RA High CRI replacement.

Love the size, love the modes, don't like the way it wobbles when tailstanding, tired of it turning on in my pocket and I'm tired of lubing/cleaning it every week now to keep the contact wire happy!
At least three modes, 1 lumen of so for low, 100 or more for high around 30 for normal mode.
CR123 AND AA would be best, but I'll go either way on battery. MUST tailstand! I like the size of the RA and would like to stay in that range, so single cell, unless it's CR123 and AA, I'd take two AA's for that trade off. Must be WARM! Warmer the better! I upgraded my E21 with a High CRI XP-G and the RA looks grenish/blue compared to that now!
Lots of wants and needs in such a small package, maybe it's no wonder I'm getting so confused!

As far as the tail standing if you hold the rubber in as you screw the tail cap on this will purge some of the air pressure that is compressed behind the rubber as the seals are that good and causes the rubber to bulge.
But you got other issues also So I would say McGizmo same size but low not low enough. Spy 007 then there is the long list of imports but that would be a down grade from a HDS

The Zebralight SC80c does everything you're looking for.

I've done the tailcap trick more times than I care to recall! Even then it's still like a drunken sailor! I liked the Novatac tail cap much better, it would tail stand!

That Zebra light looks interesting, but they don't seem to sure about RCR's fitting in them, and not sure about a side switch, I've run tail clicked for so long now!
The Spy and McGizmo lights are nice indeed, but I'm broke and not about to spend that much on a light that gets carried all day every day! My poor RA looks like Hell!

4Sevens usually has some high CRI (85+) lights in stock. I have a Mini 123 high CRI light that I carry as a secondary light. It's a twisty though if that doesn't bother you.
Also it heats up quickly on high because it's so small...

A good light though and not too expensive.

sawlight said:

I've done the tailcap trick more times than I care to recall! Even then it's still like a drunken sailor! I liked the Novatac tail cap much better, it would tail stand!

That Zebra light looks interesting, but they don't seem to sure about RCR's fitting in them, and not sure about a side switch, I've run tail clicked for so long now!
The Spy and McGizmo lights are nice indeed, but I'm broke and not about to spend that much on a light that gets carried all day every day! My poor RA looks like Hell!

Click to expand...

AW 17500 fit in the Zebra without the brass plug, I doubt that RCR's would be too fat.

McGizmo Haiku Hi-CRI. Three modes, one button, perfect tailstanding, modular light engine, best pocket clip ever, indestructible titanium casing that you can polish yourself if you care about that sort of thing. More than one person has switched and never looked back.

you can use a surefire colored filter attachment such as the F05, or the F04 diffuser which are 1 inch in diameter, remove the lens so that you are left with the rubber ring. and place it on the HDS tailcap so it can tailstand. my high CRI clicky also tailstands like a drunk. trying to squeeze out the air in the tailcap got tiresome and pointless.

i also programmed mine for 10 minute auto-shutoff. great feature.

the cree high CRI XP-G is also my favorite emitter, and i cant really think of any lights that fit your criteria in production that comes with it.
maybe try finding a light with the features that work for you, then swap the high cri xp-g into it. its what i do.

how about a mac's custom EDC?

Thanks for the tip on the Surefire diffuser! That would fix two of my problems!
I haven't priced any of the customs, but I'm trying to keep this around the $100 mark. I'm figuring about $75 for my RA, like I say, it's rough, been in my pocket around three years!
Been even thinking about putting the XP-G in the RA and trying to work out the kinks from there, which you have solved two!

sawlight said:

Thanks for the tip on the Surefire diffuser! That would fix two of my problems!
I haven't priced any of the customs, but I'm trying to keep this around the $100 mark. I'm figuring about $75 for my RA, like I say, it's rough, been in my pocket around three years!
Been even thinking about putting the XP-G in the RA and trying to work out the kinks from there, which you have solved two!

Click to expand...

