Novatac 120E or Surefire E1L Outdoorsman?

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dcbeane

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
126
I am picking out my own Christmas present. The wife allows this because there is no work involved for her.:grin2:
I like this arangement because I get exactly what I want.
I want a single cell 123 light. I like the run time of the E1L especially the 8.5 hours of 45 lumens!! I did not see the runtime numbers for 120E on the Novatac site?
I am looking for something for EDC. Neither Shurefire nor Novatac offer a holster. I am looking for suggestions there too.
I am more inclinded to like long run time and decent output ...over high output and short runtime.

I guess I really need more info on the runtime of the Novatac in various modes. (just found some info through searching this forum)

Which light is going to be less likely to come on in my pocket?
I assume the Surefire lense is glass? The Novatac is plastic according the website. I would prefer a glass lense to avoid scratches.
If you had to choose one light that would be for EDC but also something that might need to be depended on in a survival situation... which light would it be?
Which is going to be tougher?
Don't forget the holster too.

....back to searching the forum for me.

Thanks!
 
Sounds like a nice arrangement you have worked out there :thumbsup:

Just to throw another 2 options in the mix:

How about the Surefire L1?

1 cr123
10 lumen low (16 hours), 65 lumen high (1.5 hours)
pyrex glass lens
and arguably the best user interface around: slight push low, harder push for high, twist for constant on low, twist more for constant on high - no clicky to worry about failing on you!

or the Surefire E1B:

1 cr123
5 lumen low (37 hours), 80 lumen high (1.3 hours)
pyrex glass lens
AWESOME CLIP - that will keep the light in place
Some would say the 80 lumens on the E1B is comparable to the 120 lumens of the novatac.

I would take either the L1 or E1B over the E1L any day for an EDC. I EDC both on rotation....

I'm sure plenty others will also recommend you take a look at both these lights...
 
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dcbeane said:
I am picking out my own Christmas present. The wife allows this because there is no work involved for her.:grin2:
I like this arangement because I get exactly what I want.
I want a single cell 123 light. I like the run time of the E1L especially the 8.5 hours of 45 lumens!! I did not see the runtime numbers for 120E on the Novatac site?
I am looking for something for EDC. Neither Shurefire nor Novatac offer a holster. I am looking for suggestions there too.
I am more inclinded to like long run time and decent output ...over high output and short runtime.

I guess I really need more info on the runtime of the Novatac in various modes. (just found some info through searching this forum)

Which light is going to be less likely to come on in my pocket?
I assume the Surefire lense is glass? The Novatac is plastic according the website. I would prefer a glass lense to avoid scratches.
If you had to choose one light that would be for EDC but also something that might need to be depended on in a survival situation... which light would it be?
Which is going to be tougher?
Don't forget the holster too.

....back to searching the forum for me.

Thanks!
Click to expand...



Just FYI, the E1L's runtime is more like 4 hours on high, sometimes even Surefire gets a bit carried away. It is still a great little light, though, if you don't need huge output and it's got the throw of a much larger light thanks to the TIR optic and 4 hours is still great runtime for high. Once you get dark adapted a bit you'll find that low mode is pretty useful for alot of jobs as well (at least I find my E1B's low to be really useful) and the runtime for low is over 40 hours.

If you do go with the E1L I'd suggest contacting SF and purchasing an E1B clip. It is a much better design and will fit the E1L.

I don't have much experience with the Novatac but here is some info on both it and the E1B (sorry, no E1L): http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=201117
 
dcbeane said:
I am picking out my own Christmas present. The wife allows this because there is no work involved for her.:grin2:
I like this arangement because I get exactly what I want.
I want a single cell 123 light. I like the run time of the E1L especially the 8.5 hours of 45 lumens!! I did not see the runtime numbers for 120E on the Novatac site?
I am looking for something for EDC. Neither Shurefire nor Novatac offer a holster. I am looking for suggestions there too.
I am more inclinded to like long run time and decent output ...over high output and short runtime.

I guess I really need more info on the runtime of the Novatac in various modes. (just found some info through searching this forum)

Which light is going to be less likely to come on in my pocket?
I assume the Surefire lense is glass? The Novatac is plastic according the website. I would prefer a glass lense to avoid scratches.
If you had to choose one light that would be for EDC but also something that might need to be depended on in a survival situation... which light would it be?
Which is going to be tougher?
Don't forget the holster too.

....back to searching the forum for me.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Good choices. However, the E1L is now $129. You can get the Novatac 120P for $130 at a couple places. I just got mine. Although the lens is optical polycarbonate (not just plastic), users who have had the light for years will report zero issues. A Novatac engineer gave me 30 mins of his time a couple weeks ago before I purchased (great cust svc). He told me of their abusive tests, and I believe any glass, including Surefire's pyrex lenses can and will crack/break. The polycarbonate lense is way more shock proof naturally. Even a few scratches if carried carelessly over time in the pocket with keys, etc. should not alter the already floody beam appreciably. The 120P is programmable and you can set 4 brightness settings of your choice, enabling extraordinary runtimes. I own the E1B and E1L, and both are great lights, especially the E1B. I'm currently infatuated with the 120P though, because of its size and features. Get one while they're discounted due to the impending arrival of the RA clicky (designed by the Novatac engineer who is now with another company). You won't regret it!
 
