Quark for camping, can it take the hard use?

[carrot]

The latter.

You have two stages accessible to you on a Tactical Quark. One is when the bezel is tightened down fully. The other is when the bezel is loosened a bit. That means you have less brightnesses instantly accessible to you on the Tactical model but you also get the guarantee that you always know exactly how bright it will be when you turn it on.

The Tactical model instead offers programmability, where you can set the light to whichever levels you want for each stage.

The Regular model uses a reverse clicky, which lacks the feature of momentary on, but instead lets you cycle through modes (when the flashlight has been clicked on) by pressing the switch softly, and it still has two stages, turbo and regular.

I have a strong preference towards the Tactical UI but I am comfortable with both and I can understand why some may prefer the Regular UI.

 

[kts]

Any one feel like putting their Quark through some Fenix T1 tests?

No, just imagine what would happen if it failed at first drop

 

[fleegs]

I know people have written off Surefire but the T1A Titan has much lower output than the Quarks. At least mine does. It is the best interface of all my lights. That said, the beam is floody. It would be perfect around camp but not for seeing far down trails. It goes to 70 Lumens which lights up a lot but it is not a thrower. Awesome within 10 feet though.

The AA v 123 battery. You might want to check with people on what type of AA they are using. For me Lithium AA are more expensive than the lithium 123. And using alkaline AA v lithium 123 is a big decrease in performance. Expecially when the temp gets around freezing temp of water. If using rechargables then that creates another debate between Lithium Ion and NiMH. I don't do much with rechargables beyone the 123 lithium Ion.

Not sure about your price range but the Arc6 light would be a great camping light. Interface is really nice and programming for me is really simple. Instant three brightness levels is better in my opinion than the two with the tatical Quark.

The JetBeam AA series is something to look at also. The JetBeam III Military is really nice. Head tightened is always max bright and the head loosened is programmable. To program you click three times, it scrolls low to high, click off to set. If you turn off and on during scrolling of brightness you enter strobe/SOS modes scrolling. One of my favorite interfaces. Plus my Military JetBeam has a much lower mode than my AA JetBeam. If the AA JetBeam had this low of a mode it would be my perfect light.

Crap, late for work now gotta go.

Good luck,
Rob

 

[JCK]

The latter.

You have two stages accessible to you on a Tactical Quark. One is when the bezel is tightened down fully. The other is when the bezel is loosened a bit. That means you have less brightnesses instantly accessible to you on the Tactical model but you also get the guarantee that you always know exactly how bright it will be when you turn it on.

The Tactical model instead offers programmability, where you can set the light to whichever levels you want for each stage.

The Regular model uses a reverse clicky, which lacks the feature of momentary on, but instead lets you cycle through modes (when the flashlight has been clicked on) by pressing the switch softly, and it still has two stages, turbo and regular.

I have a strong preference towards the Tactical UI but I am comfortable with both and I can understand why some may prefer the Regular UI.

Well I'm not sure if this will bother me or not, but I am feeling it won't, as I don't really see the point of having to cycle through low-medium-high when I can choose two modes I know I'll use most, although being able to cycle through them would be an added bonus. Although I will look at the regular, becuase I do like it that it still has max and min on the head tightened/loosened modes, then cycle through modes while loosened. Although I like momentary on, good for when I go camping.

I know people have written off Surefire but the T1A Titan has much lower output than the Quarks. At least mine does. It is the best interface of all my lights. That said, the beam is floody. It would be perfect around camp but not for seeing far down trails. It goes to 70 Lumens which lights up a lot but it is not a thrower. Awesome within 10 feet though.

I looked at that and it seems really cool, but its a bit out of my budget, last time I looked it was like 200 bucks or something. Plus, I like the slightly longer lights, like the quark ans others, just the right length for me.

I'll also have to do some reserach on which battery choice I want, thanksf or your input on this.

The Arc6 seems like an awesome torch, but its a bit expensive for me, and a bit small, and the jetbeam mil 3 is pretty nice looking, maybe look further into that one, but I'm still leaning towards the quark, but thanks for the suggestions though, another torch to go on my hit list.

