Gatlight V3 beam characteristics and other user comments?

F

Flea Bag

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 7, 2005
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796
Hi Guys,

I'm very interested in the Gatlight V3. I've heard that the brightness adjustment knob is now functioning without flicker and I'm interested in its prison-cage design because of how it dissipates heat. Heat has always been a big problem with my lights and they can get very uncomfortable to hold.

I've been researching as much as I can, but can't find the answers to the following questions:

1. How would one describe the beam of the Gatlight V3 compared to something common like the Malkoff M60 or a SureFire L5 Lux V? I've seen one beamshot but still don't have a good idea of how useful the beam actually is.

2. Is the light leaking out from the side distracting, especially on maximum brightness? Very much so? Is there a mod to eliminate it? I guess taping a wide rubber band or something around the head would be a quick but inelegant fix.

3. Does the light actually run noticably cooler than another light running a Cree at similar brightness levels?

4. Any other issues with the light that are not obvious to non-users/observers?

They're not easy questions to answer but if you know just something that might help, I would really appreciate it if you could put in a few words to give me some idea. Thank you!
 
I bought a used one about a year ago just to try it as the price was right. I hated it. I ended up selling it about a month later.

The infinitely adjustable brightness was fine and I don't remember having a problem with the beam, though I don't remember well enough to compare it to anything else.

The light that leaks out the sides is extremely distracting. Trying to actually use it to light your way was a joke.

I don't remember it getting very hot, so it probably does a decent job of dissipating heat, but I don't think it's all that much better than your average aluminum tube.

As I understand it, the way the light is designed, it makes emitter swaps impossible, or at least very difficult. I could be wrong on this though, I've never taken one apart.

I think there are a lot of much better ways to spend your flashlight dollar. If that is, you actually use your lights. If you want something to look pretty on a shelf and boost your ego, maybe it's the light for you.

For the price of the Gatlight, you could buy a McGismo which I think most people would be happier with.
 
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Gatlight vs McGizmo PD - S
Gat-vs-PD-S.gif





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I got my Gatlight Titanium just two weeks ago. I didn't buy it for its beam or other performances, but because I had a little sum to spend on something which shall remind me of where that money came from.

I like the superb design of the Gatlight. I only wish it was a little bit thinner. The craft is awesome, the threads of the knob are the most perfect ones I ever screwed together, the knob turns like if there were no threads. On the Titanium, the brightness actually changes without any flickering. The low is very low.

What I don't like though, is that silly feature to dim the output by pressing on the knob. That thing is quite sensibel and if you turn the knob to regulate output, it changes brightness also by pressing down or lifting the knob. So, you reach the brightness you need, you release the knob and it goes up or down more or less. That's quite annoying. What's more, if you really want full brightness, you turn the knob more than necessary to be sure it stays on maximum and the dimming won't work anymore.

The beam isn't comparable. Because of the optics, it is quite floody, no real hotspot and spill and it isn't round as well. I compared it to the Liteflux LF3XT, which has the smoothest Q5 beam. The LF3XT was a bit brighter and its beam is nicer. The Gatlight has a real white though.

I don't know of the heat, I only used it for a few minutes and my feeling was similar to other lights. According to the "manual", the LED is overdriven on a CR123A as well, so that you should avoid using full brightness for more than three minutes. Stepping down a tiny little bit is more complicated than expected, due to what I described earlier. The threads maybe the smoothest around, but the o-ring holds the knob back (and it must do that to avoid that the knob turns by itself) and that makes it even more difficult to adjust brightness.

As I didn't use the Gatlight in complete darkness, I can't tell how distracting the side-light is, but it surely is! To me, it's a nice and unique feature, I really like the look of the light switched on! 🙂

To cut it short : Don't buy the Gatlight as a light you really want to use. It is a masterpiece of handcraft, a piece of art which can also be used to light up your way. I also wonder how tough the optic is, I fear it could scratch rather soon. The Gatlight is the real opposite of my Ra Clicky in other words.

I also signed up at luxuryflashlights, but for the moment it is quite empty there. The opposite of CPF... :ohgeez:

Greets,

Henk
 
Wow! Thank you guys for reviving this thead! Posted it in the LED forum instead or the Lumencraft one because I was hoping to get comments and/or comparisons with other lights, especially beamshots. (Thanks Lips!)

Unfortunately, I've already finished my research on the Gatlight V3, the HDS EDC U60 and the SPY007. This week, I bought a Gatlight V3 from England! It should arrive within the next week or so. The HDS is already in my hands and the Spy should be shipping out tomorrow.

