Long throw flashlight?

gamma_nyc

gamma_nyc

Gold Member
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Dec 1, 2007
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706
looking for a good long throw flashlight. Would like to find one that is no larger than a 3-cell Maglight.

Use case - walking dog outside with a pack of coyotes in the neighborhood. Treeline is between 100-500yd away and I want to be able to see into the trees from that distance…hence long throw.

I’ve got a Fenix pd35 and a olight warrior X and neither is cutting it.

Thanks in advance.
 
Maybe one of the LEP lights out there? I just picked up a maratac LEP DX reach, and reach out it does. At 500 it's going to illuminate a decent area, up close not so much. The acebeam terminator M1 is currently fashionable if you have a spare $300 burning a hole in your pocket.
 
I have the both the small and large LEP from Countycomm. I haven't tested the small since I missed ordering a battery but I will have it sorted in the very near future.

For the big one they say the throw is over a mile. You will need to take binos to see the coyotes at that range.

Photo is from their site, no palm trees here but I can confirm it's alien abduction bright.

IMG_7811_1024x1024.jpg
 
Thanks, I looked at those LEP. They are very cool but too extreme in throw Vs spill.

I am looking for something more like 500-1000 meter throw. Some spill would be a good thing. My Olight Warrior X was doing the job but was stolen…and so thinking this time get a little upgrade
 
Have a look at the Malkoff Hound Dog. I run a Hound Dog head on a 1x18650 body, and the 300-meter spec is legit. It's the best combination of usable throw + spill I've ever encountered. Malkoff lights are also made in the USA, with potted electronics, and are absolute tanks.

To hit your 500-meter peak distance, you'll likely need something more purely dedicated to throw. The Noctigon K1 throws a mile (although good luck seeing anything a mile away without magnification!), just a fat pencil of light with minimal spill. The Hound Dog will be more versatile, though.
 
Nitecore TM39 Lite

Max Output 5200 Lumens
Max Beam Distance 1500 m
Max Beam Intensity 562500 cd
Max Runtime 20 h 0 m / 0.83 d
LED LUMINUS SBT-90 GEN2 LED
Reflector SMO
Battery 4 × 18650
Special Modes Location Beacon, SOS, STROBE
Beam color White Light
Length 195 mm / 7.68 in
Head Size 90 mm / 3.54 in
Weight 876 g / 30.90 oz
Feature Rechargeable, Ultra Long Range
FL-NITE-TM39-LITE-2.jpg


Nitecore TM9K Tac

Max Output 9800 Lumens
Max Beam Distance 280 m
Max Beam Intensity 19800 cd
Max Runtime 60 h 0 m / 2.5 d
LED 9 x CREE XP-L2 HD LEDs
Reflector SMO
Battery Rechargeable Li-ion
Special Modes STROBE
Beam color White Light
Length 125 mm / 4.92 in
Head Size 40 mm / 1.57 in
Weight 218.5 g / 7.71 oz
Feature TurboReady
FL-NITE-TM9KTAC-2.jpg


Nitecore TM20K

Max Output 20000 Lumens
Max Beam Distance 290 m
Max Beam Intensity 22200 cd
Max Runtime 13 h 0 m / 0.54 d
LED 19 x CREE XP-L2 LEDs
Reflector SMO
Battery Rechargeable Li-ion
Special Modes STROBE
Beam color White Light
Length 145.5 mm / 5.73 in
Head Size 50 mm / 1.97 in
Weight 422 g / 14.89 oz
Feature STROBE READY, TurboReady

FL-NITE-TM20K-2T.jpg
 
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Pencil beam throwers are pretty much useless for general purpose stuff like walking the dog. Sure, you can run a tightly focused beam of light along the treeline way tf over there (and miss anything you didn't accidentally light up)...but it's useless for making sure you don't step in poop.
(I still love'em, though)
View attachment 2351302
 
I have a 3D Husky from Home Depot that might be like what you want. Mine is several years old they might have different models now. I have 6 different Fenix lights that I use for various things, they have a wider beam and work better for most of my uses. The Husky hangs in my garage.
 
There's 3 ways to make an LED flashlight "throw". One, obviously, is a bigass reflector. Alternatively, the right TIR optics can make a light throw without needing a big bezel/head. 3rd is the LED. The more compact the die of the LED, the tighter the beam and longer the throw. Many of the compact "throw" lights have OSRAM LEDs. For example, the Fenix PD32 will have more throw than your PD35 (don't know if it beats whichever Warrior X you have).

Nearly any light you buy will be smaller than a 3 cell Maglite. The Fenix TK22 has a pretty intensely focused beam, double the candella of your PD35. The PD40 V3 isn't quite as focused, but is still much moreso than your PD35, with the remaining lumens giving you a more useful spill. Both use 21700 batteries - with bigger heads it doesn't make much sense to use smaller diameter batteries like the 18650. I'd recommend looking at one of those. I know a lot of people swear by Olight, but I personally don't like proprietary batteries. A different option might be the Acebeam L17. It uses an OSRAM in combination with a TIR, and will be about as close to an LEP as you're gonna get without getting an LEP (for a fraction of the cost). About half the lumens as the Fenix TK22 or PD40 V3, but more than double the candella in the center, meaning all those lumens are focused into a spot. I guess it depends on whether you want only throw, or a flashlight that can throw but also has a useable spill.
 
