 |
Photon Fusion Headlamp
We’re very
impressed with the design and range of features – one of the best
being the adjustable output. This feature allows you to determine
the brightness and subsequent battery life, depending on your
situation. Although it is offered with several LED color
variations, our favorite uses 6 white and 1 red LED, and includes power
management (regulation) for constant level light output. When the
batteries have finally reached the point where they can no longer
support the current level of brightness, the light will finally
start to dim slightly and the secondary beam color LEDs will come
on continuously indicating the reduced power. Night vision? No
problem. Even the red LED has the “dimmer switch” feature.
Electronic switch features three levels of brightness, three
levels of strobe, and an auto shutoff. A secondary button, the
"Hyper Bright" gives you instant, full, steady light. If you are
looking for a serious headlamp, look no further. |
Battery: 3x AA
Battery Life:
12-80 hrs
Weight: 176.6g
Price: $72.00
Rating:
    |
 |
Photon Freedom Fusion Headlamp
The Photon Freedom
Fusion Headlamp is the Holy Grail of headlamps. It has many of the
same features as the Fusion. The secondary beam color will now
have two bulbs instead of one so should be a bit brighter and more
useful. Still 6 bulbs for the primary beam, but the electronics
that regulate the light output have been cranked up to put out
about 45% more light at full brightness. When the
batteries have finally reached the point where they can no longer
support the current level of brightness, the light will finally
start to dim slightly and the secondary beam color LEDs will come
on continuously indicating the reduced power. Night vision? No
problem. Even the red LED has the “dimmer switch” feature.
Electronic switch now features a dimmer control that offers
a full-range of brightness,
four levels of strobe, signal mode, and an auto shutoff. The
battery life is 12 hours in "High Bright" mode. |
Battery: 3x AA
Battery Life:
12-80 hrs
Weight: 176.6g
Price: $82.00
Rating:
    |
 |
Princeton Tec Yukon
For energy-efficient,
focusable beam and comfort teamed with water- and bomb-proof
durability, this Yukon is the lamp for you. The three-bulb LED
yields a long battery life powering a strong Xenon beam – perfect
for night hiking. We were particularly impressed with the lamp’s
full-tilt housing and the headband is even comfortable. Although
this lamp offers some excellent features, cycling through each
mode to get your preferred setting isn't one of them. Three AAs
last 3 to 5 hours on Xenon, and 120 hours on LED. |
Battery: 3x AA
Battery Life:
120 hrs -LED
3-5 hrs -Xenon
Weight: 227g
Price: $39.00
Rating:
    |
 |
Petzl Myo 3
Have it both ways with bright light and long battery life. This
lamp can literally go all night. A quick twist to the housing
changes the output from a focusable, long-range halogen beam to a
fairly bright, three-bulb LED beam perfect for close-proximity
lighting. Halogen setting lasts up to 4 hours; LED setting up to
180 hours! The sacrifice for all that long-running power? A clunky
battery pack on the back of your cranium. The Petzl electronic
system also monitors battery power and automatically switches to
energy-saving reserve power mode when necessary. If you're
concerned about the battery weight on your head, check out the
Petzl Myobelt 3 with removable battery pack. |
Battery: 4x AA
Battery Life:
52.5 hrs -LED
4 hrs -Xenon
Weight: 237g
Price: $45.00
Rating:
   |
 |
Petzl Myo 5
Climbers, adventure racers, or anyone moving quickly under
variable lighting conditions will appreciate this versatile
headlamp – designed specifically to alternate between long-range
lighting and extended battery life. Its five LEDs can illuminate
up to 99 feet. Three lighting levels include: Optimum for walking
or general use; Maximum for climbing or moving quickly on
technical ground; and Economy for reading maps or setting up a
tent. Each level is regulated by an electronic system. When the
batteries are almost completely discharged, the system switches to
reserve power mode, providing proximity lighting and greatly
extending burn time. The electronic system also regulates the
6-Volt Xenon bulb, guaranteeing a constantly bright beam that
illuminates up to 330 ft. The rotating bezel switch makes for easy
adjustment between the LED options and the Xenon halogen bulb.
