d_rasp
Newly Enlightened
I wanted to take a minute to share some of my thoughts about my EDC combo for the last ~5yrs, an HDS RA Clicky high CRI + a Thors Hammer customer leather light + spare cell holster. I'm a long-time CPF member, but have spent most of my time here lurking, rather than sharing my feelings about the lights I use. Seems there are so many folks here (luckily for us lurkers!) love to share their experiences/reviews/information/photos/etc. and I often finish reading a thread only to think, "well, that's that!" Recent events though, have made me think maybe I should chime in with my personal story, in case its of use to one of you!
I've had a thing for LED lights since I first saw the Inova X5 for sale on the Broad Arrow military wristwatch site. I thought it was just gorgeous & had to have one. Several friends got them as well. Went through a lot of lights from Fenix, NiteCore, Surefire, Malkoff & other "CPF favorites" before finally plunking down for an HDS high CRI. I'm a mechanic, and being able to accurately judge color can be really important when diagnosing fluid leaks, the condition of aged components, etc. It was immediately apparent that the light's flexibility, efficiency & ruggedness were head & shoulders above anything else I'd seen/used. I quickly ditched my other lights (last one was a Nitecore EX10 that I'd had to buy multiples of due to really poor dealer AND manufacturer support, and finally gave up on keeping in service) and ordered a Thor's Hammer holster for the HDS. This combo has worked with me, without failure, for the last 5+ years. We aren't talking about bedside stand & occasional dog walking, we're talking about real work, constant use & abuse, and drops/bumps/chemicals/submersion/etc. Whats more, the sense of pride I have in both items is something I've talked up to pretty much every technician I've worked with over this same period. Some of them (most of them?) think I'm a total kook, but, to me, the kind of tool fits right alongside my Snap-On, Stahlwille, Hazet and other premium tools. Heck, in nearly every way they SURPASS these legendary tool brands offering a level of personalized & professional service I've found in few other things. . .
On to the events that inspired me to post! A month or two back I noticed some weirdness from my HDS light. Seemed I was feeding it batteries a little too often, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen it step down. I mentioned this, via e-mail, to Henry & he offered to check out the light for me. I set about choosing an inexpensive light to do backup duty for the time I'd be without my HDS, and this is where I started to really think about just HOW MUCH the HDS light means to me! I honestly couldn't find anything on any of the tool trucks, at any price, that I liked enough to use, even for a little while. I did grab a ProTac AAA that I like pretty well, but just can't deal with the horrible low mode PWM or harsh tint. I ordered a Tool Ti from Amazon (didn't know about the group buy & was in a bit of a hurry) and once that arrived I decided I'd make do with that as an EDC I could keep in my uniform shirt pocket. Sent the HDS light off & was shocked to hear back from Henry MUCH quicker than I'd expected. He was able to verify my complaint, but was not able to repair the light. This was a bummer as the light had developed a really nice patina, lots of bumps & scrapes, but smoothed over from constant touch & holster carry. On the bright side (nyuk-nyuk) I was offered a current-spec high CRI light, de-tuned to the same output as my old light, and I jumped at it. Again, I was shocked at how quickly the light was built & shipped. I've now got it in hand, and I can say, after a few hours of playing around, its nicer in essentially every possible way!!! How many things can you say that about!? Nearly every great design seems to reach an apex & further attempts to refine & improve the design yield compromises or unseen consequences. Not so here! The light feels better built, from the new ACME threads to the revised reflector mounting, etc. The beam is smoother in its transition & offers what seems like a perfect mix of hotspot & spill. Though its the same emitter as my Tool Ti (219B), the HDS has a lovely/soft rose tint that's honestly the best I've seen. Even the UI has been improved!!! 4-clicks to turn off the locator beacon so my Wife doesn't get mad at the movies!? Wow. . .I'm floored. The HDS is hands-down one of the best things I've ever spent money on. I'm proud to be an owner, and proud to share the lights with others, even if it means ignoring their chuckles (some people just don't get how rare & special something like this is).
