ARC AAA or SureFire M6-HOLA- Which is better?

OK, I am NOT really asking that question!

(For those that do not know, the ARC AAA is a single AAA flashlight with a single Nichia 5MM LED, and the SureFire M6 is probably the brightest production flashlight in existance (HOLA-High Output Lamp Assembly-only 20 min of power-500 Lumen) (not including spotlights! - There is absolutely no comparison!)

We should always keep in mind that lights are like tools, and we should always keep the idea of "The right tool for the job".

Certain lights have a "WOW" factor. Other lights may lack a wow factor, but are very good lights to actually USE!

I have been reading a lot of posts about the ARC AAA vs the ARC AA vs CMG Infinity Ultra and Dorcy AAA. Also, about the Inova X5-T.

All those lights are not "WOW" lights, but rather, very useful, mature (except for the Dorcy AAA), stable lights.

For what it does, the Inova X5-T is one nice light. I have never heard anyone complain about short run time, or color variation. It is well built, solid, while unregulated, it uses lithiums, so the light output is pretty even over most of the batterys life.

I love the bright lights, and sometimes you need the bright lights, but then again, pick the right light for the job.

Gott go now, I will finesse this post later.

I must say i have not seen the post that this is in response to. Help me out wiht a link?

Well based on cost you can buy 15 Arc AAA's for the price of an M6 so they must be better right? But then take a look at brightness and for that $350 with the Arc's you only get about 45 lumens and the M6 you get 500 so the M6 must be better right? But then if you look at Lumens per battery life hour the Arc's give you 5 hours of 45 Lumens so that totals 225 hours and the M6 gives 500 at 20 min. so that's 100 Lumens per hour so the Arc must be better right? Now to get that light you have to twist 15 Arc's to get your light and with the M6 you only need to twist one so the M6 must be better. I give up I don't know. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I think this is a classic example of "buy both" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

Now if CC comes through with a really good deal on those AAA's my math will be all messed up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Mark_Larson said:
I must say i have not seen the post that this is in response to. Help me out wiht a link?

[/ QUOTE ]

Mark,

It was not any one particular thread, and it was not just from today or this month.

Sometimes I fall into this "I have to have the best" or "Brightest" or whatever, also, so, as the book says, "let he who has not sinned . . ."

I go walking with my dogs, in the wilderness, or on dirt roads etc, and sometimes I bring my Space Needle II, or my two Princeton Tec Surge's, and I think "I AM THE SUN GOD!", and it is fun.

Then sometimes I bring a less bright light, say one of my LGI's, or a Streamlight TwinTask 3C, and use the 3 or six led setting, and enjoy the evening just as much.

OK, I was just able to verbalise what I was feeling:

Hey, this is a fun inexpensive hobby, so enjoy each light as part of your hobby.

Is the ARC AAA better or worse than the Dorcy AAA? Heck, enjoy them both. Enjoy the ARC for being the leader, for devloping a roboust, wonderful, solid dependible light, and enjoy the Dorcy, for being "Almost" the ARC for only 6 bucks!

Figure out the right light to put:
in your glove compartment,
on your keychain,
in your toolbox
in your computer toolkit
when camping
on your dog,
on your dog leash
to give as a gift to neighbors, friends, relative, nephews

Heck, as part of the hobby, once a month or once every two months or as your budget allows, buy a light that may have gotten less than favorible review, like the Princeton Tec Impact XL, or buy a mod, and anxiously await the arrival of your new light via the mail.

Is Streamlight better than SureFire? There isn't a hardfast yes or no, different people have different opinions.

Maybe I am just rambling, (I promise I was not under the infleuence, I was at work!)

Just recently, I was looking for the perfect coincell light for my Dog's collar, and within a month I purchased:
ARC AAA Turquoise
20 for twenty Coinsell lights at countrycomm
Inova Microlight Solid White
Inova Microlight Translucent Turquoise
CMG O4 (New, white)
CMG O-4 Blue (Old, constant on switch traded the new one for an old one!)
CMG O-4 WHITE, old version with constant on switch
Photon 2 Turquoise

I didn't spend a whole lot of money, and it was fun! OK, it wasn't like winning in Vegas Fun, or Happy Hour fun, or buying a new computer fun, but it was fun none the less.

One of the worst light I ever bought, the CMG Reactor when they were first introduced, was a fun light to buy. It was a HORRIBLE light, with that dim puke green color, but if it were not for this light, I would never have experienced the "puke green color" first hand (yea, and I never want to experience falling off a bridge either . . .) The fun part was anticipating the first affordable commercially available Luxeon Star flashlight.

Oh well, these are ramblings on the little pleasures that I get out of the "hobby side" of buying lights.

When comparing different lights, one might be better suited for a particular tast ect, but to say that one is better than another, when comparing 2 or more reputable lights, it is almost not fair.

Did I explain it better?

Maybe the short version of this post would be:

BUY BOTH OF THEM! (What HogHead said!) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Oh, and my results (so far) on the perfect dog light is (are!):
ARC AAA Turquoise on my dog's back, on her harness
Photon 2 Turquoise on her dog collar

So far, the Photon 2 has held up better to the rain and water, than both the water restant Inova Microlight, and the supposedly waterproof CMG O-4 old style.

[ QUOTE ]
BuddTX said:
Hey, this is a fun inexpensive hobby, so enjoy each light as part of your hobby.


[/ QUOTE ]

I can agree with the "fun" part, but the "inexpensive" is WAAAAAY off base /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Well, I suppose that if you stick to M*g at your local Wal-mart, it could be inexpensive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Well, inexpensive compared to other hobbies:
Gun collecting
knife collecting
toy trains
cars
MULTIPLE HOT GIRLFRIENDS
hunting
golf

ARC AAA WITH SureFire M6-HOLA

I thought the title of this thread SHOULD read as above /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I always keep an ARC AAA WITH my M6 for battery reloading!

Re: ARC AAA WITH SureFire M6-HOLA

>>>>
Figure out the right light to put:
in your glove compartment,
on your keychain,
in your toolbox
in your computer toolkit
when camping
on your dog,
on your dog leash
to give as a gift to neighbors, friends, relative, nephews
>>>>

Me, I'm currently looking for the perfect booklight. The good but not perfect lights are the PT Aurora, the Phorm CCFL and the CCFL tube in the LED version of the ArcWhite.
The ARC AAA in a Solitare sized "Flashlighr Friend" is also a runner up.

Re: ARC AAA WITH SureFire M6-HOLA

I don't like the "flick--flick" of the Aurora--so I've been using Streamlight Septors as a book light.

Richard