WiseLed Tactical 2000

[sledhead]

Well, Here is my 1st attempt at a review. Please be forgiving and moderators- feel free to move this if needed!

This is the latest generation of the "WiseLed Tactical 2000" The light looks the same as it did, however there are several improvements. For those that might not be familiar here are some pics.

And for size comparison, here it is with the Surefire M6 and a Busse SAR8

Specifications can be (and should be) seen at " www.wiseled.com" It is a new and improved site with some great pics and videos! Check them out! The major improvements are:

1)The best Seoul P4 bin U3-V leds. Great beam quality and uniformity. (Quality counts- thats why Data chose Seouls for the SPY 007)
2)5 levels- easily toggled and nicely spaced. 100%-80-60-40-20%
3)Built in taillight! Very nice for low light situations. Blue and orange. Depending on battery life.
4)Built in battery indicator- flashing taillight.
5)Possibility to customize- See website.
6)Built in anti theft chassis number


The light comes with an AC charger and also DC charging cords which enables you to charge the light just about anywhere. Nice touch.
Available as an option is the charging base which I highly recommend- on asthetics alone!
Light and base- orange=charging

Blue=Charged and maintaining

Build Quality What can you say? It is phenomenal! Totally sealed from outside elements, tailstands, waterproof to 300 ft, anodized aerospace aluminum etc.... What other flashlight can you wash off with running water to clean it. (I know- there are a few)
Also I have to say that the " Thermo plastic rubber grip" is great! It really functions very well as a grip without feeling sticky.
Last but not least is the lanyard holder - very thick metal-check it out

"LENS" For those that have not seen=

The lense is designed for an even distribution of light with most of it going out the front at 5 degrees (I think) Giving the light great throw. I believe it achieves this. This lense really sets WiseLed apart from the rest.

"Operation and UI" All levels are easily obtainable. 2 buttons do everything. On,high and strobe=1st button. Levels and taillight 2nd. Easy.

BEAMSHOTS All I can say is I have a new appreciation for the guys that do great beamshots- mine are not too swift but hopefully you will see the differences.
These were taken with a Canon SD630 in manual mode- all the same. There was no moon but there was a haze! Used a Jetbeam RRT-1, Wolf-Eyes Superstorm R2, Surefire M6 with 3 17670's and an M61 and the Tactical 2000

1st up is a "real use pic of the Tactical during the Big blizzard!

Now the competition Distance to the Big Oak is 475 ft

Daytime reference

Jetbeam RRT-1

SuperStorm R2

Surefire M6

WiseLed Tactical 2000 on high

Tactical 2000 on low

Polarion PH40 (forgot to tell you)

Taillight Shot

One more- different location Tactical 2000

"CONCLUSION"
I have been using the light since late November and it has operated flawlessly. It is not a small light but it became very comfortable to use in no time. When I need to "light up the field" it does it well and when a little light is needed I just drop the level and go- worry free, because this thing feels indestructable!
There are a lot of "customs" out there and some high power (SST90) coming but in my opinion these will be no match for the Tactical 2000. Build quality, heat handling capabilities, warranty(2 years) , reliability and proven performance put the Tactical way ahead. It is not an inexpensive light- but the cost is justified- it is way ahead of the game!

If you have an older one an upgrade would be a wise choice, surely worth looking into.

I'm outa here!

 

[LumenHound]

Re: Updated WiseLED Tactical and Street

Great pics sledhead. :twothumbs

 

[DM51]

Thanks for this very good review, sledhead. I've detached it from the original thread you posted it in, as I feel it deserves its own stand-alone spot in the Reviews section.

 

[DM51]

Copy of some useful information received from WiseLED:

Hi there,

... I just wanted to let you know that we (WiseLED) are up and running again! And if you have any problems with any of our products, please contact us at [email protected]. You guys are the reason that we exist so we'll do whatever we can to help!

Regards,
Flemming Dahlin
Founder and Inventor of WiseLED

 

[Croyde]

Thank you for the great review and excellent beam shots. Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will have received my Tactical light but I would not have the skills to capture the beam shots as you have or access to such a wide range of other high output lights to provide meaningful comparisons. Especially as I sold my other high end lights to fund the purchase of this light.

It does seem to have a really nice tint to the beam and a good combination of spill and throw, which is what I was hoping for. From the photos the colour rendition looks as good as or perhaps better than with the M6.

I would imagine that the strobe function on this light would be a little disorientating if you are on the receiving end of it.

For anyone who was concerned about ordering from WiseLED per some comments on another thread, I placed my order on Monday afternoon with WiseLED in Denmark and it was with UPS on Tuesday and is scheduled to arrive with me in the UK tomorrow. Flemming was also very helpful during the ordering process.

 

[pulstar]

Very nice review and great shots! Just one question, while Wiseled almost went bankrupcy, there's shown on their website, that they have outsorced their production. That means that they aren't made in DK anymore?

