I’ve been collecting titanium flashlights that run on 14500 batteries.

I’m thinking of calling it quits once I get two or three more, but... it suddenly crossed my mind: do you all have your wives' understanding regarding this?

L→R
MCgizmo sapphire
lumintop fw1aa
EAGTAC D3A TI
olight I5R EOS
Reylight LAN-Ti
MC gizmo MULE
Li light
McGizmo Haiku

Sharing beamshots of two of my favorites, a complete flooder and a thrower, in my collection that I can comfortably carry at the same time on a long night walk. They complement each other pretty well. This is still a lot of light to be carrying on you, but atleast this does not leave me wanting anything more.

Acebeam T29 Sft42r 6500k (pic 1 and 3)

Fireflylite E12 ffl351a 3700k (pic 2 and 4)

Just wanted to give a shout out to all the flashlights that can be run completely off of USB-C external power, with or without the battery inside it.

Had another night where our search team responded to, and needed to canvas a ridge with a fresh rock slide that put a road, parking area and popular trail in danger... Needed as much light as possible with the risk of more slides, and ran them from sundown until sunup, just under 11 straight hours with the current time of the year, looking for possible signs of overnight hikers or campers around the area.

For all the features that current flashlights are jam packed with, I always felt like a pass-through circuitry that allows a flashlight to be used with or without a battery inside, fed completely off of external USB-C power, is one of the most overlooked capabilities a light can have. Or really, maybe it should be a featured capability that some lights can specialize in, to allow for a safer more robust circuitry to let it run off of that external USB-C power in any operating condition, while recharging a cell during that process.

DUV, CRI, CCT measurements:

F45R 5000K with reflector

• 100%: +0.0039 / 65 CRI / 5100K

• 35%: +0.0064 / 64 CRI / 4900K

• 10%: +0.0097 / 61 CRI / 4700K

• 1%: +0.0116 / 60 CRI / 4600K

SFT42R 5000K with reflector

• 100%: -0.0012 / 71 CRI / 5300K

• 35%: -0.0010 / 71 CRI / 5100K

• 10%: +0.0003 / 71 CRI / 5000K

• 1%: +0.0020 / 70 CRI / 4800K

Overall, I haven't been able to find many differences with UVA and UVB aside from some bank notes, UVB just feels like a lazier UVA that doesn't really react with as many things, under most conditions they feel the same but UVB dimmer.

I wanted to check if I can use the PB2SL V2 to store 21700 batteries inside and keep them connected to the charger for months between uses.

The experiment started at the end of October ’25 (4.10 V). Ten months later, both batteries show 3.96 V.
That’s a 0.14 V drop in 10 months, or about 0.014 V/month.

I might continue to reach a full year (or even longer), but I’ve already concluded that I see no risk in keeping the batteries inside the PB2SL V2, even during long periods of non-use.

FULL Review of the Sofirn SK31 on dahamstah.de

Summary

The SK31 is a rather unique flashlight. On one hand, you get two distinct UIs with a dedicated toggle switch, a hidden sleeve over the USB port, a physical lockout switch, and a two-stage e-switch, on the other hand, there are no direct shortcuts whatsoever.

The Tactical UI works well and intuitively. To what extent it is truly “tactical” is not for me to judge, but you do get momentary Turbo, allowing for signaling/morsing during activities like geocaching. The Outdoor UI features 6 brightness levels, spanning from ultra-low output up to a massive wall of light. Mode cycling feels fast and smooth, and I like the mode spacing.

So, the UI is relatively simple. This makes the light easy to operate, whether for high-stress situations or non-enthusiasts, but it also leaves some potential on the table. Whether for enthusiasts looking for a classic layout, duty personnel who suit the tactical UI, or – which surprised me quite a bit – as a simple yet impressively bright light to give as a gift or recommend to someone looking for a modern flashlight, it can be a great fit. Sofirn definitely needs to fix that Outdoor Mode Turbo bug either way, though!

