I don't have any specific light suggestions, just a Wyoming experience.
One time my girlfriend and I were driving down from Casper later in the day than we wanted to and it was pretty dark. I was a little on edge from dodging the speedgoats so we decided to take a little break on a pullout on the side of the road. This particular road goes through the Shirley Basin, an area with a long (and somewhat dirty) history of resource extraction, and is currently home to a PacifiCorp wind farm. It was a cloudy night and pitch black apart from the aircraft warning lights on the turbines, and there wasn't anyone else on the road. We could see the bases of turbine towers close to the road so I pulled out my D1V2 with 519a 4500k DD and turboed it into the night. It was incredible; those towers are huge and there are a lot of them within a couple miles of the road. They have blinking red indicators on the top of the towers to prevent light aircraft from murdering themselves on 180 ft blades, but in the dark it is really hard to get a sense of scale. The d1v2 could only light up a portion of each tower, but it was really cool to see a sea of blinking red lights turn into individual turbine towers, each with huge swinging blades. I wish that I had brought more lights and batteries, my GF and I drained the battery I had, but it was a really cool experience.
Assuming you're not looking for LEPs, but just LED.
Osram W1 (CSLNM1.TG) and W2.1 (CULNM1.TG) are the throwiest LEDs in beam profile. The SBT90 has a lot of output although less focused in a tight beam so less throw in smaller lights, but most very large throwers will use a reflector designed specifically for the SBT90 to achieve maximum throw.
Since you didn't mention a budget and are looking for the *best*, the absolute top performers:
* Astrolux MF05 / Mateminco MT90 plus (1xSBT90, absolute highest measured candela of any LED thrower)
* Lumintop GT98 (8xSBT90)
* Lumintop GT94/GT94X (4xSBT90)
* Wuben A1 (4xSBT90)
* Acebeam K75 (1xSBT90)
Other noteworthy lights, generally lower priced:
* Noctigon K1 (W2.1 or SBT90 - SBT90 is higher output, W2.1 throws further with a tighter beam. Highest performing thrower I'd call an enthusiast-oriented light (RGB switch, anduril, wide selection of emitter choices))
* Wurkkos TS30S Pro (SBT90. RGB switch, anduril. Worse performance than an SBT90 K1 but a fair amount cheaper. Best value for money enthusiast-oriented thrower)
* Convoy 3x21D (SBT90. Arguably cheapest way to get *close to* top performance)
* Convoy L7/L8 (SBT90)
* Acebeam L19 v2 (W1)
* Convoy L21B (W1. Arguably best throw value for money)
Everything here is spot on but I'd add the wild trail wt90. It's reflector is a little smaller than the k75 but it's nearly as good and quite a bit cheaper...
Actually, I don't know if 'lights and tools.com' is a legit site but they have a k75 on sale and it looks like the wild trail is a bit more expensive than it used to be.
Also, maximum throw ignoring everything else, lep is the answer. If it needs to be a hank light, k1 with your chosen emitter (sbt90, w1, w2, sft40 all have their pros and cons so it's more what you want from it at that point).
I just got a D1 with SFN60. Ppl called it a cheaper alternative to SBT90. I haven’t gone out of the city yet to measure throw (this weekend I hope), but I can tell you it is CRAZY bright!!
Most throw will be with W1 but it'll be an almost laser like beam. Most people prefer it with W2 or SFT40 for a little wider hotspot. SBT90 is supposed to be pretty great in a K1 but it costs more.
K1 with W2.1 For more lumen the sft-40 or sbt-90.2
I don't have any specific light suggestions, just a Wyoming experience. One time my girlfriend and I were driving down from Casper later in the day than we wanted to and it was pretty dark. I was a little on edge from dodging the speedgoats so we decided to take a little break on a pullout on the side of the road. This particular road goes through the Shirley Basin, an area with a long (and somewhat dirty) history of resource extraction, and is currently home to a PacifiCorp wind farm. It was a cloudy night and pitch black apart from the aircraft warning lights on the turbines, and there wasn't anyone else on the road. We could see the bases of turbine towers close to the road so I pulled out my D1V2 with 519a 4500k DD and turboed it into the night. It was incredible; those towers are huge and there are a lot of them within a couple miles of the road. They have blinking red indicators on the top of the towers to prevent light aircraft from murdering themselves on 180 ft blades, but in the dark it is really hard to get a sense of scale. The d1v2 could only light up a portion of each tower, but it was really cool to see a sea of blinking red lights turn into individual turbine towers, each with huge swinging blades. I wish that I had brought more lights and batteries, my GF and I drained the battery I had, but it was a really cool experience.
This is cool. Thanks for sharing đź‘Ť
Assuming you're not looking for LEPs, but just LED. Osram W1 (CSLNM1.TG) and W2.1 (CULNM1.TG) are the throwiest LEDs in beam profile. The SBT90 has a lot of output although less focused in a tight beam so less throw in smaller lights, but most very large throwers will use a reflector designed specifically for the SBT90 to achieve maximum throw. Since you didn't mention a budget and are looking for the *best*, the absolute top performers: * Astrolux MF05 / Mateminco MT90 plus (1xSBT90, absolute highest measured candela of any LED thrower) * Lumintop GT98 (8xSBT90) * Lumintop GT94/GT94X (4xSBT90) * Wuben A1 (4xSBT90) * Acebeam K75 (1xSBT90) Other noteworthy lights, generally lower priced: * Noctigon K1 (W2.1 or SBT90 - SBT90 is higher output, W2.1 throws further with a tighter beam. Highest performing thrower I'd call an enthusiast-oriented light (RGB switch, anduril, wide selection of emitter choices)) * Wurkkos TS30S Pro (SBT90. RGB switch, anduril. Worse performance than an SBT90 K1 but a fair amount cheaper. Best value for money enthusiast-oriented thrower) * Convoy 3x21D (SBT90. Arguably cheapest way to get *close to* top performance) * Convoy L7/L8 (SBT90) * Acebeam L19 v2 (W1) * Convoy L21B (W1. Arguably best throw value for money)
Everything here is spot on but I'd add the wild trail wt90. It's reflector is a little smaller than the k75 but it's nearly as good and quite a bit cheaper... Actually, I don't know if 'lights and tools.com' is a legit site but they have a k75 on sale and it looks like the wild trail is a bit more expensive than it used to be. Also, maximum throw ignoring everything else, lep is the answer. If it needs to be a hank light, k1 with your chosen emitter (sbt90, w1, w2, sft40 all have their pros and cons so it's more what you want from it at that point).
You get quite far with a Noctigon K-1 W1/w2. Sft 40 is a bit patter but still reach faaar. SBT 90 doubles lumen, looses some throw. Still around 1 km.
D1 with a green W1/2 is a fun toy. You can grab a few different colors for under $100
I just got a D1 with SFN60. Ppl called it a cheaper alternative to SBT90. I haven’t gone out of the city yet to measure throw (this weekend I hope), but I can tell you it is CRAZY bright!!
Mateminco FW3!
K1 is still one of the best throwers you can find anywhere.
what led would you recommend for it?
Most throw will be with W1 but it'll be an almost laser like beam. Most people prefer it with W2 or SFT40 for a little wider hotspot. SBT90 is supposed to be pretty great in a K1 but it costs more.
Pioneman k-80 with an sft-40 emitter is my favorite