If you only had one light?

[dc38]

My go to would be my GL ring. Lux as far as the mind can imagine, lumens as vast as as I can imagine, edc able, dive able, deep space able. Forensics capable, can detect vapor trails of many kinds... Rechargeable, long run times, fashionable. The only real problem I've got is with the nasty green tint...I would use my WL ring, but there's the caveat of being controlled by a desire that is not your own, which happens to many of us here. I'd go with my klarus st20.

 

[jimboutilier]

Interesting choices everyone. I realize a question like this can bother some, but this is fun. I was just as curious as to the why as to the what. Maybe another way to pose the question is, if you picked up your ONE go to light...what is your favorite feature of that torch and why. Is that as clear as mud? I think this can help a lot of new people like me to see what the pros value and perhaps limit the amount of lights a new flashaholic would purchase. Yeehaw! That's Texas talk y'all.

I have a lot of lights I could have chosen as my only light. A lot of them are in my current EDC rotation because they combine a lot of the great features I mentioned in my RRT-01 pick. And while it's often the combination of things a light gets right that makes it a great light the one feature that made me pick the RRT-01 over the others was it's infinitely variable output.

Being able to choose the exact amount of light you need for a particular task is invaluable - particularly if your safety may depend on getting that task right. The brightness range of the RRT-01 is phenomenal. From so low you can barely sense it being on when staring directly at the LED with fully dark adapted eyes, to bright enough to light up a good section of an airplane hanger in great detail.

Think about a simple task like looking for a small item you've dropped. Maybe it's a pill or a cotter pin or an o-ring or who knows. It's small and you've dropped it. It's size and thinness and coloring all conspire to hide it in plain sight. Too little light won't let you pick it out and too much will wash it out and hide it. So you put your trusty variable output light low to the ground to flood across and area and adjust the brightness higher and lower. That adjustment almost works like a focus knob on a microscope and at a particular level the object catches your eye. Once you see it it's hard to miss but most of the time you can turn down the beam til it disappears and turn the beam up till it disappears illustrating the importance of the right amount of light to see critical detail. This scales to a variety of more coursely detailed tasks where exactness isn't as important but a specific range is still better than outside that range for a given task and user.

I'm sure you get a lot of different features that made folks pick a particular light. And a lot of different reasons why a feature is important to someone. That should give you a great list of features and reasoning to aid you in picking the smallest set of lights that meet all your needs. Welcome!

 

[reppans]

Picking a single light is easy for me, as my collection is heavily biased in a narrow niche anyways - 1xAA/14500/ efficient low-/sub- lumen EDC lights. I use my lights for long periods in dark conditions and mostly for close task work (eg, camping) and like using my night vision with low-/sub- lumens. The 1xAA format is by far the most versatile for me since: it's small enough for 24/7 carry, has all the performance of CR123/16340 (with CRAAs/14500s), is compatible with all my other camping/travel/emergency gadgets (AA Eneloops), can be found anywhere (AA alkalines), and in a pinch can scavenge common household cell (AA/AAA/9V).

I think I own, or have tried, just about everything in the niche and the versatility of my NW Quark Pro AA XML (QPA-X) is the one that cannot be beat for my purposes.

- 350 lumen max, 200 hr moonlight (yet bright enough to suffice as my only mode)
- floody for close task work, yet out throws most AA/XML lights, ie good balance
- tough (for an Asian light) with US-style warranty, HQ and CS location
- most field/user serviceable/repairable, and of course tons of Lego options.
- fully supports CRAA/14500s and in a pinch, can easily use anything from a CR123 to 18650 with just the head and a piece of MacGyver tinfoil.
- my favorite peudo-feature, however, is its momentary max function from any preset lower mode that works just like car high beam flashers - no need to long click/short click/wait/hurry/stand on one foot and hop/etc.

 

[AVService]

Picking a single light is easy for me, as my collection is heavily biased in a narrow niche anyways - 1xAA/14500/ efficient low-/sub- lumen EDC lights. I use my lights for long periods in dark conditions and mostly for close task work (eg, camping) and like using my night vision with low-/sub- lumens. The 1xAA format is by far the most versatile for me since: it's small enough for 24/7 carry, has all the performance of CR123/16340 (with CRAAs/14500s), is compatible with all my other camping/travel/emergency gadgets (AA Eneloops), can be found anywhere (AA alkalines), and in a pinch can scavenge common household cell (AA/AAA/9V).


