47s Quark AA Tactical R5 Long Term impressions

After using the 4Sevens Quark AA Tactical R5 model as an EDC for over 13 months I have decided to leave my long term impressions of the light.



-Tactical interface is superb, setting to med/max required less than 10 re-programmings in more than a year (not including playing around with it). The operation is simple, reliable and predictable, ideal IMO for EDC. The forward switch is very convenient and natural



-Clips in pocket very comfortably



-Resists wear reasonably well. Even after a year+ of EDC use and drops, the annodizing is holding up very nicely with only a couple small dings.



-14500 is a superb EDC cell, being able to top off daily if needed is very convenient and the output on max is very impressive for a small light.



-Beam pattern is a great combination that works well for almost all tasks.



The bad:

-Broke a clip (my fault). I sat up out of my car too fast and it snagged on my seat belt and it bent way too far, bought a new one.



-One switch went bad and gradually got flickerey on AA but not 14500 use.





Overall I am very pleased with this light and would not hesitate to recommend it for someone seeking a simple, versatile, capable EDC light.

Wiggle said:

After using the 4Sevens Quark AA Tactical R5 model as an EDC for over 13 months I have decided to leave my long term impressions of the light.



-Tactical interface is superb, setting to med/max required less than 10 re-programmings in more than a year (not including playing around with it). The operation is simple, reliable and predictable, ideal IMO for EDC. The forward switch is very convenient and natural



-Clips in pocket very comfortably



-Resists wear reasonably well. Even after a year+ of EDC use and drops, the annodizing is holding up very nicely with only a couple small dings.



-14500 is a superb EDC cell, being able to top off daily if needed is very convenient and the output on max is very impressive for a small light.



-Beam pattern is a great combination that works well for almost all tasks.



The bad:

-Broke a clip (my fault). I sat up out of my car too fast and it snagged on my seat belt and it bent way too far, bought a new one.



-One switch went bad and gradually got flickerey on AA but not 14500 use.





Overall I am very pleased with this light and would not hesitate to recommend it for someone seeking a simple, versatile, capable EDC light.

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Thank you for that, I have this exact light on it's way right now.
I ordered a deepcarry clip for it too. I can't wait to edc this light
I currently edc the 123^2 and can't say enough about it.
But I love how the AA is even smaller but can take a
14500 and still super bright. Its the perfect edc light IMO.

I really like my Quark AAx2 tactical for the same reasons.
Thanks for posting, good info.





IMO[I think the above post needs some editing?]

Yep, it's a very nice EDC light indeed.
I got a 123 tube over a year ago and now I can't even tell I'm carrying a light. I also got some 14500's to revert to AA size when camping... it's nice to have all these options on a light I actually use daily.

Cataract said:

Yep, it's a very nice EDC light indeed.
I got a 123 tube over a year ago and now I can't even tell I'm carrying a light. I also got some 14500's to revert to AA size when camping... it's nice to have all these options on a light I actually use daily.

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Yes sir! Thats is exactly what I would like to do,soon too.
Do u use the holster for ur 123? Or clip? Or pocket it?
How mAny lumens are u getting on turbo w/14500?
Thanks, nic.

Nicrod said:

Yes sir! Thats is exactly what I would like to do,soon too.
Do u use the holster for ur 123? Or clip? Or pocket it?
How mAny lumens are u getting on turbo w/14500?
Thanks, nic.

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Hello! Nice to see many fellow Quark users here having good experiences with their Quarks over a long period of usage!

My question is this: Is it better to get a 123 tube than a AA tube then run a 14500 on it?

Have any of you tried running a Quark Turbo Head on your existing AA2 or AA or 123 body? It doesnt look like a good fit.

roadkill1109 said:

Have any of you tried running a Quark Turbo Head on your existing AA2 or AA or 123 body? It doesnt look like a good fit.

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I believe they are interchangeable. The only problem you'd have is running them on primaries as the voltage would be too low (3v). However with a 3.7v RCR123 or 14500 you should be good to go.

roadkill1109 said:

Hello! Nice to see many fellow Quark users here having good experiences with their Quarks over a long period of usage!

My question is this: Is it better to get a 123 tube than a AA tube then run a 14500 on it?

Have any of you tried running a Quark Turbo Head on your existing AA2 or AA or 123 body? It doesnt look like a good fit.

Click to expand...

