Help, Please. Tec 40 or Impact?

I want to purchase one of the above flashlights but am not sure which to go for, can anyone give me the pro`s and con`s of each? Does anyone have both lights? How does beam quality compare to each other, and say, a Maglite?

Hi I can't do a comparison of the impact and tec 40 for you however, I can do a comparison of the pt rage(the 4AAA version of the tec40) and the attitude, and the brinkman longlife. In any case comparing incandescent with leds is a difficult thing. Each light has its own purpose. You have to consider what you will use the light for. Sure the Impact may be magnified but, because it is only one led at I believe 80,000 mcd's you may not get the brightness you desire. If you need to illuminate things at a distance you should just get the tec-40. I believe the led will be too dim for you.(depending on what you are using it for) However, it will not hurt to have a led light to compliment it. When I go nightfishing, we go to this dock area that is extremely dark. I bring my lightwave-3000, 4d maglight, rage and an attitude. But, I just purchased a surge so it will be taking the place of the maglight. In any case I find my self using the attitude or lw-3000 for close tasks light tying the line to the hook or just walking around the dock area. But, when things like the water have to be illuminated I use the rage or the mag. The leds just phase out. The brinkman longlife, which I believe may have a similar but weaker beam than the impact isn't even worth using. I feel you will greatly benefit from carrying an incandescent for the range and a attitude or other small led for close tasks and for lengthy durations. I don't feel the impact will be adequate for your needs. Then again I'm not sure what you will be using the two lights for. Sorry for the lack of organization and paragraphs, it's 1am here and I'm about to sleep. Hope this helped.

Thanks for the Reply, appreciate it. I mainly want it for walking the dogs. I have Surefires for whenever I need the extra light but their far to expensive to run for just walking the dogs as I`m usually out for 30-40 mins a night.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Simon:
I mainly want it for walking the dogs. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Coolguy167 is right, the Tec 40 is your best choice for that task. The Surge might be even better if your eyes are older (over 50?) or you want to spot other dogs, 'coons, etc.

I'd personally select my Surge or a rechargeable SureFire, like my 8NX.

Don't have an Impact, but can recomend the Tec 40. The thing I like the most is it takes a PR base bulb. I currently have mine equipted with AA NiMh batteries & a 3D Krypton bulb. The centerspot is about as bright as the Surge, but not as much light output. Center spot is as round as any of my SF's except my E2. With freshly charged batteries, it's as bright as any of my 6V SF's. If you want, you can switch over to a PR base LED. I tried the one built for a 3D & got a very good light, but am afraid if I attemped to run for 40 min, may have a reflector meltdown. The one built for the 4D would be cooler, but not near as bright.
TX

I go dog walking every day too. Just purchased the tec attitude, which is not suitable, just not bright enough. Also just bought the streamlight 4aa, instead of the tec 40, (wanted the momentary switch) this is suitable to light the way in front of you and to do short distance work. I carry it as backup to my Ultra Stinger which is great for scouting ahead and for letting traffic know you are there. Dont know what conditions you walk in but my opinion is that more light is better. Use rechargable batteries in the tec 40, they work well in the streamlight 4aa.

As an aside I am somewhat disappointed in the beam of the streamlight 4aa, not brightness but the pattern, from reading prior posts on this forum I thought the the tec 40 and streamlight 4aa would be about the same anyone know if that is true or should i just buy the tec 40 and find out for myself. (I would hate to be disappointed twice though.)

dont get the impact for this purpose. great light but it isnt bright enough

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Numbers:

As an aside I am somewhat disappointed in the beam of the streamlight 4aa, not brightness but the pattern, from reading prior posts on this forum I thought the the tec 40 and streamlight 4aa would be about the same anyone know if that is true or should i just buy the tec 40 and find out for myself. (I would hate to be disappointed twice though.)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Numbers,

One reason for your thinking that the Tec 40 and Streamlight 4AA had similar beams may have been the fact that until fairly recently the Tec 40 came with a smooth, rather than a faceted reflector. I gave away my streamlight 4aa for this and other reasons.

I've owned, comparison tested and reviewed just about all the 4AA lights, and my favorite is still the UK Mini Q40. Its beam problems can be minimized with careful lamp assembly selection, and I find that it has the most favorable combination of size, ergonomics, brightness and run time, not to mention the ability to operate it comfortably with one hand.

