Peak Vesuvius Initial Impressions

85coke

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My new Peak Vesuvius light with momentary switch and 2 IMR10440 batteries arrived today.

It really puts out a wall of light. It's similar to what lights look like when you have no reflector and just an exposed emitter. It does have a hot spot, but it's very large. First thought is that around 30 yards is as far as it's useful. Not a thrower, but the wide beam will be very useful for me. I always have bigger flashlights close by when needed.

The beam is cool and bluer than my neutral lights. It's not too cool though, and I don't have a problem with the color. I've been carrying a Peak Eiger with a Nichia High CRI LED. It looks like the high output of the vesuvius is going to win out over the amazing color of my eiger, but I'll probably rotate them as my edc lights.

The QTC works very well with this light. It's easy to get the light to any output you want from what has to be way less than 1 lumen all the way to 600+. My peak eiger with QTC is sort of notchy when trying to adjust the levels. The vesuvius is much smoother.

The momentary switch works well and I don't think I'll have any issues with the light turning on in my pocket.

The overall feel and quality is very nice. The head and body seem to fit together better than my eiger.

The output is in a different league than my other AAA lights which are a Peak Eiger (10440) and 4sevens Preon Revo (AAA). I think it would also beat out my dad's ITP A2 with a 14500. I haven't had a chance to compare it to my Xeno E03, but I expect the output to be similar, with the Vesuvius having a floodier beam.


Issues:
I have to back the head way out, almost past the o-ring to get the light to turn all the way off. This could be caused with the switch I installed, but I haven't had time to experiment. This may be a good thing though, as it gives me an easy to find reference on how far to turn the head for the light to be all the way off. I guess it wouldn't hurt the light to be on at .0 something lumens, but I'd prefer it to be all the way off when in my pocket.


Sorry no beamshots or pics. I might post some later, but I have no experience with camera settings for things like this.

Update: I removed the switch and the light can be turned off without having to back the head out so far.
 
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calipsoii

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Thanks for the mini review. I don't think I've ever heard of peak. How about some pics? :)

Hoo boy, you're missing out. Their customer service lately has been suffering, but their lights are top notch. They're one of the few manufacturers that offers their line-up in unfinished stainless steel and brass. Simple and very classy looking.

Pic related, it's the stainless steel Eiger that I pack around on my keychain.
lamplighter1.jpg
 

AnAppleSnail

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why is there such little interest on cpf on this light

I don't know. I like mine. While it can only run 600+ lumens for a total of maybe 10 minutes, it is also quite efficient at lower levels. The QTC does burn power like a resistor, but the Vbatt and Vled are rather close.

I tend to run mine in the 10-100 lumen range a lot. It's almost magical to have one-handed operation of a pinky-size light with the output range of the vesuvius. I do wish for more throw from it, but it is amazing for the size. The floody beam is extremely useful, especially with a thrower in the back pocket.

Buy one! All of you.
 

mrlysle

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"My peak eiger with QTC is sort of notchy when trying to adjust the levels."
AnAppleSnail, thanks for the thoughts. My Eiger QTC is exactly the same. VERY jumpy when adjusting the brightness level especially doing it slowly. I wonder if there's been any change in the manufacturing process? Or maybe the QTC is different now? Anyway, I really like my Eiger QTC, but I'm still on the fence about any more models with QTC in them for now. Thanks again for your time!
 

AnAppleSnail

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"My peak eiger with QTC is sort of notchy when trying to adjust the levels."

I will see what I can do about posting video of the Vesuvius QTC that I have. Mine is quite smooth in ramping, although it takes very little to go from off to max. It slightly shifts, today it takes about 1/4 turn to go from 0.000 to 600+ lumens. But I can also get it to the level I want without running past it in about the time it takes to decide if I have it bright enough yet. It does flicker while I adjust it, but only slightly.

My initial hypothesis is that o-ring lube is extremely critical, as having it 'stick' the head causes the jitteriness. I have no internet at home but I'll strive for video of this.
 

85coke

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"My peak eiger with QTC is sort of notchy when trying to adjust the levels."
AnAppleSnail, thanks for the thoughts. My Eiger QTC is exactly the same. VERY jumpy when adjusting the brightness level especially doing it slowly. I wonder if there's been any change in the manufacturing process? Or maybe the QTC is different now? Anyway, I really like my Eiger QTC, but I'm still on the fence about any more models with QTC in them for now. Thanks again for your time!

The vesuvius works like you'd expect with very smooth ramping. It's also a lot easier to get low outputs. My eiger seems to jump a lot and I always seem to be blinding myself when it unexpectedly jumps to 200 lumens when I only wanted 5.
 

Sanderman

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Probabably because most don't have experience with Peak in general. And among those who do I suspect most simply aren't all that impressesd with the brand. I bought 2 Logans and they both suffer from poor ramping, two handed operation that nearly requires pliers to operate and a fit and finish that makes indifferent look high quality in comparison. Seriously, these things look like something somone would make in a garage and the QTC user interface simply isn't ready for prime time.

After my experince with the brand your report of somthing new falls pretty much on deaf ears. I sincerely hate my Logans.

