Hi guys,
I received a pre production Gladius that was floating in a sea of popcorn and sans any instructions or notes today. I have not read up on the functions or UI of the switch other than to know the basics that the light is capable of from reading some posts. I wanted to see if I could fathom the light without instructions. I am pleased to report that I was able to figure it out on my own with the exception of the Lock-Out feature. I found out about the Lock-Out feature by referring to the specifications PDF which are well written and easy to follow with the light in your hand. I don't think anyone will have any problem mastering the functions of this light and once mastered, I believe they are easy to return to. I won't get into typing the various modes and means as they are clearly laid out in the spec sheet. I would state after using this light that if any tactical user was not able to master this light with some hands on time and refreshing if needed, I would be very concerned if said person had a leathal weapon at their disposal! This is not a complicated light! Now, in terms of when to use the strobe and how to use this light in a tactical arena, I am clueless and leave it to those who aren't! As a not tactical user, I learned real quick that the "middle" position of the selector was one to avoid! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif Even at the sending end, this is not an illumination mode that one would choose to use for sight enhancement!
For starters a picture for scale:
I didn't include any of the SF 5W lights in the picture because I think it is a mistake or at least misleading comparing Lux5 lights with LuxIII lights. Since I took the picture, I got to pick the players! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
The Gladius uses an IMS so27xa reflector so I think it is fair to compare its beam with both the LH (same reflector) as well as the Aleph 1 and or any of the PR lights using LuxIII's and of course the Pelican M6 LED. Any of these lights are a very close representation of beam angle and spill geometry. There are some differences but I think the Luxeon Lottery can skew your results more than these reflectors do. Anyone familiar with a 27 mm reflector and a well driven LuxIII will have a good idea of what you get from the Gladius. Without knowing the actual drive current on high of the Gladius, I can say no more here.
First Impressions:
The light is well made and fits nicely in the hand. I had some concerns about the flare in the tail but the hand accepts it easily and comfortably. It is refreshing in a sense to grab a light with no knurled surface. The switch is easy to activate in terms of both turning the selector and pushing in the button. The button has a fair amount of stroke to it and a very light spring. It's kind of noisy though if you advance it rappidly. Since the button is easy to push, the Lock-Out feature is likely need for some metnods of carry. The Lock Out feature specifically locks out the button from completing a stroke and it can also be used for locking in the current active light output. It is cool how the selector is independent of what ever mode has been initiated and it can be advanced to a different selection from that which has been accessed and is currently in play. For those too lazy (like me) there are three positions for the selector and the push button activates your selection. In the first postion... nah..... read the PDF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Now to personal prefferences. I accept that this light, as programed, is a tactical light and the merits of the strobe are for others to determine. The far closkwise selection allows for momentary high output and this is great and useful to me and likely most others. The far counter clockwise position is for constant on light as well as varible levels. Now this selection is essentially what all of the other UI based lights have had to deal with in terms of one button and many modes desired. Since the light is tactical, the first result from a momentary push of the button is constant on high. Likely a good call for its intended use. If you hold the button in the light will start to go down in intensity until it reaches low and it will stay in low if the button is held on or released. This might be an "Oops" for the tactical user who falsely assumed they were in the momentary high mode. This UI is not friendly to those wanting to start with minimal and ramp up to a sufficient level. If you grab this light and want to break the darkness with low light, you will take the light and place the head against your body or point it up and or away and push the button in and holding the button in, count to three and then release the button. You now have constant on low and can bring the light into the field of view without blinding yourself. This is a viable work around for anyone who wants the default to be full brightness. For me, I would prefer the light to start in low. I should add that when the light is in the very low mode, constant on, you can push the button in and allow it to ramp up to a higher level and then release to remain in constant on of that higher level.
The one thing this light does not allow is unfortunately the most prevalent use I find in a flashlight and that is momentary and immediate low. It would be great for a less tactical model to have the middle selection based on a momentary activation of what ever level had last been chosen in the variable level, constant on mode. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
Regarding low and high, on the unit I have to test, at one meter, I read 19 lux on low and around 2900 lux on high. This is an impressive spread.
Ingress and Egress is through the removed tail cap:
There is a plastic inner battery sleeve with what appears to be some flex circuitry laid in a milled or broached channel of the Al tube. There is also a small key on the switch module that must locate in this slot for the tail cap to be re installed. It took me a minute to realize this. (tool familiarity)
This light goes well beyond a simple machined Al tube with batteries and a light engine forward. I have seen comments on the price of this light and as I have stated in consideration of other expensive lights, there is more to tooling, design and engineering costs than one might assume. Ultimately the price needs to be in sync with the utility of the tool and a match is a match and a mismatch isn't. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif
This light may be simple in function but it is not simple in construction or design. With a rare earth magnet, I was able to determine that there is some proximity switching of some nature going on in this light.
