The Quark lights thread! (Part 5)

[Badbeams3]

I got two of my Quarka on friday, the 123 no clip and the 123-2, both tactical and neutral white.

Man, it never took me so long to get a light out of its box! Wonderful package! :thumbsup:

There is a preflash on both lights, a bright one when tha light was in a higer mode the last time it was used, a dimer one when it was in the same mode. OK, we know this by now, so let's pass it.

The neutral white emitter is exactly what I expected. Wondefull warm light, the beam is great, the hotspot is a litle bit like a star, not exactly round and the spill is well lit, no Cree rings around! :thumbsup:

I don't like the long lanyards, so I attached a cut one from a Surefire to the 123 no clip. I really sweated until I had the lanyard in that ring and the ring on the light...

The UI is cool, once I read again how it exactly works I could change the modes somewhat quickly and I like the fact that I have a simple tactical UI which can be changed.

The batteries in the 123-2 rattle a bit, I put some paper around them, now it's OK. Perhaps the spring in the tailcap should be stiffer. That's the only negative thing I found, besides the preflash.

Now I'm waiting for my AA-2 neutral white regular to arrive, it was shipped one day earlier than the other two, let's hope nothing happened to it... :sigh:

The I can lego, if I wat my 123-2 to be regular, it'll get that tailcap, if I want a lanyard on the AA-2, it'll get the tailcap from the 123.

The lights are really great and exactly what I hoped they would be! :twothumbs

Oh, I forgot, there is another negative thing : the neutral white a are limited editions, so I can't recommend them by a review in our local geocaching magazine, the lights will be sold out when people get it... :shrug:

What? No AA with a 14500 batt...no 17670 batt? I think there should have been a limit on the neutral whites...one per household. :wave:

 

[ZMZ67]

I got two of my Quarka on friday, the 123 no clip and the 123-2, both tactical and neutral white.

Man, it never took me so long to get a light out of its box! Wonderful package! :thumbsup:

There is a preflash on both lights, a bright one when tha light was in a higer mode the last time it was used, a dimer one when it was in the same mode. OK, we know this by now, so let's pass it.

The neutral white emitter is exactly what I expected. Wondefull warm light, the beam is great, the hotspot is a litle bit like a star, not exactly round and the spill is well lit, no Cree rings around! :thumbsup:

I don't like the long lanyards, so I attached a cut one from a Surefire to the 123 no clip. I really sweated until I had the lanyard in that ring and the ring on the light...

The UI is cool, once I read again how it exactly works I could change the modes somewhat quickly and I like the fact that I have a simple tactical UI which can be changed.

The batteries in the 123-2 rattle a bit, I put some paper around them, now it's OK. Perhaps the spring in the tailcap should be stiffer. That's the only negative thing I found, besides the preflash.

Now I'm waiting for my AA-2 neutral white regular to arrive, it was shipped one day earlier than the other two, let's hope nothing happened to it... :sigh:

The I can lego, if I wat my 123-2 to be regular, it'll get that tailcap, if I want a lanyard on the AA-2, it'll get the tailcap from the 123.

The lights are really great and exactly what I hoped they would be! :twothumbs

Oh, I forgot, there is another negative thing : the neutral white a are limited editions, so I can't recommend them by a review in our local geocaching magazine, the lights will be sold out when people get it... :shrug:

I wish they would do a second run of the neutrals.I am very pleased with the one I purchased but they were sold out before I got around to ordering a second one(clipless standard 123).With the neutral white LED the Quark 123 makes an excellent all around EDC for indoor and outdoor use.

 

[Badbeams3]

wrong thread

 

[metawaffle]

Well, I'm the guy who won a freebie from 4Sevens, and my Quark 123 neutral-tint tactical arrived this morning! I have to say, it's better quality than I expected. Classy packaging and accessories, quality build, and I love that low, low low. Yeah, I have the preflash, but time will tell whether that's of any practical consequence

Now, do I need that AA body to go with it... :naughty:

 

[Toohotruk]

Well, I'm the guy who won a freebie from 4Sevens, and my Quark 123 neutral-tint tactical arrived this morning! I have to say, it's better quality than I expected. Classy packaging and accessories, quality build, and I love that low, low low. Yeah, I have the preflash, but time will tell whether that's of any practical consequence

Now, do I need that AA body to go with it... :naughty:

Congrats!!!

 

[Linger]

If you think you might want to run the batt down, on a camping trip for example...use basic 123 and throw away. :thumbsup:

oh ****. I forgot rechargeables suck in the wild. I'd bought the AA warm tact Quark to go with my Zebralight h50 to standardize cell across camping lights and have solid performers for outdoors. (I mean they just make a perfect base pair, guarenteed performance with back-up cells that takes up less space than a pack of cards)
Including the option of running regular AA's (as they'd also BOE, edc, etc). But I totally forgot I can't drain them if I'm 7 days from electricity. That means I'd be better off with cr123's as no-one makes primary 14500's.

