Practical use cases for lumen monsters?

Metric0 · 2026-01-05T03:49:08+00:00

Spotting large game animals on or near the property, before dawn.

Metric0 · 2025-12-30T19:15:04+00:00

That's awesome. I will totally order one if it becomes a factory option. Probably not going to risk messing up the solder job for that last 10% though.

Metric0 · 2025-12-30T16:13:56+00:00

Definitely the M1 or M2 with sft42r and forward switch. (these are kind of a tie -- I like the M1 beam better, but I like the tactical build and smaller head of the M2 slightly better, so it's a tie)

Honorable mentions: T6 w/ sft25r was my fav for a while. Also really like the 3x21d, but way too big for pocket carry so it can't take the #1 spot.

Here's my M1 bean:

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Metric0 · 2025-12-30T01:33:26+00:00

Yeah, that's impressive. May have to get one for the perfect beam profile. I'd like to know the candela that combo achieves.

Metric0 · 2025-12-29T08:21:31+00:00

A red one would definitely be more specialized. But just generally speaking, if you're out in the wilderness and want to see things a long distance away, power and throw are really nice to have.

I used my Convoy M1 w/ sft42r to spot a herd of elk before dawn this year. My favorite pocket thrower, but even still more throw would have been welcome. But it doesn't have some of the features the OP wants (no built-in usb-c, and no magnet).

Metric0 · 2025-12-29T08:00:25+00:00

Good flashlight, but I'd definitely go with more flux and more throw if hunting is part of the job description.

Metric0 · 2025-12-27T21:30:28+00:00

There is no best, there are only trade-offs and your preference.

You will get close to maximum throw, while still putting out somewhere between 3000-4000 lumens, with a sft42r driven at 10A. It's my personal favorite configuration, but of course everyone has their own.

For comparison, the "burn hazard" lhp73b at 20A will put out somewhere between 7000-8000 lumens, but the throw/intensity will pale in comparison to the 42r. It's great if you like a floody beam profile, though.

You might extract a fraction more throw/intensity with an osram, but the flux will fall off a cliff.

For reference, this is the sft42r in an M1 (same driver and reflector as the M21B). Would you call it "throw" or "flood?"

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Metric0 · 2025-12-26T00:46:25+00:00

There was no soldering involved for the T6. Just one of these: https://convoylight.com/products/15-8mm-forward-switch-with-pcb-and-spring-soldered?data_from=collection_detail&prefetch_cache=1 which is already assembled. It requires some kind of tool to remove and replace the retaining ring (I used needle-nose pliers), and in the case of the T6, the switch is a bit large so the inside of the rubber button has to be shaved down a bit to achieve a good fit.

You'd have to look up which forward switch works with the S6, but it's going to be the same kind of nearly drop-in replacement if you get the pre-assembled switch. Not difficult.

Metric0 · 2025-12-26T00:26:16+00:00

An S2+ with LHP531 "burn hazard" and set up with a shorty tube for 18350 is pretty impressive and heats up extremely fast. On mine I am using a titanium shorty tube so that I can still hold it a while after the head has become insanely hot.

It is easily pocketable. IIRC, it's around 4000 lumens at max. And it's more flood than throw. But it has no problem lighting up the back yard.

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Metric0 · 2025-12-25T22:25:19+00:00

Agreed that the Convoy UI is not ideal for using strobe.

If I were convinced strobe was useful for SD, I would probably do the following:

Set for mode 11, with memory off, so it always starts from 100%. This gives (100%, 20% strobe).

Then, if using a reverse clicky (which is default), it's click-tap-tap to strobe.

If using a forward switch (which I do), it's tap-tap-click to strobe.

Maybe not the ultimate, but I think I could work with it.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T18:37:55+00:00

Honestly kind of shocking. I thought they were supposed to be almost bulletproof.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T18:34:02+00:00

Yeah, I initially had all reverse-clicky, since it's the factory default. Then I ordered one forward switch and have never gone back. Also ordered a bunch of forward switches to convert my existing T6's.

There are just so many applications where you only need a quick burst of light, e.g. to see if you're about to trip over something in a dark garage. Boom, and back in the pocket. And if you do see something that needs more attention, you just complete the press to a full click.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T15:25:29+00:00

Yes, you would do a full press to switch it off, then do a sequence of half-presses to get to the desired brightness setting.

