Ordered an A2..

[Sailboat]

Little bit nervous about throwing down this much for a light at once. :candle:

I love my incan beams so very much, but blasting out even 65 lumens is just overkill for reading a magazine in bed, at least that's what the boss told me. ("Put that arc welder away") I really didn't want to shell out for another high quality LED light, nor did I want to buy a low quality one. I hate the blue my Quark shoots out, even if I have my choice of 200 or .2 lumens. I know I like the Quark warm white, but I thought I would be better served getting another Surefire, since I am now brand myopic. I got the A2 with Y/G LEDs...Hopefully that's a nice reading color.

It was pretty easy to justify buying the A2, because "I need it to read charts and the compass on my boat." (Total lie since I have a GPS and a backup GPS and rarely sail as the only boat at night, and I don't carry charts and my compass has tritium) But I still need it.

 

[mossyoak]

Little bit nervous about throwing down this much for a light at once. :candle:

I love my incan beams so very much, but blasting out even 65 lumens is just overkill for reading a magazine in bed, at least that's what the boss told me. ("Put that arc welder away") I really didn't want to shell out for another high quality LED light, nor did I want to buy a low quality one. I hate the blue my Quark shoots out, even if I have my choice of 200 or .2 lumens. I know I like the Quark warm white, but I thought I would be better served getting another Surefire, since I am now brand myopic. I got the A2 with Y/G LEDs...Hopefully that's a nice reading color.

It was pretty easy to justify buying the A2, because "I need it to read charts and the compass on my boat." (Total lie since I have a GPS and a backup GPS and rarely sail as the only boat at night, and I don't carry charts and my compass has tritium) But I still need it.

hope you like it, but a HDS 100 CRI would have suited your needs better i think

 

[calipsoii]

You'll be very happy with it when it arrives. Got my A2 a few months ago off the Marketplace and while it took me a few weeks to warm up to it, I'd say it's now one of my favorite lights and definitely the most unique one. When you first hold it, it just *feels* right in your hand - they nailed the proportions perfectly.

Strion kit arrived in the mail yesterday, so now I can buy $8 bulbs locally instead of $25 bulbs from a store in a city 4 hours away. Currently waiting on Koala to finish my Onion ring and then I'll have that coming too, in 7 different colors. Probably just going to put warm white LED's in, but it's nice to have options like UV to cure my Norland.

My advice would be to get an SC3 and pop 4 batteries in it along with a spare MA02 bulb. I've noticed this little light is HUNGRY when you use the incan and it goes through batteries faster than any other light I own. The Strion kit just increases that too, so keep some primaries kicking around if you take it on a hike with you or something.

Now go! Shoo! To the Strion/Onion threads with you!

 

[Sailboat]

hope you like it, but a HDS 100 CRI would have suited your needs better i think

I was seriously considering one, but I think I like the choice between the Incan throw or the super floody LED.

This purchase was also based quite a bit more on just wanting an A2 than practicality.

 

[Sailboat]

You'll be very happy with it when it arrives. Got my A2 a few months ago off the Marketplace and while it took me a few weeks to warm up to it, I'd say it's now one of my favorite lights and definitely the most unique one. When you first hold it, it just *feels* right in your hand - they nailed the proportions perfectly.

Strion kit arrived in the mail yesterday, so now I can buy $8 bulbs locally instead of $25 bulbs from a store in a city 4 hours away. Currently waiting on Koala to finish my Onion ring and then I'll have that coming too, in 7 different colors. Probably just going to put warm white LED's in, but it's nice to have options like UV to cure my Norland.

My advice would be to get an SC3 and pop 4 batteries in it along with a spare MA02 bulb. I've noticed this little light is HUNGRY when you use the incan and it goes through batteries faster than any other light I own. The Strion kit just increases that too, so keep some primaries kicking around if you take it on a hike with you or something.

Now go! Shoo! To the Strion/Onion threads with you!

Oh man, and I thought P60 mods would kill me..

 

[mossyoak]

I was seriously considering one, but I think I like the choice between the Incan throw or the super floody LED.

This purchase was also based quite a bit more on just wanting an A2 than practicality.

I have an A2, in white that i like alot, and cali is right it feels perfect in your hands.

 

[Sailboat]

I have an A2, in white that i like alot, and cali is right it feels perfect in your hands.

And it's an ounce lighter than my 6P!

I distinctly remember seeing an ad for the A2 about 7 years ago in a friend's Flying Magazine. This was long before I cared about flashlights, but I remember thinking the idea was cool.

 

[Illum]

Since existing threads appear to indicate that the A2 is capable of being used with 2xRCR123A, if reading is what you plan on using it for it might be beneficial to find someone who could bore it out for you

the Ergonomics of the A2 design [especially the square body design of the earlier generation] have consistently been a favorite of hand held designs...this was, of course, 2006 when the A2's fame peaked on the forum.
Some may say its too dim and certainly it may be, but it is with great difficulty [if at all] to find a commercial product with a regulated incandescent feature in today's flashlight varieties.

Unfortunately, I've moved on to warm white LEDs and have since sold or gave away my A2s [to well known, responsible cpfers]. Now that I think of it, maybe I should have kept one.

 

[jellydonut]

AW IMR 16340s fit swimmingly in the A2 without any kind of boring - don't even need to remove the label. The only problem with rechargeables aside from the usual caveats is that the standard LED ring is direct drive and so is overdriven by 2x4.2V batteries. This is why I am anxiously awaiting the second run of koala's onion rings.

