andrewnewman
Enlightened
Greetings:
As the beginning of the first serious snowfall for the season starts here in CT, I thought I'd take a minute or two to reflect on the standout lights for the year from a highly subjective perspective (naturally). As I read other's comments in each case prior to acquiring each light, my list contains a sense of expectation versus reality rather than a tiered rating of best to worst. So, without further ado (and in no particular order):
1. 4Sevens SS-Revo -- Substantially better than expectations. This little gem (I have the cool white LED) is bright, focused and has exceptional electronics that pull every last electron from the AAA power source. No significant complaints thus far.
2. Fenix TK-45 -- Somewhat better than expectations. This was a highly rated light when I bought it. I am particularly impressed with the long battery life and general usability as a house light. It tail stands for power outages and just runs and runs. While large by modern standards, it is still a good bit smaller than a 3D cell Mag.
3. Nitecore D11 -- Somewhat better than expectations. While I acknowledge most of the design limitations others have pointed out, my specimen is very well built and has no significant parasitic drain problems. Im not even sure I miss the clip. The switching mechanism has been flawless and the floody beam excellent for most indoor activities (requiring a flashlight).
4. Zebralight SC51 -- Somewhat lower than expectations. This was the flashlight that was uniformly praised (or so it seemed) when I got it. For the most part it lives up to expectations. Some unexpected downsides are that it will frequently turn on in my pocket (25-30% of the time) and drain the battery if I dont lock out the tailcap religiously. Also it seems to become useless when there is still about 20% remaining power in a Duraloop NiMH. The electronics produce an unreliable 1 lumen glow that doesnt switch modes. Perhaps this is just my sample.
5. Eagletac P20A2MkII (Warm White) -- I bought this on a lark. It *substantially* exceeded my expectations. The build is excellent. It has proven to be solidly reliable. The forward clicky is rock solid and unlikely to turn on accidentally (in my experience). Even so it can lock out at the tailcap. You can change the batteries from the front so that loosening the retaining ring accidentally in the tailcap is less of a worry. The light is regulated, bright, fairly tightly focused and the batteries seem to go on and on. Since the tail switch doesn't switch modes, you can signal with the light. The steel bezel makes it tough and resistant to drops that might break the glass. Finally it comes with a thoughtful diffuser to make the somewhat throwy beam more...er...diffuse indoors. Oh yeah... the rubber tailstanding gizmo is quite secure and doesn't risk injury to furniture when doing it's (tailstanding) thing. Quite impressive overall.
As the beginning of the first serious snowfall for the season starts here in CT, I thought I'd take a minute or two to reflect on the standout lights for the year from a highly subjective perspective (naturally). As I read other's comments in each case prior to acquiring each light, my list contains a sense of expectation versus reality rather than a tiered rating of best to worst. So, without further ado (and in no particular order):
1. 4Sevens SS-Revo -- Substantially better than expectations. This little gem (I have the cool white LED) is bright, focused and has exceptional electronics that pull every last electron from the AAA power source. No significant complaints thus far.
2. Fenix TK-45 -- Somewhat better than expectations. This was a highly rated light when I bought it. I am particularly impressed with the long battery life and general usability as a house light. It tail stands for power outages and just runs and runs. While large by modern standards, it is still a good bit smaller than a 3D cell Mag.
3. Nitecore D11 -- Somewhat better than expectations. While I acknowledge most of the design limitations others have pointed out, my specimen is very well built and has no significant parasitic drain problems. Im not even sure I miss the clip. The switching mechanism has been flawless and the floody beam excellent for most indoor activities (requiring a flashlight).
4. Zebralight SC51 -- Somewhat lower than expectations. This was the flashlight that was uniformly praised (or so it seemed) when I got it. For the most part it lives up to expectations. Some unexpected downsides are that it will frequently turn on in my pocket (25-30% of the time) and drain the battery if I dont lock out the tailcap religiously. Also it seems to become useless when there is still about 20% remaining power in a Duraloop NiMH. The electronics produce an unreliable 1 lumen glow that doesnt switch modes. Perhaps this is just my sample.
5. Eagletac P20A2MkII (Warm White) -- I bought this on a lark. It *substantially* exceeded my expectations. The build is excellent. It has proven to be solidly reliable. The forward clicky is rock solid and unlikely to turn on accidentally (in my experience). Even so it can lock out at the tailcap. You can change the batteries from the front so that loosening the retaining ring accidentally in the tailcap is less of a worry. The light is regulated, bright, fairly tightly focused and the batteries seem to go on and on. Since the tail switch doesn't switch modes, you can signal with the light. The steel bezel makes it tough and resistant to drops that might break the glass. Finally it comes with a thoughtful diffuser to make the somewhat throwy beam more...er...diffuse indoors. Oh yeah... the rubber tailstanding gizmo is quite secure and doesn't risk injury to furniture when doing it's (tailstanding) thing. Quite impressive overall.
