With a Sunwayman V10R Ti, what would be the practicable reason to keep a McGizmo Ti?

Dadof6

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I've had my share of lights including McGizmo's sacred cows, the LS20 and the LS27. But I recently purchased a Sunwayman V10ti and have found myself thinking, why would I ever spend money on a ti McGizmo again when I seem to get so much more in a light in the Sunwayman? Besides being collectors' pieces, what is a real practical reazon to spend on titanium light that does less. I understand that a piston drive is very reliable but I could have 3 V10ti's and a piston drive nitecore for the price of one of the McGizmos. Are there really any good practical reasons?
 

B0wz3r

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I've had my share of lights including McGizmo's sacred cows, the LS20 and the LS27. But I recently purchased a Sunwayman V10ti and have found myself thinking, why would I ever spend money on a ti McGizmo again when I seem to get so much more in a light in the Sunwayman? Besides being collectors' pieces, what is a real practical reazon to spend on titanium light that does less. I understand that a piston drive is very reliable but I could have 3 V10ti's and a piston drive nitecore for the price of one of the McGizmos. Are there really any good practical reasons?

I'd be willing to bet that your Mac custom is a lot more durable than any of the Sunways or the Nitecore. I don't own any of them though, but from everything I've read, McGizmos are supposed to be extremely reliable lights. If you don't want to spend that much on a really bulletproof light, you could look into getting an HDS Ra; I'm still waiting for them to come out with the new high CRI model before I get one, but I will get one once they're available.
 

JWRitchie76

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McClicky switch and beam of the McGizmo's, at least my Haiku make it easily a better light for me over my Ti V10R. I agree the build quality of the Ti V10R is pretty outstanding esp. for the money you pay to get one but the clicky switch I think kinda sucks and the beam is nowhere near as pleasing and I can't get one in neutral! I also personally believe that Don knows more about building a quality, dependable light more-so than Sunwayman.
 

chaoss

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I was thinking this same thing DAD.
I have owned several McG's and truth be told, this latest offering from Sunwayman is hard to compete with in both build quality & price point.

The current Gizmos are strictly preset leveled 3 speed lights but i really like the full spectrum of available lumens that the V10R Ti enables the end user to employ.

No doubt that the build quality and component specs of Don's lights eclipse that of the Sunwayman but man, choosing between a $400+ vs a $150 light one needs to really consider what is more important.

Only time will tell if the Sunwayman will withstand the daily rigors of EDC as well as the McGizmo's.
 

kaichu dento

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I loved the feel of quality that my Haiku and Sundrop had, but did not like the preset levels, lack of low setting or beam pattern. All three of these points are definitely personal preferences, but of all the lights I've tried that really worked their way into my life because of what they offered as a light, the V10R Ti is one that is not going anywhere.
 

ronac

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I'm on a different boat then you guys. I've never owned a McGizmo but I do own two V10R Ti's. One is modded with an XM-L and the other with a high CRI 3000K XP-G. I just can't see what any other similar sized light can offer except for just MORE output.

Some of you guys mention dependability but I've been using my daily for probably two months now and there hasn't been a single hiccup. I'm not bashing on McGizmo products but I just want to give SWM a lot of credit for building such a great light.
 

Beamhead

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I have owned many McG lights and one Ti PD, I think McG should at least get major credit for Ti lights even being made.
I never had QC issues with any of my McG lights but of my 2 V10R Ti's one has been flawless from the jump while the other was returned 3 times until I got a reliable one that still has minor issues.
I do believe the cost difference provides a better light on the high side but the V10R Ti is quite an achievement in it's price range.
It is a great time to be a flashaholic. :)
 
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skyfire

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great insight by all here... ive never owned a Ti McGizmo, but i do lust for a LS20... and if I did get my hands on one, i would have to send it to Dafab for a warm tint transplant...

im feeling much better about my V10R Ti purchase after seeing this thread... Ive never carried it, and its sitting inside its package until i figure out an easy way to mod it with a 90 CRI XP-G.... but so far it hasnt replaced my high CRI HDS as my main EDC.

so far after handling it, i think the V10R Ti is a great deal... machining quality is pretty good...beam is good enough...compact... and variable with control ring.
I really dont care for the square cut threads... i think traditional threads are plenty strong enough, and much smoother, with better tolerances.
 
