CREE Q5 LED Flashlight Torch - Super Bright!

*** EDIT June 24, 2018 ***It's been a while since I last checked this review, so I thought I would take another look. Sure enough, they're at it again. Today my review is linked to "CREE Q5 LED Flashlight Torch - Super Bright!" which is not very different from the title given to the light I purchased (see ORIGINAL Review below). However - if one can trust the photos and description - it is a set of front and rear lights designed specifically for a bicycle with USB charging. Heck, it might actually include the "Mount Holder Bike Cycling" (see EDIT Jul. 25 2014 below). It does not look anything like the light I bought. I wish I had taken a picture of mine for comparison, but I gave it away when I upgraded to more compact, brighter lights.It is not just my review that is arbitrarily appearing on all these different lights. I see many familiar reviews that were there when I bought my light 7 years ago.*** EDIT Sept. 16, 2016 ***REALLY?! Today my review is on "Elinkume 3W LED Dive Torch Professional diving flashlight Dimmable Active Frogman Waterproof Diving Flashlight". And to think that in my original review, I mentioned that it does not claim to be waterproof. It is bright yellow and doesn't even pretend to resemble the light I purchased and reviewed.At least in the past, this review was linked to flashlights that looked like mine, regardless of wild claims and various accessories included/not included.Anybody getting tired of my updates? I think I'll stop when this review is linked to a hand-held dilithium powered, warp driven flashlight. Maybe.*** EDIT Oct. 28, 2015 ***Oh, look! Today my review is linked to "1pcs highlighted 2000Lumens 3-Mode CREE LED military laser led Flashlight Zoomable Focus Torch" CREE Q5 WC LED emitter!Wow, military laser! Wow, 2000 lumens from a Cree Q5! All powered by three AAA batteries!!! >:-[I'm thinking I should start a list of the vendors making these outrageously false ads (Ships from and sold by M-MG in today's case). Then refer to that list when purchasing anything here that is not sold by Amazon.*** EDIT Jul. 25, 2014 ***The flashlight I purchased in 2011 is still working as well as the day I bought it. But my review for that flashlight has been linked to several other products since then. Apparently, Amazon links my review to every flashlight that looks like the one I bought. "Verified Purchase" has no meaning in Amazon LED flashlight reviews. Today, it is linked to "MECO(TM) CREE Q5 LED Zoom Focus Flashlight with Mount Holder Bike Cycling Outdoor (Flashlight ONLY)". I never heard of MECO(TM) before today and there is no such brand on my flashlight. Besides, what kind of stupid product title is that?!It is clear by looking at recent reviews that this is also an inferior product. Therefore, I am CHANGING MY RATING TO 1 STAR. I should have done that in 2012.My Dec 8, 2012 advise still applies.*** EDIT Dec. 8, 2012 ***In my October edit, I provided a link to crazyconn's product page. But today it went to a completely different seller and it has no holster - I have no idea which flashlight you might receive.Based on this and recent reviews for other flashlights, for now:*****************************************************************I STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST PURCHASING ANY LED FLASHLIGHTS THROUGH AMAZON.******************************************************************** EDIT Oct. 11, 2012 ***Judging by the change of title, recent mixed reviews, "horribly dim", "not a cree", etc. - and the near 1/3 price I paid - it seems that Amazon may have started rotating this item to 1 or more sellers shipping inferior product. According to my invoice, mine was sold and shipped by crazyconn who still sells it here: <Link deleted by author>I may add my original review to crazyconn's product reviews.*** ORIGINAL Review ***I am very impressed with the brightness of the "CREE Q5 LED Flashlight Torch w/ Holster Super Bright!" at the price I paid. I find the slide-to-focus from flood to spot more convenient than the twist-to-focus method on previous lights I've owned. The zoomed, tight focus is, indeed keystone shaped, but it doesn't bother me at all.The lack of memory for the last used mode (low, flash, high) is somewhat inconvenient, but not terrible. The flashlight always turns on in the NEXT mode, so I cycle through the modes prior to turning it off. Easy enough to get used to and not THAT different than lights that always start out in low and require multiple clicks to get to high.Since the tail switch is not recessed, the light does not easily stand on its end. It is doable, you just need to hold it steady before releasing it. Once done, it puts enough light on the ceiling to light up a small room to a comfortable level.I thought I might use this on a boat, but have decided not to for a couple of reasons. 1) It is not water proof (nor does it claim to be). 2) The grip is not knurled, but has straight grooves along the length of the barrel. The grip is very slippery in a fore/aft direction with any moisture on my hands. Without the lanyard, it would be very easy to push it right through my hand simply turning it on/off.The holster is convenient, but one must be careful to keep the lanyard away from the Velcro. The lanyard is easily frayed by it. I also wonder about the durability of the lanyard as it is attached to the light by a very thin nylon line rather than a metal split ring.Having said all of the above, I can heartily endorse this product for general use around the house and for other land-based outdoor activities.

I got this along with a couple other lights, hoping it would have a wider and brighter beam than anything else I found. But it doesn't. It's not a bad light, but it wasn't as nice as I had hoped.The other lights were a  UltraFire 300lm Mini Cree Led AA Flashlight  and a  iTP A3 EOS 96 Lumen Flashlight . Both were brighter than this one, and the 300lm light can focus wider *and* just as narrow.I ordered from EPATHDIRECT, in case that matters. They shipped via Amazon for free.This might be decent as a bike headlight, since it's not bright enough to blind other bikers. It fits nicely into a generic bike mount such as  this one . However, I found that my old ~40 lumen  Petzl headlamp  is better suited for biking since I can aim it with my head, and my new 200+ lumen UltraFire light is good for handlebar-mounted use (when used on the low setting).Pro:- Very even, clean, uniform beam on the wide setting.- Focusable, and throws pretty far when focused.- Dimmable (seems to produce about 10 or 70 lumens, using brand new Energizer NiMH rechargeable AAAs).- Can tail-stand to light a room, but the button sticks out slightly so it's a little wobbly.- Waterproof (supposedly; I didn't test it, but it does at least have an "O" ring on the back).- Doesn't seem to get hot when left on full brightness.- Solid construction.- Comes with a lanyard cable attached. (I didn't get a belt holster with it, but I like the lanyard better)Con:- Smaller and much brighter lights are available for the same price ($6 or so), using fewer batteries, with a wider beam focus and longer battery life.- Is only about 70 or 80 lumens at the brightest setting, using brand new Energizer rechargeable NiMH AAAs. My iTP A3 EOS light shines brighter with a single AAA from the same set, at a small fraction of the size.- Light has a blue-ish tint.- Fully-zoomed spot is yellow except at the center, which is blue.- Needs three batteries instead of just one.- Doesn't seem to have a voltage (up)regulator, so the full brightness doesn't last as long as it could. (I may be wrong about this)- The mode doesn't reset after being off for a few seconds, and it advances each time the light is turned off/on. So, if you turned it off from the bright setting, it'll be dim next time. Or if it was dim, it'll be flashing. Etc.This is a decent light, but you may want the smaller 300lm AA UltraFire instead (linked earlier).