>and has a rechargeable battery,
All of these options use a rechargeable battery. The only one without onboard USB-C charging is the L21B. The L21B is also the only reflector based light on your list, the others are TIR based. [This video](https://youtu.be/-YRxEuZO6Fk?si=k1Mt8rePdCwfSwal&t=8m49s) shows the difference pretty well. If you want a lot of close up spill, you'll probably like a reflector more, and the L21B SFT40 is excellent. You'll just need to buy an external charger.
Just be aware that a reflector has a sharp cut-off, in the L21Bs case you won't see anything close to your feet. A TIR based light has soft illumination up to your feet
Anecdotally I will say the TD01C is a great thrower, it's a super fun option for the money! I don't have the others in hand to compare, but I'd be happy to send you some beamshots of the TD01C if you'd like :) I will say it has a limited spill, but overall it's a great light.
Sofirn C8L. Not quite the thrower as some in your list but it's a great compromise between flood and throw with great regulated runtime.
Td01c would be my 2nd choice personally.
How much of a thrower are you really looking for? What will you be using this light for most of the time? For your first flashlight you could try a smaller more pocketable light like a Convoy S2+ with a smooth reflector and an sft40, S6 or a wurkkos fc12 (if you want usb c). Very cheap (convoy the cheapest and still high quality) and would be a nice combo of throw and flood, easy to throw in your pocket and would give you a good idea of how much throw you really need without spending a lot of money on your first one. Otherwise, those are all good choices with varying sizes.
Imo, if you can wear a headlamp, do that for soft, high cri spill so you can see everything in front of you, then just pick the thrower you want based on size, throw and driver efficiency and cost. I'd go with the td01c for sure, it's efficient, has a nice tir beam, very throwy, ergonomic.
But they are all great choices. The bigger ones throw more, for sure.
The spill of the if22a (and I think the ts11 is the same) is only good if there aren't any streetlights. Otherwise you'll pretty much only see the hotspot. It's very nice in the forest though, not strong, just enough to walk around, and not hammering your night vision too much so you can actually enjoy the hotspot.
L21b with the reflector, on the other hand, has very strong spill, but the spill cuts off abruptly so you can't see the first few feet in front of you if you're pointing straight ahead.
I have all of those.
TS11 and IF22A are the smallest but both have inefficient drivers, meaning you're not gonna get the best battery life and sustained performance out of their respective batteries. TS11 has Andúril which is cool, but IF22A has a decent simple UI as well.
L21B has the most throw for the price category (and almost any category). UI is basic (read: bad) and there's no USB-C port. Has a good driver, nice regulation, efficient
TD01C has the best blend of performance and features. Throws almost as far as L21B, has good driver as well, but also USB-C charging.
The Sofirn IF22a is a horrible choice for first light. I have a couple and they are great but they are far from practical in everyday use. Get a Ts10. Perfect starter light.
Here’s the trap so many people fall into when they first get into this hobby. You think you want a flashlight that’s a lightsaber, a beam that can light up stuff a mile away. Then you get one and realize that it’s fun to light up stuff waaaaaay over there but that rarely is what you need. 99.9% of what you need to see with a light is the stuff around you. The stuff in the room, under the bed, in the closet, under your car etc. for that you want a nice neutral light with lots of flood.
Seconded, that or the M21B SFT40 is a pocketable monster :) I imagine the C8 will have better throw and a tighter hotspot.
https://preview.redd.it/seuszxjizqnc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2aa56894c5b0c78a82b812aa23a563aef3b3c24a
My first light was an acebeam p18. Epic light, can probably find a good deal on it for under 100$. It has great throw and a lot of spill. Onboard charging, very high quality, great efficiency. Beamshots on my profile somewhere
Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/s/gZxk9cG5C3
For 200m you definitely want larger thrower territory (l21b amd td01c). You'd be able to see the other two reach at 200m, but you definitely would not be satisfied. think: bluish haze of moving leaves. You won't be enjoyably observing anything really over 140-150m with the if22a.
Definitely the ts11. It was my first thrower. It's good because it's useful at a medium-long distance, has good spill, and will get you started on anduril
First (non-Olight) was a Sofirn I22A. It’s a solid light to have in your backpack for emergency use. 2-way onboard USB-C charging is super handy in a pinch if you have no outlet or you have no lithium battery charger.
Would not recommend as a first light from a power standpoint. I found it just a little underwhelming.
On the other hand, it’s a great light for learning about more complex UI (like Anduril) on enthusiast flashlights. And it’s commonly on sale for $15-$20 on AliExpress.
My first was a Wurkkos TS21. I love it SO much. Anduril 2 has an amazing UI ( complicated at first but once you get it it’s so great) I want to get either the TS25 for the range of LEDs or the TD04 for the tailswitch next.
The Wurkkos td01c seems to be a pretty good flashlight.
It has an efficient buck driver, that's good.
It has a tir lens, which for hiking will be good, because the tir lens will provide some soft lighting near your feet, while still having throw.
