Help to choose EDC: Surefire E1L or NovaTac

[sappyg]

very well said strauss :twothumbs
i have had problems with some lights but i usaully tend to resolve them privately. i have had 1st hand experience with SF and NT customer service and have been well pleased with the outcome.
i asked BH49 earlier what he likes about his 6p aside from the size. whether it was flood or throw he wanted and if he intended to run rechargables or primaries. these are things i did not know the answer to for myself when i started messin with lights. i could have saved myself quite a bit of money but i could only learn these things by first hand experience.
BH49.... do you wish your 6p would throw further with more focus or would you rather have more light spilling out the side? i use my lights a lot during the day at work and having more throw is better for that.
SF's are not compatible with rechargeable batteries. both the NT and the Ra are.
another thing i learned from :bow::bow::bow:MDOCOD is not to get caught up in lumins. words to remember.

 

[bh49]

sappyg,
I like my 6PL because IMHO it is a good upgrade from 3D cell Maglite for my car light: it is lighter, give more light and 11 hour run time. Do I prefer rechargeable batteries to primary? I do not think that at this point it will make much difference for me, I do not see a lot of use, but you never know. Still, it is nice to have this option.
It looks like E1L is out of picture for EDC.
Now: NovaTac120E or Ra Every Day Carry. Just trying to stay in a budget.
What are your thoughts?

 

[Big_Ed]

The Photon Proton Pro is not made in USA, it is made in China.

 

[sappyg]

sappyg,
I like my 6PL because IMHO it is a good upgrade from 3D cell Maglite for my car light: it is lighter, give more light and 11 hour run time. Do I prefer rechargeable batteries to primary? I do not think that at this point it will make much difference for me, I do not see a lot of use, but you never know. Still, it is nice to have this option.
It looks like E1L is out of picture for EDC.
Now: NovaTac120E or Ra Every Day Carry. Just trying to stay in a budget.
What are your thoughts?

BH49..... i like both lights... so much so that i have an NT and have ordered the RA edc. they both have similar UI but the Ra is easliy programable... Ra =1.... NT=0
Ra has thicker threads and heavier construction....Ra =1....NT=0
Ra is 100% US made except for LED and NT is or will soon be outsourced overseas if not already....Ra=1.... NT=0
Ra can only hit 120 lumins for 10 seconds at a time... NT can sustain 120 lumin for 30 minutes.... Ra=0... NT=1
Ra's max lumin is 85 for a full hour... NT max is 120 for 30 minutes.... draw. (don't get caught up in lumins :)
ultimate run time for both is probably a draw
Ra is the next evolution of the NT design... ie the leading edge UI.... Ra=1... NT=0
clip design..... Ra=0.... NT=1
price.... draw

there are other things to consider and they both are very closely matched. based on the criteria above the Ra wins 3-2. now, with all of that i can not speak directly of 1st hand use of the Ra at this time. i have had some issues with my NT and one of them was build and one was software. they have all been resolved in good fashion.
what are your thoughts?

 

[Lane]

As of today I see couple options: E1L or NovaTac 120E. I like specification of Novatac much more, 0.7" smaller size, three modes up to 120 lumen versus two up to 45 on E1L, but I read some negative comments about quality of the latest Novatac production.
So, help me out, please. Any help will be appreciated.

I own both lights and can easily recommend the Surefire E1L over the Novatac. Don't get me wrong the Novatac is a nice light. Not as bright as I thought 120lm would be.
What I like about the E1L is it's size, feel, UI, and pocket clip. The 45lm is brighter than you think and I have to look real hard to see the difference in my E1B and my E1L.

Good news is...You'll have one heck of a light either way!:twothumbs

 

[sappyg]

BH49.... if you joined CPF in july 2006 how is it that you are new to CPF and that you are unenlightened?

 

[bh49]

BH49.... if you joined CPF in july 2006 how is it that you are new to CPF and that you are unenlightened?

Please, do not be shocked. I am Spydernut and Spyderholic. Somebody in 2006 recommended me CPF like one of the places to find deals on Spyderco. Once in a while I was visiting your marketplace to check on available Spydies. I never posted until about a week ago. I never could imagined to spend money on lights, which can be spend on knives.:oops: until about six weeks ago. So, I am still unenlightened. :)

 

[jzmtl]

Out of the two I would choose novatac. I carry one in my jean watch pocket for EDC. If you buy the regular non-programmable version, check out the thread on how to hack it into programmable. :)

 

[sappyg]

Please, do not be shocked. I am Spydernut and Spyderholic. Somebody in 2006 recommended me CPF like one of the places to find deals on Spyderco. Once in a while I was visiting your marketplace to check on available Spydies. I never posted until about a week ago. I never could imagined to spend money on lights, which can be spend on knives.:oops: until about six weeks ago. So, I am still unenlightened. :)

i like knives too.... i just found the subforum here re: knives and multi tools. i edc an SAK tinker and recruit. i usually change the angle of the edge and the blade for carving.
i hope we have helped you find your light. :popcorn:

 

[sappyg]

Out of the two I would choose novatac. I carry one in my jean watch pocket for EDC. If you buy the regular non-programmable version, check out the thread on how to hack it into programmable. :)

"check out" yes... recommended?.... :thinking: no...

