waywardgeek
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2012
- Messages
- 28
I currently own these four lights:
From left to right: Foursevens Maelstrom MM-X, Fenix PD-32, Foursevens QT2L-X, Klarus Mi-X6 AU
Everyone has different needs when it comes to lights, and I'm no exception. I'm losing central vision, and need a light on me wherever I go, even at home. When asleep, I keep a light within reach. The Klarus Mi-X6 (gold plated stainless) is the light I would have trouble living without, because it's so small and easy to use in company. I often pull out my light to see what everyone else can see perfectly well, and the fact that it's a very nice looking gold plated novelty makes it go over better in many cases. Instead of being annoyed, people ask if they can see it, or use it to read their menus. Credit for my Mi-X6 belongs to Foursevens, who designed this light as the Preon Revo, before Klarus ripped it off.
Even though I got the Foursevens MM-X with burst mode only yesterday, I already know this is the light I'd most hate to part with next. Given that I already have a great little EDC light in my pocket (the Mi-X6), if I need a bigger light, there's little chance I'd want to stop at either the tiny but powerful Foursevens QT2L-X with burst mode or the older Fenix PD-32 (with the XP-G LED, rather than the newer XP-G2). All three are fantastic lights, but the MM-X throws better and brighter, and is usable at higher power for longer. It's a simple matter of physics: that large lens helps it throw slightly better than the PD-32 even with the larger LM-L2, and with that large heat sink on the head, it can run at higher power without getting too hot. It also has a burst mode that is only matched by the small QT2L-X, but the QT2L-X gets hot in seconds, while the burst mode on the MM-X is usable for the full minute.
When carrying one of these three larger lights, I want one of the following, or I'd just use the Mi-X6:
The larger lights do better in short high-output burst mode. All four have short term high modes that heat up the light too much, and longer term lower brightness modes that don't get too hot. The high mode on the small QT2L-X takes only seconds, while the others about a minute. The difference is that the MM-X puts out around 900 lumens while the PD-32 is about 300 lumens, and the Mi-X6 is about 50 lumens during that minute. The QT2L-X heats up in seconds because it's so small, yet it puts out about 870 lumens, nearly matching the MM-X. It's definitely a "pocket rocket". The MM-X wins this category, slightly edging out the QT2L-X.
Then there's the beam I can use without worrying about too much heat. With the Mi-X6, it's medium mode, which maybe is 10 or 15 lumens. The QT2L-X can do it's medium low, at about 55 lumens, the PD-32 can do it-s medium high at about 100 lumens, and the MM-X can do it's medium high at about 300 lumens. The MM-X wins this category by a mile.
Long distance throw is important to me sometimes, like when I'm looking for one of our cats in the woods, or trying to figure out what huge animal is making all that noise. Funny story, though not at the time... I was on a backpacking trip in Yosemite with one of those old "disposable" lights, when we heard a bear eating all our food (8 weeks worth - 4 guys with 2 weeks left on the trip). We were not happy campers. Finally, one of my friends declared, "We have to go get our food back, or our trip will be ruined!" So we climbed out of our tents and I led us up the trail to the very noisy bear. Just as we approached it, my stupid flashlight went dead! A couple seconds later, the bear stood on his hind legs with his arms in the air, and I will never know if the bear roared, because we could not hear over our own screaming. My first thought was that running might make the bear attack, so I turned to ask my friends if we should hold our ground. They were already gone! I ran cross country in high school. I beat them to the lake. As they say, when you **** off a bear, it's not how fast you run that will save you but how fast you run compared to your friends
The reason I felt I needed the MM-X is that the QT2L-X throws about as well as my tiny AAA Mi-X6 light. It has a floody orange-peel reflector, which is identical in diameter to the PD-32's, but with that huge XM-L2 LED, it throws like a little girl. When used at the same brightness levels, the beam from the QT2L-X looks nearly identical to the Mi-X6. I knew the first time I turned on the QT2L-X that it could not replace my old PD-32, which isn't know as a monster thrower, but I feel it throws pretty well for my needs. That's when I realized I needed the MM-X. With double the diameter head vs the PD-32, it makes only a slightly smaller center spot, because of the large XM-L2 LED vs the PD-32's tiny XP-G. Still, the MM-X wins at focusing a tight beam (throw), but not by much. The fact is that being brighter also helps you see longer distances. If I had to have one of these lights to go searching for a bear, it would be the MM-X, by a mile!
