HDS Fan

[Buffalohump]

My 42XR is one light I will never sell.

I got on the bandwagon just as these were going off the market and I got one of the last new ones going.

It was the most I'd spent on a light at that time but I went for it...

So glad I did :twothumbs

I was thinking of modding it and I might still do that, but the light it produces is really good enough for 99% of tasks.

Its a great light.

 

[Zenster]

However, I could say that the Novatac 120P so far has been very good to me. I want to try an HDS flashlight, but I'm not a big fan of twisties, so the RA-Twisty is out for me. I'm eagerly waiting for what HDS has to offer in two weeks. If HDS comes out with a clicky version of the Ra-Twisty ... I'm sure I'll get one.

+ 1

My Novatac 120P has been my most used light, and I don't even know what a "retaining ring" is or where to find it on the light. It simply works like it should, and I personally have no problem at all with it's programmability and use thereof. I can't even imagine going into programming mode "by accident".

At the same time, like a true CPF'er, I'm very intrigued by the possibility of an HDS clicky as Henry pretty much announced in his earlier post (Henry responded to the OP's wish for a clicky over a twisty so it's not hard to figure what Henry was inferring to).

So Henry, I'm in for an HDS clicky, but being as I'm on the wrong side of 50, please release them before I die. I want to be able to "go toward the light" in style.

 

[karlthev]

Been waiting for the clickie...my two HDS U60s need some company.:sigh:



Karl

 

[Ritch]

Many of us were very glad as the NovaTac's became avialable. I am still very happy about my 120 P. Today I picked my 3 HDS EDC's out of the drawer and played a little bit in the dark bathroom. I still like the beam characteristic of the HDS, there is more hotspot, more throw. On the other hand the 120 P clicky works better than each of the 3 HDS clickys and the beam is decent, too. Nevertheless I am waiting for a new programmable HDS clicky light, hopefully more pocketable than the HDS Twisty. Slimmer, shorter. I am sure it's feasible. Isn't it, Henry?

> richard

 

[Oddjob]

I have owned more than one of each and they have both had issues of various degrees.
Some early HDS's had uneven anodizing, high pitched buzzing, inability to tail stand.
Some early Novatacs had flickering issues, spring issues, inability to swap out the bezel.
These issues may or may not bother or affect everyone but no light is perfect for everyone. We all have our varying preferences and experiences.
I personally have an HDS that has a high pitched buzz on many levels, a Novatac that has a slight flicker at times on primary, and a Ra Twisty that is difficult to use on handed. The HDS I use with a 17650 tube on a level that does not buzz, the Novatac's flicker is only noticeable when the light is on for more than 3 minutes so I can ignore it, and I changed the O-ring on my Twisty so it is more one handed friendly. For me I will always probably find something wrong with a light (even the low on my McLux III PD-S is a tad low for my liking but everything else about it is perfect) so as long as a light has most of the features I like I will buy it and change it to suit me. All my lights work and they have not failed me yet.

 

[tebore]

I have owned more than one of each and they have both had issues of various degrees.
Some early HDS's had uneven anodizing, high pitched buzzing, inability to tail stand.
Some early Novatacs had flickering issues, spring issues, inability to swap swap out the bezel.
These issues may or may not bother or affect everyone but no light is perfect for everyone. We all have our varying preferences and experiences.
I personally have an HDS that has a high pitched buzz on many levels, a Novatac that has a slight flicker at times on primary, and a Ra Twisty that is difficult to use on handed. The HDS I use with a 17650 tube on a level that does not buzz, the Novatac's flicker is only noticeable when the light is on for more than 3 minutes so I can ignore it, and I changed the O-ring on my Twisty so it is more one handed friendly. For me I will always probably find something wrong with a light (even the low on my McLux III PD-S is a tad low for my liking but everything else about it is perfect) so as long as a light has most of the features I like I will buy it and change it to suit me. All my lights work and they have not failed me yet.

To be fair the original HDS EDC never promised to tail stand, the goal was just to have a robust button. The buzzing is due Henry not checking the coils before he installed them, a minor annoyance(to some). Anodizing is not an exact science and it's more of a pain in small batches. Ok ok enough defending the EDC.

Here's the innovation.
The amazing thing about the EDC at the time was the fact that a Lux III was pushing out 60lms out the front for 20 mins on a single CR123 and had an advanced UI and thermal protection.

