Some Lights Just Feel Right

It's a beautiful thing when you come across a light that meets or exceeds you expectations on the performance and reliability fronts, but it's even more special when the light just feels right in you hand ... that special light that seems to have just the right size, balance, and texture. I'm lucky enough to have two so far:

1. A Malkoff MD1 with a Nichia 219 drop-in. The body was originally an MD2 but was cut down to a single cell (CR123) size by MartinDWhite. Not only is it a pleasure to use, but it's also become my worry stone as it's so easy to turn over and over in the hand - and it just plain feels right.

2. A Malkoff Wildcat on an MD2 body. The Wildcat feels much better on an MD3 than an MD4 body, but on the MD2 it not only looks bad-to-the-bone but just plain fits like a glove. Much thanks to TWL on this suggestion (along with running it on IMR 18350's)

I'm getting to the point now that feel is a mighty important factor if a light wants permanent residence in my home. Am I alone in this?

Here are a few of my favorites ...

* SureFire A2

* HDS Ra on 17670 tube

* Peak Logan 17500 in stainless

* SureFire E1B with Malkoff M30 (in VME bezel) and (shrouded ScoutLight) Z68 tailcap

Nope. Your not alone. The one light I have that just seems to have that "special" feel to me is my C2. A M61 powered pocket light that has the right balance, diameter and grip. Hard to explain. On the other hand when I need power over concealability (is that a real word?) either my cheapie SkyRay or my K40 have that solid feel and grip that is very reassuring when wondering out into the unknown.

Call me crazy, but out of all my lights, my 5.11 ATAC A1 feels as if it were designed for my hand. 1" body with grooves, the tailcap has aggressive knurling, the clip is flat and doesnt affect grip, the rear switch has "just right" tension, and my pinky finger rests at the base of the bezel. My biggest complaint with 1AA lights is that there isn't enough body length to keep the light from slipping forward when pressing the rear switch. With the A1, no sliding with wet or dry hands. Plus I personally think its design looks futuristic, utilitarian, and intimidating.

I agree that as my collection grows, if the light doesn't feel right, it is destined for the shelf or kept within packaging as a future gift or on standby as a shtf light.

I like the SF Z2 in stock form. It just reminds me why I'm a flashaholic when in hand and illuminating something.

kelmo

For me it's my original E2E. I don't really use it anymore but I play with it often. (did I really just type that?)I love the size and how it feels in the hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

I like the feel of any of my Fenix PD series, the TA21 and the "standard flashlight" feel of the TK41.

Chadder said:

For me it's my original E2E. I don't really use it anymore but...

Click to expand...

I absolutely love my original E2e but I still go back and forth between the 6P and E2e... Of course the E2e is no longer original so the 6P has been winning more often than not.

I'm new and low budget so its a Solarforce L2n.

In addition to the usual suspects (McGizmo, Malkoff, Oveready, Tain), one of my favorite lights is a VME head, Malkoff 361N dropin and a Vital Gear FB1. It has enough bulk to feel good in my coat pocket and, more importantly, in my hand.

Unlike the OP, I like the feel of the Wildcat with the MD4 body.
The grooves and the super soft switch on the Prometheus Alpha Ready-Made feel great in my hand as well. At first I didn't like the soft switch, but now it's my favorite.

For me its the Surefire E2E, it just feels great in the hand and pocket.

For me a light that just fits my hand without any overlap but still has the power to punch out light if needed fits this category. For me this would be the HDS Rotary/Clicky, V10R and the Tri-EDC among a few others.

I have some monster output pocket rockets but it's no surprise the Oveready bored 6P w/Malkoff M61WLL seems so right.

A mellow and bright enough bubble of incandescent like light without having to constantly worry about heat and run time.

It's my only set it and forget it type light.