I think u can only run 14500 in the aa tube. And 123 and rcr in the 123 tube.
I want a 123 tube as well as the aa^2 tube. I don't have any li-ion yet. Just lithium primary.
The turbo head looks good on the aaa body but the clip is in the way, u could just remove it.
But yea I think it's pretty slick looking.

Sorry delete

Nicrod said:

I think u can only run 14500 in the aa tube. And 123 and rcr in the 123 tube.
I want a 123 tube as well as the aa^2 tube. I don't have any li-ion yet. Just lithium primary.
The turbo head looks good on the aaa body but the clip is in the way, u could just remove it.
But yea I think it's pretty slick looking.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I think i'll just do that. Get an AA body then extra 14500 batts plus the Quark Turbo Head (4.2v) and maybe even the flat tailcap to top it off... hehe...

yeah i hate clips, i take the clips off all my lights.

roadkill1109 said:

Thanks! I think i'll just do that. Get an AA body then extra 14500 batts plus the Quark Turbo Head (4.2v) and maybe even the flat tailcap to top it off... hehe...

yeah i hate clips, i take the clips off all my lights.

Click to expand...

Now see, I'm the opposite. I love clips and Prefer to have them on my lights.
I do like the option of taking them off if I want. But I would rather hávem than not.
Do u use the holster then?

Nicrod said:

Now see, I'm the opposite. I love clips and Prefer to have them on my lights.
I do like the option of taking them off if I want. But I would rather hávem than not.
Do u use the holster then?

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nope, i use the holsters only when i'm keeping them for long periods. i'd rather jam them deep in my pants pocket than have them clipped on the opening of my pocket. in my case, when it rides that high in my pocket, it has a bigger tendency to snag or get bumped out of my pocket without my knowing. i havent tried the deep pocket clip, but should i do, it might change my opinion on using clips.

Re: Long Term impressions ... of a Quark 123 Tactical R5, by comparison

I've got a Quark 123 Tactical R5, myself. Haven't had for very long, but I've noticed many of the same things on this puny little powerhouse.

Wiggle said:

-Tactical interface is superb ... simple, reliable and predictable, ideal IMO for EDC. The forward switch is very convenient and natural

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Absolutely. It takes a couple times through the first time, to get comfortable with the interface. But after that, it's simple enough. Makes it easy to access the two set modes, that's for sure. Twist for high, twist the other way for low. Flick four quick times for reset of a given mode, then wait 10 secs to lock in. Done.

-Resists wear reasonably well. Even after a year+ of EDC use and drops, the annodizing is holding up very nicely with only a couple small dings.

Click to expand...

Have dropped it onto carpet once, from waist height. Can't imagine anything harmed it. But the finish seems fairly tough, compared to the various other lights I have. And, light as it is, it's going to hit with a lot less force than most. Wouldn't surprise me if a year of EDC plus several drops would result in little to no wear.

-14500 is a superb EDC cell, being able to top off daily if needed is very convenient and the output on max is very impressive for a small light.

Click to expand...

Yes, it is. On a JetBeam Jet-1 Pro XR-E R2 and a NiteCore PD D11, I use the 14500 Li-Ion cell. It makes all the difference, above and beyond a AA/NiMH cell. Little larger than an AA, it's got a good 70%+ more power and output. Wonderful stuff.

With the Quark 123 Tactical R5, I'm currently using the 4Sevens CR123A 1500mAh. Nice little battery cell. This is only the third little 123 light that I have had, and that only for the past week. 4Sevens rates the Quark 123-T R5 at 205 lumens. It's something right around that.

-Beam pattern is a great combination that works well for almost all tasks.

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Wonderful beam profile, yes. A great, sharp hot spot with a very useful spill ring around it. Tight enough to send most of the light forward, yet broad enough to allow for quick scanning of things around you on a walk along a dark street or yard. Reminds me a little bit of the Malkoff/McR-20 beam profile, though with a bit weaker hot spot and brighter spill.

I currently have mine set to: Max on high mode, and Low on low mode. Might bump the Low up to Med, but Low is great for cramped spaces without getting blinded.

Bright enough to light up a dark street corner, light up a snuffling dog across the street, and wonderfully low modes sufficiently low to allow rooting around inside a desk computer case or other cramped quarters without getting blinded. The multiple light levels are nice. I suppose I prefer the ramping of the McGizmo-designed Piston Drive mechanism better, but of the click-type interfaces this is a pretty good one.

