Quark me

shark_za · Mar 27, 2010

I have been reading the reviews on the Quarks and have decided to take the jump into one of the CPF popular brands.
Help me work it out in my mind and understand the range a little.

First me.
I currently mainly use Surefire 6P/C2/G2 for "tactical" jobs and Fenix AA models for general use multimodes/EDC.
I have both good AA and RCR123/18650 battery setups already.

But I want some 4Sevens lights now.

I don't think I am interested in the Mini range as they are so close to the iTP's that I have, neither in the Preon, but what two should I get along with any spare tubes to really appreciate the Quark experience.

Budget is probably around $150-$200
I know I want the 123-2 version, but must decide in the regular or normal in that. Another consideration is the turbo tactical model.
Should I also consider the AA variants?

So far my thinking is this .
Quark AA2 regular.
Spare 1xAA body.
Spare 123 body, this can work on the 2AA head right?
Quark 123-2 Tactical or Turbo.

Plus I could save a little by getting the 2xAA in the R2 edition and get a prism kit in the deal.

Am I way off in my thinking?
Should I get the latest emitters in all models?
Tactical, Normal or Turbo ?

Help me guru's !

SFG2Lman · Mar 27, 2010

your plan seems to maximize the amount of possible lights for the least amount of money, i like it. unfortunately i could never justify that to my wife. I have the older XPE quark 123 regular, and i use it at least once everyday. I use the low mode for getting around the CHU (containerized housing unit) while my roomie is sleeping, i use high for getting back and forth to work (both happen in the dark) and i use the medium modes to light my path on long after-work runs.

I recommend the regular programmed one, i like the tailstand ability, and i know where my modes are, its a breeze to hit the right one i want every time.

Chevy-SS · Mar 27, 2010

I have bought three EDC lights in the past month.

They are:
1) Quark Tactical 123*2 XP-G R5
2) EagleTac P20C2 MkII XP-G R5 123*2
3) Fenix PD30 123*2 CREE XP-G R4

The Fenix PD30 is small, perfect for EDC. But the Quark is the same size, and noticeably brighter. IMHO, the Fenix lumen rating is vastly overstated, while the Quark lumen rating is understated. The light coming out of the Quark is definitely brighter than the Fenix to my eye. No way is the Fenix 265 lumens, IMHO - unless that's measured at the emitter.

I totally love the Quark Tactical's UI (user interface). The forward-clicky Quark Tactical is the only one (of these three) that allows me to have a hi-power tactical strobe available in the first press (which can be momentary). You can program ANY two options on the Quark, one of which will be available when head is tight, the other when head is loose. Very nice UI IMO for a EDC 'tactical' light.

The EagleTac and the Quark seem similar for brightness (OK, I give the lumens edge to the EagleTac), but the EagleTac is a little bit bigger than the Quark. Plus, the EagleTac (like the Fenix) requires two presses to get a tactical strobe. In a high-stress self-defense situation, I do not want to have to remember two presses, I will be too busy worrying about surviving - I simply want to hit the switch and have tactical strobe immediately available. Bottom line regarding the UI - it's important to consider exactly what YOU want and get the UI that meets your needs. For me, I wanted to have tactical strobe available immediately, and with momentary option.

So, my vote goes to the Quark Tactical 123*2 XP-G R5 as the best EDC 'tactical' light of the three. It's bright, lightweight, fits in pocket real easy and has a great UI, with tactical strobe immediately accessible.

My next choice would be the EagleTac P20C2 MkII. This light really packs a lot of punch, plus make sure to utilize the OP (textured) reflector.

My last choice would be the Fenix. The thing I really dislike about this as a 'tactical' light is that you have to 'click' the switch to on, there is no momentary press. That click noise would give away your position in a 'tactical' situation. Plus, the smooth reflector makes the hotspot too focused for 'tactical' (or anything) IMHO.