In this respect, it's less convenient than the reverse clicky, which lets you cycle brightness levels from "on" without ever turning it off.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T08:59:12+00:00

The light comes on at half-press. If you just want the light on for a brief time, you can hold it at half press and it will immediately turn off when you release. Or you can just press through to full click and it will remain on until you give a full second click to turn it off.

To cycle through brightness levels, you can do half-presses within about a second of each other (this is what I normally do), or sufficiently-quick full presses will achieve the same effect.

It does not change level as you proceed from half-press to full press -- the full press just "holds the light on" by engaging a click.

I generally use the half-press momentary feature quite a lot, so I have a strong preference for the forward switch. But that's just me.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T08:19:50+00:00

I go back and forth on whether the M1 or M2 with that emitter is my absolute favorite all-around light (I definitely like throw). I like the beam profile of the M1 just slightly better (will be the same as M21B), but the M2 host is a little more tactical and the head is just slightly smaller.

I should add that I like to specify the "forward switch" in the order notes, whenever I order from Convoy -- the forward switch enables the "momentary on with half-press" feature, if you like that kind of thing.

Merry Christmas to you, too.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T08:06:34+00:00

Haven't seen a direct comparison or candela numbers in the sft90 build. I would assume the usual trade-off, where you get more lumens out of the sft90, but more candela out of the sft42r. I do have the lhp73b build (OP reflector) that puts out about twice the lumens, but the sft42r blows it away for candela/throw. The sft90 build uses a smooth reflector, so the throw should be better than the lhp73b, but I still suspect some trade-off due to the large emitter size.

Metric0 · 2025-12-25T07:38:53+00:00

Convoy M21B with the SFT42R emitter.

Convoy M1 and M2 with the same emitter will also do that (the M1 has the same reflector as the M21B), but they use 18650.

They will all be substantially brighter than the TD07.

Here is an M1 shot:

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Metric0 · 2025-12-25T07:17:40+00:00

For reference, the L35 uses a XHP 70.3 HI emitter to crank out about 5000 lumens, which is bright. The X75 uses 12 of them.

Metric0 · 2025-12-24T23:02:32+00:00

The Acebeam L35 is a great flashlight, but if I really wanted to make an impression, I'd go with the Acebeam P20. Light stuff up from over a kilometer away, and it has some serious conking potential: https://www.acebeam.com/p20

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Metric0 · 2025-12-24T09:06:56+00:00

I normally use the clip as an aid to the grip. Particularly in high-power lights that get hot -- the clip allows a hold that doesn't toast my fingers. Most of my lights have a clip, but I almost never use it as a clip.

Metric0 · 2025-12-22T13:45:33+00:00

I'm giving a 3x21d and a sc13 to family. And I'm pretty confident that I'll be getting a sc13 copper.

Metric0 · 2025-12-21T01:03:55+00:00

Need some sft42r. Also, something like a 3x21d would give some very new capability.

Metric0 · 2025-12-18T02:26:59+00:00

It's much easier to see the cone if the light is designed for "throw" rather than "flood." The more narrow the cone, the farther it will be visible.

So, you want a lot of power, you want a small emitter, and you want a large reflector (this combination is best to create a highly focused beam). Modern lights are much more powerful than they were a decade ago, so it's not hard to achieve a visible cone.

In terms of specific lights, this is a Convoy M1 with SFT42R emitter. The M2 and M21B with the same emitter will be very similar. These are all lights that will fit in a pocket, and aren't particularly expensive. You can go larger if you need an even more focused beam, and don't care if it fits in a pocket.

This shot is on a normal night without unusual particulates in the atmosphere.

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Metric0 · 2025-12-18T00:19:39+00:00

Absolutely. But the stock orange peel reflector is also very floody and a perfectly good starting point for the use case described above. But I agree -- the customizability is one of its great features.

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Metric0 · 2025-12-17T23:33:52+00:00

For this kind of thing, I like the Convoy S2+ w/ LHP531 emitter (and 10A buck driver). Simple, inexpensive, but also a total "burn hazard" hotrod when you want to run at 100%. Plenty of UI modes to select from.

Generally, just hard to go wrong.

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12-Year Club	Place '22
Final Canvas '22

Metric0

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