Browning Black Ice 6V Xenon

I just picked one up at Ganders, they must have just got them in. Does anyone have one or heard of it? Focuses from spot to flod, 90 lumins /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif, push button switch, 1.5 hour run time on 2 123 batts. I'll wait till dark to open it ofcourse /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

I'll bet it's that Asian Surefire imitation that is appearing under various name brands for quite a while now.

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Velcro said:
I'll bet it's that Asian Surefire imitation that is appearing under various name brands for quite a while now.

[/ QUOTE ]I bet you'd lose that bet! These were designed and built exclusively for Browning. I have one and IMHO it's every bit as good as a Surefire. You might want to take a look at one before you jump to any conclusions.

Is there a picture somewhere?

Here's a pic I got from the Gander Mtn website. It doesn't do it justice. You really need to take a look at one. They are made from aircraft aluminum, and have a couple different finishes. Most are like this picture, with a blued finish. There are also a couple camo models that have a rubberized finish over the aluminum.

I guess I am dumb, but I could not find a search function, or a way to navigate their site.
What was the price of the light?

Jerry /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

You're not dumb, Jerry. That site stinks. And the sad part is, what you see now is a big improvement over what they've had unti recently. They used to just have a one page site with a picture of a Gander Mountain retail store. I like Gander Mountain, but they could learn a few things from the Cabelas web site.

Too true. The only reason I don't buy from Gander is their website. It's much easier to go to Cabelas or Bass Pro. Anyway, the Black Ice lights retail for $29.99 - $62.50. The way I found that picture is by clicking on 'current sales', then clicking on 'Illinois', clicking on 'Geneva, IL', and finally clicking on 'outdoor recreation'. (Very user friendly) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif The one pictured normally retails for $35.75.

Looks like one of the many guises of the Nuwai ALX-113. So you could say, "modified slightly and painted exclusively for Browning". I thought that Browning never had their own designs, but repackaged extant lights--as in the Black Knight clones they sell.

I know the person who designed these lights for Browning. He said the factory that builds these also builds the Nuwai lights. For the Browning lights, they were able to use the same tail cap and lens cap, but the body had to be redesigned for lithium batteries, and the internal design is exclusive to Browning.

Apparently this is a first for Browning lights - having an exclusive product. The story, as I heard it, is Browning had and exclusivity deal with Pelican to sell Pelican products rebadged as Browning. Browning would have an exclusive with the hunting/camping market, while Pelican would sell only to non-hunting dealers. Then a year or so ago, Pelican decided they wanted to sell direct to all dealers including the hunting market. Since Pelican would then sell their lights to Browning dealers at less than Browning was able to, they were forced to find a new light line. So with these lights, Browning wanted something of their own design so they didn't have to worry about this happening again. So they hired this designer to ensure that these would be their own product. And I got the word straight from the designers mouth: the Black Ice flashlights are exclusive to Browning, and the design is not sold under any other name anywhere in the world.

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BigWhip said:
Too true. The only reason I don't buy from Gander is their website... It's much easier to go to Cabelas or Bass Pro. Anyway, the Black Ice lights retail for $29.99 - $62.50. The way I found that picture is by clicking on 'current sales', then clicking on 'Illinois', clicking on 'Geneva, IL', and finally clicking on 'outdoor recreation'. (Very user friendly) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif The one pictured normally retails for $35.75.

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I went to the site but didn't see any way to order online. Am I just not seeing it or is it in-store only?

Brightnorm

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BigWhip said: I know the person who designed these lights for Browning.


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BigWhip,
Do you live in the Milwaukee area, by any chance? My wife got me one of these for Christmas. She bought it from a guy who has an office in her building who claimed that he designed these lights for Browning. Just wondering if it's the same guy that you know.

No, I don't live in the area, but the designer does, so it could be the same guy.

It doesn't look like I thought it would. But still, I'm close. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I think you where spot on with your original post.

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Velcro said:
I'll bet it's that Asian Surefire imitation that is appearing under various name brands for quite a while now.

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I believe that is a very accurate statement, though the Surefire reference is arguably subjective, the crux is easily understood.

This is a Nuwai light. It's possible that it was contracted directly through one of Nuwai's sources, Shyquang, but that's doubtful because it would be economically and logistically more efficient to deal with Nuwai and their Dallas distribution office. It is possible that a direct contract was achieved.

I read:

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BigWhip said:
I know the person who designed these lights for Browning. He said the factory that builds these also builds the Nuwai lights. For the Browning lights, they were able to use the same tail cap and lens cap, but the body had to be redesigned for lithium batteries, and the internal design is exclusive to Browning.

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Nuwai uses mix and match flashlight components. That is wise. Knowing this, it is unlikely that a barrel had to be re-designed for 3V lithiums because they already have many of these available.

Might I suggest a little visual analysis? Take a close look at the head, tail cap and especially the barrel of the Black Ice pic :



With the head and tail cap in mind here is the Nuwai AR-306:



Other than finish, exactly the same structural head and tail cap as the Black Ice.

With the barrel in mind here is the Nuwai Al-606:



Other than finish including the Browning logo and the lack of the nice O rings, exactly the same barrel stucture as the Black Ice barrel.

But what about: [ QUOTE ]
BigWhip said:

snip...and the internal design is exclusive to Browning.

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The switch is in the head. The batteries have been addressed. There is no specialized circuitry. Internals may include the lamp assembly. Nuwai has access to several types of 6V bulb/reflector pieces. It is possible that a company that specializes in LAs helped in the Black Ice production but that would be incredibly unlikely. Exclusivity can be claimed if any one component of a configuration is different from all like configurations.

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BigWhip said:
And I got the word straight from the designers mouth: the Black Ice flashlights are exclusive to Browning, and the design is not sold under any other name anywhere in the world.

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With all due respect and with no disparagement in mind, I would suggest that it is possible that BigWhip's acquaintance is pulling someone's leg. Maybe this well-intentioned person specked out an order and is pressing the meaning of "Designer" past the limits of the definition and denotation of the word which spills out sloppily unto several pages of the dictionary hoping that the connotation is the saving grace.

It would be interesting and illuminating if this person would post up about what actually happened.

Until they do, I'm thinking…Don't tinkle on my galoshes and tell me it's drizzling.

The bet? Velcro wins.

The crappy lanyard on a string arrangement (see Streamlight TL)is also a dead give away.The "designer" may have spec'd the pieces and colors but I suspect very little more than that.