Unicorns and Grail lights, what's yours?

[jon_slider]

My Grail: Jetbeam TCR-1

Stepless Rotary UI
Nichia sw45k LED
Screwed on pocket clip
NoPWM, Low Flicker Index
Titanium host, Sapphire lens

Unicorn (not mine): Zebralight w Anduril

Nichia B35A LED
Screwed on pocket clip
Lightweight 18650 host
RGB button light changes color as Voltage drops (red=recharge)

 

[Orion]

Nice light you have, jon_slider! I have something similar to that. The original RRT01. I can twist the ring to produce the faintest amount of light. It's fun to play with. Not nearly as nice as yours, so wouldn't consider mine a unicorn.

 

[jon_slider]

The original RRT01.

congrats!
An RRT-01 was my first Stepless Rotary and still a favorite, in my pocket today w 219b 3000K and Sapphire lens.. to me, those are Grail features.. I actually prefer the lower weight.

I just wish these drivers had LVP and Battery voltage reporting.. I have to be careful not to overdischarge when I use UnProtected 18350.. I actually just ordered some Protected 16340 a couple of days ago. I like the added idiot proofing. Except when protection trips unexpectedly, and leaves me standing in the dark, because I did not check battery voltage.. lol. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[aznsx]

I actually just ordered some Protected 16340 a couple of days ago, for the added brainless safety. ;-)

Sometimes 'brainless safety' is, by definition, the very best kind in practice. I've found that my mind is more likely to slip a bit and malfunction than most of my equipment. Good move, JS.

 

[Orion]

I was hoping it would be "a unicorn" with the Emisar D4V2 that I just got out of my mailbox this afternoon. Amazing light, except I opted for SST20, 5000K, but the color seems more "yellow" than white. So I missed the "unicorn" again.

 

[jacobd]

Beautiful lights Jon, and a great thread idea!

 

[jon_slider]

Beautiful lights Jon

thank you! ;-)

great thread idea!

credit due to Orion for the Unicorn thread idea ;-)

 

[ilikeguns40]

My grail light does not exist. Closest I've found is the HDS Rotary sw45k which is my all time favorite. My grail would be a AA/14500 HDS Rotary with a user replaceable tailcap and screw on pocket clip.

 

[defloyd77]

I don't really think one exists for me. I'll think I know what I want from a light, get a light with those features and then find myself thinking "this is nice, but if only it had...."

Sometimes I like to keep my lights simple with a nice twisty or mechanical switch. Sometimes I'll rock a UI like Zebralight's or Anduril.

It's kind of pointless looking for one perfect light when it's impossible for it to even exist.

 

[jon_slider]

I don't really think one exists for me.

Agree, there can not be only one.. lol

I seem to need pairs:

 

[Monocrom]

From the other topic, biggest near miss is my Thrunite TT20.
Nitecore MH12S slightly less disappointing, overall. (And, of course Nitecore discontinued it.)

There's one that will be purchased in September.
It might be the unicorn I've been chasing for several months upon months now. We'll see....

 

[jon_slider]

near miss

what did it lack, for you to consider it a Total Package?

 

[Monocrom]

what did it lack, for you to consider it a Total Package?

Not what was lacking. What it had.... Two protruding ears on the tailcap. Absolutely ruined it.

 

[yearnslow]

I've always fancied a SPY 007 or similar, but the prices and availability are a killer!
Runner up is my HDS rotary 250, a fabulous take anywhere light that just works.

 

[jon_slider]

Runner up is my HDS rotary

congrats ;-)
HDS is a great light, always reliable:

The Full Monty.. High CRI sw45k, TiBezel w trits, and Sapphire lens..
The only things missing are a gas gauge (it has no battery voltage check), and a head down pocket clip.

 

[ilikeguns40]

I need to get a raised switch body so I can swap with my flat body. May just order a stock rotary one of these days. I'm hoping one will pop up at some point, there's been nothing popping up lately!

 

[shawndumas]

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Nitecore EDC33 and EDC35 with replaceable batteries at same price point. Built in batteries only make sense if the light is too small for normal batteries or the light draws too much power from one cell that it has to build the protection circuit into the light because they don't make one good enough for a protected cell. Those lights have good throw and flood options, something lacking in most compact lights. It would also be nice to have lower settings for the floodlight, not just the maximum setting for mere seconds.

Nitecore NU45 and NU53 with replaceable batteries. Again, they make a light with the highest capacity cells available, but you can't change them out when they're depleted. Useless for emergencies. Can't have spare cells ready to load in. No option to sub in 2 123A cells for cold weather or air travel when they won't let you carry on lithium ion batteries (with disposables, you can carry it empty and pick up cells at destination if they are that picky).

Nitecore HC60 UHE. They ruined my favorite headlight. First, they took out the most useful setting, medium. New light has a low of 8 lumens and a "medium" of 100. 100 lumens attracts insects and could have been cut in half to double runtime. 8 lumens is more useful for many things than 1 lumen, but they lost their month of runtime for emergencies. Then they made the lens larger and more exposed. I can't count how many times I dropped the original version on it's head and it never failed. If they just updated the l.e.d. to their more efficient version and left everything else alone, it would have been great. At least the battery is replaceable and it's the 4 amp. First one not built in.

Newer 21700 Fenix lights with a low setting of 5 lumens or less. All new lights only go down to 25-30 lumens. If I carry a 21700 light, I want it to do everything from run the longest for emergencies (1-5 lumens), provide good light for hiking without attracting too many insects (25-60 lumens), be a good general work, security, running light, and possible lantern with diffused nose cone (100-500 lumens), and be a good thrower (1000+ lumens).

 

[Croquette]

oveready E2e surefire with the lux rc engine and nichia led.

 

[Kestrel]

Am still sticking with my flawless SF 7Z; perfect-for-me 2x18650 form factor, updated with the best Malkoff dropin ever, the first-run M91BN 5000K.

Perhaps the finest SureFire 'Z-series' implementation ...

It's been a long road, but my 'dream light' is finally finished. :) --------------------- Hmmm, what's that flashlight in the SureFire V10 holster, next to the relatively-common SureFire C3? OK, a SureFire 7Z. Reasonably rare, but being a non-standard body length (3.5xCR123 actually), it...

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