What "Iconic" LED lights have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"?

[Oztorchfreak]

What "Iconic" LED lights have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"?

Hi CPFers.


I was looking back at my collection of lights recently and those collections of some CPF members that I often can only drool over that are so huge after gathering dust for many years back into the past.

I wondered just what lights would be the top Iconic ones that have helped steer the course of flashlight development by being so well designed, innovative and/or so popular to many buyers over a long period of years now when we look back in time.

Most of the lights will probably be LED lights as they were a vital turning point and the start of the "MODERN ERA" in FLASHLIGHT DEVELOPMENT.

I remember using Red or Green LEDs just as indicators on a panel or circuit board that I was building when I did my first course in Electronics and as a HOBBY!

When LEDs burst onto the scene as used in headlights for caving or for use around campsites at night they were very bluish and developers had a lot of trouble making the so called white LEDs more WHITER.

These lights would have to be the "STANDOUT" lights that are still "remembered fondly" maybe for their top performance or maybe not so much for achieving terrific performance specifications but for just being "CUTE, GOOD LOOKING or simply for being a GOOD FRIEND TO HAVE WITH YOU" whether you still have them or not.

For example the "MAGLITE" brand in many it's many forms surely has a place in our "HALL OF FLAME FOR FLASHLIGHTS" but it was first developed in the "INCANDESCENT LIGHT DAYS" with that poor warm yellowish tint back in an age where little changed in the world of flashlights.

Maglite has seen that they cannot live in the past forever and have made some good efforts in their fight back to to be TOP DOG again as they were for many years by producing modern LED flashlights lately.

Please add other LED flashlights that should be "nominated for this award" and take pride of place in our cabinet that stores the "TROPHIES" for those lights that have made it into our "winners list" that is our -

"HALL OF FLAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

:twothumbs



Add your suggestions and help bring back some good old memories!
​

CHEERS

 

[cland72]

Inova was in the led game early and made a name for themselves.

Posted using Tapatalk on my HTC Evo

 

[passive101]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I'll second Inova. Their T1, T2, T3, and X5 are legendary from the past and staples of craftsmanship and brightness.

I'll throw up Quark for being a company that listens to the lighting community and started limited runs for enthusiasts

 

[Yoda4561]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

The Inova X5, Photon Microlight, and Lightwave 4000. Maybe the surefire L4 or L5, I think one of those was the first production pocketable "tactical brightness" flashlight.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I'll second Inova. Their T1, T2, T3, and X5 are legendary from the past and staples of craftsmanship and brightness.

I'll throw up Quark for being a company that listens to the lighting community and started limited runs for enthusiasts

Hi Guys.


Quark is not a name that is heard at all in Australia except though online stores that stock them.

That name comes up so often overseas in many reviews etc, so it must be a popular brand of light.

They sound like a light that would be stocked in most hardware shops over there.

Would you guys say that Quark is a low, medium of high end product as I have never really looked into that brand due to a lack of dealers and advertising here in Australia.

We all grew up in Australia with a lot of "Eveready" lights around us especially the "Dolphin" flashlight that could float, so aptly named for a thing that that can survive in the water for a long time and fishermen loved them because of their waterproofing and floating properties.

We still have them here in a more modern design now.

Eveready cornered the market here in Australia for many years when I was young and has been around for decades.

Do other Countries apart from Australia ever see the Eveready brand?

The Dolphin had a 9V lantern battery in it and was a regular sight in most Australian homes and Eveready also made some shiny 2 Cell flashlights with a forward mounted sliding switch it even had magnets built along the outside on top of the sliding switch to allow the light to be attached to parts of a car body when working on it or just so that it could be attached to the fridge door for ease of locating it when it was needed.

It was fun to play with by picking up iron things like bolts and nails to amuse ourselves.





CHEERS

 

[LedTed]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

My vote is for the NiteCore D10. Reasons follow …
1) Innovative McGizmo Piston Drive (PD)
2) Microprocessor Controlled (MPU)
3) At least 10 versions (CPF Customs, Four Mfg Editions, Five Mfg LEDs, Multiple Mfg Finishes, CPF Customs)

 

[twl]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

Arc AAA - The first 'real' AAA flashlight with a bright 5mm LED. It spawned all the later versions from other makers, and is still a collector item today.

Fenix E01 - Basically a later version of the Arc AAA, which achieved a reputation for durability in its own right.

Arc CR123 models - I include these several consecutive models together. Henry at HDS designed these for Arc, and later introduced HDS separately. Basically THE industry standard/leader in the early EDC CR123 range for a long time until HDS became its own entity outside of Arc.

HDS lights - The designer of the Arc CR123 models and all the HDS models since then. HDS is a definite hall of fame entry. Practically defined the EDC light industry, and always innovative and durable.

Malkoff Devices drop-ins - Gene Malkoff essentially pioneered the modern day "P60 drop-in" with high powered LEDs and proper thermal management and potted for ruggedness. He created the start of an entire industry. He still leads it today.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

Arc AAA - The first 'real' AAA flashlight with a bright 5mm LED. It spawned all the later versions from other makers, and is still a collector item today.

Fenix E01 - Basically a later version of the Arc AAA, which achieved a reputation for durability in its own right.

Arc CR123 models - I include these several consecutive models together. Henry at HDS designed these for Arc, and later introduced HDS separately. Basically THE industry standard/leader in the early EDC CR123 range for a long time until HDS became its own entity outside of Arc.