I'm a brand new convert to this relatively old light, I've got a 3000k warm LED which is actually more yellow than this light. It's still not an incandescent beam, things don't look right under it, just more yellow than other LEDs. YMMV I guess.:candle:

 

[KevinL]

Since existing threads appear to indicate that the A2 is capable of being used with 2xRCR123A, if reading is what you plan on using it for it might be beneficial to find someone who could bore it out for you

the Ergonomics of the A2 design [especially the square body design of the earlier generation] have consistently been a favorite of hand held designs...this was, of course, 2006 when the A2's fame peaked on the forum.
Some may say its too dim and certainly it may be, but it is with great difficulty [if at all] to find a commercial product with a regulated incandescent feature in today's flashlight varieties.

Unfortunately, I've moved on to warm white LEDs and have since sold or gave away my A2s [to well known, responsible cpfers]. Now that I think of it, maybe I should have kept one.

The Black A2 Cult

Guilty as charged......

 

[calipsoii]

The only problem with rechargeables aside from the usual caveats is that the standard LED ring is direct drive and so is overdriven by 2x4.2V batteries.

Yep, fivemega says the same thing in his Strion sales thread. Overdriven LED's slowly change color to blue, so be careful with the RCR's unless you have an Onion Ring, which (I believe) regulates the voltage to the LED's via a trimpot and prevents that.

 

[RobertM]

I was seriously considering one, but I think I like the choice between the Incan throw or the super floody LED.

This purchase was also based quite a bit more on just wanting an A2 than practicality.

Sometimes wanting one is all the reason you need.

I've owned all of the A2 colors except blue, but now only have white and yellow-green after selling the others. The YG produces a nice low level of light for when you need to read/see something but don't want to destroy your night-adapted vision.

I must admit, I do use my HDS EDC High CRI more that either of my two A2's combined, but it is largely due to the size difference and pocketability. Make no mistake, the A2 is a great light! I'm sure you will enjoy yours.

-Robert

 

[novice]

I use the Tenergy '3v' blue label RCR123a cells, which, hopefully, don't overdrive the leds quite as much. I did end up having to take off the outer wrapper, but they do fit.

BTW, there is a lip balm called 'Blistex', for under $2, and the dark blue hard plastic container, after you wash all the waxy product out, is the right size for safely storing your stock SF A2 led ring in, after you remove it, to put in Koala's onion ring. There is a little room to put a thin cushioning layer on both the bottom and top.

 

[Monocrom]

Little bit nervous about throwing down this much for a light at once. :candle:

I love my incan beams so very much, but blasting out even 65 lumens is just overkill for reading a magazine in bed . . .

Use the low setting. (It's not inca. output on low, but it works.)

 

[yowzer]

Strion kit arrived in the mail yesterday, so now I can buy $8 bulbs locally instead of $25 bulbs from a store in a city 4 hours away. Currently waiting on Koala to finish my Onion ring and then I'll have that coming too, in 7 different colors. Probably just going to put warm white LED's in...

Get out of my head!

My advice would be to get an SC3 and pop 4 batteries in it along with a spare MA02 bulb. I've noticed this little light is HUNGRY when you use the incan and it goes through batteries faster than any other light I own. The Strion kit just increases that too, so keep some primaries kicking around if you take it on a hike with you or something.

When the batteries get low enough that the A2 drops out of regulation, there's still plenty of juice in them for dedicated LED lights (Not to mention its own LEDs). My Aviator is now the spares carrier for single CR123 lights. And it wasn't that long ago that I tried to stick to only AA and AAA lights...

Should probably try out rechargables in it, though... maybe once I get my onion ring.

 

[pwatcher]

congrats - very wise purchase, esp the y/g IMO! I still have 8 A2's in my stable, and would be uncomfortable having fewer than 5! just because! :thumbsup:

 

[Sailboat]

Good to hear Y/G was the correct choice. I'd hate to have to buy another A2 to make sure!

 

[Echo63]

Good to hear Y/G was the correct choice. I'd hate to have to buy another A2 to make sure!

In the past you would have had to buy another A2 to make sure, or even 2 (or even more, as a few members have done) but the onion ring now means you don't have to, a new set of LEDs is a 5-10 minute undertaking,
I have red LEDs in mine at the moment, last night I had koala's "warm white" LEDs (more of a light yellow really) and this morning had uv LEDs in.


The A2 is a great light, I picked up an early one (4flats flat bezel, serial under 1000) really cheap on the marketplace, and have carried it for a while, but never really used it much.
Now I can run rechargeables, and tailor the low to what i am doing I am using it a bit more (red is great for a passenger to read a map by, as it doesn't irritate me while im driving.

Going to try to pick up a strion kit for it soon too


Welcome to the A2 owners club

 

[Brigadier]

I really like my 9AN/9ANT lights for a high/low rechargeable incans. A very underrated light, IMHO. Howerver, they are a bit bigger than an A2.

Although I do have an A2L-RD-HA @ Milkyspits being modded with a warm white LED.

 

[Sailboat]

I really like my 9AN/9ANT lights for a high/low rechargeable incans. A very underrated light, IMHO. Howerver, they are a bit bigger than an A2.

Although I do have an A2L-RD-HA @ Milkyspits being modded with a warm white LED.

I've actually handled an 9AN and I didn't like the form factor..Ugly, and bad in my hands.

I think, for my tastes, the 6P is unmatched. The A2 might change that, but P60s are too much fun to play lego with.