Need a substitute for a princeton tec blast.

[SoDak]

I need a gift for my dad this Christmas. At first I was going to get him some extra bulbs for his princeton tec blast since he burned all his up. My problem is that I'm having trouble justifying buying a bunch of bulbs over just getting him a better light. That's where CPF comes in. Does anybody know of a light with a similar size, shape, and construction of the blast that would be as bright or brighter? Basically what I want is a blast without the crappy bulbs since my dad really likes the design. Thanks.

 

[SoDak]

I forgot to add that the light needs to have a clip of some sort so it can be clipped to a hat brim.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

2AA side-by-side?... how about Streamlight Sidewinder?

older version
http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=132
review
http://www.light-reviews.com/streamlight_sidewinder/

newer version
http://www.streamlight.com/product/product.aspx?pid=168


i have the older version. beam profile is more of a spot with little spill & some beam artifacts, a sheet of diffusing film will smoothen the beam. there is no difined hotspot. but the newer model does have a very different beam profile.

i do find the multi-level output useful. :thumbsup:

 

[moldyoldy]

I had several of the Blast lights - As I recall they used 2xAAA in a side-by-side arrangement. It was quite bright and low-cost for it's day. About the only way to come close now is a 1xAAA light, of which there are many. The latest version of the Fenix LD01 a reliable option. Or 4Sevens just brought out his Preon line. or the LiteFlux AAA light, or.... Since it is for your Dad, maybe a modern AAA light would be more useful?

 

[LightCannon]

You could consider getting him a Quark 123, with the bezel-up clip. Or the Quark AA, if batteries will be a problem.

 

[SoDak]

I had several of the Blast lights - As I recall they used 2xAAA in a side-by-side arrangement. It was quite bright and low-cost for it's day. About the only way to come close now is a 1xAAA light, of which there are many. The latest version of the Fenix LD01 a reliable option. Or 4Sevens just brought out his Preon line. or the LiteFlux AAA light, or.... Since it is for your Dad, maybe a modern AAA light would be more useful?

The side by side battery arrangement is a lot of the reason my dad liked it, since it was powerful, but easily fit in a shirt pocket.
I'd just get him more bulbs or even a new blast if I didn't think that my dad wouldn't go through a bunch of bulbs.
My brother explained once that this is a problem with blasts since the bulb is overdriven and if you use a certain brand of battery(I think rayovacs) that is too powerful, you'll blow the bulb. I'm guessing that was the case since I was using a princeton tec rage(which doesn't overdrive the bulb) at the same time with the same batteries and I have never changed out a bulb.

 

[balou]

The side by side battery arrangement is a lot of the reason my dad liked it, since it was powerful, but easily fit in a shirt pocket.

You could get him a 1xAA light, and it'll be more powerful than the 2xAA config and longer running if you switch to LEDs.

 

[ninjaboigt]

You could consider getting him a Quark 123, with the bezel-up clip. Or the Quark AA, if batteries will be a problem.

+1...

Pros over the blast: diffrent light levels, better shaped beam with no artifacts. . Glass window instead of plastic. thats all i can think of..

Cons: tho the quark is waterproof. but not dive rated ( i think the blast is dive rated? )

another con is the light tint, he might not be use to cool tints. BUT he can get a neutral tint one =D.

i still love the blast though. very simply to use. and waterproof. good loaner light.