Has anyone seen the new KL3?

I've always been a huge fant of the Surefire optic LED heads, since I'm one of those(few) who value maximum throw with least power consumption. That's why two of my favorite lights are Inova T3 and the 4th Generation KL1.

I was checking hte reviews forums, and the new KL3 popped up. 2,400,000+ mcd? Holy mother of Mary!!! COnsidering the Kl1 is only about 1,100,000mcd, this is huge improvement...I believe the KL1 scored 1600 in throw in QUickbeams site with a E2 host body, which puts the new KL3 in the neighborhood of 3000...

Are they available yet?

deleted : double post

It looks like this!

<Photo from Knifegallery.co.kr>

Cool piece, huh!

Hope to get one soon!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif wow!

Head-on beamshots would be cool. I'm interested in knowing whether it has any sidespill or not, or if it is going to be another KL1 with a bigger version of the new optic.

I absolutely HATE the TIR optics of the KL1, and apparently the KL3 is going to use these too.

Its funny, Surefire advertises something like "Flawless beam, no dark spots or rings", and yet they market a product like the KL1 that is LOADED with dark sports (voids), and also has some rings. Go figure.

The most annoying thing about the TIR optics my opinion says is the tunnelvision, almost ZERO sidespill so to see anything on a trail I have to consistently move the beam around rather than let sidespill take care of navigating. Okay, rant over.

Try the L4/L5.

The KL1/KL3 have always used optics. The NX05 is a TIR optic as well, with excellent sidespill and flood (3rd-gen KL1), so it's not the optic per se, it's the design and that particular optic that they're using that creates it. Why not feed back to them?

[ QUOTE ]
KevinL said:
Try the L4/L5.

The KL1/KL3 have always used optics. The NX05 is a TIR optic as well, with excellent sidespill and flood (3rd-gen KL1), so it's not the optic per se, it's the design and that particular optic that they're using that creates it. Why not feed back to them?

[/ QUOTE ]

I see your point regarding the optic designs, and yes I've gave Surefire feedback on this many times.

Actually, I have L4/L5/KL4/KL5s and I LOVE them, except for the runtime.

I'd be happy with a dialed down KL4 or KL5 at 30 lumens with more runtime, but a simpler solution would be for Surefire to offer as an option a reflector for the KL1/KL3/L1 my opinion says. Yes, I know you can ship your KL1 off and have someone here customize it for a reflector, but that is more cost and wasted time that could be avoided if purchases had an option to have a reflector added straight from Surefire.

Okay, having said this, I wasn't intending to hijack the thread, and I apolozie for taking it off topic.

Having both an Inova T3 and the new KL1, I think I will stick to reflectors. My Aleph 1 seems be better with both throw and nice flood.

The new KL3 seems interesting though, anyone have a side by side beamshot with a T3 or a T4? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[ QUOTE ]
nexro said:
Having both an Inova T3 and the new KL1, I think I will stick to reflectors. My Aleph 1 seems be better with both throw and nice flood.

The new KL3 seems interesting though, anyone have a side by side beamshot with a T3 or a T4? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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I've decided to go this option:

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/gp_p60lux3.htm

It will at least work on my 6Ps and Centurions.


Hopefully, they'll eventually come out with a similar product for Executive Series Surefires...

I received a new-style KL3 bezel yesterday, and yes, it is a "throw monster".
Especially when compared with the original KL3.

Here is a photograph of its beam at ~15 feet:



The room is illuminated with a 100W light blub, and that red star thing on the wall is from a laser show projector.

Different bezels for different uses. Try using the KL4 or KL5 underwater, through smoke or other atmospherics and you'll see that the X200A and KL3 really shine.

May be SureFire are working on optics with surround beams?

Al

New kl3? With tiros????!!! HOLY COW!! Does surefire sell these??? I am a big fan of the new kl1 and am looking to purchase another throw monster...

WOW a G2 with one of those suckers.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/drool.gif

-tom

I really like the throw the new KL-1 offers paired with the 1 cell Vital Gear body it makes a nice pocket light.

[ QUOTE ]
Size15's said:
Different bezels for different uses. Try using the KL4 or KL5 underwater, through smoke or other atmospherics and you'll see that the X200A and KL3 really shine.

May be SureFire are working on optics with surround beams?

Al

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100%, Al.

To be fair, the KL1's are not THAT bad to the point of being tunnel vision. THe beam divergence angle is very user friendlybeyond five yards imho. Besides, has anyone notice the size of the hot spot at say 3 yards? it's pretty damn big. Ever try to use a reflector Luxeon light on a misty night in the mountains? LAst time I used a QIII on R123 that had a little less throw than the KL1 I almost blinded myself withh te reflection back at me and all. A light that uses 370mah of power AND throws that far, soundsl ike a winner to me for the less than ideal situations...

Nick

I don't like TIR optics either, but recently discovered that when there are more than one guy with a light in a group it is quite nice not to have side-spill as you won't get blinded when looking in the direction of your companions ...
bernie

Whoa, whoa... hold on a minute! When did this think come out? Whats the output as far as lumens? That beamshot pic make is look as bright as a standard P60! That would ROCK!

I might buy this guy now instead of a Pila GL3R. Seems a great change over the old KL3. I think the reason SF didnt sell a complete L3 was because the KL3 wasnt too popular. If this one get popular (I think it probably will) then maybe SF will sell a complete one. Would the price stay the same?

Just because Craig has one for review doesn't mean it's been released yet.

It does look pretty cool though doesn't it?

[ QUOTE ]
Mags said:
I might buy this guy now instead of a Pila GL3R. Seems a great change over the old KL3. I think the reason SF didnt sell a complete L3 was because the KL3 wasnt too popular. If this one get popular (I think it probably will) then maybe SF will sell a complete one. Would the price stay the same?

[/ QUOTE ]

And what exactly were the specs of the complete L3? Is it something like a 6P but in the Lumamax series?

I realize that there currently isn't an L3 flashlight, but this posts suggests that Surefire maybe made a prototype and never released it? Did the prototype have dual settings like the L1/L2?

AFAIK there never was an L3 (not even in proto-type stage).

That doesn't mean there won't be one in the future. Whether it involves a new KL3 such as the one in this thread is less clear...

Al