Elektrolumens XM-3 or Gerber LX 3?

I am considering buying one or the other. I will use it mainly for night walks. Any opinions would be most helpful.

I have an XM-3. Nice light has a good combination of flood and throw. Can use rechareable AAs too. I believe it would be a good choice. Finish is a little rough.

XM-3 is not as bright, has less throw, and has less runtime than the LX 3.
Beam width/spill is approximately the same for both lights.
XM-3 has regulation (~ constant light output, for awhile); LX 3 does not have regulation (light will progressively dim over time).
XM-3 slightly cheaper to purchase and run than the LX 3.

MY preference would be for the XM-3, primarily due to it's regulated circuit, and it's nice round beam.

the Gerber LX 3.0 is non regulated, meaning the brightness will diminish over time (quite quickly as I remember from a runtime plot). The XM-3 uses a reflector instead of an optic, providing you with sidespill (great for night walks!) So I'd say the XM-3 would be a better light for your needs

It would have to be the LX 3.0 because it looks like the XM-3 is no longer available at electrolumens.com. I have the LX 3.0
and I'm extremely pleased with it. The XM-3 is a bit shorter wich makes it easier to carry in your pocket, but the LX puts out way more light and will have a longer run time because the
LX uses 3AA instead of 2AA for the XM-3. The XM-3 is regulated so it will provide constant brightness for about 2 hrs and then diminish. The LX 3.0 is not regulated so light output will decrease and it will reach the 50% intesity at about 3 hrs, even at 50% brightness it will about as bright as the XM-3... Based on this I chose the LX 3.0

Read the following reviews:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/elektrolumens_xm3.htm

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/gerber_lx3.htm

http://ledmuseum.thefire.us/second/lx3.htm

I sure hope the xm-3 is still available, I wanted to purchase one of these monday /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The XM-3 is available, but that doesn't mean you should get it.

Scudinc,
Im all ears please explain why???

Something about 3-watts performing below 1-watt specifications just bugs me. Don't let that discourage you, it's just an eccentricity of mine.

Also, the LX has WAY more output.

The XM-3, and others, are no longer shown on the Elektro Lumens website.

JB

[ QUOTE ]
scudinc said:
Something about 3-watts performing below 1-watt specifications...

[/ QUOTE ]
What evidence do you base this claim on?

It's being driven fairly gently for the beautiful 2hr runtime. Besides, it's not a 3watt lux, it's lux 3, meaning it CAN handle the higher drive powers

We kind of know what the inside of the XM-3 looks like. Has anyone taken a LX3 (or LX1) apart to see how it's designed and how it's heat sinked?

How many Lumens does the Gerber put out??

Unknown! However, here , and here are sites that measure the Candelas and Lux.

Haven't tried the Gerber, but I own several EL XM-3's and I am VERY pleased with them. The LED's are nice and white on mine, and the beam quality is top notch...a nice center hotspot with a very even and round spill area. Momentary switch (a must have for me) works well. One of the real positive points--the XM-3 has no problems with Lithium batteries, making it a good emergency or car glove box light. Many other lights will run ok on Li's, but most manufacturers don't recommend it and it voids the warranty. I'm very happy with all my Electrolumens lights, Blasters, XM-3's, TriStar 4D.

Don't have the XM-3, but I am partial to AA lights (and rechargeable models) in general, and the LX 3.0 has become one of my very favorites. It is my best and most-used light for illuminating the trail and the woods on fairly lengthy nighttime walks on our ranch. It puts out a LOT of light, and gives me a very secure feeling, illuminating as far ahead and to the sides as it does, as I'm traipsing through some high grass or woods on a dark night. I carry a SL Strion in the other hand for distance spotting (critters and such), and so far, I find this to be a great combination.

It dims slowly and evenly over many hours, and, for my purposes, it is good that it's not regulated, since the last thing I want is for it to suddenly run out of juice in the middle of a hike when I'm far from the house. The LX 3.0 gives me lots of warning before it goes black! I am probably at ~6-7 hrs. on current AAs, and still have plenty of output for my needs. (When I finally decide to load fresh AAs, the tired ones will go to my Gerber/Infinity Ultras, Ultra-G, and Tasklights. They'll stay powered for years!)

I strongly prefer AA lights over CR123s, since I'm cheap by nature, and the LX 3.0 shows the advantage: at ~$.27/ea. (w/ tax) for decent alkaline AAs from Walgreens, and with 3 of them keeping my LX stoked up for at least, say, 7 hrs., that's less than $.12/ hr. Compare that to most CR123s! Even the Inova X5, at ~20 hrs. on 2 CR123s, doesn't do as well, and doesn't come anywhere close to the LX's throw and spill.

At around $40 + ship from batterystation.com or islandsecurity.com, the LX 3.0 is a tremendous light for the money!

I also plan to get one of LX3, but I think I am going to wait until the new version, with tailcap switch, comes out.

Re: XM-3 or Gerber LX 3?

Possibly the Gerber as I not to sure if Elektrolumens still
supports the XM-3, I have an XM-3 and it it a great light