Couldn‘t be happier with my new NB45 and 18650 tube. The NB45/sw45k has been on my radar for a good while now, as I love rosy tints, and this doesn’t disappoint. In fact, I’d only call it ever-so-slightly rosy. Great color that looks good indoors and out.
As for the 18650 tube, I’ve never liked the aesthetic of the longer tube. But I’ve been burning through primaries using my other executive as a sort of night light while I read and my wife sleeps (so rechargeable made sense), and I wanted longer runtime while using it with a bottle of water as a makeshift lantern while camping/backpacking… so 18650 was the choice.
And now that I have it, I’m so ecstatic that I went with the 18650. In pictures, it looks long, and even awkward. But it feels great in hand. With XL hands, I can palm a normal HDS, whereas the 18650 tube extends half an inch in both directions, giving me way better leverage, and an overall better grip. It doesn’t seem so long at all. In fact, it feels perfect, and now my other two HDS’s almost feel antiquated.
Other notes, the tint it perfect. The beam is artifact and ring free (this is the best beam I’ve ever had from any flashlight, but that’s more of a whitewall hunting statement). I like the decoration clip. The finish is the best sample I’ve ever had from an HDS, and I’ve had nothing but great samples. The finish feels smoother, more refined; and the silver bezel is more matte as opposed to my other executive that is more polished (I like the matte a lot better). I’ve been lucky, as all my executives have always tailstand, but this sample is the best feeling “clicky” yet. It feels solid, and even the sound is great.
This is my grail light.
Ramble over.