I find that beam shape makes very little difference to me on how I will like the light. In actual use square-E1L, round-L5, super tight-New KL3, diffuse-Old L1, even ringy-Inova X0(3) seems to do the job if I am looking for something and not staring at the ceiling with it. Which by the way I seem to do a lot of (beam patterns that is). Any light seems to get better or easier to use the more I use it and get used to it. Took a while to get used to the color or shade of LED's. I still like the incans (6P and M4) but using LED's more and more.
I used to go back and forth between EDC'ing the A2 and L2, but that E1L is so small and seemingly bright, I can not put it down for long. Still use the A2 or L2 when needing longer runtimes (low), but when just needing a quick and go light, I have no problem with the square shape of the E1L/New KL1. In my general use, at the ranges I use it at, it spreads out nicely outdoors and indoors I often just bounce it off the ceiling to light up the room.
In the mid to late 80's when I played army for Uncle Sam, we were issued the old Angle Head flashlights. We also had to carry a spare set of D cells and make sure we had a good spare bulb in the tail cap. I was just thinking this week what it would have been like to have had the E1L back then. A tiny housing, no spare bulbs, and dinky little lightweight 123a batteries.
AlienRFX,
I also liked to hike back then and for my emergency backup I carried a small, one lithium cell Tekna. It is twenty years old now, and still works - with the original Battery! Admittedly, I have rarely used it. Mainly to check if it was still working. But like you I would carry the E1L now, and probably an ArcAAA to use to light a battery change on the E1L or to use as a tent light.