Archive | Flashlights

Review: Diamondback Tactical MOLLE CR123 Battery Holder

By Matt on February 7, 2011 in Flashlights, Reviews, Tactical Gear

Diamondback Tactical makes a slick little battery holder that solves a problem for me. I have had a CR123 battery become dented and unusable while knocking around loose in a pocket of my backpack. I have also read accounts of how CR123 batteries can heat up and vent when loose items in a pocket are able to short the battery. The Diamondback Tactical 123A Battery Holder (MOLLE) solves these problems by providing a dedicated holder specifically for CR123 batteries that keeps them protected, separate from other small items, and easily accessible.

The pouch is simple. It is two elastic loops covered by an upper and lower flap. There are two snaps that allow the holder to attach to a single column of MOLLE webbing. It has a very small footprint so you can find room for one on any chest rig, belt rig, or back pack. The snaps allow these to be attached and detached from MOLLE webbing in just seconds.

These battery holders are a great way to keep batteries around on your training gear. You never know when you will need a fresh set of batteries to keep you on the line in a low light course. I also use them on my hiking packs so I can keep spare batteries around for my headlamp or flashlight. They are simple and effective.

New from Insight Technology: WL1 AA Powered Weapon Light

By Matt on January 27, 2011 in Flashlights, Guns

It was only a matter of time before someone made a dedicated weapon light that was powered on AA batteries. The someone is Insight Technology and the light is the WL1.

Insight Technology claims that the WL1 is the first tactical light to run on AA batteries. It features a quick-release rail grabber interface, 90 minute runtime, 150+ lumen output, momentary activation, strobe function, and an optional visible red laser. These lights also feature Insight’s split rocker switch which I am very familiar with from the Insight Technology Procyon and WX-150. It is a very nice system that allows the switch to function identically with both left and right hand manipulations.

While this light will run on alkaline AA batteries, lithium AA batteries will be the smart choice. Lithiums have a longer shelf life and can handle a wider temperature range. Lithiums batteries will be ideal but it is very attractive to have a light that can be run on grocery store AA batteries in a pinch.

I have been using Insight Technology products since the original M3. I have owned the M3, the M3X, the SSL-1, the Procyon, and the WX-150. If the new WL1 works as well as those lights did, it will be a very popular light.

It appears that there is some limited information about the WL1 on Insight Technology’s website. Hopefully, more information will be available soon.

Multicam Princeton Tec Headlamps Now at Extreme Outfitters

By Matt on December 30, 2010 in Flashlights, Tactical Gear

Jerking the Trigger broke the story about Princeton Tec headlamps in Multicam back in October and already reviewed the versatile Remix Pro. Now the new Multicam models are finally available at Extreme Outfitters. The Remix Pro, EOS Tactical, and Quad Tactical (which I reviewed in non-Multicam form) are all available in Multicam. I have had nothing but great experiences with both Princeton Tec and Extreme Outfitters.

Check out the new Multicam line up and other great Princeton Tec lights at Extreme Outfitters.

Elzetta ZSM

By Matt on December 8, 2010 in Flashlights, Guns

There is no shortage of shotgun light mounts but the vast majority of them are poorly made barrel clamp designs. These mounts often lack the necessary surface area to hold the light securely to the barrel without shifting under recoil and position the light in such a way that a coiled tape switch must be used to activate the light.

The new Elzetta ZSM clamps to both the magazine tube and the barrel. It has plenty of surface area to ensure that it is absolutely stationary under recoil and serves to support the extended magazine tubes that are prevalent on today’s shotguns. It can also be mounted just forward of the fore end which allows the user to active the light with the support hand thumb. The ZSM is versatile enough to fit just about any serious shotgun on the market any and any light with a .70 to 1.05″ outside diameter. That includes most popular lights from Surefire, Streamlight, and Elzetta’s own excellent ZFL-M60.

The ZSM is made from glass-filled polymer which means it is not only extremely tough but also very light weight. There are two models of the ZSM; a standard version and a thumb screw model which allows the ZSM to be detached and attached without the use of tools. The ZSM can also be purchased as a complete kit which includes a 235 lumen Elzetta ZFL-M60 light.

Visit the Elzetta website for more information.

Review: Princeton Tec Remix Pro

By Matt on November 20, 2010 in Flashlights, Reviews

The versatile Remix Pro is now available in Multicam.

I broke the news about the Princeton Tec Remix Pro being available in Multicam at the end of last month. Since that time, I’ve had plenty of time to get to know the Remix Pro and I am very impressed. It might be the best all around headlamp that I have ever used.

