7 day rotation - updated - how many days in a row can you carry a different light?

[PoliceScannerMan]

Day 6

HDS Rotary 250lm xpg

At work so no picture today. To be honest I prefer the clicky for edc. I really like being able to replace the rubber boot easily.

Agreed, my SST 18650 Clicky comes on at about 80 lumens, perfect for real life EDC.

 

[run4jc]

Re: 7 day rotation

Well, it's day 6. Not a lot of participation in this activity, but that's okay. It has been good for me because it has caused me to carry some real jewels that haven't been used enough lately. Today's carry is just such a light - the gorgeous titanium Okluma DC0. I was fortunate to be allowed to participate in the initial drop of these lights back in May of last year. Jeff took to heart customer feedback and there were few things that I wanted to change. I did send it back to him in November for an upgrade to guppydrv and a softer tail switch. It made the light darn near perfect. I had carried the light for 30 days solid - nothing else - and rarely did it leave me wanting. Guppydrv answered my desire for different levels and even boosted the top output. Scout24 carried it for a while, too, and he loved it. With all the carry - in my pocket with keys and change - there's nary a mark on the beautiful matte titanium finish.


The optic/lens turns the gorgeous Nichia 4000k beam into an almost floody beam, but still has enough throw. I am hopeful of picking up the new aluminum version with a reflector.


If you get a chance to pick one up new or used, go for it. Awesome light with the best customer service in the business.

Time to jump into the thread again. Since the OP, I have strayed from the 'old days' when 2 of these lights were, just about, my exclusive EDCs. And I've carried a different light every day - again. Today it's this little guy. So much goodness. Can't wait for the aluminum version with reflector!

 

[325addict]

Re: 7 day rotation

That depends on what you would still carry around in size! I have more than 7 pieces 1X AAA lights already, but that goes up all the way to a 6D Maglite and a FM Megalennium, which I would not carry every day, although most of my jackets (especially the Fjallraven "Yupik parka") have BIG pockets

 

[wayben]

Re: 7 day rotation

About the only pluses to winter: Longer periods of darkness and wearing a jacket with bigger pockets so can carry bigger flashlights. Gotta look at the silver lining!!

 

[run4jc]

Re: 7 day rotation

Day 7. This little exercise has been fun. Someone mentioned doing a "what I don't carry" post, and I may do just that. Problem is, they are scattered all over the house and the pickup, 2 cars, and 1 motorcycle that my wife and I have. I digress.

For the last day, a TRUE classic - the McGizmo PD. This one is aluminum with a ti bezel ring. The trit in the tail is completely 'dead.' I would LOVE to know how many owners this light has had in its 14 (?) year existence.

For all the years, owners, hands and pockets, this old light looks pretty darn good. It came to me with a Seoul emitter. I loved the tint - that creamy white - but my good friend Scout24 suggested it might benefit from the expert hands of datiLED for some upgrades.

So off it went. I asked for a Nichia 219B SW40, but Derek suggested the Samsung LH351D in 4000k. His exact words, "I would like to point you to the 4000K Samsung LH351D. It has a CRI of 92+, and no odd tints. It is my favorite LED for mods at this time."

Having worked with him more times than I can remember, I trust Derek completely and agreed. And he bumped the current up to 750mA.

The result? A beautiful tint and beam/shape, with no tint shifting. I still think I prefer the Nichia SW40, but I have several of those and this Samsung is darn close and perhaps a bit more efficient. And the light functions perfectly - whether using the tail button or twisting. It sips batteries. It almost disappears in the pocket - so light weight. I measure just under 200 lumen on high in my home made sphere. By today's standards, that's not much. But for everyday use, it's PLENTY. Frankly, the low gives all I need for most things.

It's been through many owners, but it's going to stay with me for quite a while.

Dropping by again. Today seemed like a good day to carry this "old guy." Love this light. What, 15 years old? With an updated emitter and slight current bump, it's a wonderful EDC. Always love carrying this piece of McGizmo history.

 

[run4jc]

Re: 7 day rotation

Time to drop in again. My friend Andy Zhu dropped a Nichia 219B, SW35, R9080 in this little AA Tool. Man, did it turn this into an amazing little light. It's so light weight that it disappears in the pocket.

