*NEW* Surefire Titan-A (1*AAA, 15/125 lumen)

[880arm]

Good point about the wording. It's not progressive, it's a conventional "twisty" where you cycle through the modes. They both start on low and then can be cycled to high although one of the demo lights last night was set up the opposite of that.

I don't use a lot of twisties and I'm not sure which way I would prefer. Generally I'm a high mode first kind of guy but considering this is basically a keychain light, low first is probably better.

The other thing I have wondered about is whether a medium mode would be beneficial. What do you guys think?

 

[RobertM]

Any word on whether or not they have glass lenses?

 

[BigHonu]

Any word on availability?

 

[robert.t]

It's not progressive, it's a conventional "twisty" where you cycle through the modes.

I'll for the full reviews but my interest in this has fallen off a cliff.

 

[Gadgetman7]

I wish it was a progressive too - actually I'd rather have the original Titan interface. Having said that, it seems competitive with other high end lights. Especially the Titan Plus. I would like to see real specs though.

 

[robert.t]

I wish it was a progressive too - actually I'd rather have the original Titan interface. Having said that, it seems competitive with other high end lights. Especially the Titan Plus. I would like to see real specs though.

I'm less interested in the plus anyway. 300 lumens from AAA is impressive, but in a AAA light, lower output with longer runtime is more practical. I've got a couple of 10180 lights in case I need a short burst of intense light, but because of the inverse square law, more lumens don't equate to proportionately greater usefulness, i.e., illuminating something significantly further away than you could anyway. I find I don't actually use those 10180 lights much and plan to go back to a single AAA light on my keyring soon.

I also find the nickel plated brass very off-putting. IIRC, unlike pure copper, brass has terrible thermal properties making it a worse choice than aluminium (although I don't believe SF would have made that mistake so I could be off the mark). The nickel plating looks cheap and will most likely wear off easily, though this may depend on the actual deposition method used.

I suspect that the "plus" is really the main consumer-targeted edition whose main aim is to turn a profit through cost reduction. Plus makes it sound "better" from a marketing perspective, it's shiny, and it's chasing the ever-higher lumen counts (in fact it will probably be able to rightfully claim the highest output available in this class). OTOH, the standard model seems like the better designed and more practical light, from what I've read so far. Certainly nobody in the military will be ordering any polished nickel plated lights, so it's not aimed at that market.

 

[Aperture]

In the GoingGear Shotshow video it looks like the Titan is Low/Off/High where the Titan Plus is High/Off/Low.

In the vid SureFire also confirmed that the provided AAA will be a SureFire relabeled Eneloop, not mentioned but I expect the Pro 950mAh version.

 

[Str8stroke]

Anyone else beginning to not like 880arm, because of insane jeliousy?? :duck: Like my, now 11 year old, used to always say, "how come they get all the fun toys daddy" I am beginning to know the feeling! lol

Seriously, 880, thanks for the link to the Show and all the info you provide. I really like the "look" of some other manufactures future offerings too. Time will tell.

On the Titan run time, I am ok with the step down from 300. That actually is so impressive on a AAA. I can handle the short run times. Chances are I will have plenty of spare AAA to grab, and 4 other lights on my person anyways. lol

On the Titan finish, Robert.t, feels that the nickel will perhaps wear more easily? I ask, easier than what? I think they did well with this move. If you are like me and gift alot of lights, this is one that women will find "attractive". I would guess that it can hold its finish equal to HAIII??? I also think that John Q Public would think that a real Titanium lights finish wears too easily? But I am only guessing. So, time will also tell.

But, I agree with Robert.t & Gadgetman7 100%, I would like to have seen a UI like the original Titan. I guess I was spoiled. But, to me, some of the new features kinda make up for it. The Price is Right too! "no green tint pleaseeeeeee"

Now, off to read and view 880arms stuff and drool.

 

[leon2245]

In the GoingGear Shotshow video it looks like the Titan is Low/Off/High where the Titan Plus is High/Off/Low.

That might have been the prototype model 880 was talking about only being set up that way, with both production models to be low first. Too bad about the ui. Idk what we were expecting though, because no way was another tighten-for-off infinitely variable happening at this price. Progressive twist two mode would have been better than repeated twisting cycle. Probably too much to hope for an eventual single mode, being a keychain light, even from sf.

I'm curious to see what it looks like under the break away attachment- could be the perfect opportunity to simultaneously have that huge eye for easier attachment/swivel & still be tailstandable if there's a flat cap underneath that removable cap. Usually two competing features.

 

[newbie66]

The interface for the Titan is similar to my Inova XS except that for the Inova one needs to twist the tail cap. Although I actually prefer a side switch instead. Easier.

 

[nbp]

If it's electroless nickel plating like Jason uses on his Prometheus lights and pens, it's actually quite tough. It seems to hold up as well as HA if applied correctly.

 

[Kestrel]

[...]I don't use a lot of twisties and I'm not sure which way I would prefer. Generally I'm a high mode first kind of guy but considering this is basically a keychain light, low first is probably better.

The other thing I have wondered about is whether a medium mode would be beneficial. What do you guys think?

