New "Dress" EDC - Decisions, Decisions

I think I'm finally ready to take the plunge.
My wife convinced me to go to Maui for vacation this summer. While we're there, I'd really like to pick up some new Hi CRI Titanium goodness from the genius/gentleman/craftsman who is McGizmo.
My only trouble is I don't know which one to choose.

I thought I wanted a Haiku. But now I see, they really aren't any smaller than my HDS Exec Clicky.
Been thinking of a Mule. I love the smooth, even beam and small size, but I don't know if it'll work at an adequate distance to be an only-light.
Remembered the Sundrop. Looks, maybe, perfect - but are they still being made?

So, here's the deal.
My daily EDC is a Para2 with the HDS along with a Lamy Swift.


My dress EDC right now is a Vagnino P-38 EDC with a Ti D25C (neutral XM-L) and a Stainless Jotter.


I have backed Jason's Ti Alpha pen on KS to replace the Jotter. As such, I really want a craftsman-quality, wonderful custom Ti light to complete the set.

I don't know anyone locally, that I'm aware of, that has any for me to compare.
To get an idea of what I'm looking for in a small pocket light:

The HDS is a wonderful device. Even though it's "just" a clicky, the UI is mindblowingly good. But, sometimes it's a little large and heavy. Tint is good, though slightly yellower than I prefer (I really like the 4500k 92CRI Nichia 219, but that's for another thread.) Beam is quite throwy for a little pocket light.

For a $60 production light, I cannot fault the D25C. Size is perfect, UI is great, tint is slightly green for "neutral" but overall very good, and the beam pattern is perfectly floody for EDC, though slightly ringy compared to the best out there.

I also have a PhotonFanatic Groovy. I love it, but don't carry it. Kinda big for what it is; single mode; burns through batteries. The tint is very nicely white, and the beam pattern is what I consider perfect for EDC. Smooth, wide, even with no tint shift or rings. Even though it's so very floody, up close the spot does have pretty high intensity. In use, it is not noticed.

So, what I'd like, is one of Don't lights that's as small as the D25C, with perfect tint and smooth beam pattern. I don't need as much throw as the HDS offers, so my impression is that the Haiku is going overboard for me. I'd love a moonlight mode, but 10 lumens or below "low" will do it for this light. I am aware of the limited total lumen output of Don't Hi CRI lights and it does not scare me. I usually use the HDS in "Low" and if I need more than the 120 lumens it puts out on Hi, I've always got a 2-battery P60 unit nearby.
Questions are: Does a Mule offer enough "throw" to walk the dog and see a bit ahead of me, even with ambient (full moon / street lights) light? Is the SunDrop available? How does it compare? What do you recommend?

Comparison shots, of the lights as well as the beams, of any/all of the 6 mentioned would be most helpful. And I value your opinions. You're welcome to tell me what to get, but I'd much rather hear why you like the one you do, how it compares to the other McGizmo lights as well as the ones I have, and what makes it best for my needs.

I will be running a single CR123 primary, and am set on the Nichia 119 Hi CRI.

As well as a learning experience, I hope this will be fun.

Thank you for the help!

I think your best bet would be a Sundrop XRU with a 119V emitter. It give a tad more lux.
The Mule is just too wide for anything more than a meter away. Haiku would have more throw than the Sundrop.

I don't want to talk you out of a McGizmo, they're my favourite lights and I own three (down from 4). However, apart from the Sapphire, Don's lights are all a bit big for a "dressy" EDC light, which I assume you'd want to be smaller and discreet. You could also look at the Muyshondt Aeon Ti (secondary market is the only possibility) or the upcoming Ti Nautilus MKII, both would be smaller than a McGizmo. The beam pattern on the Sundrop is quite square and the light is not really much smaller than the Haiku. The mule's beam profile is unbelievably wide (think wall of light) with no throw. Useful in many situations, but perhaps not a dog-walking light.

The Aeon runs on a CR2 (and the batt lives forever), the Nautilus takes a CR123. Both run a Nichia 219.

Thank you Benchiew. I had forgotten about the SunDrop for a while. Did some more searching - and it looks great.

Persco - thanks for the redirect. I followed the Aeon MkII with interest, but: I don't want to add another battery (CR2) to my arsenal; I have large, clumsy hands and don't like fumbling with lights that are too small (anything smaller than the D25C is a backup light, to me); I really, really prefer a clicky. I don't see where Enrique is doing 219 Nautilodes. Although, as I said, I prefer clicky, that would be a light to consider. But I would still lust after one of Don's!

tjswarbrick said:

....
Questions are: Does a Mule offer enough "throw" to walk the dog and see a bit ahead of me, even with ambient (full moon / street lights) light? Is the SunDrop available? How does it compare? What do you recommend?

Comparison shots, of the lights as well as the beams, of any/all of the 6 mentioned would be most helpful. And I value your opinions. You're welcome to tell me what to get, but I'd much rather hear why you like the one you do, how it compares to the other McGizmo lights as well as the ones I have, and what makes it best for my needs....
Thank you for the help!

Click to expand...

I think the Haiku is the specific McGizmo actually intended for your listed purposes. Of course, all of the models are fine torches, and can and will be used outside their "ideal" illumination range.

If I recall correctly, PSM coined the term "punchy flood" for the Haiku (XP-G) beam, and it is perfect at describing this ideal outdoors "dog-walking" torch

Although I don't have any beamshots to post (there must be some already up, somewhere around here), I think of their ranges in this way ...

Mule - indoors, near
SunDrop - indoors, medium to long
Haiku - outdoors, near to medium
Makai - outdoors, long

I have all of the above (AMC Mule EN, SD-XRU, Haiku warm XP-G), except the Makai, but I believe that my vintage Aleph3 is functionally similar to the Makai.

