Why I love my Incans

[kelmo]

First of all its the light quality. You just can't beat full spectrum light. For my day to day needs I really don't use my lights for more than a minute or two at a time. Even when taking an evening stroll with my wife. And since incans are, for lack of a better term, a mature technology, they won't be obsolete in a year. My trusty 6P while purchased in 2004 is still basically the same light as the original. And if it gets lost or you give it away, no big deal, your only out $50.

It drives me crazy to have a HDS B42 and see they will be coming out with a 120 lumen cool running light with incredible runtimes. They also seem to be getting more expensive with each release. And who knows how long this will be cutting edge?! I already have too many lights so I can't justify another expensive light. I think LEDs are great, especially the small pocket sized lights. My Arc-P AAA is always with me. And nothing is more useful than my Petzl Tikka headlamps.

When it comes to using the latest, greatest pocket rocket I shall be satisfied living vicarioulsy through my fellow CPFers.

But sometimes a good old fashioned incan is all you need...

 

[leukos]

+1. IMO, the soon to be released SF G3 coupled with 2x 17500 li-ions should be just about the perfect outdoors light.

 

[vizlor]

To me, the light an incan produces has always felt like a warmer, more pleasant light. This is just my personal preference of course, but something about using a high-quality incan really makes me feel good

I'm very exited about the new technology and I will buy some of the new SureFire's when I can afford them. I'll see if my opinion changes after that.

 

[wquiles]

Same here. Outdoors I only use incandescent lights, particularly my regulated SF M6 - about 1 hour of MN20 greatness :naughty:

Will

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I even have to admit that the Energizer Industrial 2D light (brand new) with brand new batteries that the sawmill employee had with him was quite usefull.

Though after a reasonable amount of time, almost ANY led light would kick it's a$$!

 

[redskins38]

Have to agree there. For the bright stuff cant be incan. Ive got an M4 on the way with the mn61 and i cant way. Light up the night with that baby:rock:

 

[Cribbage]

redskins38: Be sure to try the MN-60 lamp. I find it is only barely less light than the MN-61, but 3x the run-time.


Incans Rock :rock:

That is why the E2e is my go-to light; if I could only have one, that would be the one. I have an MN-02, but haven't tried it yet.

LEDs are the bomb for pocket lights, and single-cell lights, but for color rendition, fog- and mist-cutting, and out-doors work, incans are the only way to go.

Notice how little to L6 is discussed any more. $$$ for not much more light than my E2.

 

[Braka]

I have to admit, I like incans, but it seems my reasons for liking them are slowly dwindling.

My first reason is. I suppose, pure nostalgia. An LED color temperature always seems sort of clinical and weird to me, because I was brought up on yellowish incans. Similarly, I detest flourescent room lights, and like tungsten filaments. Just a personal thing with no logic to it.

Secondly, because most of the mega-lights have tended to be incans.

Thirdly because incans are more likely to have a focussed beam, whereas as LED's just spew lumens all over the place.

Pretty obviously, reasons 2 and 3 are increasingly less valid.

In the case of 2), there are now some monster LED lights out there (like the Elektrolumens 'Stunner' - even though ( I assume) it's still a floody light which gets its throw through sheer muscle power.

In the case of 3),
since we've graduated past the old 5mm LED's (which resulted in these crazy things such as 128 LED lights where the head was about the size of the spaceship in 'Close Encounters') we now have LED lights which have single light source and therefore can project a tight beam just as well as an ican does.

So it really only leaves me with 1). i.e. nostalgia. The fact that I like a warm, slightly yellowish light, and that I don't mind changing bulbs now and again.

Braka

 

[Robstorch]

For long range stuff I like the incans, they cut thru haze better than LEDs. For other things I am noticing that the leds are more useful to me. Had lost a few tiny parts on rugs and carpets that were easier to find with the LED light. Had a carpet stain I never knew was there until I hit it with my LED light. It was invisible in daylight or under incan light.

 

[Manzerick]

Incans seem to work better in smoke and stuff... that's cluth for FF's and such..

For me, i'm an LED man...but...but...but


I wouldn't part with my M4 or Ultra stinger (and stinger). They are too bright, rechargable and nice to look at

 

[Braka]

Had a carpet stain I never knew was there until I hit it with my LED light. It was invisible in daylight or under incan light.

To me that's an argument against LED's. I don't care about stains that I can't see.

Braka

 

[Cribbage]

...just spew lumens all over the place.

:rock:

 

[wmirag]

The only really bad thing about incans is that you can't dim them. The A2 solves that problem by incorporating the LED array.

The really great thing about incans is the color rendition. Even a bright LED like the U2 washes colors to gray unless it's pretty close to the target.

 

[Arcoholic]

Yes i was actually on the fence about my incans. But at the end of the day they are easy to fix and and as long as you can afford to feed them they still kick LED`s behind. No heat issues unless they are tuned to the hill.
Yes i will stick with primary powered incans.