No beam shots since this is a "known" beam. However this is the first light I have done a run time on that I needed three graphs to get a good picture of what was going on!
Now I found it interesting that after 45 minutes of running, unattended in mid 50 F ambient, it would appear that the light backed off due to thermal conditions? I did touch the light after 5 and 10 minutes of running and it was warm but certainly not as hot as other lights I have tested. If this light has a good thermal path to the outside, I would have stated that it was not running too hot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Since we don't know the drive level or indeed the internal layout of the light, speculation can abound but answers likely need to come from the manufacturer. I will state that even though the output dropped, there is still plenty of light and if this drop was due to protection of the LED or circuit, cool! I would also expect that in a tactical application, the likelihood of using a light in constant on for 45 minutes seems low?!?! The low battery warning is very nice and unobtrusive. You are given plenty of time and the fraction of a second every 15 seconds really doesn't cause any interuption in the use of the light.
In conclusion of this ramble, I think this is a very interesting light of significant design and engineering consideration. Aside from the annoying strobe, the use of the 27 mm reflector is probably one of the best compromises in terms of photon management when throw must be weighed against size. The light provides a wide dynamic range of light in a reasonably accessable manner. I am in no position to guess at or judge the durability of the components but the design is original and for that reason alone, I assume that the designers knew what they were doing. Time and use will of course tell. The only recommendation I am very comfortable making at this point is by all means, if the opportunity arises, check one of these out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I have no idea if this light is designed to function properly on Li-Ions and since I am supposed to return it in working order, there are many things I was not able to answer to my satisfaction! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif I am just as satisfied with the red light shown in the picture for a similar beam and output but I just might be biased as all get out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif The red light doesn't have the dynamic range to be sure, or the strobe but it does have instant momentary low! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif
To those behind the Gladius, thanks for bringing something new and different to the plate! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif For a first entry, you have found fresh ground to stand on!
I received a pre production Gladius that was floating in a sea of popcorn and sans any instructions or notes today. I have not read up on the functions or UI of the switch other than to know the basics that the light is capable of from reading some posts. I wanted to see if I could fathom the light without instructions. I am pleased to report that I was able to figure it out on my own with the exception of the Lock-Out feature. I found out about the Lock-Out feature by referring to the specifications PDF which are well written and easy to follow with the light in your hand. I don't think anyone will have any problem mastering the functions of this light and once mastered, I believe they are easy to return to. I won't get into typing the various modes and means as they are clearly laid out in the spec sheet. I would state after using this light that if any tactical user was not able to master this light with some hands on time and refreshing if needed, I would be very concerned if said person had a leathal weapon at their disposal! This is not a complicated light! Now, in terms of when to use the strobe and how to use this light in a tactical arena, I am clueless and leave it to those who aren't! As a not tactical user, I learned real quick that the "middle" position of the selector was one to avoid! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif Even at the sending end, this is not an illumination mode that one would choose to use for sight enhancement!
For starters a picture for scale:

I didn't include any of the SF 5W lights in the picture because I think it is a mistake or at least misleading comparing Lux5 lights with LuxIII lights. Since I took the picture, I got to pick the players! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
The Gladius uses an IMS so27xa reflector so I think it is fair to compare its beam with both the LH (same reflector) as well as the Aleph 1 and or any of the PR lights using LuxIII's and of course the Pelican M6 LED. Any of these lights are a very close representation of beam angle and spill geometry. There are some differences but I think the Luxeon Lottery can skew your results more than these reflectors do. Anyone familiar with a 27 mm reflector and a well driven LuxIII will have a good idea of what you get from the Gladius. Without knowing the actual drive current on high of the Gladius, I can say no more here.
