Photon freedom VS streamlight key mate

Hi,

I've had a streamlight keymate for a while and am very happy with its performance (size,output,throw etc) compared to other keychain lights (used to have a crappy solitare) and from one of my previous post here been told that performance wise (throw,output) its is even better than the mighty arc aaa. But i'm not happy with its batt performance. It seems to suck the juice out of the 4 button cells pretty quickly. I just want to hear people who have/are using a keymate and also the new photon freedom. Which is a better light all round? (throw,batt consumption) obviously i'm aware that the freedom has a hell of a lot more funtions than the keymate but just want to know how its squares up peroformance wise. My only concern with using a photon freedom is that (to my knowledge anyway) there doesn't seem to be a lock out function on the button so for using it as a real key chain light, it my be most of the time wasting its juice on illuminating my pocket being pressed by other keys or objects or just pressure while i'm unaware. I suppose thats where the arc,keymate and even the solitare are more designed for pocket life as you have to actually twist the bezel for light. Would really appreciate some thoughts on this. Thanks guys

Assuming that your keymate is stock/standard right now, you need to do two things:
1) Upgrade the stock LED to a much more powerful one, like the 26k or 35K ones avail. in group buys.
(Very easily done by removing the head and wriggling the black plastic LED module assembly out of the reflector).

2) With a much better LED, you will be able to get brighter output -and a superior spot with good sidespill. You should then be running your light on only three cells. (use a spacer-foil works OK) Your light's output will be superior to your stock setup, and your running time will approximately double -because of the much reduced current that the three cells will be putting out. You will also cause the LED to last a lot longer by not overdriving it with the 6 volt 4-cell setup.

Hi Ilikeled's, I actually carry both, the Keymate in my left pocket and the Photon on my keychain. I love my Photon, and it's great for it's uses, but the Keymate is better at lighting up due to the reflector. My opinion, EDC both!

Easy lockout on the Photon; buy the newest one that has a additional necklace in the package. Remove the clip from the Photon and remove the thread from the necklace. Put the clip on the necklace and insert the Photon the wrong way so that it's covering the button.

My Keymate is stock at the moment, I've got the led's to mod it but haven't had any luck removing the plastic as I didn't want to damage it, do you just use a pair of pliers a wriggle the plastic?

You can wiggle the black plastic module loose with your index finger and thumb if your hands aren't too huge. It's just a friction fit using three little plastic guide pins.

I know what you mean about the photon coming on in your pocket. If you switch it to momentary mode by rapidly pressing the on button (I think 3 or more times), the momentary pressure that would otherwise turn it on will just cause it to blink. Since doing this to mine, I'm yet to waste a battery.

To go back to press for constant on, just hold the button down for about 10 seconds or so. It will blink and be back to the way it was.

vcal said:

You can wiggle the black plastic module loose with your index finger and thumb if your hands aren't too huge. It's just a friction fit using three little plastic guide pins.

Click to expand...

I'll try it after dinner.

Thanks!

*EDIT*

Mod done, quite easy, but I had to use pliers to remove the plastic module.
Installed a Niciha CS led from Grumpy. Made a spacer from some housingwire.
Works like a charm!

Is there anybody that would do the mod for a reasonable price ??

Perfectionist, it's really easy to do, if I had a digital camera right now I'd taken some pictures of the mod. Just screw of the head and use a pair of pliers to gently wriggle the black plastic out of the head. Look at the way the original LED is bent into shape and bend the new LED the same way. Cut the legs to lenght.

If you don't think you'll be able to do this I'll do it for you, I've got some Nichia's from Grumpy and 26k's from KevinL so you can choose.

If you're thinking of carrying a Keymate and going to the trouble of modding it, I think it makes more sense to get an Arc AAA or Peak Matterhorn.