Hey guys! I’m looking for an EDC light that’s 800+ (pref 1000+) lumens, tailcap switch, rechargeable via mini USB or USB-C, and less than $50– is that price point delusional?
The closest I’ve gotten is the Wurkkos FC11 but that’s a little too large for my pocket and doesn’t have the tailcap switch (which means it turns on in my pocket sometimes and I can’t turn it on as quick when I grab it).
My use case is obviously flashlighty stuff but an important use for me is that it’s part of my self defense layering.
Lumintop has a “Tool AA 2.0 EDC” that is about the perfect shape (fits in my fist- not square, knobby, or fat) and size (3.52*0.73 inch), but it’s not rechargeable, not as bright as the Wurkkos (but still bright at 650 lumens), and I don’t need its 5 different light modes to cycle through if I accidentally tap the back during use. Still would recommend the light, and I thought about getting a USB-C rechargeable AA for it, but as previously stated I’d really like something a little brighter and ideally a better tailcap switch.
I browsed the forum, and I saw a couple posts about the Wurkkos TS10. It’s kind of similar in size to another light I have and is a little fat for what I’m looking for. I think the FC11 is as thick or a little thinner, and still a bit big for what I’m looking for. May still try the TS10 if I can’t find anything else. I’d still consider stuff outside of the $50 price range but I really want something inside if at all possible.
rechargeable via mini usb
better than micro usb at least
Noctigon KR4.
Tail switch ✓ 800+ lumens ✓ USB rechargeable X
However you can get 18650s with USB-C ports for charging. Or just grab a couple of decent Molicel batteries and an Eastshine 2 bay charger and just swap batteries.Worried about forgetting to swap batteries? The aux lights can function as a battery indicator. You can also click the button 3 times and it’ll blink the battery voltage. So you should always know when to swap batteries.
There is a ton of led choices. You can also get 2 of one and 2 of another if that tickles your fancy. High cri or raw output. Warm or cool color temperature.
It’s worth a look in my opinion.
Another recommendation is the Sofirn SC31 pro
Noctigon KR4… 18650s with USB-C ports for charging
Those don’t fit in the KR4; it requires unprotected flat-top 18650s.
I was curious if they would or not. I haven’t ever tried one in my D4V2 so it was speculation. Thanks for the clarification!
I really like my sofirn sc31t. Got it for $17 on AliExpress. 2000 peak lumens but it has several settings if you want it dimmer. usbc rechargeable with an 18650 battery. Has a tailcap switch. Might be slightly larger than you are wanting.
sofirn sc18 I have is also good at 1800 peak lumens for about $10, with several brightness settings, but it’s more likely to turn itself on in drawers if you don’t use the lock feature (quadruple click the button). Also usbc rechargeable with an 18650 battery. No tailcap switch. Pretty small, might be what you’re wanting.
Looking at their website, the sc32 looks like it might be what you want.
The SC32 does seem to be pretty close to what I want, I’ll check it out, thanks!
I bought a couple of Aplos T02 as an experiment because they were so cheap and id seen them recommended here. I had low expectations based on the price but I have been really impressed with them, they are 1800 lumens and rechargeable with USB C.
What kind of beam pattern are you looking for? To take this to the extremes, a 10 watt laser that would be good for a lower tier laser cutters is roughly 1,000 lumens. The same is true for 75 watt incandescent lightbulb. In the flashlight world, the cutting laser would be a thrower and an incandescent bulb is a flooder. The two have very different uses.
I live in suburbia and find flooders great for walking around. I also like flooders for wooded trails, as a light source for working on much of anything up close, and as a light for bouncing off something for ambient lighting.
Throwers are useful for highlighting things far away. If you’re in an open space and want to see if there’s something wandering around far away, a thrower is the way to go.
There are also things like color temperature and CRI to talk about, but most enthusiast lights offer multiple options these days.
I’m not looking out too far away, anything I’ll need to illuminate is probably inside of 10-15m? The reason for the high lumens is information blocking and making light for self defense, so I’m guessing a flooder is probably the category I’m looking for.
An Emisar D4 might fit the bill. It’s fairly compact, floody, and can be a pocket rocket (lots of lumins in short bursts). No onboard charging though.
Hey, bit late to the party but I got my other half a Wuben C3 flashlight just for around the house. It was really cheap on Amazon but it certainly gets the job done. I have my rovyvons and lumintops and acebeams and BLFs and Emisars - shout out of appreciation to Hank and Toykeeper and Parametrek for community service - but for an easy, reliable flashlight on a budget, IP68, decent emitter colour (at this price - it’s not blue), listed at 1200lm, Tail switch, 6 modes. USB charging (usb-c from memory) - I’d recommend this for anyone that’s not wanting to geek out hard as a purist.
Thanks for the recommend! I checked it out and if I didn’t already have the FC11 I’d probably get it, but they look about the same size. I will keep it in mind though.
I’ve tried a lot of EDC flashlights, and my daily carry is one of the least expensive. It’s a RovyVon Aurora. Doesn’t meet your 800+ lumen requirement (only rated for 650), but that’s coming out of a light that’s 2.3 inches long and weighs 0.8 oz (about the size of a ChapStick lip balm). I’ve found it to be more than bright enough to clearly see things at 200 feet on a moonless night. It fits perfectly in my Leatherman Wave holster. The A3 version has a magnetic tail, USB-C charging, keyring, IPX6 environmental rating, and a lockout feature to prevent accidental activation. Unless your daily routine involves a lot of flashlight use, this is a light I can recommend that is unobtrusive and won’t dent your wallet at $22 on Amazon.
That is a sleek little light I might wind up getting anyways- not quite what I was looking for but I can probably find a use case for it…
