Is Arc going to be hurt by all the new AAA's

[olrac]

I'm wondering if with all the new AAA lights that have come out and coming out if this will be the demise of the Arc AAA. Yes I have owned them and yes they are durable, but honestly if you search the forum they have their share of failures too. I have ITP and Maratac and have used aLiteFlux LF2XT Q4 and have found them quite durable as well. Given the new lights have newer technology and multi-mode with a wide range of levels outside of nostalgia I can't see there place anymore. Why would I buy a new Pentium 1 computer in today's market? The analogy hold true here as well.

 

[R@ndom]

Honestly the Arc was pointless for those of us who don't strongly prefer American Made and a slightly better keyagain attachment when the E01 was released.

 

[Crenshaw]

I am not sure about current gen Arc AAAs, but my ARC-P DS 's anodizing is really second to none. Carried on my keys for a months, and didnt show a scratch

Crenshaw

 

[gswitter]

There have been cheaper and/or brighter AAA lights for years, but the Arc AAA is still here.

So, no, I wouldn't be ready to proclaim its demise just yet.

 

[f22shift]

slightly offtopic.

do you think with all the releases of titanium lights, it killed the custom titanium light market which was hot earlier this year. most of the lights are half the price, arguably just as nice looking, with better leds and output choices.

 

[xcel730]

Personally, I think Arc AAA has been hurting for the past few years. In the past, it was impossible to get an Arc AAA ... they were always sold out, but now it's a different story.

I could see CPFers still wanting to buy an Arc AAA today just because we're flashaholics, but the volume is a lot less. Spending $50 for a single-level AAA light that's very dim by today's standard is difficult for many people to swallow. I've been wanting one for awhile now, but it's bury deep in my wishlist ... with the rate of all the new lights that are appearing in the market, it'll be awhile before I actually get it.

Regarding custom titanium lights, I think there will still be a market for them mainly because they sell in low volume to a niche market. Mass produced Ti lights are targeted to those who really want a Ti light but don't want to pay the hundreds that custom maker charges.

Just my thoughts.

 

[kelmo]

I don't think so. They do have a brand loyalty that approaches cult status. I count myself as one of them. I think the only thing that will hurt them is their own durability. If they don't break you will not replace them. I personaly think the DS model has the perfect size to output ratio.

They are in all my first aid kits.

kelmo

 

[portdeluac]

I think it does have to do with durability. My other aaa lights have not help up or have broken and the ARC lives on. Just my experience. I'm hard on lights.

 

[Saint_Dogbert]

There's such small AA lights around...like the Quark Mini for example or EZAA ... so it might not be threatened just by other AAA lights.

 

[GarageBoy]

I REALLY want them to upgrade the circuit. Otherwise I'd buy a few

 

[Flying Turtle]

My old Arc was always in the pocket for many years, but it just doesn't compete any more for that honor. It's still great for a keychain emergency light. I'm glad I've got one and it's served me well, but getting a new one probably wouldn't happen unless it's ungraded some.

Geoff

 

[F250XLT]

You can buy quite a few E01's for the price of an Arc AAA, and the EO1 is a pretty durable little light in it's own right. IMO, for what it is, the Arc AAA is overpriced. I am certainly not looking to pay 75% more just for better anodizing..........

 

[gorn]

I like my ARC's, the original and the new ones. The problem I have is do I buy an ARC with old tech or do I buy an iTP 3 mode titanium for the same price. It's a no brainer for me. ARC needs to wake up or it will fade away. There are plenty of coolaid drinkers but not enough to keep them viable IMO.

 

[carrot]

Arc is still as relevant as ever today as it has been in the past. My AAA's have never, and will never be primary lights for me but they are wonderful backup lights and the Arc was designed with the same philosophy in mind that I have when I pick a backup AAA light.

 

[adirondackdestroyer]

I wouldn't be surprised if ARC went down the tubes in a few years if they don't do something now. The AAAP was the top of the line flashlight when it came out, but that was 7 freaking years ago!!! It has been outdated/overpriced for years, but it has really been demolished with the coming of the ITP EOS.

 

[Woods Walker]

Sometime ago I was considering between the Arc and E01. Price was not really an issue for me. The E01 had better regulation and runtimes. It has a spring so the battery wouldn't get crushed. Both have about the same practical brightness even if the Arc is a bit more but in the real world they are near the same as to not matter. In the end the E01 seemed like a better light for my needs price aside. If the Arc offered the same options as the E01 I would have purchased one as I like how it looks. So got to wonder how many other people made the same decision not based on price but performance and in this department things seem to be getting even more disparaging.

 

[vtunderground]

What? Arc is still around? Really?








(Kidding, of course.)

 

[defloyd77]

I don't think these new Crees are going to hurt Arc too much, there's still a bunch of people who love a simple 1 mode with long runtime, toughness, reliability and the rest of the Arc's traditions. I feel this way about my E01, 2 lights that many have replaced their E01 with, the Streamlight Microstream and the iTP EOS completely failed to take my E01's place, so I would imagine people who have had Arcs for a long time aren't going to be replacing their's with Crees. It's brand loyalty. In my opinion, Arc's biggest threats are the E01 and Peak, especially the new Eiger, both cost less than the Arc.

I must say though, the Arc AAA is one of the sexiest looking lights I have ever seen.

 

[davidt1]

Yes, yesteryear's one-mode, dim lights such Arc and E01 are things of the past. Returned an E01 after a week. Couldn't stand the dim purple haze. Never considered the Arc cos of the outrageous price. Technology moves on. Time to move on.

 

[Phaserburn]

I'm sorry guys, I love Arcs as much as you, but overall, yes, Arc is going to get hurt LARGE (as defined by AAA sales volume) by the proliferation of quality AAA lights that have greater capabilities/features for a lower price. We might still appreciate what an Arc AAA is, but it's place in the marketplace will surely suffer. There is no two ways around that.