A Tiablo A9 to bet my life on?

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bikenjam

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 5, 2005
Messages
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I've gotten into the DX craze like many other here have, but i do find that some feel cheap and can be unreliable. I just was offered a A9 for $72 shipped and it has me thinking. I have plenty of cheap flashlights, other than the recently purchased L2D Q5 which has great runtimes put not the output i was hoping. For a Defense light, or just a light that you would expect to work 15 or 20 years down the road when you grab it out of the glove box, do think this would be a worth while investment?

thanks for any thoughts on the subject considering this would be my first big splurge on a light
 
Whenever I hear goto light in glovebox I always think of a yellow SureFire G2 :crackup:.

But yea, almost all decent-quality LED's will work when you ask them to. I wouldn't have any trouble trusting that light... but a few ppl are going to argue you NEED a SF or some other brand...
 
Betting ones own life:eek:... Pretty high stakes. The only light I would bet my life on would be a Surefire 6P or G2, Malkoff drop in and USA made primaries.
 
when i said 15-20years i meant while using it so i will be changing batteries.
 
EDIT: Oh, didn't know I couldn't do that.

Here it is : [advertising link removed - DM51]
 
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All these replies and noone has stated the obvious yet?!?! NEVER bet your life on one light. I've heard good things about tiablo lights, but ANY light can fail, go ahead, make a splurge on a nice light, but if you're gonna be in a bad situation "one is none and two is one" have a backup, at least one.
 
I bought an A9 when they came out (from Lighthound). It's a great light and a real thrower in a compact package. However, even the genuine ones have had, I think it's fair to say, some QC issues. I'd agree with some of the posts above that for a single light that's going to be as nearly bulletproof as possible, I'd go with a 6PL or G2L or (probably better) the equivalent incan upgraded with a top quality drop-in like one of the Malkoff units. Incan bulbs are subject to failure if they get dropped, which is why for this purpose I'd put some kind of LED up front.
 
As said, never trust just one light. Have several that take the same battery.

I had an A9 that quit working after a drop. Driver had a glass jaw evidently. It is now a DD light with a P7 in it. It always works now.
 
Based on your thread title -- Surefire of your choice, along side another SF -- the E1B.

Always have at least 2.
 
Hello,

I have a Tiablo A9 as well. Quality seems quite good. Always remember it once sold for well over 100 USD, so they should, in a way, be compared to lights in a higher price range.
It seems a very good idea to have a thrower in your car as throw is what you will need for reading distant traffic signs, reading house numbers,...

Keep well,
Joris
 
scottaw said:
All these replies and noone has stated the obvious yet?!?! NEVER bet your life on one light. I've heard good things about tiablo lights, but ANY light can fail, go ahead, make a splurge on a nice light, but if you're gonna be in a bad situation "one is none and two is one" have a backup, at least one.
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+1. Well said scottaw.

While I wouldn't trust an UF with my life, I also wouldn't put my trust in just one light or one brand of light if my life depended on it. There was a previous thread from an LEO who said he dropped a 6P on the ground (I think from hip-height) and it stopped working - it may be that something was loose and the reflector inside struck the LED or perhaps it was just the shock of the fall. I have a Huntlight 2x123 light that I dropped onto a wood floor from the second floor of my home, left a 1-inch scratch on the side but it works fine to this day... Murphy's Law applies here. If your life really depends on a light, then have AT LEAST ONE back-up (if not TWO)... along with spare batteries and even spare LED drop-ins.

That said, the A9 has received good reviews and appears to be a great light. Have you checked the Reviews Section and selfbuilt's Thrower Reviews? Check out this thread... According to review, it's one of the lightest throwers, has almost 2hrs regulated output on 2xCR123's and compares favourably to the DBS when running 1x18650.
 
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I certainly agree about having a backup light. We all do. But really, let's face it, we're all flashaholics and will probably be looking at a new light in a couple months. Don't worry about 10 or 15 years and buy it if you like it now. It will last until the next itch.

Geoff
 
It's not advised to bet ones life on single mechanical objects. I've had everything from meticulously serviced Mauser rifle bolts to my own bomb proof modded lights fail on me from time to time. Keep a backup at all times.
 
Flying Turtle said:
I certainly agree about having a backup light. We all do. But really, let's face it, we're all flashaholics and will probably be looking at a new light in a couple months. Don't worry about 10 or 15 years and buy it if you like it now. It will last until the next itch.

Geoff
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Yeah, well, quick inventory here, I have 2x Photons on a split ring on a SAK on one pocket, a 6Z in another, and there is an A2, a C2 and an E2L in my bag. Oh, and a couple of flashers for the walk home at night this time of year. So, in terms of trusting just one light, no worries here... :D
 
Thanks for all the input

I do have spare flashlights, in fact i have a half dozen just in the car( no thanks you to folks:), but none are what i would deem extremely dependable. Not to say they haven't so far, but ones i wouldn't bet one to work after a good drop or such.

Also, part of me is just looking for some justification on buying yet another light

again, thanks for all the advise
 
by the way, this Tiablo A9 i am looking at is from ebay member kit-tronics, anybody have dealings with him? Are these real or more fakes like from DX?
 
bikenjam said:
by the way, this Tiablo A9 i am looking at is from ebay member kit-tronics, anybody have dealings with him? Are these real or more fakes like from DX?
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Kit-Tronics is an authorized Tiablo dealer, should be fine.

The A9 was my first "serious" light purchase, no regrets.

And yes, always have a backup light. :D

Cheers,
Luau
p.s. DX did have genuine ones to start with, I scored 3 off them, but the ones after came from unreliable sources.
 
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