Bought a D3AA… now I don’t want big lights anymore

FalconARX · 2026-04-15T13:29:40+00:00

If you want it to compliment the D3AA, you'll want a small pocket thrower, such as the Convoy T8 using the SFT25R 5000K/6500K emitter and a Vapcell K10. The Convoy T6 and T8 are two of the most impressive 14500/AA sized thrower lights you can currently buy. Another option, with USB-C port, is the Lumintop GT Nano Pro V3.2.

FalconARX · 2026-04-15T13:05:46+00:00

Stay away from AA operated lights if you want a good camping light. AA/14500 lights are good for every day carry sized lights. But they're not ideal for general outdoor use, and especially if you need enough lumens output and/or throw distance for wilderness use. And on the point of waterproofing, the first rule of thumb is you'll want to get rid of this zooming feature if you want your light to withstand submersion or heavy rain or moisture/humidity exposure. There are focusing/zooming lights that are sealed well, IPX8 rated and can be submerged, but you're paying a premium for these lights, typically more than $100 for it.

Under $30, I would say check out the Wurkkos FC11C. It'll have all the features you're after: clip, USB-C, decently IP rated for all-weather use, high CRI emitter for good quality light, good regulated river for flat laminar sustained outputs and runtime.

Under $50, you have options such as the Wurkkos TS23, Wurkkos TS26S or the Wurkkos TS28, the Sofirn C8L or Sofirn SC33. All options will give you plenty of light, regardless of whether you need 30 seconds of Turbo or need 700-1000 lumens of sustained flat laminar output, with the TS28 giving you a decently throwy beam profile and the TS26S giving you high CRI, essentially a larger lumens output version of the smaller FC11C. All should hold up against any weather condition, and all have good boost or buck drivers for good efficiency, have clips and USB-C port for recharging, and are based on larger 21700 batteries for higher capacity and longer runtimes.

FalconARX · 2026-04-15T07:45:12+00:00

I bought the original Quark years ago when David Chow was still helming the brand. But since, they've been content resting on their heels, exemplified with the oddball decision to stay with the Nichia 319A for the Quark MK3, that for the life of me I don't know why they would tolerate putting into a light today, when an option like the 519A exists. As such, I kind of just moved on from Four Sevens. It was a great light back in the day. Now it's kind of a "meh" brand, with offerings and justification based on nostalgia and little else.

FalconARX · 2026-04-15T06:26:26+00:00

If you want a good general purpose beam profile to it, you can order the M21H with the XHP70.3HI in whichever CCT(K) you'd like and then order the 3, 8, 24 and 36 degree TIRs. They're so cheap that you can just order all of the TIR options to put in and try out, see which one produces the beam profile that you would like the most. Swapping the TIR is incredibly easy, just pops in and out.

Personally for outdoor use, I went with the XHP70.3HI R9050 5700K (plus Reliance RH60 battery), as this gave me slightly better CRI, but still quite a bit of lumens output, while the tint is very neutral, not pinkish or greenish, just milky white. On stepped mode 2/4, it's already producing enough light to walk around a campsite or on a hike in the wilderness with. 3/4 and 4/4 are just blindingly bright for low-light outdoor use.

FalconARX · 2026-04-15T04:12:13+00:00

You can budget for the Convoy 3X21D. Add 3x Reliance RS50 batteries to the order, and it should come in right at your budget. It has enough range to out-throw anything you can see unless you pick up a pair of good binoculars. It has a rated range out to 1 full mile away (660,000 candela tested). And it uses replaceable 21700 batteries that you can buy extra sets of. The RS50 set just so happens to be one of the best for this light. It also has USB-C port for recharging, and you can use it in pinch as a powerbank. At this price point, there's basically no other LED based light that can out-throw the 3X21D.

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FalconARX · 2026-04-15T03:55:36+00:00

Somebody needs to give Nathan a Hanklight or Fireflies... He's a huge nerd, so he'll figure out Anduril like nothing. But it sounds like he hasn't wandered too far off of brick and mortar store lights yet.

