It's my birthday and I will LED if I want to... this is what I just ordered!

[FliGuyRyan]

Wow, I'm 25 today - February 5th, good 'old twenty-ten.

And... it couldn't have come at a better time that my "wife just didn't have time to get me anything," because our baby girl (six-months old now, wow) is time consuming - I don't hold this against her.

Anyways, she gave me the go ahead to "order what I want," and that meant a new keychain EDC and pocket EDC.

I just ordered kuku's Life Flux LF2XT with XP-G R5 and sapphire window upgrade along with nano charger and four (he gave me two free for my birthday) 10440 AAA cells. All for a cool $96 shipped. And wow, this thing is bright in the pictures. I can't wait to get it.

As for my pocket EDC, I went for a Fenix-style UI/tail-switch and opted for the 4Sevens Quark 123 R5 (no clip) model. I am really looking forward to this little 206 lumen monster.

For those of you who have this... what do you think? This will compliment my Surefire Z2 with OpticsHQ P60 Q5 drop-in/tail-cap.

My other lights in my line-up are the Nitecore EX-10 GDP and Zebralight H30-Q5 and also a Coleman LED lantern.

My wife uses the Nitecore for midnight diaper changing and I use the Zebralight as a nightstand light.

Anyways... looking forward to these... what are your thoughts?

-RC

 

[LED Cool]

happy birthday!!! good choice on both lights! :twothumbs

 

[skyfire]

happy birthday! and congratz on your lil bundle of joy!

that LF2 is looking more and more interesting to me.. seems to be the best AAA light by far. and you cant really go wrong with the quark. 206 otf lumens is truely a beast for its size.

 

[curiousone1]

Happy birthday! :thumbsup:

 

[StandardBattery]

I know the LF2-XT will be wonderful. I've never keychained it, but carry it often in a pocket. I have more than 1, the beam shape and output is great on the custom XP-G mod, but I prefer the tint of the original.

The Z2 is great, don't know anything about that drop-in though. All Zebras rock.

 

[Noobiwan]

Happy Birthday!

 

[bfksc]

Wow, I'm 25 today

Happy Birthday

I just ordered kuku's Life Flux LF2XT. As for my pocket EDC, I went for a Fenix-style UI/tail-switch and opted for the 4Sevens Quark 123 R5 (no clip) model. I am really looking forward to this little 206 lumen monster.

I can't comment on the LF2XT, but I just bought the Quark AAx2 Tactical R5 which has the same head on it so output is the same 206 lumens. I really like it, it's my "everything" light now. Until I bought the Quark, I was using the typical MiniMag and Mag 3D in LED versions which I thought were pretty good. But when I first lit up the Quark at Max output, I was stunned by the brightness (no I wasn't looking into the emitter!).
:huh:
With all that brightness, I had to compare it to the Mag 3D and the Quark throws almost as far but with a LOT more spot and spill, lighting up the whole area instead of a small spot in the distance. I liked the Mag for its impressive throw, but I never liked how it sucked at lighting an area which is more important to me than a tight spot. Even when walking you have to bounce the Mags spot around to see what's nearby or where to walk safely over rocks, stumps, etc. The MiniMag sucks for spill too and the Quark is again much better. The runtime of the Quark is much better than the MiniMag when set to a higher brightness level too. Granted the 3D has longer runtime but for hiking around I don't need Max or High output. Med will do the trick, and at that level, it runs for 24 hours, which is again close enough to the 3D runtime to make it obsolete. Of course with the Quark I have the option of blasting an area with light if needed, and then instantly go back to Med for battery savings. What a concept...
:rock:
So now I have no use for the Mags as the Quark has replaced both of them. The Quark will be with me on hikes, camping, general use, etc. My wife has a 1watt Energizer that she picked out at Home Depot that works well enough for her own light. She prefers the side clicky rather than the tailcap clicky design, so she'll continue to use it for herself while hiking, camping, etc. And since we use Duraloops in it, it can also suffice as another light in emergencies.

Anyone want to buy some Maglites?

 

[Flying Turtle]

Excellent choices, young FliGuy. Did you also get both tailcap springs for the LF2XT? I was about to comment in another thread that you might want to give the stock spring a try. I find the light touch very nice. Quite a departure from a normal clickie.

Enjoy your new toys. :twothumbs

Geoff

 

[AnAppleSnail]

I carry my Quark (Neutral Tactical R2 2^AA) everywhere and I like it. The only brighter thing that I own is my large Black & Decker spotlight, which iw a box of portable sun to my LED-trained eyes.

 

[sithjedi333]

Let us know if the LF2XT XPG is really keychain-able. I may be following in your footsteps if it is.

 

[eljuez]

Happy birthday. We share the same one, just 38 years apart.

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Thanks to all for the birthday wishes... it has been a good one so far. My wife let me sleep in (usually a no-go with a baby) and I haven't felt rest like this in 6 months.

Anyways... Flying Turtle, I did order both springs, and kuku is installing the harder one by default. Is it easy to change back?

sithjedi333,

I will definitely follow-up on the keychain-abilities of the LF2XT. I'm really looking forward to this light.

If you guys are at all interested in the LF2XT go here to kuku (and tell him FliGuyRyan sent you):

http://www.expandku.com/html/lf2xt_xp-g_r5.html

http://www.expandku.com/html/10440_charger.html


Also, if you order Quarks from 4Sevens, use CPF8 for an 8% discount...

-RC

P.S. eljuez, I'm sorry my friend. Happy Birthday to you too! February 5 is a good birthday - although I'm looking outside and seeing snow come down like rain!

 

[sqchram]

Hey happy birthday! Mine is on the 10th, and I'll be 33. Yeah, I've already treated to myself to some birthday lights, and then some.

Funny, I use a light for night baby feedings (that is feeding my four-month baby, not eating them) except its a Quark mini 123, the nice short squat profile is great for tailstanding.

I think were I to do it again (re: the mini), I'd get a Quark 123 with a click switch like you have for more modes, and the rear click. I got the mini thinking I might EDC it, but as I've mentioned in your other thread its too fat for my pocket, but its still a badass light for around the house, or if I were to specifically need a small light with big output, I'd sure bring it along.

Its the Liteflux that goes everywhere clipped in my pocket nowdays. No, its not as bright as the quark mini 123, nor does it have as long a runtime as the AW RCR123, but its skinny, just long enough to fit my fist and use the rear click switch, the beam flood is smooth and nice, and its plenty bright for most purposes. Should I need a more powerful or longer running light, I'll bring one for a dedicated purpose. No, the color tint of the XP-G isn't the best, but I'm not evaluating color photography, I just need to see stuff with it.

Nice to see you've got some other nice ones already - and the Coleman Lantern! I want to get the Coleman Northstar dual fuel - lots of these flashaholics I think overlook just how damned bright these lanterns are for how cheap they are, and how cheap the fuel is (especially the multi fuel ones). There is a whole section in CPF for lanterns too - check it out.

 

[john10001]

Congrats and Happy Birthday!

You definitely deserve the new flashlights too be able to see your real present and bundle of joy.

 

[TooManyGizmos]

You made GOOD choices FliGuyRyan .

I think you will like the stiffer spring for your carry choices.

Try it on a neck lanyard - set on low-low .... for late night diaper changes.

You're gonna love the LF2Xt

Just post if you need programming help on it .

Happy B-day !
.

 

[COAST]

Happy birthday, dude! And did you get the 123 or 123^2?

 

[blub]

Happy Birthday!
I have a Quark 123 that's always with me and just ordered a recessed forward clicky tail switch, it'll be the perfect light then, until I find something else.

 

[FliGuyRyan]

TooManyGizmos...

Thanks for the help. I'm sure I will be posting for help with the FUI.

COAST, it's a one-cell 123, not the 123^2.

I have my Surefire Z2 w/ OpticsHQ upgrade kit for two-cell BLASTING. I love this light, but it's really too large to be carrying in jeans and definitely too big for dress pants. I'm probably going to get some cargo pants and shorts so I can carry the motherload of gear (up until recently I carried my Fenix P2D and Surefire Z2 together.

With the LF2XT, I'll be carrying that too along with the Quark 123 and SF Z2.

I LOVE being the guy with the lights. Everyone's always like, "Hey man, you gotta light by any chance - ya know that stupid-bright one you always carry?"

"Yeah, you need a lighter, flashlight or knife?"

Ah... great times we live in boys, great times...

God bless America (and the LED industry)...

-RC

 

[FliGuyRyan]

Oh... guys... I forgot to ask who sells a GREAT and useful and intuitive key-chain ring.

As in very dependable, preferably quick-release able and flexible if possible.

Thanks,
RC

 

[sqchram]

I'm no keychain fan, I carry all my keys separately (never lost one yet), but my wife uses this. Its not a fixed lock, but a spring loaded ball that holds the attachments in place, and it seems firm and reliable enough at least for keys - at any rate, you can find one at probably most hardware stores, or a grocery store that also has some home improvement stuff.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KFWL2K/?tag=cpf0b6-20

You can see that it got some poor reviews - but for $3, try it, and if you don't like it in testing, throw it in a drawer.

I recommend you just read up on the CUI interface and play around with setting things like the 3 minute time out, the temporary 3 minute timeout disable, the over discharge, and the voltage readout. Just mess around in CUI for a week or two till it becomes second nature, then start to get into the FUI.

I've spent a few days playing around in the FUI and now have been keeping my light set on that 1, lowest 2, med, 3 max, 4 sos, no 5 mode, and so far liking it.