Great for mountaineering or any fast paced activity. |
Battery: 4x AA
Battery Life:
180 hrs -LED
4 hrs -Xenon
Weight: 232g
Price: $65.00
Rating:
     |
 |
CMG Bonfire
CMG's little Bonfire will put an end to all those
fire-hazard-wax-dripping-heat-generating,
noxious-fume-emitting-candle lanterns and fuel lamps out there. It
uses 3 LEDs that emit a soft amber candle-like glow. A lanyard
is included and the molded-in cord locks permit many hanging
configurations. The Bonfire used inside of your tent is perfect
for reading, or playing cards. Probably not enough output for a
table lantern however, unless you just need a bit of light in a
small area. The Bonfire is also a great backup light to use at
home during
power outages. Dual brightness switch permits you to select
18-hours of bright area light or up to 30-hours of low, personal
light. |
Battery: 2x AA
Battery Life:
18/30 hrs
Length: 11.43cm
Weight: 85g
Price: $20.00
Rating:
  |
 |
CMG Bonfire Blaze
The
compact Bonfire Blaze features both white and red LED modes,
and puts out significantly brighter light than the standard
Bonfire. The white-light mode provides adequate table light and
the single red-light mode preserves your night vision while
producing a gentle glow. It also comes with a lanyard and
molded-in cord locks for various hanging options. We like the red
or white light option and were pleased with the battery life,
particularly the 72-hour duration in the red-light mode. Highly
recommended for the backpacker and equally suitable for car
camping. A great alternative to candle lanterns. |
Battery: 2x AA
Battery Life:
20/72 hrs
Length: 11.43cm
Weight: 85g
Price: $29.00
Rating:
    |
 |
Streamlight Luxeon Task-Light
The Streamlight
Task-Light uses a Luxeon LED - 10 times brighter than a
high-intensity LED (you could almost suntan with this thing!) Some
of the features include water-resistance, O-ring sealed, knurled
grip, lanyard and crazy output-to-battery life ratio. The exterior
is made of anodized aluminum, available in either black or silver.
The threading and diameter of the tail cap is identical to that of
the Mini Maglight, so you can use the rubber tail-cap switch
originally designed for the Mini Maglight.
A
similar flashlight is the Arc LS, which is another 1Watt Luxeon
Star flashlight. The Streamlight Luxeon Tasklight uses 3AA
batteries versus the 2AA the Arc LS uses, which equates to a
longer run time. The Streamlight Task Light also only costs $35
while the Arc LS with AA battery body will run you well over $100.
Thumbs up from all of us. |
Lumens: 35
Battery: 3x AA
Battery Life: 28 hrs
Length: 22cm
Weight: 170g
Price: $34.00
Rating:
     |
 |
Photon Microlight II
Successor to the
original Photon keychain squeeze-light, this tough and tiny light
now features an adjustable switch providing prolonged light –
eliminating the need to squeeze it to keep the light on. The
Microlight II produces an ultra bright white light that can be
seen for up to a mile. The LED is rated for over 100,000 hours and
the light is manufacturer-guaranteed for a lifetime, anyway.
Sweet.
This super-bright LED is secured in a tough ABS case and runs
on a thin, coin-cell lithium battery which is actually included.
Right from the start we were impressed: lifetime guarantee with
battery included – you can hardly go wrong here. The light is
available in several colors with varying run times: over 120 hours
for the red, amber and yellow type which use a single cell; and 12
to 14 hours for the white, blue, green or blue-green which use two
cells. Also available in purple – runtime information not
available.
Great for home or office use, popular with fire and rescue
professionals, pyrotechnicians, stage performers, and pretty
much anybody who needs a small, yet brilliant light.
The 2 case halves are held together with four small Philips head
screws and generally require a small precision type screwdriver
to remove them- although we found the tip of a knife blade will
work too when a screwdriver isn’t handy. |
Battery: 2x CR2016 3 volt lithium coin cell
Battery Life:
12-120 hrs.
Length: 40mm
Width: 24mm
Weight: 7g
Price: $13.00Rating:
   |
 |
Photon Microlight III
As compact, durable,
and bright as the Microlight II, the Microlight III utilizes a
state-of-the-art micro-processor which allows you the choice of
three levels of brightness, three levels of strobe, and a very
handy one minute auto-shutoff. At any time you can squeeze the
front button to bypass the electronics to get instant brilliant
light.
The Microlight III produces an ultra bright white light that can
be seen for up to a mile. The LED is rated for over 100,000 hours
and the light is manufacturer-guaranteed for a lifetime, anyway. A
good little perk.