The QT2L-X is on high burst-mode on the left, and the MM-X is on high burst mode on the right.
You can't tell from the picture, but the flood of both lights is almost identical in brightness, indicating that the LEDs are putting out about the same amount of light. The MM-X is simply more concentrated, due to it's larger reflector.
The PD-32 on max is on the left, and the MM-X on max-burst on the right.
The PD-32 has a very slightly larger center spot, but not enough to make much difference. The real difference is the higher brightness of the MM-X.
Next comes runtime. When trying to use a light at a comfortable light level while saving battery power, I use a level that is about the same as the high mode on the Mi-X6. That would kill the Mi-X6 is about half an hour, but all these other lights last for hours and hours at that level. They can all run on identical 2xCR123A batteries and are about equally efficient. The PD-32 and MM-X can use my larger rechargeable NCR-18650A batteries, but two non-recharable CR123A's last about as long. For battery conservation mode, these lights tie on runtime.
To differentiate which light is better in my typical medium-low power mode, other factors need to be taken into account. Throw doesn't matter much at this light level. The MM-X is maybe twice as heavy as the smaller QT2L-X, but once in my hand, they all seem very light. The biggest difference is probably which is easier to carry when not in my hand. The QT2L-X is so small, I just drop it in my pocket. The PD-32 has a very small holster that I put on my belt and hardly notice. The MM-X holster is huge, and there's no way I'm wearing that thing. Instead, I clip it to my belt. The reason I can clip the MM-X to my nice leather belt without worrying about damaging my belt is that it has a very smooth flat aluminum surface that the clip presses my belt against, so I don't tear it up. The clip on the MM-X and QT2L-X are fixed in position, while the inferior clip on the PD-32 can rotate around, so I never know if it's facing rough knurl or the smoother flat part. So, for medium-low mode, which I use most, the QT2L-X wins, by a little.
For backpacking, the QT2L-X is perfect. I prefer to have a brighter light that last longer than my Mi-X6 while backpacking, but every ounce of weight counts. The QT2L-X is a perfect combination of light and small, while lasting a long time on medium-low brightness, and as a bonus it has that ultra-bright turbo mode in case I feel I need it. I'd prefer the MM-X for a bear encounter, but since I don't plan to have those, the QT2L-X is what I'd pack.
In conclusion, I have good reasons to keep the Foursevens lights (I include the Mi-X6 as a Foursevens light, even though it's sold by Klarus), but no good reason to keep the PD-32. The PD-32 is a fantastic light, but I can find no reason to prefer it in any scenerio, so I'm going to put it in the "family" light drawer, where the kids will have fun with it until they lose it.
Some final comments on pricing and dealing with American vs Chinese companies... Of the lights I've bought other than MagLite, only Foursevens so far is an American company. They are slightly more expensive, but worth it, IMO. I've recently had a nightmarish experience dealing with Lenovo over a Thinkpad Carbon X1 Touch laptop that I paid $1,900 for. Some Chinese companies will knowingly sell you a lemon and refuse to fix it, regardless of what support contract you paid for. They'll simply waste your time until you go away, rather than fix or replace a defective product. Lenovo is just such a company. Chinese companies like Eagle Tac pretend to be American, and Klarus sells stolen designs. Fenix has some positive customer support stories out there, so kudos to Fenix! If you do buy from a Chinese company, I recommend buying through Amazon, because they will quickly get your money back if you have any problems. Personally, I prefer to deal with companies I can respect.
