Excuse a newbie, but what's the deal with HDS and novatac?

I duno if this is forbidden topic on CPF, but I was looking at the led museum about HDS edc 60. Well, aside from emitter power and button sequence to press for options, they seem to be the same thing. So now novatac is making it, but HDS is making a new twistie with similar body design. Can someone summarize what happened here?

it all started with the Arc4
then HDS started making the HDS EDC shortly after Arc closed its doors.
Henry sold the EDC concept to Novatac, who now look after the servicing for all the old HDS EDC and new Novatac EDC lights as well as manufacturing the new EDC line

Henry left Novatac (for reasons i dont know, and dont want to know) and is currently working on his new project the HDS Twisty


of course, i could be wrong any or most of this, and another flashaholic who has a better idea will be along to correct me, then it will desintegrate into a small flame war and a mod will lock the thread

I think everything Echo63 said is correct but I have heard there may be some problems with Novatac servicing the old EDC lights. I read that they were no longer making/replacing tailcaps and were just offering discounts on new Novatac EDC's for compensation. If this is true I'm very unhappy. One of the reasons I was willing to buy my 3 HDS EDC's was for the warranty.

I don't own a Novatac, but I'm really looking forward to the new Twisty by Henry.

Thanks, that clear things up a lot. When you say Arc closed its doors, are you talking about the one makes arc aaa, or an different company? What does novatac make before the EDC series, they don't seem to make anything else right now.

jzmtl said:

Thanks, that clear things up a lot. When you say Arc closed its doors, are you talking about the one makes arc aaa, or an different company? What does novatac make before the EDC series, they don't seem to make anything else right now.

Click to expand...

I read ARC (maker of AAA and AA) had closed down, then later reopened.

This one aspect of Henry's business practices...the jump out of the kitchen when things get hot thing he seems to do every time.
HDS owners are left with no real factory service. ARC 4 owners are in the same boat. unless Novatac comes up something really good Novatac owners will be in the same boat as the arc 4 and hds edc owners.
Not god in the long run. If you are buying a light for it's warranty buy a Surefire. They are a company with a proven track record.
Yaesumofo

Please read this link: HDS has just announced that all EDC Ultimate and EDC Basic warranties will be honored.

Henry to the rescue!!!!!!!

Folks this is good news, not because I have any problems with my lights or expect any, but I will rest better knowing that IF a problem does occur I can get it fixed.

Long live HDS!

jzmtl said:

Thanks, that clear things up a lot. When you say Arc closed its doors, are you talking about the one makes arc aaa, or an different company? What does novatac make before the EDC series, they don't seem to make anything else right now.

Click to expand...

The original Arc company (Arc LLC) went out of business due to cash flow problems, and there was much gnashing and wailing and used Arc AAA's became worth about 3x as much as new ones had previously cost, since you couldn't get them any more. Later the guy who had run Arc joined another company and re-launched the Arc brand. The guy designing the flashlights is the same guy as before, so the lights are in the same spirit. The folks taking care of the business end of things are different.

Thank you, all, for the information. :thumbsup:


I'd wondered what the "connection" was.

Obviously if you followed the link you know that Henry will now repair or replace all the old HDS EDC's. It's too bad there are not more people in this world with that kind of integrity. A toast to HDS....my favorite lights.

yaesumofo said:

This one aspect of Henry's business practices...the jump out of the kitchen when things get hot thing he seems to do every time.
HDS owners are left with no real factory service. ARC 4 owners are in the same boat. unless Novatac comes up something really good Novatac owners will be in the same boat as the arc 4 and hds edc owners.
Not god in the long run. If you are buying a light for it's warranty buy a Surefire. They are a company with a proven track record.
Yaesumofo

Click to expand...

I don't know what you're basing your information on, but I seriously doubt you have the facts any more than the rest of us. Consider this, as mentioned above, Henry supported previous generation lights even though 1) he didn't have to, 2) NovaTac agreed to support this line, but bailed, and 3) this is out of Henry's pocket.

Many of us who have e-mailed NovaTac about flickering and sporadic behavior have basically been told 'yeah, that's kinda the way they are. You can send it in but I doubt we'll do anything...'

I recommend you have some facts before you go slandering a respected member of the community. Additionally, (speculation to follow) it's very possible that Henry left NovaTac because it was clear to him that they don't have the commitment to quality and customer service that he does.