Here's a pic of my most recent lights:

-

tsmccull · Mar 27, 2010

Shark_za,

One other option you might consider is picking up the 18650 body instead of your spare AA or CR123 body. That will give you the ability to run the battery with the longest possible runtime on any of the Quark lights you buy. I did that for my 123*2 tactical and have now ordered an extra tactical head plus a regular tailcap to turn the leftover 123*2 body into a light for the wife using one 17670. I prefer the tactical UI since it gives you immediate access to your two most-used modes without having to cycle thru any of the others, plus you can always change them if you like by following the programming routine. Personal preference.

ti-force · Mar 27, 2010

shark_za said:
I have been reading the reviews on the Quarks and have decided to take the jump into one of the CPF popular brands.
Help me work it out in my mind and understand the range a little.

First me.
I currently mainly use Surefire 6P/C2/G2 for "tactical" jobs and Fenix AA models for general use multimodes/EDC.
I have both good AA and RCR123/18650 battery setups already.

But I want some 4Sevens lights now.

I don't think I am interested in the Mini range as they are so close to the iTP's that I have, neither in the Preon, but what two should I get along with any spare tubes to really appreciate the Quark experience.

Budget is probably around $150-$200
I know I want the 123-2 version, but must decide in the regular or normal in that. Another consideration is the turbo tactical model.
Should I also consider the AA variants?

So far my thinking is this .
Quark AA2 regular.
Spare 1xAA body.
Spare 123 body, this can work on the 2AA head right?
Quark 123-2 Tactical or Turbo.

Plus I could save a little by getting the 2xAA in the R2 edition and get a prism kit in the deal.

Am I way off in my thinking?
Should I get the latest emitters in all models?
Tactical, Normal or Turbo ?

Help me guru's !

Personally, I don't care for the Quark AAx2 variants. The head and tailcap are the same diameter as the Quark 123x2's, but they AAx2's are actually longer. The way I see it, why not just get the Quark 123x2 and have a little bit more output, in a shorter light. The 123x2 length is 4.5" while the AAx2's length is 5.8" and the output for the 123x2 R2 version is 20 more OTF lumens than the AAx2 variant, and the 123x2 R5 version is 24 more OTF lumens than the AAx2. I think the output difference would probably be hard to see with the naked eye, but at least you know you've got it right

.

Unless I'm mistaken, all of the Quark heads and bodies will interchange, so you could still get a 1xAA body and use it with the 123x2 head, although I think you would have to use a 14500 Li-Ion; the voltage range for the 123x2 is 3-9v, so a 1.5v alkaline wouldn't work and I'm not sure how the performance would be with 1xLi-Ion, using the 123x2 head. Maybe someone can comment on that for you.

As far as the XP-E R2 version vs the XP-G R5 version goes, the R2 is probably going to appear brighter because it has a brighter hot spot, and I think a lot of people mistaken that as the light actually being brighter. The R5 is going to be a good choice if you like a lot of spill or flood, and the R2 will be a better choice if you want more throw. I have a 123x2 R2 Tactical, and I find that I have plenty of spill for my tastes, but that's just my opinion and some people say the hot spot actually hurts their eyes.

I also have a 123x2 Turbo, which has the XP-G R5 emitter and it's definitely a thrower because of the reflector design. I hardly ever use it, but I think that's because my 123x2 R2 is my EDC and if I need more, I'll grab my Tiablo A9 thatI modded with an SSR-50 emitter :grin2:

. But, the Turbo could be EDC'ed I guess, if you don't mind the larger head and tailcap diameter.

I like the Tactical version over the Regular version, but that's just personal preference. You can compare specs between the two at the 4sevens website to see which one you prefer, and you're already aware of the fact that you can save roughly $25.00 by going the R2 route, and selling the Prism kit. Don't forget to use the CPF8 code for the 8% discount:thumbsup:.

bansuri · Mar 27, 2010

Sorry, I missed the "don't" before "think I'm interested in the MiNi range".
my bad.

I've got an R2 and the tint is great and plenty bright. With your budget you might want to get 2 complete lights and then the extra tube?

shark_za · Mar 27, 2010

Thanks everyone, some additional tips were good.
I just need them to confirm the shipping/insurance upgrades and I think I'm good to go.