Gave a lot of thought about the Gatlight side-spill. I'm looking for a solution (perhaps some kind of PVC ring) to fit around the light-spilling portion of the head. I have a Tekna Splash-Lite and it too leaks light back into the user's face not as severely as the Gatlight I suspect.

I actually don't care much for the looks of the Gatlight. It's the UI that I always wanted. I do intend to use and abuse it, provided it turns out to my liking from a practical point-of-view. I favour lanyards and not pocket clips. The ideal would have been the Polaris if it ever comes out.

I'm really just after a useful spill beam with okay throw and the volume-adjust-like interface. The existing Titan runs on CR2s which I don't use and doesn't look to have a high enough maximum. Will see how the Aluminium CR123 one works out. Have well over 50 CR123s new and unused just sitting around.

BIG TROUBLE THOUGH! :sick2: I know of the press-on-knob dimming feature but I did not know it was so sensitive as to easily affect brightness selection. I'm guessing this is the case with one-handed operation with the thumb but I'm hoping it's not so bad with two hands or it will defeat the purpose of me buying this light for it's intuitive UI!

I'll post some quick impressions when all my compact CR123 lights are gathered together! It'll be indoors and in the field! It'll be HDS EDC U60XRGT versus Gatlight V3 versus SPY007! :thumbsup:
 
On a note, I was looking at trying out the McGizmo PD-S and Lunasol 27 or 20. The simple twist/press 2-stage operation is very tempting to me. I have an A2 so I know how simple and useful that kind of UI is, plus it can be adjusted from the head too for overhand grips.

However, I wanted a good battery drainer that will run off quite 'dead' CR123 and from what I've researched, the McGizmo driver board requries higher start-up voltage than the HDS and Gatlight and doesn't have user-customisable brightness levels. To be fair though, the HDS is probably one of the kings of running off nearly-dead batts so I shouldn't compare them. I will see how the Gatlight does in comparison.

I've been in the hobby long enough to know that I require at least 4-levels of brightness:

1. Super low for dark-adapted eyes/night-reading of a white paged book and dead battery drain.
2. Low for general navigation/utility.
3. A higher level that is the maximum brightness without getting too hot in the hand (for forest walking) and
4. Max for throw or for fun.

The HDS fulfils all my needs once it is modded with a new emitter. It's it's clicking interface which I sometimes make mistakes with. The Gatlight I hope will do alright and the SPY I'm sure will be superb. I've learnt that if required, the Spy can run off 1xCR123 and a dummy though it won't reach the higher levels of light.

Hoping to get the following brightness levels from the SPY:

1. Ultra low tritium-like glow for fun/locating.
2. Super low for dark-adapted eyes/night-reading of a white paged book and dead battery drain.
3. Low for general navigation/utility.
4. A higher level that is the maximum brightness without getting too hot in the hand (for forest walking)
5. Max for throw or for fun.
6. Strobe
 
Flea Bag said:
BIG TROUBLE THOUGH! :sick2: I know of the press-on-knob dimming feature but I did not know it was so sensitive as to easily affect brightness selection. I'm guessing this is the case with one-handed operation with the thumb but I'm hoping it's not so bad with two hands or it will defeat the purpose of me buying this light for it's intuitive UI!
Click to expand...

I was actually speaking of two hand operation at home just to try to adjust that brightness while thinking of nothing else...

Maybe that is isn't even the pushing/lifting of the knob, but the o-ring which makes the knob swing back a bit when you release it? I didn't analyse it, I only know that it would suck in outdoor operation. A one-hand operation with the thumb would be complicated, I can't imagine how you could really turn the knob without help from another finger.

The light is on low when the know is screwed in completely, it takes more than 180 degrees to high, could even be close to 360. I wanted to analyze that, but didn't succeed in the first two trials, so I gave up. I see it, when I reach full brightness! :candle:

The best UI I saw until now in that way is the one of the U2. If that one was stepless, it would be perfect if integrated in a smaller light! :crazy:
 
Henk_Lu said:
I was actually speaking of two hand operation at home just to try to adjust that brightness while thinking of nothing else...

Maybe that is isn't even the pushing/lifting of the knob, but the o-ring which makes the knob swing back a bit when you release it? I didn't analyse it, I only know that it would suck in outdoor operation. A one-hand operation with the thumb would be complicated, I can't imagine how you could really turn the knob without help from another finger.

The light is on low when the know is screwed in completely, it takes more than 180 degrees to high, could even be close to 360. I wanted to analyze that, but didn't succeed in the first two trials, so I gave up. I see it, when I reach full brightness! :candle:

The best UI I saw until now in that way is the one of the U2. If that one was stepless, it would be perfect if integrated in a smaller light! :crazy:
Click to expand...

