A McGizmo Haiku XP-G review...is this the new standard for EDC Lights? You decide!
- Thread starter run4jc
- Start date
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
run4jc
Flashlight Enthusiast
YOU are in LUCK! This is a current McGizmo offering - just visit this link.
You will occasionally find these in the Buy Sell Trade section of the forum for sale "pre-owned", but there's nothing like the feeling of receiving a package from McGizmo!!
Welcome!:welcome:
run4jc
Flashlight Enthusiast
I think it's time to bump this thread up. I've had my Haiku XPG for almost 2 years now. In that time many AWESOME custom lights have passed through my hands. I've raved over them and reviewed 'em. Loved them all. Nothing bad to say about any of them. Yet somehow, I always seem to drift back to the Haiku. Most recently, I've upped the Haiku collection to include the original XPG, an extra XPG engine, an XPG with gorgeous 2xAA McClicky Pak, high CRI Haiku, and warm Haiku. While I use most of them, when it's time to walk my pups in the dark, the Haiku XPG ends up in my pocket (often with a 6v Makai XML for 'backup':thumbsup🙂.
nbp did a great review of the Haiku over here not long ago - he very eloquently shared his appreciation of this fine tool.
So here I am - after 2 years - and the now venerable Haiku XPG remains my favorite, and IMHO, still the standard for an EDC. Doesn't do everything perfectly, but meets my needs for more various tasks than any other light I own - or have owned.
nbp did a great review of the Haiku over here not long ago - he very eloquently shared his appreciation of this fine tool.
So here I am - after 2 years - and the now venerable Haiku XPG remains my favorite, and IMHO, still the standard for an EDC. Doesn't do everything perfectly, but meets my needs for more various tasks than any other light I own - or have owned.
Thanks for the shout-out Dan. 😉 I have to re-read your review here myself, as it is probably one that helped push me over the edge those months ago when I was longing for a Haiku.
I am also doing a bit of a shoot-out between the Haiku and a new HDS Clicky 200 in the Ra Clicky vs. Haiku thread in the LED Lights forum. Plenty more Haiku love over there. :kiss:
I am also doing a bit of a shoot-out between the Haiku and a new HDS Clicky 200 in the Ra Clicky vs. Haiku thread in the LED Lights forum. Plenty more Haiku love over there. :kiss:
kreisler
Banned
so whats the exact weight (xxx.x grams. please no ounces. they are incorrect.) on this?
Quark AA is ~50grams
my iTP Titanium is 14grams
Quark AA is ~50grams
my iTP Titanium is 14grams
run4jc
Flashlight Enthusiast
No battery - 80 grams
With battery - 98 grams
With battery - 98 grams
Read this all again. Good stuff man. 🙂 It's interesting reading this and seeing how many similarities there were between your thoughts and mine. And even the things posted in other threads about this light. I'd be interested to do a personality test on Haiku fans. I bet we all share some common personality traits that that are sort of 'personified' in the Haiku. It'd be nerdy, but interesting. z😉
kaichu dento
Flashaholic
That would be a great thread and if we could start to understand what kind of group we fit into it's helps in deciding how to choose lights and whose posts to follow the closest.
I've wondered about the whole personality thing for a long time, but another extremely complicating factor is what one does for work and where one lives. While I'm in Japan I find the Haiku to be very nice for almost all outside usage, but when I get back to Alaska it'll see a lot less use unfortunately, although I am looking forward to seeing a Mule in the corral!
After a friend who's opinion on such things pointed me in the direction of McGizmo, I reached out to Don about his lights. He suggested the Haiku as a good place to start for someone new to his craftsmanship as a general purpose ddc, and I of course immediately searched for comprehensive opinions and info. I appreciate a maker's attention to the details of creating a "better/best" version of whatever he builds, and try to understand as much about what makes it special as possible. This post does a marvelous job of providing those missiing pieces. Thanks.