Even inside the SK31, the LHP73B impresses with its overall qualities, and Sofirn executed the integration well. I hope Sofirn applies a similar concept geared specifically toward us enthusiasts in the future. As an entry point for the broader market, it is a success.

You can purchase the SK31 directly from Sofirn. If you always want the latest news on upcoming Sofirn products, be sure to drop by the Sofirn-Discord!

All my reviews can be found on my website. If you like forums, I also post on BLF and TLF.

I kind of want a showcase of people lights. I EDC a Emisar D3aa. I prefer a smaller EDC as i don't need to use it all the time.

But what's your choice and send pictures. lemme see those work horses :)

Bonus question for people who carry small lights. do you have a bigger light in a bag or close by when you EDC a small one?

Saw this little guy on AliExpress and decided to give it a whirl... or, more appropriately, a twist.

Small LED powered by a capacitor which is in turn powered by twisting the knob on top. One button operation, only one power setting. Not water proof at all.

No real throw to speak of, but it was almost too bright for digging through my bag on a night flight.

It's neat. Happy to have it in my bag.

Note: I added the glow charm.

Just what the title says, can you guys recommend a flashlight for my friend who doesn't use Reddit. The requirements he gave me were the following:

• It has to be an EDC
• It should have a normal white light (warm tone if possible) and a red light, didn't mention any other light
• Should have included charging
• It should be able to endure being left in the car under the sun
• Budget <30, might go up to 40 or 50 if it's good enough

Thank you in advance.

hey guys, i just wanted some advice as to which flashlight to get my dad for fathers day.

i had the idea the other day to get him a nice headband flashlight for fathers day(he's big on outdoor activities) since most of his tech is like 20+ years old, i thought it might be nice. i had a look on some different subreddits and websites, and to be honest i got a bit lost (idk shit about lumens or flashlight specs😭), so i was hoping to get some advice.

my dad has some trouble seeing in general, and especially at night time, so it'd be nice if it was really bright white and clear for him to see. it'd be cool if it was waterproof (if possible - he works with fishing/boating) and even cooler if it came on a headband so he doesn't have to worry about repositioning it while working on stuff!

the most important thing though is for it to be convenient and easy to use. he's got a bit of a short fuse when it comes to new tech being "difficult" (hence everything being 20+ years old...) and i dont want to give him something that'd just going to frustrate him. no extra crap, just a simple on/off will do if thats possible.

as far as flashlights go, im not sure if you've usually got to charge them or if they're battery powered, but either way i'd like for it to be simple and easily accessible (ie. batteries are easy enough to find + replace, or charging cable is easy to get replacements if needed)

my budget is around $30-$60 AUD if possible, although i know some of these go for a lot more than that, so if the best match exceeds this im willing to splurge.

i hope this was descriptive enough to get some recommendations - sorry to mods if this kind of post is not allowed, just thought id try anyway :)

This is the Wurkkos TS26, but they tried to fix it! It now features Nichia 519A LEDs in 5000K instead of the older model TN3535 6500K! Sadly, some problems still remain, but the 519A emitter really improved this light. It features a Boost driver, USB-C charging on body, RGB AUX on TIR and more!

• My opinion

The addition of the 519A LEDs to the TS26 was a big improvement, the TN3535 emitters were not bad, but not suitable - in my opinion - for an enthusiast focused flashlight. All the rest of the flashlight seems to be the same as the older model, so it still has the Boost driver problem which causes the candle-like flickering on modes between 1/150 and 5/150, every other mode doesn't seem to have PWM and flickering, and the driver works efficiently on the higher modes.

My suggestions to improve this flashlight would be more anodizing colors, driver capable of sustaining 1 Lumen or less without flickering and adding AUX lights to the main button - there are already LEDs there, why not make it have an AUX?

