Quark CR123-2 T R4 4C0/DO or Jet III Pro ST Q3 5A

Which of these would you chose for a general outdoor light (hiking, camping, hunting, and just general kicking around woods, fields and beaches after dark.)?

I have a Quark 123 T neutral, and Jet 1 Pro v 3 neutral. So I like the Quark Tactical UI and the Jet I.B.S. UI.

I also have an EagleTac P100C2 with a neutral tint emitter, and like that light, but as you probably know, it has no low. Its two settings are high and "even higher." It's been given car and "bump in the night" duty.

My quesion is, in terms of reliability and durability, including shock resistance and water resistance, is either the Quark or Jet superior to the other?

I'm kind of feeling either one is as good, or not, as the other. I doubt either would take the abuse my E1L could probably endure, but I want a multi-level, neutral tint light with 2 x CR123 runtime, a more versatile beam profile than my E1L, a true low, and slim form-factor.

I don't plan on doing anything particulalry strenuous with the light, just want a warm-tinted light that will hold up to the usual outdoors activities, and extremes of desert heat, winter snow, pouring rain, getting dropped on rocks, rolled in sand, and dunked in streams and maybe salt-water.

My Quark 123^2 T that has the older neutral Q3 5A. I love the tint, the light is bulletproof. It has a nice tight hotspot which I like better than the XP-Gs. I can't speak for the Jet III, but my Quark has been used since 4Sevens first offered the neutral tint (Q3 5A) as my main light for full time paramedic work. I have dropped it in puddles, on cement, accidentally dropped it and at the same time kicked it down the road, etc. It looks a little beat up, but has NEVER stopped working. I dropped it so hard once the 17670 battery inside it broke (perhaps the circuit protection? IDK), but a new battery and it worked just fine. My QAA R2 hasn't gone through as much abuse, but has seen some, and keeps on tickin' as well. I can't peak highly enough about the regular Quark line.

As far as the Quark Mini, well I've had a Mini CR2 Warm White on my keychain for some time now. It has a nice warm floody beam (XPGs are real floody, but that's perfect, IMHO, for a keychain light) that is surprisingly bright. The threads are smooth and flawless. If I twist the light to just barely off I can squeeze the light and use it like a momentary on feature. Great light.

I don't have the "neutral" versions but I own and regularly use the cool white versions of all the torches you mentioned except e1L and I can give you the following comparitive notes.

My III pro ST does not out throw my Jet-I pro. There UI's are slightly different too in the length of time between presses to change modes and the Jet-I pro is FAR better in that regard. To me the only advantage the III Pro ST has over the Jet-I Pro is the longer runtimes. Nothing else about it is better than it's smaller jetbeam brother in terms of practical use.

My Jet III Pro ST throws further than my XP-G version of the Quark 123-2 but the Jet's beam is nowhere near as good as the Quarks (we won't speak of the chance of getting a really green tint XP-G Quark). The Jet III Pro ST has plenty of dark ring area and also a fairly pronounced darkish spot in the centre of the hotspot.

The III Pro ST has no momentary whereas the Quark does. The III Pro ST falls accidently into program mode a LOT easier than the Quark does.

In terms of their construction's ability to withstand dropping them I'd reckon the Quark and Jetbeam are on a par though maybe the smaller size of the Quark would put it a smidgin ahead. In terms of the risk of acutally dropping them, the Jetbeam III Pro ST is slipperier in my hands than the Quark.