Which Peak in CR2 format similar to CR2 ION?

[DDS]

I don't own any Peak lights yet, but since there is a sale going on I'd like to pick one up. One of my favorite and daily used EDC is my standard CR2 ION. I also have an ARC DS on my key-chain(great light). I have a preference for the AAA and CR2 format and prefer a flood like beam. I was wondering how the Pacific with the Seoul P4 would do. Does the spill beam of the Pacific compare any to that of the ION? Would I be better off with a Matterhorn 3 LED? I was planning on getting a HP or Ultra version Any suggestions would be appreciated Thanks! Dave

 

[NutSAK]

If you want flood, you will likely be disappointed with the Pacific. The spill is bright, but it has a very tight spot in the beam, and throws well.

If you want flood, you should choose one of their lights with multiple 5mm LEDs, like the McKinley (CR123a) or 3 LED Matterhorn (1AA). I still don't consider these a true "flood" though--they have large, even spots with dim spill. However, I don't believe either of these is available with a CR2 body. The McKinley w/pocket body is very small though.

 

[arty]

The Pacific in CR2 pocket form is really small and a nice light in ultra power. I have 4 PACIFICS - 2 in ultra and 2 hp. When my wife experienced power failures at work, I offered her a choice from among a Matterhorn, McKinley, and the HP Pacific pocket CR2. After seeing their beams in a dark room, she chose the Pacific.
I have McKinleys and Matterhorns. The ultra power Matterhorn is recommended, as is the high power McKinley.
I like floody lights, but the one that is in my pocket right now is an ultra power HA Pacific in pocket CR2 format.
Great light!

 

[DDS]

NutSAK and arty: Thank you for the feedback. After reading a bunch of posts about the Pacific and considering my present group of floody type lights, I think I'll try the Pacific with the CR2 pocket type format. Is the beam fairly uniform and artifact free? Thanks again! Dave

 

[NutSAK]

Is the beam fairly uniform and artifact free? Thanks again! Dave

Yes, actually I'm amazed at how clean the beam is with the smooth reflector. There is a very light ring in the middle of the spill, but nothing else to speak of.

I think you'll like the UP withe the CR2 body. It should be nice and bright.

 

[DDS]

NutSAK: I'm surprised that the smooth reflector does that well. I wonder if I can get a stippled one installed...I'll call and ask. BTW, I recognize your handle from SOSAK. I browse there on occasion.
Thanks! Dave

Is the AAA pocket format worth considering as a substitute for my ARC ?

 

[Gatsby]

Is the AAA pocket format worth considering as a substitute for my ARC ?

I think the AAA body only comes in keychain style. But in either respect the Pacific is not a replacement for an Arc AAA, at least in terms of the form factor. The larger head and longer AAA body make it, to me at least, not a great shape for a key ring (and I tried it). Several reviews make the point that you can't really think of the Pacific as a key ring light and they are right.

I rarely use the AAA body actually. I use the AA and CR2 bodies almost exclusively with my Pacific.

 

[DDS]

Gatsby: Thanks for your feedback. I don't think there are many AAA lights that have the form factor, proven durability, and decent beam of the ARC. I wonder why ARC doesn't use a Snow White LED like Peak. I was always annoyed by the blue colored beam in my first generation light.

 

[NutSAK]

I often carry my ARC AAA-P in combination with my Pacific UP (AA body). It makes a great EDC combination. I agree that the Matterhorn is not quite a replacement for it, but close. The Matterhorn is just a bit too long for me. I would only consider replacing the ARC if I could get a 3 LED Matterhorn with lug body.


SOSAK is a great group of folks! Come by more often.

 

[paulr]

I have a Pacific AA and don't like it much, because the beam is so tight and because it's mechanically complex and large, and also because the boost converter poops down to low power mode somewhere above the voltage of a nimh cell, so to run it at full power (it's an HP model, not that powerful to begin with) I have to run it on a lithium cell.

They do (or at least did) make a 3-led matterhorn with lug body. I have one and it's a nice light with a good neutral beam color (snow leds), though I think its electronic circuit is less efficient than an Arc.

 

[NutSAK]

I have a Pacific AA and don't like it much, because the beam is so tight and because it's mechanically complex and large, and also because the boost converter poops down to low power mode somewhere above the voltage of a nimh cell, so to run it at full power (it's an HP model, not that powerful to begin with) I have to run it on a lithium cell.

They do (or at least did) make a 3-led matterhorn with lug body. I have one and it's a nice light with a good neutral beam color (snow leds), though I think its electronic circuit is less efficient than an Arc.

I have a AA pocket body on mine, and it's the smallest reflectored AA light I've seen. It's the same length as a CMG Infinity. I agree that the NiMH regulation is a problem. With the advent of LSD NiMH, I'm to the point now where I run them in nearly everything, so I don't carry the Pacific as much as I'd like.

