Help ! Arc aaa-p or Peak flashlight ?

[Diablo]

Hello :nana:!


after buying for my birthday a Surefire L1 which is wonderful, I am getting crazy about flashlights.

So for Xmas, I am looking for a smaller (AAA batteries) :candle:with a good runtime but very reliable and tough one.

Can you help me choosing between a Arc aaa-p or Peak (or another "perfect") light ?

Thanks ! Paul

 

[Diablo]

around $50 !

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Both are good lights. Arc has a brighter white LED in its premium model. Peak gives the option for brass, Stainless Steel or HAIII Aluminum, as well as options for colored LEDs instead of just white. I think most peaks allow you to choose how hard to drive the LED. I think I personally lean toward Peak, but wouldn't hesitate to recommend Arc either.

 

[TORCH_BOY]

Have you looked at the Fenix aaa lights, the Lod-CE and E1 and EO,
these are the best value for money

 

[djblank87]

Why not get an ARC, small, tough, run on AAA, super runtime thats what I would go with in this case/

 

[BentHeadTX]

The Arc is the smallest of both lights and the new LED is very bright.

The Peak can be several different lights depending on what you want. The Matterhorn AAA can be had with one snow LED which is whiter than the Arc and costs $25 (Christmas sale) It is also available with three snow LEDs which work great with a lithium AAA cell.

The Peak Baltic is larger than either lights but has better current regulation and uses the much brighter Seoul Semiconductor P4 LED. Available in four outputs depending on what battery you use. XR is for extra runtime but one third of the output. HP is the standard output giving decent brightness for walking around and almost two hours on an alkaline. UP boosts output but cuts runtime and runs about the limit if using alkalines. SP is the brightest but best used with NiMH rechargable cells. The Baltic can be configured with a momentary tail switch as an extra cost item.

I own an Arc AAA with red LED, my wife uses a Peak Matterhorn 3 snow LED on her keychain and I have a stainless Baltic UP in my Leatherman holster. They all have their uses and work well.

 

[regulator]

I would lean towards the Arc with the new DS LED. It is very small and puts out a very useful amount of light for 4-5 hours. It is also available in natural HA that the Peak is not.

I would say that you would need the 3 LED peak to get comparable brightness. The 3 LED version puts out a good amount of light and the LED's are driven at a lower current so even though there are 3 LED's they are running more eficient (So runtime is not really 1/3 of ARC). However, I believe the ARC regulator will run a bit flatter for the 4-5 hours while in regulation.

Peaks are very good lights.

 

[Diablo]

Thanks you all :nana:!!!

the choice is still so difficult because the two brands have goods items !!! Perhaps more for Peak because their web site is not very helpful and their choice is bigger.

Now if I only want reliability and toughness which do I choice ???

Thanks. Paul

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

Now if I only want reliability and toughness which do I choice ???l

There are a lot of testimonials to the Arc AAA. Is this tough enough?
http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/third/arcp.htm

 

[BentHeadTX]

Thanks you all :nana:!!!

the choice is still so difficult because the two brands have goods items !!! Perhaps more for Peak because their web site is not very helpful and their choice is bigger.

Now if I only want reliability and toughness which do I choice ???

Thanks. Paul

If I was on a desert island for 10 years, I would chose the Baltic XR stainless steel (extra runtime) and a NiCd AAA. Just a personal thing, I prefer high output LEDs underdriven than low output LEDs overdriven. A paranoia thing I guess.