My first serious led light?

[ReconTech]

I'm looking to get a good led light...let me first say that I was fairly unimpressed with the Brinkmann Rebel, but I wasn't expecting too much more from it.

Here are the models I'm looking at:

CMG Reactor
CMG Infinity Ultra
Princton Tec Attitude
Princton Tec Impact

Being that my EDC is a scorpion, with an Ultrastinger at arms reach, which will I be happy with? I want a very useable beam, long runtime, and good contstruction / durability.

From what I've read, the CMG Reactor seams to be the best choice..If so, are there any stores that I can see this light at? I don't remember galyeons carrying it. And what is a good price for the light, I have heard it can be acquired for around $22 or so...

Anyone have beamshots of any of these lights side by side? I've read the lightsite and sean's site...thanks

 

[socalrunner]

If you are leaning towards the reactor, you must look at the new reactor 3.. It is a 3aa version of the reactor, and has a little more output but still boasts a long runtime. Here is the link

http://www.shomertec.com/item.cfm?Action=Index&variable=1021

 

[Icebreak]

IMO the best one's are what the CPF modification gurus build. Getting one requires watching that board for a new run.

Some folks are saying they like their Streamlight 7 LEDs.

Recently Inretech's drop in modual for 2AA Mags and Brinks seems to be getting some good responses. They are a startup company taking great efforts to please their CPF member customer base. I don't speak for them. I'll bet they respond to your post though.

I kinda wish there was a forum called "BeamShotsOnly". It's hard to remember where they all are. Hopefully someone will chime in and send you to the right place.

Of course, I did not mention one light you are looking at. Happy hunting.

 

[Icebreak]

Yep, what socalrunner said.

 

[Rooster]

I'm not a fan of the Reactor, my experience with two samples left me disappointed with the output in both intensity and color (greenish). Construction was not anything to get excited about either. The switch is funky! Having said that, I love my Infinity Ultra. We're talking about lower output than any of the other lights you have listed, but it is very useable light. You'll find the Ultra has plenty of output for navigating a dark trail, or lighting a dark room. It is a great flashlight. Both the Princeton Tec lights you mention are also good units, but have some compromises I'm not O.K. with. The Attitude has a lot of rear-ward light spill, which is distracting to my dark adapted eyes, the Impact is the focused model that throws a collimated beam not terribly useful as a task light or general purpose walking around light.

 

[ReconTech]

Or maybe even there is a light I'm failing to see For some reason none of the LED lights I look at have what I like in looks. I like the way scorpions look, and surefires...but surefire leds (kl1, kl2, kl3) are way too expensive...

 

[this_is_nascar]

Just purchase a KL-1 and attach it to your Scorpion body.

 

[freeze12]

Order a light from "ElektroLumens" www.elektrolumens.com on His Web-Site as He make's some seriously good & bright light's!!! I just ordered a 3 Luxeon Star light to blind the Neighbor's with! :0)

 

[Icebreak]

There you go! From a CPF Modification Guru and it is available now. If I didn't already have an LGI, two BadBoy 500s and a MadMax on the way I would immediately get at least one of these.

 

[ReconTech]

How much are a KL1? And how well do they fit on a scorpion, any beamshots? Pictures of the actual light?

Whats the difference between KL1, KL2, and KL3?

 

[Roy]

 

[flash....]

Anyone know where can I find specs on the new reactor 3?
Is it direct drive?
what are the improvements from the previous models??
seems like a good light for the $$$
Thanx..

 

[FNG]

I have a Princeton Tec Attitude and like it a lot. I recently got a Inova X5-T and thats my new favorite LED light. How many hours would you say is very long runtime?

 

[Icebreak]

Roy-

Please don't take offense but that's just ugly, man. $85.00 dollars for the rig plus expensive 123s. What about a black KL1 on your G2Z? I don't know if that works but it would be visually pleasing.

I think socalrunner may have sent ReconTech in the right direction. Trying to navigate the "KLx will adapt to" path is daunting. Before I'd suggest that road I would stand by my suggestion of Elektro Lumens "Star Lux" fitting the bill for a "first serious LED flashlight". Maybe ReconTech just needs an easy click and buy Reactor III.

Again, please don't take offense. I read all your posts carefully and study all your graphs. But c'mon, smile with me one time

, don't you think that is one ugly critter?

 

[Saaby]

I know I know you're going to say "It's not bright enough Saaby! It's not a Luxeon!" but your first serious LED light should be either the Infinity Ultra, or (My personal, and many others' personal favorite) an Arc AAA

Start small...then go for a Luxeon!

 

[socalrunner]

Granted the 123 style of lights put out some great light, but the batteries can be cost prohibitive if you want something to use all the time. The Reactor is a fine light and I imagine the Reactor3 will be a little better and for the money a good buy and the fact that you can use alkalines is great too. I have a Lambda Illum and it is great, but they are hard to get. I have a Madmax on order and can't wait to see how the output compares to the Lambda.

 

[Icebreak]

Saaby-

It is because of your enlightening suggestions that I have returned a Nightbuster 8X (Don't buy one. Known problem with tailcap breaking easily) to GlowBug http://www.glow-bug.com/ .

Allen Lloyd is sending me an ARC AAA white and an ARC AAA turquoise to replace it. When I receive them this week I will feel better about everything. Thanks Saaby.

 

[Sean]

Originally posted by ReconTech:
How much are a KL1? And how well do they fit on a scorpion, any beamshots? Pictures of the actual light?

Whats the difference between KL1, KL2, and KL3?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">The KL1 cost about $44.99 shipped from Tactical Warehouse.

The KL1 fits the E series Surefires and uses 1 Luxeon star LED and is very bright. The output is regulated so brightness will remain 100% constant for over 4 hours before dropping to lower light levels.

The KL3 is the same as the KL1 except it looks different and is designed to fit all 2-3 cell Surefires except the E series and the M3.

The KL2 fits the M3 and uses 19 5mm nichia LEDs.

The Reactor works good on lithiums, but not very good on Alkalines. So if you don't mind buying lithiums then it's a good light.

The CMG Infinity Ultra is good too but it's dim compared to the other lights you mention since it's a single nichia LED. This makes a great pocket light for short range. The brightness is about the same as the Arc AAA but the Arc is smaller. The Arc AAA uses a single AAA battery and has a shorter runtime than the CMG.

I would say for the money and long runtime, the Brinkmann Rebel is a good light.

 

[Brody]

I just got my new inretech adapter built into a purple maglite and I really like this light!

Makes me wish I had it when the power went out where I worked for about 40 minutes this afternoon! Oh well... I had my Infinity Ultra on my keychain, and my Radio Shack 2AA fluorescent in my coat pocket, so I was doing much better off than the other people in my store with their cheap flashlights.
I decided to see how much lithiums improved the brightness of the inretech, and WOW! It throws a very nice light! My light was very white, with just a slight tinge of green around the edges... not at all a problem.. the only reason I noticed the green at all was I was comparing beamshots against my Lightwave 3000 and the lightwave has more of a blue tint to the beam. (The inretech was marginally brighter than the lightwave when using alkalines... with lithiums, it was definately brighter)

 

[Roy]

Icebreak,

It's not that I bought the Scorpion and the KL-1 to make a flashlight....you're right, cost way too much! I already had the Scorpion and an E1. I bought the KL-1 to put on the E1. The E1/KL-1 makes a nice, small EDC but not as small as an ARC LS/123. That the KL-1 fit on the Scorpion was a serendipitous discovery. Ugly, but cheaper than a E2/KL-1!