D
**DONOTDELETE**
Guest
I've tested several portable flashlight products over the years in mostly indoor environments. On occasion, I 've used them outdoors in clear weather conditions where the projected spot [NOT the beam] is quite visible. I have recently gained some insight into flashlight usage when the weather conditions were less than cleas; a LOT LESS than clear!
I recently visited a former colleaque and longtime friend whom now lives in the Pacific Northwest. I arrived in Seattle and drove South through some of the thickest fog (marine layer or whatever you Left Coasters call it there) that I'ver seen in my near 60 years. I left the airport at 2:45 PM. It was damn near impossible to travel faster that 30 MPH. By the time I arrived at his new home, it was dark.
I arrived at his home after several phone calls because I missed the entry into his private driveway that, along with several others along the same 2-lane road, was covered with thick brush that he and his missus have not had the time to clear since moving in.
When I arrived at the entry of his actual concrete and stone driveway, he was exiting his garage while holding a spotlight with very familiar contours. It was the mighty Maxabeam. He already had it activated and pointing at the portion of the driveway where contruction was underway. I would have never seen the pile of soil, gravel, and stone had he not illuminated the area. I quickly grabbed my 9N and pointed the spot at the area. All I saw was the beam [NOT the area where the projected spot ended up]. He laughed and said that my 9N was useless in this condition.
After a fabulous dinner (his wife is a retired chef) and coffee, we went straight into "catching up." After several hours, the topic of flashlights popped up. I asked him about the Maxabeam. He said he ordinarily keeps it in his boat. I didn't know he had one. We went to the back yard and he showed it to me. Well, he at least pointed in the direction of the thick fog where the vesel was docked. It was only about 45 feet away, but the fog was too thick to see past the table on the patio.
We started walking towards the boat just past the patio when he suddenly placed in his hand on my shoulder and asked if I wanted to go for a swim. I would have INTO the pool had he not activate the Maxabeam. He then pointed the light towards his 55 foot boat and began talking about it. I was more interested in how the Maxabeam surgically cut into the fog with its pencil beam.
I then activated my 9N and again he said with a chuckle that those were useless there. We got to talking about the output of flashlights with stochastic reflectors. I didn't know he was so knowledgeable about flashlights. He started to tell me about CPF /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I told him I was a member. He said he reads it often.
It turns out, he has a growing battery of lights because of the conditions he has to live in in this neck of the woods. I asked him if it is worth the trouble. He told me how little he paid for the property and how infrequent this weather condition appears. I understood.
Returning to the topic of flashlights, we went back in to the house and he showed me a drawerful of various lights; about 2 dozen. The battery contained several products that were immediately familiar to me. Surefire M2, M3, and M6 instantly stood out due to their HAIII coating. In another drawer was the 10X. Beneath the green Surefires were several others having the orange peel reflectors. I was surprised to see the Magchager in the same pile. I asked specifically about it and he said it cannot focus into a beam tight enough to cut though the fog. The Surefire products apparently provide a very clean beam; a cone of light that you can see. Unfortunately, as he quickly demonstrated when we stepped outside again, all we saw was the BEAM (the cone of light) as it illuminated the fog ITSELF! That is why these types of products are not very useful in this weather condition.
What he found to BE useful was the 9N WITH the turbo reflector, the Streamlight Ultrastinger, and a lowly 3D Maglite that he is able to tightly focus. He said that this is an anomally. He tried several other 3 and 4Ds that would not duplicate this output. He said that despite the special 3D's output, he does not use it because it defocuses easily. He also does not use the Turbo 9N frequently because of the still broad beam it still outputs despite the larger reflector.
I then reached for my ASP Taclite and activated it along with his Ultrastinger. The Taclite's pencil beam was thinner than the Ultrastinger's. The beam was very much like a light saber in the Star Wars films. The projected spot, although able to light up the edge of the pool, unfortunately was only able to slightly show the bow of the boat. The Ultrastinger allowed us to see much more of the boat. The Maxabeam showed every little scratch on the vessel.
He told me that all of the officers in the local SO carry lights with the ability to tightly focus. The Pelican M6 is apparently very popular. The ASP Taclite would also be a hit except that ASP no longer makes the internal focusing model like the unit I own.