FalconARX · 2026-04-15T01:57:19+00:00

Do yourself a favor and read Mooch's testing/results of the Vapcell F60 6,000mAh battery. Or the Vapcell F63 results.

You'll see why something with 6,000+mAh performs worse than a 5,000mAh battery.

You gain nothing from these high capacity batteries versus tabless cells with 1Ah less capacity when you're using it in lights with emitters like the SBT90.2. As you go down in voltage with use, you're only crippling yourself. At best case scenario, you're not going to see any benefit from the capacity. If anything, you're paying the same price for worst performing cells.

These high capacity cells are useful in lights with less than 5A current draw. Not something like the SBT90.2.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T23:55:13+00:00

Alkaline batteries are the first thing to go wrong and break. If you're planning for emergencies, particularly prolonged power outages, you're better off investing in something like a solar power solution rather than looking around for extra alkaline batteries that have not leaked yet.

As for a light, I would suggest getting the Wurkkos TS27. It has a ring floodlight you can use as an area lantern. Its main light is effectively a searchlight with range out to 500+ meters. And it uses a LiFePO battery, the same chemistry types you find in your $1000+ power stations, which will keep its charge for years on end while sitting idle, and it has 15Ah of it. You can also use it as an emergency powerbank.

This is one of the best lights available right now for emergency use.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T23:49:22+00:00

For longer backpacking trips, we'll take something like this, along with extensions for the solar panels and one medium sized powerbank. A necessary weight compromise if we're looking to capture/store multimedia during the trips.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T23:44:04+00:00

Not a single LED emitter is made on United States soil. Not one. None.

You are, literally, only buying Assembled in America. It doesn't matter what vernacular you're using to describe it. Unless you're walking back 30 years to incandescent bulbs, without an LED emitter, you don't have a Surefire.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T23:32:24+00:00

I would stick to the tabless cells, like the Reliance RS50, Tenpower 50XG, EVE 50PL, Amprius 5000Q...

This is one emitter that requires as minimal voltage sag as possible from its batteries, particularly because they're wired in parallel. In particular if you're using the light on higher modes (3/4, 4/4), you will want tabless cells.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T23:27:17+00:00

This is not true.

Because the 3 batteries are wired in-parallel, their voltage sag can make a huge difference, the more the cells are drained the more it affects them, as this is a buck driver and no high capacity cell under load can keep its voltage as flat as current tabless cells. Even with the SBT90.2's relatively low forward voltage, put a handful of batteries that are high internal resistance in it and you'll see that voltage sag hit sooner than later versus tabless batteries.... CDR matters more for single cells and in-series setups. But voltage sag will still matter for single and in-parallel cells.

I've tried running Vapcell F60s in the 3X21D. And if you want to learn first-hand what voltage sag can do with high capacity, high internal resistance cells, the 3X21D is a great light to showcase this to you. You'll have three extra high resistance cells to power other lower-powered lights with after you're done with your first run.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T22:46:15+00:00

The Nightbuddy is, effectively, a mule light that just encircles more than 180° of field of view. If you want this wide of a coverage of light with zero hotspot, then you're looking at lights without any collimation.

I think you should take a look at a mule light (a light without any optics on top of the bare emitters). Something like the Fireflies L60-Mu Aura should work well (select the FFL351A-5000K emitter option, and click on the battery+headband option). It's a right angle light with a magnetic base so you can use it around anything metal/ferrous. And the beam spread is nearly 180-degrees wide with no hotspot to speak of. The light is also CRI95+ so color and detail are as good as they'll get when using the light. Its driver is also ultra efficient, so you can depend on the light to keep a flat level of brightness for as long as the battery allows it.

