I need some new batteries for my Solarstorm X2 and X3, Torchy’s 6 and 8 cell batteries look to be be better value than the 4 cell units used by Smudge. Anyone have a recommendation for either seller or anyone else I should consider? Got a decent Magicshine charger so all good on that front.

I viewed torchy for ages with major suspicion, due to his light review site.. The lights he sold always came very highly in his reviews. That said ve never heard any complaints about him & he is seemingly researched & bought higher quality chinese products. That he is willing to stand by & fully back them up, unlike many ‘chinese’ light/battery sellers.
Smudge though his prices are not cheap, It’s because his products aren’t just bought as cheap as possible from China, IIRC he makes up all his own battery packs, & tests them properly. So in reality your buying a quality product, well worth buying, his support & backup is 2nd to none (I have a battery pack he made that must be 6 years old & is still going strong).. There are always stories of him going well beyond normal service to help his customers out, normally by properly diagnosing issues, rather than just throwing another unit at the customer & hoping that fixes it.
I’d happily buy from either, over anyone else currently

I’ve got battery packs from both. Can’t fault either.

Always had great products from Torchy.
Great service too when things do go wrong.

Smudge offers very good quality battery packs, constructed using high-end cells. He is highly qualified in this tech and takes quality and safety very seriously. After years of buying his batteries and chargers, I wouldn’t buy from anywhere else.
And you can get bespoke service.

I don’t really think you could find better.

His lights seem to be well received too, at that price point.

Torchy is good have had lots of of him (bought a load for our nighttime coaching sessions) but the battery carrier pouch is not 100% secure so needs an additional clip to keep it closed. Other people I know recommend MTB Batteries.

Smudge +1 – no need to reiterate, Luminous is spot-on

Smudge +1 – no need to reiterate, Luminous is spot-on

Smudge offered me a way over and above service a few weeks ago, which I haven’t detailed becuase he’d have everyone asking for it, but suffice to say he’s getting my purchase of a spare battery band possibly another light in the next few months without question.

Smudge +1 here also. Not used Torchy, he sounds great too, but I’ve never felt a need to buy anywhere else than Smudge. What everyone else already said – great service, great products, support local.

Smudge for me, had a battery 6 years ago for a trout light that has done 3 charges a week through the darker months on average for the last 5 and a half years before a cell died. I have replaced it with another from smudge that seems to be just the same quality.

surroundedbyhills – smudge is mtbbatteries.co.uk

Went for a 6 cell unit from Torchy for the X3, think I’ll get a 4 cell from Smudge for the X2 when the cheapo supplied one expires. Seems you can’t go wrong with either of them. Cheers all!

What about c and be seen? Their prices are cheaper than most UK sellers. Is there a difference in quality?

I’m aware of both smudge and torchy but I’ve been wondering how there for cell packs differ from buying one of the ebay four cell boxes and then buying some quality protected 18650’s from panasonic?

You can charge them individually and ensure the cells are good rather that running them as a pack

Nowt wrong with doing that CaptM, it’s what I currently use as my other battery pack, just beware there lots of fake Panasonic batteries about. Can’t say the plastic box is great quality, may need to replace the lead this year, but it suited my budget/needs at the time

+1 for smudge.
He knows his stuff and his gear is unbeatable.