HDS Systems EDC # 16

[CheepSteal]

Congratulations! Was it a hi cri by chance?

Thanks! Mine is a Tactical 120 model. I really love the throw of these Osram LEDs, I haven't set the light down the whole day, the light is just amazing to hold. I don't think I'll ever go back to head-twisting UIs.

 

[Lumenz]

From what I read, it does not get any more bomb proof than an HDS.

My HDS light showed me how unreliable it is this past weekend.

I was camping and I took my HDS EDC 140 and a Zebralight H31. The Zebralight was going to be my primary camping light because I would need my hands free. The HDS was there as a backup because I do not trust the Zebralights ever since my SC51 started getting flaky and refused to work on occasion. When the sun started going down, I needed to look into one of my bags so I grabbed my HDS. I pressed the tailcap and nothing. I tried a few times without success so I replaced the battery. When screwing the flashlight back together, it lit up for a few seconds and then went back off like it is supposed to do. But when I pressed the tailcap again, I got no light. I put it away and grabbed the H31 and used that the rest of the camping trip without any problem. (I had two other "backup" lights with me, in case anyone is wondering)

When I got home, I checked the battery voltage on both batteries and they were at 100%. I even put them in other flashlights to make sure the meter was working okay. I used Deoxit on the contacts and battery and tried it again and still it would not light. So it is just sitting next to me, not working. I will have to contact Henry so he can fix it. But if you are looking for a "bulletproof" light, the HDS light is not it. In fact, this is my second failure with an HDS light. My HDS EDC 170 had the battery drain issue which Henry fixed.

I still love my HDS lights and I use them a lot, but do not thnk they are fail-proof lights. Any electronic light can and will fail eventually. Of the three HDS lights I own, only one has never had a failure and I use that one the most.

 

[PaleBlueDot]

Four weeks since I placed my order. Henry says it would take six weeks for my light (Tactical 200 Clicky) to get shipped out, so I have two more weeks of waiting to go! My Emerson Mini CQC-15 needs a companion so I am really stoked for this!!

 

[Hobbs]

Suspicions confirmed . . .

Just saw a B/P of battery tube for a HDS light and Henry is definitely trying to get broaching done by people who have no clue on how to do it correctly. I at least made suggestions on how it should be done. Glad I got mine long ago.

 

[stoli67]

The same happened with one of mine.... Henry said to sent it back and he would replace it.

My HDS light showed me how unreliable it is this past weekend.

I was camping and I took my HDS EDC 140 and a Zebralight H31. The Zebralight was going to be my primary camping light because I would need my hands free. The HDS was there as a backup because I do not trust the Zebralights ever since my SC51 started getting flaky and refused to work on occasion. When the sun started going down, I needed to look into one of my bags so I grabbed my HDS. I pressed the tailcap and nothing. I tried a few times without success so I replaced the battery. When screwing the flashlight back together, it lit up for a few seconds and then went back off like it is supposed to do. But when I pressed the tailcap again, I got no light. I put it away and grabbed the H31 and used that the rest of the camping trip without any problem. (I had two other "backup" lights with me, in case anyone is wondering)

When I got home, I checked the battery voltage on both batteries and they were at 100%. I even put them in other flashlights to make sure the meter was working okay. I used Deoxit on the contacts and battery and tried it again and still it would not light. So it is just sitting next to me, not working. I will have to contact Henry so he can fix it. But if you are looking for a "bulletproof" light, the HDS light is not it. In fact, this is my second failure with an HDS light. My HDS EDC 170 had the battery drain issue which Henry fixed.

I still love my HDS lights and I use them a lot, but do not thnk they are fail-proof lights. Any electronic light can and will fail eventually. Of the three HDS lights I own, only one has never had a failure and I use that one the most.

 

[Imon]

My HDS light showed me how unreliable it is this past weekend.