I think I own, or have tried, just about everything in the niche and the versatility of my NW Quark Pro AA XML (QPA-X) is the one that cannot be beat for my purposes.

- 350 lumen max, 200 hr moonlight (yet bright enough to suffice as my only mode)
- floody for close task work, yet out throws most AA/XML lights, ie good balance
- tough (for an Asian light) with US-style warranty, HQ and CS location
- most field/user serviceable/repairable, and of course tons of Lego options.
- fully supports CRAA/14500s and in a pinch, can easily use anything from a CR123 to 18650 with just the head and a piece of MacGyver tinfoil.
- my favorite peudo-feature, however, is its momentary max function from any preset lower mode that works just like car high beam flashers - no need to long click/short click/wait/hurry/stand on one foot and hop/etc.

I am eager and willing to try one of your beloved Quark? But for the life of me I can not understand the various lettering options offered?
I have asked you repeatedly and read over and over which are your suggestions but I can NEVER find the exact description that you offer?

Am I missing something or do they constantly change and modify the model designations?
How can it be this tough to figure out?

 

[Grizzman]

I'll go ahead and participate in this. The light I would choose would be a Malkoff MD2 with high/low ring runnning an M361N-LMH drop-in.

It's small enough for me to always have it with me. It tail stands well, which I consider rather important for an EDC. It has a great balance between flood and throw. The high/low ring in conjunction with the three level drop-in offers varied output levels, at 375 lumens for high, 75 for general purpose use (also conserves juice), 15 for a very useful low. Moonlight and firefly modes are available as well. It'll run on primary CR123s in addition to an 18650. It is also supremely durable and waterproof.

As an accessory, I'd also have a Malkoff Neutral Hound Dog head, running from dual 18350s, when more output or throw is needed. It's not a light, so in this hypothetical situation, it's legit.

Grizz

 

[jimboutilier]

I am eager and willing to try one of your beloved Quark? But for the life of me I can not understand the various lettering options offered?
I have asked you repeatedly and read over and over which are your suggestions but I can NEVER find the exact description that you offer?

Am I missing something or do they constantly change and modify the model designations?
How can it be this tough to figure out?

Often he legos his lights. Start with a Quark Pro QP2A-X. Add a single AA body to get a QPA-X (a product that not in the product line). It will have full brightness and functionality with a 14500 or everything but max output on a single AA. Of course with reduced runtime compared to two cells. You can also run the head on a single Cr123 body or a 2xCr123 body with a single 17500. Foursevens sells additional bodies for about $20 and they come with caps that allow you to use them as spare battery carriers when not on a light.

 

[neutralwhite]

HDS is all I have, want, and EDC.

 

[AVService]

Often he legos his lights. Start with a Quark Pro QP2A-X. Add a single AA body to get a QPA-X (a product that not in the product line). It will have full brightness and functionality with a 14500 or everything but max output on a single AA. Of course with reduced runtime compared to two cells. You can also run the head on a single Cr123 body or a 2xCr123 body with a single 17500. Foursevens sells additional bodies for about $20 and they come with caps that allow you to use them as spare battery carriers when not on a light.

Of course I get that he Legos them but the designations are confusing especially the one you just mentioned that they don't sell!

I also see no options for a NW head? Do they offer certain emitter options for limited times?

The website helps little too as the accessories are listed inconsistently across the various product pages.

Thanks for taking the time though to help.

 

[jimboutilier]

Of course I get that he Legos them but the designations are confusing especially the one you just mentioned that they don't sell!

I also see no options for a NW head? Do they offer certain emitter options for limited times?

The website helps little too as the accessories are listed inconsistently across the various product pages.

Thanks for taking the time though to help.

I hear ya. Between changing model number schemes over time, upgrades over time to a given model, options within many models, and holes in their model line people fill with leggoing it is confusing.

In the past they have offered NW versions of many of their lights. I imagine they will again but haven't seen any NW since they recently converted all their lines to XPG2 / XML2 LEDs. Hopefully later this year they will start offering NW options through their product line.

If you get their high power head (QPL2-X) and low powered head (QPA2-X) and a variety of 1 and 2 cell AA and 123 bodies you can have an incredibly versatile collection for pretty cheap.