Joe

why is there such little interest on cpf on this light
 

Sir Lightalot

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Probabably because most don't have experience with Peak in general. And among those who do I suspect most simply aren't all that impressesd with the brand. I bought 2 Logans and they both suffer from poor ramping, two handed operation that nearly requires pliers to operate and a fit and finish that makes indifferent look high quality in comparison. Seriously, these things look like something somone would make in a garage and the QTC user interface simply isn't ready for prime time.

After my experince with the brand your report of somthing new falls pretty much on deaf ears. I sincerely hate my Logans.

Joe

Really? Man I was just about to buy an Eiger but that, combined with the inability to purchase a neutral version may have just swayed my decision... Have you tried lubing the threads?
 

marinemaster

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Qtc on my 1xAA Peak has not been smooth either
Maybe i need to lube the threads.... I am not that impresed with it as i got it
And the $12 for shipping from the dealer does not help...
Customer service forget aboout it, answering their phone = never
 
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Sanderman

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It's not the threads. It's the pressure to compress the QTC pill and its surrounding foam insert. To get full output takes more turning pressure than any other twisty on the planet. Combine that with a very small head and you have a 2 handed exercise in frustration that is literally a distraction. The only way I find them useful at all is to use them with the optional tubes with momentary switch. But only after removing the QTC pill. With the QTC pill installed you literally have to put pounds of perfectly modulated constant pressure on a tiny metal momentary button. It is impossible to maintain anything approaching a constant light output with it - it's basically a constant variable flicker. Pulling the QTC pill avoids that and you can easily get a full output with less pressure on the button, but you still have the PITA twisty if you want the light constantly on because you have to leave the foam insert in to avoid the battery rattling around inside without it (no springs inside at either end to maintain battery contact - what's THAT about?).

Round that out with build quality that is indifferent at best and I can't really understand why anyone likes these things. I got the stainless versions. They arrived marginally polished, with scuff / swirls on the ends of the battery tubes combined with completely indifferent milling inside. Seriously, the inside of the tube is a horror show compared to any other flashlight on the planet. The people who make these things are clearly completely ambivalent about the notion of product quality.

They genuinely suck. A real disappointment.

Joe

Really? Man I was just about to buy an Eiger but that, combined with the inability to purchase a neutral version may have just swayed my decision... Have you tried lubing the threads?
 
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AnAppleSnail

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I'm sorry that that's your experience, Joe. Mine above yours is quite different - the twisty, when the o-ring is lubed, as all twisty o-rings should be, is quite smooth. I don't know how it behaves non-lubed, but if you insist I'll take soap to mine and try it.

I also can't get constant light output from the momentary switch. I think a really neat EDC user interface would be a microcontroller watching a QTC momentary. QTC was developed as a low-power variable-pressure sensor, so I'm surprised I haven't seen something like this yet:

Off > Squeeze for variable pressure > Constant rightness relative to pressure
On > Squeeze lightly > Off
On > Hold lightly > dimmer
On > Hold more tightly > brighter
Any > Full pressure > Full bright

I would prefer this (no momentary mode) to click-hold or double-clicking to get to constant on. But then maybe I'd try that second option and like it best. People who make flashlights: What do you think? Crazy? Off-topic for this thread?
 

dirtech

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I have a couple logans that I like a lot. Sure brightness selection is not perfect, but mine are very nicely finished and I have a great deal of confidence in there reliability. Plus i can get the ammount of light i wish easily enough It rides in my cargo pocket all summer in some lousy conditions without a hitch.
 

jorn

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(no springs inside at either end to maintain battery contact - what's THAT about?).
You cant have a spring in there. it will always put pressure on the qtc and you will never get the lo lo modes as long as you got a spring in the qtc setup. I use qtc in my malkoff twisty, had to eliminate the spring tention from the m60wlf module. With the spring tention, I couldent get a lo mode, maby 30-50 lumens was the loest i could ramp it down.
I contacted peak to order one, but they diden't answer my email/order. After reading some posts here, im glad they won't sell it internationally :)
 

benzz

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You cant have a spring in there. it will always put pressure on the qtc and you will never get the lo lo modes as long as you got a spring in the qtc setup. I use qtc in my malkoff twisty, had to eliminate the spring tention from the m60wlf module. With the spring tention, I couldent get a lo mode, maby 30-50 lumens was the loest i could ramp it down.
I contacted peak to order one, but they diden't answer my email/order. After reading some posts here, im glad they won't sell it internationally :)

In actuality, all the bombastic comments in this thread do not seem to pertain to the Vesuvius specifically, but to other Peak lights. What I've read is that the Vesuvius is the smoothest ramping Peak light to date. Just sayin...
 

kaichu dento

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In actuality, all the bombastic comments in this thread do not seem to pertain to the Vesuvius specifically, but to other Peak lights. What I've read is that the Vesuvius is the smoothest ramping Peak light to date. Just sayin...
It would be great if people could keep the relatives out of the thread and talk about the Vesuvius itself. While they think they're adding something by bringing up other lights, it just muddies the waters and makes it harder to find the information we're after.
 
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