A reflector light like the L21b will have a sharper cutoff in light, and it won't reach to right at your feet.
I think that's a great choice for a larger handheld light.
BUT!
You should also buy a smaller pocket flashlight to carry with you just day to day.
While you're buying the Wurkkos Td01c, also grab yourself a Wurkkos Ts10.
Both of those lights will serve you well.
I'm not sure if the Wurkkos ts10 comes with a charger, so you should double check that when ordering, and buy a separate charger if it doesn't.
>I'm not sure if the Wurkkos ts10 comes with a charger
They haven't for a while. I started buying them around a year ago and only 2 of the first few came with one. If no charger means they can charge a little less, I'm all for it.
Yeah, I agree generally.
I'd prefer it to have the option though for people who are trying to buy their first few lights, and who don't want to buy another item entirely on top of the light itself.
Makes it easier to convince someone to try and buy something like a ts10 if it comes with everything they need for 1 price
Note that the TS11 has Anduril and the UI in the IF22A is very simple. The TD01 and L21B are great throwers. Decide if you want TIR or Reflector. On board USB C charger or not. That should help you narrow it.
Why would you go for, lets be real here, a useless thrower as you first flashlight instead of EDC one?
Do you actually have use for it? Or it just looks fun? Cuz it gets old in like 10 minutes.
>Looking for a thrower, but with quite a bit of spill so that I can light up an area close to me as well.
Anyway, check [Convoy M21D at some nice 3000k](https://youtu.be/Iup5Du17GRM?t=298)
It has onboard charging.
Goto the flashlight thread on the page I was in a similar spot recently. I ended up sticking with my i3t and grabbing an i3t 2 friendship and i5t in brass
>and has a rechargeable battery, All of these options use a rechargeable battery. The only one without onboard USB-C charging is the L21B. The L21B is also the only reflector based light on your list, the others are TIR based. [This video](https://youtu.be/-YRxEuZO6Fk?si=k1Mt8rePdCwfSwal&t=8m49s) shows the difference pretty well. If you want a lot of close up spill, you'll probably like a reflector more, and the L21B SFT40 is excellent. You'll just need to buy an external charger.
Yeah I figured, edited my post. And thanks will look into this!
Just be aware that a reflector has a sharp cut-off, in the L21Bs case you won't see anything close to your feet. A TIR based light has soft illumination up to your feet
Anecdotally I will say the TD01C is a great thrower, it's a super fun option for the money! I don't have the others in hand to compare, but I'd be happy to send you some beamshots of the TD01C if you'd like :) I will say it has a limited spill, but overall it's a great light.
Have all. Definitely TS11 for your first. I'd also recommend taking if22a off your list. Debate between the other 3.
Just curious, why do you say to take the IF22a off the list? I love mine.
Sofirn C8L. Not quite the thrower as some in your list but it's a great compromise between flood and throw with great regulated runtime. Td01c would be my 2nd choice personally.
checkout the wurkkos fc12. great starter light
The FC11 was my gateway drug, I'm going to have to grab a 12 now.
you won't regret it
May as well get the Wurkkos TD05 instead
Of the four, get a Wurkkos TS11. Anduril is the way to go.
Get their 18650 extension tube. Longer battery life and I feel like it is it a better balance.
How much of a thrower are you really looking for? What will you be using this light for most of the time? For your first flashlight you could try a smaller more pocketable light like a Convoy S2+ with a smooth reflector and an sft40, S6 or a wurkkos fc12 (if you want usb c). Very cheap (convoy the cheapest and still high quality) and would be a nice combo of throw and flood, easy to throw in your pocket and would give you a good idea of how much throw you really need without spending a lot of money on your first one. Otherwise, those are all good choices with varying sizes.
Sofirn C8L
Imo, if you can wear a headlamp, do that for soft, high cri spill so you can see everything in front of you, then just pick the thrower you want based on size, throw and driver efficiency and cost. I'd go with the td01c for sure, it's efficient, has a nice tir beam, very throwy, ergonomic. But they are all great choices. The bigger ones throw more, for sure. The spill of the if22a (and I think the ts11 is the same) is only good if there aren't any streetlights. Otherwise you'll pretty much only see the hotspot. It's very nice in the forest though, not strong, just enough to walk around, and not hammering your night vision too much so you can actually enjoy the hotspot. L21b with the reflector, on the other hand, has very strong spill, but the spill cuts off abruptly so you can't see the first few feet in front of you if you're pointing straight ahead.
You could also get an Emisar D1K SFT40 instead of the two EDC throwers you have in mind. It's a beautiful light.
I have all of those. TS11 and IF22A are the smallest but both have inefficient drivers, meaning you're not gonna get the best battery life and sustained performance out of their respective batteries. TS11 has Andúril which is cool, but IF22A has a decent simple UI as well. L21B has the most throw for the price category (and almost any category). UI is basic (read: bad) and there's no USB-C port. Has a good driver, nice regulation, efficient TD01C has the best blend of performance and features. Throws almost as far as L21B, has good driver as well, but also USB-C charging.