Thanks, these are all interesting options. Based on above, I think I want a good throw of 500m but also want spill and especially a well blended hot spot so that it’s not just a bright beam and very minor spill such that it would make it hard to spot things +/-10 feet from the center of the hotspot.
 
gamma_nyc said:
looking for a good long throw flashlight. Would like to find one that is no larger than a 3-cell Maglight.

Use case - walking dog outside with a pack of coyotes in the neighborhood. Treeline is between 100-500yd away and I want to be able to see into the trees from that distance…hence long throw.

I’ve got a Fenix pd35 and a olight warrior X and neither is cutting it.

Thanks in advance.
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As others have said Malkoff Hound Dog. I run my walking one on a MD3 body with t 18650 get almost 45 mins of great light which is more then enough for a walk.
 
This is a dangerous topic. I like the Malkoff, the Milwaukee (have their tools already), the Fenix PD4O and also got turned onto the Cloud Defensive MCH Duty.

It this another potentially addictive hobby?
 
gamma_nyc said:
This is a dangerous topic. I like the Malkoff, the Milwaukee (have their tools already), the Fenix PD4O and also got turned onto the Cloud Defensive MCH Duty.
It this another potentially addictive hobby?
Click to expand...
I'm sure there are numerous of us here that can warn you that it certainly is another addictive hobby.
 
gamma_nyc said:
This is a dangerous topic. I like the Malkoff, the Milwaukee (have their tools already), the Fenix PD4O and also got turned onto the Cloud Defensive MCH Duty.

It this another potentially addictive hobby?
Click to expand...

For sure. It's risky to go down the custom route if the flashlight isn't able to be modified/upgraded, or you'll have something that cost a bunch but is horribly obsolete. Which isn't to say that an obsolete light isn't still a useful tool, but it'll more likely be an expensive paperweight. For example, when I got bit by the high end/custom bug, I was looking at (and a few times, spending on) lights that were $300+ because they had the best LEDs of the time. Luxeon III and V, paying extra for pure white tints (no green, no purple). 60-75 lumens on a RCR123A was amazing in those days. Now you can get a cheapo AAA light that doubles that, and an RCR123A or 18350 can put out over 2000 lumens.

In other words, treat your flashlight as a tool rather than a work of art. A custom knife in an "obsolete" steel is still perfectly usable 20 years later and hasn't devolved into 1/10th the knife compared to current ones. That way the risk is only in buying a bunch because one is slightly more appropriate than another for a certain situation. One for the keychain, one for discrete dressy carry, one for days off, a larger one for EDC, a flood for yard use, a headlamp for your car, etc...
 
eveled said:
Not at all what you asked for, but if I were in your position I’d use my Milwaukee search light. It is big, but not that heavy and it balances well. 1250 Lumens 730 yards.



Especially if you already have M18 iMilwaukee tools. I use mine all the time.
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So I was in Home Depot and said “I’ll just walk by…” famous last words.

This Milwaukee light is a Gem! It has very good throw and also a different set of emitters for a super spill mode. It can be used for a camp lantern even. It can run for hours (like 12!) and doesn’t even get hot. Super pleased with this one.

Only cons I can point to is that the batteries are expensive if you don’t already have them. Also, it’s big and clunky…but something nice to have around home or camp site.
 
If you want a fantastic area of illumination in front of you , try the Convoy M26C with an orange peel reflector and the XHP 70.2. If you want a warmer tint that is easier on the eyes, it looks very good at 3000K. The XHP70.3 Hi is also an option if you want more even color distribution and higher CRI but honestly, the regular 70.2 provides an awesome balance and plenty of light, even on low.

If you don't want to charge your own lithium cells, or you want a thinner light in hand, the Jaxman M2 runs on 2xAA, works wonderfully on Eneloop Pro NiMH cells, and makes very efficient use of a boost driver to put out serious light. Like the above, this one looks nice in a warmer tint if you'd prefer that. (Don't worry about the funky translation. "Warm Yellow" is closer to 4000K and looks good.)

For both of these options, the high modes are impressive but the standard low modes are still bright enough for most tasks, including walking the dog at night. That's an important feature for me because it means maximizing battery life and being to turn up as needed.
 
Highly recommend the Acebeam L19. It was recommended to me by the nerds on reddit/flashlight when I was looking for an affordable handheld spotlight for a recent sailing voyage and it performed superbly. It'll throw well over 1000m if the air is clear and fits easily in a coat pocket.
Here's a great review https://1lumen.com/review/acebeam-l19-v2/
(recommend looking at the 1lumen review for whatever flashlight you're considering; they're excellent)
 
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