Oh, and Thor's Hammer? Just got an e-mail back from Dan with shipping info so I can have the holster freshened up, how can you beat that!?
TL;DR - HDS & Thor's Hammer FTW. Thanks guys.
I've had a thing for LED lights since I first saw the Inova X5 for sale on the Broad Arrow military wristwatch site. I thought it was just gorgeous & had to have one. Several friends got them as well. Went through a lot of lights from Fenix, NiteCore, Surefire, Malkoff & other "CPF favorites" before finally plunking down for an HDS high CRI. I'm a mechanic, and being able to accurately judge color can be really important when diagnosing fluid leaks, the condition of aged components, etc. It was immediately apparent that the light's flexibility, efficiency & ruggedness were head & shoulders above anything else I'd seen/used. I quickly ditched my other lights (last one was a Nitecore EX10 that I'd had to buy multiples of due to really poor dealer AND manufacturer support, and finally gave up on keeping in service) and ordered a Thor's Hammer holster for the HDS. This combo has worked with me, without failure, for the last 5+ years. We aren't talking about bedside stand & occasional dog walking, we're talking about real work, constant use & abuse, and drops/bumps/chemicals/submersion/etc. Whats more, the sense of pride I have in both items is something I've talked up to pretty much every technician I've worked with over this same period. Some of them (most of them?) think I'm a total kook, but, to me, the kind of tool fits right alongside my Snap-On, Stahlwille, Hazet and other premium tools. Heck, in nearly every way they SURPASS these legendary tool brands offering a level of personalized & professional service I've found in few other things. . .
On to the events that inspired me to post! A month or two back I noticed some weirdness from my HDS light. Seemed I was feeding it batteries a little too often, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd seen it step down. I mentioned this, via e-mail, to Henry & he offered to check out the light for me. I set about choosing an inexpensive light to do backup duty for the time I'd be without my HDS, and this is where I started to really think about just HOW MUCH the HDS light means to me! I honestly couldn't find anything on any of the tool trucks, at any price, that I liked enough to use, even for a little while. I did grab a ProTac AAA that I like pretty well, but just can't deal with the horrible low mode PWM or harsh tint. I ordered a Tool Ti from Amazon (didn't know about the group buy & was in a bit of a hurry) and once that arrived I decided I'd make do with that as an EDC I could keep in my uniform shirt pocket. Sent the HDS light off & was shocked to hear back from Henry MUCH quicker than I'd expected. He was able to verify my complaint, but was not able to repair the light. This was a bummer as the light had developed a really nice patina, lots of bumps & scrapes, but smoothed over from constant touch & holster carry. On the bright side (nyuk-nyuk) I was offered a current-spec high CRI light, de-tuned to the same output as my old light, and I jumped at it. Again, I was shocked at how quickly the light was built & shipped. I've now got it in hand, and I can say, after a few hours of playing around, its nicer in essentially every possible way!!! How many things can you say that about!? Nearly every great design seems to reach an apex & further attempts to refine & improve the design yield compromises or unseen consequences. Not so here! The light feels better built, from the new ACME threads to the revised reflector mounting, etc. The beam is smoother in its transition & offers what seems like a perfect mix of hotspot & spill. Though its the same emitter as my Tool Ti (219B), the HDS has a lovely/soft rose tint that's honestly the best I've seen. Even the UI has been improved!!! 4-clicks to turn off the locator beacon so my Wife doesn't get mad at the movies!? Wow. . .I'm floored. The HDS is hands-down one of the best things I've ever spent money on. I'm proud to be an owner, and proud to share the lights with others, even if it means ignoring their chuckles (some people just don't get how rare & special something like this is).
Oh, and Thor's Hammer? Just got an e-mail back from Dan with shipping info so I can have the holster freshened up, how can you beat that!?
TL;DR - HDS & Thor's Hammer FTW. Thanks guys.