Thanx! my 'perfect' plan...

 

[Marduke]

oh ****. I forgot rechargeables suck in the wild. I'd bought the AA warm tact Quark to go with my Zebralight h50 to standardize cell across camping lights and have solid performers for outdoors. (I mean they just make a perfect base pair, guarenteed performance with back-up cells that takes up less space than a pack of cards)
Including the option of running regular AA's (as they'd also BOE, edc, etc). But I totally forgot I can't drain them if I'm 7 days from electricity. That means I'd be better off with cr123's as no-one makes primary 14500's.

Thanx! my 'perfect' plan...

And why don't rechargables work away from civilization? Last I checked, you can't recharge primary cells away from electricity either. So either format you take however many you need for the trip, use them until they are done, and pack them back out at the end.

The only difference is primaries go to recycling when you get home, and rechargeables go back on the charger.

 

[metawaffle]

oh ****. I forgot rechargeables suck in the wild. I'd bought the AA warm tact Quark to go with my Zebralight h50 to standardize cell across camping lights and have solid performers for outdoors. (I mean they just make a perfect base pair, guarenteed performance with back-up cells that takes up less space than a pack of cards)
Including the option of running regular AA's (as they'd also BOE, edc, etc). But I totally forgot I can't drain them if I'm 7 days from electricity. That means I'd be better off with cr123's as no-one makes primary 14500's.

Thanx! my 'perfect' plan...

You should be able to just buy a 123 body and swap out the AA body, though, right? (I hope so, since I might go the other way, because... er... I'm sure there's a reason )

 

[Woods Walker]

And why don't rechargables work away from civilization? Last I checked, you can't recharge primary cells away from electricity either. So either format you take however many you need for the trip, use them until they are done, and pack them back out at the end.

The only difference is primaries go to recycling when you get home, and rechargeables go back on the charger.

Or just recharge in the field.

 

[Woods Walker]

Well, I'm the guy who won a freebie from 4Sevens, and my Quark 123 neutral-tint tactical arrived this morning! I have to say, it's better quality than I expected. Classy packaging and accessories, quality build, and I love that low, low low. Yeah, I have the preflash, but time will tell whether that's of any practical consequence

Now, do I need that AA body to go with it... :naughty:

Nice. I am still on the fence with these lights but the true low is a powerful selling point.

 

[DHart]

oh ****. I forgot rechargeables suck in the wild. I'd bought the AA warm tact Quark to go with my Zebralight h50 to standardize cell across camping lights and have solid performers for outdoors. (I mean they just make a perfect base pair, guarenteed performance with back-up cells that takes up less space than a pack of cards)
Including the option of running regular AA's (as they'd also BOE, edc, etc). But I totally forgot I can't drain them if I'm 7 days from electricity. That means I'd be better off with cr123's as no-one makes primary 14500's.

Thanx! my 'perfect' plan...

Take your 14500's, then if and when they run down, replace them with Energizer L91 lithium primary cells (I think they're also called Ultimate Lithium). These are the equivalent to CR123 lithium primaries, except they are a lower voltage. L91s are available everywhere batteries are sold and are the next best powering source for a AA flashlight after a 14500 li-ion. Shelf life of at least 10 years.

If all else fails, run the lights with AA Duracells.

 

[xenonk]

And why don't rechargables work away from civilization?

I would have thought the issue to be more related to energy density and weight. Possibly also environmental hardiness, but eneloops are pretty tough.

 

[f22shift]

figured a super low while playing around.
not sure if it works with other models.

1. have flashlight on
2. tighten bezel to tight mode
3. slightly loosen to go into loose mode
4. put thumb on lens end and give it a quick push
5. it'll drop into super low

when in super low twisting the bezel does nothing. you either shut it off or press on the head then release. it'll preflash and go back in normal loose mode.

i'm not sure what exactly is happening. all i can think is it's going into tight mode really quick then back into loose mode. thing is, you cannot recreate with twisting the bezel. it has to be quick.

enjoy.:laughing:

 

[Linger]

The only difference is primaries go to recycling when you get home, and rechargeables go back on the charger.

You're right, but, cells don't like being depleted for long periods of time. If I bump the low voltage cut-off on my second night out and have a few more days left in the trip, that's a long time for the cell to be sitting discharged.

However reading your (collective) responses, I see that not planning on using rechargables is planning on using primaries thus planning on throwing them out. And I guess that wieghs more on my ethos then carrying extra cells and guesstimating 3.6v (hard as hell with real life usage and variable output lights).

