Would You still Buy an Arc AAA Today?

[purelite]

Just like the title says

would you , with all the new high performance aaa lites out there today, still buy an Arc AAA for $50? (seriously, are you looking at them now deciding which to buy)

 

[Beacon of Light]

Peak yes, Arc no.

 

[jp2515]

Maybe, I'd have to think about it though (since Peter is gone)

 

[Nyctophiliac]

Has Peter really gone from ARC??? When did this happen? ( I miss the ARC forum!)

On topic, I have several Peak 1AAA lights, Matterhorn's both single and triple LED and a lovely SS Baltic. I am very fond of these lights indeed, in fact I have two more on order from Peak now ( Waiting for the heads to be machined). I also have several ARC AAA lights - all versions, BS, CS, DS and GS.

I prefer for EDC the ARC's. for a variety of reasons. The threads are just right, not too loose so the heads pop off on the keychain ( This has happened to me a few times on my brass peaks) yet not to firm for easy one handed operation. The knurling and HA is great on the ARCs - feels more military - consequently a bit more manly and satisfying! True I wish there were more emitter options on the ARC's and maybe a bit more runtime ( like the Fenix E01 which apparently has more) But all in all, I am satisfied with the AAA-P ARC and I would consider buying another one, or three.

I might be biased buy all the furore that surrounded the ARC when it first came out, and I was just an impressionable Newb on these forums with wonder in my mind. I can't tell, this light seems to be generally very well thought of around here, but seldom talked about these days.

Just recently on a meet recce in London, my CPF co-recce person ( monkeyboy ) put away his MD4 Wildcat and pulled out an ARC AAA saying - this is really all you need - and he was right. My three EDC ARC AAA's glowed happily in my pocket - ( DS, Cyan and Red ).


To the OP - do you have one? Or guageing whether it is worth the money? I guess you know my opinion now.

 

[purelite]

I dont have one but was contemplating it. I like that the keyring attachment point is a tab centered at the tail. It will hang dead plumb which for me is preferable. Also the hole looks big enough to put a beefy splitring in there unlike so many others where the only thing you seem to be able to fit in the attachment point is a piece of string!!!

But the price is steep for what it is though simplicity has big merit in my book these things should be down around $25.00 bucks. BUT, they are made in the U.S. which will always be more expensive but is a point of merit in my book also.

Probably wont get one but I do keep looking at them

 

[etherealshade]

Not at the price point they're at now. I've had a Fenix E01 and been very happy with it. I don't see how the Arc AAA could be worth the fairly substantial extra cost for a similar (premium) model.

 

[Darvis]

I'm with Beacon. Peak's Eiger offers more in both selection and material for around the same price, plus, Peak allows for lego-ability. Even before I had discovered Peak, Fenix was my light of choice over the Arc.

 

[Nyctophiliac]

Just checked the ARC website, they have some cheaper models too, with older emitter types - I personally think the GS is a bit too bright for dark adapted eyes - I tend to use my oldest ARC with a BS led - plenty bright for most things.

The Fenix E01 is very good and cheap for what you get - I do carry one on my keychain right next to my three EDC ARC's. Difficult to say if there is an empirical reasoning behind my appeciation of the ARC over the Fenix.

If pushed I would say - the HA isn't as good - the E01 looks very scuffed and abused compared to the ARC DS I have next to it. It is much thicker than the ARC, so feels larger in the pocket. As mentioned previously, the Fenix has an off centre keychain hole, which is also smaller than the one on the ARC and I suspect less robust. The inside of their respective reflectors are interesting - on my ones, the Fenix's much wider reflecter has collected more lint and scratches than the more discrete ARC one. In beam quality - the Fenix GS led is slightly oblong in shape and much bluer at the centre. The ARC AAA-P DS is quite white in comparison and a rounder beam shape. The DS seems to be as bright as the GS on these two models.

I wish I'd never started on this thread, now I think I will go and buy another ARC - maybe a titanium one - or the kit with both GS and DS light engines!!!!

One thing I would say - talk to Lucy at ARC and find out what they have IN STOCK and ready to ship. Can't hurt to research!

 

[kaichu dento]

I would definitely buy one if I didn't already have so many of them, but I would get them in the MarketPlace where all my Arcs have come from.

 

[Nyctophiliac]

I would definitely buy one if I didn't already have so many of them, but I would get them in the MarketPlace where all my Arcs have come from.

Well said - as have all bar two of mine! :twothumbs

 

[carrot]

Yep. I probably wouldn't bother buying the premium model since I have an older CS model on my keys that has treated me just fine but if I needed another Arc I'd definitely buy one. They are an iconic CPF classic and still a great keychain light.

 

[gorn]

I have plenty of them. From the original company to the new company. They are great lights but I wouldn't pay the going price for a new one. I like my Peak AAA just as much as the ARC. The Fenix is a good light but not anywhere near ARC or Peak quality.

 

[baterija]

I wouldn't not that long after I started here. With the onslaught of AAA lights since then I am even less likely too. The price is just too high for the utility when compared to other lights in the same form factor.

 

[LED_Thrift]

FYI: The Peak AAAs can be had with an identical attachment configuration as the Arc.

 

[dcbeane]

I have 2 Arcs. Both are DS I think. At work I carry one in my pocket inside a short piece of tubular webbing with one end melted shut. I think the light should last forever that way. I actually like dim lights most of the time. When I am working on something up close they are much more comfortable to my eyes.
I also have a bunch of CMG infinity ultras ...and about 5 of the gov. model.
I have a couple older Peak lights and to me their heads come off way too easily.

Oh!! I also have a AA Arc too thats in mint condition.

I have often wondered if these fossil lights will be worth anything down the road?

Oh yeah, $50. ?? forget it! I would NOT pay that much.

 

[knightrider]

Without a doubt. The HA quality and size is the best. I like that it is made in the US also. It does cost a little more, but has lifetime guarantee and believe me, they really last and keep going and going.

 

[neoseikan]

Hi, guys.
What's the lowest price of AAA Arc now?
New or 2nd hand.

 

[paulr]

I've had a lot of Arcs, Peaks, and Fenixes. They're all nice lights. I think once you own more than five or ten lights, maybe even more than one or two, you're no longer buying them for functionality, you're buying them because you like them. So looking at functionality measures like lumens and runtime isn't really relevant. A vintage Rolex Submariner will keep much worse time than a G-shock from Walgreens and cost an order of magnitude more and have no features like stopwatch or moon phase, but which one would you rather have on your wrist? If you'd rather have the Rolex, then it's just a question of whether it fits within your discretionary income and if the satisfaction it brings you is enough to displace other things that you might instead buy with the same funds.

So, do I like the Arc AAA enough to spend $50 on one? Yeah, I've done that a couple times. Would I buy one now? I'm in a financial dry spell and am avoiding buying flashlights in general. I do want to buy a Sapphire 25 which is McGizmo's version of the Arc AAA-Ti, and which costs something like $125, but I'm waiting til I've got more cash coming in.

 

[Grumpy]

No.

They are nice lights but you can get so much more for your money.

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

After falling completely in love with my first AAA Arc, I bought I don't know how many more for family and friends. To my knowledge, every one still works, and I'd be surprised if they didn't. But they now resemble dinosaurs, having been completely upstaged by lights like Peak's Eiger which costs no more, offers state of the art performance, can be customized to your heart's content, and is of superior build quality.