This rookie needs advice on best purchase

[Icebreak]

This is my first visit to this forum via Brock's LED Flashlight Page.

It's great to see that I have been right about one thing all along: Folks that don't see that fine flashlights are a need and not a luxury are the ones that are under the wrong impression...a new Ray-O-Vac every year...please!

I'm just now getting into non-incandescent flashlights and am a complete rookie. I have three LED flashlights. One, the nightbuster 8x, GlowBug is happily allowing me to return as the endcap is poorly designed and easily breaks. They special ordered a Trek 7 blue LED I want to keep for many reasons but mainly because I'm fascinated with what all can be seen with it. The detailed visual effect of a white LED flashlight seems incredibly useful, either outside or for close up work.

Here,finally, is my puzzle.
I want a small, powerful white LED flashlight.

I also want a small, powerful flashlight that floresces objects.

I tend to support businesses that demonstrate good customer service like my experience with GlowBug.

I would tend to support the independent inventor of the ARC-LS but the message boards indicate some inconsistency in productions.

Basically I want the two best products that suit my needs and keep an eye on doing business with good people.

Thanks!

 

[Saaby]

Ah, well I replied in another spot but I'll repeat here.

ARC AAA ARC AAA ARC AAA. You need one. End of story. need

 

[Wits' End]

I agree With Saaby on the Arc AAA, Or a CMG Ultra AA, larger and my understanding not as well made. The Princeton Tech 4AAA Attitude is a brighter small light.
Don't know much about UV lights but you could try an Arc AAA UV

For good service and prices Go with Texas Tactical

 

[Wits' End]

TTS does have the Arc UV for $10 less than Arc

 

[geepondy]

Originally posted by Icebreak:

I want a small, powerful white LED flashlight.....

I would tend to support the independent inventor of the ARC-LS but the message boards indicate some inconsistency in productions.
Thanks!

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">While I too wholehearted recommend an Arc AAA where the consistency is much higher then the Arc LS, I wouldn't consider it to be powerful, although it does mighty fine for one LED. If you've been reading thru the forums then you know the Luxeon LED based lights are much more powerful then the Nichia LED based lights. However the Luxeon LED itself, to say nothing of the flashlight manufacturers that use it, are going thru growing pains. For small and powerful (for LEDs), I don't believe anything currently available will beat an Arc LS with a CR123 battery pack. Yes, there are homemmade mods that might but I'm talking about production lights only. You could try an CMG Reactor but it's a gamble on the quality of the LED that's in it and it has poor performance using alkaline cells. What I would recommend doing for a first "powerful" LED light is to buy an Inova X5 for now and wait six months or so and see how the Luxeon LED issues iron out. You'll find many posts on the Inova X5

 

[BuddTX]

Yes, ARC AAA LE (I think www.brightguy.com still has some left!)

Consider buying a "mod" light from dat2zip, or electrolumens, or lambda, or Mr. Bulk, Alaska Illuminations (Daniel Ramsey), or (who have I left out?). I have one from Lambda, the Lambda Illuminator, and one sitting at the post office from Electrolumens, and I have to get one from the others soon!

While I have many BRIGHTER, LED flashlights than this one, I really like my Opalec Newbeam. I have added a tailcap to my Opalec/mini-mag, and I really like it for walking around the house in the middle of the dark, and it is regulated, and a very nice product.

I gotta tell you, the more I use my ARC AAA, the more I really like it. While you are correct about the ARC LS, (go to his web site and read about the ARC LS, Peter himself says that it is still "under development", I purchased an ARC LS second, and am very happy with it.

the ARC AAA continues to amaze me, because you ALWAYS HAVE IT WITH YOU. I used it yesterday, and while I have many other flashlights, I did not have any on me at the moment that I needed it. I was walking my dog with friends dogs, and it was soo cool in Houston yesterday, with the temp in the 70's (as opposed to 98 with 100% humidity) (it rained and was cloudy, but stopped raining for a while) and we were walking longer than expected and it was getting dark, taking advantage of the cool weather, and a pickup truck came out of the dirt road, (they were trying to do some driving in mud) and we had all our dogs off their leashes, walking on a dead end road, with no trafic, as there is no place to go. I pulled my ARC AAA out, as it is attached to my keyring, and turned it on, as to give us more visibility. It worked, and the truck drove back another way, instead of driving towards us, potentially hitting one of our dogs.

 

[John N]

Originally posted by Icebreak:

I also want a small, powerful flashlight that floresces objects.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You might want to expand on what you mean by small and what you mean by bright.

A price range you are willing to spend might be useful.

As some have pointed out, the Arc AAA and the CMG Ultra (AA) are good items to check out for a single 5mm LED.

If you want brighter you need to go to more LEDs or a LS, but your size goes up (although the Arc LS with a 123 cell is still pretty small).

Then there is the issue of runtime....

-john

 

[John N]

Originally posted by witsend:
I agree With Saaby on the Arc AAA, Or a CMG Ultra AA, larger and my understanding not as well made.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">I think my Ultra G is pretty much on par quality wise with my Arc AAA.

They both use the same general design approach and both have potted electronics and a 15ish foot waterproof rating.

Very similar methinks.

Of course the Arc AAA is sexier, but the runtime on the Ultra is very compelling.

(Ironically, I've now taken to carrying the Arc AAA AND the Ultra G as EDC. A bit redundant, but I can't quite bring myself to leave the Ultra in my backpack...)

-john

 

[Saaby]

IIRC Arc AAA ver 3.1 with intact o-Ring is good to 50 feet!

 

[John N]

I don't think Peter claims 50ft tho. I suspect the CMG would be very similar in performance to the Arc where both should at least do what is rated, and both probably will do a fair amount better in reality.

-john

 

[Icebreak]

Saaby- I apologize for the double post.

John N- I know now that I could have specified size by battery specs.

Thank you all for your knowledgable responses.
I'll use them as a guide and go learn more about each suggestion. Clearly the ARC AAA is a no-brainer half-to-have. (good links, witsend) The Inova X5 just looks cool and might be a good choice until I decide to go with an ARC-LS.(good call, geepondy)

One thing I like about blue LED's is that, away from city lights, they fluoresce some man made objects at surprising distances. This can be used to identify humans by their attire (and yes, BuddTX, I'll bet you knew that scorpions glow in UV).

Today, while taking a break, I mentioned to a department director that I had visited this forum. His opinion was that it is only natural to have a strong connection to, as well as own fine flashlights. The thought that comes to my mind is "Torchbearer".

OK, I guess I'll have to admit it. I'm Icebreak and I am a Flashaholic.

Again, thank you all for helping the rookie.

-Icebreak

 

[Saaby]

It's ok double posts aern't the end of the world. We've all done it. SO you're getting an Arc AAA right? Want to know what's nice to go with it?? A SS Clip from berkeleypoint thats what.

The thought that comes to my mind is "Torchbearer"

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Naaaaaa...Had a bunch of those come through Salt Lake in February, their torches were pretty but not nearly as bright as, say, a luxeon...or a Mag or even Eveready 2 piece for that matter. Well ok maybe brighter than that last one.

There was a debate over the whole matter awhile back. My fav. suggestion was one of the ones I made..Portaluminologist but I was gently reminded that in the UK a Porta Loo is the US equivalent of a "Porta Potty."

Welcome to CPF. Dedicated to helping rookies and pros alike. I donno just felt something nostalgic and welcoming belinged there