Thrunite Catapult OR Eagletac M2

[GaryH]

Hi guys,

I want a powerful thrower and am choosing between the Thrunite Catapult or one from the Eagletac M2 range. Which is best? If Eagletac which model? Any advice please would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Gary

 

[Charles L.]

Gary,

If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out selfbuilt's excellent reviews of these lights. He has reviewed at least two of the Eagletac M2's as well as the Catapult. He also has a compilation entitled Multi-emitter round-up review. Excellent stuff. In the end I went with the Catapult (love it, btw), but the Eagletacs (and several others) look mighty nice.

 

[357mag1]

Hi guys,

I want a powerful thrower and am choosing between the Thrunite Catapult or one from the Eagletac M2 range. Which is best? If Eagletac which model? Any advice please would be much appreciated.

Cheers

Gary

Gary,

The best thrower of the Eagletac M2s is the M2XC4 cool tint which I have as well as the Catapult. Hands down the Catapult is a much better light in my opinion. I do not care for the activation ring on the Eagletac. It has no detents or anything else to indicate what setting you are on. As you rotate the ring clockwise (with the light facing forward) it starts on the dimmest mode and then gets brighter until it hits strobe. At that point I back it off one setting judging by intensity as nothing else lets you know where to stop until I'm on the brightest mode.
The Eagletac has a slightly wider spill beam than the Catapult but the Catapult's spill and spot are brighter. The Catapult lights up my field better and lights up distant objects better.
The Catapult doesn't use a battery carrier which is one less thing to go wrong. The Catapult weighs 14.85oz and the Eagletac 13.5oz. The Catapult is 4 inches longer with the extension tube which it needs for full brightness. Longer and skinnier compared to short and fat.
If I were buying them again I would definitely get the Catapult but pass on the Eagletac.

Other than the revolving activation ring and battery carrier the Eagletac seems well built. I could live with the battery carrier but the revolving ring sucks. This is from a guy who loves the revolving ring on his Jetbeam RRT-1.

Keep in mind these are from my two samples. I have two RRT-1s and two M1Xs and they have quite a bit of variation between two individual specimens of the same light. One RRT-1 easily out throws my DBS and the other is about dead even with the DBS. My older M1X has a slightly warm beam with a tighter hot spot than the one I just bought which has a slightly blue beam with a wider hot spot and doesn't throw as well. Both M1Xs are very close to the Catapult in output and have wider spill beams. They light up more of my field and seem to throw just as well in actual use. The Catapult definitely has a prettier beam and slighty hotter spot on a white wall but in real world the M1X does everything just as well with a wider spill.

Those are my impressions of my samples of these lights in real world use.

Hope it helps.

 

[GaryH]

Gary,

The best thrower of the Eagletac M2s is the M2XC4 cool tint which I have as well as the Catapult. Hands down the Catapult is a much better light in my opinion. I do not care for the activation ring on the Eagletac. It has no detents or anything else to indicate what setting you are on. As you rotate the ring clockwise (with the light facing forward) it starts on the dimmest mode and then gets brighter until it hits strobe. At that point I back it off one setting judging by intensity as nothing else lets you know where to stop until I'm on the brightest mode.
The Eagletac has a slightly wider spill beam than the Catapult but the Catapult's spill and spot are brighter. The Catapult lights up my field better and lights up distant objects better.
The Catapult doesn't use a battery carrier which is one less thing to go wrong. The Catapult weighs 14.85oz and the Eagletac 13.5oz. The Catapult is 4 inches longer with the extension tube which it needs for full brightness. Longer and skinnier compared to short and fat.
If I were buying them again I would definitely get the Catapult but pass on the Eagletac.

Other than the revolving activation ring and battery carrier the Eagletac seems well built. I could live with the battery carrier but the revolving ring sucks. This is from a guy who loves the revolving ring on his Jetbeam RRT-1.

Keep in mind these are from my two samples. I have two RRT-1s and two M1Xs and they have quite a bit of variation between two individual specimens of the same light. One RRT-1 easily out throws my DBS and the other is about dead even with the DBS. My older M1X has a slightly warm beam with a tighter hot spot than the one I just bought which has a slightly blue beam with a wider hot spot and doesn't throw as well. Both M1Xs are very close to the Catapult in output and have wider spill beams. They light up more of my field and seem to throw just as well in actual use. The Catapult definitely has a prettier beam and slighty hotter spot on a white wall but in real world the M1X does everything just as well with a wider spill.

Those are my impressions of my samples of these lights in real world use.

Hope it helps.

Hi, Very many thanks for this it is really helpful. I did get a Catapult but sent it back to the supplier for exchange as it had a peculiar mode selection problem (didn't come on on high but the next mode in the cycle ). I did wonder if I should ask for an Eagletac instead (paying a bit more). I will stick to the Catapult as it was very impressive. Thanks again.

Cheers.

Gary

 

[GaryH]

Gary,

If you haven't already done so, be sure to check out selfbuilt's excellent reviews of these lights. He has reviewed at least two of the Eagletac M2's as well as the Catapult. He also has a compilation entitled Multi-emitter round-up review. Excellent stuff. In the end I went with the Catapult (love it, btw), but the Eagletacs (and several others) look mighty nice.

Hi, Thanks very much Charles. I'll have a look at these.

Cheers

Gary

 

[houtex]

For me,I would choose the ET over the Catapult. I own the ET and test drove a Catapult for a night. I like the smaller lenght of the ET. I also Like the UI. It could be better,sometimes I still accidently hit strobe but for the most part I stop right at high when needed,my ET was one of the first, and the new ones now have indicator marks on the ring. I've dropped or have had it knocked off a table acouple of times and it's still ticking. For me the deal breaker with the Cat was it's length. In a overhand carry it was too long in hand. Having something that big that wasn't that much brighter overall wasn't worth it for me,but if I came across one at a good price I's pick it up quick. Depending on how you plan to carry/wear the light that's one thing that the ET ,for me,has problems. The holster it comes with is bulking and you really feel it on the hip. I would imagine you could use a baton ring to carry a Cat where you could easliy deploy and re-ring it if needed. The ET has a flap and zippers. Good luck on whatever you decide.

 

[GaryH]

For me,I would choose the ET over the Catapult. I own the ET and test drove a Catapult for a night. I like the smaller lenght of the ET. I also Like the UI. It could be better,sometimes I still accidently hit strobe but for the most part I stop right at high when needed,my ET was one of the first, and the new ones now have indicator marks on the ring. I've dropped or have had it knocked off a table acouple of times and it's still ticking. For me the deal breaker with the Cat was it's length. In a overhand carry it was too long in hand. Having something that big that wasn't that much brighter overall wasn't worth it for me,but if I came across one at a good price I's pick it up quick. Depending on how you plan to carry/wear the light that's one thing that the ET ,for me,has problems. The holster it comes with is bulking and you really feel it on the hip. I would imagine you could use a baton ring to carry a Cat where you could easliy deploy and re-ring it if needed. The ET has a flap and zippers. Good luck on whatever you decide.

Hi,

Very many thanks for this. In an ideal world the Catapult is too long but it does have a great reputation. I very much like the ET (including the twisty UI).

Cheers

Gary