The bad ...

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After nearly a week, I haven't had enough use to create any bad spots. Didn't come with a clip (used). Clips aren't really my thing, so I might not add one to it. I'm used to much brighter P60-sized LED drop-in modules for my daily lights, so the output on this is noticeably less. But at ~200 lumens and a reasonably tight beam, it's highly useful as-is.


Overall ... For a tiny, go-everywhere light, it's a decent companion. Being a Quark "Tactical" it allows the setting of two modes, one of which is used when twisted fully closed, and one of which is used when twisted open a half-turn. Makes it simple to flick between one mode (closed) and the other (backing off a half-turn).

Re: Long Term impressions ... of a Quark 123 Tactical R5, by comparison

I Have A Quark AA^2 R5 And have had it for over 13 months as well. This light is a Tank. I was real nervous using this light at first since it was the first time i spent just under $60.00 on a flashlight. To the average person thats unheard of to CPFer's its a drop in the bucket. This light has been by my side almost everyday now and is holding up superbly it got me through brake pad changes in the middle of the night oil changes, it even found an Iphone that was dropped in a pond. I put a fresh set of cells in it, put it on Max, made sure it was tight and let my buddy take it about 8-9 feet under water untill the batteries just about died. The There were no signs of water leakage. The only trouble i have had from it was on rare occasion the switch acted up. It either wouldn't turn on or when it changed modes went to a totally random mode that was not next in the lineup. After unscrewing the tail cap and replacing it it worked fine.

I have a quark tactical wm 123, a quark ti tactical 123 with a spare aa-body and a deep pocket clip. and i got several quark turbos in hand. the quark-legos are my favorite lights and i use them a lot. In the summertime, when i don't need light for a long period (as an Leo) i have the quark ti on my belt and absolutely no problems.

normaly i set it to high (tight head) and moonlight (loosened head). but if i need a other programming it is simple and i can do that in a minute without looking in handbook or something.

the only thing i dislike is the preflash. that bothers me a little.

regards Olaf

very good light, indeed. I had mine for about a year now. manufacturing, tactical interface, form factor, beam profile. ticks a lot of my boxes for sure.

(no clips for me. EDC always in my pocket, work light on my belt in a holster when I'm working)

I've been EDCing mine (R2 version) but lost it a few weeks ago. I'm holding out for a nw XM-L QAA if 4Sevens decides to jump on the bandwagon. If not I'll get a Thrunight Neutron XM-L when they start offering a nw or ww tint.

Xak said:

I've been EDCing mine (R2 version) but lost it a few weeks ago. I'm holding out for a nw XM-L QAA if 4Sevens decides to jump on the bandwagon. If not I'll get a Thrunight Neutron XM-L when they start offering a nw or ww tint.

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Neutron is a great looking light indeed!! How did u lose ur light? Bet u were bent
I woudve been so angry at myself. I'm always feeling for my light to make sure it's still there.

Nicrod said:

Yes sir! Thats is exactly what I would like to do,soon too.
Do u use the holster for ur 123? Or clip? Or pocket it?
How mAny lumens are u getting on turbo w/14500?
Thanks, nic.

Click to expand...

I use a holster by preference and also because I need it easily accessible while working
I get the same output and runtime with a 14500 as with one RCR (same voltage and charge capacity)

roadkill1109 said:

Hello! Nice to see many fellow Quark users here having good experiences with their Quarks over a long period of usage!
My question is this: Is it better to get a 123 tube than a AA tube then run a 14500 on it?
Have any of you tried running a Quark Turbo Head on your existing AA2 or AA or 123 body? It doesnt look like a good fit.

Click to expand...

The only 2 differences with using a 123 tube (which only takes 123 sized batteries) or AA tube with a 14500 is the length, the capacity of using regular AA's (with less output) or primary 123's. The 123 tube is definitely shorter and fits better in the pockets, but if you might need a battery while away, being able to fetch some AA's is a good plus if you don't carry a backup on you. This is really a question of preference as 14500 and RCR's have the same specs, but you'll get longer runtimes with primary 123's or less output with a regular AA, but can get them anywhere.

My turbo head fit nicely on my 123 tube and works fine with one RCR (with most likely lower turbo output, but I haven't really been paying attention)... haven't tried a primary, but as mentioned above, it probably wouldn't work or, at least, no for long before the flashlight shuts off due to low voltage.