applevision
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hi team, the purpose of this thread is three-fold:
1. To talk a bit about my impressions (but not quite review) of the Pilot Whale light from Wolf Eyes.
2. To tell my Superhero/Flashaholic Origin Story.
3. To continue my ongoing meditation and thoughts about the "new" generation of these LED hand cannons, which were our wildest dreams just a few years ago.
Wattnot did a gorgeous job with a full review here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=236315
I started to write this reply there, then realized it was getting terribly off topic, so I thought it deserved a thread of its own. So here goes:
I got my Pilow Whale today via USPS Express mail--very nice!
Nice packaging, lanyard included (the metal connector feels a little bit skimpy for such a big light though...), charger included which elegantly plugs right into the fully-loaded and fully-charged (thanks guys!) magazine. This is a very elegant system, second only to the Pelican 7060's where you just click the light into a charger.
Fit and finish are very good; all metal, feels solid but not too heavy. The Al is actually fairly light and thin, I'd say it's just about right. My Ostar is slightly off center, but not terribly so and this doesn't appear to affect the beam (see below).
The size of the handle is fairly large; I have medium-sized hands and it's at the upper limit of comfort; smaller hands might have a harder time holding this one comfortably.
The clicky feels good and the UI is pretty nice. It's not as solid feeling as a 1-stage clicky (like the Fenix TK11 for example), but I trust it so far. The tailcap lockout seems fine and natural, just a tiny 1/4 turn and lockout is good.
Ooookay... so turn it on and... BAM! 100% power is beautiful, creamy white with just a touch of green. I'm VERY sensitive to green so I see it but it's not enough to bother me, so I'd say this is a very nice color. The beam shape is lovely; smooth and floody without a super crisp cut off to the hotspot; very smooth and even and no sign of a donut hole! (this could be one of the best features of the 6-die LED!).
It is bright but I will say that it makes me think about the following crazy thing: a 60 watt incandescent bulb puts out somewhere around 800 lumens... That is to say, these sufficiently floody beams are great at lighting a room, but make you feel a little bit like taking the lampshade off the lamp and walking around with it!
This is not a bad thing per se, but it lit up the room so nicely and so--how to say it without making it sound bad--so, naturally like a lamp, that it was almost a little anticlimactic.
Comparing this to the EagleTac M2 and M2X (I have and love both), there is no doubt that as I mature as a flashaholic, I learn to appreciate new subtleties every day. There is no doubt now that beam characteristic means a lot. When I was a young flashaholic, I was only interested in the number, the power. Now I see the light... hee hee hee...
Okay, so comparing it to the M2 series, I have to say a few things:
-M2 tint is a bit warmer in both my lights (M2 and M2X) which makes a difference indoor and out (for the better)
-The weight/balance and grip of the EagleTacs is superior for me. I love the feel of the EagleTac in my hand and the double-barrel is smaller which makes it easier to hold. I feel like the PW could slip out more easily, especially if wet.
-The user interface of the EagleTacs is something to write home about. Well, especially with the clicky in place (which apparently gives you automatic lockout from parasitic drain-correct me if I'm wrong), the combo of click for full power and then selector ring for dialing in the brightness is important and, to me, revolutionary. It really makes me appreciate the brilliance of the EagleTacs!
-M2 beam profile (the P7) is a bit tighter which makes for a more concentrated spot and overall, it does feel just a smidge brighter, but again, it's hard to say since remember: a 60W light bulb is also technically "brighter" than the M2!
-The M2X with the triple Cree seems super bright compared to the PW. This is of course because it is concentrating most of the power to the center spot which appears as a blisteringly bright area. Confession: in simulating "bump in the night" scenarios, I like the Triple Cree the best. It gives the cleanest illumination where I want it, super bright, but then a decent spill to show me around the area. One realizes how important lux is in our sense of brightness
So, in sum, I like it a lot and it will be one of my "bump in the night lights" for which it is greatly overqualified... but, I am sad to say, if I had to chose, I'd have bought another EagleTac for $100 cheaper.
Now this "bump in the night" stuff relates to a story...2 years ago (almost to the day) I had an experience which awakened my inner flashaholic... and here's the story of my origin as a flashlight fiend...
In late June of 2007, we had a guy break into our apartment in the night while our 6 month old baby was sleeping in the crib next to our bed. Long story short, my wife actually heard the window pop and thought something fell off a shelf; she went to see what fell and there was a guy climbing into the window (it had been locked; he used a crowbar to pop the locks right off).
