Arc AA--ultra--X1?

Well, maybe not the X-1...just to differant of a beam. Anyway, I read the Arc is better than the Ultra...but that was in Arc land where anything Arc is praised and worshiped (perhaps deservedly so). Is it really brighter than the ultra...consistantly...or are folks comparing the two without new batts in the ultra? Why, beyond the larger/shiny reflector would it be any brighter than the ultra...or for that matter the Arc AAA...don`t these two have the same curcit?

by taking apart an AA for modding, some modder discovered that the circuit of the AA is a bit different than the one in the AAA. In additin to that, the reflector helps collecting more sidespill and evens out the beam a great deal, the result of all this is a light that is a little brighter and has a better beam than the AAA. I do not have an Ultra.
bernhard

Thanks Kiessling, I see their taking pre-orders for the AA again. Guess I needed a little convincing. Think I might order one at this point. I wasn`t so happy with the X-1...gave me cold feet. LOL

I think the CMG Ultra is a great LED flashlight and one of the best values in higher-end AA lights. I confess I have never tried the Arc AA but I do have a couple Arc AAA's and they are very well engineered and reliable. I prefer the CMG Ultra as my EDC, however, because of it's wider spill, form factor and the fact that it uses an AA battery. It is also virtually indestructible and thoroughly reliable.

I've seen pictures of the Arc AA and although it's slightly smaller than the Ultra, I prefer the bite plate tail on the CMG since I often grip the light between my teeth to use both my hands. Both lights are well engineered and reliable and I can't justify spending more than twice as much for the Arc AA than for the CMG Ultra ($35 vs $15). I've given away dozens of Ultras to friends and family and everyone's been impressed with its bright light, long battery life and solid feel. So, instead of purchasing an Arc AA, maybe you should consider buying two CMG Ultras and giving one to a friend.

Ralph

My guess is the two are functionally quite similar. The Arc will be a higher quality and will feel better. I only have the Ultra of the lights mentioned. I do have an AAA though and though I use the Ultra more I'd give it up before the Arc.
So other than "buy them both" the advice I'd offer would be if you want a flashlight more than just a light go with the Arc AA. If you want to save $10+ and are looking just to see in the dark the Ultra might be a better bet.

Between the Arc AA and Ultra, I think the brightness of the AA over the Ultra is just slightly more, more so because of the polished reflector. Apart from that, runtime is almost the same.

I too, like the Ultra for its ruggedness, and in the dark its a great and reliable light to have. However, I normally carry it on a lanyard on my neck when I go for evening hikes just in case the hike takes longer than expected. But I'm starting to feel that its a little heavy for neck carry, hence I've got an Arc AA on the way right now. Hopefully that'll make a significant difference in terms of weight...

Apart from that, I think the main difference between the 2 lights is the quality of make... The Ultra is a fine piece of work, but however I believe the AA is a fine piece of work that feels and looks better.

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Stanley said:I think the main difference between the 2 lights is the quality of make... The Ultra is a fine piece of work, but however I believe the AA is a fine piece of work that feels and looks better.

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Ditto... the Arc is a class above the Ultra in regards to fit and finish, the function is roughly the same. I'd almost call the Ultra a great tool, but the Arc raises the bar, combining form and function to create a kind of 'utilitarian art' (hopefully that phrase makes sense).

I posted a beamshot with the Arc AAA, AA and the Ultra
here.

The AA is definitely brighter and has that build quality mentioned above.

The Ultra's advantages are lower cost, smoother on/off action and it comes with a lanyard and clip.