BigBluefish
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1,461
Well, having a new job, I thought I'd get myself a new light. I have a few 1 x AA and 2 x AA lights (L1T v2, RC-N3, L2P v2.0, etc.) and wanted something a little different. I generally carry one of 1 x AAs around with me, and the 2 x AAs live in the house, and in the car glovebox.
I was thining I'd like to get something that had a bit more output, and more throw, taking a single CR123, but was still small enough to EDC, and could do for a 'tactical' light, in a pinch. I'm not an LEO, and am unlikely to need such capacity, but it's not outside the realm of possibility, either at home, or when I'm out-and-about, given time of day, character of neighborhood, nature of work, etc. The new light's 'tactical' role might be limited to the bedside, which would enable me to justify TWO new lights...but that's another issue. I want some versatility in the light, since it will, in all likelihood, never be used to illuminate an assailant, but rather to perform far more mundane tasks, so two or three levels is a requirement (though I see the benefit of a single-level light for 'purely' tactical use: it would be most unfortunate to be in need of 100 lumens and get only 15 lumens when you press that clicky.)
I'm intrigued by the Luma D-Mini Q5. I want to stick with 1 cell CR123a lights, since I'm not yet comfortable with a 2 x CR123a format, having heard one to many
stories about flashlight grenades. I've also been looking hard at the Surefire E1B and E1L.
I realize these lights are not really in the same class, so it's a kind of apples to oranges to kiwis comparison:
D-Mini: large for a 1 cell light, with a wide bezel. Designed for throw, it's not really a pocket light, but small enough to ride in a jacket pocked, which means good around here for October through April. And a slightly larger light is easier, for me at least, to manipulate than a small one. I think I'd just be dropping and LOD, for example. Three levels, forward clicky, NO STROBE/SOS
, and, apparently, crazy bright, even on a primary cell. I think the size is the only thing that isn't ideal about this light. And it looks cool.
E1B: Well, it's a Surefire. That out of the way, two levels, high first (there's the 'tactical') bright high, low-low. Decent runtime on high, good runtime on low. Small. If 'tactical' were my only concern, I guess I'd probably get this one. But, honestly, it isn't. So, like the D-Mini, the simple fact that I like it is a big factor here. The one drawback: is this going to be, in practical use, any different than my Fenix L1T v2.0? Note, I didn't ask about quality, and I know the UI is different, but just practically...is the output and runtime of these lights really much different? How abou the different beam profle, the Fenix uses a reflector, the Surefire, an optic.
E1L: again, a Surefire. If you drop the 'tactical' from the equation, this seems to be a terribly practical light. 45 lumens from a Surefire, is, I'd guess from what I've read, about equal to 70 or 80 lumens measured at the emitter by other manufacturers who rate their lights on that measurement. Better runtimes on high and low than the E1B. I think this would be the perfect camping/ hiking/hunting light, but, honestly, that takes up about 10 -12 days of each year. I'd be real happy those 10 days with my light, and I guess it would make a pretty good EDC, too. But, does it have more throw than my L1T v2, and will I find the 'high' output disappointing in comparison? I like my Fenix for an EDC at the moment, and I'm not sure the E1L will make me swoon.
So, there it is. I want a light. I want one of these. And, for the life of me, I can't decide. Price difference isn't an issue.
Fire away. Which one, and why?
I was thining I'd like to get something that had a bit more output, and more throw, taking a single CR123, but was still small enough to EDC, and could do for a 'tactical' light, in a pinch. I'm not an LEO, and am unlikely to need such capacity, but it's not outside the realm of possibility, either at home, or when I'm out-and-about, given time of day, character of neighborhood, nature of work, etc. The new light's 'tactical' role might be limited to the bedside, which would enable me to justify TWO new lights...but that's another issue. I want some versatility in the light, since it will, in all likelihood, never be used to illuminate an assailant, but rather to perform far more mundane tasks, so two or three levels is a requirement (though I see the benefit of a single-level light for 'purely' tactical use: it would be most unfortunate to be in need of 100 lumens and get only 15 lumens when you press that clicky.)
I'm intrigued by the Luma D-Mini Q5. I want to stick with 1 cell CR123a lights, since I'm not yet comfortable with a 2 x CR123a format, having heard one to many
stories about flashlight grenades. I've also been looking hard at the Surefire E1B and E1L. I realize these lights are not really in the same class, so it's a kind of apples to oranges to kiwis comparison:
D-Mini: large for a 1 cell light, with a wide bezel. Designed for throw, it's not really a pocket light, but small enough to ride in a jacket pocked, which means good around here for October through April. And a slightly larger light is easier, for me at least, to manipulate than a small one. I think I'd just be dropping and LOD, for example. Three levels, forward clicky, NO STROBE/SOS
, and, apparently, crazy bright, even on a primary cell. I think the size is the only thing that isn't ideal about this light. And it looks cool. E1B: Well, it's a Surefire. That out of the way, two levels, high first (there's the 'tactical') bright high, low-low. Decent runtime on high, good runtime on low. Small. If 'tactical' were my only concern, I guess I'd probably get this one. But, honestly, it isn't. So, like the D-Mini, the simple fact that I like it is a big factor here. The one drawback: is this going to be, in practical use, any different than my Fenix L1T v2.0? Note, I didn't ask about quality, and I know the UI is different, but just practically...is the output and runtime of these lights really much different? How abou the different beam profle, the Fenix uses a reflector, the Surefire, an optic.
E1L: again, a Surefire. If you drop the 'tactical' from the equation, this seems to be a terribly practical light. 45 lumens from a Surefire, is, I'd guess from what I've read, about equal to 70 or 80 lumens measured at the emitter by other manufacturers who rate their lights on that measurement. Better runtimes on high and low than the E1B. I think this would be the perfect camping/ hiking/hunting light, but, honestly, that takes up about 10 -12 days of each year. I'd be real happy those 10 days with my light, and I guess it would make a pretty good EDC, too. But, does it have more throw than my L1T v2, and will I find the 'high' output disappointing in comparison? I like my Fenix for an EDC at the moment, and I'm not sure the E1L will make me swoon.
So, there it is. I want a light. I want one of these. And, for the life of me, I can't decide. Price difference isn't an issue.
Fire away. Which one, and why?