This super-bright LED is secured in a tough water-resistant ABS
case that has been redesigned to make battery changes easier. The light
is available in several colors with varying run times: over 120
hours for the red, amber, and yellow type which use a single
cell; and 12 to 14 hours for the white, blue, green or
blue-green which use two cells. Also available in purple –
runtime information not available.
The
Covert model has all the excellent features of the Microlight III plus an extended
non-removable housing to shield the bulb, thereby reducing
glare and eliminating all peripheral light. Originally designed
for covert military use, the Covert Photon 3 is great in any
situation where you don’t want to attract attention or disturb
anyone. Indoor applications might include reading programs in
darkened theaters, or reading menus in dimly lit restaurants. The
covert housing is not removable. |
Battery: 2x CR2016 3 volt lithium coin cell
Battery Life:
12-120 hrs.
Length: 40mm
Width: 24mm
Weight: 7g
Price: $19.00Rating:
    |
 |
Photon Freedom Micro
The main difference is that the Freedom Micro offers full-range
brightness control, while the Photon 3 only offers three set
levels of brightness (high-medium-low). When it comes to
ease-of-use, the Freedom Micro is generally much more intuitive
and easier to use for most people.
An additional "signaling" mode can be accessed by tapping the
button several times in rapid succession. When in the signaling
mode, the Freedom Micro will behave like the squeeze-only Photon
I, with the light turning on only while the button is pressed and
off when it is released. When needed, the four safety strobe
functions (fast, medium, slow, & SOS) can be accessed by
continuing to hold the button down. Once the light has dimmed or
brightened fully, it will proceed to cycle through the various
strobe functions.
This also comes in a Covert model,
similar to the Covert description of the Microlight III. Our
biggest gripe is that this series of flashlights doesn't jive with
our AA Battery Doctorine. |
Battery: 2x CR2016 3 volt lithium coin cell
Battery Life:
12-120 hrs.
Length: 40mm
Width: 24mm
Weight: 7g
Price: $22.00Rating:
    |
 |
CMG Infinity
For night time objectives, the CMG Infinity is the whole
enchilada. The Infinity contains "patented circuitry" inside the
head to regulate the voltage provided to the LED. Unsurpassed in efficiency and durability, it requires
only a single AA battery. It is encased in anodized aircraft
aluminum. The Infinity is waterproof up to depths of 30 feet. It’s
easy to turn on and off by rotating the head. Our initial
impression is that a switch would be quicker and easier to use but
that means more moving parts that can break easily. It comes with
a neck lanyard and pocket clip. When considering tactical
lighting, and the level of “stealth” your application requires,
brightness is not as important as battery life so although the CMG
Infinity Ultra burns twice as bright, it only does so for half as
long. See the full review below. Ultimately, we would stick with
the standard Infinity. This would have been a 5 star product if it
didn't come with a piece of shit belt clip that attaches by
sliding on and just as easily slides off and gets lost! We
recommend replacing the original clip with an ALICE clip and
taping it in place. Also, when the light is off the battery
rattles around inside the case, which is easily remedied by taping
half the battery lengthwise from the positive to the negative
terminal using some 100mph tape. |
Battery: 1x AA
Battery Life: 41 hrs
Length: 83mm
Weight: 52.5g
Price: $17.00
Rating:
     |
 |
CMG Infinity Ultra
Operating from a single AA battery, this efficient flashlight
produces twice the light as its little brother, the Infinity, but
for less time. If secrecy isn’t a big factor in your applications,
the level of brightness here could be a real plus. The battery
life is reasonably good and the Ultra is also crafted of extremely
durable aircraft aluminum, is waterproof up to depths of 30 feet,
easy On/Off by rotating the head, and comes with a neck lanyard
and a shitty pocket clip that slides on and falls off. |
Battery: 1x AA
Battery Life: 25 hrs
Length: 83mm
Weight: 52.5g
Price: $24.00
Rating:
   |
 |
L-Shaped Flashlight
The military has been
using this right angle shaped waterproof flashlight since WWII. It
features a 3-position switch and a switch guard to prevent
accidentally turning it on at an inconvenient time. The olive drab
colored body is made of ABS plastic, which we have seen cracked a
number of times. The belt clip allows you to suspend the
flashlight from your LBV and the ring hanger is good for
dummy-cording the flashlight to yourself. It includes spare bulb
and blue, red, blackout, and diffusion filters. The bulb of this
flashlight is not very bright and the bulb can easily shatter or
the filament can easily break. The battery life is nothing near
that of any LED flashlight. The flashlight is heavy because of the
large D cell batteries; which aren't commonly found in other
military equipment - so pack batteries in your ruck. Some
politician's relative must own the company that manufactures these
flashlights, because we can't think of any other reason that the
military should still be using these. |
Battery: 2x D
Battery Life: 18 hrs
Length: 19.5cm
Weight: 453.6g
Price: $8.00
Rating:
 |
 |
Mini L-Shaped Flashlight
This is the
pocket-sized version of the GI Angle Light. The high intensity
Krypton bulb and reflector provide bright illumination, which is
not needed in a tactical environment. LEDs are much better for
tactical lights since they have a much longer battery life, much
much longer bulb life, and they can handle much more abuse. Turn
it on and off via a metal switch with a protective switch guard
and flasher button. It can be suspended by the tail cap hanger
loop or by the belt clip. It includes clear, red, blue, yellow and
white lenses. The plastic case is rustproof, but it is not as
durable as aircraft aluminum although it is lighter. |
Battery: 2x AA
Battery Life: ?