Stats

Battery: 1x CR123
Weight: 2.25 ounces including battery
Max Output: 70 Lumens
Runtime: 4 – 40 hours depending on output mode
Light Source: 1x white Maxbight LED, 3x red Ultrabright LEDs (other colors available)
Colors: black with black headband, tan with Multicam headband

Modes of Operation

The Remix Pro has one of the most sensible user interfaces that I have ever used. It is almost impossible to produce an accidental burst of bright white light that can compromise your dark adjusted vision or spook any game you may be hunting. The light will always turn on in the low Ultrabight LED setting, which in my case is low red mode. This is a very important feature to me.

Press the button once to turn the light on in low red mode.
Press the button again within 1.6 seconds to switch to high red mode.
Press the button a third time within 1.6 seconds to turn the light off.
Press and hold the button at anytime for about 2 seconds to switch to low white mode.
Press the button again within 1.6 seconds to switch to high white mode.
Press the button a third time within 1.6 seconds to turn the light off.

As you can see, the operation is very straight forward. It only takes a few moments to learn how to operate the switch. Once learned, the switch allows easy access all of the Remix Pro’s output modes. It should also be noted that, if at anytime, more than 1.6 seconds passes between button presses, the light will turn off on the next press. Mitigating the risk of accidental white light discharge and the ability to quickly extinguish the light is a must for users who are using the Remix Pro in discreet situations.

The red modes are well thought out. The low mode is low enough, though it could stand to be lower. It provides plenty of light for map reading and even navigation with fully dark adjusted vision. The high red mode is surprisingly bright and even though it is red light, it does diminish dark adjusted vision. It is bright enough to walk a trail at night. The low white mode is very useful. I use it far more than the high white mode. The beam profile of the white Maxbright LED is perfect. It more intense at the center but there isn’t really a tight hotspot like you see on some lights. The bright center gradually blends into a slightly less bright spill beam. If you stand in the doorway to a room, it lights the whole room, rather than just a spot.

The Remix Pro’s output modes will cover just about any lighting need that you may have within 50 yards. Many headlamps excel at either mid/long range illumination or up close illumination. The Remix Pro’s mix of LED types and output modes allow it to fill both of those roles very well. Whether you need to illuminate something at arms length or 50 yards down the trail, the Remix Pro has you covered.

The Remix Pro features two different types of LEDs for a wide variety of tasks.

Princeton Tec made the fence around the button larger to prevent the light from being turned on accidentally.

Weight

I recently praised the Princeton Tec Byte for its lightweight and compact size. While the Remix Pro is certainly larger than the diminutive Byte, I was surprised to find that it only weighs about 1/10th of an ounce more. This is due in large part to the Remix Pro’s use of a lithium CR123 battery. Lithium batteries tend to weigh less than alkaline batteries which is what I have installed in the Byte. The Remix Pro is a very light headlamp, especially for the amount of features that it delivers.

CR123 Battery

The Remix Pro is one of only a handful of headlamps that use the CR123 battery. Princeton Tec says that they developed the Remix Pro at the request of the US Military which uses CR123 batteries extensively. I suspect that many of the readers of this blog carry a Surefire light (or similar) every day, so they probably already have CR123 batteries on hand. Consolidating battery types is a very good thing so that you minimize the types of spare batteries that you have to carry.

As mentioned above, CR123 batteries are also very light weight which keeps the weight of the light and spare batteries to a minimum. Lithium batteries also have a very long shelf life thanks to their low discharge rate and they are very resistant to cold weather. Cold slows the chemical reaction that allows batteries to deliver power. Alkaline batteries are notorious for poor cold weather performance. Lithium batteries, like the CR123, are far more resistant to colder temperatures.

The strap adjusment slider can be used to open the battery compartment when you fingers are cold and wet.

The Multicam head strap matches Multicam Cordura nylon very well.

Multicam

Many users will appreciate having a camo option like Multicam. Besides the obvious military uses, hunters will find that the Multicam color scheme blends many environments. Some hikers also like to use camo gear so they don’t distract from the scenery.

Hands Free Versatility

The Remix Pro can be mounted on the head strap for headlamp use but it can also be mounted to 1″ webbing like MOLLE webbing. Also, because of the well designed bracket, it can be used as a free standing area light. The Princeton Tech headlamps with their “asymmetrical” bracket really excel at this use. There are a number of ways that you can use the Remix Pro without having to actually hold it.

Improvement

Princeton Tec has made an improvement to the Remix Pro in the form of a higher “fence” around the switch. This raised plastic fence helps to prevent the button from being accidentally pressed while in a pocket or backpack.

Conclusion

The Remix Pro is easily the most versatile headlamp that I have ever owned. The 1 button user interface is easy to use and provides 4 useful output modes. It handles a very wide variety of lighting tasks with ease. It is light in weight and makes use of an excellent battery that you probably already carry spares for while you are in the woods. It also happens to be the only headlamp that I know of that is available in Multicam. Princeton Tec has really taken the headlamp to another level.

You can read more about the Princeton Tec Remix Pro on the Princeton Tec website.

Thank you Princeton Tec for providing the Multicam Remix Pro for review.