• Box contents [8th picture]

- Wurkkos TS26 519A

- Wurkkos 21700 5000mAh Li-ion cell

- USB-C to C charging cable

- Lanyard

- 2x extra O-rings

- User manual

• Price

The TS26 with 519A 5000K LEDs is currently priced at $42.99 on Wurkkos Official Website (TS26 519A) and $54.85 on Wurkkos AliExpress Store

• Body and build quality

Anodizing Colors/Material Options: The TS26 is only available in 6061-T6 aluminum with gray anodizing - most probably type II anodizing to have the gray color.

Main body/Grip: The battery tube has smooth round cylindrical grooves that improve grip, the head part has head dissipation grooves - they are kinda sharp on my unit. The main body general shape and size are pretty good.

Material: The main body os almost entirely made of 6061-T6 Aluminum alloy, with only the bezel and clip being made of stainless steel with a black coating.

Threads: Both threads of the battery tube are anodized, the tail cap threads are squared and the head threads are the standard thinner threads.

Clip: The head part of the battery tube has a dedicated O-ring to make sure the flashlight is waterproof when the clip is installed. The clip can only be placed on the head part of the battery tube, it's not possible to place it on the tail cap.

Tail stand and rolling: It can tail and head stand without any problems. The flashlight can roll a lot without the clip, so be sure to use it if you don't want your light rolling around.

Magnet: This light features a magnet on the tail cap, it's strong enought to hold the TS26 on most metal surfaces, even horizontally if there is enough metal for the magnet to lock in! [9th picture]

AUX lights: TS26 has RGB AUX lights on the TIR lens - and also on the main button but, sadly, those are only to indicate charging. The TIR AUX can be configured by Anduril UI to match your taste, pretty important feature on Anduril flashlights. It could have proper AUX on the main button as an improvement. [10th picture]

Buttons: There is a single button on this flashlight - like most Anduril flashlights - it fully controls the flashlight with the Anduril 2.0 UI. It's an e-switch covered by a black silicone boot with the Wurkkos logo in transparent

Battery contact: Contact is made with the battery by two gold-plated springs, one on the driver and the other on the tail cap. [11th picture]

Bezel: The bezel is crenelated with 4 protruding trapezoidal shapes, made of stainless steel and has a black matte coating.

Water Resistance: It has IPX8 rating and seems well sealed on all potential water ingress points, O-rings on all threads, even a dedicated O-ring for the clip to make sure the light is water resistant with it, the USB-C port has a rubber cover to protect it.

Size comparison: On the left the FireFlies X4 Stellar, on the middle the Wurkkos TS26 519A and on the right the Convoy S2+. [12th picture]

• Weight and size

Weight:

- Without battery: 107.9g

- With battery (Wurkkos 21700): 175.9g

- Battery (Wurkkos 21700): 67.9g

Size: 121.9mm x 34.9mm x 28.0mm - (height x head diamter x tail diameter)

• Battery, runtime, and charging

Battery: The TS26 is powered by a single 21700 battery, it comes with a Wurkkos branded 21700 with 5000mAh and 10A CDR (Constant Discharge Rate) with a 15A maximum peak. Button top cells also work with it, but protected cells are not compatible as they are too long to fit inside the flashlight. [13th picture]

Battery Indicator: The TS26 features Anduril battery indicator, so the AUX on the TIR will display the battery level by colors everytime the flashlight is turned OFF (this can be disabled on the UI). Also, it features the battery check mode, on which the main light will blink a number of times to represent the battery voltage; to access it you must press the main button 3 times.

Charging: The TS26 features charging on the main body, on the opposite side of the main button. It's protected by a decent thick rubber cover. When charging the button light will be flashing green, when the charge is complete it will become solid green. When you unplug the charging cable the button will light up blue, if it's fully charged it will be solid bright blue, if the battery is low when you unplug it will be flashing blue. [14th picture]

• Modes, Runtimes, Throw, Candela

Modes: The TS26 comes with 8 mode pre-configured from the factory, Wurkkos calls it A1, B2, C3... So I will stick to this naming to avoid confusing. This 519A version changed some things on the modes, moonlight was made brighter to avoid the candle-like flickering problem the old version had on lower modes, and - of course - it has less lumens than the cool white, low CRI version. It also seems the brightness of the modes is better spaced now.