The EDC was like a beta version(Arc4 the Alpha) of the current Novatac light yet somehow the EDC surpassed the Novatac in every aspect except maybe for the UI which is subjective.

 

[thermal guy]

I agree with you Tebore,the only thing i like better on the novatac then Henry old lights is the UI.But i bet that it will be Incorporated into his new clicky

 

[Oddjob]

To be fair the original HDS EDC never promised to tail stand, the goal was just to have a robust button. The buzzing is due Henry not checking the coils before he installed them, a minor annoyance(to some). Anodizing is not an exact science and it's more of a pain in small batches. Ok ok enough defending the EDC.

Here's the innovation.
The amazing thing about the EDC at the time was the fact that a Lux III was pushing out 60lms out the front for 20 mins on a single CR123 and had an advanced UI and thermal protection.

The EDC was like a beta version(Arc4 the Alpha) of the current Novatac light yet somehow the EDC surpassed the Novatac in every aspect except maybe for the UI which is subjective.

I'm not bad mouthing any particular light. I am just saying that there will always be things about lights that people will not like. I do realize the innovation of the HDS and I agree with you about the EDC over the NT.

I guess what I was trying to get at was that every light is different and so are all the members here so sometimes comparing lights is like comparing different kinds of apples. They all have similarities but there are enough differences to make some like one kind but not another (I personally like Royal Gala but I don't like Red Delicious) Does that make any sense? I am at the end of my shift so I hope I am making some sense.:duh2:
For example, Kiessling will not consider the Twisty because it is programmable. I respect that because he prefers a KISS light. I also like KISS lights and for me the Twisty is a KISS light. Our definitions differ but that's fine. I have a small collection and I like all my lights for different reasons. They are all well made and serve my purposes.

 

[xcel730]

Does anyone know the history behind why HDS sold its EDC line to Novatac? Just curious. I was googling it and the only thing I got was from flashlightnews mentioning about the merge ... no indication as to why. I like to familiarize myself with the history of respectable companies.

 

[whorton5]

Wow, I go away for a few days and lots of talk about HDS. I will tell you this, I was hesitant to pay the cash when I bought my HDS, but like I said, it is the most used light in my house...mostly on low setting to read in bed or stumble about without waking up wife and kids. It goes for months and months and months without a recharge. I was worried about the interface, but the thing is so easy to use, my 9 year-old knows how to switch power settings. I bought an Ultimate, but probably should have just gone with a basic because I never change the settings....factory is perfect for my uses. I have rechargeables that I think I bought from Optics HQ. I may buy a Twisty, simply because it is made by the same guy who made this wonderful little light, but I sure like the clicky interface and so will wait in line for that one. Can anyone PM me what they think the best source is for Twistys? I think the website listed only two. Does anyone use rechargeables with it?

 

[FrogmanM]

I use a R123 for my Twisty! However the first battery I tried would only power the low and medium settings, no high.:thinking:

Mayo

 

[mightysparrow]

whorton5: I use blue 650 MaH rechargables with my Twisty 100 and I get all three light levels just fine.

I'll pm you about where I bought my Twistys.

 

[HDS_Systems]

FrogmanM,

You may have a defective Li-ion battery. The current draw on the high setting is very modest and your battery should not have any problems driving it. Did you check to make sure the battery was fully charged? I have a large collection of Li-ion batteries I have collected over the last few years and I cycle through all of them on a regular basis - mostly looking for anomalous behavior. They all work well. I recently retired some of the oldest batteries because they would no longer hold a full charge, but even these worked well on high.

Henry.

 

[FrogmanM]

I had that battery lying around as backup, I charged it up and tried it in my TR85, however it worked fine in my 120T, so I just used the R123 originally in my 120T to power my Ra, no problems now!(battery swap!):twothumbs

Mayo

 

[thermal guy]

Can't wait to start reprogramming my twisty.You come out with a great light there Henry

 

[whorton5]

Well, I am weak. I went and ordered my Dad the RaTwisty 100. I love my old EDC U60XR so much that I couldn't pass this up. And if that LED in there is Korean, Japanese, or Mexican, I'm sure my Dad will still love the little bugger as much as I do my HDS if it runs like this one. Interestingly, I paid the same amount (give or take a few bucks) for this HDS over two years ago.

Pa is doing better -- still in hospital though. I guess I'll just have to order and keep the clicky for myself when it comes out as a back-up for my EDC, huh?