Anyhow, it's great flashlight, if i only had enough money to buy one... Damn those student years..

 

[sledhead]

Croyde: Congratulations on your purchase, you will be very happy! Keep us up to date!
Thanks to all of you for the complements on the beamshots- I took quite a
few!
You are correct about the beam. It has a slightly warmish tint that is very nice. Also has lots of sidespill but not all over the place like the SuperStorm. The throw is fantastic! The lense does a great job of focusing most of the light straight out. The beam has complete coverage with no deadspots or doughnut holes!

The tactical has more spill and throws farther than the M6. Lights up a bigger area- I do not know of any LED light, custom or stock, that achieves this and I've seen lots of lights. Wish I had this at PF13.....

The Strobe is awesome- I would not want to be on the receiving end.

Also, you are correct about Flemming - He is very helpful and easy to deal with. You can tell he is proud of his company and wants only the best for his customers! Hopefully he will get a lot of support from CPF in the way of customers!:thumbsup:

 

[choaticwhisper]

Pretty nice looking output and beam. BUT its just way to big.

 

[Croyde]

The following are my initial thoughts and a few images, edited back to supplement the excellent review above.

So having tried numerous flashlights in my search for something which provides a combination of high output when required combined with good runtimes and a rechargeable energy source, I finally got around to ordering one of the new style WiseLED Tactical lights.

The light produced has a very nice slightly warm tint and so provides good colour rendition and just as WiseLED claim, the profile of the light delivers a decent spill combined with excellent throw. The field of vision for objects illuminated in the distance is similar to that provided by the high output Lumens Factory incandescent lamps i.e. a well thrown wall of light. This is achieved through the design of the lenses which use a special material and specific reflector profile. They look like no other lens I have seen before and in operation they certainly achieve the desired goal of throwing circa 80% of the light forwards, the balance providing the localise spill.

Being just slightly larger than a 2D Maglite, it is comfortable to hold and the thermo plastic rubber covering on the body is quite tactile and warm to the touch. I have attached a lanyard to the rear, as I would not want to drop this light whilst in use.


Overall, the look and feel of the light and all the components supplied is of a high quality product, as you would expect from the list price However, Flemming very kindly provided me with an introductory price and to my surprise he even included the cradle charger at no extra cost.

Having only just received the light today I have not had time to use it to any degree but the initial impression is that it delivers just what I was looking for and so I can see this being well used over the years. And then in a year or two when even better light sources or power sources become available, it is good to know that it can be sent back to the company for upgrading to the then current spec.

The following images will hopefully give you a better idea of what I have just been describing.

Reference shots next to a 2D Maglite, it is just slightly larger overall

As the overall proportions are very close to the D Cell Maglite, the belt loop holster can be used with the Tactical

White wall shot from about 8 feet

Malkoff MC-E Warm White 400+ lumens by way of a comparison

Tactical 2,000 lumens

 

[Josey]

Very, very nice review. Thank you. I learned a lot.

Your photo background is excellent for throwers, but not as good for floods. Because of that, the Superstorm photo does not do it justice. It's a flood, and there is not much in your photo other than the ground to show what that light can do. When I compared it to the M6, I sold the M6; but in your photo, the M6 looks more useful. If you were in a city park and feared the presence of a mugger or mean dog, the Superstorm is the light you'd want.

Still, the Wiseled looks great. Is there any issue with overheating on high?

The other thing I'd like to see is price comparisons -- typical retail prices, not MSRP -- of the WiseLed and the competition.

 

[ne for speed]

thanks for this good review and nice pic.
actually, worth buying, but it is a little big.

 

[wise]

Very nice review and great shots! Just one question, while Wiseled almost went bankrupcy, there's shown on their website, that they have outsorced their production. That means that they aren't made in DK anymore?

Hi pulstar,

Just to clear up this one little detail; our flashlights are still made in Denmark :thumbsup:

And thank you all for your great reviews and interest in our flashlights. It's just wonderful to see your enthusiasm for flashlight :twothumbs

Flemming,
WiseLED

 

[sledhead]

Very, very nice review. Thank you. I learned a lot.

Your photo background is excellent for throwers, but not as good for floods. Because of that, the Superstorm photo does not do it justice. It's a flood, and there is not much in your photo other than the ground to show what that light can do. When I compared it to the M6, I sold the M6; but in your photo, the M6 looks more useful. If you were in a city park and feared the presence of a mugger or mean dog, the Superstorm is the light you'd want.

Still, the Wiseled looks great. Is there any issue with overheating on high?

The other thing I'd like to see is price comparisons -- typical retail prices, not MSRP -- of the WiseLed and the competition.