I'm with you on the U2. It's a great light. Doesn't have a low enough low though and it's a bit big.

From what I understand about the Gatlight, I think I'm bummed. My research indicates that from low to high takes around 270 degrees though it varies slightly from light to light. I forgot to specify that my version of one-handed operation of the Gatlight will be using the thumb and forefinger but it doesn't sound that easy I guess. It'll probably be two hand operation for me.
 
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Ok let me answer a few questions.
1-270 degree from min to max is about right.

Regarding running down batteries.. you'll probably find that the GatLights do pretty well there too. If I remember correctly batteries get drained to 1.5V, don't think many lights do that.

A hint regarding making the knob turn easier. If you remove the Oring of the knob, then clean all the threads of all lubricants, then add a drop of oil underneath, then put the Oring back, lubricate the oring with a tiny bit of oil, that does 2 things. Conductivity is perfect and knob rotates easily.

Regarding side spill of the light. I personally just hold it so that there is non or very little. For most cases I like seeing the workings of the TIR.. however I can see that some might not like that. We might consider a little ring you can get (preferably in CF) to add around the top, wouldnt be hard to do... we'll see.
 
Thanks for the response mobile! Glad to see you back!

I really want to like the Gatlight because of its UI! As for the side-spill, I've already started looking around for suitably sized PVC pipes that won't make the light too bad looking! Hope there'll be a fix to reduce the sensitivity of the dimming feature too...
 
my Gatlight V3 Sn 047 have been my EDC for several weeks and it have been a very nice ligfht for me.
 
I think the ideal would be CF tubing the same as in the back I think that would look pretty hot. I'll have to check and see if we have some of that material left. But there might be other creative solutions out there.

Reducing the sensitivity of the dimming - do you mean that more rotation is required then 270 degrees? The dimming works with a pressure sensor, the only way to increase the dimming (for an existing light/driver) would probably be to add more cushioning/a spring in the knob or front.

However seems pretty tricky to probably get the spring-force just right and also to make it work...

What would u consider ideal?
 
ZeissOEM2 said:
my Gatlight V3 Sn 047 have been my EDC for several weeks and it have been a very nice ligfht for me.
Click to expand...

Zeiss, I'm hoping to share the same view of the Gatlight! I currently EDC a larger light than the Gat so its diameter won't bother me! The only two potential issues I am anticipating are the glaring side-spill (easily fixed by adding a covering of some sort) and the over-sensitivity of brightness adjustment knob when depressed. That one isn't going to be easy to fix though.
 
mobile1 said:
I think the ideal would be CF tubing the same as in the back I think that would look pretty hot. I'll have to check and see if we have some of that material left. But there might be other creative solutions out there.

Reducing the sensitivity of the dimming - do you mean that more rotation is required then 270 degrees? The dimming works with a pressure sensor, the only way to increase the dimming (for an existing light/driver) would probably be to add more cushioning/a spring in the knob or front.

However seems pretty tricky to probably get the spring-force just right and also to make it work...

What would u consider ideal?
Click to expand...

The 270 degree rotation sounds fine to me! The SF U2 is around 2/3 of a full rotation and I had no trouble with that range of motion too. Will have to wait for my Gatlight to be in my hand to have a stronger opinion on it.

I'm sure the CF glare shield will look sharp and match the Gatlight's battery tube! At least a more eye-pleasing option than a dull PVC pipe cutting that I've been looking at but for both options, I will have to find a neat way to keep the shield from rotating in its place during handling of the Gat or it might be slippery and awkward.

The over-sensitive dimming I'm referring to is the temporary dimming feature when downward pressure is placed on the rim of the brightness adjustment knob. Henk_Lu said it was so sensitive that it affected his ability to easily set an ideal brightness setting. Again, I'll have to wait till my example of the Gat arrives to see how sensitive it really is!
 
Walter, so glad to see you back! When is the next version of the Gatlight to be coming out? How about the Polaris???

Karl
 
karlthev said:
Walter, so glad to see you back! When is the next version of the Gatlight to be coming out? How about the Polaris???

Karl
Click to expand...

I'm really really really really really really waiting for that one too! It'll be a real head-to-head with the Titan coming out in a CR123 version, made of aluminium too for perhaps more competitive pricing compared to the old Ti version!
 
The Gatlight V3 arrived and can give a few initial impressions:

1. The brightness adjustment knob seems quite nice in terms of smoothness and motion.

2. The light can be operated one-handed using the underhand grip and using the thumb and forefinger to turn the brightness knob. It takes me about three turns of the thumb/forefinger to go from minimum brightness to full brightness.