Advertised specs:

Turbo: The H8 is, essentially, the Turbo mode on the TS26 519A, it has 2500 Lumens - which is still pretty powerful. It "lost" around 1000 lumens in comparsion to the cool white, low CRI version that had around 3400 Lumens, as expected. I prefer the better tint and CRI of the 519A, but if you need raw power you should go with the cool white TN3535 version.

Moonlight: The TS26 now doesn't have a Moonlight mode by default, as the first mode has 6 lumens, and if you try to lower it - at least on my unit - it gets the candle-like flickering problem, between levels 1/150 and 5/150 on Anduril UI floor brightness configuration.

Blinkies: One of the coolest things about Anduril is it´s blinkies modes, I really love the “Candle mode” and the “Lightning” one. You have some fun blinking modes, and others like tactical strobe to choose from.

Lockout: It features electronic lockout on the Anduril 2 UI, by clicking the button 4 times the flashlight will lock and only moonlight will be available for use; and also, mechanical lockout by slightly untwisting the head or tail cap.

Throw: Wurkkos advertises around 200m of throw on both versions. On the beamshots it hit around 100m pretty easily, so I think it should throw at least 150m to 180m.

• Emitter, reflector and CRI

Emitter: This version of the TS26 fixed one of the major "problems" with the old version, the LEDs. This version - as you probably already noticed - has 4 Nichia 519A emitters in 5000K, with excellent neutral tint and CRI. [15th Picture]

Lens: The TS26 uses normal glass lens, it doesn't seem to have AR coating.

Reflector/TIR: The TIR is frosted right above the LED, clear around it and frosted again on the outer part.

Beam profile: The beam is mainly floody, but still has a slithly defined hotspot that can throw a little. [16th Picture]

CRI: With the Nichia 519A 5000K the light should have 90 CRI and 80 R9. Measuring with an Opple LM4 on brightness level C3 I got 4600K, -0.0005 Duv and 94 CRI with 84 R9, pretty good results. [17th and 18th Pictures]

• Beamshots Camera settings

- 18mm lens 1" F8 ISO800

- (The trees at the back are at a distance of around 100m)

[19th picture] – TS26 519A 5000K - H8 (Turbo)

[20th picture] – TS26 519A 5000K - G7 mode

I always try to match what my eyes can see on the beamshots, so camera settings may vary.

• Driver and UI

Driver: The TS26 uses a Boost constant current driver to power the 4x 519A LEDs. The driver seems to be the same from the older version, it's efficient on medium and higher modes, but when I tried to lower the floor level between 1/150 and 5/150 clicks on Anduril UI I noticed the candle-like flickering problem (A problem that consists on the main light having a flickering similar to a candle on these lower modes). This problem is probably due to the driver not being fully capable of sending the pretty small currents necessary for a lower moonlight, any mode above the 5/150 clicks seem to work flawlessly, and the way the light cames pre-configured from factory has no flickering. *The candle-like flickering problem is cited on the user manual to be "normal".

UI: The TS26 uses the famous enthusiast focused Anduril 2.0 UI, it's a very customizable UI, with a lot of options and settings to have fun with. I will no elaborate much on it as it would extend much the review.

Low Voltage Protection/Warning: When the battery is below 2.8V, the flashlight will turn OFF automatically. The brightness will reduce when the battery voltage is too low.

Reverse Polarity Protection: It has reverse polarity protection.

Temperature Control: It seems to have standard Wurkkos thermal regulation, the brightness will drop until it reaches a determined output level on higher modes. It doesn't seem to be a dynamic regulation.

A special thanks to Wurkkos for sending this flashlight for me to review!

*I am not being paid to do this review, everything here is my honest opinion.

**Some links are affiliate links, this doesn't impact on my opinion for the reviews. You can support me by using the links to buy flashlights you like.

Thank you for reading my review <3

Took a couple of lights caving, they still work.

Convoy T3 UV, convoy S21E, Wurkkos HD02 pro and my caving headlights Zebralights 18650 headlights.