There is an ARC AAA-P with snow LEDs, BTW. I have one.

 

[Blue72]

Gatsby: Thanks for your feedback. I don't think there are many AAA lights that have the form factor, proven durability, and decent beam of the ARC. I wonder why ARC doesn't use a Snow White LED like Peak. I was always annoyed by the blue colored beam in my first generation light.

They do its on the accessories page

 

[Gatsby]

I have a AA pocket body on mine, and it's the smallest reflectored AA light I've seen. It's the same length as a CMG Infinity. I agree that the NiMH regulation is a problem. With the advent of LSD NiMH, I'm to the point now where I run them in nearly everything, so I don't carry the Pacific as much as I'd like.

There is an ARC AAA-P with snow LEDs, BTW. I have one.

Interesting - these must be P4 models? I haven't tried a NiMH in my HP LuxIII version since I had some L91s around - but the Pacific Tech Notes on the HP Lux III version ran for over 8 hours regulated on a NiMH cell... I wonder if it is the emitter or the circuit that has changed this performance? Makes me think I should just stick to my old LuxIII version!

:shrug:

 

[Gatsby]

Gatsby: Thanks for your feedback. I don't think there are many AAA lights that have the form factor, proven durability, and decent beam of the ARC. I wonder why ARC doesn't use a Snow White LED like Peak. I was always annoyed by the blue colored beam in my first generation light.

And while I don't think of the Pacific as a key chain light - it is a very nice form factor pocket light! The AA pocket body is thinner and a good deal shorter than the Liteflux LF5 (which is itself shorter than some since it is a twist design). On the CR2 body it is really compact. I do agree that the beam pattern on my LuxIII is a bit tight and I've gotten used to floodier lights - but it is not bad at all the HP version has a nice balance between brightness and runtime.

Still in the era of SSC, Crees and Rebels there are times I wonder if it is worth keeping, but I think then that maybe I buy an Ultra High Power head for one of the three bodies I've got in the SSC form and run it on the CR2 Body.

 

[NutSAK]

Interesting - these must be P4 models? I haven't tried a NiMH in my HP LuxIII version since I had some L91s around - but the Pacific Tech Notes on the HP Lux III version ran for over 8 hours regulated on a NiMH cell... I wonder if it is the emitter or the circuit that has changed this performance? Makes me think I should just stick to my old LuxIII version!

:shrug:

Mine is a P4 UP. So, it could be the emitter, and it could be the drive current difference between the HP and the UP. I would suspect it's the drive level...

 

[arty]

I have the Pacific in Lux III and Seoul P4, in both standard and ultra power flavors. The nicest beam is on the ultra Lux III. You don't gain a lot of output with the Seoul P4 in the Pacific. It matters more in the Baltic, in my experience.
I don't know why, but differences between the Lux and Seoul lights in the Pacific are not that large. I am not eyeballing output - I used a meter.
I have the largest hotspot and cleanest beam in an Ultra Lux III.

 

[regulator]

Arty - I noticed the same thing between a P4 and original Lux III Pacific HP. It was hard to see an increase in brightness between the two. I run my Lux III Pacific HP with the pocket AAA tube and it still compares favorably for brightness-to-runtime.

I had a Ultrapower SSC-P4 model and noticed that the regulation would drop down rather quickly (on alkaline) and then slowly decrease in brightness for several hours - which shows poor regulation in this UP version. I compared this to other AA regulated lights that I had and they held regulation much better than the Pacific UP with P4 running at the same brightness setting.

From my observation (and what has been posted by Peak) I think the HP model may be the best regulated model at its brightness level. I could be wrong but the HP version was the "original" circuit design and does the best at what it was designed for. Now I just need to get the CR2 pocket tube that I have been wanting.

 

[Ned-L]

Mine is a P4 UP. So, it could be the emitter, and it could be the drive current difference between the HP and the UP. I would suspect it's the drive level...

What kind of runtime do you get with the Pacific CR2 P4 UP? Can it use RCR2? I was thinking of getting the brass CR2 P4 UP. Does it have the keychain option? If so, is that the version you have? What do you think? Thanks.

 

[arty]

I am not sure about runtime for the UP CR2. I generally have a Pacific ultrapower in pocket CR2 in my jeans watch pocket, along with an ARC AAA on my car key ring. When the ARC dies, I'll put a Matterhorn on the keyring.
I don't use the Pacific very heavily - I might pull it out when changing furnace filters, or for other brief use. I would estimate at least 1.5-2 hours of runtime, if I recall Kurt's comments before I got the light.
The battery I have in it has been in there for at least a couple of months.
I don't worry about runtime in this context.

 

[Ned-L]

Arty
Thanks for the information. Do you know if the Peak can handle an RCR2?