manithree
Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2009
- Messages
- 112
Their are lots of cheap, crappy flashlights available from China. But there are also some high quality units from reputable manufacturers at amazing prices. In my opinion, the Convoy flashlights, especially the S2+, are in the latter category.
I'm completely unqualified to comment on the suitability of any product for LEO or military use, having zero experience in either field. But as a daily carrier, I've gone through a lot of flashlights, and I've gotten picky in my own ways, and I've settled on some lights that others here might be interested in.
First, the Convoy S2+ is what's generally called a "tube" light that runs on a rechargeable lithium battery in the 18650 format.
They're available in several colors. That can be handy if you have them set up for different purposes. Or, just because.
Here's most of my current S2+ collection with a mini MagLED thrown in for size comparison:
There are a lot of external and internal configurations available for the Convoy S2+. The standard size is 4.7" long, and .95" diameter. I'm in the camp that consider that format small enough to be pocketable for EDC. That's slimmer than many tactical lights. What you give up is throw. It fits in a pocket better, but without the wider head and reflector, the beam is less focused, and doesn't go as far. Most flashoholics consider flood more important than throw for EDC, anyway.
One of my favorite options available for the S2+ is the short tube. For only a few dollars you can replace the main body tube with a shorter one that lets you use 18350 or 16340 rechargeables, or non-rechargeable CR123A batteries. That's the shorter blue, gray, and green lights in the photos.
Switching to lithium rechargeable batteries can be a big step if you don't already use them and have a charger. And if you do it wrong you might burn your house down. But CR123A batteries are available almost anywhere now, and even though they'll likely cost more than rechargeables in the long term, it's less costly up front if you're just trying things out. Obviously, this makes the light much smaller (3.3" length) and easier to carry. And you really don't sacrifice brightness, generally, just capacity or runtime.
All but the gray and black bodies come with a metal cover on the switch. I really like the metal switch cover because when I'm wearing gloves, the soft cover catches and I sometimes get unwanted mode changes.
Speaking of modes, there are multiple options there. The standard firmware has 2 mode groups. One group has three modes with just low, medium, and high. The other group has five modes with low, medium, high, strobe, and SOS. To switch between groups, go to low mode for a few seconds until it blinks, then turn the light off. You're now in the other group. There's also mode memory, so as long as you leave the light in a mode for 3 seconds before you turn it off, it will be in that mode the next time you turn it on.
I absolutely HATE 5-mode flashlights. I can't stand having to go through strobe and SOS to get to the mode I want. But I bike a lot, and it's nice to have strobe available for those mornings or evenings where I need to be seen. Some people hate the one blink in low mode, but I'm willing to accept it to have a simple way to avoid strobe and SOS except for when I really want them.
If you order from the official Aliexpress Convoy store (Simon), you can also request the Biscotti firmware with lots more customizations and options. If you're in the US, mtnelectronics carries them, and you'll get them a lot quicker, but not all the options are available. And that's about as close as I can get to a negative comment about mtnelectronics. Richard, the proprietor, is an excellent seller with a stellar reputation.
I've never owned a Streamlight or a Surefire. But I have fondled them at the LGS. The Convoy feels just as good in my hand as the much higher priced lights. The machining is great, the square cut threads are smooth and easy to use. I've tinkered with mine enough to know that none of the parts are low quality, even if some aren't top-of-the-line. I've carried them, biked with them, and abused them for a couple of years, and have had zero problems.
My S2+ that gets the least use in on my nightstand in a SmartCarry holster with a Thyrm Switchback attached. The Switchback Large is compatible with several flashlights, and even though the S2+ is not listed, it works just fine. I haven't looked up all the lights in their list, but I'm reasonably sure the S2+ is much less expensive than anything there.
I wouldn't advise anybody to dump their existing pistol light and matching holster and use a Switchback instead. But if, like me, you're still trying to decide which light and holster you want, or saving up for it, the Switchback/S2+ combo is quite usable, and inexpensive enough to make a painless interim solution. That light is the short blue one all the way to the left in the above photos. Here it is as it's supposed to be used:
In summary, the Convoy S2+ is a much higher quality flashlight than you might think given the price tag and the country of origin. For the average non-LEO/military carrier, it's more than adequate. The amount of light (500-800 lumens) from a short S2+ is amazing.
If you do decide to start using rechargeable lithium batteries, please educate yourself on the safety concerns before purchasing any chargers or cells. The short version is, buy reputable batteries (Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Liitokala, etc.) and only buy a high quality charger from a reputable manufacturer (Liitokala, NiteCore, XTAR, etc.). Since most protected cells fit, and there is no disadvantage to using them in a stock Convoy S2+, I highly recommend using a protected 18650.
Since this is a gun forum, not a flashlight forum (yes, that's a thing), I haven't delved into great technical detail on this light. But I'm happy to oblige here or on BLF if anyone wants to go more in-depth. Here are some links to reviews and other info on the Convoy S2+.
