First, I want to remind you this is coming from a newbie to the world high performance flashlights--just bear that in mind.
Little background: beyond the cheap dimestore lights of the past, I own a 4D Mag and a 2AA MiniMag. Since then we've gotten into a pasttime that takes into dark secluded places that require a decent flashlight. At first, the 2AA MiniMag served well in the field during dusk. The 4D wasn't too bad to carry on short trips. However, I was never able to decide between the two. The 4D was so much brighter and made it much easier to see what I'm doing. But, at times it's too bright and walking around at dusk you can see, mostly, but too pick out the trail well ahead of you, you have to use a light--the 4D was so bright you'd loose a little of your night vision. There was no happy compromise.
I'm an engraver and a customer brought in a Surefire Centurion C3 to have engraved as a gift. I was immediately taken by the brightness of this little light. Compared side-to-side with my 4D, it was as bright with a much better spot. I fell in love, but that was short lived when I found out it took relatively expensive batteries and they only lasted 1 hour. Holy cow! You certainly pay for that miniaturization!
Enter CPF! After reading a little bit and thinking about my situation--and the fact the Missus needed a new light for work--I tapped Brightguy.com for the purchase of a Koehler-Bright Star Responder 4AA and a Streamlight TwinTask 3C. The ording was fast and easy. I opted for UPS ground shipping and it was here in 2 days. The order was accurate. BrightGuy is going to be my first choice for the things I need in the future.
First impressions of the 4AA were mixed. (WARNING: highly scientific observations ahead.) The light felt, well, light in my hand, but I was sorely disappointed in the "35,000 candle power" light, not nearly as bright as my 4D Mag with 3D bulb. The spot was ugly. Not impressed with the performance at all. I had ordered a couple of spare bulbs and reading that the Responder bulbs were supposed to brighten a 4D, I popped one in. The bulbs, to me, are just a standard 4 cell bulb. The spot on the Mag was terrible and not as bright as the 3D bulb.
On the other hand, I put the 3D bulb in the Responder and after a little fiddling got a really nice bright spot on par with the 4D Mag. That got me to thinking (can you smell the smoke?), so I popped the Responder bulb back in the 4AA and fiddled with the placement and got a pretty decent, but wierd looking, spot.
The button doesn't have positive feedback. It kept leaving me wondering if I had pushed it hard enough to make the light stay on. The body seemed like a tough plastic. Seemed fairly good quality.
I'm kind of wondering if a set Lithium AA's would be better in this light.
The question is, will it be Sissy's 3D Mag replacement? She's out today and will give me the verdict.
On to the SL TT3C. My impressions on this are mixed, as well. It's a fairly impressively built piece, feels good in my hand. Touch off the lights, and not being experienced with LED lights, I must say it's a little wierd. A definite blue cast. Touch it again and it's a little brighter. Playing around with it last night in the backyard rpved that it's very useful for lighting up your surroundings. Dim mode most certainly good for seeing your way out of the woods. What's wierd is the fact the 3rd click switches it to Xenon, but it's not much brighter "looking," but does light up the yard more. (Still learning.)
Comparing this light to the MiniMag the first setting with 3 LEDs seemed a little dimmer than the MiniMag, but the 6 LEDs a little brighter, this with the MiniMag focused to a spot comparable to the TT. With the MM focused to as tight as it will go, it puched a hole through the spot of even the 6 LED modes. However, touching the button on the TT once more produced a light that completely over shadowed the MM.
Now let's compare this to the 4D. In Xenon mode the 4D, even with only a 4D bulb focused to a comparable spot, dominated the TT--hands down. Focused to a tight spot with a 3D bulb the TT wasn't even in the same class.
I don't know what I was hoping for, but I was a little disappointed. I guess it's the "guy" in me always wanting more. It's like my younger years riding motorcycles, always wanting more HP, who cares if you can't ride it on the street?
What I can't really complain about is the fact the quality of the spot it produces. That certainly dominates either of the Mags.
For the task for which I purchased this light being to put in my pack and be much lighter than the 4D, having decent run time for getting us out of the woods, and decent light for upclose, I do have to say this light rocks! I like the fact that you have a low setting for up close, in-your-face work without blinding you and with a touch of the button shine it out in the woods to look for "boogers." (Well, I guess you could look up someone's nose with this, but I talking about the boogeyman-type booger.) Add to this the fact that you don't have to move the spot around because of the holes when the Mag is de-focused is very much a plus. I don't think it could ever compete with the Mag for throw, but that's not what I bought it for.
One wish: I kept thinking it would be great if there was one more click of the button. That click would produce an even brighter Xenon mode, one on par with the SF C3. Then it would be the perfect light for me.
Recommends: the jury is still out on the Responder 4AA. The SL TT3C is a definite thumbs up!
