LE Wow....

[BeeSee]

…that's all I can say after having received my new Arc LE yesterday. I am a new member to CPF, and after reading the comments of the very knowledgeable members here, I just had to get an LE. B.T.W. William from Texas Tactical Supply provides excellent prices and service. Highly recommended.

The LE LED is a bit skew and scratched, and there are tool-marks on the metal body, but hey….who's perfect?

I am amazed at the light that this thing outputs. It is not obvious in clear daylight, but in a dark room indoors it really comes to 'light'. Well done Peter. I think you have designed something very special.

I am still looking for a good household/ car emergency light. LE is too small. What do you guys think is the ideal LED emergency flashlight ? Something not too big, that can be carried comfortably and has a strong beam?

 

[Gransee]

Thanks and welcome to the CPF!

Anyone else want to chime in on some larger flashlight recommendations? I guess I also could put in a plug for the Arc-LS.

You specified:

1. emergency use
So is this for infrequent use then? Or, will it get a lot of use? Your answer would determine what kind of batteries you would use. If it will sit by itself for months on end, use lithium batteries. If it is checked/used more often , alkaline offer more bang for the buck.

2. fits in hand
Hmm. So a 5D cell mag would be too big I gather? How about AA, C size?

3. used/stored around house/car
So enough light for near field use (6-12 feet). Bright enough to illuminate an engine, flat tire, dark room, etc.

4. Strong beam
Well that reduced the field further. You probally want multiple LEDs (at 4-6 regular types or one LS type).

5. LED
Hey, you got the right spot.

So did this help/not help?

Peter Gransee

 

[KenBar]

My opinions have certainly changed over the last 6 months. The ArcLE is without a doubt one of the nicest flashlight I have. I would probably pay 60 bucks for a stainless version. I really like the finish on it.

I could never put this on a key ring to get banged around. I have it on a leather lanyard.

For a car emergency, go for the dirt cheap Wallmart Brookman ( early version ) light with some lithium batteries. Under 20 bucks for the whole thing and good for quite a few years and no big loss if it is lost or stolen.

I still like the Eternalight as an all around light. I am getting ready to head to Europe for a short stay and with all this crap going on I am not going to take it. I am going to take the ArcLE instead. Leave it to some security in some 3rd world country to think the Eternalight is a weapon. I figure the LE is benign enough. Main feature of Eternalight is great battery life.

I probably will spring for 100 buck LS from Arc. I have a feeling it will become a favorite. I mainly want to see how Peter sealed the head LOL

 

[yclo]

Any updates from people who put their LE on their keys?

Scratches, etc?

YC

 

[Gandalf]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by KenBar:

I still like the Eternalight as an all around light. I am getting ready to head to Europe for a short stay and with all this crap going on I am not going to take it. I am going to take the ArcLE instead. Leave it to some security in some 3rd world country to think the Eternalight is a weapon.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I was going to suggest the EternaLight, with lithium batteries, as a good emergency flashlight. It's about as small of an amount of light from an LED flashlight that's really useful out of doors. I love my Arc-LE, but unless your eyes are really dark adapted, it's not bright enough for outdoors use; say walking in unfamiliar territory.

But you are right that some idiot inspector might mistake it for, say, a stun gun. It's not shaped like a flashlight, which for the Eternalight, with 3 AA batteries, is a good thing. The side by side configuration is much more compact than 3 AA's in a row. I think they are a pretty nice light, although I could do without all the pre-programmed 'fucnctions' they have. On, off, momentary on, and the dimmer modes are all I ever use.

 

[GlockDoc]

Got my AAA-LE today

and I must say I am impressed with the little thing. I may have to get the AAA in different colors. Any suggestions?
I've got a blue ASP and an orange Stylus.

Anyone tried the UV with Luminol? How close do you have to be to make it work?

GD

 

[BeeSee]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gransee:
Plug for the Arc-LS.

Peter Gransee<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Peter, I think the LS definitely fits the bill of a great compact long-life emergency lite. Problem....I am so adicted now (got the bug) that I cannot wait until the 2nd run of LS are available !

