A week at work with my A2 & U2. and the winner is?

Well, I just spent a week at work using my new A2 and U2. Monday and Tuesday I used the A2 since my U2 was still in the mail. Tuesday nite I opened up the U2 and right way there was something I liked about over the A2. I love the switch on the U2. a simple clik and it's on. You have to turn the A2 three hundred times before it will stay on. I also like that you only have to give the cap the slightest twist and the cap is locked so the light wont come on in your holster. The A2 it seems like you have to turn it for an hour to get it to lock. At first I liked the A2 for the led/incan setup but once I started to use the U2 with it's six level setting I fell in love. I'm a truck driver and I work nights and I found that the U2 was an alll around better light for my needs. I'm not knocking the A2 by any means I just think the U2 is better. My U2 is now my go to light. I'll keep the A2 for the house.
Lerch.

10-4

I don't own and have never used an A2. I've had my U2 since Wed. and you mentioned some points I love about it. The lockout feature is excellent. I have a Pelican M6 Lithium and your "seems like you have to turn it for an hour" comment made me laugh thinking about it. I do have a Streamlight Twin Task 2L that is incan and led, but I'm sure it's nowhere near as nice as the A2. While useful, it's nowhere near my U2. Neither was the cost, to be fair.

Changing settings is easy. For me, the wider beam is excellent for close up work. I guess it'll be tough some mornings for me to choose what light to take to work since I have a Gladius that I love, but it's good to have choice. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I knew the answer to this before I even opened the thread. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Jeff

Arrghhh. Looks like my A2 is obsolete now. Gonna have to save up and buy the U2 next it looks like. lol

The funny thing is...

The funny thing is that I thought the A2 was the perfect light for me until I got the U2. Now I see why you guys have six hundred flashlighs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Re: The funny thing is...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The perfect flashlight is always the one you're going to buy next!

If...

If the A2 had the same style of syitch the U2 has I wouldnt matter much to be which light I grab to before I go to work. Although I think I may like the bright LED more than then the bright incan but only by a hair.

Re: If...

If forced to give up either the A2 or the U2, the U2 would stay by a hair. I do not plan on getting rid of either.

I agree that the A2 switch seems kind of a pain. To get lockout I have to crank it back until you think it's about to come off. But there is no better way to arrange it IMO. In the SL TT2L, you get on-off-on-off. Works but you never know whether LEDs or incan are going to come on. SF system on A2 allows momentary or constant with either source.

Also with the A2 most of us have really come to appreciate the regulated incan. There is no real competition to this. The incan output is flawless for about an hour. A little less overall output and throw than my C2, but after 20 minutes it is better.

Mark

Re: If...

[ QUOTE ]
Flash_Gordon said:
If forced to give up either the A2 or the U2, the U2 would stay by a hair. I do not plan on getting rid of either.

I agree that the A2 switch seems kind of a pain. To get lockout I have to crank it back until you think it's about to come off. But there is no better way to arrange it IMO. In the SL TT2L, you get on-off-on-off. Works but you never know whether LEDs or incan are going to come on. SF system on A2 allows momentary or constant with either source.

Also with the A2 most of us have really come to appreciate the regulated incan. There is no real competition to this. The incan output is flawless for about an hour. A little less overall output and throw than my C2, but after 20 minutes it is better.

Mark

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree about the regulator. Trust me, I wont be getting rid of my A2 either.

Re: If...

I still prefer the incandescent light of my A2 for the outdoors (own 3 of them now) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Re: The funny thing is...

lerch said:

The funny thing is that I thought the A2 was the perfect light for me until I got the U2. Now I see why you guys have six hundred flashlighs. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

Click to expand...

600?!! Nawwww, only like 517!

A2 is not obsolete, not by a long shot.

can't really compare an incand to an LED's output. some simply prefer incand's temperature to LED's. others claim you can see better with incands.

as it's already been pointed out. A2 is one of the few regulated incand's available. A2 IMHO is the best small incand available anywhere.

A2 seems to tolarate 2x R123's just fine. low beam and high works great, so far. cell tolarances are tight in A2 for some reason, so only certain R123's will fit.

A2 with li-ion or guilt free lumens is a joy to use!

WDR65 said:

Arrghhh. Looks like my A2 is obsolete now. Gonna have to save up and buy the U2 next it looks like. lol

Click to expand...

It all depends on how you are using your light(s). For outdoors use, the A2 high beam is hard to replace. The only LED lights that come close (or equals or exceeds it depending on reflector size) in throw are the Alephs. But even here, the CCT of the LED light is against it in foggy and ambient lighted conditions. Nothing like an incan to cut through muck to light up your target.

As for the A2 switch, I love it: instant access to high and low. The two full turns to constant-on high, and two full turns to lock-out are a small price to pay, in my opinion. Plus I am guessing that the A2 is a lot more pocketable than the U2, but since I've never even seen a U2, I'm only guessing.

In any case, either light is obviously a very, very nice light. So whichever one a person chooses, he or she is going to be happy.

here's a size comp for ya

M6, U2, A2, LSHF-P

I agee with JS and CY, incandescents still have a place in my flashlight arsenal. My new Kl1 and Kl3 are nice, but over a hundred feet I have trouble distinguishing things that are smaller than 3 feet tall or so. In fact on humid nights I couldn't really make out deer on my driveway past about a 100 feet, I just could see their eyes. My A2 lamp cuts the dark quite a bit better and it has a fairly broad beam at 100-150 feet which helps in giving contrast. I wish I had a U2 to compare, but.......not in the budget...yet. So for now I'll still with the mix I have and keep comparing and seeing which ones work best in all sorts of situations.

Re: If...

Have only used a U2 for a few days (my brother's) but I'll keep my A2. For outdoors, I just can't get used to LED light. I also like the beam of the A2 better, and I think the switch is actually easier to use than the U2, especially for the momentary and the immediate control you have with it.

Although I don't have an A2, and therefore can't comment on a comparison between the two, I absolutely love my U2! I currently EDC it with Pilas, and actually use most of the different light levels, because they're just so useful in different situations!

A2 works great for me outdoors. I carry the KL1 e1e indoors.
No $ for a U2 yet....

I don't have the U2 yet, but I will soon. I have an A2 w/blue leds and really like it. For outdoors it is a real winner. I use the blue leds when walking and go to the high incan for seeing at a distance. I have tried the L4 outside and while the wall of light is effective, it is poor for distance and the cooler white light is different. The L4 excells at indoor use.