I'd like to share with you a summary of the decade long journey it took for me to find my almost perfect flashlight.
It all started back in 2009 when NiteCore was better known as Sysmax; selling their NiteCore brand of flashlights. I was enamored with the features of the D10 which made it something I could always have clipped to my pocket and instantly ready for most lighting tasks: AA battery size tubular design, black body with silver clip, rear clicky, tail standing, LED emitter, and most of all - smooth ramping output. At that time, the purchase price alone was out of my range of affordability. And, added to that were handling and shipping. But mainly due to the great job RoscoeBa did making her D10 / L1D comparison YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL3BZ2jo6sw), well into 2010 and after saving for several months, I decided to drop the cash on a D10 for work. (Why do many places which require the use of portable lighting for: quality, technical, or security inspection not supply them?) Over the next few years, I ended up getting better paying jobs and passing over a dozen D10s through my hands.
While initially researching the D10, I discovered CPF. The influence for my D11 thread is Zeruel's Incredible D10 thread on CPF; which has been going on as long as I have been actively seeking my perfect EDC flashlight.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?255627-A-Tribute-to-Nitecore-D10&
Which brings me to the NiteCore D11; specifically the D11 V.2.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...2-Mark-III-a-Historical-and-Real-World-Review
I l-o-v-e my NC D11.2 flashlights! I have several of them at the ready stashed about the house. I also have primary and backup of three different EDC specific versions: daily, dress, and work. But sometimes for work, the D11.2 didn't provide quite enough illumination.
Finding myself far too often needing more light from my EDC flashlights, I finally moved up to 18650 flashlights and tried an expensive semi-custom flashlight. I was sorely disappointed with both versions of the light I tried. So I moved back to NiteCore; only this time with a headlamp. Mainly thanks to "The Walker" on YouTube, I purchased a NC HC30.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...-Flashlights-to-a-Headlamp-(Update-05-NOV-17)
The light performed so well, in any of my three EDC rolls, I soon purchased the NCHC33. But I personally achingly missed smooth ramping and professionally needed that feature to get exactly the amount of light I needed to perform inspection at work.
Moving on to the end of 2019. After it took the two years for the LiminTop BLF FW3A to be released, I bought my first one. https://budgetlightforum.com/node/54239
With its Andúril firmware, it could have been the flashlight of my: need, dreams, and desires. I bought several FW3Xs. Each had its own problems right out of its box. I fixed all the issues I could with each light, but I couldn't overcome all of the shortcuts taken in manufacturing. With their lack of dependability and propensity towards accidental activations, the FW3A was soo close but not good enough. That being said, I have witnessed two newer FW3As of better quality than any of the FW3Xs I received. But by then, I had moved on.
I was still on the hunt for my perfect EDC flashlight and joined BLF; where I learned of the Noctagon Emisar brand at Intl-Outdoor. Just after the end of the first quarter of 2020, I selected from a plethora of configurations and purchased my first Noctigon KR4 Quinta flashlight.
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/67638
After initially personally verifying the reliability of my first KR4 through daily use, I recently bought a couple more KR4s. The build quality, therefore their dependability of each KR4 far exceeds that of any FW3X I own. And, I believe due to a greater button press depth required for activation, I've had no accidental activations. And even if I did, the lights utilize the most recently updated version of the Andúril firmware. So, the lights would most probably only turn on in low. My KR4s are everything I ever dreamed of in a flashlight. I can use them at everything from a quick low light check-in on the pets to my nightly scoping out of my neighborhood. And everything in between, from quickly checking under the couch to dialing in just the perfect amount of light for extend inspections at work. The KR4 is the D10 I wish I had, and needed, back in 2010. If time proves the KR4 as dependable as it is useful, I may get some of the fancier versions; thusly fitting perfectly into my triple EDC: daily, dress, and work.
It all started back in 2009 when NiteCore was better known as Sysmax; selling their NiteCore brand of flashlights. I was enamored with the features of the D10 which made it something I could always have clipped to my pocket and instantly ready for most lighting tasks: AA battery size tubular design, black body with silver clip, rear clicky, tail standing, LED emitter, and most of all - smooth ramping output. At that time, the purchase price alone was out of my range of affordability. And, added to that were handling and shipping. But mainly due to the great job RoscoeBa did making her D10 / L1D comparison YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL3BZ2jo6sw), well into 2010 and after saving for several months, I decided to drop the cash on a D10 for work. (Why do many places which require the use of portable lighting for: quality, technical, or security inspection not supply them?) Over the next few years, I ended up getting better paying jobs and passing over a dozen D10s through my hands.
While initially researching the D10, I discovered CPF. The influence for my D11 thread is Zeruel's Incredible D10 thread on CPF; which has been going on as long as I have been actively seeking my perfect EDC flashlight.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?255627-A-Tribute-to-Nitecore-D10&
Which brings me to the NiteCore D11; specifically the D11 V.2.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...2-Mark-III-a-Historical-and-Real-World-Review
I l-o-v-e my NC D11.2 flashlights! I have several of them at the ready stashed about the house. I also have primary and backup of three different EDC specific versions: daily, dress, and work. But sometimes for work, the D11.2 didn't provide quite enough illumination.
Finding myself far too often needing more light from my EDC flashlights, I finally moved up to 18650 flashlights and tried an expensive semi-custom flashlight. I was sorely disappointed with both versions of the light I tried. So I moved back to NiteCore; only this time with a headlamp. Mainly thanks to "The Walker" on YouTube, I purchased a NC HC30.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...-Flashlights-to-a-Headlamp-(Update-05-NOV-17)
The light performed so well, in any of my three EDC rolls, I soon purchased the NCHC33. But I personally achingly missed smooth ramping and professionally needed that feature to get exactly the amount of light I needed to perform inspection at work.
Moving on to the end of 2019. After it took the two years for the LiminTop BLF FW3A to be released, I bought my first one. https://budgetlightforum.com/node/54239
With its Andúril firmware, it could have been the flashlight of my: need, dreams, and desires. I bought several FW3Xs. Each had its own problems right out of its box. I fixed all the issues I could with each light, but I couldn't overcome all of the shortcuts taken in manufacturing. With their lack of dependability and propensity towards accidental activations, the FW3A was soo close but not good enough. That being said, I have witnessed two newer FW3As of better quality than any of the FW3Xs I received. But by then, I had moved on.
I was still on the hunt for my perfect EDC flashlight and joined BLF; where I learned of the Noctagon Emisar brand at Intl-Outdoor. Just after the end of the first quarter of 2020, I selected from a plethora of configurations and purchased my first Noctigon KR4 Quinta flashlight.
https://budgetlightforum.com/node/67638
After initially personally verifying the reliability of my first KR4 through daily use, I recently bought a couple more KR4s. The build quality, therefore their dependability of each KR4 far exceeds that of any FW3X I own. And, I believe due to a greater button press depth required for activation, I've had no accidental activations. And even if I did, the lights utilize the most recently updated version of the Andúril firmware. So, the lights would most probably only turn on in low. My KR4s are everything I ever dreamed of in a flashlight. I can use them at everything from a quick low light check-in on the pets to my nightly scoping out of my neighborhood. And everything in between, from quickly checking under the couch to dialing in just the perfect amount of light for extend inspections at work. The KR4 is the D10 I wish I had, and needed, back in 2010. If time proves the KR4 as dependable as it is useful, I may get some of the fancier versions; thusly fitting perfectly into my triple EDC: daily, dress, and work.