But seriously, for a torch noob like me that has all these brands to choose from, its such a hard choice.:sigh:
But quark it is for me, I think it will make a perfect first light, especially with the uses I have in mind for it.

thanks for your help Rob, and Carrot, and everyone who posted.

 

[Woods Walker]

This is going to sound so CFP but get two. The biggest issue in the back country is lost gear. Small things got legs yea know.

 

[ToeMoss]

How exactly did you measure the quality difference?
Or is that just a subjective remark?

Are you serious?

 

[JCK]

This is going to sound so CFP but get two. The biggest issue in the back country is lost gear. Small things got legs yea know.

haha Yeah, last night after I logged off, I thought this thought too. Although, the price of both is too much for me, so instead of getting two at the same time, I should get one first then after more money trickles in, get the other.

Now I just need to decide which one to get first, and thats hard - regular or tactical, lol, I'll figure it out, hopefully
but it is hard for me cause I can't handle the torch before i buy it and see which UI i like more...oh well

 

[Woods Walker]

haha Yeah, last night after I logged off, I thought this thought too. Although, the price of both is too much for me, so instead of getting two at the same time, I should get one first then after more money trickles in, get the other.

Now I just need to decide which one to get first, and thats hard - regular or tactical, lol, I'll figure it out, hopefully
but it is hard for me cause I can't handle the torch before i buy it and see which UI i like more...oh well

I like to combine a headlamp with a flashlight. If you can turn the flashlight into a headlamp all the better. I use a Jak strap and just ordered a Nitecore headband for this. Some clip their flashlight to a ball cap. I think 4Sevens sells a prism kit that could turn a Quark into a headlamp. Check into that. This way you have a backup headlamp for little extra bulk and cost.

I don't think a flashlight needs to take 5 feet of mud or a 100 foot drop. It must be weather/water resistant and workable in the cold. Also be able to take reasonable drops. For a backup flashlight get something small and if possible using the same battery type as the larger flashlight. If your mind is set on a Quark look into the mini ones. Also nice to have an extra when camping with others. Can't tell you how many times when camping with friends and family they asked me for a light. What in the world did they expect? Over head street lighting? It's the woods.

I prefer using the same batteries for both headlamp, flashlight and any backups but don't always do this if going for an overnighter etc. If possible lock out the light as they can turn on inside the pack. Use some bright or reflective cord for a lanyard. The woods eat little black things. It doesn't take much, just put it down and walk a few steps and its David Copperfield time.

As for regular or tactical? Both have their own pros and cons. I don't own a Quark but checked out many threads on them and respect the views of those who post here. I have not read much that precludes their use for camping.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

For camping, any light will work. If you have a fire and lanterns, you may not even need a flashlight much. If you have a flashlight for camping, make sure you have two. Even if you have the best light on earth that will never fail, it can still get lost, borrowed when you need it, or stolen.

If by camping, you mean backpacking, that is a different matter. You still need two lights no matter how good they are (and spare batteries), but they also need to be better built. Here are my minimum standards for flashlights I take backpacking: waterproof to 1 meter (if it falls deeper in a freezing lake, I'm not going after it anyway), can survive multiple drops of 6 feet or less (If I have it strapped to my head, that's 6 feet and as high as it will hopefully be dropped from. I don't throw a flashlight in the air to see if it will survive a bigger drop, and if it falls off a cliff, I'm not going after it.), has to be metal if it's a flashlight (I've had enough plastic flashlights melting to my hand from DEET based bug repellent), has to be under 4 ounces with batteries, has to have a brightness setting that lasts at least an entire night, has to be efficient (doesn't have to be the cream of the crop 150+ lumen/watt l.e.d., but I'd say nothing below about Nichia CS/Cree XR-E P4/Rebel 80 efficiency-about 75 lumens/watt.), has to be built to last for years (at least), has to be able to survive being stuffed in the bottom of a 60 lb. pack sitting on a boulder without any damage. Has to have a reverse clicky, or twisty switch, or if it's a forward clicky, it needs to be able to be locked out (I don't care how efficient a light is if the batteries go dead while it's lighting up my backpack). If the Quark isn't built to these standards (I don't own one, so I can't say), don't take it backpacking.

