Quick Review: 1L TwinTask vs. Madmax+ w/ Q3

[Dave Wright]

I was surprised yesterday to visit Streamlight's website and find a local dealer who carries the full line of TwinTask lights. Naturally I dropped by at lunch. I have little use for any light that doesn't fit with reasonable comfort in my pants pocket. I didn't even look at the C and D models. The 3AA models are really too long. The 2L is just a little too much, though I understand that it's the punch per pound standout in this lineup. I came away with the 1L. It's a tad large in diameter, but fits quite well in any moderately loose pocket. Here, then, are some remarks after playing with it some and taking a night walk accompanied by it and my current night time standard - Madmax+ w/ Q3.

Construction: It's a very well made light. Thick aluminum, well machined, and nicely finished. It could use a glass lens. I didn't try, but it seems like it would be dunkable. It is well worth the $20.

Output: The 3 LED stage puts out about twice the light of my Arc AAA. This light level is very useful. I always found the Arc a tad low on output for anything but really close or emergency use. The TwinTask LED setting would get a lot more use. The Xenon setting puts out about the same total lumens as my Madmax+ w/ Q3, but the beam color and ragged center/corona transition make it much less desirable.

Special kudos go to Streamlight for not putting any false statements on the package. That's a good sign. I have a pet peeve about the many manufacturers who make deceptive output or runtime claims on their packages.

I'm not a big fan of the switching. Seemed like I was clickingclickingclicking. The light isn't practical for signaling use.

The Madmax remains my walking companion. Its color and even beam make the path ahead look much like it would during the day (except much more dim), and the transition to surrounding darkness is natural. I don't really have a sensation of using a flashlight. The TwinTask's xenon beam really makes me aware that I'm using a flashlight. The LED setting, although nicer than my Arc AAA, isn't so much better as to be worth toting the light around 24/7.

Recommendation: If the 1L TwinTask's capability and size happens to match your needs, by all means get it. My Arc AAA is with me 24/7, so I don't need another low output LED. My Madmax is almost always only a few steps away. If these other lights weren't in the picture, I would probably EDC the 1L TwinTask. They are in the picture though, and my wife really likes the TwinTask, so it will live in her glove box - always ready and capable.

The big message I get from the TwinTask is that mainstream manufacturers have arrived on the scene, and brought their mass production job shopping ocean hopping economies of scale with them. The TwinTask may not have broken into my EDC rotation, but I have little doubt that something else will soon. Anyone know how the 3AA Luxeon Task Light works on NiMH?

(post edited for grammar)

 

[shankus]

[ QUOTE ]
Dave Wright said:
The Madmax...the transition to surrounding darkness is natural. I don't really have a sensation of using a flashlight.

[/ QUOTE ]
I know what you mean. I have noticed this too, I just didn't have the words for it.
I think this is why I love white LEDs so much. I think I'm done with incandescents.
My MadMax+ Q3 is almost always in my back pocket. I find that the runtime/brilliance to be very flat with both of mine. Do you? I don't notice any dimming until it just drops right off. And I check it from time to time against my other one.

 

[Dave Wright]

Yes indeed Shankus. The Madmax is, for practical purposes, a well regulated light. For the first couple of battery sets after getting it I would compare it every now and then with my Badboy 400 w/ Q3L. The Madmax is maybe 20% brighter with fresh batteries, and approximately matches the Badboy right before it falls out of regulation. That's "flat" enough for me.

A further TwinTask note: It weighs the same as a Minimag w/ dat2zip module - 3.8 ounces. I find both about equally pocketable.

 

[JohnK]

The 1 L is becoming one of my favorite lights; pocketable, more LED light than the Ultra, etc., and a pretty fair incandescent (for 3 volts). It covers a lot of lighting territory, excellent quality (still can't figure out how they make such smoothhhh machining , knurling, and threading) compared to ANYTHING I have seen.

 

[Dave Wright]

John, it is indeed an impressive light. Keep an eye out for a follow-up review of the 2L. With LED and xenon stages that are about twice the brightness of the 1L, it might work better for my night walks - LED stage bright enough to be used most of the time, xenon stage much brighter than my Madmax. More later.

 

[Dave Wright]

2L TwinTask Follow-Up

The new 2L came along with me for a walk this evening. The greater LED and xenon output give it an important edge over the 1L. I'm getting more used to the switching. Considerations between it and my Madmax continue.

Based on THIS evening's walk I would place it equal to the Madmax overall, or maybe a little higher. The 2 brightness levels are convenient. The LED level is high enough to be used during most of the walk. The xenon level has a little more punch.

The lithium batteries will run costs up, but the TwinTask is so cheap that it would take quite a while for NiMH to pay off. About 4 years in my case. That's a pretty long time for this crowd.

Looking down the road, though (pun intended), I think the Madmax will win out. I checked runtime graphs for the TwinTask and similar lights. A little age on the batteries will drop the LED output too much for heavy use during my walks, and lower the xenon to around or less than my Madmax's level. The Madmax output, of course, will remain about the same through the battery life. Then there's the bulb replacement consideration.

I like the 2L a little more than the 1L. It's long life lithium batteries will pay off at work. It's going into my valise for field work. As with the 1L, I recommend it to anyone as they contemplate light choices.