I was camping and I took my HDS EDC 140 and a Zebralight H31. The Zebralight was going to be my primary camping light because I would need my hands free. The HDS was there as a backup because I do not trust the Zebralights ever since my SC51 started getting flaky and refused to work on occasion. When the sun started going down, I needed to look into one of my bags so I grabbed my HDS. I pressed the tailcap and nothing. I tried a few times without success so I replaced the battery. When screwing the flashlight back together, it lit up for a few seconds and then went back off like it is supposed to do. But when I pressed the tailcap again, I got no light. I put it away and grabbed the H31 and used that the rest of the camping trip without any problem. (I had two other "backup" lights with me, in case anyone is wondering)

When I got home, I checked the battery voltage on both batteries and they were at 100%. I even put them in other flashlights to make sure the meter was working okay. I used Deoxit on the contacts and battery and tried it again and still it would not light. So it is just sitting next to me, not working. I will have to contact Henry so he can fix it. But if you are looking for a "bulletproof" light, the HDS light is not it. In fact, this is my second failure with an HDS light. My HDS EDC 170 had the battery drain issue which Henry fixed.

I still love my HDS lights and I use them a lot, but do not thnk they are fail-proof lights. Any electronic light can and will fail eventually. Of the three HDS lights I own, only one has never had a failure and I use that one the most.

Wow...
That's too bad. My experience is the exact opposite. I've had my 140 Executive Clicky for about two years now and I've thrown it hard against pavement and against brick walls at least three dozen times to prove a point to my friends and coworkers.
At first I did it because I was so fed up with one of my coworkers teasing me for spending so much money on a flashlight I challenged him to throw his cheap flashlight against a brick wall as hard as he could then I threw my HDS against the wall - that shut him up. I've repeated this exercise many times since then and besides for some cosmetic damage it's exactly the same light as it was two years ago.

 

[pjandyho]

My experiences with HDS are mostly negative but Henry made it right. All in all, four of my lights went in for servicing and one of them had to go in a second time. Another couple of spare battery tube had to go in to Henry because it failed to work. I was so pissed in a way I really felt that Henry should have just taken the initiative to compensate me the shipping cost or give me another HDS light as a gift for all the agony I had to put up with.

2pcs 100 high CRI clicky, slight machining issues leading to a slight short circuit that resulted in fast battery drain.

1pc 140 GT clicky, capacitor drain. Fixed but problem wasn't resolved so it went in again.

1pc 170 tactical clicky, failure to react to click commands.

1pc 200 rotary, went in for firmware bug correction as well as fix a tailcap issue.

2pcs CR123 battery tube that failed to work after months of sitting in the drawer. Henry said it was a design problem which he had already came up with a fix.

All the agony, sending and waiting, sending and waiting, but once it works, it is a real joy to use and you can be sure it is the toughest lights you have.

 

[AZPops]

My experiences with HDS are mostly negative but Henry made it right. All in all, four of my lights went in for servicing and one of them had to go in a second time. Another couple of spare battery tube had to go in to Henry because it failed to work. I was so pissed in a way I really felt that Henry should have just taken the initiative to compensate me the shipping cost or give me another HDS light as a gift for all the agony I had to put up with.

2pcs 100 high CRI clicky, slight machining issues leading to a slight short circuit that resulted in fast battery drain.

1pc 140 GT clicky, capacitor drain. Fixed but problem wasn't resolved so it went in again.

1pc 170 tactical clicky, failure to react to click commands.

1pc 200 rotary, went in for firmware bug correction as well as fix a tailcap issue.

2pcs CR123 battery tube that failed to work after months of sitting in the drawer. Henry said it was a design problem which he had already came up with a fix.

All the agony, sending and waiting, sending and waiting, but once it works, it is a real joy to use and you can be sure it is the toughest lights you have.

Physically tough? Sure, but when a product is sent in for numerous warranty repairs. The question imo is, "how reliable is it"?

For example in the case of the multiple repairs to the lights battery drain. Which imo could the reason of having the ability to signal for help, or not! Correct me if I'm wrong, but a flashlight with out it's power source becomes a weight for a fishing line, right?

IMO toughness, is similar to the word performance. which has different meanings to each individual's perspective in what performance means to them. As well as the word tough/ness does not mean, or the same meaning as reliable!

The following is in direct reference to my Rotary (as well as what I posted in the toughest light thread). IMO that the Achilles' Heal on the Rotary is;

1) It's software
2) It's electrical switch

And I'm sure at one point (especially if a person uses the light as much as I do) the Rotary mechanism will need servicing. But this is service work and not a failure, well (knocking on wood) not yet anyways!

However my experience with Henry is, he's very good in regards to his turn around time to repair the light. Each time I sent the Rotary in, I received the light back within a week to a week and a half. Communication, as most here know, is excellent!

