H602 plans tossed out?

Any word on when ZL plans to announce something on this? I like my 600 quite a bit but I'm still eagerly awaiting a step up from my H60 and quite frankly the 600 isn't it.

Was excited at the prospect of a new and brighter version of the 60w but haven't been able to find anything said about it for a few months.

Beginning to think ZL has scrapped the idea.

Oh well, as I said, I really like my 600 but the H60w still gets far more use.

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seems like it. i think they got tired of folks whining about them not meeting the H502 release dates and they decided that they aren't coming out with any new flood models from now on. i noticed they don't have the H501 on their website anymore either. they have the H501w but not the H501. i think they are intentionally trying to screw over their "flood" customers.

robostudent5000 said:

seems like it. i think they got tired of folks whining about them not meeting the H502 release dates and they decided that they aren't coming out with any new flood models from now on. i noticed they don't have the H501 on their website anymore either. they have the H501w but not the H501. i think they are intentionally trying to screw over their "flood" customers.

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Is this pure speculation or do you actually possess information to back up this statement (Zebralight not making all-flood headlamps anymore)?
While I hope those are nothing more than the words of a frustrated customer, if this was the case I suggest to rethink this approach to public complaining: I don't see how writing things like that could be useful to the readers or to the OP, I personally found it misleading. I didn't mean to be rude, English ain't my mother-tongue language and I hope not to be over- or mis- understood.

chenko said:

Is this pure speculation or do you actually possess information to back up this statement (Zebralight not making all-flood headlamps anymore)?

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+1

I think it is much more likely that ZL Have run out of H501s and may have decided not to gear up to make any more as they will be selling the H502 instead.

The H602 is still listed on their site's Product Comparison spreadsheet with a planned release date of 2012.

I'm waiting for both the H502 and H602 to come out, as I'm interested in buying one of each.

Just click on the red button on zebralight's home page that says "Compare All Models" then you will see towards the bottom of the page that they are still planning on making an H602, an H602w, an H302, an H302w, and the H502 & H502w...among others. So they are still in the works, but for whatever reason they all seem to be quite delayed.

My speculation (and pure, unfounded speculation on my part) is that Zebralight felt they needed to re-engineer the H502 to better compete with offerings from Spark. And that could mean...(hope upon hope) a threaded bezel, allowing beam modification (flood, throw, color, tint, and possibly even angle). I really think Spark is leading the charge with their alternate bezels for the SD series. It makes a single headlamp very versatile.

I'd be shocked if Zebralight didn't feel competitive heat from Spark. When manufacturers compete, customers (usually) win, since it sets off a more intense effort to please the customer.

Whomever gets the first durable, compact, high-CRI, single AA headlamp that allows beam modification, wins in my book. Spark needs to concentrate on the compact, single AA offering (hopefully in high CRI)...it's almost like they're avoiding their potential biggest seller. Whereas Zebra needs to redouble its efforts in allowing beam modification, while rigorously testing their product before release. They really don't get to send out another early-production H501 with its insufficient seals, or their reputation will sink. So it behooves them to be extra careful with their pre-release testing.

Notice I did not list "maximum brightness" in my short list. My fear is that mfgrs will continue to chase the "more lumens than yours" chimera while ignoring more useful upgrades.

chenko said:

Is this pure speculation or do you actually possess information to back up this statement?

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it is absolutely pure and wild speculation. i thought it was appropriate considering the OP presented pure and wild speculation himself regarding the status of the H602.

now, i like Bolster's theory better. his is even more detailed and thought out.

i would like to see more people throw out speculative theories about what's going on at ZL.

Bolster said:

Whomever gets the first durable, compact, high-CRI, single AA headlamp that allows beam modification, wins in my book.