 

[Lampbeam]

Twelve years ago I would have said my one light would be the Surefire E2e. It was small enough to carry at all times. It was also bright for its size. I remember one time helping my dad move we needed a light for the back of the moving truck. My sister was skeptical at first, but when we hung that E2e from the cord on the moving truck's door she said, "That will do." She said something like that anyway.

Today my one light is the SC52w. Again, it is small but bright. I wear it on a cord around my neck at all times except for when I go into the water or get involved in amorous activities. Although, it could set a romantic ambiance tail standing on low power. I wouldn't mind being buried with it though. The E2e is not forgotten. I want to put a 17500 or 16650 battery in it with a neutral LED drop-in. I wouldn't mind being buried with that one either.

 

[pebbles]

pred pro with extra batts fully programmable

 

[treehugger]

Hands down, rayovac 1AA sports xtreme hdlt. I own about 10 of these. I have yet to see one of these fail i buy new ones because the bands wear out or output reduces due to scratches and lumen maintenance after many hours. I hav used these 2 or more hours each day for 5 years. Why? Small form factor, great output excellent throw and flood with stowed diffuser. light enuf and small enuf to wear around neck all the time. Battery cover has string so u dont drop when changing bat in dark. Pad can b held in teeth allowing precise position of hotspot when using in daylight. The battery cap is tethered so you dont loose. The strap holder is slotted for safety should a rotating shaft grab it can break away. This light is nearly a perfect design although i am always looking for a better one. Nowdays more efficient lights exist so i ordered a fenix hl21 and an energizer micro. The micro is just built cheap and has no throw and comparatively is awkward, i do like the adjustable output. The fenix has great features like memory and a blazing high output 90 lm but is just too bulky for EDC not to mention detached diffuser and a battery cap with no tether. ROV is still winner for me!

 

[Superdave]

Easy... my trusty old U2a. Not the brightest by a long shot, but out of all my lights it can cover the most situations in the best sized pakage. Currently is my nightstand light, i get a year+ out of a set of primaries.

 

[spydiesteve]

For me it would have to be my McGizmo Haiku XM-L. Ti body, sapphire lens, and 3 modes with memory. Also has one of the best pocket clips of any flashlight I've owned. Carry it with me everyday.

 

[kj75]

If I had only one:mecry:
That would be my Fenix TK35.
For me a perfect allrounder with enough lumen and throw and fits in your pocket.

 

[Fast LT1]

Mine would have to be a p60 host, most likely it would be my 6p with tube extension and multiple p60 drop ins, a few back up bezels and a few back up tail caps.

 

[markr6]

The necessity of a good headlamp, or at the very least a torch that fits a headband nicely, seems to be the lowest common denominator. There are situations where you simply need both hands and a good light source.

So, while I don't like using 90° lights for most applications, I will have to say the Zebralight H600w. It simply does everything well if you could only choose one.

+ Nice tint
+ Easy access to all modes and able to start in moonlight mode is a BIG plus
+ Widest range of output
+ Crazy long runtimes
+ Good compromise of throw and flood

 

[yoyoman]

I'm going to pick a light that isn't in my pocket right now. If I only had one light, it had better be tough and reliable. And it must have multiple modes. Low for close up tasks and long runtime. High for some punch. In between modes for just enough light to get the job done. A clean beam is more important than a beautiful tint. An 18650 for energy capacity - I don't want to run out of juice in the middle of the night. I'm talking about a solid hunk of titanium, 4 well spaced modes (with additional programming available), and a very nice beam. It is the McGizmo AquaRam.

 

[cland72]

I sometimes think about a hypothetical scenario where my wife tells me I have to sell all my lights, and I can only keep two of them.

If I could only have two, it would be my EDC (FourSevens Mini123HCRI) and my 6P with Z59 clicky and EDC+ XPG2 3 mode Triple.

If I could only have one, it would probably just be the 6P/EDC+ combo. Not nearly as EDC friendly, but it has extreme brightness (720 lumen high) and long runtime (30 hours on low) in one package. Not to mention, I can run it on either two primaries or one lithium ion.

 

[Etsu]

Quark QP2A-X. My favorite light, yet oddly, one of my least used. It's a very all-purpose light, which makes me use it very little because I have many other purpose-specific lights. But without them, the QP2A-X would be very handy.

My most used light is probably my Zebra SC52, but I wouldn't want to have it as my only light.