I didn't know Polarion made led lights

Just stumbled upon these, they look nice - they are called PL3 Tachyon.
They would be even nicer if they had an XM-L

The latest, greatest LED isn't the end-all of everything. An XP-E will out-throw an XM-L, considering the reduced scatter light.

True, but I'm not really so much into throw in a light this small but as the stated Q5@130 lumen's is a bit dull these days even an XPG would be better.

Great looking light. Checked the US on-line store and its not listed. Is the PL3 that new or is it not sold here???

if you google it they are sold in Europe,Russia ect - somewhere around $250.

Glenn7 said:

True, but I'm not really so much into throw in a light this small but as the stated Q5@130 lumen's is a bit dull these days even an XPG would be better.

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Lumens are overrated these days. Reliability, runtime, and beam pattern are far more important for actual use.

AnAppleSnail said:

Lumens are overrated these days. Reliability, runtime, and beam pattern are far more important for actual use.

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Because having more light available at less current draw is a bad thing??? How much light would an XM-L be emitting at 200 mA? Of course you wouldn't have to run it at 200 mA.

AnAppleSnail said:

Lumens are overrated these days. Reliability, runtime, and beam pattern are far more important for actual use.

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Dont take this the wrong way mate but I'm puzzled by your statement,

Reliability: XML would be more reliable than a Q5 because it is newer technology, and runs cooler.
Runtime: obvious that an XML will give you a longer runtime than the Q5 as its more efficient.
Beam pattern: XML will give a better quality beam (flood with some throw) V's Q5.

Yes Q5 might throw further, but I never said I wanted it for a thrower.
And yes I understand that we don't have to rush out and buy the latest and greatest led light if the one we have does the job - but this is why we are flashaholics, if you could buy two of the same lights for the same price but one has a narrower beam @ 130 lumens and one with a smoother beam with longer runtimes and 600 lumens (on tap if you needed them) which would you choose?
Btw this light came out in 2008, that's why they have a Q5.

Glenn7 said:

Dont take this the wrong way mate but I'm puzzled by your statement,

Reliability: XML would be more reliable than a Q5 because it is newer technology, and runs cooler.
Runtime: obvious that an XML will give you a longer runtime than the Q5 as its more efficient.
Beam pattern: XML will give a better quality beam (flood with some throw) V's Q5.

Yes Q5 might throw further, but I never said I wanted it for a thrower.
And yes I understand that we don't have to rush out and buy the latest and greatest led light if the one we have does the job - but this is why we are flashaholics, if you could buy two of the same lights for the same price but one has a narrower beam @ 130 lumens and one with a smoother beam with longer runtimes and 600 lumens (on tap if you needed them) which would you choose?
Btw this light came out in 2008, that's why they have a Q5.

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Newer LEDs are not necessarily more reliable. In fact, the XP-E or XR-E (Use the part number, not the brightness bin) has been run in countless applications for tens of thousands of hours of real use and abuse. Some time ago a well-known LED maker flopped on a new release - big press, big numbers (For the time), and a horrendous failure rate once it hit the markets. The XM-L probably won't do this, but the XP-E is a known quantity.

Flashlight design isn't putting the newest things in a tube and selling it - it's a balance of cost per unit, optic source size, optic size, battery choice, unit size, interface, control type, and so on. Polarion makes SAR gear, which usually wants throw - to see through mist, fog, and smoke. Anyone can get the aftermarket diffuser (Which I assume exists for this, but haven't checked) for a floodier light. If Polarion chose a throwier beam for a small light, they're forced to use a smaller-die LED, like the XR-E or XP-E. An aspheric might give a tight throw, but just ask Saabluster what it would cost to put quality aspherics into production - and the tradeoffs involved in it (Patents alone...).

I don't mind rough beams if it shows me what I want. My SC600 has to crank up to 750 lumens (XM-L, Runs an hour and a half, boiling hot) to see the fence, while my mag lite does it at 70 lumens (XP-E, Runs 10 hours).