Of all of these, my personal favorite is the SunDrop, but I still think the Haiku would serve you better for what you describe. Congrats on whichever you do choose ! :thumbsup:

Hope that's useful info, and let me know if other details or comments would be helpful....

If you are able to accept cool XML, the Haiku in XML will be a good candidate. It has better range than the Sundrop and still very floody on high.
The medium and low is excellent for closer distance usage.

If you are down this route, do also consider the AA version LE. But the whole light will be a touch longer than the CR123 version.

Thanks. No cool for me. Haiku with AA would be over 4" long - not the way I want to go here.
Anyone have a link to hi-cri 119 Haiku vs hCRI XP-G HDS comparison? Or haiku/HDS vs sun drop?

Pjandyho has threads on Night Trekking with McG and HDS HI CRI lights I think...

nbp said:

Pjandyho has threads on Night Trekking with McG and HDS HI CRI lights I think...

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I know... His HDS thread with that owl is what convinced me to get that light. Which I love.
Also, his description of 15 yds throw and 160 deg beam is what got me to thinking that a Mule just might work. I don't see one on the SunDrop, or any comparisons.
I did see Don's beamshots (I think in the XR-U thread.) Makes the SunDrop look just perfect. So maybe I've already decided.
Still, I was hoping to see what you, pjandyho, fyrstormer, benchiew and a couple others had to say. I'm also looking for comparison photos of them, to see how they compare size-wise. I can find some here-and there, but no place where they're all compiled for easy reference. I do suppose all 3 of Don's lights share the same CR123 pak.
I also really like how the SunDrop machining matches the pak. The Haiku looks a little LightSaber-ish. The mule looks nice, but doesn't quite match.

tjswarbrick said:

I know... His HDS thread with that owl is what convinced me to get that light. Which I love.
Also, his description of 15 yds throw and 160 deg beam is what got me to thinking that a Mule just might work. I don't see one on the SunDrop, or any comparisons.
I did see Don's beamshots (I think in the XR-U thread.) Makes the SunDrop look just perfect. So maybe I've already decided.
Still, I was hoping to see what you, pjandyho, fyrstormer, benchiew and a couple others had to say. I'm also looking for comparison photos of them, to see how they compare size-wise. I can find some here-and there, but no place where they're all compiled for easy reference. I do suppose all 3 of Don's lights share the same CR123 pak.
I also really like how the SunDrop machining matches the pak. The Haiku looks a little LightSaber-ish. The mule looks nice, but doesn't quite match.

Click to expand...

If you can list the type of comparison photos that you want to see, I will help if I can.

Personally, I love the Nichia 119 Haiku for EDC and I think the beam is excellent all around in most situations. I love the Mule too, but really I restrict it to indoor use and close up task work - I don't feel it is a dog walking light at all for example. But to light a tent or work under a computer desk, perfect!!! The SunDrop, for me, was the odd duck of the family. In principle, it's great, but when I was loaned one, I couldn't fall in love with it. It didn't throw enough to really replace my Haiku, and the beam was not clean enough for me to prefer it over my Mule. I couldn't find a solid use for it and never bought one. I found a similar but preferable beam profile in the Tri EDC, which I love and use regularly along with my McGs. Hard to say what's right for you, everyone's needs and wants are different. Hope that helps.

Also, it's worth noting that with the AA/14500 Pak the diameter is reduced over the 123 Pak and I have carried it clipped in dress pants many times quite nicely. I LOVE the 14500 Pak on my Haiku.

tjswarbrick said:

I'm also looking for comparison photos of them, to see how they compare size-wise. I can find some here-and there, but no place where they're all compiled for easy reference. I do suppose all 3 of Don's lights share the same CR123 pak.....

Click to expand...

Here's a shot with Haiku, Sundrop and Mule side by side (and some other lights).

persco said:

Here's a shot with Haiku, Sundrop and Mule side by side (and some other lights).

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That's just what I needed. Is that the regular (non XR-U) SunDrop? Also, the Ti ET looks skinny - is that the D25A? And is it the clicky version?

tjswarbrick said:

That's just what I needed. Is that the regular (non XR-U) SunDrop? Also, the Ti ET looks skinny - is that the D25A? And is it the clicky version?

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That's the XRU Sundrop, and yes, it's the DC25A twisty.

The non XRU Sundrop will do well with an Osram Golden Dragon emitter.

tjswarbrick said:

That's just what I needed. Is that the regular (non XR-U) SunDrop? Also, the Ti ET looks skinny - is that the D25A? And is it the clicky version?

Click to expand...

I should also say that the Eagle Tac light feels like junk compared to the others. Like it's made of tin and the threads are very poorly machined and gritty. But it was a lot cheaper than the others, lol!

Agreed tjs, the Sundrop xru styling is "just right.". I own one and find the beam useful for many tasks, great for low to midrange stuff.

Haiku!

Benchiew said:

If you can list the type of comparison photos that you want to see, I will help if I can.

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You guys have ALL been awesome. Not sure if I'm really THAT much closer to deciding yet, but I'm taking it all in and mulling it over.

The only comparison photos I think would help more, at this point, are close (1-3 yards/meters) and medium (10-20 yard) range beamshots for the 119 Haiku, XR-U and/or basic SunDrop, and Hi-CRI XP-G HDS (which is My reference.) I'd like to get a better idea of the hotspot, spill, and transition for each of 'em. Take or post what's easiest for you, just provide info (which emitter, approcimate distance, etc) so I can make an intelligent analysis.
Thanks again for all the posts - this has been very informative and helpful.

- Tom

Hey Tom.
I am not too sure if I am equipped to take those distant beam shots. I am using a 3GS Iphone.
I am pretty sure I can do physical dimensions pix and some beam pattern on a wall type pictures.