My favorite McGizmo yet: AA CRI Haiku

[scout24]

Well Brandon, you and Dan got to me... I hadn't ordered a new light from Don in a while, and figured I'd give the AA format a whirl. Glad I did. My favorite Haiku was the xp-g with your very accurately described " Punchy Flood" beam, which met my ideal for an edc light. This emitter, the 119v, revisits that beam profile if my memory serves correctly. (Based on actual emitter die size? Don?)I have a new EDC. :thumbsup: Handles well, low and medium are further apart than first appears. Use low in the dark for 10-15 minutes, then click on medium... Maybe closer than some would like, but more of a difference than quickly flipping through the levels would appear. I can live happily with the output on high, given the power source, beam shape, and the quality of the light coming out of the business end. I wil be emailing Don this weekend for a light engine by itself for my Mule head, I like it that much.

Edit- I thought I would be put off by the longer body, but it's still 1/2 " shorter than an E2e. Fits nicely between that and the 1x123 offerings I have.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Well put Greg, glad to see you have one of these gems!!

 

[coloradogps]

Maybe I need one of these also.

 

[run4jc]

Oh, yeah. I hope I don't tick anyone off by saying this, but this is a light for a, ahem, "mature flashaholic." McGizmo quality and an outstanding beam shape and tint. Feed it whatever AA cell you want and you'll get the same output. I've been carrying mine all the time since I received it....and it's on the night table every night.

Maybe I need one of these also.

 

[scout24]

I don't WANNA be a mature flashaholic!!! You can't make me!!! :nana:


One thing you can't do with this, and a bunch of Don's lights, is not get hung up on numbers. I have a Malkoff AA MDC which is rated at 125lm on high, cool white. To my eyes, given the tint difference, there is no visible difference in brightness between the two lights. Maybe a SLIGHT bit more spill in the MDC, but that, like all things, is subjective... The beam quality is similar, with the MDC having a reflector designed by Don, but the quality of the lumens is where the difference lies. Get one. Enjoy it.

 

[greatscoot]

I guess an am now a "mature" flashaholic. I am running a AA Haiku on a MDC AA body, while I save up for a AA Ti-Pak. The levels are great and the feel with the AA body is amazing when compared to the standard 1x123 Pak.

 

[faco]

Mature Flashaholic

Is that why I've sold most of my lights and keeping just this one :thinking:

 

[run4jc]

Sometimes I can't help myself....

I like this light so much I just ordered a 123 119V version. It'll be nice to have a smaller form factor version of it, and the slight bump in output might be enjoyable. I tell you, for me (and clearly several others) this is the "go to" light. 219 equipped lights are nice - neutral XPG2s, etc., etc....all good in their own right. But this 119V through the Haiku is just awesome. Shipping notice received - thanks, Don!

Just an add...this will not replace the AA version. It definitely has a top spot in the rotation with the form factor and the AA cell. Just wanted more of the same goodness...

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Awesome! Congrats on the purchase!

 

[calflash]

and the slight bump in output might be enjoyable.

When you have both would you have a way to measure or picture the difference?

 

[run4jc]

Yes to both. I can measure output in my sphere, but Don's measurements have always been dead on the money. My hope is to do a mini review and show some comparative beam shots.

Sorry about the thread hijack, Brandon!

When you have both would you have a way to measure or picture the difference?

 

[BenChiew]

Don't follow Brandon's threads too closely. Your pocket will hurt.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Don't follow Brandon's threads too closely. Your pocket will hurt.

Likewise Ben.

Hijack away Dan! This is a discussion!

 

[calflash]

My hope is to do a mini review and show some comparative beam shots.

Thats great! Thanks. I'm looking forward to it.

I never would have considered this AA option but this thread is kinda sucking me in?!?

 

[Fringe]

Yes to both. I can measure output in my sphere, but Don's measurements have always been dead on the money. My hope is to do a mini review and show some comparative beam shots.

Sorry about the thread hijack, Brandon!

I look forward to this too! I am slowly being drawn in to this setup as well as everyone else.

 

[KenMonster]

I feel really lucky to have held off this long, but this new AA Haiku has captured my attention in a huge way. So much so that I've joined CPF just to learn more and post questions about Don's lights. I wanted to thank the folks who have posted here with their insight on this light and how well it performs. You guys cinched it. I'd love to see the beam comparisons, just for reference (and to quell my burning desire to purchase one for myself)
I carried and loved a sapphire for the last 6 months or so, but since I found out about the AA, I've sold the sapphire and anything else I wasn't actively using in order to raise the funds to purchase one of these. Hit a little bump in the road here recently with graduate school application expenses and now interviews coming up, but I'm hoping that by the end of the month I can send away to Hawaii for a grown up flashlight. This will overtop even my titanium zippo as most expensive EDC item, but based on absolutely everything I've seen and read, it'll be well worth it.

 

[jamesmtl514]

Great choice for a EDC light.
(dibs on the Ti Zippo )

 

[Jaykayyy]

Its funny how at first I "needed" tons of lumens, and now I'm trying to get a light I wouldnt have given a second thought about just by looking at the numbers. Its the post after post by experienced users that keep saying how lovely this light is and how nice the beam is, that have changed how I look at lights and what I expect of them in realistic usage.

Just 2 more weeks, and I'll have the money to send to Don. Only received my first, a previously loved McGizmo, a few days ago, and im already planning my next one.

 

[archimedes]

Its funny how at first I "needed" tons of lumens, and now I'm trying to get a light I wouldnt have given a second thought about just by looking at the numbers. Its the post after post by experienced users that keep saying how lovely this light is and how nice the beam is, that have changed how I look at lights and what I expect of them in realistic usage.

:twothumbs

Just 2 more weeks, and I'll have the money to send to Don. Only received my first, a previously loved McGizmo, a few days ago, and im already planning my next one.

"Two is one"
"One is none"
"Buy both"

:welcome:

:devil:

 

[greatscoot]

I recently picked up a couple of Don's pieces, one of them being a AA Haiku (High CRI). IMHO the AA puts out more than enough light for just about any task, from walking around the house at night on low, to lighting up whatever you want to on high. It throws very well and with a tint that is nothing short of amazing.

My feeling is that this light may be overlooked by some given that it doesn't have eye searing output like other lights on the market, but in retrospect when I purchased my first Surefire it was only 60L and brighter than just about anything out there at the time.

Over Thanksgiving I was in Michigan and had the opportunity to really test this out outside in an area with almost no ambient lighting. As impressive as this light is in a city environment, it was even more so under the low light conditions. Low and Medium were perfect for nighttime hiking and when you really needed a punch the High was more than enough.