Sorry for asking this, I saw the answer some months ago but the advanced search function won’t give me the answer I’m looking for.

A few years ago I got a DX torch with a P7 emitter that took 1 18650 battery, strapped it to my helmet and it was good.

Then as the arms race went on I got a DX torch with an XML-T6 emitter and it was even better.

The P7 one broke (probably because I kept unscrewing the reflector assembly and just using the emitter as a flood for camping, which was great, but the new one doesn’t unscrew like that)

Before I just buy another XML-T6 I thought I heard about the next best thing. More light for less battery usage. Or was I dreaming?

*is of interest to me*

I have a T6 torch which is now 2yrs old so like you Im sure there must be a new chip with sooper-dooper performance by now!

EDIT: Looking at expensive lamps on Deal extreme seems to suggest that XM-L2 chips are the latest.
http://www.cree.com/LED-Components-and-Modules/Products/XLamp/Discrete-Directional/XLamp-XML2

That might be the one I saw. XM-L2-U2.

Anybody with any real world experience?

At £9 This must be worth a punt.

great value for money these things arent they. A handful of salvaged laptop cells and away you go.

Seems fine for the cash that one.

I just got 4 of these delivered – my dad wanted a load of new torches to leave lying around the place. Unbelievable performance from a single AA battery. Zoomable focus too.

http://eud.dx.com/product/sipik-sk-68-cree-xr-e-q5-260lm-1-mode-white-light-zooming-flashlight-grey-1-x-aa-844158184#.VFzUPvmsXZE

those single AA sized torches are brilliant, i’ve got one hanging off my camelback as a backup light. Will also get some to leave round the house. CandBSeen also sell them

http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/flashlightheadlamp/cabs-flashg3.html

if you zoom the lens all the way out, you can actually cast the chip design on a wall 🙂

a few of my friends have bought lights with the new cree xml u2 led’s
these lights have “claimed” outputs of 5000 lumens but when using them last night they were very surprised to see that my cree xml t6 had a more powerful output even though mine is only a 1200 lumen light

I think the XML2 ie XML version 2 is still the newest and best LED on the block in terms of lumen per watt and the U2 bin is the brightest they have and T6 is the second best bin they have. Its been a while since I read up on this so I may be out of date.

XML2 is the same as the old XML but 20% more efficient, so either produces more light for same power in or produces the same amount of light for less power in.

It’s been I while since I read the datasheet but I think realistically one XML2 LED can provide about 800 lumens. Theoretically it can produce 1000+ lumen but you may struggle to stop it overheating and burning it self.

There are other LED such as the XPG2 or XRE2 which have a smaller die are good for specialist uses like producing lights with narrow beams with a lot of throw but they cannot produce the same amount of max lumen the XML can. The XML is so bright you can have a flood with a good throw now so seems to be the preferred choice.

Good explanation. As for years they have all been claiming 900 lumens I guessed that the claimed 800 from the XML2 might be nearer the truth.

Whatever happens, I’ve got a few 18650 batteries from Torchy so at least I can stick one on each of our pub bikes without getting paranoid they’re going to be nicked.

I’ve got an XM-L2 T6 which isn’t quite as bright as the U2 version, but even so it’s bright enough for me.