PseudoFed said:
Good choices. However, the E1L is now $129. You can get the Novatac 120P for $130 at a couple places. I just got mine. Although the lens is optical polycarbonate (not just plastic), users who have had the light for years will report zero issues. A Novatac engineer gave me 30 mins of his time a couple weeks ago before I purchased (great cust svc). He told me of their abusive tests, and I believe any glass, including Surefire's pyrex lenses can and will crack/break. The polycarbonate lense is way more shock proof naturally. Even a few scratches if carried carelessly over time in the pocket with keys, etc. should not alter the already floody beam appreciably. The 120P is programmable and you can set 4 brightness settings of your choice, enabling extraordinary runtimes. I own the E1B and E1L, and both are great lights, especially the E1B. I'm currently infatuated with the 120P though, because of its size and features. Get one while they're discounted due to the impending arrival of the RA clicky (designed by the Novatac engineer who is now with another company). You won't regret it!
Click to expand...



+1 on that, I totally forgot about the SF price increase. Unless you can find your E1L for <$100 (and then you'll probably want to buy the E1B clip), I'd have to go with the Novatac for this one as SF has gone a tad overboard, IMO, on this latest price increase. If you don't want such a complicated light, though(and I wouldn't), they offer a more simplified 120T tactical version.

EDIT: the flat 120P tailcap works fine on the 120T/E models for less chance of accidental activation...............
 
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I'll refine my answer. If you'd like to stick with Surefire (and I wouldn't blame you), the L1 is an outstanding choice, and it is the only EDC surefire I own two of. The E1B has a more useful low in my opinion though, and carries low, bezel down in the pocket. It is in my rotation for carry too! Between the Novatacs and E1_ surefires, you'll find the Novatac's beam much more useable for closeup tasks. The surefires are tight beam throw machines due to their optics, and I find the surefire F04 diffuser an indispensable $13 accessory to create a floody beam-but it's something else to keep up with. Overall if I were buying one light for many uses and wanted good runtime, it would be the 120P. It's programmability is not intimidating. Once you program it, you can forget it! Regarding not coming on accidentally, the 120P has a recessed button versus the 120E/T's protruding one.
 
I just did a search on Ebay and found the E1L and E1B shipped for less than $100. :naughty:
I found the Novatac 120P for $136. shipped.

I'll go the extra $36. if the 120P is a better light..... but the cost of Surefire is not an issue (yet?) I found the Novatac120E for $118. shipped.
I'd definately go for the 120P for 18 extra bucks.

Thanks for all the help by the way! :twothumbs
 
I got a E1L dual output w/ F04 beamshaper... LOVE IT!

As for runtime... 8.5hrs/48hrs is a bit confusing... what they meant is that on high it runs 3-4hrs then it will go lower and lower and lower until it's bright enough to use it to find the door knob. It don't give you 45 lumen for 8.5 hrs.

3-4hrs on high on a single CR123 is pretty darn good...
 
Don't know much about the Novatac series, but I own most of the above mentioned Surefires, and love them all, as I tend to prefer simple lights, two plain modes, foolproof and failproof. The TIR optic on the E1L, E1B and L1 makes all lumen comparisons quite futile. These lights project photons in a very special way that makes them rival much higher-spec'd lights. Besides brightness and runtime trade-offs and balances, the UI must be thrown into the choosing equation:

E1L - clicky, first low, then high
E1B - clicky, first high, then low
L1 - momentary/twisty, low followed by high (press harder or twist further)

These make the lights best suited for specific applications (although all are truly versatile):

E1L - utility and outdoors/survival - longer runtime
E1B - "tactical" (CCW, for instance) - brighter of the bunch
L1 - fastest, simplest, most versatile UI and brightness/runtime balance

Another consideration is size and shape. The E1L and E1B are about the same size. The E1L is more grippy, the E1B is slick and more pocket friendly (also because of the great clip). The L1, being larger, fills the hand better.

Of the three, I'd have a hard time choosing only one

Finnaly, the Surefires are not rated for 3,7 protected rechargeable batteries, and to some this may be important.
 
Here is a holster option for the Novatac. Its the SF100. It also works for HDS lights and Ra Twistys and Ra Clickys too......
http://www.concealco.com/miva/merch...roduct_Code=SF100_SF100A&Category_Code=053SFH

con3.jpg


con1.jpg
 
I still own all of the lights you are considering, 120P, E1L, E1B, L1

I like my 120P most, followed by the E1B, E1L, and then the L1

For my use, I prefer clickies because I often need light in 30-60 second bursts, and holding down the L1 tailcap is a pain in the thumb. Making it stay on by twisting is a two hand operation and takes too much time. The L1's low level isn't low enough to read without disturbing the person next to you (as somebody in the movie theater verbally told me)

I like the E1B more than the E1L because of the color, clip, and just plain pocket friendliness.

But the 120P trumps them all. It's not all that hard to figure out, and having four levels beats two anyday. I use all four levels regularly.

At the prices Surefire is charging now, the Novatac is a better flashlight for the price.


 
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I don't believe that there are many production lights available today that are better than the Novatac. I would select it hands down over most every production light available today w/the exception of the Ra Clicky.

I think that the Surefire is an excellent light and that it would do you just fine, but the Novatac just offers so much more. I also want to add that I believe that the polycarbonate window is a plus not a minus when it comes to durability; it is recessed enough that it won't take too many scratches and the surface can be polished if it does get scratched.

Now that the Novatac's back door has been discovered, buy one of the less expensive E or T models and program it to behave like a P model.

Buy the Novatac and thank me later;)
 
warpdrive said:
I still own all of the lights you are considering, 120P, E1L, E1B, L1

For my use, I prefer clickies because I often need light in 30-60 second bursts, and holding down the L1 tailcap is a pain in the thumb. Making it stay on by twisting is a two hand operation and takes too much time.
Click to expand...

Not to doubt your words, but I'm on my second L1 and after a short break-in period I'm quite able to operate the twisty single-handed: hold the flashlight bezel down with the left hand and use thumb and first finger to rotate tailcap. Works very well for the low, not so well for high, due to the rotation angle needed. YMMV.


Cabbynate: great holster, thanks for the link and pics!
 
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