Minimoog
Enlightened
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2005
- Messages
- 771
Hi,
Thanks for all the info on the KL1 and KL4 - sorry to be a while coming back to you - been laid up with a nasty stomach bug /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif.
I do think throw is very important when out walking along unlit lanes as it is good to be able to shine the beam of light well ahead to see whether or not the lane has any unwanted lurkers. In the UK, country lanes are often like a tunnel (steep banks either side with a hedgerow on top) and this can make them quite claustrophobic if you are not sure if the way is clear…
I think that an Aleph III sounds ideal - I will be chasing that one up for sure!
My A2 arrived on Saturday and I have written a short review of it (see below).
It arrived securely packed in the usual SureFire box, without damage. Upon opening I found the lanyard, instructions and torch itself. As it was already dark I took it out for a field test straight away. Over on the open ground opposite my house I screwed in the tail cap until the LED's lit. These gave a fairly good light that illuminated the immediate area in front of me but no further. The beam from the LED's had a blue coloured centre, but this was not unpleasant in any way. I then turned the tail cap further until the bulb fired up. The light was white and clear, with a good beam. I would say that it inspired confidence in me - an important thing on a dark evening. The beam was different to the E2e - more oval, but this is no problem in use. The beam is also narrower than that of my E2e but no less useful as the spill is good. Compared to the E2e the beam stayed bright during the test period which I found a real marvel. I would say that the A2 is the preferred choice over the E2e due to the non-yellowing light and low drain LED's. I would however say that the E2e's beam is slightly better overall - it is just about the most useful beam that I have seen from a hand torch. My verdict is 9 out of 10 - if the LED's could have been a little better it would have been a 10. It will become a valued part of my kit and should last a good time.
CONCLUSION
LED's still have a little way to come before they can beat the incans. A good bulb and reflector assembly gives a light that is not only useful, but is easy on the eye and can be used for delicate tasks where shadows are kept to a minimum and the 3D aspect is not lost. LED's, as noted elsewhere have a great output and runtime but the light quality can be lacking in certain circumstances. The A2 has both bulb and LED's - a real win-win situation.
Ian, UK
Thanks for all the info on the KL1 and KL4 - sorry to be a while coming back to you - been laid up with a nasty stomach bug /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif.
I do think throw is very important when out walking along unlit lanes as it is good to be able to shine the beam of light well ahead to see whether or not the lane has any unwanted lurkers. In the UK, country lanes are often like a tunnel (steep banks either side with a hedgerow on top) and this can make them quite claustrophobic if you are not sure if the way is clear…
I think that an Aleph III sounds ideal - I will be chasing that one up for sure!
My A2 arrived on Saturday and I have written a short review of it (see below).
It arrived securely packed in the usual SureFire box, without damage. Upon opening I found the lanyard, instructions and torch itself. As it was already dark I took it out for a field test straight away. Over on the open ground opposite my house I screwed in the tail cap until the LED's lit. These gave a fairly good light that illuminated the immediate area in front of me but no further. The beam from the LED's had a blue coloured centre, but this was not unpleasant in any way. I then turned the tail cap further until the bulb fired up. The light was white and clear, with a good beam. I would say that it inspired confidence in me - an important thing on a dark evening. The beam was different to the E2e - more oval, but this is no problem in use. The beam is also narrower than that of my E2e but no less useful as the spill is good. Compared to the E2e the beam stayed bright during the test period which I found a real marvel. I would say that the A2 is the preferred choice over the E2e due to the non-yellowing light and low drain LED's. I would however say that the E2e's beam is slightly better overall - it is just about the most useful beam that I have seen from a hand torch. My verdict is 9 out of 10 - if the LED's could have been a little better it would have been a 10. It will become a valued part of my kit and should last a good time.
CONCLUSION
LED's still have a little way to come before they can beat the incans. A good bulb and reflector assembly gives a light that is not only useful, but is easy on the eye and can be used for delicate tasks where shadows are kept to a minimum and the 3D aspect is not lost. LED's, as noted elsewhere have a great output and runtime but the light quality can be lacking in certain circumstances. The A2 has both bulb and LED's - a real win-win situation.
Ian, UK
