Gladius with a Cree

ukmike

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Does anyone know if Blackhawk will be making a cree based Gladius? I have sent an email to them but not yet had a reply. Would the Cree emit a similar beam to the Lux III?
Views please or has anyone heard?
 

TENMMIKE

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i asked ken this very question, his answer was this...... "We are aware of this emitter.

The Gladius line will evolve. Exactly how and when is not for public distribution right now.

As always, I will post as soon as the announcements are available."
ukmike said:
Does anyone know if Blackhawk will be making a cree based Gladius? I have sent an email to them but not yet had a reply. Would the Cree emit a similar beam to the Lux III?
Views please or has anyone heard?
 
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Crashking

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i'm curious about this one myself... i just bought a gladius about a month and a half ago.... pretty much as the cree's were being discovered..... which sucks for me.... but i wouldnt mind having a gladius with a cree engine... it would just make my current one almost obsolete... plus there is now a company selling what looks and functions like a gladius for $130 i think
 

LEDcandle

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The Cree line has made many of the luxeon lights feel obsolete; however, if lumileds responds with an LED with the same footprint as the Lux III (like maybe a Lux III W or X bin!), we have sure winners. (Unfortunately, the flashlight market is not their main driver.)

They will be easily replaceable without having to mod the reflector or making custom parts. (Hopefully the tolerances won't be too off)

Get a Cree light if you really need something now but don't throw out your Lux lights yet; sit back and wait for Lumileds turn. Maybe we'll see some of those 200 lm/w LEDs soon and we can upgrade all our luxeon lights :D

The Gladius is a great light with great quality, usability and interface; if it can be constantly modded with the latest LED, it will always remain great. It may be $200 for some and $130 for some, but whatever price you bought them at, you must have felt it was worth that price.

When you see a Cree Gladius out for $250, you'd probably jump on it and get try to get rid of your old Gladius at a loss, fully aware that in a year's time there might be another round of new LEDs, which may make the Cree Gladius worth $130.

So don't feel too bad about it. Technology products always go down in value....

The Cree may be dominating now, but sooner or later there will be advancements again which may allow the 'old' luxeon lights to get refreshed. :D
 
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Sanny

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:bump: for an interesting thread...

I understand LEDCandle's point, but that's just how the technological world works (see computers and digital cameras) and usually waiting for a new version to come out is a good recipe for not having it when you need it.

Besides, many big manufacturers are now jumping on the cree train, including SureFire, which I guess has pretty good communication channels with different LED manufacturers, including Lumileds. So I would not really count on a nextgen LED from Lumileds in the near future.

That said, I would love to see a Gladius Mk2 :grin2: featuring:
-cree emitter
-about 150lm output (is this in the ballpark?)
-advanced (random) strobe
-Li-ion support
-18650 compatibility (using a sleeve, à la U2)

that would eliminate many negative points which kept me from buying one when it first came out.

:popcorn:
 
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AndrewL

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did they ever develope a remote switch for weapons mount option? (or a bike handle bar)

I'm guessing you could run it off 3v RCR123s
 

LEDcandle

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Sanny said:
:bump: for an interesting thread...

I understand LEDCandle's point, but that's just how the technological world works (see computers and digital cameras) and usually waiting for a new version to come out is a good recipe for not having it when you need it.

I wasn't actually asking threadstarter to wait but more to tell CrashKing that all is not lost for having bought the Gladius among the Cree craze. It is a very good light in itself, and if there's a new Luxeon, it will be even better.

Don't wait forever but don't just on the absolute latest either; you will be out money and technology. Usually the 2nd revision comes out soon after; better and for around the same price. Or a competitor responds.

For example, let's say Fenix throws out the L1D-CE first at $55 (pure example as I dunno the price) and you grab it just cuz its a Cree light. In just a week or two, a competitor comes out with a 95% similar light for half the price. and maybe another month from now, the L1D-CE will be fitted with Q3 bins. I guess catching the right time is ideal, though that is easier said than done :D
 

Crashking

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LEDcandle said:
I wasn't actually asking threadstarter to wait but more to tell CrashKing that all is not lost for having bought the Gladius among the Cree craze. It is a very good light in itself, and if there's a new Luxeon, it will be even better.

Don't wait forever but don't just on the absolute latest either; you will be out money and technology. Usually the 2nd revision comes out soon after; better and for around the same price. Or a competitor responds.

For example, let's say Fenix throws out the L1D-CE first at $55 (pure example as I dunno the price) and you grab it just cuz its a Cree light. In just a week or two, a competitor comes out with a 95% similar light for half the price. and maybe another month from now, the L1D-CE will be fitted with Q3 bins. I guess catching the right time is ideal, though that is easier said than done :D


i know all is not lost... i love this light... it's my edc and the kids at my tech school are amazed by how bright the thing is... but as many people... surprised by the price.... but who do they go to when they need a light? yup... the guy that spent a crazy amount on a flashlight.... i think i was just complaining without a true reason...

still can't wait for a improved gladius... and honestly the only thing i would want changed is a thicker ha III coating and a brighter emitter for better throw, and even better run times.... otherwise i'm very happy with the design, function, feel, and balance of this light... i think it'll pretty much be the last light i buy.. well other than a hid spot light
 
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