 

[Daekar]

Based on what I'm hearing you'll be carrying everything you need and away from resupply points for a while. There a few things that bear on this you might be interested in:

1) Lithium batteries, whether 123a or AA, are a heck of a lot lighter than alkalines or NiMH. When you're carrying your full stock, this matters. In the USA, I can get 123a cells cheaper than the Energizer Lithium AAs, so I'd go with the 123a lights. YMMV. As some have already mentioned, lithium cells also perform far better than other chemistries when the temperature starts to drop. I don't know what the nightly temperature extremes are where you'll be, but it's something to keep in mind.

2) Batteries in series will last longer per cell, given the same circuit efficiency, than single cells for any given output - ie. a single-cell light at a set output will last for 2 hours while a 2-cell light at the same output will last for 5 hours, thanks to the lower current drain and voltage-droop. I'm very impressed with my Quark 2xAA and I love the moonlight-mode, so I have no trouble recommending the 2x123 Quark to you.

3) If you're in the woods without a headlamp, you're also up a creek without a paddle. My favorite headlamp in the world is my Zebralight - if you're not familiar with them, check around the forums. They have an excellent reputation and the product quality and concept are great. They have extremely floody beams (no retina-constricting hotspot at all) and a 4-lumen low for nicely distributed low-lux illumination. I have one of the first-generation AA-powered ones which I never travel or camp without, but they make 123a powered ones as well. 4Sevens sells them, so you could get one at the same time as your Quark.

 

[JCK]

If by camping, you mean backpacking, that is a different matter. You still need two lights no matter how good they are (and spare batteries), but they also need to be better built.

Yeah and I'll need to look into a second smaller light, maybe only one cell, yet still reliable, maybe a twisty, as I have heard they are more reliable than clickies, or maybe a piston drive.
Any suggestions on what this second torch could be, maybe to compliment the quark. Or does a zebra headlamp count as a "second torch"

Based on what I'm hearing you'll be carrying everything you need and away from resupply points for a while. There a few things that bear on this you might be interested in:

1) Lithium batteries, whether 123a or AA, are a heck of a lot lighter than alkalines or NiMH. When you're carrying your full stock, this matters. In the USA, I can get 123a cells cheaper than the Energizer Lithium AAs, so I'd go with the 123a lights. YMMV. As some have already mentioned, lithium cells also perform far better than other chemistries when the temperature starts to drop. I don't know what the nightly temperature extremes are where you'll be, but it's something to keep in mind.

I'll be going to NZ, walking the routeburn track. Going around mid January, so temps according to the NZ govt site reach around 28 max, average 15 and lowest temp is 0. all in degrees celcius.

2) Batteries in series will last longer per cell, given the same circuit efficiency, than single cells for any given output - ie. a single-cell light at a set output will last for 2 hours while a 2-cell light at the same output will last for 5 hours, thanks to the lower current drain and voltage-droop. I'm very impressed with my Quark 2xAA and I love the moonlight-mode, so I have no trouble recommending the 2x123 Quark to you.

yeah, thats what i figured, more cells more runtime, thats what all the stats on the sites said.

3) If you're in the woods without a headlamp, you're also up a creek without a paddle. My favorite headlamp in the world is my Zebralight - if you're not familiar with them, check around the forums. They have an excellent reputation and the product quality and concept are great. They have extremely floody beams (no retina-constricting hotspot at all) and a 4-lumen low for nicely distributed low-lux illumination. I have one of the first-generation AA-powered ones which I never travel or camp without, but they make 123a powered ones as well. 4Sevens sells them, so you could get one at the same time as your Quark.

yeah i was looking at a zebra light, either the h30 or h50, and i assume the new ones with "Q5" on the end of the name would be the way to go. Plus there are heaps of reviews and threads about both of these headlights, so that will help me choose.