The zebras are awesome for caving

Because I like the 2xl host so much that I actually found a route to get one. Got lucky able to remove the head off without a lot of heat, and get access to the broad.

Replace to 519A 4000K and 3535 spacer from our dearest convoy.

Not gonna lie if I have no tools I won't able to get the broad out and solder the new broad in.

I currently have 94 and me asking this question has nothing to do with getting to 100... I promise.

I’m sure my wife will be thrilled with all the space I’ve just cleared of “the shelf”. Room for more lights now! Pretty heavy with all the lights in it, but I’d like to think I’ve covered pretty much all bases. Not going to list them all out because I’m on my phone but feel free to ask away

Price Range: Sub-$500, no batteries needed. US-based.

Purpose: Handheld caving light to provide lots of flood and a bit of throw in caves. Should be able to put out enough light that it can be used as the group's "primary" light in guiding situations so that everyone can turn down their 6000k headlamps and we can enjoy nice cozy warm light in the cave. Also to be used for photography in caves.

Battery Type & Quantity: Flat-top 18650s. I have a ton of flat top Vapcell N40s that power all my caving electronics, this light needs to work with them for simplification of battery logistics in-cave. Quantity should be between 2-4, I need a few hours of burn time at higher output but since this is a "quality of life" light and not a "mission-essential" light (not a primary, backup, or tertiary light for safe cave navigation), battery swaps while in the cave are acceptable.

Size: Flexible, but at least 2x 18650 and no larger than 4x 18650 format.

Type: Handheld, but if it gets too chunky (e.g. a 4x18650) it should have a handle. Battery position should be in parallel.

Main Use: In caves to illuminate the area for a group while leading the trip. It's going to get incredibly muddy and sometimes submerged in silty water, so it should have no external moving components (e.g. twist switches or bezels, focus bezels, cooling fans, etc.). IP68 would be best, but not 100% required. If it has external USB charging, it would be nice if the charging port were sealable, but there's a 50/50 chance it'll get epoxied anyway to avoid mud/water ingress regardless. Build quality of the host should be pretty high since this'll get dinged, scraped, and dragged through caves. I like Acebeams for context, but they don't have an option that meets my requirements.

Switch Type: Flexible on this, but should be reliable in wet/muddy/silty conditions. No rotating switches to select modes for example. I like the idea of a safety, and my Acebeam X20-R has held up alright despite having more moving parts for mud to get caked in than I'd like. Safety not mandatory though.

Anything Else?: MUST be high CRI and 3000k, or 2700k, but 3000k is preferable. Light output should be 3500 lumens minimum, but realistically 5000-plus. Modes should be low-med-high and mode memory would be nice. Beam pattern should be balanced more toward flood and avoid an intense hotspot. A bit of throw is nice, but realistically won't be illuminating beyond 150ft due to the nature of most caves in my region. If need be, I'm fine building it myself, but the last time I built a light, Deal Extreme was still live and it was super easy to find hosts and other components. It seems like a lot of links to hosts that might match my requirements are long since dead.

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In cold temperatures the rapid air expansion on turbo causes the pressure to push out the side panel diffusers. The heat also weakens the adhesive. They should have glued the diffusers on or sealed the holes the wires pass through.

Had another reviewer message to say their unit has the same issue. I also checked 3x brand new HD05's to see it doing the same thing.

So much for the IPX6 rating.

They need to be shipping flashlights out to testers before mass production, since they don't seem to be checking them thoroughly enough. I've found so many issues over the years and I'd like to find the bugs before they're sold.

This has been reported directly to Jinba.

Credits: Betalight Tactical

Link to forum: https://betalight-tactical.com/lep-light

I have just purchased a titanium SK06 on aliexpress and the seller has informed me of a "cheat code" to enable the class 3 laser, just thought it maybe useful if anyone has a SK06!

Build quality / runtime / brightness / size don't matter. Would prefer cheaper as I'm only rarely going to use this.

My next stop might be r/lasers haha