You're trying to replace the most popular light on cpf with something better. Thats going to be very difficult, especially the high-cri version. I own the same light. The funny thing is today I received my Haiku high-cri which I bought here on the forum last week. They are basically identical in size and have a very similar weight. The Haiku feels a bit more solid because of the massive metal. The Haiku's button feels much better because you really hear & feel the click when you press it. The low mode is really only too bright when you get out of bed in the middle of the night. Otherwise you are fine and the 3 levels are nicely spaced. The Haiku with its 80-something lumens is actually a brighter than the HDS since the HDS steps down to 73 lumens iirc. The tint is (as expected) perfectly even and a bit cooler than the HDS. Mine has a lot of scratches which one can buff out, which isn't possible with the HDS. The haiku gets hot much faster and has to be held in the hand on high mode (during the summer at least).

If you want to switch out the led in your light remember that the high-cri xp-g will be noticeably warmer than the P4.

sawlight said:

I haven't priced any of the customs, but I'm trying to keep this around the $100 mark. I'm figuring about $75 for my RA, like I say, it's rough, been in my pocket around three years!
Been even thinking about putting the XP-G in the RA and trying to work out the kinks from there, which you have solved two!

Click to expand...

If you decide to let the RA go, send me a PM. I have a spare body/tail from my 140GT because the GT is solely uses 17670 now.

I don't know about replacement, because I'm still waiting for my HDS Hi CRI Clicky.

In the interim, as temporary substitutes, I have ordered:

Groovy! P4 great beam, tailstands well; single mode, short runtime. Never turns on by itself, but if not clean occasionally it'll momentary-on only. I love it, but it's no HDS/RA.
4Sevens Neutral Quark"X" AA2 Tactical with CR123 body. Nice warm "neutral" XM-L, plenty of modes, and way over 100 lumens on hi (somewhere around 300.) Tactical gives me two modes at a time, though. Twist to change mode feature has not been 100% reliable - I think I've crushed the o-ring a few times. It'll spin, but not change. Plus, no tailstanding - but it's never turned on unprovoked (unlike the Preon2.)
Eagletac D25C Ti Neutral XM-L. Should arrive in a couple days. Bright, many modes, tailstand capability. Reverse clicky. Thin-walled Ti should be comparable to thick-walled aluminum. My other eagletac has been rock-solid reliable; I hope this is as good.

Frankly, I hope none are quite as good as the HDS EDC. Otherwise, why am I waiting all these months?

I've never used either, but if I were looking for something as good as an HDS but with different features, I'd try a Hi CRI Haiku or Neutral Mac's XML.
They're not cheap, but people love them, and I don't think Mac's aluminum models are too excessively pricey. I would likely have picked one up instead of the Groovy! if Mac made a driver optimized for primary CR123.

Damn! You guys are killing me! I'm not bad mouthing Henry, I LOVED my K2 modded Novatac, until I lost it! I bought the RA to replace it, but the two lights just aren't even comparable to me at least! My first gen Novatac was a rock! 30' drop on 3/4" steel plate, surf fishing in the gulf, buried in a snow bank over night, etc! I am HARD on lights!
No reverse clicky! Total deal killer for me!
Maybe I just need to get a hunk of titanium and head for the machine shop two blocks down and build a body then have someone make a LE and tail cap for it? ( Yes, I can do this!)

sawlight said:

Maybe I just need to get a hunk of titanium and head for the machine shop two blocks down and build a body then have someone make a LE and tail cap for it? ( Yes, I can do this!)

Click to expand...

(holds up a swirly pinwheel) Youuuu waaaant a Haaaaikuuuu...

Seriously, getting it done by your buddy at the machine shop isn't going to be any less expensive, because most of the cost of machining titanium is paying for the special expertise and the wear on the machining tools.

Don't have to pay my buddy a dime, spent 13 years as a machinist, when I finally got burnt out I was pigeon hold running five axis mills cutting titanium! I've cut more Ti than most have seen in their lives, and hated every minute of it! I go down there and as long as the machine isn't in use for some of his parts, I can use it. I might even be able to sweet talk him into writing a program for his new 7 axis lathe, hmmmmmmmmmmmm.....................

Ok, I'll go look at the Haiku now and see how much they are. I have at least three days of machining, unless he let me play with the CNC.

Edit: Ok, now I've priced them out, sure, I may want one! But no way can I justify, much less afford one! WOW!