Updated PT Quad headlights coming soon

[Hooked on Fenix]

I just checked Princeton Tec's website. They have a tactical as well as an industrial Quad headlight now rated at 45 lumens. It looks like they are finally updating that light to Nichia GS l.e.d.s. See for yourselves at www.princetontec.com.

I wish I knew about these before ordering a second PT EOS II. Oh well, I'll just have to get a new quad headlight as well. I hope the price doesn't increase because of this update. $30 is a very reasonable price.

I tried providing links to the pages that the Quad headlights were on. When I tested them, they sent me to the wrong pages. Sorry, you'll have to find them on your own. Princeton Tec's website is a little screwy.

 

[Woods Walker]

Darn I just got a Tikka plus to replace my broken Aurora. If I had know the Quad was updated I would have went with that. No way the Tikka is waterproof (no O ring). I like regualted lights (Quad) however always feel the need for a DD headlamp too. So maybe I would have gotten the Tikka plus anyways. If they keep it under 40 bucks I may just grab one.

 

[supes]

Excellent! I have the older Quad and the blue LEDs make me want to throw up a little in my mouth everytime, if I'm concentrating on them. Otherwise it is a solid light.

The new site looks good.

 

[geepondy]

Does the Quad packaging specifically state the lumen output? If I were to check out my local REI, I'd want to know I was getting a new 40 lumen version, not an old 21 lumen. Incidentally, from the PT website, it gives the description as a 40 lumen light but then when click the buy now button, it gives the description as a 21 lumen light.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Personally, I'm going to hold out for awhile until I can see on the packaging that it says 45 lumens. Now, some of the new EOS headlights are in old packaging, but you can see the emitter and the frosted optic to tell that you are getting the new one. You don't have that luxury with the quad. It will look exactly the same as the old one. I don't intend on buying old stock. If you buy one, you'll be taking a gamble. It's better to wait and get your money's worth than to get one now and risk wasting your money. I'll don't think REI wants to deal with a bunch of returns just because people didn't get the newest version. I checked my local REI yesterday and all of the quads said 21 lumens on the packaging. This was the San Diego REI.

 

[geepondy]

Oh Ok, at least the package states the lumens so you'll know which version you are getting.

 

[saabgoblin]

Personally, I'm going to hold out for awhile until I can see on the packaging that it says 45 lumens. Now, some of the new EOS headlights are in old packaging, but you can see the emitter and the frosted optic to tell that you are getting the new one. You don't have that luxury with the quad. It will look exactly the same as the old one. I don't intend on buying old stock. If you buy one, you'll be taking a gamble. It's better to wait and get your money's worth than to get one now and risk wasting your money. I'll don't think REI wants to deal with a bunch of returns just because people didn't get the newest version. I checked my local REI yesterday and all of the quads said 21 lumens on the packaging. This was the San Diego REI.

I would definitely hold out until the dust settles because the EosII Worklight is labeled from one supplier as a two level light and PT's website lists it as having three levels, also substantiated by another CPF user.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Let's be clear. The EOS II is a two level light. I have one. There is a regular updated EOS now with the same settings (high, medium, low, strobe) as it always had but with a rebel l.e.d. making it 50 lumens on high. I suggest waiting for the new quad to have the current 45 lumen specs listed on the packaging before buying it as there is no other way to identify the new from the old. With the EOS, you can see the frosted optic and the rectangular circuit board under the rebel l.e.d. to identify it even if the current specs aren't listed on the package.

 

[hyperslug]

good, they allow lithium AAA's.

Weight conscious users will love the Quad's sophisticated circuitry that allows the use of lithium AAA batteries.

 

[Skeeterbytes]

I wonder whether regulation will work on high in this version? Otherwise, the Quad's a nice little light.

--Rick

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I wonder whether regulation will work on high in this version? Otherwise, the Quad's a nice little light.

--Rick

That was only a problem for Quads made in the first month or two. The high was dimmed some to allow full regulation for an hour on high. The first ones also had an unplanned find me mode. The l.e.d.s glowed the whole time while the light was off. I also hope that the new one has good regulation on high. If the l.e.d. efficiency doubles as well as the brightness, and the circuit isn't changed, I look forward to a Quad headlight with a two times brighter medium (brighter than the high on the last generation Quad) that will be regulated for 6+ hours. To me, that would be a 500% increase in efficiency in practical use (6 hours regulated and brighter on medium vs. 1 hour regulated on high).