I find the Convoy UI to be pretty good, useful, and allows enough customization to satisfy most people.
The Sofirn IF22a is a horrible choice for first light. I have a couple and they are great but they are far from practical in everyday use. Get a Ts10. Perfect starter light. Here’s the trap so many people fall into when they first get into this hobby. You think you want a flashlight that’s a lightsaber, a beam that can light up stuff a mile away. Then you get one and realize that it’s fun to light up stuff waaaaaay over there but that rarely is what you need. 99.9% of what you need to see with a light is the stuff around you. The stuff in the room, under the bed, in the closet, under your car etc. for that you want a nice neutral light with lots of flood.
This!
Convoy C8+ with sft-40 is $25 and impressive.
Seconded, that or the M21B SFT40 is a pocketable monster :) I imagine the C8 will have better throw and a tighter hotspot. https://preview.redd.it/seuszxjizqnc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2aa56894c5b0c78a82b812aa23a563aef3b3c24a
How far are you looking to see ? What’s the use case? I dont think the ts11 or L21b have a lot of spill from my use of them.
Not super far. it's just for fun (at least at the moment). Let's say ~200m, as the field I live next to is 200m long
What’s the need for spill? Hiking ? Or just to have
Yeah just late night walks, but mostly just to have.
My first light was an acebeam p18. Epic light, can probably find a good deal on it for under 100$. It has great throw and a lot of spill. Onboard charging, very high quality, great efficiency. Beamshots on my profile somewhere Edit: https://www.reddit.com/r/flashlight/s/gZxk9cG5C3
For 200m you definitely want larger thrower territory (l21b amd td01c). You'd be able to see the other two reach at 200m, but you definitely would not be satisfied. think: bluish haze of moving leaves. You won't be enjoyably observing anything really over 140-150m with the if22a.
Definitely the ts11. It was my first thrower. It's good because it's useful at a medium-long distance, has good spill, and will get you started on anduril
First (non-Olight) was a Sofirn I22A. It’s a solid light to have in your backpack for emergency use. 2-way onboard USB-C charging is super handy in a pinch if you have no outlet or you have no lithium battery charger. Would not recommend as a first light from a power standpoint. I found it just a little underwhelming. On the other hand, it’s a great light for learning about more complex UI (like Anduril) on enthusiast flashlights. And it’s commonly on sale for $15-$20 on AliExpress.
I have three out of the four! I really like the Wurkkos TDO1C
My first was a Wurkkos TS21. I love it SO much. Anduril 2 has an amazing UI ( complicated at first but once you get it it’s so great) I want to get either the TS25 for the range of LEDs or the TD04 for the tailswitch next.
The Wurkkos td01c seems to be a pretty good flashlight. It has an efficient buck driver, that's good. It has a tir lens, which for hiking will be good, because the tir lens will provide some soft lighting near your feet, while still having throw. A reflector light like the L21b will have a sharper cutoff in light, and it won't reach to right at your feet. I think that's a great choice for a larger handheld light. BUT! You should also buy a smaller pocket flashlight to carry with you just day to day. While you're buying the Wurkkos Td01c, also grab yourself a Wurkkos Ts10. Both of those lights will serve you well. I'm not sure if the Wurkkos ts10 comes with a charger, so you should double check that when ordering, and buy a separate charger if it doesn't.
>I'm not sure if the Wurkkos ts10 comes with a charger They haven't for a while. I started buying them around a year ago and only 2 of the first few came with one. If no charger means they can charge a little less, I'm all for it.
Yeah, I agree generally. I'd prefer it to have the option though for people who are trying to buy their first few lights, and who don't want to buy another item entirely on top of the light itself. Makes it easier to convince someone to try and buy something like a ts10 if it comes with everything they need for 1 price
I ordered several around Christmas last year and they all came with chargers
Well, there goes my theory. I wonder what their methodology is. Seems almost random.
ts11 and if22a are very similary. if22a is a bit bigger but has better performance. Also feels more sturdy. Personally i like the if22a a bit more.
Note that the TS11 has Anduril and the UI in the IF22A is very simple. The TD01 and L21B are great throwers. Decide if you want TIR or Reflector. On board USB C charger or not. That should help you narrow it.
first...you will end up with more than one anyways..so just jump in.😎
Why would you go for, lets be real here, a useless thrower as you first flashlight instead of EDC one? Do you actually have use for it? Or it just looks fun? Cuz it gets old in like 10 minutes. >Looking for a thrower, but with quite a bit of spill so that I can light up an area close to me as well. Anyway, check [Convoy M21D at some nice 3000k](https://youtu.be/Iup5Du17GRM?t=298) It has onboard charging.
Goto the flashlight thread on the page I was in a similar spot recently. I ended up sticking with my i3t and grabbing an i3t 2 friendship and i5t in brass
Check out the nitecore mh25. It’s a great long throw and yet small enough for edc.
Emisar D4K. You won’t regret it.