Length: 16.5cm
Weight: ?
Price: $8.00
Rating:
 |
 |
Mini Maglite®
The Mini Maglite®
with the original incandescent bulb seems pretty inefficient
considering the batteries last 5-6 hours and is fully bright only
a brief period of that time. The necessity of 2-AA batteries adds
weight and one, if not it’s only, redeeming factor is that it is
water proof to depths of 200. Let’s face it, if you had a better
light, you probably wouldn’t have ended up falling in the water in
the first place! This is a popular replacement for the L-shaped
military flashlights, but we can't figure out why. Maybe it’s the
camouflaged exterior which might actually cause you to lose it – a
blessing in disguise! Bottom line: a dim bulb for dimwits. |
Lumens: 5.3
Battery: 2x AA
Battery Life: 5 hrs
Length: 14.6cm
Weight: 107.2g
Price: $13.00
Rating:
  |
 |
Opalec NewBeam®
The NewBeam LED
Module is essentially a retrofit kit for use with the AA Mini
Maglite® flashlight. The kit consists of the NewBeam LED Module,
an adapter ring which replaces the original reflector, and a
replacement abrasion-resistant lens. This retrofit doubles your
battery life, the light output won’t dim as the batteries near
expiration, and of course, the LED’s lifetime is thousands of
hours. A note-worthy plus is the red indicator LED which signals
when it's time to replace the batteries. Its great strengths are
that it is rather efficient, highly durable, constant
light-output, and has an excellent compromise between brightness
and battery life. However, when you see the price, the light bulb
in your head should signal that you’d be better off with one of
the CMG Infinity models in the first place. |
Battery: 2x AA
Battery Life: 15 hrs
Weight: 4 oz.
Price: $26.00
Rating:
  |
 |
Lambda Ill Pill & MiniPro
The Lambda Ill Pill
is a drop-in for the 2AA Mini-Mag, Brinkmann, or other 2-AA metal
flashlight. It features a 1Watt Luxeon Star LED and a DC-DC
inverter sealed in epoxy for additional strength and durability.
The beam is well-centered, and free from any shadows or irregular
hot spots. It is no longer focusable after the mod. The reflector
is removed and the Luxeon Star lens is installed behind the
standard Mag lens. The light retains its water resistance.
As
you noticed, it has a crappy if non-existent heat sink, and will
not be well suited for long term use. The Ill Pill must only be
used in a metal flashlight to help it dissipate heat. It will
overheat and begin smoking if used in a plastic flashlight.
The
MiniPro uses a 3W Luxeon Star LED. The MiniPro is brighter but
only has a two hour battery life. The MiniPro also has a low level
survival mode so when the batteries do run down you won't be left
in the dark.
We
don't recommend either of these lights. They are not bright enough
for weapon lights and their short battery life is not well suited
for tactical lights. |
Lumens: 18
Candelas: 183
Battery: 2x AA
Battery Life:
2.5 hrs
Price: $30.00
Rating:
 |
 |
Mini Maglite®
AA Tail Cap Switch
Mini
Mag AA End Cap Push Button Switch for simple one hand operation.