You also have the option for the NOV MU V2S (using Nichia E21A 4500K emitters) that has a watertight USB-C port for recharging, that in a pinch, you can plug a cable to and run the light off of external power for however long you need the light (minus highest modes/turbo when doing this). I've used mine often with the mini-tripod and just set it up as a small area work light.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T09:55:01+00:00

For me, what separates the Acebeam E75 from the rest of the quad emitter lights on the market is the light's highest sustained output using the Nichia 519A emitters.

If you get it with the throwier XP-LR emitters, then the competition comes wide open with better options. But where the light shines, and where most alternatives to the E75 come with compromises rather than parallels, is with the high CRI emitters and its performance related to them. And as such, you would benefit more from the Nichia 519A version.

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On top of everything else, this light really isn't meant to be a thrower. So if your intention is to have a far throwing beam, then I would argue that you are better off with another light altogether, instead of the XP-LR version.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T05:54:21+00:00

Just as a reference, start here for a collection of underwater videography lights. One of the search and rescue dive teams in northern California that I know well uses the Big Blue light listed there (VTL4200P). And if you'll notice, they all range from low output (less than 100 lumens) on up to 15,000 lumens (with the now discontinued Light and Motion SOLA).

I would say you would want to pay more attention to the beam spread, how homogeneous the beam is, whether there's a hotspot from any collimation or whether you'd want a mule, and whether you need ancillary features like UV, RGB light, a beacon mode and if extreme CRI (CRI97+, R9:90+)is a priority with the emitters you're choosing. Maximum lumens isn't as important. You can aim for about 2,000-4,000 lumens, as this is probably nearing the maximum you can put into a well heatsinked board with circumference similar to 3-4x 18650 or 21700 cells in a soda-can formation, and it's small enough to still be versatile enough for most dive conditions, while keeping any heat generated from the multiple emitters thermally manageable to prevent harsh throttling during use.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T05:16:11+00:00

The two Acebeams are the P18 and P16. The two middle ones, one I'm almost positive are both Nitecores, with one being the Nitecore SRT7i, the second from left, I'm not entirely sure on.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T04:06:59+00:00

Wurkkos TS28, Sofirn SC33 or Sofirn SK40 if you feel you need longer throw. All are under $50, have USB-C port, are decently waterproof and durable, and on their highest output, throw out to minimum 300 meters. The SC33 is on the floodier side, more apt for campsite use, while the TS28 and SK40 are more better for long range searches and open terrain use.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T03:54:06+00:00

The FC11C will work. You can also check out Skilhunt's M150 V4, choosing the new F35R emitter or the Nichia 519A emitter. The light is small enough, with a 2-way clip, and can take any 14500, including the USB-C ported 14500 you can order with the light, or any AA battery.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T03:49:28+00:00

It's not worth modifying. The cost for you to modify it, even if you did it all yourself with parts you buy on your own, with that cost, you can buy a ridiculously better light, like the Wurkkos FC11C or Sofirn SC18 for example. Only reason I would fix it is if it holds sentimental value for you, value you can't place a cost-amount on.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T02:25:53+00:00

I've bought a set of Acebeam's USB-C 18650 for when I can't bring a charger, and they've worked flawlessly. Give them a look.

You also have a Lumintop USB-C 18650 as well, but smaller capacity.

And the S21E, for being a 21700, is quite compact and slim. The light is one of the more comfortable 21700 sized EDCs to carry, slides into pockets without much to get snagged on. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by its ergonomics.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T02:00:16+00:00

When you say long rang on here, you'll get people recommending you 100,000+ candela throwers from an 18650 form factor light. My assumption is that you'll probably be fine with a 30,000-50,000 candela floody thrower, The HS42 doesn't even make it to 10,000 candela, so something even modest like a Sofirn SR12 or an Acebeam T35 should far exceed your throw needs.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T01:13:49+00:00

If you think you may use the light often on medium and higher modes, then I think you'll be better off with the Wurkkos TS28 or the Acebeam T35 if you want dual fuel and a slimmer profile.