 

[brightnorm]

Excluding the Eternalight, IMHO the two best and brightest mini-LED lights (I consider the Arc AAA a "sub-mini) are the Princeton Tec Attitude and the Inova 5x. They are around 4.5" long, very light and are brighter than anything else their size. The Inova is, I believe, the very brightest LED light of its size. However, it might seem slightly suspicious-looking to that 3rd World security man. Kogatana posted a picture of it some time ago. At any rate, Here are my two mini-reviews:

INOVA X5

SIZE: 4 5/8" x ¾",
WEIGHT: 3oz (with batteries)
LED'S: 5 (white)
POWER: 2 x 123
CONSTRUCTION: metal (aluminum?)
WATERPROOF? - YES
COLOR: Black or "aluminum"
PRO: Very bright and small
CON: Less peripheral beam spread than some other lights

Easily pocketable, waterproof, sleek and very sturdily built with a futuristic appearance. (See Kogatana – 10/19/01) Available in black or "aluminum" color. Definitely The brightest LED light for its size that I've tried. Gets very warm to the touch, but maintains excellent brightness for 4-5 hours. After 4 hours of steady burning it was still as bright as the Attitude or the LW 2000 with fresh batteries. It can easily be operated with one hand, and is the light I always carry on my belt, in preference to all other
LED's (until the LS comes out). (Note that the beam pattern has somewhat less peripheral spread than some other lights)


PRINCETON TEC ATTITUDE

SIZE: 4 ¾" x 1" (Bezel and body width) x ½" (Body "thickness&#8221

WEIGHT: 2.5oz (with batteries)
LEDS: 3 (white)
POWER: 4 x AAA
CONSTRUCTION: Plastic
WATERPROOF? - YES
COLOR: Translucent black, etc.
PRO: Bright and small
CON: Light spill-back through translucent head


The attitude is probably the best and brightest small all round everyday carry alkaline-driven light. I would be wearing it on my belt right now if there were no Inova 5X. It's at least as bright as the LW 2000 (though it won't burn bright as long) and it is very light. There is one design flaw: The translucent body permits annoying light spill-back where the body flares to meet the bezel. This can be cured by wrapping it with black plastic tape. Princeton Tec really needs to attend to this issue. Despite this, the attitude is an excellent light.

A note about the Eternalight: The dimming modes are great, but it is seriously out- gunned by the Inova and the Attitude, and it's very prone to inadvertant "turn-ons".

(BTW The Princeton Tec RAGE has the same body/bezel as the Attitude, but is opaque black, so I use it with the LED assembly)

Hope this is helpful.

Best regards,
Brightnorm

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Oh man. All these people with Arc LE's!
I still haven't got mine. I nearly cry every afternoon I come home and it hasn't arrived!
Yclo. How many days did it take to get to you?
I'm going on 8 days now.

 

[yclo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by melmso:
Yclo. How many days did it take to get to you?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

About 2 weeks... definitely worth waiting for though!

YC

 

[Frank]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Any updates from people who put their LE on their keys?
Scratches, etc? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Mine is scratching the $^%& out of my SAK. I tried to put some heat shrink tubing on it but I didn't like the look of it so I took it off. I've got plenty of SAKs so I'll just live with it.

BTW, I ordered mine from Bright Guy on a Saturday and it was delivered by Wednesday.

Frank

 

[yclo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Frank:
Mine is scratching the $^%& out of my SAK. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Looks like you'll have to find a type III HA SAK then.

YC

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

It's doing the same to my SAK. I don't even keep my Black E2 in the same pocket with my LE. My LE is even grinding away at the housing for my car key.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

What's this sak thing the LE keeps scratching up?
Tried looking it up on google, but got mostly japanese pages and misspellings of "sack".

Is it a flashlight?

 

[mikep]

SAK = Swiss Army Knife

Either that- or these guys have holes in their pockets so it's something else getting scratched

 

[sunspot]

siren and klaxton
single access key
shoot and kill
screwdriver and knife
stainless alloy kettle
sharp a@$ knife...
serious a&# kisser

place your vote

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

try http://www.acronymfinder.com
--you have to keep swatting the ads, but it's so fun -- choose 'acronyms starting with' for the search engine;
SAK Single Above Knee (amputation)
(I do get so tired of spelling this out every dern time!

SAK Spark Arrester Kit
SAK Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjarjesto (Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions)
(who could forget??)
SAK Swiss Army Knife
SAKDC Seeley Automatic Key Distribution Center
SAKI Self-Organizing Automatic Keyboard Instructor
(every home should have one)

 

[Darell]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by LIGHT:
IMHO= In my honest opinion (I think)
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

In my HUMBLE opinion, actually.

 

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I personally think that mikep hit the nail on the head there...how do I know???

GUESS WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY...DO DA, DO DA!

That's right. I am finally an Arc wielder!

...and these little LE's certainly feel like they have extremely high erosive (wrong word) powers!

You would want to watch out if you were carrying the little fella in your pocket that it doesn't wear it's way to your other little falla and cause some real damage!

By the way, yclo- 8 days! I am glad. I would have been a nernybopper all weekend waiting for it.

 

[yclo]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by melmso:
By the way, yclo- 8 days! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hey, no fair!