The LunaSol 20: the new benchmark for EDC lights

[js]

So, I've been thinking a bit more about the FM04+Ti-PD-S vs. LS20, and the more I think about it, the less thrilled I am about the former option. As brucec mentioned above, one of the main advantages of the LS20 is being able to go from low-flood to high-throw in an instant. For me this is a big deal, and fits very well with my EDC needs. So that's the big plus to the LS20 side of the equation. The plus to the FM04+Ti-PD-S side is the HIGH-flood option. There is also a low-throw option, too, but for me that is a very minor plus. The main thing for most people would be the high-flood option, which is not available in the LS20. Again, for me this wouldn't come close to outweighing the instant access to flood or throw that the LS20 provides.

Just some thoughts from my point of view, my usage patterns.

 

[McGizmo]

I feel inclined to weigh in in agreement with js on the merits of the compromises made with the LunaSol 20. Without a doubt, they are compromises and not acceptable to some. :shrug:

It's ironic that after I posted last night in response to the beam shaper, I grabbed a prototype Haiku which I have been using a lot in the last few months and danged if there wasn't a F04 on it! With my personal activities and needs of illumination, flood is more in demand than collimated spot. I had put the F04 on the Haiku a couple nights previously because I was tracking the activity of a couple toads on the back lawn ever time I went outside for a smoke break. The flood let me see the whole scene immediately and there was no hot spot to annoy the bufos. Like many of you, I have a number of lights I can choose from when I am home and have a specific task or interest in using one. However to grab a light to carry with no idea or plans of what, when or why it might get used, the LunaSol 20 is the clear choice for me to grab. In the vast majority of my lighting applications, I have mobility and if the target is not illuminated sufficiently, I can approach it until it is. Heck, often I need to get closer anyway if I really want to see it with clarity.

 

[jeffb]

I believe that the LS20 is for me, the best choice, perhaps due to my age or eyes or....

I really prefer the flood and often used an F04 with Aleph 2's and PD's to diffuse.

AM really wanting a Haiku, but know that the LS20 fits my needs as I have tried nearly all the McGizmo creations. The PD-S has to me a wonderful beam and I kept one for some time, but really do prefer the LS20.

The Haiku 17mm is very interesting and I anxiously await the comments, pictures and beamshots from new owners!

Hi Don and js :nana:

 

[flashy bazook]

thanks for the thoughtful responses on the use of the F04 diffuser with the Ti-PD-S, they are very helpful and much appreciated.

No doubt personal usage patterns are key in deciding on which light "best" fits ones needs.

For me the one extra advantage of the F04+ combo is that I maintain the ability to use the floody beam together with the HIGH output of the main (primary) LED.

This allows me to get the "wall of light" effect out of my previously mainly spot plus a little bit of spill light whenever I need.

As an aside, In one of my SF P6 "legos" I have more or less permanently installed the SF diffuser (1 larger size than the F04) on it, which can be opened with a push on a spring with the use of one hand, which approximates the advantage of quickly shifting from flood to spot.

So I can see the appeal of that, I guess in my case the quickness of access is less important for a small area/EDC type of light than it is for the bigger 2xCR123A formfactor.

But I certainly can appreciate that for others there are alternative considerations and conclusions.

 

[js]

Just wanted to assure people that I haven't forgotten about my promise to keep updating this thread and the first post, but I've been busy with the USL re-vival / resurrection project, and with work, and this just wasn't a high priority. But I will get to it at some point.

In the meantime, BTT.

 

[Oddjob]

Thought I bump this thread because after months I finally got a Lunasol 20 (thanks rhpdchief!). Awesome light overall. Can't believe I waited so long. This thread was my companion while I waited for it to arrive. I own 3 McGizmos so I knew what to expect but the thing is just so darn perfect for me I am overjoyed. There is a wave of these coming soon so for anyone on the fence about getting one just do it! Thanks Don for a great light and thanks to js and all the others for their positive comments.

 

[js]

Thanks for bumping the thread, Oddjob! And I'm glad you like your Lunasol 20!

I've been wanting to post here for a few days to mention to people that my plans to keep the first post of this thread updated with small revisions and additions here and there is on hold until the upper character limit on posts is removed (if ever). Right now, the first post of this thread is well over 10,000 characters, I'm sure. So if I edited it, I'd have to cut it down by a lot! And I definitely don't want to do that! So, it stays exactly as is until further notice. Updates and additions will just be posted somewhere below this post, as appropriate.

