How would you improve the Arc LS?

In the spirit of helping Peter manage the evolution of his superb light, I thought this might be a fun thread to start!

First, the more I use the new TSP back, the more I think that the switch would be better located in the knurled area on the side. If the kroll was eliminated, the body could be a bit longer (and still be the same overall dimensions) to accommodate a recessed side switch.
I find that I actually hold the light a bit awkwardly due to the location of the kroll switch. Lately I have tended to wrap my hand around the light so that the kroll is near my thumb (and hold the light with my hand near my shoulder). This gives me the leverage to easily switch the kroll on and off.
While I basically like the kroll switch, ideally the light should be totally ergonomic - you should be able to use it in a way that is completely natural. You shouldn't have to hold it a certain way to turn it on or off. I find that the ideal way to hold the LS (due to the size), is between the index finger, the middle finger and the thumb (both when the hand is below the elbow or above). You cannot actuate the kroll switch without using your other hand when you hold it like this.
Second - I love the rechargeable feature mentioned in another thread. Once again, to make the light totally utilitarian (and approach perfection), it would be nice to throw the light into a quick-charge stand and always have it ready to pop out and use.

Once again - I love the light but this thread is about perfection!

What does everyone else think would bring this light to the next level of perfection (and to keep the LS ahead of the competition well into the future)?

optics!

My biggest thing to add is a regulated switch, meaning something that would allow various brightness of the light.

I do not want anything changed that will add length to the 1 x 123 configuration. It's already too long with the TSP tail cap.

In your response, please try to mention everything that is important to you (even if it was mentioned by another member's reply) and I will attempt to tally all of the "votes" for individual refinements in a week or so.

I agree. DON'T mess with the size. Along with the brightness, the tiny size of this light is what made it so popular in the first place.

Bring back the Twist 123 Pack! Or make a clickie switch that fits inside the light, similar in profile to the Inova X5T.

Add a "dimmer" feature.

Keep the size the same.

Make them in black HA III.

From a much earlier post of mine in CPF, here's a quick drawing of what I'd like in an Arc LS:



This would have the curent electronics, a selected 1W LS, sapphire lens, some sort of spring or whatever for battery contact, and be 10M waterproof.

Basicly, I find the twist-on of the original P-123 battery case OK, but if I had a choice, a switch in a useful position for me would be nice. (I don't use a "tactical hold" on a flashlight, especially a "non-tactical" flashlight - my thumb is near the front of the light, not the tail. )

1) A dimmer for sure (low-med-hi) and if its slightly longer because of it, it would be worth the slightly added length.

2) A protected TSP like the McLux but with a higher quality switch than the Kroll, something like the SF or X5T.

3) Glass lens

With the above, I would be willing to pay big bucks ($250).

Low priority - rechargeable, waterproof, smallest size, brightest

I also think the current TSP-123 tailcap needs improving. I believe Peter has already said they're working on it.

Tactical tailswitch (like the TSP-123) is very nice because you always know where the switch is when you grab the light - no fumbling to feel or see where the switch is. Problem with tactical switches (with the clickie) is that they add quite a bit of length to the light (i really don't know why). The Arc LS is not a tactical light [well, not yet. ], so i wouldn't mind seeing a switch like the one Tomas drew or even something like the twist cap, but without spring or battery destruction problems. But i don't mind tactical switches; i just think the current one should be shortened and made slightly easier to press. But making the tsp-123 shorter will also create a slight problem - tactical switches are better suited for longer flashlights.

I agree with Sean - the Inova 5X switch sure is very nice. Its twisting mechanism is SO smooth, and it also has instant on-off tail-switch. Peter, check out Inova 5X's switch. It really is very well constructed. It only adds 1/3" to the length of the light.

If i have to vote, i would like a momentary on-off tactical switch (but not the clickie) for no-fumbling instant light, but have a twist on-off (like the Inova 5X) or an on-off switch like that drawn by Tomas.

Hmmmmmmm ... After seeing it in several other posts, I'd like to add one more thing to my short list - a dimmer.