It's funny, I recall the spirited conversations about whether the popular Fenix LD01 should be high-first or low-first.

My two lumens, I've always found the 'medium' output of little use, so the fact that the Fenix started on medium was the only bad thing about that implementation - I always had to do at least one mode change after turning on the light.

At first glance I'm happy to hear of no 'medium' mode on this SF, except that IMO the low mode is actually a 'medium' output level and doesn't have a true 'low'. :shrug:

 

[Derek Dean]

Ha, yes, that is funny, Kestrel, and just goes to show that no one light can please everybody, because the thing I LOVE about my SS LD01 is that it turns on in Medium, which is my most used mode for that light.

It's also the thing that would dissuade me from the Plus version of this light, not having a medium level. It would be fun having the 300 lumen level, but if it was at the expense of having a more useful medium level, then that would be hard for me to live without.

Leon2245, I think if you watch the video, you'll see that unfortunately, underneath the detachable keyring is another keyring attachment (permanently attached to the light), meaning no tail standing. Oh well.

 

[leon2245]

Ha, yes, that is funny, Kestrel, and just goes to show that no one light can please everybody, because the thing I LOVE about my SS LD01 is that it turns on in Medium, which is my most used mode for that light.

It's also the thing that would dissuade me from the Plus version of this light, not having a medium level. It would be fun having the 300 lumen level, but if it was at the expense of having a more useful medium level, then that would be hard for me to live without.

Leon2245, I think if you watch the video, you'll see that unfortunately, underneath the detachable keyring is another keyring attachment (permanently attached to the light), meaning no tail standing. Oh well.

lol nooo!

 

[leon2245]

Yep-

Well, I guess if you suddenly needed it on a different set of keys, it would speed up the first half of that process. And make use of the nested eye.

 

[busseguy]

Does anyone know if it would have at least the same amount of throw as the new fenix E05 85 lumen keychain light?

 

[880arm]

. . . IIRC, unlike pure copper, brass has terrible thermal properties making it a worse choice than aluminium (although I don't believe SF would have made that mistake so I could be off the mark). The nickel plating looks cheap and will most likely wear off easily, though this may depend on the actual deposition method used.

I suspect that the "plus" is really the main consumer-targeted edition whose main aim is to turn a profit through cost reduction.

For what it's worth, the other night they said the brass construction is part of what makes the 300 lumen output possible.

I think the 125 lumen version is the primary "consumer-targeted" version but both are squarely targeted that way. No doubt that these are smaller margin items, in fact, I would consider them to be "gateway" lights to pull people into the Surefire brand.

In the GoingGear Shotshow video it looks like the Titan is Low/Off/High where the Titan Plus is High/Off/Low.

In the vid SureFire also confirmed that the provided AAA will be a SureFire relabeled Eneloop, not mentioned but I expect the Pro 950mAh version.

There are at least four variations floating around the booth - Low/High, High/Low, High Only, and a 3-mode version. The word is still that the Plus will be Low/High when released. High first wouldn't make a lot of sense for a keychain light . . . unless they wanted to market it as a "tacti-cool" version

. . . I'm curious to see what it looks like under the break away attachment . . .

Yep, like you found out, there is another lug on the actual body of the light.

Does anyone know if it would have at least the same amount of throw as the new fenix E05 85 lumen keychain light?

Right now the Titan-A is listed at 450 candela and the Titan Plus at 1100. From what I can tell the 85 lumen E05 is rated at 505 candela.

 

[ForrestChump]

@ Robert - " AR Coated acrylic " - Beam is NICE, flood. The compact size of the bezel looked prohibitive to use glass. It did seem to have fair durability.

@ Big Honu - " February "

@ 880 ( Forrest clears throat. ) The single output was actually 2 stage......

This could be pure delusional exhaustion ( THAT PLACE IS HUGE ) but Im pretty sure when I was playing with it, it was two stage. Then the battery died and we swapped it out. The rep said that particular one was having problems. After I was done playing with it, it was fixed. Single output only.... oops? Dirty contact? I offered to take it home to test drive but the rep declined, sorry guys no review.....

That said when these hit the market I will be grabbing them as backups ( The aluminum for the lighter weight. ) By the time they hit Im sure they will be perfected. I definitely see these as a must have in the AAA category @ the $60 MSRP. Very nice.

 

[880arm]

. . . The single output was actually 2 stage......

This could be pure delusional exhaustion ( THAT PLACE IS HUGE ) but Im pretty sure when I was playing with it, it was two stage. Then the battery died and we swapped it out. The rep said that particular one was having problems. After I was done playing with it, it was fixed. Single output only.... oops? Dirty contact? I offered to take it home to test drive but the rep declined, sorry guys no review.....

Hmmmm. I guess if the release is delayed we will know who to blame!!!

 

[RobertM]

@ Robert - " AR Coated acrylic " - Beam is NICE, flood. The compact size of the bezel looked prohibitive to use glass. It did seem to have fair durability.

It being plastic is quite disappointing.

Thank you for letting us know, though. :twothumbs