<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Aragorn *V2*:
...-not to expencive
-a delight to use
-long life
-cheap to feed
brightenough to light your way in unfamiliar woods where the trial is not claerly defined....
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Two lights that meet your criteria are the Tec 40 and the UKE Mini Q40 or it's 1/4" longer twin, the 4AA.
"A DELIGHT TO USE":
the Tek and UKE are both very small and light, easy and comfortable to carry for long periods and easily lanyard adaptable. The UKE has the edge here because it is more easily operated with one hand than the TEK.
"LONG LIFE":
Both lights fulfill this requirement, but again the UKE edges out the TEK with a run time of comfortably over 3 hrs.
"CHEAP TO FEED":
Both lights take 4AA's. The RAY-O-VAC
"MAXIMUM's" equal the Duracell Ultras in run time and are much cheaper. They are probably the best buy of all the major brands. It is possible to get even cheaper batteries if you are willing to go with lesser known brands with untested properties.
"BRIGHT ENOUGH TO LIGHT YOUR WAY......"
In terms of size/weight to brightness/runtime
the 4AA lights as a class are probably the most successful flashlight configuration.
Both the UKE and the TEK are at least the equivalent of a conventional 3D light, but with a considerably whiter beam. The TEK takes PR bulbs and is superior to the UKE in beam quality, utilizing a textured reflector for a semi-Surefire look. The UKE's integrated lamp/reflector assemblies are somewhat inconsistant in beam pattern from one unit to another, but this is rarely a problem in actual use.
I tested the TEK and the UKE both indoors against a white screen, and outside in farmland and in fairly wooded areas in Canada. In the indoors tests the TEK's beam
was superior in terms of smoothness and lack of shadows, whereas the UKE's had very slight shadowing. However, the UKE beam was wider and just as bright. After about 1 1/2 hours , the UKE seemed slightly brighter than the TEK, and after 2 hours it was definitely brighter. The longer the burn, the better the UKE fared over the TEK until the TEK died at about 2 3/4hrs and the UKE continued giving more than 3 hrs of useful light. Outdoors both lights were more than adequately bright in wooded areas. It was very difficult to say which was superior though I personally preferred the wider swath of the UKE's beam and the fact that it eventually outshone the TEK as the hours passed, but the beautifully "homogenized"
beam of the TEK remained a strong point for that light.
Summary: Since both the TEK 40 and the UKE Mini Q40 are excellent lights a choice comes down to personal preference. Both lights fulfill all of Aragorn's criteria. The TEK has superior beam quality and takes PR bulbs. The UKE burns longer, brighter, is more compact and ergonomically superior.
After extensive testing and carrying the two lights I prefer the UKE Mini Q40, but that is strictly my own personal preference. It would be hard to go wrong with either light.
Aragorn: Have you actually tested the Lightwave 3000 and 4000? They are both very bright and more than adequate for night trekking. Even better, in my view, is the Trek 1400. It is smaller and lighter than the 3000, and brighter than the 4000 for at least the first two hours. After about six hours it is about as bright as the 3000. For treks of 7-8 hours or less you really can't beat it.
Brightnorm
