coyote
Flashlight Enthusiast
Titanium XP-G R5 LF2XT AAA mini-review
I just received a lovely customized 1xAAA flashlight and wanted to share my thoughts on it. Click here for a the link to it's original thread.
This is the third run of the Ti LF2XT, where factory electronics are reinstalled in custom titanium bodies put together by Steve Ku (CPF handle: kuku427). Each run has been a unique design. This run is called #5, which has full knurling that's more like checkering with flattened points, although a totally smooth version is also available.
(my photos)
Steve offers a number of options. I got the whole package:
- Titanium head and battery holder
- XP-G R5 LED upgrade
- Sapphire Window
- Titanium button with blue tritium vial installed
I'm into 1xAAA lights and use them everyday, all day. I need my lights small, lightweight, tough and handy. I live very remotely in a solar-powered cabin where electric lights aren't everywhere. I use them to make my way to the barn or outhouse, check the livestock, make repairs, investigate strange noises, etc. Up here my flashlights are as important as my pocket knives.
I try new lights all the time, continually looking for just the right mixture of features. Over the last year I EDC'ed the following AAA lights: Mako Ti, Sapphire Ti, Killer Ti, Arc DS, Maratac, iTP, IlluminaTi. While all are wonderful, each lacked something that kept me searching.
I wanted a single light with an extremely low power beam and an extremely high one, all operational with one hand. I wanted a light that could take a beating yet still be beautiful, a tool to use and enjoy. I wanted it smooth: in design (no sharp edges), in beam and in it's threads.
To date, this new light comes closest to giving me what I want (although I will still carry a couple of the others as back-up).
Let me start with how it's shell is different from the standard unit Steve starts with: The Ti is much prettier, although slightly heavier of course, than the factory aluminum shell. Threads are much smoother. Knurling is much grippier. It uses the same clip and keychain attachment. It can use the same clickie button but I purchased the optional Titanium button with tritium vial which allows me to locate it in total darkness.
The button works very smoothly with very little travel and no noise. I love that.
The sapphire window is so clear I had to touch it to see if it was really there. Nice.
Steve personally upgraded the LED from the original neutral tinted XP-E Q4 (100lm @350mA) to the newest/brightest XP-G R5 (139lm @ 350mA). The R5 is said to be a very slightly cooler tint but I don't find it offensive at all and nothing like the blue tint shown below. Yet the specs rate it 39 lumens brighter, which is always welcome. Not having the two to compare side-by-side, I can only say that this tiny light is amazingly bright, even on standard alkalines.
This image shows how beautiful Steve centered the new LED. Bravo Steve!
The deep factory orange-peel reflector is used which was specifically designed for use with the tiny XP-E LED. The XP-G is bigger so effects the beam by giving it a wider flood and smoother wider center spot. This is what I wanted and I'm extremely pleased with it.
And Steve did a perfect job of centering the LED. Nice work, buddy.
The image below is Steve's showing the difference in the XP-G R5 vs the original XP-E Q4. You can see that the XP-G has a wider center spot, a slightly broader beam and smoother transition from center to edge, but don't go by the colors which look much different in real life. It isn't anywhere near these colors. In fact, i'd call the XP-G wamish. Apparently because the XP-G spreads the beam over a wider area, it doesn't appear much brighter overall than the XP-E, even if the XP-G is rated 39% brighter.
I was a bit afraid that the LF2XT user interface would be too complicated. It even has two different user modes. So far I've found everything I need in the simpler CUI mode. An evening with the instruction book playing with it in front of the TV got me up and running. At one point I screwed up and got lost in the more complicated FUI user mode, but by clicking ten times and holding the button down, I was able to restore the factory default settings and change back to the CUI user mode. Anyone who wants to spend time playing with it can figure it out eventually, but it is easy to get lost in the huge number of options, some of which are truly incredible!
I like the option of leaving the beam on it's lowest setting but being able to switch almost instantly to it's highest, all with one hand. But it's the lowest setting that I like best: every other light I've tried had a "low" setting that was way too bright (with the exception of the 1xAA NiteCore D10). This low setting is perfect for preserving night vision when used indoors, or outdoors on a starless night. Excellent design and the best multilevel UI to date!
Another point: Steve is very easy to deal with, along with being well informed and helpful.