Josey: I did not in any way mean to demean the SuperStorm. It is a great light also , like you said , it has tons of flood and lights up everything. I thought it would be a good comparison to another 7 LED light. Also the SuperStorm is simliar to many of the multi-led customs

I have not had any problems with heat. Light manages it beautifully. SuperStorm gets a lot hotter. Both have strobe, but, the Tactical is a lot easier to access. Just hold down button 1.( For the mugger or dog)

The Tactical 2000 has a great balance between sidespill and lots of throw. I think my M6 will be going also.:thumbsup:

 

[Patriot]

Nice beamshots and review. Everyone is looking forward to the next batch of high output lights and emitters while Wiseled has been producing the brightest factory LED light for over three years now. I think the only reasonably sized LED light that can approach its output are LED Zeppelin's custom creations. On the downside, WiseLED shoots themselves in the foot by not fixing the self discharge issue. It's the only thing that I dislike about my Tactical. Sadly, I won't be purchasing another until they fix this problem. With modern circuits, there's no reason not to eliminate this draw. I really like the light, it's just that I don't need the inconvenience of two self discharging lights.

 

[wise]

On the downside, WiseLED shoots themselves in the foot by not fixing the self discharge issue. It's the only thing that I dislike about my Tactical. Sadly, I won't be purchasing another until they fix this problem. With modern circuits, there's no reason not to eliminate this draw. I really like the light, it's just that I don't need the inconvenience of two self discharging lights.

It's true that our flashlights DID have a problem with fast self-discharge. It used to be 30-40 days. But with the new electronics, we have fixed this problem in our new flashlights (released mid December 2009). The self-discharge time is now:

Tactical: 5 years
Compact: 2.5 years

Flemming, WiseLED

 

[Patriot]

It's true that our flashlights DID have a problem with fast self-discharge. It used to be 30-40 days. But with the new electronics, we have fixed this problem in our new flashlights (released mid December 2009). The self-discharge time is now:

Tactical: 5 years
Compact: 2.5 years

Flemming, WiseLED

That's excellent news! I'll be curious to see if the reviewers can now put their lights away for a couple of months and pull them out and use them without the light being dead. If this has been fixed, there's really no negatives to the Wiseled at all.

Thanks Flemming.



EDIT: Flemming, you might want to check the FAQ section of your website since it still states that the batteries should be charged "at least once per month." This is very confusing considering that WiseLED has fixed the draw/self discharge problem.

http://www.wiseled.com/wiseled_support_faq.htm

"If you want your battery to last for years you need to fully charge it at least once every month. The Li-ion batteries chemistry is not able to survive longer periods without energy so if not charged with a timely interval your batteries will get less efficient and the chemistry inside will eventually give up. So therefore remember to fully recharge your flashlight before storing it for longer periods."


Maybe it just needs to be updated? It would also be good if WiseLED now advertised that the Tactical no longer self discharges. This light has been around for 3 years with that issue and it's a pretty big deal that this has been changed/fixed. Worth advertising in my opinion.


.

 

[wise]

Maybe it just needs to be updated? It would also be good if WiseLED now advertised that the Tactical no longer self discharges. This light has been around for 3 years with that issue and it's a pretty big deal that this has been changed/fixed. Worth advertising in my opinion. .

Yes, Patriot, you are absolutely right; it just needed to be updated Which I have done now. Thanks for pointing that out!

Flemming, WiseLED

 

[Croyde]

I have just returned from a walk to my local pub via an unlit minor / country road and took with me the Tactical and a Malkoff MD4 running their MC-E W drop in. As expected the Tactical set to 20% produced a comparable amount of light to the Malkoff with the Malkoff having more localised flood and the Tactical more throw but still a very good localised spill of light.

The Tactical came into its own set on high though and to be honest it made the Malkoff look rather dim, in fact I had to check the high/low ring on the Malkoff at one point to ensure that it was on high. With the light left on high for circa 40 minutes each way it got no more than slightly warm and I kept checking the head with my hand. On the return journey the taillight flashed orange briefly indicating a reduced level of charge and I think it throttled back once ever so slightly but I am not 100% certain of this.

What was noticeable was that when there was oncoming traffic they saw this light well in advance and slowed down or came to a standstill, obviously the beam was facing down but even so it had more of a marked effect when I have taken the same route with other lights.

All told in use this light delivers and I think has probably spoilt me for other lights for the time being, aside from the fact that this is not going to fit in your pocket but it is comfortable on the waist in a Maglite belt holster and fits easily into a small pack or say a chest pocket on a smock. So if you are thinking about buying one of these and have been sitting on the fence I would say that you can buy with confidence because in my experience this light delivers.

 

[Croyde]

Just to add to the above, I have since left the light on using the high setting for an extended period of time circa 20 minutes and in this environment the head becomes what I would describe as hot. This is only the head and not the body of the light and it is not very hot just more than what I would describe as warm. It did not get as hot as smaller lights running a bright LED that I have tried would do within the same timeframe. So using the light outdoors heat in my experience is certainly not an issue and neither is it indoors, not that I would use the light indoors for any period of time as it is too bright for that purpose.

 

[toby_pra]

Interesting light and a very nice review! :twothumbs