EB2T Tan arrived today and it's nice
I liked the little bit of extra grip provided by the finish on the EB2C-BK but this tan version puts it to shame. It is even more of a matte finish and is even more tactile. I'm anxious to carry it for a few days and will be updating the review with my observations.
I haven't had much time to play around with it yet but I did do some parts swapping to get an idea of how all the different versions worked with the various switches. All of the following is based upon the following three lights:
EB2C-BK A00295 (Black with clicky switch - the one I first reviewed)
EB2T-TN A01012 (Tan with tactical 2-stage switch - just arrived)
EB1C-BK A01255 (Black with clicky switch - bought when they first came out)
An LX2 and E1B were involved for comparison purposes as well.
Results
The EB2C and EB2T heads are different. As already mentioned it's probably just a programming thing or a jumper added/removed inside the head but they definitely do not operate the same way.
The EB2T uses a single mode head, just like the LX2. As with the LX2, the low output is derived solely from the resistor in the tailcap. When tested in different configurations I achieved the following results:
- EB2T (in stock form) - I got the same results as Robin. A full press always resulted in high output no matter how fast I pressed or how I tried to "trick" it.
- EB2T head + EB2C switch - High mode all the time. No low mode.
Other tests:
- EB2C head + EB2T tailcap - I had the same results as cankster with his EB2T. I believe all the talk about the head having the wrong programming is confusing the issue. They probably just put the wrong head on your light. Aside from the obvious difference in color (one is tan, one is black) I can't see any external differences on the EB2C and EB2T heads, even down to the red dot next to the spring.
- I tried both heads on an LX2 and they behaved the same as above. The EB2T head worked fine, the EB2C head would go High/Low when cycled quickly (just like most other 2-mode lights).
Now, here's where it gets interesting . . . I tried the EB2T 2-stage tailcap on my EB1C and got the same result as described by Machete God. It worked pretty well as a 2-stage light and I had to try fairly hard to get it to mess up. I could get a little bit of a flash or flicker every now and then but 99% of the time it behaved like I wanted. From a practical standpoint I would say it was near perfect.
So, what's it all mean? Based on the three EBx lights I have on hand, I'm seeing evidence of 3 different UI's. The EB2T is a single mode head (like the LX2), the EB2C operates like a traditional 2-mode head (like the original E1B Backup), and the head from the EB1C manages to do both pretty well but not absolutely perfectly.
All this 2-stage tailcap activity has reminded me of how long it has been since I have carried my LX2 regularly. My first impression is that the tailcap on the EB2T is a little bit easier to press than the LX2 but the LX2 is still more comfortable in my hand. I will need to carry the EB2T for a while and see how I adjust.