It replaces the end cap that is currently on the light. The switch
is rubber coated. It could be improved by making the threaded
portion out of the same aluminum the flashlight housing is made of
to reduce the chance of stripping the threading. The best part
about this switch is that it also fits the Streamlight Luxeon
Task-Light. |
Weight: 170g
Price: $4.50
Rating:
   
Buy Here |
 |
TacStar Universal Barrel Mount (UBM)
Attaches the Mini Maglite and Streamlight Task-Light or similar to
barrel. It was not able to hold a Streamlight TL-3 or a Surefire
L6. Two-piece machined mounts fit firearms from .22 cal. to 12
gauge (See size listing below). Mounts clamp on securely and
easily. If the UBM fits your barrel but not the flashlight (or
vice versa), you can purchase a nylon bushing from TacStar to
achieve the proper diameter. This is an okay mount for okay
flashlights. Just don't buy one of TacStar's 65 lumen "weapon
lights."
-
Mount
for 1/2" to 3/4" barrel x 3/4" light (UBM-1)
-
Mount
for 1/2" to 3/4" barrel x 1" light (UBM-2)
-
Mount
for 3/4" to 1" barrel x 3/4" light (UBM-3)
-
Mount
for 3/4" to 1" barrel x 1" light (UBM-4)
|
Length: 5.7cm
Width: 2.8cm
Depth: 1.9cm
Weight: 45.4g
Price: $22.00
Rating:
  |
 |
Streamlight TL-3™ Xenon
The Streamlight TL-3 is lithium-powered tactical flashlight. It is
made of machined aircraft aluminum with an anodized finish. The
TL-3 features a spot-to-flood focus, non-protruding tail-cap
switch to decrease the chance of accidental activation, momentary
push button tailcap which rotates for locked "on," spare bulb
contained within the flaslight, and high-temperature glass lens.
Streamlight tactical lights include an adjustable wrist lanyard
and a removable spring-steel pocket clip. We found the head of the
flashlight to be too large to easily mount onto a shotgun with any
off the shelf mounting brackets. The TL-3 would have been among
the best as far as weapons lights are considered, if the bulb was
shock isolated. After mounting it to a shotgun and firing 48
rounds, the filament in the TL-3 xenon bulb broke. This flashlight
is as bright as the brightest Surefire flashlight and the battery
life would have been three times longer than any comparable
Surefire light. Too bad it doesn't have the durability of a
Surefire. |
Lumens: 200
Candelas: ?
Current: ?
Power: ?
Battery: 3x 123Li
Battery Life: 1 hr
Length: 15.88cm
Body
Ø:
2.29cm
Head
Ø:
4.06cm
Weight: 195.6g
Price: $60.00
Rating:
  |
 |
Streamlight TL-3™ LED
The TL-3 LED would remedy the durability issue at the expense of
dropping the brightness to 90 lumens. On the plus side the TL-3
LED has a battery life of 2.5 hours at full brightness (20 hrs at
diminishing brightness). It also has an adjustable spot to flood
focus. This flashlight uses a 5W Luxeon Star LED, which can
optimally emit 120 lumens of light when driven at its spec limits. The TL-3 LED only emits 90 lumens. Streamlight must have made this flashlight with a power regulating
circuit in order to extend the battery life. Bad move. This limits
the brightness of what could have been a bright 5 Watt Luxeon
bulb. This
flashlight also officially sucks (along with the TL-3 Xenon). |
Lumens: 90
Candelas: ?
Current: ?
Power: ?
Battery: 3x 123Li
Battery Life: 22 hrs
Length: 15.88cm
Body
Ø:
2.29cm
Head
Ø:
4.06cm
Weight: 195.6g
Price: $110.00
Rating:
   |
 |
Surefire A2 Aviator
The A2
has some great features that include a tail cap pushbutton
switch, allowing momentary activation or a constant ON switch in a
single click; a handy pocket clip; aerospace grade aluminum shell;
and Pyrex® lens (O-ring sealed for weatherproofing). The Aviator's
unique digitally controlled two-stage switching mechanism allows
the user to choose LEDs for close-up work or the high output lamp
for full power applications. Digital current regulation circuitry
provides a more consistent (even) level of incandescent light
output and color temperature for the useable life of the
batteries. Lamp assembly/Runtime - SureFire MA02 high-output
incandescent lamp producing 50 lumens of white light for 60
minutes - three LEDs producing three lumens max output for 15
hours, followed by over 30 hours of minimal output.