3. The glare from the light spilling out the sides of the optic was not as bad as I feared. However, it can still be distracting, especially if the Gatlight is used at lower brightness levels. It all depends on how one holds the light -overhand or underhand? I prefer to use overhand grip most of the time. This makes me prone to the Gatlight's stray light. It can be solved by putting your thumb over the head to block the glare. As a slightly more lasting alternative, I've tied a single layer of closely-packed thin white string around the head of the Gatlight. It allows some 'glow' to get through for side-illumination of close objects, while almost completely eliminating the glare issue.

4. The Gatlight doesn't seem to get too hot in my hand. It's surprising given the small size of this light. However, I'll need to experiment with this more as I've yet to run it at close to higher levels of brightness for extended periods of time.

5. The sensitivity of the adjustment knob to downward pressure (resulting in 'momentary' dimming) is not an issue to me. It's not sensitive enough to affect output during tailstanding for example and it alone is not affecting my ability to find the ideal brightness level.

6. However, the largest and most difficult-to-understand issue of the Gatlight is the operation of its driver circuitry. From what I understand, it's driver will dim output to match the ability of the battery to supply power. This results in a 'lag' where the user selects the brightness level quickly and then almost immediately after the knob is left alone, the Gatlight will start dimming as the battery voltage or its ability to supply current starts to sag. The Gatlight's driver will then respond to this sag by dimming its output.

I have not timed the dimming and I do not have a light-meter but it seems that this dimming takes anywhere from a half-minute to one or two minutes to 'stabilise'. It depends on how the light was adjusted.

For example: Supposed the Gatlight is operating at a lower brightness level and I want a higher level of brightness to use out in the garden. Let's just say that this level I want is about 80 lumens. I quickly turn the Gatlight's adjustment knob until I get the desired output of around 80 lumens then let go of the knob.

The Gatlight seems to sustain this 80 lumens for around 1 second then almost immediately but gently, the Gatlight slowly starts to dim down as the driver 'stabilises' to the battery's strain. After 30 seconds or a minute, it may be as dim as 20 to 30 lumens depending on how fast I turned the knob initially. Keep in mind that the perceived-brightness-to-lumens relationship is not linear so dropping from 80 lumens to 15 or 30 is not as extreme a change in brightness as the numbers may sound.

So I quickly turn the Gatlight back to what I think is 80 lumens. Again, I let go of the knob and slowly, the Gatlight starts to dim again and after around 30 seconds, it has stabilised to about say 40 or so lumens.

Again, I quickly adjust the Gatlight to what I think is 80 lumens. Again, I let go of the knob and slowly, the Gatlight starts to dim until it stabilises at around 60 or so lumens 30 seconds or a minute later. At this point in practical use, the difference between 60 and 80 lumens is so slight that I probably don't notice it and I continue my task using 60 lumens. No further adjustment necessary. My eyes may also have dark-adapted a very very slight bit.

It seems that the faster one turns the brightness adjustment knob and the bigger the difference in brightness between the lower initial brightness and the new brightness level, the more follow-up adjustments will be required. In an extreme example, up to 4 follow-up adjustments may be needed before stabilisation.

On the other hand, if the adjustment knob is not turned that quickly and if the user is simply going from one low level to another, say from 10 lumens to 20 or 30 lumens, no follow-up adjustments may be needed. The Gatlight may still dim down a little but not enough to notice it unless one is really paying attention.

Again, keep in mind that I don't have a light meter and these impressions are just after about an hour of usage. Despite all the above, I still quite like the Gatlight V3. It is at least more useful to me than just a two-stage switch. Usefulness of this kind of light comes down to philosophy or state-of-mind.

If you're a person who likes more precise control of the brightness of a light, then the Gatlight is not for you. In fact, one might find it very irritating as I did at first! If you want to know whether what you're using is high, low or medium (to judge remaining battery life or simply to 'know'), then the Gatlight is not for you. Then who is the Gatlight good for? Well I'm not 100% sure yet but I have some idea.

It may be for people who just use their light and don't bother how much more runtime they have at the brightness level they're at. They'll simply replace the battery when required. It may be for people who don't mind adjusting the brightness level a bit every now and then to suit the changing light situation (dimming of the circuit, slightly offset with increasingly dark-adapted eyes). The Gatlight can be quite 'natural' to use because one does not have to consciously think about what brightness level it is at. Instead, one may just make adjustments every now and then (perhaps even do this subconsciously) without using any conscious thought or brain-space from the task at hand. Perhaps.

I'll try using the Gatlight in more 'everynight' situations to see how I like it and if it's suitable for me. Will follow-up again when I can. Sorry for the long read if you're not already asleep or have left the thread altogether. 😱
 
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