HDS 42 or 60?

Does anyone know if there is a big difference in the output of these two models? I am about to buy one, B42xrgt for 100 bucks seems like a good deal but if there is a big difference in output I wouldnt mind just putting out the extra money and upgrading to the u60. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Will there ever be a HDS-80?

JMO, but the 42 is the best bang for the buck of the 2, and probably of a lot of lights.

Paint - the Basic 42 is a good value; 42 vs. 60 lumens is not much different to the eyeball. I wouldn't pay extra for the gt flavor as I've never heard of an HDS with a bad tint, but if thats part of the package there is no reason to avoid it either. XR is nice.

OTOH, 6 months from now you won't remember what you paid for it, so why not bite the bullet and get the U60? I have a Basic 60 and wish it was a U60, because I would like the light to come on at high power on the first click.

Moral of the story is that either direction is a good one. Not helpful to you, I know, but thats the way it is.

If you hang on a while (no one knows how long), HDS will release some new toys that you like better than the current lineup.

cheers

Don't waste your $$$ on a GT when the Ultimate might make the light 100% more useful for you, be it the 42 0r 60 lumen version. There won't be much difference in maximum brightness and the U60 may be as efficient as the 42XR.

The best advice given to me was to buy the U instead of the B version. I would NOT have been happy with the preselected light levels & switch action of a Basic although I thought it would have been fine before I actually had one.

The Ultimate options completely change the usefulness of the light for the better. Of course YMMV, but I'm very glad I followed this advice before buying my U60.

Get a 60XR and run it at 42 lumens, It will run forever!!!!!

I really like the basic 42 as I recently purchased a second one just because of the sale price. I am waiting for the next generation U85?? or whatever HDS comes out with to get the ultimate features.

I think the ultimate features are what make the ultimate the ultimate! And I would surely like them and use them, but the basic is a very capable useful light and the price is right.

If you just plan to get one and only one now, if budget allows, go for the U60.

If I had it to do over again I would opt for the U over the B. I may still get a U and dump my B.

Different strokes.

I bought B60GT when they were fairly new. After about 2 days, I missed the far greater versatility of the Ultimate model.

So I bought an Ultimate 42. I had both for a few days, and there really isn't much difference at all, comparing them sise by side.

Now, I think the U42 is didcontinued, so I'd strongly advise for an Ultimate 60. There's just SO MUCH you can do with an Ultimate that you can't do with a Basic.

I've reset all levels except the max output, to my liking (over a period of several weeks of use). The switch lock alone is such a fantastic feature. And yes, they do turn on accidentally. I forgot to put the swich lock on once, and sure enough, I was notified by the heat build-up that it was on. Who knows how many times the light would have switched on without it? Likely many times.

The Ultimate is woth the price difference, believe me.

Oh yeah: my Basic 60 was a GT: comparing side by side with the 'standard emittor', in my U42, I could barely see any diference. At full output, it was slightly whiter. At the reduced output I use 99% of the time, there was no difference I could see, comparing them on a white ceiling.

Background - I own a B42XR and an U60.

They both suck for me. The Ultimate has features I don't need because I can't remember where they are at when I need them. And the basic is too basic. I would like the basic if it was a little smarter. For me if I had to chose between the two I would pick the ultimate 60. I really like to change the 4 brightness levels for daytime use or nightime use. I also like the fact that the ultimate has dimmer settings and remembers the last brightness setting used.

So I recommend any Ultimate version. I personally would save money and get the 42 lumen model because I use my lights mostly with dark adapted eyes and 42 is way above what I need. However during daylight hours I use 60 all the time to search in dark areas in a lighted room. Plus I assume that the U60 would have a longer runtime on the 42 lumen level than the B42XR.

Good luck,
rob

Like others have said, there is not a huge difference in output, but having the ability to change the settings makes the U60 a much better choice.

I had a slightly sub-standard U60GT (donut hole) which I edc'd for a year. When the B42XRGT hit $99 with ten CR123's included, I bought it for a friend. When it arrived, I liked it so much that I gave my friend the U60.