I never thought the Haiku would be my favorite light, but it is. My XM-L Haiku has been with me for almost coming to two years and it gets carried everyday. Even today I still pull it out once in a while to admire the beauty of the design. It gets used everyday and I always aim to find a reason to use it. I just love how floody the beam is with the XM-L emitter. I have never owned the XP-G version and I am sure it would throw better than the XM-L Haiku. And for general day to day use I am really happy with the XM-L Haiku. As what was said by run4jc in this review and by some others, that although there are brighter and much more powerful lights out there (my Mac Tri-EDC being one), the Haiku gives a very practical balance of output and runtime. I have many other nice and wonderful lights including the very much loved HDS Rotary in both high CRI and cool white, some Surefire, and Malkoff, but the Haiku remains the undefeated champion. If my life depended on it, the Haiku would be it. If there is only one light I could bring, the Haiku would be it.
I do also have a high CRI Haiku and Mule with Nichia 119 and although I love them very much for the tint and color rendition, they get used only when I am in the outdoors. For day to day carry, the XM-L emitter with the almost hotspot free beam is my favorite.
I do also have a high CRI Haiku and Mule with Nichia 119 and although I love them very much for the tint and color rendition, they get used only when I am in the outdoors. For day to day carry, the XM-L emitter with the almost hotspot free beam is my favorite.
BenChiew
Flashlight Enthusiast
I just finished charging all my batteries and arranged all the lights for my ATV camping trip into the tropical jungle this weekend.
My BB Haiku XRE is going with me as my personal edc. It will be clipped to my pants at all times.
If I get thrown off the quad and into a ravine, at least my trusty
Haiku XRE is coming along for the slide down there.
If I get swept away by the raging river, it will go for a swim with me.
If i need to take a leak in the night, the Haiku will show me the way.
And finally, if I am awaken by a tiger, the Haiku will put 180 lumens straight into the eyes of the tiger.
LOL
plaguem
Enlightened
now THAT"S a weekend! 🙂 sounds like it's gonna be a lot of fun. bring your camera and post some pictures! would love to see them.
fyrstormer
Banned
Just so you know, animals with slit-pupils are very difficult to blind, because their pupils can completely close to protect their retinas. The tiger would only be blind as long as the light stays on; as soon as you shut the light off, the tiger's pupils would open again and it would still have night vision.
fyrstormer
Banned
My favorite EDC for the past two and a half years has been the Jetbeam TC-R2. It has a similar beam profile to the Haiku, it's brighter, and it's infinitely adjustable. However, they are very rare nowadays, whereas the Haiku can be purchased at any time. If I didn't have a TC-R2, I would probably still use my Haiku as my EDC. It's definitely in the top 3, right behind the TC-R2 and the Lunasol 27.
I do EDC a McGizmo Sapphire 25, though. I fully expect there will never be a better-made "Arc AAA"-style light than the Sapphire 25. It's perfect for walking around my girlfriend's house at night. Since I swapped in a warm Nichia DS emitter, I can even use it to change clothes before going to bed, when my girlfriend has already been asleep for a couple hours.
BenChiew
Flashlight Enthusiast
A McGizmo Haiku XP-G review...is this the new standard for EDC Lights? You dec
Plaguem and Andy, you should make a trip out and you will have lots of chance to blast the lights away. 🙂
Just last year, we had elephants trampled our fuel cans that we placed under the banana trees.
Plaguem and Andy, you should make a trip out and you will have lots of chance to blast the lights away. 🙂
Just last year, we had elephants trampled our fuel cans that we placed under the banana trees.
BenChiew
Flashlight Enthusiast
A McGizmo Haiku XP-G review...is this the new standard for EDC Lights? You dec
Thank you for this invaluable information. May end up saving my life one day. I better make sure I don't take the beam of their eyes.
It is common believe that tigers will only attack a silhouette smaller than them.