HDS lights - The designer of the Arc CR123 models and all the HDS models since then. HDS is a definite hall of fame entry. Practically defined the EDC light industry, and always innovative and durable.

Malkoff Devices drop-ins - Gene Malkoff essentially pioneered the modern day "P60 drop-in" with high powered LEDs and proper thermal management and potted for ruggedness. He created the start of an entire industry. He still leads it today.

I like your choices and the clear and concise reasoning behind them.

I did not know about the Arc history before now.

I know that the reputation of Henry is very good and I just hope that he finds sources that can provide the high quality parts that he specifies with very tight tolerances consistently and that he gets some more help in assembling his lights while he has times of having a plentiful supply of parts.

I would love to own one of his latest versions of his EDC lights but the waiting time in the HDS queue is not very encouraging to me and a lot of others except for the "DIE HARD" HDS followers.

Most buyers would probably look at the "waiting list" posts here on CPF and decide not wait that long for their light to be finished.

You are right about Gene Malkoff, he is another "LEGENDARY PIONEER" in the flashlight business.

His P60 design work still lives on and flourishes as many flashaholics like to play around with different parts of these lights and love to try a change of pill when other new LEDs become available.

It is really the his early "innovative work" that led to the "LEGO" style of flashlight that can be put together in a lot of different ways as needed and as new things are designed to be added to the basic build of this clever design.




CHEERS

 

[Quiksilver]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

1. Duracell or Energizer - 9LED showerhead lights, run on 3xAAA. Everyone's got one lying around somewhere.

2. SureFire E1B - One of the more popular SF models, due to its lower-than-$500 pricetag it was made accessible to non-contract customers.

3. HDS Clicky - Legendary platform, great performance, iconic in the cpf community.

4. Malkoff M60 module - nothing need be said.

5. Zebralight H501 - What a compact unit and the wide angle with no hotspot really were unique.

 

[Blue Angel]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

Pre-LED:

Definitely a vote for both the Double C and double D cell Energizer lights with chrome bodies, slider switch and magnetic holder on the side.

Also a vote for the popular "lantern" style with the large rectangle 6V "screw in" battery where the light was basically a handle and a reflector with a huge cell on the bottom.

Post-LED:

The Arc LS was the first modern "high power" LED light, featuring circuitry to properly feed the emitter. It would be fair to say that most if not all the modern LED lights are a decendant of this design.

Also, what was the first light to feature a dedicated selectable moonlight mode? That to me is about the only "revolutionary" feature introduced since the original high power LED light. Was it the 4/7s Quark series? I don't know, but I think it's significant as it extended the useful life on a charge from hours to weeks, albeit at a reduced output (but still enough to see in dark conditions).

Brighter and/or more efficient LEDs are only allowing the progression and improvement of existing designs/ideas. That's not really revolutionary. Flashlights are an interesting piece of tech... the circuitry, optics and bodies are all designed around cells and LED emitters that were NOT originally developed for flashlight use, so the technology progression just follows what industry makes available.

 

[Kilovolt]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

When it was introduced SF Titan was one of the most talked about lights:

But probably SF L1 in its various versions deserves even more a place in the Hall of fame

 

[fresh eddie fresh]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I would have to say the original Lux V Surefire L4.... wall of light!

 

[orbital]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

+

When announced, CPF threads absolutely exploded for the Nitecore Defender Infinity
..over 5 years ago

Also:

____________^ C-LE Version 1

 

[Outdoorsman5]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I'd say the Surefire 6P needs to be on this list.

 

[bltkmt]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

Muyshondt Aeon

 

[Virginian]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I still use my Heliotek HTE-1, it was pretty unique when introduced. What's not to like -- long throw, good runtime, regulated, built-in diffuser and it floats.

 

[Gunner12]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

What about the Fenix L1P? One of the first well priced high power 1 AA lights.

 

[parnass]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

Nobody mentioned the CMG (Gerber) Infinity Ultra -- a 1AA 5mm LED light you can beat like a rented mule and use for long periods before needing a new battery. It was affordable by just about everyone.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I'd say the Surefire 6P needs to be on this list.

SUREFIRE 6P for "SURE"!

I still have one of those along with the "Surefire Fury" and that 6P is a good choice to be getting of our "ICONIC FLASHLIGHT" awards.

Surefire sure are a great product, but gee I wish they could only bring their prices down so that the "AVERAGE JOE" could afford some!

Does anyone know when Surefire first started making flashlights?




CHEERS

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Re: What "Iconic" lights would have to be put in a "HALL OF FAME FOR LED FLASHLIGHTS"

I still use my Heliotek HTE-1, it was pretty unique when introduced. What's not to like -- long throw, good runtime, regulated, built-in diffuser and it floats.

I do not remember that one.

I will have to "Google" it and check it out.

I want to see what let it be floatable!

What a great idea for boaties, fishermen and cavers where water is hanging around in pools.

I do not know of any "floatable" LED lights nowadays.

I am looking for a good headlamp at the moment and a floatie would be great to mount in a headband just in case it was dislodged near water.

I am looking at the Zebralight series and also putting my Zebralight SC600 to good use mounted in a Fenix headband with Velcro straps to keep the light in place.

The ITP H01 is also a very nice and lightweight contender that is quite cheap as I have used the ITP AAA A3 EOS for years now and that is what the ITP H01 is based on.





CHEERS