When tested side by side, I can't tell much difference in their output levels. When tested serially, I could not tell at all. Besides, if you regularly need 60 lumens, you're probably better off with a physically bigger light.

The one thing I miss is the U's ability to remember the last level you used. But I don't miss it all that much.

If price is an issue, I'm confident the B42 will be a very good value for most Flashaholics. It is for me.

W.

I have a U60 purchased from another CPFer (thanks Low worm) and two B42 XR GTs. The B42s have a great beam and tint-exactly alike, but when compared to the U60, their tint is decidedly on the warm side. The U60 is great, and the extra features make it more useful in many situations. But, in everyday use, the Basic model is just fine. The difference in maximum brightness between the two models, at least to my eyes is hard to distinguish, especially with the difference in tint. So....if the additional features of the Ultimate aren't important to you, I'd say the B42 is a good choice.


ULTIMATE FEATURES

• User defined brightness levels (4 selectable brightness levels can be programmed by user from 20 brightness settings)
• SOS
• Strobe
• Find me (low level pulses)
• Auto off
• Momentary Tactical
• Remembers last brightness level used
• XR models have extended runtime
• GT models have "guaranteed tint"

There may be more features that have slipped my mind.

BASIC FEATURES

• Four selectable brightness levels
• XR models have extended runtime
• GT models have "guaranteed tint

As said by some people above, the differences between the Basic and Ultimate are much more important to consider than the differences between the 42 and the 60. IMO, the Basic 60 (and 60LE) are superfluous models. It's only $10 more for an Ultimate 60, and you get so much more. Besides setting your own levels, I find the most useful feature of the Ultimate is that you can turn the Force Setting off, which means the light turns back on to the level you last used. Nice if you're using it in a low-light situation and don't want to blast your eyes each time you turn it on, or if you're in a "tactical" situation (whatever the heck that means) and you want it to turn on at full blast. Yes, you can set it up either way, but if you turn Force Setting off, you don't have to reset your levels each time the situation changes.

Now that the 42 series is discontinued, I'd like to see a price reduction in the Basic 60 line, and I half expect this to happen, because if there's only a $10 price difference between the Basic and Ultimate 60s, there won't be many B60s sold. If the Basic 60 was available for $130 or thereabouts, I'd consider it a great deal on a great flashlight, but at $160, I'd just spend the $10 more and get the Ultimate 60. Although they're disappearing quickly, the B42 for under $100 is a fantastic deal.

I have a Hds B60. and it is a great light. If I need more settings I just go

to my lion cub with 168 tube then I have all the levels I wont.:lolsign:

I got the U60. I doubt you'll notice a difference in 42 lumens compared to 60 lumens in the real world. That being said, I am very glad I opted for the Ultimate model. It is very versitile. I can do everything I want to with a light with this light. Having control of the brightness levels, turning the force setting off, and using simple momentary is worth the extra money for me.

clipse

I don't have a U60 but I do have a B42XRGT. I love this light! I only purchased it because I got it for $99. The 4 levels are very useful IMHO. 42 lumens from such a compact package if very impressive. It's now my primary EDC. I agree with wmirag , if you consistently need 60+ lumens, a bigger light with a longer runtime is probably a better choice. I personally like to pick up deals at the end of product cycles. There will always be new technology down the road. Why pay for the newness and be part of the debugging process? The cool light you buy today will be superceded in a year or two. If your getting it for the "Wow" factor, the only tough sells are here, your fellow CPFers. Mere Mortals are soooo easily fooled.

Now if only the CR2 Ion would go on sale...

"The practical difference between a 42 lumen light and a 60 lumen light is a 19% difference in beam throw - all other things such as beam pattern being equal. In other words, you can see 19% further with the 60 lumen light." From HDS website.

That said, I find my B60 substantially brighter than my B42 XRGT and the tint is far superior, with the B60 bright white and the B42 on the greenish end. It seems ironic that my B60 (without guaranteed tint) is far whiter than than the B42 w/GT. Perhaps I hit the Luxeon Lottery with the B60. When it comes time for me to pick up a light, the B60 most often gets the call.

GT's tend to be a warmer tint, standard HDS models tend to be whiter.