The itch is back (hds u85)

At the begining of the year I wanted to buy a flashlight really bad. I was new to flashlights and in February I bought a Fenix L1P from 4sevens. I really liked it because I didn't want to get involved with 123 batteries. Once I got it I was sooo happy with it. It was smaller than I expected and was really bright. I thought I was satisfied and would be finished with flashlights for a long time. Boy was I wrong! The itch has returned and is worse than before. I've got my eye on a edc u85. Out of all the lights, I have to pick out one of the most expensive ones . I'm really looking forward to it. I'm hoping it will scratch my itch for a very looooong time.

I do have a few questions about it, if you guys and gals could answer them please.

I really dont like waiting but should I wait untill the new batch comes out or should I try to snag a old one?

I like the fact the new one will be able to stand in a candle mode, if I got a old one would I be able to buy a new clickie so it could do this?

What was the price of the u85 when it came out and waht will the price of the new one likley be? I know that no one knows but maybe your best guess.

How hard would it to get a used one and what would be a suggested price?

Wihch rechargeable batteries would yeild the best performance?Can it use unprotected cells with no ill effects?

Is it worth to get a GT version?

Lastly, I was also looking at the U2, I would really appreciate if someone could get comparison beam shots of the two.

Thanx for reading and replying, I appreciate it.

Patrick

Well, good luck finding an old U85 for sale. The lucky few that have one are definitely holding on to them. No news on when they'll be available again. The new tailcap should fit, but you're not terribly likely to find one of those either.

The HDS lights can actually tell what kind of battery is in it, and has built in circuitry to protect unprotected cells. However, I would myself still go with protected cells since increased runtime is minimal and you're still protected against stuff like shorts or accidentally putting them in the charger backwards.

IIRC the prices were $275 for the U85 and $295 for the U85GT.

As for the GT being worth the extra cost, in this case I think it is. I had a B42XR with a beautiful, pure white tint. I certainly didn't regret not getting a GT model with that one. However, the extra cost back then was a significant jump ($30 I think--maybe only $20, on a $130 light). With the U85 however, if you're going to spend $275 for a danged flashlight, what's another $20?