From left to right: Foursevens Maelstrom MM-X, Fenix PD-32, Foursevens QT2L-X, Klarus Mi-X6 AU
Everyone has different needs when it comes to lights, and I'm no exception. I'm losing central vision, and need a light on me wherever I go, even at home. When asleep, I keep a light within reach. The Klarus Mi-X6 (gold plated stainless) is the light I would have trouble living without, because it's so small and easy to use in company. I often pull out my light to see what everyone else can see perfectly well, and the fact that it's a very nice looking gold plated novelty makes it go over better in many cases. Instead of being annoyed, people ask if they can see it, or use it to read their menus. Credit for my Mi-X6 belongs to Foursevens, who designed this light as the Preon Revo, before Klarus ripped it off.
Even though I got the Foursevens MM-X with burst mode only yesterday, I already know this is the light I'd most hate to part with next. Given that I already have a great little EDC light in my pocket (the Mi-X6), if I need a bigger light, there's little chance I'd want to stop at either the tiny but powerful Foursevens QT2L-X with burst mode or the older Fenix PD-32 (with the XP-G LED, rather than the newer XP-G2). All three are fantastic lights, but the MM-X throws better and brighter, and is usable at higher power for longer. It's a simple matter of physics: that large lens helps it throw slightly better than the PD-32 even with the larger LM-L2, and with that large heat sink on the head, it can run at higher power without getting too hot. It also has a burst mode that is only matched by the small QT2L-X, but the QT2L-X gets hot in seconds, while the burst mode on the MM-X is usable for the full minute.
When carrying one of these three larger lights, I want one of the following, or I'd just use the Mi-X6:
- brighter beam for a short time (< 1 minute)
- brighter beam for a long time (> 5 minutes)
- longer distance (throw)
- longer runtime
- still may care about light and small, and easy to carry
- backpacking friendly
The larger lights do better in short high-output burst mode. All four have short term high modes that heat up the light too much, and longer term lower brightness modes that don't get too hot. The high mode on the small QT2L-X takes only seconds, while the others about a minute. The difference is that the MM-X puts out around 900 lumens while the PD-32 is about 300 lumens, and the Mi-X6 is about 50 lumens during that minute. The QT2L-X heats up in seconds because it's so small, yet it puts out about 870 lumens, nearly matching the MM-X. It's definitely a "pocket rocket". The MM-X wins this category, slightly edging out the QT2L-X.
Then there's the beam I can use without worrying about too much heat. With the Mi-X6, it's medium mode, which maybe is 10 or 15 lumens. The QT2L-X can do it's medium low, at about 55 lumens, the PD-32 can do it-s medium high at about 100 lumens, and the MM-X can do it's medium high at about 300 lumens. The MM-X wins this category by a mile.
Long distance throw is important to me sometimes, like when I'm looking for one of our cats in the woods, or trying to figure out what huge animal is making all that noise. Funny story, though not at the time... I was on a backpacking trip in Yosemite with one of those old "disposable" lights, when we heard a bear eating all our food (8 weeks worth - 4 guys with 2 weeks left on the trip). We were not happy campers. Finally, one of my friends declared, "We have to go get our food back, or our trip will be ruined!" So we climbed out of our tents and I led us up the trail to the very noisy bear. Just as we approached it, my stupid flashlight went dead! A couple seconds later, the bear stood on his hind legs with his arms in the air, and I will never know if the bear roared, because we could not hear over our own screaming. My first thought was that running might make the bear attack, so I turned to ask my friends if we should hold our ground. They were already gone! I ran cross country in high school. I beat them to the lake. As they say, when you **** off a bear, it's not how fast you run that will save you but how fast you run compared to your friends
The reason I felt I needed the MM-X is that the QT2L-X throws about as well as my tiny AAA Mi-X6 light. It has a floody orange-peel reflector, which is identical in diameter to the PD-32's, but with that huge XM-L2 LED, it throws like a little girl. When used at the same brightness levels, the beam from the QT2L-X looks nearly identical to the Mi-X6. I knew the first time I turned on the QT2L-X that it could not replace my old PD-32, which isn't know as a monster thrower, but I feel it throws pretty well for my needs. That's when I realized I needed the MM-X. With double the diameter head vs the PD-32, it makes only a slightly smaller center spot, because of the large XM-L2 LED vs the PD-32's tiny XP-G. Still, the MM-X wins at focusing a tight beam (throw), but not by much. The fact is that being brighter also helps you see longer distances. If I had to have one of these lights to go searching for a bear, it would be the MM-X, by a mile!
