[Tangle]

Looks like a good light but ouch the price I would want to see it tested against some of the others before i would flip the bill for that

I might can do that! This fall I think I'm going to have my evening Projects Class repeat the tact light tests my daytime class did last semester so I can compare the results.

I wanted to add a few new lights and the Gladius would be a good one to test. We'll be doing intensity discharge tests and subjective tests.

I have found that nothing commonly available in handheld tact lights that beats the Streamlight TL3 and Ultra Stinger for intensity. The TL3 uses three CR123 Batts and the Ultra Stinger is a rechargeable light. The TL3 is almost as bright as the UltraStinger and much smaller. The TL3 is hard to beat for high intensity in a handheld.

 

[Tangle]

...If I do get another flashlight (and I collect them a bit - never sure why!) - I will consider a Streamlight this time.

After seeing the results of our tests, I carry a Streamlight TL2 LED. The LEDs are not the best as a tactical light because of lower power output and poor color rendering, but the TL2 LED has that blinding effect, runs over two hours at nearly full intensity and then over 12 hours with reduced, but very useable light. It just won't reach out as far as the higher output Xenon bulb lights.

It's almost like a fella needs to carry two lights anyway, and your E1E would be a good complement for a TL2 LED light. I haven't compared them, but I suspect the E1E will be considerably brighter, and the TL2 LED will last over twice as long. It'd be a good combination and pretty easy to carry.

We tested the Surefire L2 (LED) and after 30 minutes, it got so hot it started blinking off and on and was so hot it was uncomfortable to hold. The same thing happened with my Surefire Aviator - that's another handy light, but pricey. It has a Xenon bulb for the tactical light and it is surrounded by three low power LEDs. It lasted about 30 minutes before it overheated and started blinking.

I contacted Surefire and they vowed that that should not happen and gave me an RMA to return the two lights.

It is interesting that of some 20 lights we tested, it was only the electronic models that failed, and curiously they were both Surefire.

The brightest LED light we tested was the Inova, I bought it from Botach for $49.95. I understand there is a new, brighter, Inova out now. If there is I'm going to buy one and test it.

 

[Tangle]

I forgot this and I feel that it is important:

When I talked to Surefire about the two light failures, the person asked me if I was using Surefire batteries. I said no, we used Sanyo batteries ($1.00 each from Botach). He said that may be the problem that they have seen problems using batteries other than Surefire batteries. I said, "That's not good at all! What if I'm out somewhere and need batteries and have to buy Duracells at a drugstore or somewhere?" He just said, "We know."

Sooo, I installed some Surefire batteries and repeated the test. The lights still failed.

Just something to think about.