This photo doesn't accurately reflect the gorgeous, incandescent-like tint. Love it. Thanks, Andy.

 

[jon_slider]

Re: 7 day rotation

thats my favorite LED! congrats :thumbsup:

there is also a copper AA Tool, and a Ti AA Tool

once the LED is swapped, the next weak link is the clip
here is one man's solution

 

[325addict]

Re: 7 day rotation

Want to share what jacket with silver lining you mean? The only ones I know of that kind are the ones from The North Face, with that "radiant" liner, and some jackets from Gaastra. Somehow, these jackets belong to my favorites...

About the only pluses to winter: Longer periods of darkness and wearing a jacket with bigger pockets so can carry bigger flashlights. Gotta look at the silver lining!!

 

[hsa]

Re: 7 day rotation

Columbia started that with the shiny dots called "omni heat".

 

[wayben]

Re: 7 day rotation

Probably didn't translate well, lol. Pluses to winter = every cloud has a silver lining.

 

[run4jc]

Re: 7 day rotation



SCORE! I've carried this PD several times since starting this thread. The trit in it was dead when I got it months ago, but I was too lazy to order any new vials. Well, I was digging around in my collection of flashlight 'stuff' looking for something else and stumbled across 6 vials and one of my containers of Norland. Also shown (blurry) is a little Olight I3UV light.

So I brought it all to work this morning. Removed the old dead trit, cleaned out the cavity, then installed an ice blue trit. I don't like mine to be too bright, but this one is just bright enough to see with dark adjusted eyes. Perfect.

Surprising how well the 395 nm UV worked. The Norland cured, nice and hard, in under 2 minutes. I have an old 365 nm penlight at home, but the alka-leaks must have leaked inside because it is dead and I can't get the head off. Good to know that this little Olight will do the job.

So now my 'old' PD is 'new' even more than before, with its updated emitter, bumped up output, and fresh trit!

Happy place...

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Re: 7 day rotation

Nothing like a new trit in the ole PD!

 

[jon_slider]

Re: 7 day rotation

So now my 'old' PD is 'new' even more than before, with its updated emitter, bumped up output, and fresh trit!

Happy place...

sweet

the ice blue is my favorite option

I recently was lucky to receive a Piston Drive with trit tail

photo tip
the trit is illuminated by a 365nm UV

 

[Rossymeister]

Re: 7 day rotation

I really regret selling my lunasol 20!!

Seeing those mcgizmo pictures makes me want to purchase another one.

 

[jon_slider]

Re: 7 day rotation

lunasol 20!!
...

I googled that, and really enjoyed learning some of the history

there are some nice pics in this writeup:

McGizmo LS20 DaFABRICATA/FYRSTORMER MOD

 

[daffy]

Re: 7 day rotation

Time to jump into the thread again. Since the OP, I have strayed from the 'old days' when 2 of these lights were, just about, my exclusive EDCs. And I've carried a different light every day - again. Today it's this little guy. So much goodness. Can't wait for the aluminum version with reflector!

Okluma DC0 Ti ismy main EDC my others are swapped as dog walk lights

 

[lion504]

Re: 7 day rotation

Carried my Alpha today. Haven't had this light very long, so I can't wax poetic (yet). But really enjoying the electroless nickel finish and the MC-E emitter. 4500k is my sweet spot.

 

[run4jc]

Re: 7 day rotation

I googled that, and really enjoyed learning some of the history

there are some nice pics in this writeup:

McGizmo LS20 DaFABRICATA/FYRSTORMER MOD

Oh, how I wish I had that light. I sold it ages ago to a CPF member in Texas. Insured it for $700. USPS lost it. We managed to get payment for the $700 but a treasure of a light was gone forever. I hope the sleaze bag that stole that light had a battery "poof" in his or her face.

That said, thanks for digging up that memory, jon_slider. That was a special light. And, oh, after the warm Nichias went in it was better still...

 

[jon_slider]

Re: 7 day rotation

That was a special light. And, oh, after the warm Nichias went in it was better still...

your Gizmo ode led me to my put a Sundrop on my wishlist

One of the lights Ive been using a lot lately is this 660nm Red in a Copper Maratac.
it helped eliminate a migraine for my daughter couple days ago, and helps me with arthritis pain

This week I have also been enjoying a 219b 4000k 9080 in a Maratac: