Peak Caribbean or Glacier Bay

[sbebenelli]

I've got the itch to buy another light. I'm looking at the Peak Caribbean or Glacier Bay. I know they are the same other than one has more output than the other. I can't decide if more output or better runtime is what I want. I prob won't be using it for EDC because I have the McLuxIII PD for that. I have no idea what I'd use it for. I really don't need another light. Was hoping to hear from someone that has either light or both on what you thought.

[joema]

I have the Caribbean (pocket body) and it's very impressive. The combination of output, runtime, and tiny size is amazing.

Beam is a nice combination of flood/spot; a little more narrow than my HDS U60, but wide enough for closer work. Mine has a few minor beam artifacts, doesn't hurt utility, just an aesthetic thing. Don't know how typical that is.

Light output appears about equal to my U60 between level 2 (42 lumens) and level 3 (30 lumens), so I'd estimate about 35 lumens.

Re not needing it, I went through the same reasoning process: already had the HDS so why another small light, esp without variable output.

Well it's so small I now pocket carry it rather than the HDS. No fooling around with clips, holsters, etc -- just drop it in my pocket -- it's about the size of a Chapstick.

You could argue pocket carry is what an Arc III or Matterhorn is for. However the Caribbean is nearly as small and puts out vastly more light.

I like the pocket body over the keychain body -- it's smaller and I don't like lots of stuff on my keychain.

Unlike the fancy McLux or HDS, when you receive the Caribbean/Glacier Bay, it looks small and plain. You think "It just turns on/off? I paid $100 for THIS?". Then after using it you appreciate the engineering under the plain surface: excellent regulation, type III anodized, good runtime & output packed into the tiniest package.

Re Glacier Bay vs Caribbean, I figured nearly 2 hr runtime on the Caribbean was enough so decided higher output over longer runtime.

SL PP Lux 4AA, Peak Caribbean, Chapstick

[buba]

I am looking at these lights also. When I look at the charts I see Caribbean hits 600CP at ~1:45 and the Glacier Bay output is level around 600CP for ~2:15. The 30 min time delta remains during the rest of the burn time. So do I spend $10 extra to get more light output for the 1st 1hour and 45minutes or save $10 and get an extra 30 minutes of total runtime?

[Solstice]

I don't know if this matters to you, but in another thread someone mentioned that the Carribean tends to get really warm after being on for only a short while. Even though this is an indication of good heat sinking, I would probably find it a bit disconcerning.

[sbebenelli]

joema, does your Caribbean get warm after a short while?

[Mike Painter]

I've got the itch to buy another light. I'm looking at the Peak Caribbean or Glacier Bay. I know they are the same other than one has more output than the other. I can't decide if more output or better runtime is what I want. I prob won't be using it for EDC because I have the McLuxIII PD for that. I have no idea what I'd use it for. I really don't need another light. Was hoping to hear from someone that has either light or both on what you thought.

If you were a *real* flashaholic you would not be asking this question.

You'd buy both.

[sbebenelli]

I knew someone would say that.

[joema]

joema, does your Caribbean get warm after a short while?

I just did a side-by-side test with the Caribbean and my HDS U60 (set at max output). Both lights had a brand new Battery Station 123A. Room temperature 72F, relative humidity 59%.

With both sitting on a table and firing upward (candle mode), at 2 min neither was warm. At 5 min the Caribbean was faintly warm, the HDS was noticeably warm. At 10 min the Caribbean was noticeably warm, the HDS was very warm. Same at 15 min (I guess they'd reached equilibrium).

Neither light was uncomfortable to hold or hot, even after 15 min. The Caribbean was never warmer than the HDS. You could grab either one and squeeze it tight in a closed fist, without discomfort. In general the HDS was warmer.

I don't think the Caribbean gets any warmer any quicker than other compact Luxeon lights.

[onthebeam]

I would describe my Caribbean as very warm--not comfortable to hold after a few minutes. MJ at Peak has asked me to send it in so they can have a look at it. She's been very good to deal with. I don't have any experience with other super small lights such as HDS but my Nuwai Q III is always cool.

[RA40]

Geeze...this is very tempting.


Wrong light...
I was thinking the old style Caribbean on the RMSK site...

[Xeper]

I would describe my Caribbean as very warm--not comfortable to hold after a few minutes.

I would describe my Mediterranean also as very warm! After 15 Minutes it´s no more comfortable.

[Gliderguy]

After running my Caribbean for an extended time (15 minutes or more) it is warm, but never so warm that you couldn't touch the bezel to your lips or any other temperature sensitive part of your body for an indefinite time period. I guess it might get 15 - 20 F warmer than ambient outside temperature before it reaches thermal equilibrium. I use mine daily and have already gone through half a dozen batteries in just a few month's time. I have yet to do that with any other light in my posession. Until a more efficient bin becomes available, I think the Caribbean is the ultimate EDC in it's price range. I only wish it had a UCL lens with a LOP reflector to give it beam characteristics a bit more like a Q III.

Chris

[perfectname]

I've also been looking at these lights. A couple questions for those who have one already: is it possible to take the light apart and get to the LED and electronics? Also, does anyone know it they can handle the higher voltage of a rechargeable 123?

[Gliderguy]

The electronics appear to be potted into the head. I do not know if you could remove anything other than the lens (which is retained by a threaded lockring). The reflector did not seem to want to come out and I didn't want to actually leave a big smudge fingerprint on it to see if it would work loose.
The JIL UCL *ALMOST* fits, it is a bit too small and is so much thicker than the original polycarbonate lens such that the lockring will not thread on flush with the bezel.

I contacted FLASHLIGHTLENS.COM and he is doing a bit of research on having a thinner UCL possibly sourced.

[Gliderguy]

I am reluctant to expose the light to 4.2 volts, I really expect the electronics are boost only and if the bin is J or lower it may really overdrive the LED. I won't be trying a RCR123 in my light until I hear different from Dallas or Robyn.

[357]

I prefer the Clarier Bay

[dtsoll]

Gliderguy, have you heard anything from flashlightlens about the UCL's for the caribbean yet?? I just may have to get one. Anyone know if there is a mineral glass that would work?? Doug

[GarageBoy]

How does the Meditteranian and Atlantic fall in?

[sbebenelli]

They have a bigger head thus have a bigger reflector.

[Haz]

I would be interested to know if the lens can be changed easily, since the original lens is polycarbonate. Does it scratch easily?.

[Gliderguy]

dtsoll: Haven't heard anything, He was hunting down a new supplier for thin UCL lenses and that may be a time consuming process.

Haz: There is a simple threaded ring with 2 dimples that screws into the bezel that you unscrew to replace the lens. A pair of lockring pliers works really good for unscrewing the ring. This lockring is a few millimeters thick plus it screws down just a little deeper than flush with the bezel, so the lens is recessed a moderate amount. I carry the light in a pocket by itself and have had no problems, but if you carried it in the same pocket with your keys I am sure it eventually would get scratched.

UPDATE on RCR123

In another thread I heard that RCR123's are O.K. for the McKinley. I tried one through a meter to drive my Caribbean head. I got about .65A while driving the head, and voltage under load was around 3.8. That is right at 2.5 watts so the LED isn't likely being overdriven even if the converter is bucking the voltage down. I don't have a meter but to my eye, the Caribbean on a regular 123 is about as bright as the Q-111 on a rechargable. When I put the rechargable in the Caribbean, the brightness increase seemed proportional, i.e. with both the Q-III and Caribbean on rechargables, the Caribbean was the same amount relatively brighter as compared to when both lights were on primary cells.
One negative, the rechargable cell I have is a tiny bit longer than a standard CR123 (mainly because the negative terminal is pretty much flush with the bottom of the battery instead of recessed a millimeter or so). The head just gets seated past the O-ring before the light comes on. I suppose I could order a non-pocket body to get around this since it has a screw in the base that can somewhat adjust for battery length.

[perfectname]

Gliderguy, thats some realy usefull info, thanks. Which rechargeable cell are you using by the way?

[GarageBoy]

Are they all Lux Is? And I'm guessing the Medit is the brighter version or the Atlantic?