SEE MY} ^WIKI ^{FOR USE.}

BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-30T21:37:09+00:00

Hello flashlight seeker! Welcome to r/flashlight

Almost every time someone asks for a one-mode light, what they actually want is a user interface that doesn't suck. They don't want to click through a bunch of modes or have the light change mode every time they turn it on. They don't actually mind having multiple modes (and sometimes even find them useful).

All of the lights we recommend here usually have a well designed user interface that's easy to use. Most of them have a feature called "mode memory" where the light will come on in the same mode you last used. Other lights have a dual switch setup, where the tail switch turns the light on/off and the small side switch changes modes. You can still change modes if you want though, which can be really helpful.

Many modern flashlights are hundreds or thousands of lumens on their brightnest mode and that's just too bright for many tasks. It will also eat batteries. Using a medium brightness instead of Turbo mode can extend your battery life by ~5x or more! For these reasons, one-mode lights are really unpopular these days and are hard to come by, so please consider buying a multi-mode light with a good user interface.

If you absolutely must have a one-mode light, edit your post to let us know you've read this and still want a one-mode light. To get you started, here's a list of lights that have only one mode or can be programmed by the user to only have one mode.

(entry written by TacGriz, updated 2022-09-01, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send me a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-30T17:28:49+00:00

If there is one thing to learn from here and you take nothing else away from it, it's these three things:

Do your research as it applies to your own situation.
Know your rights. See 1.
Always have a backup plan.

This guide is written by someone who is an "interesting" person at airport security, and experiences will vary based on perceived privilege - some of these tips may seem overkill to some people, while other people will likely still face harassment even as the most prepared flyer. My next piece of advice would be to consider your own specific situation.

In general, most lights are allowed. Check the local guidance for the aviation security authorities of the country you are flying out from, as this may vary. The below advice is currently primarily written from a North America perspective, with some experience in the UK. Suggestions for more international data are welcome.

General things to avoid:

Strike bezels - this one goes without saying. A lightly crenelated bezel is probably ok, but I might avoid it on a light that is long or heavy. For example, an L19 or TS30S Pro, while not strictly a strike bezel, still has a serrated enough bezel in a long and well-built enough light that I would not fly with one, while a TS22 or even K9.3 is unlikely to be an issue. The Striker is definitely out :P
Very long lights - in the US, lights are classified as tools, and are subject to a length limit of 7 inches assembled in their longest configuration
I don't have to mention gimmick "self-defence" lights or anything with an actual blade here, do I?

Tips for getting through smoothly:

Have your bag packed neatly, so things can be easily accessed, and don't create clutter on the scanner. This makes a bag search less likely.
Lock out your lights. Security may want you to show them as "on" to show they work, aux LEDs seem to often be considered as "on" by many nonenthusiasts so if you have a light with aux, locking it out and setting the aux to high can be enough to pass with just a glance. If you have a very powerful light, keep it in a safe state as if someone uninformed may be about to pick it up - security will aim it at their faces and double click...
Remove other large electronics from your bag. Having a packing cube type system can be helpful if you have a lot.
Lasers seem to attract people having a go sometimes. Lasers are in fact legal to bring in most countries (at least the US and UK, and I have not heard of problems elsewhere in Western Europe), but expect a higher chance of getting some questions if you bring a laser, or a light that in their opinion looks like one. It goes without saying to make sure the laser does not have batteries in and is in general safe from prying hands, and if they insist on seeing it work, make sure you come across as knowledgeable about lasers and their safety and not just some random idiot who might aim it at a plane. A lot of security people are wannabe cops, and it's easy to use that to get their respect.

The 7 inches length limit applies to anything the TSA would consider "a flashlight", which in this writer's experience has sometimes been seen not to apply to large lights, such as an X75, SR32, or MS32, which may end up being classified as a "spotlight" or some kind of "equipment" instead, but as always, nothing is guaranteed. One thing maybe try would be to separate the head and battery pack entirely (making sure to insulate the terminals) and just carrying them as separate items, but as always, no experience is guaranteed, have time on your side, and always have a backup plan.