To keep it simple I'd include its operation in the on / off switch: ON DIM - ON BRIGHT - OFF on three consecutive clicks.

(I also reduced the water resistance requirement to just waterproof to 10 meters - about the same as a $10 wrist watch. That should be easy enough to accomplish, and will allow me to use it outside in an area that averages about 220 days a year with rain ... )



====

Tomas, I really like your side switch...

What happened to your sig? adding an international tought?

Heheheheh ...

It's one of many I've used over the years, just like this Czech one.

Heheheeh!

I can do that too!

LOL, I wouldn't dare putting my mugshot up here...
It would just scare people away...

From the other thread, if the owner were able to unscrew the head and clean out junk under the lens or be able to readily replace the lens it would be nice.

Yes, I have looked at various methods of making the lens user servicable. It would require a bezel or retaining nut of some sort. This would require a rework of our base chassis. Not something that can be done right away but it is on the drawing board.

Peter Gransee

My perfect Arc LS would have a 2x123 pack with a 5W emitter (SE using a textured reflector) and some kind of two position switch. The normal mode would be about as bright as the current offering (with flat output for 5 hours or so). A momentary switch would kick in the full 5W power. The circuit would cut back if it was getting too hot, but that wouldn't happen very often because 5W usage would only be in bursts.

I seem to be in the minority in not really liking the 1x123 pack as much. I think the whole thing is too fat to stick in my pocket so being shorter doesn't help that much. The output curve with the 123 isn't great, either. I normally use the 2AA pack peronsonally, and I think it's a great size. If 2AA could handle some 5W bursts I'd go for that, but I don't think alkalines are really up to the challenge. 2x123 should be okay, though, and you get the added benefit of cold weather performance.

The twist-on pack is great in the Arc AAA (no danger of it turning on in my pocket) but for a larger light I'd rather have a click-on switch of some kind. Near the head would be ideal, but a tail switch with lock-out capability is okay, too. Maybe something like the SF E2e tailswitch, only the twist-on function gives the normal mode and the momentary push function gives the turbo mode.

I really don't care about continuously variable output (a dimmer) but low and high settings would be nice. I rarely need the high mode, so a design optimized for 1W output with the option of intermittent 5W output would be ideal.

Configurable head options would be nice, too, as long as it doesn't interfere with waterproofing (which I consider very important for an EDC light). In particular, it would be nice to be able to swap between reflectors (or optics) for a flood or a spot profile.

- Russ

The perfected, new and improved LS? Easy!

The size of the AAA, dimmer TSP, current brightness and 5 hour runtime!

Barring that, it's brighter for its size than anything else that I've seen!

I guess what I'd really like to see is a single EDC light. I'd love a tiny 5W light, but it would have a short runtime so I'd still feel the need to carry a 1W light. My current EDC (besides the Arc AAA on my keychain) is the Arc LS w/2AA pack. It's a really useful amount of light with a useful runtime and a small size that is still easy to hold.

I don't really like super short runtime lights because they don't really handle the emergencies well (stuck somewhere and need to walk a few miles in the dark--who wants a SF E2 that will die after an hour?) I'd like the ability to go super bright and light up a room or campsite, but not if it means carrying a second light to compensate for the short runtime. A momentary switch for this would be perfect.

In an Arc LS sized light I'd like to see what I described above. A straight-up 5W light that size would just be a novelty for me--a thing to wow people but too expensive and impractical to use. For a 5W-only light I'd rather go with a 2D size (like the cheap crappy 2D lights that are small, not the huge 2D maglites) or a 2-3C size. It would be more likely to sit in my car or toolbox until actually needed, but it would have enough battery life that I would actually use it.

For a long time I thought I preferred the twist on battery pack for the LS, but I found that when my Lambda Illuminator and Arc LS were sitting next to each other I usually grabbed the LI because of the more convenient switch. A head switch would be ideal, but a tail switch is almost as good and easier to replace (switches always tend to be a failure point).

- Russ