EDC/CCW small/medium sized thrower?

[BigBoreLEO]

I'm looking for a EDC light that will work well as a CCW platform. I'm a Police Officer, and this will be my off duty light and maybe used as a 3rd back up option on duty. It has to have momentary on, as that is how I use the light in a tactical situation like clearing a house. Size is crucial as I've found a light that I can personally pocket carry comfortably every day can't be any bigger then right around 5 inches long, and a 1.5 inch bezel is too large, but a 1.2 inch bezel with 1 inch body works. I know that cuts out a lot of great options, but thats how it goes. I'm looking for a great thrower (within my parameters) if possible. I've been carrying a Streamlight Polytac LED, and its way past time that I upgrade. Basically I've just about landed on the 4sevens Quark Turbo, but wanted to see if there were any other solid competitors for that light out there.

Thanks in advance for all your help!!


1) How would you prefer to purchase the light?

xxx__I would like to purchase the light from a brick and mortar store. I am located in California San Francisco Bay Area.
xxx_I will be mail-ordering or buying online, so this doesn't matter.
Either way, doesn't matter to me.


2) Budget: An easy question, but you may change your mind after answering the rest!

____Less than $25.
____Less than $50.
____Less than $100.
____Less than $150.
____Less than $300.
____I have no limit.
xxxx_I'm flexible, tell me what you gotJ.
____Other, please specify ________


3) Format:

xxxx_I want a flashlight.
____I want a headlamp.
____I want a lantern.
____I want a dive light.
____I want a portable spotlight.


4) Flashlight-specific format/size:

____Keychain size.
____Every day carry small (2-4 inches).
xxx Every day carry medium (4-5 inches). I want to keep the bezel 1.2" (30.5mm) or smaller, no 1.5" bezel's please.
____Holster carry.
____Big enough to need its own travel caseJ.
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____N/A


5) Emitter/Light source:

xxx_LED (known for efficiency, longevity, and compactness)
____Incandescent (known for superior color rendition)
____HID (known for max output, but often at the expense of size)
____I don't know.


6) Manufacturer:

xxxx_I want to buy a light from a traditional mass producing manufacturer that is ready to go out of the box.
xxxx_I would consider getting a light that is pieced together (for example a "host" or flashlight body from one manufacturer, and a "drop-in" emitter from another source). Under the right circumstances, this path can provide more options to the consumer to meet specific needs, and can often be easily upgradeable as technology improves.
Either way, doesn't matter ....


7) What battery type do you want to use?

Doesn't really matter, just looking for best performance.
____I intend to use alkaline batteries (AAA, AA, C, D) (disclaimer, while it does not preclude all choices, these are not recommended for many of today's most powerful lights)
____I intend to use rechargeable nickel chemistry (NiCad, NiMH, NiZn)
xxx_I intend to use lithium primary batteries (CR123, CR2, Energizer Advanced/Ultimate Lithium AA/AAA)
xxx_I intend to use rechargeable lithium (li-ion) chemistry. Feel free to specify a size if you know which size you want (14500, RCR123/16340, 17500, 17670, 18650, etc.)
____I want a light with an integrated rechargeable battery. (Note: these choices may be very limited unless you are looking at spotlights)



8) How much genuine out the front (OTF) light do you want/need? Sometimes you can have too much light (trying to read up close up with a 100 lumen light is impossible).

____I want to navigate a dark room or read a map (0-10 lumens).
xxx_I want to walk around an unlit rural area (50-150 lumens).
xxx_I want to illuminate my entire backyard or a campsite (150-300 lumens).
xxx_I want to illuminate an entire field, the neighbor's front yard several houses down, impress my friends and neighbors, etc. (300-700 lumens).
____I want ridiculous amounts of lumens (800+ lumens).


9) Throw vs. Flood: At what distance will you be most likely to use this light? Select all that apply.

____Less than 1 yard/meter (reading, other close work)
____Less than 5 yards/meters (looking for something inside a dark shed/garage/basement)
____5-20 yards/meters (check out a noise in the backyard)
xxx_30-50 yards/meters (I have a big backyard)
xxx_50-150 yards/meters (I live in a very rural area/farm with wide open spaces)
____150+ yards (I want maximum throw possible)


10) Runtime: Not over-inflated manufacturer runtime claims, but usable brightness measured from first activation to 50% with new batteries (Measured on maximum output).

xxx_Up to 30 minutes (I want the brightest [and potentially smallest] light for brief periods) ******** If the ultra bight max is very short, but it has a lower setting that is longer, then that'll work *********
xxx_30-60 minutes (I have plenty of batteries just ready to be changed)
xxx_90-120 minutes (Runtime is moderately important, but still not critical)
____3 hours + (I critically need this light to run on max for extended periods in between battery changes/charges).


11) Durability/Usage: Generally the old phrase "you get what you pay for" is very accurate for flashlights.