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Z-Tab

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I do not have a McGizmo, but this is sort of like asking why buy a Mercedes Benz when you can get a Nissan 370Z. The V10R Ti is not really direct competition to the entire McGizmo line, except for the fact that it is built out of titanium. I think that my V10R Ti is great, and the addition of the AA-extender makes it one of my most versatile lights, but McGizmo's lights serve some very different purposes. A V10R is not designed to do the same things as a Sundrop or a Makai XM-L.

Personally, as much as I like the infinite adjustability, it has it's limitations and I'm finding myself very much drawn to the Spy 007 these days. Rotary control has a lot to offer and that appears to be the best implementation of the concept so far. If only CoolFall made an aluminum version that was more within my reach.

Maybe if we're lucky, McGizmo will build a light with a rotary control for us.
 

RocketTomato

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I have a Ti V10R and I agree it is almost a masterpiece. A good quality titanium clip is sorely missing and is a major oversight in my opinion. (Regardless of whether you would use it or not, it should be an option.) Also, the two square threads are solid and very well done but they seem a little short. Aside from that, the overall value, build quality and UI are amazing. It is currently one of my favorite lights.

However, comparing a mass produced light to a custom offering price wise is not really fair. The economies of scale are vastly different even for a limited run of 500 units versus a typical custom run of 50 units. (Note that the differences in cost are even further exacerbated by one being made in the USA and the other in China.)

It essentially boils down to preference. Some people appreciate the artisan-ship and craftsmanship of an individually hand-built custom designed piece versus the mass produced variety and are willing to pay for it. This same trend is seen in everything from custom tailored suits to custom knives to custom made toys. Custom by definition, is always going to cost more then mass produced.

But let's take aside the cost of the lights themselves and just compare offerings. "What is a practical reason to keep a McGizmo Ti?" Well if you want to instantly switch between a flood type beam to a thrower, then an LS20 (or LS27) is one of the few choices around. Not to mention the silent operation of the piston drive. It is much easier to read with the flood of the LS20 then the beam of the V10R while in bed and not wake up your significant other.

If you desire easy upgradeability or a variety of LEDs to choose from, then a Hakiu is hard to beat. You can easily switch between a high-CRI LED to an XM-L to a more throwy XP-G or even a UV LED. And you can get that in a single cell or two cell configuration depending on how you choose to customize it.

Ultimately, what I would love to see is a hybrid of an LS20 with the Sunwayman V10R. Now that would be an awesome light.
 
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Th232

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Having both a Lunasol 20 and the V10R Ti (with Kuku's D10/EX10 clip), I have to say I've been asking myself the same question. I'm probably going to keep both, but for me the two major advantages are the variable output range and the options for different batteries. When Kuku does a run of 18500 bodies, that combined with the AA extender that I'm going to bore out means I can use CR123s/16340s (standard body), AAs/14500s (standard body + bored out AA extender & sleeve), 18500s (Kuku's body) and 18650s (Kuku's body + bored out AA extender).

That said, the McGizmos definitely have a much greater range of options, as RocketTomato has said. If they came with 0.9-4.2V drivers then my decision between them and the V10R would be made much harder, I've been a fan of them because I can run 14500s for day to day usage but also use AAs in a pinch.

I'll probably be rotating them since IMO the Lunasol is much more attractive and reliable (KISS principle), but the V10R Ti will be getting some serious pocket time unless any reliability issues come up.
 
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Dadof6

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Let me add that I've felt at times as though the McGizmos, as expensive as they are, are lights I do not want to edc for fear of excessive markings (loss of value), or even losing one. With the V10R Ti, I don't have the same concerns.
 

StandardBattery

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Well it's been mentioned a couple of times in passing... A decent matching pocket clip... Ha ha.... Number 2 is to get a nicer emitter.... and number 3 is to get more lego if you need that. I'm sure there are more, and while hard to prove at this point I would think long term reliability would be a reason as well. All that said... if you have to consider cost then not eveyone is going to be making the same choices. There are also a few reasons to get the V10RTi over the McGizmo, that people have mentioned.
 

timo54321

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I've kicked myself in the past for selling my flashlights that I didn't think I would use again. For what little money you usually end up getting for a used one it just seems to make more sense to keep them around. You can never have too many!
 