 

[js]

Hey everyone,

Don will launch another wave of Lunasol 20's soon! See his forum and the wave notification thread for when this will happen--and do NOT try to order one before the actual order thread is posted, btw. Thought I'd bump this thread in case anyone who was interested wanted to know.

 

[FrogmanM]

I'm not sure how much longer I can resist purchasing a LS20...

Mayo

Not bad I managed to last just under half a year.

JS once again, great thread, I cannot wait for my LS20!

-Mayo

 

[Ny0ng1]

Thanks Jim for the excellent and comprehensive review. It didnt do much to me, since I've decided that i WANT a LS20 before you even put your review up :nana:

just received my LS20 yesterday from my friend's hand. I got the light send over to him since im on overseas job placement and i dont really trust the postal service over here

I've been edc-ing SureFire L1 cree for the past year or so. I took out the battery inside and put it in to the LS20 and fired it up.
First push, the three nichias light up, nice!. Slightly more force, and i saw the osram lighted up..... for like... 0.5 second!!!. ..!! please dont tell me i received a defective McG :mecry: after all this waiting and suspense. I tried again a couple more times and the osram only lighted up in even shorter time... oh no...
I told myself, relax Eric, maybe the battery is low. I quickly open my backpack to get 1 spare battery that i happened to bring (i very seldom have one around with me unless im sure im going to need it, im that confident with my EDC and its dual stage feature, allowing it to run extendedly on low setting).
Opened up the pack, took out the old batt, and dropped in the new batt. It lighted up!!! What a joy, lol. I was then cursing myself and feel guilty for accusing Don of sending my defective product over the ocean before checking it up (yeah right). My apologies Don!

beautiful as expected, i have a few immediate things that i noticed when compared with my first McGizmo, a LunaSol 27:
1. the PD spring actuation is SO much softer and easier compared with my LS27. It is easier to push even compared with my broken-in switch of my SureFire L1. I'm exchanging the PD-pack now of my LS27 with my LS20 since im planning to edc the ls20. I hope that i can somehow get myself used with the stronger force, or maybe get the mechanism will soften over time, or both. If all else fail, im planning to find and get the replacement spring just like to group buy. Is it still possible to get one now, anybody can help me with this?

2. Finished with the initial moment of playing around shining things with the dual beams, I removed the pd pack again and took out the ti piston to compare. It looks like the new piston has a considerably better finish compared with the LS27 piston. I dont have a camera so i used my blackberry to try capture the difference below, please bear with it. is this typical of older piston made by Don?

I also noticed that the pressing pad of the piston where the tritium is located on the LS27 piston has an 'orange peel' finish when compared with the smooth finish on the new LS20 pad.

Anyway, im very pleased with the purchase and looking forward to EDC-ing it for some time

now for that Ti-PD-S hunt.... Don please make another PD-S wave :bow:

Eric

 

[nfetterly]

Just thought this needed a bump.... my lunasol 20 is out getting a AOTH holester, along with my Haiku. When they come back I'm going to EDC the (BB) haiku for a while. I had a haiku earlier that I let go but I really hadn't given it a chance.

 

[js]

Just cleaned my LS20 last week and was feeling all warm and fuzzy about it and appreciating it lots. So I thought I'd bump this thread. For the record, my appreciation for this unique light has only increased since I posted this thread. It's an amazing light!

 

[scout24]

Very early in my time here, I purchased a LS20 from Don. I was fortunate to get one right as the Haiku was coming out. I read and re-read this review and thread, and made my purchase. I freely admit I really had no appreciation at the time for what this light represented. I wound up trading the LS20 towards another light. After a period of time, I came to realize what the LS20 offered, and I bought another on BST. Soon after that the person I traded my first one to re-listed it for sale. I now have my first one back, as well as a second, and carry one daily. Build quality, versatility, and the instinctual UI make it a winner in my book. I think JS hit the nail on the head. There are brighter, there are dimmer, there are bigger and smaller, but there are none better as a whole, except maybe the LS27... :devil:, and there is no way I'm letting either one of them go. If you are on the fence, try to find one now.

