Armytek Predator Flashlight Pass-Around!

Awesome guys will keep you posted. I'm sure they would love to know their light helped put a criminal in jail.

 

I was liking it until I looked further into them. The lights are assembled in china. While cree is US based they have a manufacturing plant IN china. So I find it hard to believe they make them here, send them to china to be assembled, then ship them back here. I think they instead mean the electronics are manufactured to USA specs, as most electronics are.
Also and this is important for anyone thinking of buying this. I read through the page and saw all the features, and included accessories and batteries were NOT listed. The 18650 battery and charger are NOT easily found outside the internet. So expect to pay 20-100 bucks more depending on if you buy from a us co or china for those. Also 95% of led flashlights do not have an adjustable throw. This means if it is setup like a spot light to bring down planes, you can't re focus it as an area flood light.

I can say it is a good looking flashlight and anyone who buys it will be happy, but I can't recommend it when in contrast I bought a 900 lumen light with a cree driver, 2 batteries, and a charger for $45 and it is still running great 2 years later. Sorry if it seems like I'm raining on a parade but I like helping tw members make informed opinions.

 

It will also run off of standard 123 primaries, or RCR123A rechargables. Other than (low output) AA flashlights this is basically what high end flashlights run off of. Either that or 17670's, or some of the really expensive ones run off of 26650's. The charger you get for these is usually universal, so you will be good to recharge lithium's for any flashlight you ever get.

Agreed throw is almost never 'adjustable' per se, but if you get a thrower flashlight (like this one) you can easily put a diffusing material (like even scotch tape which some use) and make it a flood light. If you order a floody light you can't make it throw better.

No high end light I've seen comes with lithium batteries or charger either. I wouldn't mind one of those 900 lumen lights that comes with rechargeable lithiums and a charger for $45 though, I'll take one of those. Link ?

EDIT: Again, I have no affil with Armytek itself, but I also bet you don't get a fully programmable UI, or a company that takes your ideas for future lights, responds to your criticisms, and makes changes based on customer input directly as well.

Not trying to sound like a shill but I've never seen a light like you describe. Even the 'low end' of high quality flashlights like 4sevens have competitors like this:

http://www.4sevens.ca/product_info.php?cPath=303_430&products_id=2622

105 dollars, no rechargable lithiums or charger included

The main competitor for 18650 class light is actually an amazing light.

http://www.zebralight.com/SC600-Cree-XM-L-750Lm-Flashlight-18650_p_55.html

Wonderful light. No battery or rechargable included.

Fenix, another 'low end of high end' chinese manufactured brand

http://www.fenixoutfitters.com/fenix-tk21u-303

None of these come with batteries or chargers. All are around $100.

If you want American Made flashlights, there is only one brand other than mag-lite (which are awful). That's Surefire.

You get these:

http://www.surefire.com/Flashlights

$200 for most of them, and you can't adjust brightness in most of them. They use old gen emitters, but very nice quality overall. But you have to pay for it!

From the replies there are several other flashlight fans on here and I'm sure they can also respond. I find the price of the predator in line with the competition, along with included accessories. Plus you get the full programmability, and (so far) great company to deal with.

I really would like to buy that 900 lumen light with cree emitter and with batteries and charger included. For $45. Not a dig I really want one! Link?

 

I'm stoked to test it out!

Fink

 

You can get 18650s and a charger for way less than posted above, try Lighthound.com

 

Actually some of the best batteries out there, the ones sold by many manufacturers are AW's protected cells.

http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?230876-AW-s-LiIon-Batteries-Sales-Thread-*Part-12*

You'll notice the charger is $15, and batteries are $12. Great quality batteries too.

 

I would love to try this... I am a backpacker and have a few places to try including a a few caves.

 

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/brinyt...700k-900lm-white-led-flashlight-2-18650-55028

This site gets products direct from the manufacturer. I wouldn't be suprised if I see the armytek light soon. There are not many combo packs, but as you can see the light is $34 shipped. Add the batteries for 6-12 dollars a pair, and the charger for 5-10 and you can get away at under 50. The one I got isn't up any more but it is still going strong after 2 years and I use it everyday. Here is one of their 1000 lumen lights with batteries for $60. http://www.dealextreme.com/p/trustf...d-flashlight-with-batteries-set-2x18650-57749

 

I would love to try this product out and give it a review

fisher, camper, Light enthusiast! I LOVE CPF!!!!!!!!!