Brightnorm

I forgot to mention on my previous post that my light has the faceted reflector. I have no experience with the smooth one. I understand it isn't nearly as good. Also, if you remove the o-ring, it's very easy to operate one handed. Easier than the momentary switch of the SL 4AA. I know this negates the waterproofness, but it has a lanyard to keep you from droping it in the water, and if you plan on takeing it swimming...put the o-ring back on. TX

I have to agree with brightnorm. My favorate 4AA is the UK Mini Q40. a great light and can be operated easily with one hand (a turn of the thumb)The only light I need for nightwalking and is the flashlight that gets the most use! I have about 25 lites, althogh not unusual on this site, my wife thinks I'm NUTS!

Amplite

Thanks a Lot for everyones input, I decided to go with the Surge. Is there a Red Lens available for this light? Also, Quote from the leaflet that comes with the surge: "Some battery formulations can emit hydrogen gas. This gas can create an explosion potential in sealed devises if not vented or removed. Your light is equiped with a platinum catalyst that will remove this gas. When replacing batteries, visually inspect reflector assembly for broken or missing catalyst." I don`t want to sound stupid but what does this look like? I looked in the light and can only see the bulb on the circuit board and the reflector in the lens. Thanks again.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Numbers:

As an aside I am somewhat disappointed in the beam of the streamlight 4aa, not brightness but the pattern, from reading prior posts on this forum I thought the the tec 40 and streamlight 4aa would be about the same anyone know if that is true or should i just buy the tec 40 and find out for myself. (I would hate to be disappointed twice though.)<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If beam quality is your concern, the Tec 40 isn't even similar to the Streamlight 4AA. The Streamlight has a better switch arrangement due to it's momentary push-button. The Tec 40 has a faceted beam that cleans up the beam, whereas the Streamlight doesn't. They're both of about the same overall brightness, but the Streamlight will appear brighter in it's hotspot (or in the case of the Streamlight it's hotspots) due to it's narrow focus.

Since I posted a couple of hours ago about the SL4aa I have been playing with the bulb and reflector trying to eliminate the dark spot directly in the center of the beam. I have had no luck. Anyone know if it can be done?
Also thanks for your input on the tec40 and UK4aa, I will probably end up buying both of them especially if I cant get a better beam quality from the SL4aa.

I have both the Tec 40 and Impact. The Impact will only work well under very dark conditions - camping, backpacking, etc.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Numbers:
Since I posted a couple of hours ago about the SL4aa I have been playing with the bulb and reflector trying to eliminate the dark spot directly in the center of the beam. I have had no luck. Anyone know if it can be done?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
How about putting a piece of Scotts transparrent tape over the lens. You don't have to stick it to the lens, just accross the top. If you like the outcome, Try some WrightRight. TX

txwest
Thanks for the advice. Unfortunatley no luck with the tape. The tape has a grain and when I placed it over the light with the grain running in the same direction as the bulbs filament it actually cleaned up the edges of the dark spot enhancing it. Placed across the grain the tape turned the dark circle into a light/dark pattern resembling batman wings (like when his light is projected in the sky to summon him to save Gotham)
I guess I am just ecpecting too much from a $20.00 light. Thanks for your help.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by txwest:

Originally posted by Numbers:
[qb]How about putting a piece of Scotts transparrent tape over the lens. You don't have to stick it to the lens, just accross the top. If you like the outcome, Try some WrightRight. TX

Click to expand...

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That doesn't work with the Streamlight 4AA, at least not with mine. It does clean up the beam considerably, but due to the extreme contrast between the dark and light areas of the beam, it makes this silly looking bright squiggle right in the middle of the beam.

Click to expand...

Numbers & Empath,
I gave someone a SL 4AA for Christmas. Let me get it back & play with it awhile & I'll get back with you. You have a very good light. Just need to solve the problem. TX

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by txwest:
Numbers & Empath,
I gave someone a SL 4AA for Christmas. Let me get it back & play with it awhile & I'll get back with you. You have a very good light. Just need to solve the problem. TX<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Good! I've also got another light that acts in the same manner. If it may be helpful to you, I've experimented around and found that if place a donut shaped opaque filter around the outer edge of the lens it gets rid of the squiggle. But, you waste a considerable amount of the light.

Simon,
I didn't notice that little blurb in my lit, but now that you mention it, my Surge doesn't have anything to fit the discription either. BTW, I would have recomended the Surge, but that wasn't one in contention. I would still recomend the NiMH batteries if you use it 40 min per night. TX