LEDs are advancing in huge surges, and when they start putting the really bright ones in household lamp bulbs, it will mean the end for fluorescents.

Still, the flashlights do look good, and I’m interested in seeing how they hold up against other LED flashlights from Maglite and Inova in that price range.

The company that I work for specializes in LED Technology and don’t worry LEDs will be lighting up your home in no time! Our flashlights are big sellers on our site. Please take a look http://www.LEDLightTech.com. We are constantly working on new products so please save us in your favorites and check us out occasionally!

Regards,

Amy Falzone

The original version of the Novatac was made by HDS (Novatac bought HDS). Details on that are here:

http://www.hdssystems.com/Obsolete/XEdcUltimate.html

The Novatac light is expected to be an improvement on the HDS design. The current HDS is built like a tank. Here is a picture of one thrown repeatedly at a concrete floor and continued to function:

http://www.hdssystems.com/CPF/U-60-Pummeled-2.JPG

The HDS has multiple user programmable levels and various other programmable features along with a great interface to access that stuff. For example, mine has the locater beacon set, and it will give a quick flash every couple of seconds when off so that if I dropped it at night I’d be able to find it easier. Current lights have Luxeon LEDs, but the new ones will have the next gen stuff, probably an SSC. They run off of the same type of batteries that Surefires use, but these lights can use rechargeables.

A Minimag is maybe 10 lumens, the current HDS is 60 and the new Novatc is rumored to be 150. I’ve heard rumors that the new light will be USB programmable. If you’re not used to premium flashlights there will probably be some sticker shock - it’s rumored that the Novatac will cost around $150, if we are lucky. HDS models sold new for $250+

1) It came in one of those stupid large plastic clamshell packages, and I managed to cut myself on the packaging trying to get the light out of it. I emailed the company, and got back an unsympathetic letter saying that they “are not always able to control the type of package we use as we are basically at the mercy of our customers”.

2) the cordura holster that the light comes with is fine, as long as you con’t sit down with it on your belt. If you do, the light rides up in the holster and eventually falls out. A snap or velcro fastened flap would have solved that problem.

The light itself is fine, but I’m unlikely to buy another Maglite. I feel I paid a premium price for a mediocre product and indifferent support.

Note: there’s now three generations of emitters out there.

Old: standard round-ended 20000mcd LEDs

Last: Luxeon. Much brighter than the previous ones, but..

New: Cree/Seoul Semiconductors — 2x brighter than Luxeons.

I’ve got a 2×123-powered Seoul Semi. flashlight ($30ish from dealextreme) and it’s stupid bright.

On the other hand, for poking around inside things, rather than illuminating distant objects the 9×20kmcd ones (dealextreme again) can be more useful — beam is wider and more even.

April 24th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
This will be the LED light to own when it is finally released:

http://www.novatac.com

Mike, can you tell us something about that flashlight? The site has no info.

http://www.novatac.com

Before Maglite had their own LEDs, I bought the TerraLux MiniStar2 TLE-5 for my AA Maglite. It came with it’s own reflector so it will still focus. At $25, not cheap, but I wouldn’t go back to halogen bulbs

I also bought the Maglite LED 3 CELL C or D Module for use in a D cell Maglite. No complaints, though $20.

Another good flashlight website is Flashlight Reviews

http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main/co_disp/displ/prrfnbr/900/sesent/00

Anyway, as human visual acuity goes, it’s much more efficient to emit only a few narrow spectral bands that happen to be centered on the sensitivity peaks of our three types of cones. Visit http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/ligcon.html and explore for a while.

One theory about why LEDs don’t seem as bright at a distance, even though they’re putting out more light than equivalent incandescents, is the color: Incans tend to be very yellow, while the high-color-temperature output of most LEDs blends in more easily with moonlight, so it doesn’t jump out at you like the big orange-yellow spot from a tungsten lamp.

Later I picked up a Photon micro Freedom. I think little lights is where LED’s really shine. It’ bright has a good battery life and I’m never without a light. Another neat use for LED’s is the Clip on for baseball caps. I bought my Dad one for christmas and he uses it ever night when he walks the dog.

I now carry a Cabela’s Alaskan Guide Flashlight. It’ a knock off of a Surfire Aviator. It’ has 3 LED’s and Xenon bulb. Best of both worlds. LED for long life and Xenon when you need a lot of light.

Check out http://www.lighthound.com/ for some really neat stuff.

http://batteryjunction.com/d-mini.html

Check out the link that smee posted for info on the current generation of LEDs.

I’m definitely a fan of LED flashlights - I’ve usually always got one with me (a Fenix P2D as of yesterday (replacing an L1T with CR123A body)). I have/use both LED and incandescent lights. For shear throw and amount of output, it’s hard to beat a good incandescent (I’m partial to Wolf Eyes these days) but for day-to-day convenience LEDs are great.

Also, the Streamlight Propolymer Luxeon 4AA mentioned previously is a great LED light and rivals many incandescents.