She screamed and I bolted up but realized that we had turned off the room light at the lamp source for some reason--which was on the other side of the bed--so the switch was already on but it was pitch black. So I groped for the lamp while my wife is screaming: "THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE" and I'm still groggy and it's PITCH BLACK in the room (since we were trying to get the baby to settle down) and the lamp falls over... so now my blood is pumping but I can't see so I stumble into the hallway and for whatever reason we just can't seem to find the telephone to call the police--it was a portable phone and was not where it was supposed to be... and she's screaming and I'm running to the room but trying to figure out if there are OTHER guys in the house and I'm getting tunnel vision and frankly starting to feel like I'm in a bad dream. [By the way, all this happened in about 6 seconds from wakeup in deep REM sleep].
So finally we turn on some lights, we're both screaming, the baby is screaming, we find the phone, dial 911 and I grab a kitchen knife to defend the family if there is another guy in the house. Thank goodness, no one else was and the guy who was climbing in ran away*.
After that night I got religion. Now, many of my friends (many of whom are cops) said with bravado: "I'd love it if some damn fool came into my house," and the like. And, for some of these tough guys, I'm not doubting that they would actually like it. But let me tell you, when you're in a deep sleep, peaceful on a Friday night, and your wife and infant kid is next to you, this is the farthest thing from "cool". You just don't know what you are up against.
So after that, I decided that we needed LOTS of flashlights in easy-to-reach places, nightlights in every room and hallway, a light around my neck at all times (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=231369), portable phones in each room and an alarm. I also keep a baseball bat handy just in case...(...we want to hit some balls at the batting cage, your Honor!)
Okay, this thread is ****oo. I'm ****oo. But the last part is a brief section about how I'm a spoiled brat. When I first started in this forum, I remember that 100lumens was POTENT:huh: for an LED. Now our AA lights can approach this! We're all getting spoiled, but I think that's okay. We're looking to push the limits. How much light and how many features can we get out of a tiny battery and LED? I am very excited about the next wave of small lights with BIG output. I think that HKJ really liking the Olight M30 among this group of hand cannons speaks volumes about the importance of a compact, well-designed light. While I want a hand cannon, I would like to to fit in my hand. So lots of exciting stuff on the horizon and I can't think of a better bunch of folks to explore it with and share it with than you guys!
lovecpf
Thanks for reading!
*Footnote: The footnote here is that he ran off so fast that he dropped his car keys and his cell phone! We, using our CSI tactics, picked up the phone in a plastic bag and went through some of the photos and text messages: pictures of presumably stolen jewelry and messages about various jobs! Alas, when the Boston PD finally came by to get the evidence 2 days later, the battery was apparently dead and nothing ever came of it and the guy was never caught to my knowledge. Scared the crap outta me, however.
1. To talk a bit about my impressions (but not quite review) of the Pilot Whale light from Wolf Eyes.
2. To tell my Superhero/Flashaholic Origin Story.
3. To continue my ongoing meditation and thoughts about the "new" generation of these LED hand cannons, which were our wildest dreams just a few years ago.
Wattnot did a gorgeous job with a full review here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=236315
I started to write this reply there, then realized it was getting terribly off topic, so I thought it deserved a thread of its own. So here goes:
I got my Pilow Whale today via USPS Express mail--very nice!
Nice packaging, lanyard included (the metal connector feels a little bit skimpy for such a big light though...), charger included which elegantly plugs right into the fully-loaded and fully-charged (thanks guys!) magazine. This is a very elegant system, second only to the Pelican 7060's where you just click the light into a charger.
Fit and finish are very good; all metal, feels solid but not too heavy. The Al is actually fairly light and thin, I'd say it's just about right. My Ostar is slightly off center, but not terribly so and this doesn't appear to affect the beam (see below).
The size of the handle is fairly large; I have medium-sized hands and it's at the upper limit of comfort; smaller hands might have a harder time holding this one comfortably.
The clicky feels good and the UI is pretty nice. It's not as solid feeling as a 1-stage clicky (like the Fenix TK11 for example), but I trust it so far. The tailcap lockout seems fine and natural, just a tiny 1/4 turn and lockout is good.
Ooookay... so turn it on and... BAM! 100% power is beautiful, creamy white with just a touch of green. I'm VERY sensitive to green so I see it but it's not enough to bother me, so I'd say this is a very nice color. The beam shape is lovely; smooth and floody without a super crisp cut off to the hotspot; very smooth and even and no sign of a donut hole! (this could be one of the best features of the 6-die LED!).
It is bright but I will say that it makes me think about the following crazy thing: a 60 watt incandescent bulb puts out somewhere around 800 lumens... That is to say, these sufficiently floody beams are great at lighting a room, but make you feel a little bit like taking the lampshade off the lamp and walking around with it!
This is not a bad thing per se, but it lit up the room so nicely and so--how to say it without making it sound bad--so, naturally like a lamp, that it was almost a little anticlimactic.
Comparing this to the EagleTac M2 and M2X (I have and love both), there is no doubt that as I mature as a flashaholic, I learn to appreciate new subtleties every day. There is no doubt now that beam characteristic means a lot. When I was a young flashaholic, I was only interested in the number, the power. Now I see the light... hee hee hee...