So if you are on a bike or Atv, don't get off them as they can't differentiate that you are on a vehicle of sorts. You want to discourage them by making a bigger silhouette of yourselves.
Thank you for this invaluable information. May end up saving my life one day. I better make sure I don't take the beam of their eyes.
It is common believe that tigers will only attack a silhouette smaller than them.
So if you are on a bike or Atv, don't get off them as they can't differentiate that you are on a vehicle of sorts. You want to discourage them by making a bigger silhouette of yourselves.
run4jc
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: A McGizmo Haiku XP-G review...is this the new standard for EDC Lights? You dec
It's been almost 4 years since I wrote this review. In a bit of déjà vu, I was reading through my OP and many of the follow up posts as well as the original inspiration, JS' review of the LS20 (still a gold standard for reviews, IMHO - JS' review is still worth reading HERE). NBP wrote his essay over HERE). There have been many others…they all deserve mention so please forgive me for not mentioning yours!
I wish that I still owned the light that I used for this review - a beautiful XPG variant and still one of my all-time favorite lights. But don't misunderstand – I still own two Haikus, one of which is in my pocket most of the time, the other that serves as an 'around the house' light.
Ah, the Haiku. Written about as much as, or perhaps more, than any other custom flashlight – or ANY flashlight – available today. We've seen: XRE, XRE Bead Blast, XPG, XPG bead blast, High CRI with Nichia 119, XML, Nichia 119V. You can also purchase UV engines. There have been (and still are) single 123 cell, double 123 cell, double AA and single AA, with beautiful McClicky paks for all of the above. And I probably left something out!
At one time or another I have owned at least one of every version, and my very first custom light was an XRE Haiku purchased, as most of my McGizmos have been, directly from Don.
Custom lights have come and gone from my collection. Although a lightweight compared to many of you on this forum, I have enjoyed buying, owning, then selling tens of thousands of $$ worth of custom lights. Yet today, all that remains from all of those lights are an Oveready custom C2, a Cool Fall Spy 007 XPG2 – and 3 McGizmos.
(Oh, I have an AquaRam on order from Don. 😱)
What's left?
-High CRI Haiku (119V emitter)
-Single AA High CRI Haiku (119V emitter)
-High CRI Mule (119V emitter)
Notice a trend?
IMHO, in Don's skilled hands, the "119V" emitter produces the absolute best and most useable flashlight beam I've ever seen. These are not shelf queens – they are all used regularly. The Haiku is in my pocket almost all the time – even when in dress clothes. The AA Haiku is at the bedside and provides my nighttime light for moving around the house. And the high CRI mule is a dedicated reading light.
At a young 55 years of age, my eyes aren't what they used to be. After wearing progressive lenses for years, earlier this year I switched to multi-focal contact lenses. My dominant eye is set up for distance – the other eye is for "up close." Remarkably, the brain compensates by favoring the appropriate eye and after I adjusted for a couple of weeks, I rarely ever even notice.
BUT – for reading small text adequate lighting is a must! Typically I'll use my Haiku, but if I'm going to be reading for a while I'll use the high CRI mule. It has helped me read for hours with little or no fatigue. And good light is required for clear vision on ANYTHING close.
But the venerable Haiku – that's the light that is used most of the time. Nighttime dog walks. Searching for something in a dark closet. As mentioned, lighting text so I can read it. The list goes on and on.
And that's the ultimate point. After 5 years, I am still using some form of the Haiku – it is a timeless tool that Don ingeniously designed to evolve as technology evolved. Aesthetically pleasing, technically functional, absolutely bomb proof (remember this light that suffered through a house fire?)
So in my humble opinion, it is no longer the "new standard" in EDCs – no, it is simply THE standard for EDCs.
