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4Sevens Maelstrom S18

By on August 13, 2011 in Flashlights

To say that the new Maelstrom S18 from 4Sevens is bright would be an understatement. The baseball bat sized flashlight that your grandfather keeps under his bed is bright. The Maelstrom S18 is face meltingly, eye searingly, hair singeingly bright and yet it still fits easily into your hand.

So how bright is it really? Well, it uses a cutting edge SST-90 LED that puts out 1200 lumens! Keep in mind, that is 1200 lumens after the losses to the lens and reflector – not the less honest lumens at the emitter that some other brands advertise. 1200 honest to goodness out the front (OTF) lumens. Perhaps the most impressive part is that the Maelstrom S18 can put out those 1200 lumens for .6 hours or a 1200 lumen strobe mode for 1.5 hours!

The Maelstrom S18 also sports an 80 lumen low mode that runs 17.5 hours, 400 lumen medium mode for 3.5 hours, and an SOS mode that runs for 12.5 hours. The modes are accessible by simply twisting the tailcap to the desired mode.

It is powered by 6 CR123A or 6 RC123A batteries and features reverse polarity protection in case you accidentally load one of those 6 batteries in the wrong direction. Speaking of protection, a light this bright needs beefy thermal management and the Maelstrom S18 has it. Thermal management allows the Maelstrom S18 to regulate its own output to protect itself from the heat that the LED generates.

This light is just ridiculously cool.

The Maelstrom S18 has a ton of other features that you will want to check out on the 4Sevens website.

New Headlamps from Princeton Tec

By on June 11, 2011 in Flashlights, Tactical Gear

Princeton Tec’s (PT) headlamp lineup boasts two new additions. One is made for big boys and one isn’t.

The FRED is a new take on PT’s popular Fuel headlamp. There are two main differences between the FRED and its predecessor, the Fuel. The first is the replacement of one of the white 5mm LEDs with a single red 5mm LED. The second difference is that the FRED always turns on in low red mode. These two features combined ensure that the users dark adjusted vision will not be disrupted when the light is turned on and they serve to mitigate the risks of an accidental light discharge in a sensitive situation. The FRED features 4 output modes: low red, high red, low white, high white.

Princeton Tec FRED

The new BOT headlamp is not for you. Its for your kids. It features the same great compact form as the PT Byte but, unlike the Byte, it features 2 5mm LEDs. There are four different bright colors to choose from which are sure to please even picky kids. There are 2 output modes: low and high. I would have loved to have had a real PT head lamp that fit me when I was a kid.

Princeton Tec BOT

Vicking Tactics Surefire Mini-L4

By on April 22, 2011 in Flashlights, Guns, Tactical Gear

Viking Tactics has teamed up with Surefire to produce well thought out lights before. Now they have come up with the VTAC Surefire Mini-L4.

Many of the lights that Surefire makes these days offer multiple levels of output. This can be a great option for a light that is going to see general use since it allows the user to tailor the amount of light to the task at hand. However, it is not necessarily best for a weapon light. When you turn on your weapon light, you want lots and lots of light… right now.

The VTAC Mini-L4 is a compact, single CR123 battery powered light that has one output level (110 lumens) and a focused beam that allows it to provide usable light at extended distances. When you turn it on, you get bright white light. There is no chance of accidentally entering a lower output mode.

The VTAC Mini-L4 is available by itself or as part of a package with the excellent VTAC Light Mount. The combo makes a great alternative to the Surefire M300 Scout.

The VTAC Surefire Mini-L4 is available on the VTAC website.

Insight Technology M3 LED

By on March 30, 2011 in Flashlights, Guns

The Insight Technology M3 was one of the first affordable and readily available weapon mounted lights. Its tough, light weight polymer construction and 60 lumen output were state of the art at the time. However, as LED technology progressed, the M3’s performance was eclipsed. Now, Insight Technology has given the venerable M3 a new lease on life.

The Insight Technology M3 LED features the same polymer construction as the original M3. The only real difference is the head. Where the original M3 had an incandescent bulb, the new M3 LED features a 125 lumen LED. The original M3 ran for only an hour but the new M3 LED runs for 3 hours. The new LED head offers twice the output and twice the run time.

The M3 LED is available in black or tan. I have seen some retailers listing just the LED heads for sale to those who want to upgrade their current M3. There is also an updated M3X LED available.

Peak LED Solutions Matterhorn – Accidental Torture Test

By on March 12, 2011 in EDC, Flashlights, Reviews

I have been using flashlights from Peak LED Solutions for years. My favorite of their products is the Matterhorn. The Matterhorn is a simple flashlight that uses 5mm LEDs and accepts AAA batteries. It is blindingly bright but it doesn’t have to be. It serves wonderfully as a small, pocketable back-up light. The light itself is barely larger than the AAA battery that powers it yet it still provides a useful amount of light for a long, long time.

In December of last year, I noticed that the Matterhorn was missing from the pocket where I usually carry it with my keys. I searched high and low but I couldn’t find it. I sadly conceded that I must have unknowingly dropped it in a parking lot somewhere and that I would likely never see it again.

Then, just this week, the prodigal Matterhorn flashlight reappeared in one of our flower planters – a place that I rarely go, especially in the winter. It seems that the diminutive flashlight took a trip through the snow blower at some point this winter and was deposited far from where I dropped it getting into or out of my truck. Not only did it go through a snow blower but it has been sitting in the soil of a flower bed, exposed to an unusually cold and snowy winter for around 3 months.

At this point you may be wondering if a flashlight that took a trip through a snow blower and was exposed to the winter weather for 3 months still works and what it looks like. It does still work with the same battery that was in it when I dropped it and it looks pretty much like it did when I dropped.

This is what a Peak Matterhorn looks like after a trip through a snow blower and a whole winter spent outdoors.

The Matterhorn is made from hard anodized aluminum which makes it exceedingly tough. It basically has only two main parts: the head and the body. The body is just a machined aluminum tube. The head is also machined from aluminum. The 5mm LED and electronics are actually potted (encapsulated except for the battery contact) in epoxy inside the head. This makes it basically impact and element proof.The simple construction, potted small parts, and small size allowed this little light to run through a snow blower unscathed.

The only thing that really seems to show any sign of the ordeal is the o-ring that seals the joint between the head and body of the light. It is intact, but a little bit dry. That is easily fixed with some grease.

I should also note that when I was taking the picture for this post, I knocked the Matterhorn off the table and onto a patio stone. It landed on its head but survived. This is one tough little light.

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