Overall I couldn't be more happy. Two thumbs up! :twothumbs
I just received a lovely customized 1xAAA flashlight and wanted to share my thoughts on it. Click here for a the link to it's original thread.
This is the third run of the Ti LF2XT, where factory electronics are reinstalled in custom titanium bodies put together by Steve Ku (CPF handle: kuku427). Each run has been a unique design. This run is called #5, which has full knurling that's more like checkering with flattened points, although a totally smooth version is also available.
(my photos)
Steve offers a number of options. I got the whole package:
- Titanium head and battery holder
- XP-G R5 LED upgrade
- Sapphire Window
- Titanium button with blue tritium vial installed
I'm into 1xAAA lights and use them everyday, all day. I need my lights small, lightweight, tough and handy. I live very remotely in a solar-powered cabin where electric lights aren't everywhere. I use them to make my way to the barn or outhouse, check the livestock, make repairs, investigate strange noises, etc. Up here my flashlights are as important as my pocket knives.
I try new lights all the time, continually looking for just the right mixture of features. Over the last year I EDC'ed the following AAA lights: Mako Ti, Sapphire Ti, Killer Ti, Arc DS, Maratac, iTP, IlluminaTi. While all are wonderful, each lacked something that kept me searching.
I wanted a single light with an extremely low power beam and an extremely high one, all operational with one hand. I wanted a light that could take a beating yet still be beautiful, a tool to use and enjoy. I wanted it smooth: in design (no sharp edges), in beam and in it's threads.
To date, this new light comes closest to giving me what I want (although I will still carry a couple of the others as back-up).
Let me start with how it's shell is different from the standard unit Steve starts with: The Ti is much prettier, although slightly heavier of course, than the factory aluminum shell. Threads are much smoother. Knurling is much grippier. It uses the same clip and keychain attachment. It can use the same clickie button but I purchased the optional Titanium button with tritium vial which allows me to locate it in total darkness.
The button works very smoothly with very little travel and no noise. I love that.
The sapphire window is so clear I had to touch it to see if it was really there. Nice.
Steve personally upgraded the LED from the original neutral tinted XP-E Q4 (100lm @350mA) to the newest/brightest XP-G R5 (139lm @ 350mA). The R5 is said to be a very slightly cooler tint but I don't find it offensive at all and nothing like the blue tint shown below. Yet the specs rate it 39 lumens brighter, which is always welcome. Not having the two to compare side-by-side, I can only say that this tiny light is amazingly bright, even on standard alkalines.
This image shows how beautiful Steve centered the new LED. Bravo Steve!
The deep factory orange-peel reflector is used which was specifically designed for use with the tiny XP-E LED. The XP-G is bigger so effects the beam by giving it a wider flood and smoother wider center spot. This is what I wanted and I'm extremely pleased with it.
And Steve did a perfect job of centering the LED. Nice work, buddy.
The image below is Steve's showing the difference in the XP-G R5 vs the original XP-E Q4. You can see that the XP-G has a wider center spot, a slightly broader beam and smoother transition from center to edge, but don't go by the colors which look much different in real life. It isn't anywhere near these colors. In fact, i'd call the XP-G wamish. Apparently because the XP-G spreads the beam over a wider area, it doesn't appear much brighter overall than the XP-E, even if the XP-G is rated 39% brighter.
I was a bit afraid that the LF2XT user interface would be too complicated. It even has two different user modes. So far I've found everything I need in the simpler CUI mode. An evening with the instruction book playing with it in front of the TV got me up and running. At one point I screwed up and got lost in the more complicated FUI user mode, but by clicking ten times and holding the button down, I was able to restore the factory default settings and change back to the CUI user mode. Anyone who wants to spend time playing with it can figure it out eventually, but it is easy to get lost in the huge number of options, some of which are truly incredible!
I like the option of leaving the beam on it's lowest setting but being able to switch almost instantly to it's highest, all with one hand. But it's the lowest setting that I like best: every other light I've tried had a "low" setting that was way too bright (with the exception of the 1xAA NiteCore D10). This low setting is perfect for preserving night vision when used indoors, or outdoors on a starless night. Excellent design and the best multilevel UI to date!
Another point: Steve is very easy to deal with, along with being well informed and helpful.
Overall I couldn't be more happy. Two thumbs up! :twothumbs
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