First Impressions:
The light is well made and fits nicely in the hand. I had some concerns about the flare in the tail but the hand accepts it easily and comfortably. It is refreshing in a sense to grab a light with no knurled surface. The switch is easy to activate in terms of both turning the selector and pushing in the button. The button has a fair amount of stroke to it and a very light spring. It's kind of noisy though if you advance it rappidly. Since the button is easy to push, the Lock-Out feature is likely need for some metnods of carry. The Lock Out feature specifically locks out the button from completing a stroke and it can also be used for locking in the current active light output. It is cool how the selector is independent of what ever mode has been initiated and it can be advanced to a different selection from that which has been accessed and is currently in play. For those too lazy (like me) there are three positions for the selector and the push button activates your selection. In the first postion... nah..... read the PDF! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Now to personal prefferences. I accept that this light, as programed, is a tactical light and the merits of the strobe are for others to determine. The far closkwise selection allows for momentary high output and this is great and useful to me and likely most others. The far counter clockwise position is for constant on light as well as varible levels. Now this selection is essentially what all of the other UI based lights have had to deal with in terms of one button and many modes desired. Since the light is tactical, the first result from a momentary push of the button is constant on high. Likely a good call for its intended use. If you hold the button in the light will start to go down in intensity until it reaches low and it will stay in low if the button is held on or released. This might be an "Oops" for the tactical user who falsely assumed they were in the momentary high mode. This UI is not friendly to those wanting to start with minimal and ramp up to a sufficient level. If you grab this light and want to break the darkness with low light, you will take the light and place the head against your body or point it up and or away and push the button in and holding the button in, count to three and then release the button. You now have constant on low and can bring the light into the field of view without blinding yourself. This is a viable work around for anyone who wants the default to be full brightness. For me, I would prefer the light to start in low. I should add that when the light is in the very low mode, constant on, you can push the button in and allow it to ramp up to a higher level and then release to remain in constant on of that higher level.
The one thing this light does not allow is unfortunately the most prevalent use I find in a flashlight and that is momentary and immediate low. It would be great for a less tactical model to have the middle selection based on a momentary activation of what ever level had last been chosen in the variable level, constant on mode. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
Regarding low and high, on the unit I have to test, at one meter, I read 19 lux on low and around 2900 lux on high. This is an impressive spread.
Ingress and Egress is through the removed tail cap:

There is a plastic inner battery sleeve with what appears to be some flex circuitry laid in a milled or broached channel of the Al tube. There is also a small key on the switch module that must locate in this slot for the tail cap to be re installed. It took me a minute to realize this. (tool familiarity)
This light goes well beyond a simple machined Al tube with batteries and a light engine forward. I have seen comments on the price of this light and as I have stated in consideration of other expensive lights, there is more to tooling, design and engineering costs than one might assume. Ultimately the price needs to be in sync with the utility of the tool and a match is a match and a mismatch isn't. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif
This light may be simple in function but it is not simple in construction or design. With a rare earth magnet, I was able to determine that there is some proximity switching of some nature going on in this light.
No beam shots since this is a "known" beam. However this is the first light I have done a run time on that I needed three graphs to get a good picture of what was going on!



Now I found it interesting that after 45 minutes of running, unattended in mid 50 F ambient, it would appear that the light backed off due to thermal conditions? I did touch the light after 5 and 10 minutes of running and it was warm but certainly not as hot as other lights I have tested. If this light has a good thermal path to the outside, I would have stated that it was not running too hot. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Since we don't know the drive level or indeed the internal layout of the light, speculation can abound but answers likely need to come from the manufacturer. I will state that even though the output dropped, there is still plenty of light and if this drop was due to protection of the LED or circuit, cool! I would also expect that in a tactical application, the likelihood of using a light in constant on for 45 minutes seems low?!?! The low battery warning is very nice and unobtrusive. You are given plenty of time and the fraction of a second every 15 seconds really doesn't cause any interuption in the use of the light.
In conclusion of this ramble, I think this is a very interesting light of significant design and engineering consideration. Aside from the annoying strobe, the use of the 27 mm reflector is probably one of the best compromises in terms of photon management when throw must be weighed against size. The light provides a wide dynamic range of light in a reasonably accessable manner. I am in no position to guess at or judge the durability of the components but the design is original and for that reason alone, I assume that the designers knew what they were doing. Time and use will of course tell. The only recommendation I am very comfortable making at this point is by all means, if the opportunity arises, check one of these out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I have no idea if this light is designed to function properly on Li-Ions and since I am supposed to return it in working order, there are many things I was not able to answer to my satisfaction! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nana.gif I am just as satisfied with the red light shown in the picture for a similar beam and output but I just might be biased as all get out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif The red light doesn't have the dynamic range to be sure, or the strobe but it does have instant momentary low! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif
To those behind the Gladius, thanks for bringing something new and different to the plate! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif For a first entry, you have found fresh ground to stand on!