Okay, so comparing it to the M2 series, I have to say a few things:
-M2 tint is a bit warmer in both my lights (M2 and M2X) which makes a difference indoor and out (for the better)
-The weight/balance and grip of the EagleTacs is superior for me. I love the feel of the EagleTac in my hand and the double-barrel is smaller which makes it easier to hold. I feel like the PW could slip out more easily, especially if wet.
-The user interface of the EagleTacs is something to write home about. Well, especially with the clicky in place (which apparently gives you automatic lockout from parasitic drain-correct me if I'm wrong), the combo of click for full power and then selector ring for dialing in the brightness is important and, to me, revolutionary. It really makes me appreciate the brilliance of the EagleTacs!
-M2 beam profile (the P7) is a bit tighter which makes for a more concentrated spot and overall, it does feel just a smidge brighter, but again, it's hard to say since remember: a 60W light bulb is also technically "brighter" than the M2!
-The M2X with the triple Cree seems super bright compared to the PW. This is of course because it is concentrating most of the power to the center spot which appears as a blisteringly bright area. Confession: in simulating "bump in the night" scenarios, I like the Triple Cree the best. It gives the cleanest illumination where I want it, super bright, but then a decent spill to show me around the area. One realizes how important lux is in our sense of brightness
So, in sum, I like it a lot and it will be one of my "bump in the night lights" for which it is greatly overqualified... but, I am sad to say, if I had to chose, I'd have bought another EagleTac for $100 cheaper.
Now this "bump in the night" stuff relates to a story...2 years ago (almost to the day) I had an experience which awakened my inner flashaholic... and here's the story of my origin as a flashlight fiend...
In late June of 2007, we had a guy break into our apartment in the night while our 6 month old baby was sleeping in the crib next to our bed. Long story short, my wife actually heard the window pop and thought something fell off a shelf; she went to see what fell and there was a guy climbing into the window (it had been locked; he used a crowbar to pop the locks right off).
She screamed and I bolted up but realized that we had turned off the room light at the lamp source for some reason--which was on the other side of the bed--so the switch was already on but it was pitch black. So I groped for the lamp while my wife is screaming: "THERE IS SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE" and I'm still groggy and it's PITCH BLACK in the room (since we were trying to get the baby to settle down) and the lamp falls over... so now my blood is pumping but I can't see so I stumble into the hallway and for whatever reason we just can't seem to find the telephone to call the police--it was a portable phone and was not where it was supposed to be... and she's screaming and I'm running to the room but trying to figure out if there are OTHER guys in the house and I'm getting tunnel vision and frankly starting to feel like I'm in a bad dream. [By the way, all this happened in about 6 seconds from wakeup in deep REM sleep].
So finally we turn on some lights, we're both screaming, the baby is screaming, we find the phone, dial 911 and I grab a kitchen knife to defend the family if there is another guy in the house. Thank goodness, no one else was and the guy who was climbing in ran away*.
After that night I got religion. Now, many of my friends (many of whom are cops) said with bravado: "I'd love it if some damn fool came into my house," and the like. And, for some of these tough guys, I'm not doubting that they would actually like it. But let me tell you, when you're in a deep sleep, peaceful on a Friday night, and your wife and infant kid is next to you, this is the farthest thing from "cool". You just don't know what you are up against.
So after that, I decided that we needed LOTS of flashlights in easy-to-reach places, nightlights in every room and hallway, a light around my neck at all times (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=231369), portable phones in each room and an alarm. I also keep a baseball bat handy just in case...(...we want to hit some balls at the batting cage, your Honor!)
Okay, this thread is ****oo. I'm ****oo. But the last part is a brief section about how I'm a spoiled brat. When I first started in this forum, I remember that 100lumens was POTENT:huh: for an LED. Now our AA lights can approach this! We're all getting spoiled, but I think that's okay. We're looking to push the limits. How much light and how many features can we get out of a tiny battery and LED? I am very excited about the next wave of small lights with BIG output. I think that HKJ really liking the Olight M30 among this group of hand cannons speaks volumes about the importance of a compact, well-designed light. While I want a hand cannon, I would like to to fit in my hand. So lots of exciting stuff on the horizon and I can't think of a better bunch of folks to explore it with and share it with than you guys!
lovecpf
Thanks for reading!
*Footnote: The footnote here is that he ran off so fast that he dropped his car keys and his cell phone! We, using our CSI tactics, picked up the phone in a plastic bag and went through some of the photos and text messages: pictures of presumably stolen jewelry and messages about various jobs! Alas, when the Boston PD finally came by to get the evidence 2 days later, the battery was apparently dead and nothing ever came of it and the guy was never caught to my knowledge. Scared the crap outta me, however.
Last edited:
