Novatac 120E vs E1L

This Novatac is a nifty little number. I can see why folks here like it. Here are my opinions on both lights.

Size/weight: Novatac

Carry options: Novatac (head up or head down and not head heavy like the E1L)

Ease of Use: E1L (no counting clicks)

Features: Novatac (1,2,max, strobe)

Runtime: E1L

Light quality: IMO goes to E1L's warmer white (Novatac is bluish). Also the E1L's 45 lumens seems brighter than the 120E's 42 lumens. Additionally the Novatac's 120 lumens max output seemed nothing to write home about. It was on par with a 6PL's 80 lumens IMO. This probably has something to do with the 120E's more diffuse output which shows almost no hotspot. It all serves to tell me that numbers on paper mean nothing. It's all about real world observation.

Throw: E1L

Flood: Novatac

Build quality: E1L (the Novatac's tailcap was a lot less substantial)

Value: About the same. I got the Novatac for a song. I lost my E1L today in a parking lot but I'll gladly buy another one.

I'm really happy with my new EDC. Between it and my soon to be replaced E1L I have the best of both worlds.

So sorry about your E1L, we can only hope that whoever found it appreciates what it is and uses it often.

On a side note, I truly wish that they made two versions of all the E-series dual-output models................one that starts on low and one that starts on high. As much as I love my E1B, I dream about an E1L (with it's great runtime on high) that starts out on high and has the same clip as the E1B (which I know will fit, if you can get one from stuck-up SF). That 45, conservative, lumen high with 4+ hours of runtime sounds really useful for my needs. The 80, conservative, lumens of my E1B are quite often overkill but I love the fact that it starts out on high so what's a guy to do?

The E1L is a spectacular light that I feel doesn't get talked about enough. I can't even find a runtime graph for it! Amazing optic, forward clickie, two well-picked modes with a seamless UI that turn on low first; I'll take two!

superflytnt said:

So sorry about your E1L, we can only hope that whoever found it appreciates what it is and uses it often.

On a side note, I truly wish that they made two versions of all the E-series dual-output models................one that starts on low and one that starts on high. As much as I love my E1B, I dream about an E1L (with it's great runtime on high) that starts out on high and has the same clip as the E1B (which I know will fit, if you can get one from stuck-up SF). That 45, conservative, lumen high with 4+ hours of runtime sounds really useful for my needs. The 80, conservative, lumens of my E1B are quite often overkill but I love the fact that it starts out on high so what's a guy to do?

Click to expand...

It would be nice to see a version of the e1L, e2L that came on high because I think their high is a an all around usefull output with great runtime, which I'd want first (in fact,for those runtimes they could be single mode and I'd be happy). The E2DL and E1B come on too high, with too short of a runtime for general purpose lighting.

Edit: Does anyone remember dip switches? Those tiny little things in computer hardware? They should stick on of those in the head of the light so you can set your orientation: low first or high first.

I myself prefer the low first UI of the E1L but also like the form factor of the E1B but short of legoing both lights I will never get such a thing. This is what makes buying lights such a fun, never ending and expensive hobby. You never could get all the features you want in one EDC. And thank goodness for that!