This is an extremely popular flashlight but lacking brightness
overall for a weapon light and the battery life is quite
inefficient as a task light. We wondered how many of these
flashlights Surefire had to give away to “buy” the endorsements of
so many hunting magazine writers out there. Bottom line: Why get
the A2 when you can get the L4 LumaMax, which is lighter,
brighter, and cheaper? |
Lumens: 50 (3)
Candelas: ?
Current: ?
Power: ?
Battery: 2x 123Li
Battery Life:
1 (20) hrs
Length: 14.2cm
Body
Ø:
?
Head
Ø:
2.87cm
Weight: 113.4g
Price: $185.00
Rating:
  |
 |
Surefire L4 LumaMax
The nicest feature of
the L4 is probably the tail cap pushbutton switch, allowing
momentary activation or a constant ON switch in a single click.
It has a 1 hr max brightness (3 hrs declining brightness) battery
life. It
also features a removable pocket clip which can be handy. The
aerospace grade aluminum with anodized finish, Pyrex® lens (O-ring
sealed for weatherproofing) make it super durable but the
five-watt LED just isn’t bright enough in our opinion – regardless
of the Surefire Lifetime Guarantee: “If it breaks, we fix it!" |
Lumens: 65
Candelas: ?
Current: ?
Power: ?
Battery: 2x 123Li
Battery Life: 1-3 hrs
Length: 12.7cm
Body
Ø:
?
Head
Ø:
2.54cm
Weight: 99.2g
Price: $160.00
Rating:
   |
 |
Surefire L5 LumaMax
The
L5 is made of type III hard anodized aluminum. The L5 uses an
uncollimated Pyrex® lens, but it does have a reflector that shapes
the beam. Features O-ring seals and a stainless steel pocket clip. It features a new click-on/click-off tailcap pushbutton switch
that gives the user the tactical advantage of momentary activation
or the convenience of a constant-on “click” switch in a single
switch. Patented lock-out tailcap allows the light to be locked
in the off position to prevent unintentional activation during
storage or transportation.
The
L5 also features digital current regulation circuitry to match the
LED's current requirements with the battery's output to maintain a
more consistent level of light output for the 1.5 hours of useable
life of the batteries, the next 1.5 hours is at diminishing
brightness. The L5 is slightly brighter than the L6 at some
location in its beam at 1 meter. The output of the L5 and L6 is
not significantly different under field conditions. You can’t tell
which light is shining, even at distances of 50 to 100 feet.
When
compared to the L6, the L5 is wasting 1 Watt of energy for a 1%
increase in brightness! So, clearly the L6 will last much longer
but the L5 is just a hair brighter up close. The battery life is
not as long as the L6, but still more than sufficient to perform
as a weapon light.
The
L5 is much more compact than the L6 and weighs less. You could
argue that its lighter weight would be worth the lesser
performance. For strictly a weapon light, the L5 is better than
the L6. |
Lumens: 120
Candelas: 1,340
Current: 1.18A
Power: 7 W
Battery: 2x 123Li
Battery Life:
1.5-3 hrs
Length: 12cm
Body
Ø:
?
Head
Ø:
3.73cm
Weight: 204g
Price: $180.00
Rating:
     |
 |
Surefire
L6 LumaMax
The
L6 is made of type III hard anodized aluminum. The L6 uses an
uncollimated Pyrex® lens, but it does have a reflector that shapes
the beam. Features O-ring seals and a stainless steel pocket clip.
The L6 is equipped with a click-on/click-off tailcap pushbutton
switch that gives the user the option of momentary activation
(for self-defense use or emergency signaling) or the convenience
of a constant-on “click” switch in a single switch.
The L6 LumaMax
also features digital current regulation circuitry to match the
LED's current requirements with the battery's output to maintain
a more consistent level of light output for the 1.5 hours of useable life of
the batteries, the next 3.5 hours is at diminishing brightness.
Other flashlights with a 5watt Luxeon Star LED may
produce approximately the same amount of light as the L6 (and
L5), but it appears (to the eye) dimmer because the beam is focused
by a lens and is not collimated as well as the L6. The L6's head
does focus the light better than the L5, but we can only tell a
difference in CQB conditions. The light output of the L5 and L6 is
not significantly different under field conditions. You can’t tell
which light is shining, even at distances of 50 to 100 feet.
