Re: how does the gerber trio compare to the Inova
The Inova X5 is about an inch shorter than Gerber Trio. Both are the same in diameter. Fit and finish are equal. The X5's finish is smoother than the Trio's finish. The Inova X5 weighs 3.7 ounces with batteries, the Gerber Trio weighs 4.1 ounces with batteries. The Trio's twist on/off switch is spring loaded so it can act like the X5's switch -- momentary on/off by depressing the tail switch. Both lights have thick lanyard holes so you can use para cord as a lanyard. The Inova X5 uses two CR123A lithium batteries. The Gerber Trio is fed by two AA batteries. Both lights are water-resistant because they are O-ring sealed. The Inova X5 comes with a sheath, the Gerber does not. The Inova X5 is brighter than the Gerber Trio. The Trio is regulated, the Inova X5 is not regulated. The Inova X5 has a published run-time of 20 hours. The Trio's published run-time is 80 hours. The Gerber costs less than the Inova X5 -- the Trio retails for $37.34, the X5 retails for $50.00.
I think the Gerber Trio directly competes with a Mini Maglite with an LED conversion kit. I found the Gerber Trio is brighter than a TerraLUX MiniStar1 and an Opalec NewBeam. The Gerber Trio is about the same size as a Mini Maglite but, it will not fit in a Mini Maglite sheath.
