I got to check out one of these last night, here at my home, in familiar settings where I have "walked" with other lights and I was able to compare its output against a couple other lights. I would not term this light a "wow" light. Like its physical profile that is devoid of any sharp or hard lines or edges to be felt in hand, its merits are understated upon immediate inspection but will likely grow with use and awareness. I can't and won't attempt to evaluate this light in the foreign (to me) language of tactical.
In theory, I would imediately assume the need for indexed and tactile stations corresponding to the various levels. In parctice, there are no tactile signals given for the level sellected but but the visual information regarding the level and its "appropriatness" to the task at hand are immediate and obvious. Prior to light, a preselection of level will be subject to some error because you can't "count". However, due to the level of designed resistance in the rotation of the sellecting collar as well as its limit of rotation, you can be assured of either bringing light on at the last level of selection or at a lower or higher level by rotating the collar in the appropriate direction, prior to lighting.
What am I trying to say. How about that this light simply works and it works simply. There are six different levels of output available and they are very obvious, visually, when using the light and you can quickly, with no distraction from additional tactile input, select the level you deem best for the moment by viewing the return of light sent out and adjusting accordingly. You really don't need a "click" to see what is happening! In fact, in not needing to pay attention to the number of existance of clicks might free the mind to concentrate more clearly on the visual information resulting from the illumination tool./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif If the select collar had detents or numbers or even a back lit display with luminous output of the current postion, many of us would be happier with the implied as well as stated control we would have over the light output. In most cases, this control or knowledge would be secondary the light performing its *real* task.
I guess my take is that this light is a very depedable and viable illumination tool with varible output for those needing and using it as such. It might fall short on expectations for those of us more interested in the beam itself than what the beam is illuminating.
The U2 is very comfortable in the hand and in no time, you find yourself capable of using it effectively with a mastery of its function. I think it is a real "honest" and understated tool that does the best job of utilizing a 5W LED and its potential of any light I have seen to date. From the effective distance and and range known with the KL5, this light trades lumens for run time and night vision preservation as it is backed off in output for illumination of targets closer at hand.
A couple parting comments;
As has been stated before, the U2 is easily a host for the fat 18+mm diameter Li-Ion cells. They are significantly looser in the tube than the SF123's in a L1 or A2 tube. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif I also think the U2's front *busness end* is going to be a fun part for modders to work with! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
My only disappointment was that the U2 left with my friend and was not left behind! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif Now it's back to /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif
