Law Enforcement and the Quark Tactical 123-2

[Alberta-Blue]

Hey guys,

long time lurker, first time (almost) poster. BTW... lovecpf

So... I have been doing my research and peaking around and found about about 4 sevens lights and was blown away. They look amazing, they seem like they have an extremely versatile UI and plenty of options depending on what you need (or duty posting).

My big question is how durable are these lights... specifically the Quark Tactical 123-2. I can read all the specs in the world, but those are just specs and may or may not take real world conditions into consideration. Especially when it comes to LE...

I dont want to end up spending money on a light that isnt field survivable...

Anyone out there have any horror stories or exp with this?? :candle:


PS

How in the name of god do you guys keep money in ur pockets :thinking:... I have only been into flashlights for about 3 years and this is a horrible expensive and addicting hobby...

 

[Sgt. LED]

#1 No money left.

#2 The Quark seems very solid but I wouldn't make it my primary duty light yet. It needs more users and more time in the field first IMO. Will it prove to be a good duty light? I think so.

 

[NonSenCe]

money.. nver enuff. we beg borrow and steal.. (oops, not steal, not that, officer...heheh) oh we do try to prioritize our purchases.. especially us whom cant afford this hobby.

about quarks. they are still so very new lineup so there havent really been that true, long testin period by users.

i do think it takes a year or preferably more to truly test and try out any such item as a flashlight.. by heavy users.. and plenty of them..

until the "normal" one year warranty is done and there is no big angry mob cursing the manufacturer and the mob aka people are still buying them and still promoting them as worthy purchase you start to really get to see the actual merits and accomplishes. the true value is tested only with time.

my take: they do offer good warranty and they do feel worth the money.

i got 1 aa tactical warm tint, one 2cr123 that is legoed from separately sold parts, and quark titanium that i just got friday.

all have worked so far flawlessly, (the aa is most used as its the 1st i got and its my every day carry light) they feel sturdy and have been dropped couple times too. no worries.

but if my life would depend on one. hmm. as leo or military.

hmm. i dunno. maybe.

but i would still be a bit sceptical to carry solely anything made by a "new" company. i would definately carry atleast a backup made by someone which has already been "tested n true & gone thru hell and back". and then after several months of carrying the "new kid" and if it would of worked flawlessly, i would slowly gain solid confidence in it.

but carrying a backup is mandatory in my mind anyways.

like i said. so far i think the quark has been good one.

but i guess you do know the chant of well built flashlights that echoes here in cpf.. surefire, ra, surefire, novatac, surefire, hah. (just use search with "LEO" or something in that line, to see all the threads talking about them lights)

 

[Alberta-Blue]

#1 No money left.

#2 The Quark seems very solid but I wouldn't make it my primary duty light yet. It needs more users and more time in the field first IMO. Will it prove to be a good duty light? I think so.

I sort of had the same thoughts about being a primary duty light quite yet... I was going to give it a go as my back-up for now and keep and more proven standard (TK11 R2 :twothumbs) for my primary, I'm just a hair wary about the durability.

As with any good back-up, It needs to be able to stay in my pocket for days or weeks, with all the bumps, dings, and take downs, and still turn on EVERYTIME if my primary ever fails.

Any real world type, horror, or torture stories about what people have done to these lights would be great...

 

[FlashInThePan]

Sadly, my 1x123 came out of my jacket pocket and hit the road while I was looking up at the stars on night. She wouldn't turn on, and is now back with 4sevens for repair. (We checked the tailcap, the body, etc., and we're pretty sure it's the head. In any case, I'm glad I had my Draco as a backup during the tragic stargazing incident of '09.)

4sevens has always taken great care of me, and they're fixing it now quickly. And I have no doubt that their products will prove reliable over the long run, or that this is an unusual occurrence. (After all, all brands fail to some extent; I've had Surefires fail on me as well). But since you're wondering whether you should rely on them, I just figured I should pipe up with this story.

Hope this helps!

- FITP

P.S Please remember that anecodotes don't mean much; statistics do. Take this personal story of a Quark failure with a grain of salt!

 

[rhotondm]

I dont have any direct experience with quark lights but for the last 2.5 years on late shift I have used a Fenix TK10 and P3D Q5. The TK10 was on my belt and the P3D in my front pocket. These lights have been very solid and never once had an issue. Both have been dropped while on a stop and ran over by car tires, which just added a couple scratches for character.
My point is that a lot of the lights mentioned throughout this forum are very reliable. Yes, I know, there can be the ocasional lemon but you can have that with the best of the best. I now carry a minimum of 3 lights on me at all times while on duty. A Malkoff MD4 Wildcat for great output and flood, a Dereelight DBS for awesome throw, and my trusty P3D.
My point is never trust one light completly. Regardless of what brand you choose, gaining confidence in that light will build over time.

 

[Alberta-Blue]

I dont have any direct experience with quark lights but for the last 2.5 years on late shift I have used a Fenix TK10 and P3D Q5. The TK10 was on my belt and the P3D in my front pocket. These lights have been very solid and never once had an issue. Both have been dropped while on a stop and ran over by car tires, which just added a couple scratches for character.
My point is that a lot of the lights mentioned throughout this forum are very reliable. Yes, I know, there can be the ocasional lemon but you can have that with the best of the best. I now carry a minimum of 3 lights on me at all times while on duty. A Malkoff MD4 Wildcat for great output and flood, a Dereelight DBS for awesome throw, and my trusty P3D.
My point is never trust one light completly. Regardless of what brand you choose, gaining confidence in that light will build over time.

Well said... Currently I carry 3 on me while on duty at all times. My TK11 R2 (18650) , my Novatac 120T (primaries), and my Surefire E1B (primaries).

Thanks a bunch guys.... keep the opinions comin...

 

[sfca]

Why not the Quark Turbo? Or you could wait for the Maelstrom.
I don't know how the UI will be on that one, but that may be built more for your kind of use.

Carrying a backup light, as you do would be the best safety net if you decide to take the plunge with any one of those 2.

 

[Search]

Like Sgt.LED said, it's too new.

People have asked about using the Quark series in LE and overseas before and my answer is the same now as it was then: It's too early.

Yes, the obvious come back is, well wasn't everything new once. My answer to that is yes, but there is another come back. There are other, proven options.

It's not the strength of a tool that matters the most, it's the weaknesses. I would give the Quark series a little more time for people to find the weaknesses. If there are any.

 

[rookiedaddy]

I say give 4Sevens some time to work on the durability side of things... their current offering is about the latest and brightest possible, so far, they have delivered to an extent. I'm hoping one of their coming "Design Philosophy" will cover durability.

Alberta-Blue, your 3 EDC is very well chosen, for me, I'd put an incan somewhere... but that's just me :nana:

 

[OutGunned321]

Anyone who has ever handled a 4Sevens Quark knows that the build quality of these lights is very high.

I'm sure if you had one in your hands right now you would realize that all those specifications about the Quarks on the 4Sevens websight are nothing to be scoffed at. The outstanding build quality of these lights completely validates those specs.

And if you take a good look at those specifications, you will realize that durability is actually a key part of the Quark design philosophy. All those details add up and that philosophy is now reality.

For instance, not even the threads were overlooked when it came to these lights which utilize square threading that really are strong and smooth in operation.

They have reverse polarity protection to prevent frying your flashlight while changing batteries in the dark and/or distracted.

There are YouTube videos from private owners who demonstrate the waterproofing of these lights.

They utilize LEDs. And LEDs are very durable compared to older lighting technology when it comes to withstanding repeated shock, rapid temperature changes, and expected lifetime.

Let's not forget the T-6061 Aircraft-grade Aluminum with Type III Hard Anodizing or the Impact-resistant glass lens with sapphire coating either.

What more could you ask of those ingredients that are actually crafted into a quality product? I consider them right up there on the top shelf with any other light on the market.

I own both the SureFire E1B Backup and the 4Sevens Quark 123 Tactical (w/o clip). I EDC the Quark.

I own the SureFire U2 Digital Ultra, the SureFire G2 LED, and the 4Sevens Quark AA^2 Tactical. The Quark is mounted on my personal defensive AR-15.

I also have another Quark AA^2 Tactical for general purpose. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get rid of the SureFires.

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Edit 3NOV09:

A remark made below by Owen has inspired me to say that I am a person who has a concept of what it means to depend on your equipment. I kicked doors in, conducted traffic stops, had my equipment banged routinely, and had plenty of bullets and shock waves sent in my direction. No, not in some American city, I'm talking Baghdad. There's even a functioning headlamp hanging next to me right now that was run over by a fully loaded and armored Humvee.

Maybe this thread can inspire someone to start doing flashlight "torture-tests" sort of like what I've seen some professional testers do with firearms. Videos on YouTube like this would be great. Maybe we can all ask nutnfancy over there to do some. He gets donations for things like this. http://www.youtube.com/user/nutnfancy

 

[rookiedaddy]

1 x QAA²-W and 1 x Q123²-TW (EDC), hence the desire for better durability. :nana:

 

[LUPARA]

I just bought a Quark AA2 Turbo for my daughter. It's a good size; maintains barrel girth and is NOT put together like a radiator that could snag on stuff. I have a TK11R2. It's a tough little light. I'm a little jealous of the Quark Turbo though!!

 

[Tremendo]

I've got a couple lights (Surefires, Nitecore, Fenix, etc) and the Ti Quark is my 1st 4Sevens light. I was a little skeptical waiting for it and thought I got my hopes too high, but the build quality is awesome. I am not doing law enforcement by any means, but I have already used it for 1+ hour late night runs in dark trails. I used to bring a back up light, just in case, but the Quark exudes confidence and has quickly become my EDC.

 

[Alberta-Blue]

... if you take a good look at those specifications, you will realize that durability is actually a key part of the Quark design philosophy. All those details add up and that philosophy is now reality...

Most flashlights that I have handled are "durable" in the sense that the average EDC user will most likely not have any problems with them throughout the life of the flashlight provided the unit isnt defective. I dont doubt for one second that any 4 sevens light would be any different.

However, my point is that EDC durability and LE/Military durability are an order of magnitude seperated from one another. I need this little fella to be able to survive one hell of a beating, on what could be a weekly or even daily basis, and still be able to fuction and perform to a level where it could save my own or someone elses life if needed.

I can appreciate your fervor in defending the reputation on this light... but just keep in mind the level that it needs to perform at to be acceptable in this line of work...

I say give 4Sevens some time to work on the durability side of things... their current offering is about the latest and brightest possible, so far, they have delivered to an extent. I'm hoping one of their coming "Design Philosophy" will cover durability.

Alberta-Blue, your 3 EDC is very well chosen, for me, I'd put an incan somewhere... but that's just me :nana:

I used to use incans... but there is just something about LED's that I really love. If its any consolation... I still keep my ol' standby original surefire 6P around. Its been retired for a few years now but it has too many stories and too much sentimental value in it in all the scratches, dings, and wear for me to get rid of.

What I would really love is to get into a neutral white LED in the Q5 or R2 bin (if they even exist) for my primary for better color rendering... but I guess ill have to wait for Fenix to make one :sigh: cause I just love and trust that darn TK11 R2 too much to let her leave my duty belt .

Thanks for the opinions guys... I think what I am leaning towards doing is purchasing a Quark tactical 123-2 and SLOWLY easing it in in place of the Surefire E1B on a trial basis to see how it holds up... at least its not an UBER expensive light if it craps out. That way I still have my Novatac 120T on me and the E1B in the bag if the Quark doesnot manage to survive or make the grade. Admittedly, I am pretty picky about my duty gear... so we'll have to wait and see.

Stay Tuned

 

[Cataract]

question #1: I trade flashlights to pay off debts... money is used to buy more flashlights

Question 2: I aggre with the general consensus that Quarks are too recent and need more testing.

the closest for a horror story I have is that my quark's head is a little hard to twist, resulting in the tailcap to be the first one to give and locking-out the light instead of switching modes. In my case it isn't a horror story, but as a LEO, it could be. It should be easily fixed if I can find an o-ring that gives less friction, but I would still wait a while before considering it safe for your field.

I would personally recommend a TK20 (those have been approved by the Calgary police force)

 

[Owen]

I like the Quark Tactical's UI, love the beam, the size, the modularity, etc.
Got the replacement for my Quark Tactical 2AA head in the mail yesterday. The original head(circuit) lasted about two weeks of actual use.
Like other lights of this type, it's a cool toy.
Buy one for a duty light? Hell, no.

It gripes my *** to see a bunch of people who have no concept of what it means to depend on your equipment recommending this kind of stuff to soldiers and LEOs. Some of the lights being mentioned here haven't even been on the market more than a few weeks, and have exactly zero track record.

If you want a duty light for serious use, you need to forget about all these budget lights that are marketed to "flashoholics".
Take a look at the budget brands that get a lot of talk around here, the longevity of the model lines, the time frame that they are released in, and the people they are marketed to.
They're marketed to people who will put them on a shelf, shine them on the wall, play with them now and then, and forget about them by next year when the next newer and brighter thing comes along. They're disposable. That's why they're so cheap.
You said you've been doing some research. Look at what they have in common.
Newest, brightest, cheapest, and quickest to market. That's the criteria, and the competition between them.
It means compromising workmanship. It means lower grade materials. It means cheap, or hastily configured circuits. It means customers acting as the QC department due to lack of testing. It means lower quality anodizing. It means less consistency, and less reliability.
It means anything and everything that someone purchasing a quality tool should not want to see.

There's a reason that "low-tech" brands like Pelican and Streamlight have a dedicated following among professionals, and a reason that Surefire pricing draws a lot of criticism around here. Those lights aren't made for people who want a new toy. They're made for you.

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

Sadly, my 1x123 came out of my jacket pocket and hit the road while I was looking up at the stars on night. She wouldn't turn on, and is now back with 4sevens for repair. (We checked the tailcap, the body, etc., and we're pretty sure it's the head. In any case, I'm glad I had my Draco as a backup during the tragic stargazing incident of '09.)

4sevens has always taken great care of me, and they're fixing it now quickly. And I have no doubt that their products will prove reliable over the long run, or that this is an unusual occurrence. (After all, all brands fail to some extent; I've had Surefires fail on me as well). But since you're wondering whether you should rely on them, I just figured I should pipe up with this story.

Hope this helps!

- FITP

P.S Please remember that anecodotes don't mean much; statistics do. Take this personal story of a Quark failure with a grain of salt!

Drops are a funny thing. I had a first gen Mini Maglite LED that survived countless drops, knocks, and what have you over a two+ year period to the point that I was beginning to think the thing was indestructible. Then one night I went to place it in the belt holster and missed and the light fell about a three foot distance and landed square on the tail cap. The force and angle of impact was enough to crush the electronics in the head.

Not that Maglites compare to the premium brands that are favored around here (I have a soft spot in my heart for them), but my point is that a light ceasing to function after being dropped isn't necessarily indicative of an unreliable product.

 

[ninjaboigt]

i say wait for the maelstorm also..its coming soon if u can wait..It'll be brand new ( just like the quark ) so it hasnt with stood the test of time yet...its suppose to be a floody light with 700 lumens max. designed for close-med range tactical work.

i have the quark 2AA tac neutral tint..there was one instance where i was manually strobing for fun ( at a slow rate ) and i thought it wouldnt turn on in one of the pushes. but this was at 2 am so i was half a asleep so ima dismiss this one.

and two nights ago, i dropped it while it was on high mode it was about 12 inches away from my wooden side bed post ( if thats what its called ) and it hit that and then fell to the carpet, and it endded up on moon mode and i freaked out a bit and tried to switch the modes by turning the head losen and tighten but nothing changed, so i turned it off and back on, and everything was normal...so i was happy...

so far besides those two events i'd say it works well. But i dont count on just one light..so its good u carry 3 flashlights while on duty.

stay safe

 

[Alberta-Blue]

Thanks for the insight guys.... more opinions are always welcome. o keep em comin!!