CR
Little background: beyond the cheap dimestore lights of the past, I own a 4D Mag and a 2AA MiniMag. Since then we've gotten into a pasttime that takes into dark secluded places that require a decent flashlight. At first, the 2AA MiniMag served well in the field during dusk. The 4D wasn't too bad to carry on short trips. However, I was never able to decide between the two. The 4D was so much brighter and made it much easier to see what I'm doing. But, at times it's too bright and walking around at dusk you can see, mostly, but too pick out the trail well ahead of you, you have to use a light--the 4D was so bright you'd loose a little of your night vision. There was no happy compromise.
I'm an engraver and a customer brought in a Surefire Centurion C3 to have engraved as a gift. I was immediately taken by the brightness of this little light. Compared side-to-side with my 4D, it was as bright with a much better spot. I fell in love, but that was short lived when I found out it took relatively expensive batteries and they only lasted 1 hour. Holy cow! You certainly pay for that miniaturization!
Enter CPF! After reading a little bit and thinking about my situation--and the fact the Missus needed a new light for work--I tapped Brightguy.com for the purchase of a Koehler-Bright Star Responder 4AA and a Streamlight TwinTask 3C. The ording was fast and easy. I opted for UPS ground shipping and it was here in 2 days. The order was accurate. BrightGuy is going to be my first choice for the things I need in the future.
First impressions of the 4AA were mixed. (WARNING: highly scientific observations ahead.) The light felt, well, light in my hand, but I was sorely disappointed in the "35,000 candle power" light, not nearly as bright as my 4D Mag with 3D bulb. The spot was ugly. Not impressed with the performance at all. I had ordered a couple of spare bulbs and reading that the Responder bulbs were supposed to brighten a 4D, I popped one in. The bulbs, to me, are just a standard 4 cell bulb. The spot on the Mag was terrible and not as bright as the 3D bulb.
On the other hand, I put the 3D bulb in the Responder and after a little fiddling got a really nice bright spot on par with the 4D Mag. That got me to thinking (can you smell the smoke?), so I popped the Responder bulb back in the 4AA and fiddled with the placement and got a pretty decent, but wierd looking, spot.
The button doesn't have positive feedback. It kept leaving me wondering if I had pushed it hard enough to make the light stay on. The body seemed like a tough plastic. Seemed fairly good quality.
I'm kind of wondering if a set Lithium AA's would be better in this light.
The question is, will it be Sissy's 3D Mag replacement? She's out today and will give me the verdict.
On to the SL TT3C. My impressions on this are mixed, as well. It's a fairly impressively built piece, feels good in my hand. Touch off the lights, and not being experienced with LED lights, I must say it's a little wierd. A definite blue cast. Touch it again and it's a little brighter. Playing around with it last night in the backyard rpved that it's very useful for lighting up your surroundings. Dim mode most certainly good for seeing your way out of the woods. What's wierd is the fact the 3rd click switches it to Xenon, but it's not much brighter "looking," but does light up the yard more. (Still learning.)
Comparing this light to the MiniMag the first setting with 3 LEDs seemed a little dimmer than the MiniMag, but the 6 LEDs a little brighter, this with the MiniMag focused to a spot comparable to the TT. With the MM focused to as tight as it will go, it puched a hole through the spot of even the 6 LED modes. However, touching the button on the TT once more produced a light that completely over shadowed the MM.
Now let's compare this to the 4D. In Xenon mode the 4D, even with only a 4D bulb focused to a comparable spot, dominated the TT--hands down. Focused to a tight spot with a 3D bulb the TT wasn't even in the same class.
I don't know what I was hoping for, but I was a little disappointed. I guess it's the "guy" in me always wanting more. It's like my younger years riding motorcycles, always wanting more HP, who cares if you can't ride it on the street?
What I can't really complain about is the fact the quality of the spot it produces. That certainly dominates either of the Mags.
For the task for which I purchased this light being to put in my pack and be much lighter than the 4D, having decent run time for getting us out of the woods, and decent light for upclose, I do have to say this light rocks! I like the fact that you have a low setting for up close, in-your-face work without blinding you and with a touch of the button shine it out in the woods to look for "boogers." (Well, I guess you could look up someone's nose with this, but I talking about the boogeyman-type booger.) Add to this the fact that you don't have to move the spot around because of the holes when the Mag is de-focused is very much a plus. I don't think it could ever compete with the Mag for throw, but that's not what I bought it for.
One wish: I kept thinking it would be great if there was one more click of the button. That click would produce an even brighter Xenon mode, one on par with the SF C3. Then it would be the perfect light for me.
Recommends: the jury is still out on the Responder 4AA. The SL TT3C is a definite thumbs up!
CR