 

Never heard of Brinyte but that does look like a good deal. Still lacking all the advantages of the Armytek, but would be interesting to play with for sure.

 

Ok guys started the actual pass-around discussion thread. Everyone who is interested send me a PM as described in this thread:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/of...r-flashlight-pass-around-list-discussion.html

Enjoy everyone!

 

That site has about 1000 flashlights, I just clicked the first 900 lumen I saw. They have some of the big names as well. Ultrafire, trustfire, mte, ssc, cree, aurora, etc. The main advantage of the armytek is the backup circuitry. I have 8 friends who have bought a light like mine though and none have died. so I feel it's kind of redundant. As for the programmability, I've seen them but the reviewers said while easy it tends to be more trouble than it's worth.

 

I read some reviews, ended up ordering the flashlight.
Gotta pick up a few batteries now.

 

You don't have to program it. It has a very easy to use default UI.

Just cool to have the option of being able to design your own UI if you want.

I'm no genius and it took me about 10mins to bang out a UI that fit perfectly the first time. It would be much faster the second time. Once you have what you want you pretty much never need to touch it again. You can basically have as many brightnesses as you want, set up however you want. You can even pick how fast the strobe blinks!

If you want a light you pick up and press a button and you're done there may be better options. But the reason I found these and organized this is there are threads on CPF about the BEST 18650 class light. And this light and the Zebralight SC600 got I'd say 98% of the mentions. Because they are a new company Armytek offered to step up and supply lights for this pass-around.

I didn't just pick some company at random, from my research there is maybe one contender for quality in lights of this class.

Further research in CPF showed them to be a company that directlyresponds to their customers in the forum. Design suggestions and general forum desires are taken into account. Directly.

People asked that the springs have a flat cap to not scratch their batteries? Done. People asked to have the positive contact raised on the circuitboard so you can use flat top batteries, not just button top? Done. They have shown a bunch that they are actually listening to what the customers want. This is more signifigant than the programmable UI in my mind.

Now I know I sound a bit like I'm advertising for them. But I'm not associated in any way. I MAY get a free flashlight for organizing this whole pass-around but that is the extent of it. No money no nothing has changed hands.

I just found a product that seemed to kick ass, at a price that seemed competitive, with a company responding to customers in a direct way I'd never seen before. So I approached them about doing this.

A lot of 'flashaholics' like me I think would love something like this. If you just want to grab a cheap light to use then that's one thing. But if you want a light that has been built from the gruond up on details gleaned from flashlight enthusiasts, then so far this light seems good.

How good will depend on how the reviews come back from the people on the list

 

nicely said... i cant wait to check out the light.

 

Thanks. it is coming! I should have them monday I hope.

Ya to make an analogy, a ford ranger (might) last you a year or two, and cost less. But I don't think it will make you happy like a Tacoma There is something to be said for quality.

 

I could use one of the for my Fire helmet

 

I know you're not advertising for them, and I have nothing against them. The lights seem to be good and their customer service great. But let be honest, 120 for a flashlight and batteries is expensive, I get laughed at when I tell people I paid 50 for mine, until I show them how bright it is. I know at least 5 people who have bought one after that. All I'm trying to do is present people who like the performance of this flashlight with a more affordable option, but it may lack one or two bells and whistles. As for quality, I can not speak for the models I linked specifically, but my particular flashlight has been dropped in a lake, a fish pond, been run over by an f250, run over by a tractor. dropped off my roof, used as a headlight for my motorcycle, and dropped from 8 feet onto concrete at least 5 times. It is still as bright and reliable as the day I got it. My friend who got me into this is an officer who has had the same model as me for 5 years now and he uses it nightly. In the end armytek is towards the top of the led light manufacturers, but at the same time it is pretty hard to build a truly bad flashlight.