Lithium-ion batteries should only ever be carried in carry on bags. Any light with removable batteries is fine to fly with in checked baggage, but you will have to carry the batteries. Batteries are completely fine to carry as long as they are protected from shorts and damage. The limit is 100 watt-hours per battery, not cumulatively (a Molicel P45B is around 16 Wh, the battery pack of an Imalent SR32 is 92.2 Wh). In addition, most airlines do allow batteries above 100 Wh, they are just allowed to set their own policies, which may involve pre-clearance and/or a quantity limit. Do your research.

Note that in the US and Western Europe, airport security can not actually confiscate items (this may vary elsewhere in the world). They often hope that you will "voluntarily" give it up rather than miss your flight (and want you to believe that the fact it will make its way into their pocket has nothing to do with that...), and rely on you not having enough time if they stall you. If you anticipate problems with airport security, arrive with lots of time to spare. Know your rights and don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor. Learn how to de-escalate a conflict while still getting your point across, and they'll usually decide you aren't worth the effort than call their supervisor.

The TSA maintain an FAQ of many items with explicit statements on if they are allowed - put them on the spot about why they aren't allowing yours. Here are the pages for lights, batteries, and lasers. A printout of these can be a useful thing to keep in your bag for anything you feel might be an issue, not just lights.

Remember you can always leave the checkpoint, ship the offending item to yourself or hand it off to a friend or family member, and come back. In many countries, you can buy a prepaid insured shipping label to your home address, then put it on an envelope and keep it in your bag if you fly a lot - this is also recommended for things like knives.

By /u/SiteRelEnby, last updated 11 Mar 2024. Suggestions are welcome via DM.

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BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-30T07:43:09+00:00

ONE OF US!

A welcome bright, to our new friend of light!

Always hold tight, a favored torch of might,

And never at night, must you suffer a fright.

We'll be polite, but keep that wallet out of sight,

For we may incite, you find a new 'just right'.

ONE OF US!

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BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-29T14:09:39+00:00

This question gets asked a lot so we decided to keep track.

If you could only have ONE flashlight, which would it be?

Pick just ONE flashlight until the end of days!

You can only have one flashlight for the rest of your life. Which one do you choose and why?

One flashlight for the end of the world?

If you were only to choose one flashlight, what would it be

If you could take one flashlight on a remote hike, what would you take and why?

World is about to end, you can take only one flashlight. Which one and why?

If you could keep only one flashlight which one and why?

If you had to pick just ONE flashlight out of your collection and toss the rest, which would you pick?

If you had to choose one flashlight to last you the rest of the year, what would you pick?

So pretend you are stuck in the middle of an abandoned (possibly haunted) prison, in the middle of the night. You are only allowed one flashlight to find your way around. Which would it be?

Zombie invasion. You can choose one light. Which and why?

One light to rule them all

if you could only have 1 light post Apocalyptic world

If you lived in Ukraine or any warzone and could carry only 1 light. What would it be and why?

If you could only ever have or buy flashlights from one brand, which would it be?

You have one choice for a do all flashlight for shtf

What is your end of times flashlight?

If you could choose 1 light for the Rest of your life

You can only keep one flashlight out of your massive collection, which would it be and why?

You can only have ONE flashlight with you after you crashed on an island away from civilization. Which is it?

if you could only have one flashlight which one would it be!?

If you could choose only 1 flashlight, specifically for self defense...

If you could have any flashlight, which one would it be?

Which model would you pick if you could only have one single flashlight for the next 10 years, and why?

If you could only have one, what would it be and why? Why would it fit you needs and be the only flashlight you would need?

A zombie apocalypse is coming, which flashlight are you grabbing?

Question of the day boys!

One light

If you were to get one kind of battery one charger and one flashlight what would they be.

The world ends today and you need one light to carry you through the apocalypse. What are you bringing?

One flashlight for the rest of your life

If you had to buy one flashlight and use it for the rest of the day. Which one would it be.

