Mini-Review of Quark Mini123

I'm not an expert by any means but I feel the need to write up my impressions of my newly received light from goinggear.com.

Upon opening the box, I realized how small this little light is. After installing the provided battery and waiting until dark I went outside and turned on this little torch.

The beam is floody which isn't a surprise considering a small head and the xp-g Led. After aiming the light at various structures/trees and walking around the yard I've come to appreciate a floody beam. For the most part of a year I've primarily used a M1X which obviously is nothing like this light.

The beam doesn't really have a well defined hot-spot nor a corona around what hot spot there is. Obviously, there is a good amount of spill/flood that can light up a significant amount of area immediately in front of you. Even with the concentration being biased toward flood, it wasn't much of a problem shining on a house around 100ft away with plain sheer power of the R5. The hot spot (if you wanna call it that) is actually somewhat neutral in color (while white walling) while the spill is cooler.

The UI is very easy and even my fiance figured it out within a minute or two. The build quality isn't "tank" like but that wasn't expected with a light this small/light. But overall quality is very good, with a centered LED, good anodizing, nice knurling, etc etc.

Long story short... I've never had a "small" light nor a floody light but I can see why some people are "flooders" as they are more useful/practical (IMHO). The light is well made, looks good, has good modes, simple UI, super bright for a super small 1 123 cell light. Overall I love it! I can't wait to go up in the mountains and really get to try it out. Btw, I should have in a new light tomorrow (for my Fiance) as I got her a ITP A1 SS.:thumbsup:

Congrats on the new light!

I think for the average person, the pocket-sized lights that you carry with you all the time are by far the best flashlight investment you can make.

The best light is the one you have with you when you need it! And the Quark Mini 123 is very bright and floody. Flood is more useful than throw most of the time!

Post a review when you get the ITP A1, that is a light that interests me as well, since I LOVE stainless and titanium lights!

Thanks for the congrats.

I'll def put up a mini review of the A1

My fiance wanted a SS light and the A1 was the best combo of price, performance, and form factor.

The video review of the A1 on GG looks like the A1 isn't quite as bright as the Mini but then again, it's an R2 vs. an R5 so that's to be expected. However, the A1 looks to have a warmer tint than the Mini.

Overall the Mini has a very pleasing beam pattern that's smooth with a rather smooth transition from hot spot to spill.

yeah I LOVE my qmini123!

great little light- I use it almost everyday!

super good with 16430 for short blasts
when you need a little "throw"

I had seen some vid's where they put in 16430's but noted that it got hot pretty quick. Does it do that even on the low/med modes?

Well we have received the A1 in the mail today but obviously it's too bright outside to do any side-by-side testing at this point.

The A1 and Mini123 have nearly identical dimensions and from what I can tell, use the exact same reflector/lens making a side by side test not only logical but a good comparison of the R2 vs. R5. From some white-walling in the house, the R2 has a bit of the doughnut hole up close while the R5 doesn't. The beams are similar with the R5 having a larger less defined hot spot while the R2 has a smaller and more defined hot spot with a bit of a corona around it. The tint surprises me a bit as the R2 has an almost light pink tone to it (a la HID's) while my 123 is a more traditional cool blue. The weight difference is significant as well (obviously, one is Alu. while the other SS). Otherwise, thus far the A1 feels of quality with no thread slop and a centered LED. Tonight I'll really get to compare two pretty much similar lights with different LED's. I'll let you know what I find out.

Thanks for the reviews, Nick. Those Mini's are sweet little lights. Now you need to try one of the warm white Mini's, if you miss that incandescent glow.

Geoff

nickdolin said:

I had seen some vid's where they put in 16430's but noted that it got hot pretty quick. Does it do that even on the low/med modes?

Click to expand...

No.