Flashlight I picked up at SHOT

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patrickcudd

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Here is a new flashlight brand I found at SHOT this year. The name is 4SEVEN. The light I picked up is the Q-mini 123 with a suggested retail of $40 or so. While I'm not exactly an expert on lights, I've owned several Surefire's, Streamlight's, Fenix, Insight, and a few others.
That being said, I really like this flashlight. It is very small, light and puts out a bright light. It has several modes...... low, medium, bright, SOS, strobe, low marker, and bright marker. I have no use for any of these except bright, and maybe low, but they are there. I've been carrying it in my pocket daily sine shot, and I must admit, I forget it is there because it is so light.

Here is a pic of the light. I included other objects for size.....sorry, no 100's available!!!!!:wink2:

ai44.photobucket.com_albums_f48_patrickcudd_07249cc6.jpg
 

aestus

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4Seven makes handsdown, some of the best lights. They are also on the cutting edge in lights and will usually be first to use the latest LED's that are brighter and consume less power than anyone else.
 

ez bake

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I got one a while back (the Quark Mini 123) and I love it. Is yours the S2 model? They make them in warmer tones too (and do special runs every now and then).

Its become my minimalist flashlight (it goes with the J-frame and my Izula carried via neck-lanyard). Very good light with an extremely long life if you don't over-use its brightest settings.
 

_CY_

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4seven is an early CPF'er like myself ... he worked with Fenix and was responsible for early promotion and technology transfer from Candlepower Forum to Fenix flashlights.

4sevens went on to start his own line of flashlights. really surprise to see all the garbage functions on his lights. most folks have no use for SOS, strobe, etc... all it does is gets in the way.

with advances in li-ion and LED emitter technologies... have long passed stage where flashlight puts out more light than is usable.

flashlight usability, reliability and runtimes are way more important and bells and whistles. all the Chinese flashlight mfg get too carried away with wild lumens claims and useless features that gets in the way.

if all fairness ... Chinese flashlights have come a long ways in a very short time. they have become cheap, reliable with high quality.

without getting into handmade USA custom flashlights costing $400+.... usability and quality is where Surefire still excel. They have the largest $$$ R&D budget in the world and it shows with all the innovations and they charge accordingly.

Here is a new flashlight brand I found at SHOT this year. The name is 4SEVEN. The light I picked up is the Q-mini 123 with a suggested retail of $40 or so. While I'm not exactly an expert on lights, I've owned several Surefire's, Streamlight's, Fenix, Insight, and a few others.
That being said, I really like this flashlight. It is very small, light and puts out a bright light. It has several modes...... low, medium, bright, SOS, strobe, low marker, and bright marker. I have no use for any of these except bright, and maybe low, but they are there.
 

gillman7

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Say what you want, but a good flashlight is great deterrant. I personally like the strobe feature, and used it once to save me from getting mugged in St Louis.

Posted about it, around a year ago, like the strobe, seemed to really disorient the BGs when it happened. I think a single continuous light can be shielded easier than a pulsing strobe.

Once again, that is just one real world experience with it.
 

_CY_

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yes strobe feature can and does disorient and can be very useful. but there are some disadvantages... user can get disoriented by strobe bounce back.

another major disadvantage is user provided controls to activate strobe. most flashlight forces you to cycle through a menu which includes strobe. it's a pita to go thru many functions to get to low beam or what ever you want.

Blackhawk Gladius was the first flashlight that actively promoted strobe feature. was at shot 3-4 years ago when Blackhawk had a demo tent doing hands to demonstrate effectiveness of strobes. one could barely stand after getting hit directly with strobe.

purchased two Gladius lights and sold off both. note this was 3-4 years ago.
found for my needs ...strobe just got in the way. strobe was activated at rear cap and had a decent interface... but some early models were unreliable

here's a pic of my old Gladius Night ops
[Broken External Image]

here's a decent article on strobe flashlights
http://www.policemag.com/Channel/Patrol/Articles/2010/06/How-to-Use-a-Strobing-Flashlight.aspx





Say what you want, but a good flashlight is great deterrant. I personally like the strobe feature, and used it once to save me from getting mugged in St Louis.

Posted about it, around a year ago, like the strobe, seemed to really disorient the BGs when it happened. I think a single continuous light can be shielded easier than a pulsing strobe.

Once again, that is just one real world experience with it.
 

aryfrosty

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4seven is an early CPF'er like myself ... he worked with Fenix and was responsible for early promotion and technology transfer from Candlepower Forum to Fenix flashlights.

4sevens went on to start his own line of flashlights. really surprise to see all the garbage functions on his lights. most folks have no use for SOS, strobe, etc... all it does is gets in the way.

with advances in li-ion and LED emitter technologies... have long passed stage where flashlight puts out more light than is usable.

flashlight usability, reliability and runtimes are way more important and bells and whistles. all the Chinese flashlight mfg get too carried away with wild lumens claims and useless features that gets in the way.

if all fairness ... Chinese flashlights have come a long ways in a very short time. they have become cheap, reliable with high quality.

without getting into handmade USA custom flashlights costing $400+.... usability and quality is where Surefire still excel. They have the largest $$$ R&D budget in the world and it shows with all the innovations and they charge accordingly.

Not kickin' doggies here....I would walk across 8 lanes of interstate to keep from buying anything made in China. Unloading a truck last year and we were griping about "made in China" while pulling pallets back with a forklift and chains...happened to look at the chain hooks and~~~yep!~~~ stamped, "Made in China".
 

_CY_

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yup... preference is USA made product... willing to pay a premium too. but not double or triple. that's the problem with USA products... pricing themselves out of the market place.

for USA mfg that stay competitive via technology at being the world's best where price is no issue.... and/or competitive pricing.

Surefire is my preference for production lights... my EDC is a Li-14430 a completely hand made light down to the circuit board. there were about 10 lights ever produced.

here's a bit of info on a famous cpf'er McGizmo's site
http://dmcleish.com/CPF/L14430/index.html

ahome.tulsaconnect.com_toug_cpf_li14430_cr2H.jpg


Not kickin' doggies here....I would walk across 8 lanes of interstate to keep from buying anything made in China. Unloading a truck last year and we were griping about "made in China" while pulling pallets back with a forklift and chains...happened to look at the chain hooks and~~~yep!~~~ stamped, "Made in China".
 

aryfrosty

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yup... preference is USA made product... willing to pay a premium too. but not double or triple. that's the problem with USA products... pricing themselves out of the market place.

for USA mfg that stay competitive via technology at being the world's best where price is no issue.... and/or competitive pricing.

Surefire is my preference for production lights... my EDC is a Li-14430 a completely hand made light down to the circuit board. there were about 10 lights ever produced.

here's a bit of info on a famous cpf'er McGizmo's site
http://dmcleish.com/CPF/L14430/index.html

ahome.tulsaconnect.com_toug_cpf_li14430_cr2H.jpg

My preference is yours as well. I bought myself and my sons, both Marines, a plastic Combat Light from Surefire. Then got all of us click-on tailcaps. Then emailed Surefire and asked what LED head would fit our lights. They told me and I bought 3 and now we have jackrabbit flashlights that burn bright and last forever. I buy each of us a box of batteries once a year from Surefire and we all have several boxes stored because they last so long.
 

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