Spark initially hit the scene with only headlamps, but now they are venturing into the world of hand held flashlights. The SL5-210CW and the SL5-180OW are two of the new hand held lights that Spark is producing.
Both of these lights run off of a single AA battery which pushes a CREE XP-G LED. The 210OW has a traditional cool white beam with a max output of 210 lumens as the name implies. The 180OW sports a warmer high CRI tint which represents colors with more clarity. While the 180OW version does have higher color fidelity, it sacrifices output to some extent. The cool white version tops out at 210 lumens while the 180OW tops out at 180. The decrease is output is not as drastic as it sounds in use. Both of these torches sport two different switches, but unlike other dual switch lights both of the buttons do the same thing. The tandem dual switches gives the end user great versatility while using the light.
Spark has demonstrated excellent quality with their headlamps which translated over into the hand held lights. These are two of the nicest little pocket lights available.
Sunwayman is known for making quality lights in general, but one thing they do especially well is headlamps. Headlamps are some of the most useful kind of lights out there because of one simple rule, they are hands free. The H51c and H51Fc are the high CRI versions of Sunwayman’s ever popular AA headlamps.
Accurate color rendition is something that is gaining popularity in the flashlight world. The old days of incandescent lights were exempt from the color fidelity issues. With the introduction of LED emitters the issue of true color representation became known. Most LED’s emit a cool tint of light which leans towards being blue, in turn making objects appear to be a different color than they really are. High CRI LEDs emit a warmer tint which provides more natural and accurate color representation. This higher fidelity that the high CRI LEDs provide is at the cost of output, but the amount of output lost is negligible in most cases.
If true color representation is important for your uses then the H51c is a great choice. Check out the video below to get a better idea of how the warmer tint looks.
The Zebralight SC31F and SC31Fw operates exactly the same as its brother, the SC31. The only difference between the SC31F and SC31 is that the “F” version has a flood beam. Instead of having a beam with a definite hot spot in the center, the SC31F will be more of a flood and will light up a wider area at once.
The flood beam is very useful for close quarter situations, which is just about any situation you’d encounter in an urban environment. The SC31F will not have much throw at all so if you need a light which will cover some distance, the regular SC31 is probably a better choice. There are two models linked above, the SC31F and SC31Fw. The only difference between those two flashlights is the color of the light it produces. The “Fw” indicates that it has a warm tint which will represent colors with higher fidelity. In situations where exact color representation is vital the “Fw” shines.
Watch the video below and the above will hopefully make more sense. There are a lot of numbers and letters being thrown around so the video definitely helps to clear things up.
The Zebralight SC31 and SC31w are a rock stars in the compact flashlight world. Zebralight is known for their awesome user interface as well as being able to cram as much power and run time into as small of a package as possible.
The SC31 reaps the benefits of both of those assets. The SC31 uses the same intuitive interface that has become so popular with other Zebralight flashlights. In addition to the amazing interface, the SC31 offers incredible output despite its diminutive size. The SC31 is not much bigger than the battery which powers it, the CR123 lithium cell. Zebralight placed the on/off switch on the front bezel of the flashlight which makes it smaller than just about any other comparable torch. Despite the tiny size the SC31 still manages to spit out 220 lumens on high, which is brighter than a lot of lights 3x its size.
The video below demonstrates just how effective the SC31 is while also showing the difference between the cool white and neutral white versions. Press play and enjoy!
Headlamps are extremely useful in pretty much any situation where light is needed. The usefulness is no secret as many companies are starting to produce newer and better headlamps each year. One drawback that often comes along with new and better equipment is higher price. Many of the headlamps that we sell today are above the hundred dollar mark. Those lights are definitely worth every penny, but having more affordable options is definitely a plus.
One thing that Fenix does extremely well is affordability. Fenix is known for having extremely high quality products at very affordable prices. The HP11 headlamp is really no exception to that rule. In the world of high dollar headlamps Fenix offers the sub hundred dollar HP11 which sacrifices nothing in terms of quality and performance. The HP11 holds its own against other similar lights with a max output of 277 lumens, which is more than enough light for just about any situation. The HP11 also utilizes AA batteries which means finding replacement cells is both easy and cheap compared to its lithium counterpart.
If you’re looking for a good light to throw on top of that head of yours then the HP11 is definitely something you should consider. The price/performance ratio is almost unmatched.
Zebralight is one of my all time favorite flashlight companies. Zebralight makes small, no nonsense flashlights which are very high quality and affordable. The SC600 is Zebralight’s biggest torch, yet it’s still smaller than most lights on the market today.
The max output of the SC600 is 750 lumens. Let that sink in for a bit. 750 lumens from a light that is not much bigger than some of the key chain lights on the market today. This is definitely one of the smallest and brightest lights that we carry. The SC600 is capable of that crazy output thanks to a CREE XM-L LED and an 18650 rechargeable lithium battery. Normally when high performance items get smaller, the price of that item gets bigger. The SC600 is an exception to that rule at a mere 99 dollars. It’s hard not to love a torch like this.
If you’ve ever wanted to make your already insanely bright ThruNite Scorpion even brighter, then you’re in luck. The ThruNite Turbohead has a bigger, smooth reflector which gives you much more throw and a more concentrated beam. The overall output will be the same, but the performance at long distances will be greatly improved. The Turbohead is a tad bit bigger than the default head, so keep that in mind if size is of great importance to you. The Turbohead is 100% drop in. There are no modifications needed to use the turbohead on your ThruNite Scorpion.
Words are great, but video is always better. Check out the video below and see just how big of a difference the turbohead makes!
Sunwayman does the tactical flashlight right! The V20C strikes me as Sunwayman’s quintessential tactical flashlight.
The V20C uses the CREE XM-L LED along with two CR123 lithium batteries to spit out 438 lumens on the max brightness setting. The V20C, unlike a lot of other lights in its class, is capable of using an 18650 rechargeable lithium cell which will provide longer run times. The XM-L LED is larger than most, so the V20C will not have tons of throw. The V20C has a nice high quality beam which transitions smoothly from hot spot to flood. Don’t be fooled though, the V20C has enough throw to light up objects way past 100 yards.
I feel like a broken record saying this but Sunwayman is known for quality. When you buy a Sunwayman you know you are getting a high quality light, every time.
Surefire is known for making some of the best flashlights available, period. The new M3LT is no exception.
The M3LT tops out at a blistering 800 lumens on the max brightness setting which is twice brightness of the old M3LT. Surefire’s TIR lens focuses all of that light into a nice big hot spot. The beam quality on this light is just incredible thanks to the total internal reflection lens. If you’re looking for a light with a lot of spill then the M3LT probably isn’t for you. If you want a light that is crazy bright even way past 100 yards, look no further.
Surefire lights are 100% made in the USA using the best materials and highest quality components available. That sentence alone is enough to make me want it!
The JETBeam PA40 features a high end LED along with a high end carbon fiber body with a relatively low end price. Most of the time my favorite lights are the ones that are affordable for everyone. The best flashlight in the world is useless if nobody can afford to buy it.
The PA40 utilizes the big CREE XM-L LED which pumps out a blistering 468 lumens on high. 468 lumens is a ton of output for a torch that costs well below 100 dollars. In addition to the great LED, the PA40 has a body made of carbon fiber. Carbon fiber is extremely strong and lightweight making this flashlight strong while not weighing down your pocket.
The real magic happens when you turn the light on. Check out the video below to see just how well this flashlight performs!