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I hope that its this. If not, then at least H51 upgrade to more lumens-run time.
I wrote them message on their web page, no answer and its been a week already, seems like they are either busy, which doesnt mean anything or they just dont care. Either way, its not polite from them to toss around teasers, release dates and then retract it all without further explanations and ignoring potential buyers questions.

vēer;3904821 said:

Either way, its not polite from them to toss around teasers, release dates and then retract it all without further explanations and ignoring potential buyers questions.

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AFAIK, all they did was put up that spreadsheet that has "H602 2012" written on it. and it's still 2012, it ain't 2013 yet. i don't think they ever made an actual official announcement about the H602 either.

as for getting your questions answered, did you create an account on their site and login when you sent them a message. if not, that seems to help.

You know what? Even if they aren't addressing anything on my wishlist, I would be content if they were just taking an extra long time to test their new offerings. I'm all for their delaying a release for weeks or months, if it means there won't be recalls or failures.

Seems like a rush to market often predicts problems. OTOH, the longer Zebralight waits, the easier they make it for Spark to catch them. I don't recall when Xyber said their company would be turning their attention to the ... what's the number of it?... SD51 or SD5 or something? I forget. Their 1AA offering.

SO! The H501 is now gone! And it never went on sale! I've been hoping I could snag another H501w when they went on sale but they may not... and you just KNOW that the H502, no matter how good it is, will be inferior in some way to the H501 (Just as IMHO the H501 was inferior in some ways to the H50...I prefer the twist activation over button, it doesn't turn on by accident...yes, I'm a luddite.)

Bolster said:

You know what? Even if they aren't addressing anything on my wishlist, I would be content if they were just taking an extra long time to test their new offerings. I'm all for their delaying a release for weeks or months, if it means there won't be recalls or failures.

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amen to that. i'd rather wait to buy a lamp that's been fully tested than buy it early and become an unwitting member of their product testing team.

Bolster said:

SO! The H501 is now gone! And it never went on sale! I've been hoping I could snag another H501w when they went on sale but they may not... and you just KNOW that the H502, no matter how good it is, will be inferior in some way to the H501 (Just as IMHO the H501 was inferior in some ways to the H50...I prefer the twist activation over button, it doesn't turn on by accident...yes, I'm a luddite.)

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i was hoping to get a H501 on sale too. kinda bummed about that. and you're not the only one who wishes that ZL would bring back a small twisty.

robostudent5000 said:

...and you're not the only one who wishes that ZL would bring back a small twisty.

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Well, we luddites gotta stick together then!! You think we're the only two, or do you think there are others who like the twisty?

Bolster said:

Well, we luddites gotta stick together then!! You think we're the only two, or do you think there are others who like the twisty?

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i don't know. there's at least one more guy, this guy in the Marketplace, and he's been looking for one for ages it seems. but i can't speak for anyone else though. i just know that if they brought back the H50 with a R2 emitter and charged $39 for it, i would buy a couple.

robostudent5000 said:

AFAIK, all they did was put up that spreadsheet that has "H602 2012" written on it. and it's still 2012, it ain't 2013 yet. i don't think they ever made an actual official announcement about the H602 either.

as for getting your questions answered, did you create an account on their site and login when you sent them a message. if not, that seems to help.

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Cant argue about that, still too many folks eagerly awaiting some news from them, SC5 for example would be big hit last Christmas, but they pulled it?
Ok, will try to register with them and then contact, strange...

Bolster said:

Well, we luddites gotta stick together then!! You think we're the only two, or do you think there are others who like the twisty?

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I can be a bit of a luddite myself at times, and don't mind a twisty for lights with simple UIs, but can anyone explain to me how the more complex ZL UI is going to work with a twisty ? Particularly the press and hold function to start on Low and ramp up to High. I like the H1/H2, M1/M2 etc flexibility as well.

I think you'd have to forego a sophisticated UI with a twisty. I'm sure that's something lots of folks would be unwilling to do. (I would. 3 levels is fine.)

A little off topic here, but ZL says that H502 will come out in 2-3 months, perhaps thats when the rest of the upgrades should be expected as well?