HDS Systems #23

[ilikeguns40]

I prefer raised as I find it easier and more comfortable to activate the light.

The flush has the ability to tail stand but I have rarely found it necessary for my uses. If I need the room lit up- I have headlamps and lanterns.

How do you normally carry your HDS with a raised switch boot?

 

[tech25]

Either a Thors Hammer Holster or a Kydex holster.

 

[ilikeguns40]

I've always preferred direct level selection rather than clicking through a menu. I think they should cut down the number of levels to make it easier to land on one, but those extra low modes do have their uses. I've been on family vacations and had to sneak around sleeping people with the thing barely glowing.

Get the tactical rotary model and reprogram the strobe mode to max brightness level. Now you'll only have 12 brightness levels on the tactical model vs 24 on the rotary

 

[muichimon]

Has anyone actually had grit or dirt get inside the rotary mechanism?
I've long seen the suggestion that it might be an issue, but has anyone experienced this?
I haven't had mine long enough to know personally.

Inside the cap of the rotary switch are two O-rings and a plastic wire that holds the cap in place, so water and sand will not reach the PCB board. I recently disassembled the cap and cleaned the rotary after carrying and using it daily for a year. The plastic wire had dirt on it from clothing fibers and water mixed with hand stains, but the O-rings behind it were clean.

 

[Fuchshp]

Rotary vs Clicky, trying to make a decision.

Use cases:

• Navigating around in the dark without waking up other people (daily - sublumen)
• Reading in the dark for short periods (almost daily - low)
• Helping other people and fixing things (weekly - medium)
• Searching for small things like needles (pins) that fell on the floor (weekly - medium)
• Checking things like brakes, engines in daylight (maybe monthly - medium or high)
• Outdoors and other things (often - medium or high)

Clicky
Exec, NB35 Hcri 180 lm, black bezel and body, uc glass, 123 battery, flush button, blk clip. Additional buttons.

+ Button can be changed easily. Flush, raised - easy.
+ Clip (not a priority)
- UI not as convenient as a Rotary

Rotary
Rotary, NB35 Hcri 180 lm, black bezel and body, uc glass, 123 battery, raised button, no clip.

+ Very easy UI
+ No bulging button with raised button
- No tail standing with raised button
- Accidental switch on possible with raised button
- Button can't be changed easily
- No clip (not a priority)

What do you think?

 

[tech25]

With the rotary you can keep it on lowest setting. If there is an accidental activation it won't cause much battery drain.

 

[Fuchshp]

With the rotary you can keep it on lowest setting. If there is an accidental activation it won't cause much battery drain.

Ha, of course! Good idea

That means it's Easy UI vs Tail Standing.

 

[jon_slider]

I've played around with my wifes Rotary with flush button. I might like the raised button better.

It seems you want a Rotary with a Raised button.. ;-)
imo the 3500K is too yellow, plus there is a lumen penalty.

For myself, I choose Rotary, sw45k, flush button (tailstanding is important to me), glass lens, no clip.

Easy UI vs Tail Standing

both ;-)

fwiw, Stainless Trit bezel still available

 

[Fuchshp]

both ;-)

Yeah, unless you get bulging buttons.

And there's a lumen penalty in all HDS lights ;-)

The lows are more important to me.

 

[jon_slider]

unless you get bulging buttons.

this strategy has reduced the bulge on my button, and it has remained deflated since I adopted the habit.

 

[Jeff S.]

I'm thinking about this one:

Description: rotary, NB35 Hcri 180 lm, black bezel and body, sapphire, 123 battery, raised button.

What do you think?

The NB35 is a great choice. I spent over a year debating between the NB30 and NB35, and finally pulled the trigger a couple weeks ago for the NB35. I love it. I'd call it warm-neutral. There are instances where it's very pink (warm peachy), and some where it's quite white.

My HDS NB45 is my favorite light, and I think the sw45k is the best emitter, and it's my go-to flashlight. My only problem with it, is that at night it'll appear blue as I'm adapted to warm house lights and street lights. The NB35 doesn't appeared blue (even when I'm adapted to 2200k lantern). On the flip side, it's not crazy warm either. HDS's sw35 is the D180 bin, so you're more likely to have a warm reddish tone, rather than yellow.

Long story short, I got the NB35 as a warm light for night, but it may dethrone my NB45 as my go-to.

NB35 left; NB45 right


Left to right:
XHP35 4000K, sw35 3500k, sw45k 4500k, 219A (unknown CCT), and Luxeon GT (unknown CCT). All except the Luxeon are high CRI, but, as far as duv goes, it falls on (or very close to) the black body curve.



Added my worst (tinted) light to the far right to show that the HDS EDC60GT is not green. The camera in the comparison made it look sort of green, but it's very devoid of tint to the eye, under any circumstance. The camera and the beam crossing exaggerates the tints.




And here is a cool thread with a beam shot showing the difference between three sw35's (D180 and D200).

 

[Fuchshp]

Thanks a lot. Now I'm absolutely sure NB35 will be right for me.

Now the only question is clicky or rotary?

 

[Mr. LED]

Rotary, which is also a clicky. You won't regret.

 

[muichimon]

NB35 interests me too and is my next choice.
I have the NB27 and NB45. They are far apart in color temperature, but both are my favorite lights and I use them daily.

 

[Fuchshp]

Thank you all. This is what I just bought: Rotary, NB35 Hcri 180 lm, black bezel and body, uc glass, 123 battery, raised button, no clip.



While waiting for delivery I'm going to make a belt holster from either corduroy or antique handwoven chinese fabric.

I won't miss a clip as the HDS is more comfortable to hold without a clip.

 

[ilikeguns40]

Just received the Streamlight 1L-2L clip for my HDS. I have to say it's the perfect clip for the HDS light. It's excellent in every way. Thanks @indigon for the help

 

[Jeff S.]

Just received the Streamlight 1L-2L clip for my HDS. I have to say it's the perfect clip for the HDS light. It's excellent in every way. Thanks @indigon for the help

Looks great. How is the retention? My fear with friction clips is that they'll pop off when placed under pressure. Is it nice and tight?

 

[ilikeguns40]

Looks great. How is the retention? My fear with friction clips is that they'll pop off when placed under pressure. Is it nice and tight?

It's super tight attached to the body of light. You can get it off with your fingers but you gotta really grip and pull very hard, it's definitely not coming off. I highly recommend trying one out. I ordered this from brightguy.com

 

[Soulrack]

It's super tight attached to the body of light. You can get it off with your fingers but you gotta really grip and pull very hard, it's definitely not coming off. I highly recommend trying one out. I ordered this from brightguy.com

I have used them on all of mine for many, many years. They work great, especially for less than five bucks.

 

[nbp]

I haven't checked in on this thread in quite a long time,, unfortunately. Anything new I need to know about or are we still mostly arguing flush vs. raised and which emitter is best for spotting dog poops at night? Hehehe

Is there a Rotary clip I need to buy yet?