 

[Inconceivable]

I was in REI today and they had the NEW Quad with packaging staing the 45 lumen. It was right next to the old Quad with 21Lumen for the same price

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I was in REI today and they had the NEW Quad with packaging staing the 45 lumen. It was right next to the old Quad with 21Lumen for the same price

At which REI? I'm sure we're all interested to know.

 

[gunga]

Hey I'm curious why you guys would like a quad more than a modded EOS? Put a seoul star and Khatod stippled reflector in the EOS and you get a wonderful smooth floody beam.

I have had the old quad, found it not bad, but a bit blue for me.

The EOS is nicer in tint and beam, tho it's bulkier and doesn't have the battery meter.

Just curious about the hype. Battery life specs are smilar I think.

 

[baterija]

Hey I'm curious why you guys would like a quad more than a modded EOS? Put a seoul star and Khatod stippled reflector in the EOS and you get a wonderful smooth floody beam.

Quad is about $10 cheaper (before costs for a new LED and optic), no modding necessary, and a little less bulky. The beam is more than adequate for my use. Functional out of the box and cheap - what's not to like?

 

[Inconceivable]

REI in Boise Idaho

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Just got back from the San Diego REI again (I know, I'm impatient). I saw the new 50 lumen EOS with the frosted optic. It was still in the old packaging that claimed 25 lumens. There was another nice surprise. Princeton Tec updated the Fuel headlight as well. The new one was 35 lumens. That's a pretty big jump from the older 15 lumen headlight. However, they didn't have the new Quad headlight. I guess I'll just have to wait until their next shipment in a week or two.

 

[Woods Walker]

Beyond the Rebel EOS I am wondering how much of this lumen increase is just a PT update in the package. I have an very old Aurora and it was rated at 15 lumens. Got a newer one and the light was much brighter (however more blueish) but the package still said 15 lumens. I checked out the Fuel at EMS (but went with a Tikka plus) and the package said 15 lumens but sure seemed brighter with the floor model.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

The original Aurora headlight predated Nichia CS l.e.d.s. It used B.S. l.e.d.s (10 candlepower at 20mA). The Quad was the first to use the C.S. l.e.d.s (18 candlepower at 20mA). It's possible that the Aurora was updated to C.S. l.e.d.s and they simply didn't update the packaging since it's an older model light. When a company runs out of older, inefficient l.e.d.s that are no longer made, they start using the newer, more efficient ones that replaced them. The newer EOS II headlight is a solid 50 lumens on high. I wouldn't be surprised if Princeton Tec started to test output using an integrating sphere. The old EOS was actually about 17 lumens, not 25. Check out the review at Flashlightreviews.com. Go to overall output. It's 12.00. 12 x 1.43=17.16 lumens. If the new EOS is a solid 50 lumens, then it is about 3 times brighter than the original (not just 2 times brighter). The estimate of 21 lumens for the Quad is fairly acurate as it was actually brighter than the EOS. With a 100% increase in brightness, the Quad can be at least 45 lumens. Remember, the original Quad was over 28 lumens. They lowered the high level to 21 to get better regulation. Older headlights such as the Aurora may have been updated to better l.e.d.s (probably not GS l.e.d.s for the Aurora though). Newer headlights may have been updated without updating the specs on the packaging. However, I wouldn't count on getting an updated light when the packaging claims say otherwise, unless there's other visible proof that the light has been updated (such as a frosted optic on the EOS).

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Just got back from the San Diego REI once again. The new Quad wasn't there. However, the EOS with the frosted optic and rebel l.e.d. in the old 25 lumen packaging is now on sale for $30. At the same price as the Quad, I couldn't resist buying one. I bet REI thought they were clearing out old stock, but we know better. I compared it against the EOS II. High is the same with the same beam pattern. No surprise there. Medium on the EOS is twice as bright as low on the EOS II. Low on the EOS is half as bright as the EOS II. It seems they decided to split the difference between the low and medium settings of the EOS to get the low of the EOS II. The EOS II low is right between the brightness of the EOS low and medium. Not a bad purchase. Nice spread of brightness levels with all the advantages of the EOS II at half the price. The new EOS is also Class I Division II rated and UL listed. I don't think the old one had these ratings. The easiest way to identify the new EOS from the old is by looking at the l.e.d. The old one clearly has a hexagon shaped object in the emmiter. The new one has a smaller, round l.e.d. It was hard to tell the frosted optic was there until I grabbed an EOS without scratches on the packaging and compared it to the older one on display. The new EOS also states some information in red on the back of the battery cover like the EOS II does.