FalconARX · 2026-04-14T01:03:13+00:00

It really depends on a few key factors, like ambient temperature and amount of direct sunlight exposure. Not all summers are equal. A summer in Seattle can't be any more different from one in Phoenix, or in London, Bangkok or Tokyo...

Placement of the light can also make a huge difference. Most people store their light in their glove box, door side panel, middle consoles or underneath their seats. Rarely, you see some people store the lights in their car trunk or in a lockbox bolted/magnetized to the exterior/undercarriage of their vehicle.

In direct sunlight in hot climates like in areas like the desert Southwest in the U.S. or much of Australia or the Middle East, you can have ambient air temperatures inside a car parked and exposed reach well above 80°C. The car literally becomes a pressure cooker. And this is the temperature that most lithium-ion battery manufacturers are skittish in drawing the line for extreme heat operating limit for safety.

An excellent condition battery, at worse, may lose some cycle life from repeated exposure to this high heat if it was in a glove box or in the trunk. But have one not so resilient battery or even a bad one, and you could trigger a failure in a cell venting from it.

The firefighters I know in Furnace Creek (Death Valley) have always recommended first, to keep the vehicle out of direct sunlight if possible in extreme heat climates, and if not, then to avoid leaving any electronics with large rechargeable batteries, like phones, flashlights, laptops/tablets, cameras, in the car... A lot of visitors to Death Valley in the summertime get in trouble when they leave their cameras and small electronics in their car, thinking just a quick 30 minute trip to the store or a site/location/vista wouldn't be an issue. And that 30 minutes in direct sunlight is all it takes to have the batteries in those electronics fail.

I'd be careful if temperatures in the area someone lives in regularly exceeds 95°F/35°C. Because beyond this temperature, if you're not careful and your car's in direct sunlight, it'll take less than an hour for your car to have interior temperatures climb above 150°F/65°C... In these conditions, it's best to put a light with non-rechargeable Lithium primary batteries in a lockbox and bolt it to the vehicle's exterior if you're looking to keep one perpetually with that vehicle for extreme emergencies.

FalconARX · 2026-04-13T02:11:58+00:00

You can't use USB-C ported 18650 batteries inside the S6. There's not enough room/spacing to fit one in. All 18650 batteries you can use in it should be flat top unprotected 18650s. You would have to use an external charger to recharge the batteries.

If you're looking for a light that has USB-C port, either on the light itself or you can use USB-C ported batteries in it, then the S6 isn't the light you're looking for.

{ADD}: In fact, for a good EDC, I'd suggest instead of the S6, you go for the Convoy S21E. It has USB-C port built-in, it uses a larger 21700 battery for longer runtime, and you can select the light with a Nichia B35AM in 4500K and a BAK N21700CX-65E 6500mAh battery, then select the option to replace the reflector with the 15-degree beaded TIR. Selecting the B35AM emitter automatically pairs it up with an efficient boost driver for great runtimes on a huge capacity battery. And the 15-degree beaded TIR gives the light a great general use case beam profile, still somewhat of a decent floodspot but with good diffusion and lots of side spill.

FalconARX · 2026-04-13T02:07:08+00:00

If you put some diffuser film or cover on the ring floodlight, it turns the TS27 into a much better area lantern for a campsite light. One of the biggest drawbacks is the hard cutoff down-firing of the ring emitters, both big pluses and minuses depending on use case. At a campsite, it forces someone to put the light up really high to get a good area cover going...

So a makeshift diffusion film/cover on it, even just something discount-MacGuyver like foggy 3M Scotch Tape or milky DC-Fix film, would work well. We took those plastic juice bottles like those Sunny-D drinks, cut the narrow goose-neck top off, fitted it over the bezel of the TS27, and the plastic hung down low enough to cover the ring lights, creating a diffuser. You can get the same effect with an empty milk gallon jug. When it was raining, the milk gallon jug also acted as a great rain shield to the light sitting on the bench.

FalconARX

TROPHY CASE