All the gear mentioned in this review was purchased by me with my own funds. I was not given any gear or other consideration by any manufacturer.
I'm completely unqualified to comment on the suitability of any product for LEO or military use, having zero experience in either field. But as a daily carrier, I've gone through a lot of flashlights, and I've gotten picky in my own ways, and I've settled on some lights that others here might be interested in.
First, the Convoy S2+ is what's generally called a "tube" light that runs on a rechargeable lithium battery in the 18650 format.
They're available in several colors. That can be handy if you have them set up for different purposes. Or, just because.
Here's most of my current S2+ collection with a mini MagLED thrown in for size comparison:
There are a lot of external and internal configurations available for the Convoy S2+. The standard size is 4.7" long, and .95" diameter. I'm in the camp that consider that format small enough to be pocketable for EDC. That's slimmer than many tactical lights. What you give up is throw. It fits in a pocket better, but without the wider head and reflector, the beam is less focused, and doesn't go as far. Most flashoholics consider flood more important than throw for EDC, anyway.
One of my favorite options available for the S2+ is the short tube. For only a few dollars you can replace the main body tube with a shorter one that lets you use 18350 or 16340 rechargeables, or non-rechargeable CR123A batteries. That's the shorter blue, gray, and green lights in the photos.
Switching to lithium rechargeable batteries can be a big step if you don't already use them and have a charger. And if you do it wrong you might burn your house down. But CR123A batteries are available almost anywhere now, and even though they'll likely cost more than rechargeables in the long term, it's less costly up front if you're just trying things out. Obviously, this makes the light much smaller (3.3" length) and easier to carry. And you really don't sacrifice brightness, generally, just capacity or runtime.
All but the gray and black bodies come with a metal cover on the switch. I really like the metal switch cover because when I'm wearing gloves, the soft cover catches and I sometimes get unwanted mode changes.
Speaking of modes, there are multiple options there. The standard firmware has 2 mode groups. One group has three modes with just low, medium, and high. The other group has five modes with low, medium, high, strobe, and SOS. To switch between groups, go to low mode for a few seconds until it blinks, then turn the light off. You're now in the other group. There's also mode memory, so as long as you leave the light in a mode for 3 seconds before you turn it off, it will be in that mode the next time you turn it on.
I absolutely HATE 5-mode flashlights. I can't stand having to go through strobe and SOS to get to the mode I want. But I bike a lot, and it's nice to have strobe available for those mornings or evenings where I need to be seen. Some people hate the one blink in low mode, but I'm willing to accept it to have a simple way to avoid strobe and SOS except for when I really want them.
If you order from the official Aliexpress Convoy store (Simon), you can also request the Biscotti firmware with lots more customizations and options. If you're in the US, mtnelectronics carries them, and you'll get them a lot quicker, but not all the options are available. And that's about as close as I can get to a negative comment about mtnelectronics. Richard, the proprietor, is an excellent seller with a stellar reputation.
I've never owned a Streamlight or a Surefire. But I have fondled them at the LGS. The Convoy feels just as good in my hand as the much higher priced lights. The machining is great, the square cut threads are smooth and easy to use. I've tinkered with mine enough to know that none of the parts are low quality, even if some aren't top-of-the-line. I've carried them, biked with them, and abused them for a couple of years, and have had zero problems.
My S2+ that gets the least use in on my nightstand in a SmartCarry holster with a Thyrm Switchback attached. The Switchback Large is compatible with several flashlights, and even though the S2+ is not listed, it works just fine. I haven't looked up all the lights in their list, but I'm reasonably sure the S2+ is much less expensive than anything there.
I wouldn't advise anybody to dump their existing pistol light and matching holster and use a Switchback instead. But if, like me, you're still trying to decide which light and holster you want, or saving up for it, the Switchback/S2+ combo is quite usable, and inexpensive enough to make a painless interim solution. That light is the short blue one all the way to the left in the above photos. Here it is as it's supposed to be used:
In summary, the Convoy S2+ is a much higher quality flashlight than you might think given the price tag and the country of origin. For the average non-LEO/military carrier, it's more than adequate. The amount of light (500-800 lumens) from a short S2+ is amazing.
If you do decide to start using rechargeable lithium batteries, please educate yourself on the safety concerns before purchasing any chargers or cells. The short version is, buy reputable batteries (Samsung, Sony, Panasonic, Liitokala, etc.) and only buy a high quality charger from a reputable manufacturer (Liitokala, NiteCore, XTAR, etc.). Since most protected cells fit, and there is no disadvantage to using them in a stock Convoy S2+, I highly recommend using a protected 18650.
Since this is a gun forum, not a flashlight forum (yes, that's a thing), I haven't delved into great technical detail on this light. But I'm happy to oblige here or on BLF if anyone wants to go more in-depth. Here are some links to reviews and other info on the Convoy S2+.
All the gear mentioned in this review was purchased by me with my own funds. I was not given any gear or other consideration by any manufacturer.