____Not Important (A "night-stand" light).
____Slightly Important (Walks around the neighborhood).
xxx_Very Important (Camping, Backpacking, Car Glove-box).
xxx_Critical (Police, Fire, Search & Rescue, Caving, Survival).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.


12) Switch Type and location (choose all that apply):

xxx_I want a forward clicky (Helpful for momentary activation and signaling).
____I want a reverse clicky (For use with multi-mode/level lights).
____I want a momentary switch (Predominantly for use with signaling and short bursts of momentary light only).
____I want a twisty switch (Tighten the head/tailcap to activate, and the light will stay on until the head/tailcap is loosened).
xxx_I want a body mounted switch (near the head, like on a Maglite).
xxx_I want a tail mounted switch (found on the majority of today's high end lights). ********* Location of the switch doesn't matter to me. ****************
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________________.


13) User Interface (UI) and mode selection. Select all that apply.

____A simple on-off with only one output level is fine for me.
xxx_I want 2 light levels. (Brighter/short runtime and Dimmer/long runtime.)
or
xxx_I want multiple light levels. (Some lights have 5-16 light levels.)
____I want a programmable light.
____I want a selector ring.
____I want a strobe mode. (Blinks to show location.)
____I want SOS mode.
____I want a beacon mode.
____I don't care.
____I don't know.


14)Material/Finish/Coating

____Plastic/composite body (this may limit your choices significantly).
xxx_Anodized Aluminum – either type II or III (Hard Anodized) (Aluminum, specifically HA, is the most common material/finish for today's flashlights).
____Stainless steel (durable, but much heavier than aluminum)
xxx_Titanium (durable and nearly as lightweight as aluminum, but can be moderately to significantly more expensive).
____I don't care.
____I don't know.
____Other, please specify____________.


15) Special Needs/extras: Is there anything else you want or need that hasn't been mentioned? Select any below.

____Red filter (for preserving night vision).
____Other filter colors (Amber, Green, Blue, _________).
____Dedicated R/G/B secondary LEDs.
____"Hybrid" light (bright incandescent combined with long running LEDs)
xxx_Pocket/belt clip
____Holster
____Wrist/Neck Lanyard
____Crenulated bezel
____Non-sparking Intrinsically Safe (IS) for use in explosive environments

 

[enomosiki]

The problem is that if you are looking at higher lumens, you will need a light with larger emitter or multiple emitters, both of which kill throw. Multi-emitter lights usually throw with brute force, while lights with larger emitters will be able to achieve throw with combination of brute force and deep reflector. If you are looking for a 800+ lumen flashlight with throw that has bezel size equal to or less than 1.2 inches, you aren't going to find one with current level of technology. Smaller emitters allow for much more focused hot spot, even with shallower reflectors, but they don't get nearly as bright.

Also, if you are trying to get a light for close quarters, something floody will be better suited. A light with narrow beam profile means that, while it has more range, it will limit your field of vision and make you swing around the more often, making it pointless for any task within 20-30 meters.

Quark X Tactical 123 will be perfect.

If you really need a light that can throw past 150 yards, then you need to move onto mid-sized tactical lights that exceed your size requirement.

 

[dannn]

Have you considered the surefire e1b backup?

 

[BigBoreLEO]

Enomosiki- Thanks, I made some changes to the form to make my parameters more realistic. I agree the 4sevens quark 123 Tactical would be a viable option, though I prefer the throw of the quark turbo. I'm wondering if there is any competitor to the quark turbo that I should take a hard look at.

Dannn - the surefire e1b backup is nice and small/lightweight, but at 110 lumens doesn't pack the punch of the 4sevens quark turbo which is 230 otf. Thanks though.

 

[enomosiki]

Go with Quark 123² Turbo with XP-G R5.

With your requirements, it'll be hard to beat Quark 123² Turbo with anything else. With more than 8,000 lux, it will illuminate objects within 150 yards.

 

[Sparky's Magic]

You might look at a Bored Surefire 6P from Oveready and the McClicky option. A Nailbender drop-in, the XP-G 2 puts out an honest 400Lu. and in his smooth reflector has beautiful throw. The bored host will accomodate an 18650 for good run-time and Dave offers quite a few options as to driver and levels - I have both the 3 and 5 level XP-G 2 both are great, though the 3 speed is faster to get where your going, most times, though it doesn't have the very useful moonlight level that the 5 speed does.

Dave is also offering the very latest XM-L U3 which has 800Lu. of brute force in a OP. reflector which might suit your tasks better and give the best of both worlds. I suspect it would get rather hot, if run for any length of time. Medium is always an option for 'lights with this amount of power.
6P. = 5.25 inches to the top of the McClicky button.

Stay Safe!

 

[BigBoreLEO]

[FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]I ended up going with the Quark 123² Turbo with XP-G R5. I've carried it daily for the past 7 months. I've been very happy with it. Thanks for all the input.

Sparky, those sound like some real pocket sized flamethrowers. Thanks for the info. [/FONT]