Super Deal on a Great Flashlight

[MtnDon]

If anyone is interested in a small (120 mm x 24 mm diameter or 4.72 x 0.94 inches) very bright great quality flashlight this is for you. This is not a cheap piece of Chinese junk. The light was designed by a group of flashlight crazies scattered around the US and Europe. They all belong to the Budget Light Forum, one of a few forums that cater to folks who are crazy about bright flashlights. They negotiated manufacture to their demanding specs with a Chinese manufacturer. The lights are being sold through a Chinese based web vendor with a special discount code. $40 to the general public; $25 with discount. This group deal may terminate any time, but the response has been great so who knows when it may stop.

One warning; the light uses an 18650 size Litium Ion cell (battery). This is rechargeable, so you need a charger. AA size batteries will not work. The light uses a copper printed circuit board for better heat dissipation, not many lights do especially cheap ones.

How bright? On turbo with a good 18650 it's about 1200 - 1400 lumens. Real lumens, not the exagerated lumens we see on cheap ebay, etc websites. Less than a minute at that brightness. User programmable to either 4 or 7 levels that go on down to what is called moonlight.

To get the discount code you need to be a member of the Budget Light Forum. That's easy and free just like here. The registration button may be hard to find. They have it in the left sidebar, part way down the page.

Once registered go to this topic. Send a PM to bugsy to get the discount code.

Then go to Banggood.com Order a light or two, or.... Apply the discount code in the checkout process and a discount gets applied to make the cost per unit $25. Standard two to three week shipping is free. Optional shipping is faster and costs extra.

You get to choose the tint or color temperature of the light. Tint 5A is the warmest at 4000 degrees K. Tint 3D is 5000K and tint 1A is 6500 K. If you aren't sure what that means this may help. Tint 1A usually has the highest lumen output. But I like 3D best of the three offerings.

I got one in July and ordered a couple more today and thought maybe someone here could be interested.

[Bill n Robi]

Got this one:
http://www2.pulsetv.com/Swat-Striker-Ta ... info/6522/
Can use with included battery pack if you need more light and can't recharge the lithium

also 3 of the smaller version which can use the same rechargeable battery:
http://www2.pulsetv.com/High-Intensity- ... info/6059/

[dales133]

That banggood has some bad reviews as to no buyer protection,anyone had any experience with it?

[MtnDon]

Reviews that I saw were mostly good, but yes there are some very negative ones. I have ordered many times over the past year. I had one item with a problem, did not work. They sent me a new one n/c once I sent them a photo showing what was wrong. I only buy small items, electronic parts mostly and most costing <$5, some up to $10 - $15 each. The light is the most money I've spent for one item. I only did that because the BLForum had mostly good things to say. Over $20 I don'y usually feel comfortable. Returning items to China is ridiculously expensive with USA shipping rates, is one reason. I've saved enough over the year that if something small goes wrong I feel I can absorb the loss. Probably would never buy from them again if I had a real bad experience.

I have a friend who thinks I am crazy to buy China direct. He buys lottery tickets every week, $5 to $10 a week. He has never one a major prize, just some minor things. I look at a lottery ticket as a virtual guarantee of a purchase gone bad; chances of getting a 'broken' ticket are very high. My returns, savings, are smaller but have added up over the year. I guess buying China direct is my Lotto.

We all have our own comfort levels..........

[noseoil]

I won't be buying from Banggood again, ever.

I had a nightmare transaction earlier this year (my one & only with this company) which took about 10 weeks to resolve & it didn't get taken care of until I told them that I was going to lodge a formal complaint with Paypal & mention them negatively on the Candlepower forum. Basically, it ended up being a bait & switch on a flashlight. I sent for a CR123 flashlight & was given a AAA instead. First, they played dumb and wanted pictures to document the sale, then offered a discount, wanted a shipping confirmation from me to them (impossible on a shipment to China) and did everything they could to act nice but not follow through on their offer or stand behind their ad. The ad was clearly written, the flashlight was not what the advertised.

Never again for me, but YMMV........ Buyer beware!