I’m looking for a new light for EUC riding. I currently have a SP36 which I find too big and heavy and also a thrunite TC15 that lacks throw and uses a micro USB that I dislike. A buddy of mine uses a Fenix TK16 v2 and it seems to be a good balance of flood and throw, but I dislike the buttons. I really like the features of my SP36 and the single button.
I need good flood and medium throw in order to see further ahead. I looked at hank lights and I’m quite interrested, but I’m new to all this. Through my research, I think a D1K might be a good format. I saw a few people riding EUC that said the D4Sv2 with XPL-HI is best, but this emitter isn’t offered anymore.
What do you suggest?
I actually recommend the Emisar DT8K Dual Channel. It’s the light I EDC and I sometimes also use it as a bike light. I find the 21700 grips more comfortable than the smaller 18650s. The strange shape makes it thinner in the pocket than anything else with a comparable size of head.
I suggest the Dual Channel loaded with one set of W2 LEDs and another set of 519As. That combination provides a lot of throw in the center with a lot of flood around it. If you want finer control you can configure it so you can adjust the relative strength of each channel, which will effectively act like zooming in or zooming out.
Overall it’s the most versatile hand light I have. And it’s oddities make it nearly ideal for us as a headlight.
Yes I saw that one, I also like the presence of aux lights so when it’s closed I get some lights that people can see. I was just wondering that if the optics are that small, maybe the throw wouldn’t be enough. I guess it’s fine. It would be quite a powerful flashlight.
Did you go with or without dome for the 519A?
The 519As in the light I EDC still have their domes. I have another light where the domes were removed and I prefer them intact, particularly for this combination. Removing the domes shifts them from flood toward throw and lowers the overall output by 10-15%. The W2s provide all the throw you could want, so the 519As are there to provide a good flood around the hotspot.
If you do decide to de-dome, bear in mind that it shifts the color temperature warmer by around 1000K. So if you want to end up around 4000K, buy the 5700K LEDs to de-dome.
The overall throw of the DT8 lights is something of a compromise, but it isn’t bad. I suspect I’m getting over 500m of effective throw from mine. The W2s have a lot of reach and the sheer volume of lumens helps too.