And worth noting, Don's business model is also the standard. He builds it and makes it available (key word – "available".) You order. He ships, THEN he bills you. And if you are in the US, you probably receive your light within 2 or 3 days. No games – no long waits. Oh, sure, like any item things sometimes go out of stock, but I can't recall one instance of Don teasing us with vapor or anyone ever having issues communicating or doing business with Don. He is the gold standard.
So, after 4+ years I've answered my own question. Yes, the Haiku is the standard for EDCs.
It's been almost 4 years since I wrote this review. In a bit of déjà vu, I was reading through my OP and many of the follow up posts as well as the original inspiration, JS' review of the LS20 (still a gold standard for reviews, IMHO - JS' review is still worth reading HERE). NBP wrote his essay over HERE). There have been many others…they all deserve mention so please forgive me for not mentioning yours!
I wish that I still owned the light that I used for this review - a beautiful XPG variant and still one of my all-time favorite lights. But don't misunderstand – I still own two Haikus, one of which is in my pocket most of the time, the other that serves as an 'around the house' light.
Ah, the Haiku. Written about as much as, or perhaps more, than any other custom flashlight – or ANY flashlight – available today. We've seen: XRE, XRE Bead Blast, XPG, XPG bead blast, High CRI with Nichia 119, XML, Nichia 119V. You can also purchase UV engines. There have been (and still are) single 123 cell, double 123 cell, double AA and single AA, with beautiful McClicky paks for all of the above. And I probably left something out!
At one time or another I have owned at least one of every version, and my very first custom light was an XRE Haiku purchased, as most of my McGizmos have been, directly from Don.
Custom lights have come and gone from my collection. Although a lightweight compared to many of you on this forum, I have enjoyed buying, owning, then selling tens of thousands of $$ worth of custom lights. Yet today, all that remains from all of those lights are an Oveready custom C2, a Cool Fall Spy 007 XPG2 – and 3 McGizmos.
(Oh, I have an AquaRam on order from Don. 😱)
What's left?
-High CRI Haiku (119V emitter)
-Single AA High CRI Haiku (119V emitter)
-High CRI Mule (119V emitter)
Notice a trend?
IMHO, in Don's skilled hands, the "119V" emitter produces the absolute best and most useable flashlight beam I've ever seen. These are not shelf queens – they are all used regularly. The Haiku is in my pocket almost all the time – even when in dress clothes. The AA Haiku is at the bedside and provides my nighttime light for moving around the house. And the high CRI mule is a dedicated reading light.
At a young 55 years of age, my eyes aren't what they used to be. After wearing progressive lenses for years, earlier this year I switched to multi-focal contact lenses. My dominant eye is set up for distance – the other eye is for "up close." Remarkably, the brain compensates by favoring the appropriate eye and after I adjusted for a couple of weeks, I rarely ever even notice.
BUT – for reading small text adequate lighting is a must! Typically I'll use my Haiku, but if I'm going to be reading for a while I'll use the high CRI mule. It has helped me read for hours with little or no fatigue. And good light is required for clear vision on ANYTHING close.
But the venerable Haiku – that's the light that is used most of the time. Nighttime dog walks. Searching for something in a dark closet. As mentioned, lighting text so I can read it. The list goes on and on.
And that's the ultimate point. After 5 years, I am still using some form of the Haiku – it is a timeless tool that Don ingeniously designed to evolve as technology evolved. Aesthetically pleasing, technically functional, absolutely bomb proof (remember this light that suffered through a house fire?)
So in my humble opinion, it is no longer the "new standard" in EDCs – no, it is simply THE standard for EDCs.
And worth noting, Don's business model is also the standard. He builds it and makes it available (key word – "available".) You order. He ships, THEN he bills you. And if you are in the US, you probably receive your light within 2 or 3 days. No games – no long waits. Oh, sure, like any item things sometimes go out of stock, but I can't recall one instance of Don teasing us with vapor or anyone ever having issues communicating or doing business with Don. He is the gold standard.
So, after 4+ years I've answered my own question. Yes, the Haiku is the standard for EDCs.