Three hours before sunup, we were still talking about flashlights. He offered me the drawerful of lights. I said that I was OK with those I currently own. I took the lights and donated them to the fire station in my neighborhood.
I recently visited a former colleaque and longtime friend whom now lives in the Pacific Northwest. I arrived in Seattle and drove South through some of the thickest fog (marine layer or whatever you Left Coasters call it there) that I'ver seen in my near 60 years. I left the airport at 2:45 PM. It was damn near impossible to travel faster that 30 MPH. By the time I arrived at his new home, it was dark.
I arrived at his home after several phone calls because I missed the entry into his private driveway that, along with several others along the same 2-lane road, was covered with thick brush that he and his missus have not had the time to clear since moving in.
When I arrived at the entry of his actual concrete and stone driveway, he was exiting his garage while holding a spotlight with very familiar contours. It was the mighty Maxabeam. He already had it activated and pointing at the portion of the driveway where contruction was underway. I would have never seen the pile of soil, gravel, and stone had he not illuminated the area. I quickly grabbed my 9N and pointed the spot at the area. All I saw was the beam [NOT the area where the projected spot ended up]. He laughed and said that my 9N was useless in this condition.
After a fabulous dinner (his wife is a retired chef) and coffee, we went straight into "catching up." After several hours, the topic of flashlights popped up. I asked him about the Maxabeam. He said he ordinarily keeps it in his boat. I didn't know he had one. We went to the back yard and he showed it to me. Well, he at least pointed in the direction of the thick fog where the vesel was docked. It was only about 45 feet away, but the fog was too thick to see past the table on the patio.
We started walking towards the boat just past the patio when he suddenly placed in his hand on my shoulder and asked if I wanted to go for a swim. I would have INTO the pool had he not activate the Maxabeam. He then pointed the light towards his 55 foot boat and began talking about it. I was more interested in how the Maxabeam surgically cut into the fog with its pencil beam.
I then activated my 9N and again he said with a chuckle that those were useless there. We got to talking about the output of flashlights with stochastic reflectors. I didn't know he was so knowledgeable about flashlights. He started to tell me about CPF /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I told him I was a member. He said he reads it often.
It turns out, he has a growing battery of lights because of the conditions he has to live in in this neck of the woods. I asked him if it is worth the trouble. He told me how little he paid for the property and how infrequent this weather condition appears. I understood.
Returning to the topic of flashlights, we went back in to the house and he showed me a drawerful of various lights; about 2 dozen. The battery contained several products that were immediately familiar to me. Surefire M2, M3, and M6 instantly stood out due to their HAIII coating. In another drawer was the 10X. Beneath the green Surefires were several others having the orange peel reflectors. I was surprised to see the Magchager in the same pile. I asked specifically about it and he said it cannot focus into a beam tight enough to cut though the fog. The Surefire products apparently provide a very clean beam; a cone of light that you can see. Unfortunately, as he quickly demonstrated when we stepped outside again, all we saw was the BEAM (the cone of light) as it illuminated the fog ITSELF! That is why these types of products are not very useful in this weather condition.
What he found to BE useful was the 9N WITH the turbo reflector, the Streamlight Ultrastinger, and a lowly 3D Maglite that he is able to tightly focus. He said that this is an anomally. He tried several other 3 and 4Ds that would not duplicate this output. He said that despite the special 3D's output, he does not use it because it defocuses easily. He also does not use the Turbo 9N frequently because of the still broad beam it still outputs despite the larger reflector.
I then reached for my ASP Taclite and activated it along with his Ultrastinger. The Taclite's pencil beam was thinner than the Ultrastinger's. The beam was very much like a light saber in the Star Wars films. The projected spot, although able to light up the edge of the pool, unfortunately was only able to slightly show the bow of the boat. The Ultrastinger allowed us to see much more of the boat. The Maxabeam showed every little scratch on the vessel.
He told me that all of the officers in the local SO carry lights with the ability to tightly focus. The Pelican M6 is apparently very popular. The ASP Taclite would also be a hit except that ASP no longer makes the internal focusing model like the unit I own.
Three hours before sunup, we were still talking about flashlights. He offered me the drawerful of lights. I said that I was OK with those I currently own. I took the lights and donated them to the fire station in my neighborhood.
