Review - Leatherman Serac flashlight trio (S1, S2, S3)

[carrot]

Any word when the S3 will be in stores? I searched around all my locals and no one's carrying them yet. Also, Carrot, do you think the S3 would be too big for keychain EDC? Thanks.

It looks like Knifecenter.com has the Serac lights in stock now.

Bonky, same here. I couldn't see anything particularly anti-gun about Leatherman's actions.

 

[Monocrom]

Bonky, same here. I couldn't see anything particularly anti-gun about Leatherman's actions.

Not trying to turn this into a political discussion. But just to point out a couple of things, Kerry is very anti-gun. The Enviornmentalist movement is well-known for being rabidly anti-gun / anti-hunting.... Well, except for that one Enviornmentalist a few years ago from Canada who actively went out shooting hunters.

Hope this clears things up.

 

[bhds]

Any possibility of keeping the posts relevant to the topic- Serac lights?

 

[Monocrom]

Any possibility of keeping the posts relevant to the topic- Serac lights?

It might be possible.

Let me consult the magic 8-Ball.... It says, "It might be possible."

Okay, perhaps carrot could tell us how sturdy the pocket clips are on the Serac lights?

 

[carrot]

OK. The pocket clips are very good... I'm not sure what to compare them to but they are definitely better than the clips given away with Arc-AAA lights. They are stiffer than Surefire's long clips and possibly on par with the short clips. However I sort of figure their target market isn't quite the same as Surefire's. They are well designed and useful, and as I mentioned earlier, work great on a baseball cap for Beamhead's "redneck headlamp."

4sevens gave me a cool idea... screw the S1 and S2 bodies together. Since they are exactly the same body but with different heads, the two bodies fit together perfectly... making a 2AAA Cree penlight. Very cool. However, I had to make a small (2-3mm) spacer to make it work.

 

[kaichu dento]

It's hard to be objective when you're getting the goods for free. I remember in college we did party reviews for my school paper and always paid to get in because only then were we able to know for sure if the party was worth the admission fee.

IMHO anything that's free just tastes better.

Anyway, about the Serac, I'm wondering about the runtimes for Lithium/NImH? Real (not advertised) lumen output? etc.

Where's chevrofreak?

It's hard to be objective too when you have strong preconceived notions. I've heard many opinions to the opposite, that anything paid for tastes better than anything free, which is shown by action as well as words at work where we get free meals and even though the food is always good, there's a certain percentage of employees who look down their noses at the free food and buy in the restaurant on a daily basis.

There's also another personality you may not be familiar with; the truly objective thinker who is (believe it or not) able to evaluate what they experience through unclouded eyes. Good trait for someone into flashlights! :candle:

 

[Mr. Blue]

3 things:
1) thanks for the review;
2) I may have missed this, but are lithium AAAs ok or discouraged by the mfgr?
3) maybe, perhaps more than with Mag, the beauty of a decent, LED flashlight will be popularized with "regular Joes" by Leatherman's entry into the market.

 

[chevrofreak]

It's hard to be objective when you're getting the goods for free. I remember in college we did party reviews for my school paper and always paid to get in because only then were we able to know for sure if the party was worth the admission fee.

IMHO anything that's free just tastes better.

Anyway, about the Serac, I'm wondering about the runtimes for Lithium/NImH? Real (not advertised) lumen output? etc.

Where's chevrofreak?

I'm here!

I got the S1, S2 and S3 today. Whoever designed the clip on the S3 is a freaking genius!

A few very quick preliminary measurements in my sphere have the S1 at roughly 6.6 lumens. The S2 is roughly 6.6 on low and 45 on high. The S3 is roughly 23 on low, 45 on medium and 110 on high. The multi-mode lights basically mimic the highest output level on the model directly below them.

I need to pick up some batteries (lithium and alkaline) to test all of the modes. Leatherman did provide one cell for each light, but I should have specified how many I needed. I guess I can't be too greedy, though.

 

[carrot]

3 things:
1) thanks for the review;
2) I may have missed this, but are lithium AAAs ok or discouraged by the mfgr?
3) maybe, perhaps more than with Mag, the beauty of a decent, LED flashlight will be popularized with "regular Joes" by Leatherman's entry into the market.

I was able to run the S2 on 2 AAA batteries no problems. So I would guess lithium is fine.

 

[Bonky]

Beamshots!! BEAMSHOTS!!!! :mecry:

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

Does it have a FORWARD clicky? (why was this crucial info left out anyways?)

 

[srvctec]

Does it have a FORWARD clicky? (why was this crucial info left out anyways?)

Ummm, it wasn't left out. Might want to read the review again. Right under the photo with the hat. "The tailcap, which contains a reverse clicky switch"

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Carrot sir!

THANK YOU for the review!

I suppose it is possible to see the world through rose colored glasses when you get something for free....

I remember SEVERAL of us posting Fenix TK10 reviews on lights we got a deal on.

Oh the HOWLING about that episode!

There are some folks you just can't reach.....

Anyhow thanks! If these hit any of the stores I go to, well.......

 

[omnibus]

Leatherman tech support does not recommend using rechargable 3.6V 16340 batteries in the S3. I blew out the LED on a cheapie flashlight several months ago using one of them.

 

[carrot]

Just for fun, I popped a RCR123 in my S3. Did not burn it out, but it did not change light levels either. This is similar in function to Fenix. I did not test this extensively in order to ascertain if it were safe, but for the couple of seconds I tested it with there appeared to be no damage.

 

[TopGunWgHs]

Well, I just had to. Shopping today at ESM (Eastern Mountain Sports) I saw a great big sign shouting to me! "20-40% off all lighting". I ran inside and saw the Leatherman S series like i had previously, but this time instead of the $80.00 tag I snatched the S3 up for 40% off, not too shabby, and WHAT A LIGHT! Great clip, sturdy, the design is simple yet appealing and it is smaller than my Swiss Knife that I EDC on my belt so it hides right behind it via the great reversible clip. Low is perfect for wandering the house, medium is perfect for say a campground or walking a trail (especialy when mounted to a hat) and high is seriously bright and out performs and nearly out throws the P60 LED in my 6P. I am set now, I have the multi-level EDC, the 6P with a P60 LED and a CreeQ5 drop in for a little more serious work, and then the big daddy MagCharger with the Phillip Bulb upgrade to around 500L for serious throw. If anyone stumbles upon one of these lights for under... i'd say $60.00 it is well worth it! And the cycling through the levels is very easy, a very minimal push to the clickie, without clicking cycles, and when you are done click back off, so then next time you click on it always starts at low.

 

[TopGunWgHs]

Here is a Link to the Online Page where you can pick up a Leatherman Light for You! 40%off!
http://www.ems.com/catalog/subcateg...-445586783?FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302160931

 

[LightObsession]

Thanks to link to the discounts.

 

[TopGunWgHs]

NO problem, but hurry up because its only at 30% discount now... Also ive had mine for a couple weeks now and have dropped it MANY times and also in a few snowbanks one time for about 2min untill i found it, no leaks whatsoever theres a sealing o-ring in the head, great light and would make ANY mechanic HAPPY to get one for x-mas ive been workin on alot of my friends cars lately and find mysellf using it every time!

 

[LightObsession]

Here is a Link to the Online Page where you can pick up a Leatherman Light for You! 40%off!
http://www.ems.com/catalog/subcateg...-445586783?FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302160931

EMS appears to be out of stock now. Oh, well.