 

[Linger]

replace them with Energizer L91 lithium primary cells (I think they're also called Ultimate Lithium).

I've actually got a few Trustfire 2900mAh Li/FeS2 (BOB for Zebralight before I found eneloops) in the drawer, but same difference as the energizer lithium. I was gonna say PITA that there are no primary 3.7v 14500, but in effect that is saying is I want to pay $2 for the priviledge of throwingout a single-use cell instead of paying an extra $2 for the possibility of recharging them when I return.

My new conclusion that my old plan is a good one. Use 14500's (must buy more from AW) and even if they suffer huge degredation from prolonged discharge state they'd still make for beater / utility cells.
This is good. Because hopefully I get my quark tomorrow morning, and then I'll take it out on a canoe trip this weekend. I've got to say, I'm very excited about this Z&Q pairing. I'm hoping my AA Quark is solid performer. Potential here for Z&Q to cover %99 of all lighting requirements. I'll prolly take my Nailbender p60 Mc-e just because, you know, that %1 remaining is what makes me a flashaholic right? Who else would choose an extra cell over a granola bar...

 

[DHart]

You're right, but, cells don't like being depleted for long periods of time. If I bump the low voltage cut-off on my second night out and have a few more days left in the trip, that's a long time for the cell to be sitting discharged.

However reading your (collective) responses, I see that not planning on using rechargables is planning on using primaries thus planning on throwing them out. And I guess that wieghs more on my ethos then carrying extra cells and guesstimating 3.6v (hard as hell with real life usage and variable output lights).

You could just take a bunch of Eneloop AAs, drain 'em, and if necessary, then break into a pack of Ultimate Lithiums (L91's) or Duracell AAs? Save the glorious li-ions for home-based use, or just use them periodically while on the trip.

 

[DHart]

My new conclusion that my old plan is a good one. Use 14500's (must buy more from AW) and even if they suffer huge degredation from prolonged discharge state they'd still make for beater / utility cells.

Because hopefully I get my quark tomorrow morning, and then I'll take it out on a canoe trip this weekend. I've got to say, I'm very excited about this Z&Q pairing. I'm hoping my AA Quark is solid performer. Potential here for Z&Q to cover %99 of all lighting requirements. I'll prolly take my Nailbender p60 Mc-e just because, you know, that %1 remaining is what makes me a flashaholic right? Who else would choose an extra cell over a granola bar...

I think your initial plan for the Z501 and QAA is perfect! For wide range of applicability and compatibility of powering sources! Excellent choices - I would do the same with my Z501 warm and QAA warm!!

And I agree that you really should take a third flashlight of some sort. If it runs on 14500/AA variants as well, so much the better. If not, no big deal... just bring some more cells!

 

[jankj]

oh ****. I forgot rechargeables suck in the wild....(snip).... 7 days from electricity.

Thanx! my 'perfect' plan...

Out in the wild, you'll be amased how much you appreciate low mode. If you have a camp fire, the ligth remains off untill you actually have to do something (go grab that beer or whatever).

Bring plenty of batteries. Chances are good that you'll be running on the first set of batteries when you get home. :thumbsup:

I'm a zebralight owner that eagerly awaits his quark AA neutral white... Love my zebra, but whish I had a H50 with warm or neutral white...

 

[Xak]

figured a super low while playing around.
not sure if it works with other models.

1. have flashlight on
2. tighten bezel to tight mode
3. slightly loosen to go into loose mode
4. put thumb on lens end and give it a quick push
5. it'll drop into super low

when in super low twisting the bezel does nothing. you either shut it off or press on the head then release. it'll preflash and go back in normal loose mode.

i'm not sure what exactly is happening. all i can think is it's going into tight mode really quick then back into loose mode. thing is, you cannot recreate with twisting the bezel. it has to be quick.

enjoy.:laughing:

Doesn't work on mine.

 

[wapkil]

figured a super low while playing around.
not sure if it works with other models.

1. have flashlight on
2. tighten bezel to tight mode
3. slightly loosen to go into loose mode
4. put thumb on lens end and give it a quick push
5. it'll drop into super low

when in super low twisting the bezel does nothing. you either shut it off or press on the head then release. it'll preflash and go back in normal loose mode.

i'm not sure what exactly is happening. all i can think is it's going into tight mode really quick then back into loose mode. thing is, you cannot recreate with twisting the bezel. it has to be quick.

enjoy.:laughing:

Does it dim or goes straight into this super low? I remember reading that there is a similar procedure for Fenix lights. It included pushing the head and I think the steps were in fact identical but I'm not completely sure.