 

[Strauss]

Now: NovaTac120E or Ra Every Day Carry. Just trying to stay in a budget.
What are your thoughts?

I think the Ra is the better made light. I have also dealed with Henry(Ra) and Jesse(Novatac), and Henry was always extremely fast with his email responses. Coming from an owner of both Novatac and Ra, I can tell you without a doubt the Ra is a better light. The Novatac is still a great light, it's just the Ra is that much better :thumbsup:

If you order the Ra you can feel confident in that if any issues arise at ANY point in your ownership, Henry will be there to take care of you. Do yourself a favor and order the Clicky, you will be thankful you did.

 

[jimmy1970]

Bought a new Ra Twisty and that light let me down. Bought an old Novatac that's around 18 months old and its perfect.

Go figure.

James...

 

[octaf]

there are several links re: some issues with the last clicky release. the good thing is Ra has great CS and most if not all of the problems have been resolved perhaps.... you even posted on one of the links... titled new Ra products. or something like that.
from your last post on that thread the chart was not good enough to help with a decission. at this time i think the difference between the Ra clicky and the Ra edc executive is all that is posted on the chart. is one worth more than the other? that can only be answered by you.
i ordered a Ra edc exec. because i like a floody type beam profile.

Thanks sappyg.

If that's the only difference, I think I would go for edc E version! :)

 

[jzmtl]

"check out" yes... recommended?.... :thinking: no...

And the reason being?

 

[Moka]

I recommend the full Ra Clicky...
140Lm burst and 100Lm for 1 hour...

Just another thing to mull over... :whistle:

 

[bh49]

I recommend the full Ra Clicky...
140Lm burst and 100Lm for 1 hour...

I believe that Ra Clicky is a great light, still I would like to stay in my budget.
and keep my choices between Ra Every Day Carry and Novatac 120E

 

[paintballdad]

My vote would be for the Novatac, I picked one up during the holidays and is now my favorite for it's smooth beam and great UI. I rotate between the Novatac 85T and EX10 as my edc. The EX10 with work clothes and the Novatac with jeans (I prefer the EX10 for work carry for it's smaller size). I never considered the Novatac till Lighthound had them on sale and could not pass up the deal. I'm glad I did and now i'm as much a Novatac fan as i am a Surefire fan. I also plan on picking up Ra EDC Executive as it is designed by Henry, same designer of the Novatacs.

Check out Lighthounds deal on a black 85T. I'm happy with the 85 lumen high and prefer the longer runtime over the 120 lumen models.


http://www.lighthound.com/NovaTac-E...with-SSC-LED--HA-III-Black-Finish_p_1339.html

 

[bh49]

Thank you for the tip, but I would rather go with 120E, which is available for just a few bucks more

 

[sappyg]

And the reason being?

personal choice really.... i've done it but it's a hassel. every time you change a battery you have to hack the light again. every time you take it apart to clean it you have to re-hack. the more you hack it the less reliable the switch will become.... so have to clean the switch and .... re hack the light again. this is why i suggested earlier that the Ra was more easily programed than the NT. the NT EDC is fine the way it is and hacking it could void the warranty.
after you've hacked it a couple of times (at least in my case) i found that it is just more trouble than it is worth and that i really preffered the NT the way it was set up origionally.
everything paintballdad says about the beam of his NT 85 is true. i preffer the beam quality of the NT above all others that i currently own. i can not speak for the Ra yet.

 

[jzmtl]

personal choice really.... i've done it but it's a hassel. every time you change a battery you have to hack the light again. every time you take it apart to clean it you have to re-hack. the more you hack it the less reliable the switch will become.... so have to clean the switch and .... re hack the light again. this is why i suggested earlier that the Ra was more easily programed than the NT. the NT EDC is fine the way it is and hacking it could void the warranty.
after you've hacked it a couple of times (at least in my case) i found that it is just more trouble than it is worth and that i really preffered the NT the way it was set up origionally.
everything paintballdad says about the beam of his NT 85 is true. i preffer the beam quality of the NT above all others that i currently own. i can not speak for the Ra yet.

Huh, change battery also reset it, didn't know that. I can see clicking 250 times all the time could be a pain.