 

[UnderTheWeepingMoon]

Jim, when I first saw this thread, I told myself that the LS20 couldn't possibly be better than my LS27. Then Don launched his final wave of LS20s and I decided to pick one up and see how the two compare.

The LS20 is much easier to carry and has better runtime on both low and high than the LS27. I prefer the LS20's high beam because of its tighter hotspot and wider spill (I'm not a fan of Cree beams with their tight spill).

The LS20s tint on both levels is a bit cooler than the LS27 but it still has good colour rendition. Its low beam isn't quite as bright but I found that the LS27 was a bit too bright for most indoor use anyway.

I now agree with you that the LS20 is the new benchmark for EDC lights. I've now sold the LS27 and the LS20 is in my pocket almost every day.

 

[js]

scout24 and UnderTheWeepingMoon,

Thanks for your comments! I'm glad you like your LS20's and it's nice to know that some people have the same findings that I do in regards to EDC lights and the LS20. Obviously, mileages will vary and not one light is best for all people, but for cost no object lights, the LS20 really does hit a nice sweet spot that represents a benchmark for one approach to EDC lights--in my opinion.

 

[deadlylover]

Excellent job on the review!, and much like the other members, I too, enjoyed reading single bit of it.

Much like your A2 review, when you had first posted this review, it had me on the edge of my seat and thus, my quest searching for this light had begun.
Eventually, I stumbled upon the steeeeep price tag and decided to just give up, I already had an A2(thanks to you) and it was perfect for my EDC needs.
However, after reading the many, many positive comments about the LS20, I decided to get one just to see what all this fuss was about.

When I first pulled the trigger, I thought there was NO WAY that it could of been worth 4 times the money of what the A2 had cost me, no way at all.

But it was, and then some!

The first thing that hit me was the build quality combined with the feel of the piston.
I thought that the A2 was well built and that it COULD NOT get any better than that.
Of course, I was wrong, very wrong.
Yes, the A2 is indeed very well built and it felt solid in the hand but the LS20?
It was on a whole new level.
My (poor)english skills can't even find the words to describe the feel of the LS20, I'll leave it at that.

This may sound odd but one of my most favourite things about the LS20 was how easy it was to engage constant high.
It only takes just under a third of a revolution to go from off to high, the A2 required a full complete revolution!

So easy!

Anyway, sorry for my rambling

I just wanted to say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for helping me discover this wonderful light and for exposing me to the world of customs.

It took me over 3 years!, I must be the worst flashaholic ever.
I used to skip past the custom section each time, but now, It's the first thing I visit on CPF.

 

[js]

Well, thanks! This is high praise indeed!

I totally agree about the feel of the LS20. It is indeed on a whole other level from the A2, which is saying something, something incredible. I love love love the action and feel of the LS20. It's amazing, and very hard to adequately capture in words.

Also, just because it took you three years to try out an LS20 doesn't make you a bad flashaholic! It's a LOT of coin to drop on a flashlight. A LOT. And as I mentioned in the review, if you aren't up for it, psychologically speaking, it's best to give it a pass until you are. So, in my mind, you were just being a responsible flashaholic!

Anyway, thanks again for your post.

 

[fyrstormer]

+1

Sounds like the best E.D.C. light, and easily the most convincing write-up I've ever read.
So even though I can't afford one, this review deserves a big THUMBS UP!

hard to believe he's gone now. And he never got to hawk a McGizmo.

"NOW WATCH AS I DROP IT ON THE PAVEMENT AND THEN RUN OVER IT! OH, WHAT A MESS, JUST LOOK AT ALL THOSE DINGS! BUT WAIT, IT STILL WORKS FINE! AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I SAND IT DOWN A BIT..." *studio magic* "...GOOD AS NEW! CAN'T DO THAT WITH A DRUG STORE FLASHLIGHT!"

You can still hear his voice, can't you? I can.

 

[fyrstormer]

Also, what is this F04 diffuser people are talking about? It sounds like a good addition to the PD-S I won back in the July auction.

 

[mwaldron]

Also, what is this F04 diffuser people are talking about? It sounds like a good addition to the PD-S I won back in the July auction.

The F04 is a Surefire diffuser that happens to fit a lot of great lights. They also have F0x Red and Blue filters.