But reliability is an important issue/factor for a person who uses the light on a daily basis, as well as the person who's in a remote location (by accident or not). A failure will leave the owner with the obligation of finding a replacement light, or if it's the only light, in the dark, and in a extreme case (as mentioned) without the ability to signal for help.

One last thing, imo the use of words like "bullet proof" etc. are imo used much too loosely.

Now, what was the question again?

 

[pjandyho]

Agree with you entirely AZPops. But I think the biggest "problem" with HDS light is over-engineering. The manufacturing of the lights require such high level of precision and tolerance that it is almost hard not to make mistakes during the manufacturing process. I am not the expert on this but the recent spate of manufacturing issues that HDS has been having is proof of how hard it is to machine the lights. But the candy is that when everything was done correctly, it is the sweetest and most durable light ever manufactured, and did I say best UI ever?

Funny, HDS also is the only company I have such high level of tolerance and patience for. No other company would I continue to purchase their products after a couple of issues. Now I have two more high CRI Rotaries on the manufacturing queue.

 

[thaugen]

Funny, HDS also is the only company I have such high level of tolerance and patience for. No other company would I continue to purchase their products after a couple of issues. Now I have two more high CRI Rotaries on the manufacturing queue.

This describes how I feel about HDS as well. I've sent some lights back to Henry for repairs (they've always been returned within a week or so), I've been waiting for my HCRI rotary since January and yet I cannot find a light I like more than my HDS. At this moment I am contemplating ordering a 120 clicky from Battery Station even though I have a HCRI Clicky and Rotary on order with Henry and a Modified Rotary 219 Nichia already in my possession...

 

[TheExpert]

I was using my olight t10 the other day on my fenix headband doing this and that, when out of no where it just went from high to off. Moral of the story is when you get use to having all the comforts of an hds light, using any other light just seems wrong. And quite honestly when that t10 shut off I was on a ladder in nothing but darkness, scared the crap out of me. But I gained my composure reached in my back pocket and turned on the rotary and continued working until it elegantly showed low battery warning, and I climbed down and changed the battery, and did not risk breaking my neck in the process.

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

I still love my HDS lights and I use them a lot, but do not thnk they are fail-proof lights.

There is quite a difference between "failure proof" and "reliable". Even the most reliable flashlight can fail.

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

Re: Suspicions confirmed . . .

Just saw a B/P of battery tube for a HDS light and Henry is definitely trying to get broaching done by people who have no clue on how to do it correctly. I at least made suggestions on how it should be done. Glad I got mine long ago.

I'm not worried. Henry is apparently a perfectionist and will reject any parts that do not meet his exacting specifications. The reason for the current manufacturing delay is because he is having trouble finding machine shops that can reliably turn out parts up to his standards.

I look at it like this: If Henry was willing to compromise on quality then he could have filled all of his orders months ago. The fact that he won't accept just any part gives me confidence in his products.

 

[gottawearshades]

There is quite a difference between "failure proof" and "reliable". Even the most reliable flashlight can fail.

Indeed. Even a Zippo doesn't light every time. If you have a few minutes to kill:

 

[Greighps]

huh, hows it going with you guys? Just found out my light hasn't shipped quite yet, even with the military priority. I just hope I get it before I leave, about a month from now.
anyone willing to sale me a 170, or 200 clicky ?
lol

 

[thaugen]

huh, hows it going with you guys? Just found out my light hasn't shipped quite yet, even with the military priority. I just hope I get it before I leave, about a month from now.
anyone willing to sale me a 170, or 200 clicky ?
lol

Battery Station has the HDS 120 in stock and ready to ship right now... The 120 is nice because it uses the Golden Dragon emitter. Might be a good option while you're waiting for your light...

 

[Greighps]

i did come extremely close to pulling the trigger on that. I think ill go check them out again

 

[gottawearshades]

I agree. Those lights are a great deal at that price. But I think all the new models coming out are using XPGs.

Battery Station has the HDS 120 in stock and ready to ship right now... The 120 is nice because it uses the Golden Dragon emitter. Might be a good option while you're waiting for your light...

 

[Greighps]

Just bought a 120 LE. It will be a great light to wear on the front of my vest, with my TK15 in my assault pack, and when i get my clicky 200, it will stay in my pocket.

 

[thaugen]

I agree. Those lights are a great deal at that price. But I think all the new models coming out are using XPGs.

The 120's are still using Golden Dragon.