AardvarkSagus
Flashlight Enthusiast
Icon Modus 2
The Modus series by aesthetically focused manufacturer Icon is another shot at fusing high technology and practical usability with a look that takes flashlight design to an art form. The Modus 2, like its smaller sibling, with its seemingly cephalopod inspired design virtually guarantees it will garner more in-depth study.
Icon Modus 2
Meat and Potatoes
The Icon Modus 2 is not the same as every other flashlight in your collection. It is not designed to be the rough and tumble utilitarian piece that resides in the bottom of your toolbox just collecting dings until you need it in a pinch. The aesthetics of the Modus designs look like they would be completely at home with the silver jumpsuits of classic Hollywood future. It really looks more like the kind of light you would leave prominently displayed on an easy to reach shelf, where it can both look good and be used often around the house. Its polymer construction would likely withstand quite a bit of use and abuse, but I am not sure how well the appearance would hold up considering its current white/gray color scheme.
The skeletal tentacular design of the Modus series is nothing if not bold. You either love it or you hate it and there seems to be a bit of debate on that front. Equal parts of my circle of contacts fall on either side of that line. Some are completely enthused by it and others immediately express their dislike. This facet of the Modus line falls firmly into the category of personal opinion, and mine is that of rising affection.
The two modes of the Modus 2 are very well placed providing a decent gap between outputs. This is in effect the only difference between the two models in this line. The Modus 2 increases the overall output on both levels but at the expense of doubling the length of the light. The Modus utilizes the same circuit as the Rogue series so it exhibits the same gradual brightness step down on the high mode. I don't find myself running into this very often because I don't seem to use the light on High for very extended periods of time. When it does kick in, it is so gradual that I don't generally perceive anything, therefor functioning exactly as it is intended, reducing output to maximize runtime while providing no noticeable change in perceived illumination.
The Modus 2 averts itself from the currently traditional reflector design, opting instead for a lens based optics system. As I have said several times before, I am a big fan of lensing because of the overall beam profile. I vastly prefer the fact that the spill beam gradually fades to nothing, rather than providing the tunnel-vision inducing sharp dropoff.
Icon Modus 2
Constructive Criticism
Though the use of lensing does provide the Modus with a much more useful beam profile, it does lack one point that the Icon Rogue series had nailed. The beam of the Modus series is riddled with quite a few rings. Though these don't really cause much issue with actual use, they do leave serious longing for the completely artifact free smoothness of the Rogues.
The switch used in the Modus series definitely has a more solid feel than I first was expecting after experiencing previous Icon offerings. This time however it was decided to recess the switch most of the way. This location makes the switch a little more difficult to activate but does not at all allow for tailstanding. I believe that this switch should either protrude a little further or should be completely recessed. Half way doesn't cut it for me.
One last point I have found that could use a little improvement is the threading. Re-attaching the head of the light after a battery change reveals that the threading is awfully fine and relatively easy to cross-thread. This hasn't yet proven itself to be an issue but I am very glad that I discovered it early so I can watch carefully in the future.
Icon Modus Series
Conclusions
In short, I am the type of person who prefers rugged durability in all my lights. Quality hard anodizing is my favorite finish on a flashlight. I generally will choose function over form any day of the week. The Icon Modus series, however, is my guilty pleasure.
The Modus series by aesthetically focused manufacturer Icon is another shot at fusing high technology and practical usability with a look that takes flashlight design to an art form. The Modus 2, like its smaller sibling, with its seemingly cephalopod inspired design virtually guarantees it will garner more in-depth study.
Icon Modus 2
Meat and Potatoes
The Icon Modus 2 is not the same as every other flashlight in your collection. It is not designed to be the rough and tumble utilitarian piece that resides in the bottom of your toolbox just collecting dings until you need it in a pinch. The aesthetics of the Modus designs look like they would be completely at home with the silver jumpsuits of classic Hollywood future. It really looks more like the kind of light you would leave prominently displayed on an easy to reach shelf, where it can both look good and be used often around the house. Its polymer construction would likely withstand quite a bit of use and abuse, but I am not sure how well the appearance would hold up considering its current white/gray color scheme.
The skeletal tentacular design of the Modus series is nothing if not bold. You either love it or you hate it and there seems to be a bit of debate on that front. Equal parts of my circle of contacts fall on either side of that line. Some are completely enthused by it and others immediately express their dislike. This facet of the Modus line falls firmly into the category of personal opinion, and mine is that of rising affection.
The two modes of the Modus 2 are very well placed providing a decent gap between outputs. This is in effect the only difference between the two models in this line. The Modus 2 increases the overall output on both levels but at the expense of doubling the length of the light. The Modus utilizes the same circuit as the Rogue series so it exhibits the same gradual brightness step down on the high mode. I don't find myself running into this very often because I don't seem to use the light on High for very extended periods of time. When it does kick in, it is so gradual that I don't generally perceive anything, therefor functioning exactly as it is intended, reducing output to maximize runtime while providing no noticeable change in perceived illumination.
The Modus 2 averts itself from the currently traditional reflector design, opting instead for a lens based optics system. As I have said several times before, I am a big fan of lensing because of the overall beam profile. I vastly prefer the fact that the spill beam gradually fades to nothing, rather than providing the tunnel-vision inducing sharp dropoff.
Icon Modus 2
Constructive Criticism
Though the use of lensing does provide the Modus with a much more useful beam profile, it does lack one point that the Icon Rogue series had nailed. The beam of the Modus series is riddled with quite a few rings. Though these don't really cause much issue with actual use, they do leave serious longing for the completely artifact free smoothness of the Rogues.
The switch used in the Modus series definitely has a more solid feel than I first was expecting after experiencing previous Icon offerings. This time however it was decided to recess the switch most of the way. This location makes the switch a little more difficult to activate but does not at all allow for tailstanding. I believe that this switch should either protrude a little further or should be completely recessed. Half way doesn't cut it for me.
One last point I have found that could use a little improvement is the threading. Re-attaching the head of the light after a battery change reveals that the threading is awfully fine and relatively easy to cross-thread. This hasn't yet proven itself to be an issue but I am very glad that I discovered it early so I can watch carefully in the future.
Icon Modus Series
Conclusions
In short, I am the type of person who prefers rugged durability in all my lights. Quality hard anodizing is my favorite finish on a flashlight. I generally will choose function over form any day of the week. The Icon Modus series, however, is my guilty pleasure.
They look great in the snow!