We
couldn't detect any difference in "throw" of the light under field
conditions. In the special photographs people have on the Candle
Power Forums, you can clearly see the throw is better in the L6.
The L6 has a better throw, but I just couldn't observe it.
There are no
substitutes for the Surefire L5 and L6 out there. If you want a
light to do double duty as a hand-held light with long runtime and
as a weapon light, the L6 might be a better choice. |
Lumens: 120
Candelas: 1,320
Current: 681mA
Power: 6 W
Battery: 3x 123Li
Battery Life:
1.5-5 hrs
Length: 19.66cm
Body
Ø:
2.2-2.7cm
Head
Ø:
4.2cm
Weight: 238g
Price: $265.00
Rating:
     |
 |
TNC Hyper Lux V (Hard Anodized Natural)
This small flashlight
is waterproof and durable. It is made of aircraft quality aluminum
with a Type III Hard Anodized finish. The Lens is an uncoated
Mineral Glass Lens. The light uses a reflector with an "Orange
Peel" finish. The
life of the LED is 1,000 hours. Twist the head to turn it on,
then just loosen the tail cap slightly to use the tail cap like
a push button on/off (You can buy a real push button tailcap
switch for $15 extra). This light has a pure white light and uses
a white 5-watt Luxeon LED and a reflector that produces a tighter beam, with very minimum void in the center. The Hyper Lux V is good, especially for the price, but its not regulated,
which
is subject to a steady decline in light intensity beginning shortly
after activation.
The owner of Ogaz Enterprises will custom make a current regulated
Hyper Lux V for $180 (You
can buy a real push button tailcap switch for $15 extra). The
brightness values would be about the same as the non-regulated
Hyper Lux V, with an output of 1.0A . This version with tail cap
would be comparable to the L5/L6, but the L5 is slightly better
and $15 cheaper.
The
L5 focus is better than the TNC. Note that the TNC website only
compares their light to the L4, which sucks.This is still an excellent weapon light for the price and a good
rival to the Surefire L5 or L6 LumaMax except that it is not as
bright and has a shorter battery life. |
Lumens: 120
Candelas: 1,160
Current: 1.15A
Power: 5.3W
Battery: 3x 123Li
Battery Life: 1.5hrs
Length: 17.7cm
Body
Ø:
2.52cm
Head
Ø:
3.81cm
Weight: 221g
Price: $100
Rating:
    |
 |
Surefire M962SU07
When
time is of the essence and you need nothing but the brightest,
this is it. The M962Uo7 is made of
CNC machined aerospace-grade aluminum
and finished in durable MilSpec Type
III
hard anodizing (Mil-A-8625 Type III Class 2).
Pyrex lens window for improved water/scratch resistance, and
shock-isolated bezel.
The
system attaches to Picatinny Rail interface-equipped
shoulder-fired weapons via a built-in A.R.M.S. throw-lever mount.
and can also accommodate a SureFire laser.
The
M962SU07 is 9-volt shock-isolated system powered by three lithium
batteries and providing 125 lumens for one-hour of runtime
using an MN10 xenon/halogen gas-filled lamp
assembly
or 225 lumens for 20 minutes using the included MN11 ultra-high
output lamp assembly. Switching is controlled with a
pressure-activated momentary-on tape switch (7.0" cable standard -
custom lengths available by calling SureFire). Available switching
options include a tailcap-mounted momentary pushbutton and a
tailcap-mounted Click-ON/Click-OFF switch - apply moderate
pressure for momentary activation, depress completely to "click"
the switch to the constant-on position.
Here's the best part. Components are interchangeable, allowing the
operator to configure light output and switch configuration to
mission-specific applications. The ultimate weapons light would be
the M962SU07 for CQB, or switch the L6 Lumamax head assembly
(KL6) for more durability and battery life but less brightness. No
one ever said the very best would be inexpensive, but how can you
put a price on perfection. |
Lumens: 120/225
Candelas: 1,320/16,000
Current: 681mA
Power: 6 W
Battery: 3x 123Li
Battery Life:
20-60 min
Length: 18.0cm
Body
Ø:
3.0cm
Head
Ø:
4.1cm
Weight: 238g
Price: $420.00
Rating:
     |