The QT2L-X is on high burst-mode on the left, and the MM-X is on high burst mode on the right.
You can't tell from the picture, but the flood of both lights is almost identical in brightness, indicating that the LEDs are putting out about the same amount of light. The MM-X is simply more concentrated, due to it's larger reflector.
The PD-32 on max is on the left, and the MM-X on max-burst on the right.
The PD-32 has a very slightly larger center spot, but not enough to make much difference. The real difference is the higher brightness of the MM-X.
Next comes runtime. When trying to use a light at a comfortable light level while saving battery power, I use a level that is about the same as the high mode on the Mi-X6. That would kill the Mi-X6 is about half an hour, but all these other lights last for hours and hours at that level. They can all run on identical 2xCR123A batteries and are about equally efficient. The PD-32 and MM-X can use my larger rechargeable NCR-18650A batteries, but two non-recharable CR123A's last about as long. For battery conservation mode, these lights tie on runtime.
To differentiate which light is better in my typical medium-low power mode, other factors need to be taken into account. Throw doesn't matter much at this light level. The MM-X is maybe twice as heavy as the smaller QT2L-X, but once in my hand, they all seem very light. The biggest difference is probably which is easier to carry when not in my hand. The QT2L-X is so small, I just drop it in my pocket. The PD-32 has a very small holster that I put on my belt and hardly notice. The MM-X holster is huge, and there's no way I'm wearing that thing. Instead, I clip it to my belt. The reason I can clip the MM-X to my nice leather belt without worrying about damaging my belt is that it has a very smooth flat aluminum surface that the clip presses my belt against, so I don't tear it up. The clip on the MM-X and QT2L-X are fixed in position, while the inferior clip on the PD-32 can rotate around, so I never know if it's facing rough knurl or the smoother flat part. So, for medium-low mode, which I use most, the QT2L-X wins, by a little.
For backpacking, the QT2L-X is perfect. I prefer to have a brighter light that last longer than my Mi-X6 while backpacking, but every ounce of weight counts. The QT2L-X is a perfect combination of light and small, while lasting a long time on medium-low brightness, and as a bonus it has that ultra-bright turbo mode in case I feel I need it. I'd prefer the MM-X for a bear encounter, but since I don't plan to have those, the QT2L-X is what I'd pack.
In conclusion, I have good reasons to keep the Foursevens lights (I include the Mi-X6 as a Foursevens light, even though it's sold by Klarus), but no good reason to keep the PD-32. The PD-32 is a fantastic light, but I can find no reason to prefer it in any scenerio, so I'm going to put it in the "family" light drawer, where the kids will have fun with it until they lose it.
Some final comments on pricing and dealing with American vs Chinese companies... Of the lights I've bought other than MagLite, only Foursevens so far is an American company. They are slightly more expensive, but worth it, IMO. I've recently had a nightmarish experience dealing with Lenovo over a Thinkpad Carbon X1 Touch laptop that I paid $1,900 for. Some Chinese companies will knowingly sell you a lemon and refuse to fix it, regardless of what support contract you paid for. They'll simply waste your time until you go away, rather than fix or replace a defective product. Lenovo is just such a company. Chinese companies like Eagle Tac pretend to be American, and Klarus sells stolen designs. Fenix has some positive customer support stories out there, so kudos to Fenix! If you do buy from a Chinese company, I recommend buying through Amazon, because they will quickly get your money back if you have any problems. Personally, I prefer to deal with companies I can respect.
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