I'm going to get the R2 2xAA tactical model and the R5 2x123 regular model.
This will give me the two different user interfaces and two different voltage range heads.

I'm going to get a full house of bodies, AA, 123 and 18650.

I am also going to get another low voltage module to go with these bodies and for this I will go with the regular UI to have that option.
Another tailcap will make it 3x full lights in the end.

And I'll remember CPF8 thanks.
It stretches just past $200 but its a lot of value. I paid that for a Surefire 6PDL in South Africa, we get raped by the B&M shops here.

SFG2Lman · Mar 28, 2010

you'll love those lights! That approach is a lot smarter than what i would have done...I would have spent days looking for a single light that i thought was worth $200. You managed to get nearly the whole quark line for that, genius!

LukeW · Mar 28, 2010

I spent $200 last week on some of the Quark lights - Preon 2, Preon 1, Mini123 and a Mini123 titanium (soooo pretty!).

Can't wait till they arrive. My next purchase will definitely be the 123sq. tactical.

Good job 4Sevens!

shark_za · Mar 28, 2010

Just the frustration of staring at an empty inbox waiting for my answer...

Just on the tactical UI , do most find full power and moon mode the best combo?
Full power and one of the brighter lows would probably be more practical?

What say those that have them?

ti-force · Mar 28, 2010

shark_za said:
Just the frustration of staring at an empty inbox waiting for my answer...

Just on the tactical UI , do most find full power and moon mode the best combo?
Full power and one of the brighter lows would probably be more practical?

What say those that have them?

My 123x2 Tactical is set to Max with head tightened, and High with head loosened. The lower modes, especially the Moon mode are too dim for my needs, but that's just me.

recDNA · Mar 28, 2010

Chevy-SS said:
I have bought three EDC lights in the past month.

They are:
1) Quark Tactical 123*2 XP-G R5
2) EagleTac P20C2 MkII XP-G R5 123*2
3) Fenix PD30 123*2 CREE XP-G R4

The Fenix PD30 is small, perfect for EDC. But the Quark is the same size, and noticeably brighter. IMHO, the Fenix lumen rating is vastly overstated, while the Quark lumen rating is understated. The light coming out of the Quark is definitely brighter than the Fenix to my eye. No way is the Fenix 265 lumens, IMHO - unless that's measured at the emitter.

I totally love the Quark Tactical's UI (user interface). The forward-clicky Quark Tactical is the only one (of these three) that allows me to have a hi-power tactical strobe available in the first press (which can be momentary). You can program ANY two options on the Quark, one of which will be available when head is tight, the other when head is loose. Very nice UI IMO for a EDC 'tactical' light.

The EagleTac and the Quark seem similar for brightness (OK, I give the lumens edge to the EagleTac), but the EagleTac is a little bit bigger than the Quark. Plus, the EagleTac (like the Fenix) requires two presses to get a tactical strobe. In a high-stress self-defense situation, I do not want to have to remember two presses, I will be too busy worrying about surviving - I simply want to hit the switch and have tactical strobe immediately available. Bottom line regarding the UI - it's important to consider exactly what YOU want and get the UI that meets your needs. For me, I wanted to have tactical strobe available immediately, and with momentary option.

So, my vote goes to the Quark Tactical 123*2 XP-G R5 as the best EDC 'tactical' light of the three. It's bright, lightweight, fits in pocket real easy and has a great UI, with tactical strobe immediately accessible.

My next choice would be the EagleTac P20C2 MkII. This light really packs a lot of punch, plus make sure to utilize the OP (textured) reflector.

My last choice would be the Fenix. The thing I really dislike about this as a 'tactical' light is that you have to 'click' the switch to on, there is no momentary press. That click noise would give away your position in a 'tactical' situation. Plus, the smooth reflector makes the hotspot too focused for 'tactical' (or anything) IMHO.