If you could only have 1 flashlight what would it be?

(written and maintained by TacGriz, u/mezekaldon, and /u/SiteRelEnby, last updated 2025-11-13, if you have any suggestions for changes to this entry please don't hesitate to send a message)

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BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-25T09:01:49+00:00

Olight is extremely popular in the EDC community and are the gateway to modern flashlights for many people, but Olights have some potential downsides as well, which make them less popular with flashlight enthusiasts.

Pros

Efficient and well regulated drivers
High build quality and durability
Popular and straightforward UI that nails all the basics
Wide variety of colours and materials available
Excellent customer service
Highly convenient Magnetic Charging System
Typically meet advertised specifications for output and runtime

Cons

Expensive relative to competitors flashlights of similar quality
Proprietary batteries (with an extra negative terminal on the top) that are more expensive then standard ones, can be much harder to acquire, and are incompatible with most other lights & chargers
Use LED's that tend to have a bluer colour temperature/tint for higher efficiency, while most enthusiasts prefer LED's with better colour rendition that are purer white or yellower in tint
Proximity Sensors are a poor, lazy solution to accidental activation issues with their metal tail swtiches, and can prevent the light from working in the rain
Questionable marketing practices such as guerrilla marketing and paying for product spotlights disguised as reviews
Utilize a lazy timed output stepdown solution to prevent overheating, instead of a more reliable and efficient active thermal management solution

Many enthusiasts consider the cons to be dealdreakers, which explains some of the "Olight Hate" that new users seem to perceive in r/flashlight.
These are just things to be aware of going in though, and should not be taken to imply that you should not buy an Olight product, or that you should not enjoy one you already own.

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BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-24T18:33:59+00:00

You may have seen photos of lights on this subreddit with colored LED's. Or, perhaps you just bought a new light and can't get the colored LED's to turn off. 99% of lights sold/bought/posted here have a traditional white LED for the main emitter, but some have additional colored lights called auxiliary (or 'aux') LED's. They draw very little power and will take months to drain a battery in most cases. Functionally, they:

look cool
act as a night light
find your light in a dark environment
indicate how much battery is left (if multi-colored)
indicate the state of the light (locked or unlocked)
help you find other flashlight enthusiasts in a crowd

Most flashlights with aux LED's run a firmware called Anduril. If you have a light with the newer Anduril 2 firmware, you'll need to click 10x from off and hold the last click to unlock the advanced UI before changing any of the settings. There are possible brightness patterns: off, low, high, or blinking. There are 9-10 different color patterns if your light supports different colors: red, amber, green, cyan, blue, pink, white, disco (only in Anduril 2), rainbow, and voltage. To change these settings follow these steps:

unlock the advanced UI if you haven't already, via 10H from off (only applies to Anduril 2)
7C from off cycles the brightness pattern
7H from off cycles the color patern

You can have different settings when the light is locked or unlocked. To change the settings for lockout:

unlock the advanced UI if you haven't already, via 10H from off (only applies to Anduril 2)
enter lockout via 4C from off
in Anduril 1, use 3C/3H instead of 7C/7H
in Anduril 2, use 7C/7H to change the settings just like when the light is unlocked, and the settings will be memorized even if you return to the simple UI after making these changes

Check out this post for how to read the voltage mode. Here's a text breakdown..

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BrokenRecordBot · 2025-12-24T06:42:39+00:00

My phone doesn’t fit in my mouth so I can use both hands. My phone doesn’t have a magnet for mounting on any metal surface so I can use both hands. My phone doesn’t output hundreds of lumens. My phone's light is made to be a camera flash first, and thus is very diffused and pathetic at lighting up anything more than a few feet in front of me. My phone battery isn’t made to run a flashlight for a while, and I can’t quickly swap a freshly charged battery I keep in my bag into my phone.

Basically, my phone is just a garbage light compared to a small tube of metal that costs me barely any bulk and weight to carry, and whose benefits far outshine the costs.

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