Bass

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I've got to agree with every point RocketTomato makes, I have the same point of view on this.

No doubt though, the Sunwayman is a great light.
 

compasillo

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Let me add that I've felt at times as though the McGizmos, as expensive as they are, are lights I do not want to edc for fear of excessive markings (loss of value), or even losing one. With the V10R Ti, I don't have the same concerns.

Agree.
To me, EDCing a > $500 custom light in your pocket is like hanging on a Picasso in your house door... too risky.
I keep my works of art safely and enjoy them as much as I can, playing and showing them off privately.
However, EDCing my Sunwayman's (Ti or Al) I don't that concerns. The same with other of my EDC lights.
So I think we are talking about two perspectives no mutually exclusive.
This is a very common flashaholism principle. How many sales threads are posted with "never used, never carried, never left home, just tested, etc"?
 

archer6817j

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I think there are two perspectives on this...and if you'll forgive me for disagreeing: to me, not EDCing a $500 custom light is like buying a Ferrari and letting it sit in the garage :)

I would assume all the custom builders make lights that are meant to be used for what they were intended. I can also feel the custom builders squirming in their seats regarding the "why" question.

For me it's not about features and price point. I just bought my first McGizmo and the reason I bought it is I want to participate in the history of the maker and the light. In general I like to buy things made by someone I "know" as opposed to a giant faceless company. I also like the idea of knowing that person cares about the product they are making and that it's an extension of their values, personality and perspective on the world. When I buy a suit I get it custom tailored (It's cheaper than buying a fancy brand) because I get what I want, I can look the guy in the eye that's making it, shake his hand for a job well done, and be on my way knowing that I just bought something from someone that's passionate about their craft.

Same reason I have a custom fly rod. Same reason I have a custom bike. Same reason I have a custom knife. Sure, they are expensive, but they will also last me a lifetime and are simply a pleasure to use. I smile every time I pull my flyrod out of the bag and see my name, hand lettered just above the grip. I only have one more point :) If I have a problem with anything I've had custom made (assuming the person is still around) I can get in touch with the guy that literally made it and ask him my questions. I can't tell you how much better that makes me feel (even if I never have a problem) than the possibility of talking to a robot about what department I want to contact and what the wait time will be. That makes me mad just thinking about it. Hmm, I think I just talked myself into one of Saltyri's two tone lights.
 

JWRitchie76

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I think there are two perspectives on this...and if you'll forgive me for disagreeing: to me, not EDCing a $500 custom light is like buying a Ferrari and letting it sit in the garage :)

I would assume all the custom builders make lights that are meant to be used for what they were intended. I can also feel the custom builders squirming in their seats regarding the "why" question.

For me it's not about features and price point. I just bought my first McGizmo and the reason I bought it is I want to participate in the history of the maker and the light. In general I like to buy things made by someone I "know" as opposed to a giant faceless company. I also like the idea of knowing that person cares about the product they are making and that it's an extension of their values, personality and perspective on the world. When I buy a suit I get it custom tailored (It's cheaper than buying a fancy brand) because I get what I want, I can look the guy in the eye that's making it, shake his hand for a job well done, and be on my way knowing that I just bought something from someone that's passionate about their craft.

Same reason I have a custom fly rod. Same reason I have a custom bike. Same reason I have a custom knife. Sure, they are expensive, but they will also last me a lifetime and are simply a pleasure to use. I smile every time I pull my flyrod out of the bag and see my name, hand lettered just above the grip. I only have one more point :) If I have a problem with anything I've had custom made (assuming the person is still around) I can get in touch with the guy that literally made it and ask him my questions. I can't tell you how much better that makes me feel (even if I never have a problem) than the possibility of talking to a robot about what department I want to contact and what the wait time will be. That makes me mad just thinking about it. Hmm, I think I just talked myself into one of Saltyri's two tone lights.

Well said! My McGizmo is a great looking light but it looks it's best riding in my pocket and performing in my hand when called upon.
 
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