Here's a pic of my most recent lights:

-

If you believe BigC's sphere of truth (and I do) Quark does not under rate their output.

tsmccull · Mar 28, 2010

shark_za said:
Just the frustration of staring at an empty inbox waiting for my answer...

Just on the tactical UI , do most find full power and moon mode the best combo?
Full power and one of the brighter lows would probably be more practical?

What say those that have them?

Mine's on Max with the head tightened, and low (not moonlight) with it loose. Low's a handy go-to-the-bathroom-at-night level which doesn't wake anyone else up. Tried moonlight a while for that purpose, but that was just a bit dim, IMHO.

SFG2Lman · Mar 28, 2010

moonlight and turbo are my most used modes, but i use high when i'm running just because turbo gets toasty after 20-30 minutes, and my poor rechargeables don't have that kind of capacity

Badbeams3 · Mar 28, 2010

tsmccull said:
Shark_za,

One other option you might consider is picking up the 18650 body instead of your spare AA or CR123 body. That will give you the ability to run the battery with the longest possible runtime on any of the Quark lights you buy. I did that for my 123*2 tactical and have now ordered an extra tactical head plus a regular tailcap to turn the leftover 123*2 body into a light for the wife using one 17670. I prefer the tactical UI since it gives you immediate access to your two most-used modes without having to cycle thru any of the others, plus you can always change them if you like by following the programming routine. Personal preference.

+1 :thumbsup: I couldn`t agree more. I have the regular head and wish I had the tactical...after many ,many months of useing my light (works great) I find it a pain...I rarely want full power...but having to go thru the lower levels to get where I want to be sucks. Two quick simple choices is the way to go in my opinion...you can always change them if you want.

Also agree with the 18650 body...great to know you can run a loong time if you want/need to before recharging :thumbsup:

dirtybore · Mar 28, 2010

Hey... I've been Quarked!

Not to rain on anyone's parade here; and I so want to like my Quark. I waited for a long time for my Quark 123 (no clip) to come off backorder. I love so many of it's features: Brightness, beam smoothness, throw/spill balance, size, light weight, great accessories, fit, finish, and overall quality. Heck, even it's packaging is a thing of beauty!

(No, don't tell me to send it back. It's fairly obvious they're all like what I'm going to say...)

This thing's tint is GREEN ! :green:

I'm sorry if I'm a little off topic here but yuck man, it's green.

I messed around with a bunch of my lights today ( trying to talk myself out of more Surefire LED lights [perhaps another rant sometime :grin2:

] ) and I'm just so bummed about this light's buzzard puke colored beam. :sick2:

Just my two cents worth here. Don't mean to highjack the thread - as you were.

kosPap · Mar 28, 2010

just a question on quark legoing by me....

is there a reason why a AA@ turbo head/module won't wqorkj with a SINGLE AA tube?

I THINK threads are compatible and the voltage range can handle the lower voltage of the AA battery (with lowerr output of course)

and there is the 14500 option too..

shark_za · Mar 28, 2010

I'm hoping nothing is on backorder as I could not wait any longer for a response from them and placed the order anyway.

I assume the 18650 is best with the low voltage head unit ? (runtime wise)
Probably slightly dimmer than with the 3-9v version?

Getting both variants of the low voltage head will be best for the interchanging bodies. AA, 2xAA, 123 and 18650.

I can already predict my setup for the 3x lights.

1. The R5 123x2 in regular stock form.
2. The 18650 with the R2 tactical head and switch
3. The AA with the other low V regular head and switch, swap between it and the 2xAA body.
Sometimes use the 123.

The first two setups are new to me and the last will be a similar one to my LD10 with L2D body.

csa · Mar 28, 2010

Dirtybore: This is pretty off-topic. Go complain in the existing "my quark is green" topic. The subject has been beaten to death already, the consensus seems to be that non-PWM modules are going to change tint as you under-drive them, and that's just the way it is.

Back on topic, I think the OP is going to really like this collection of lights!

shark_za · Mar 28, 2010

I agree on both counts

My Fenix has a green tinge on the low mode, par for the course.

And I'm looking forward to these new ones!

Quark me

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