I made a quick post in one of the facebook groups to remind people this is about to end. Hopefully it’ll reach its funding goal so things can move forward.
I think it’s one of the more interesting lights lately. Combination of capabilities and size is way above the competition unless we’re talking about several times more expensive customs. Even in the unlimited-budget class it would hold its own.
Then add nice looks, CRI 90….I can’t see a single weakness which happens…well…I can’t remember any previous case. Myself I would make some decisions differently, but I can’t say they would make the light genuinely better.
It’s one of those almost-superb-for-me lights. Not useful as it is but a small design change would make it superb. So I didn’t sign up. But I really with Hoop success because the job is so outstanding….
For me personally what sets this flashlight apart is the contact pads on the driver board, so you can flash the mcu in situ with new firmware.
This means it is very easy to try out alternative firmwares without disassembly of the flashlight. To me this is the digital equivalent of the modularP60 system, where you can easily replace the driver+LED with something completely different. 65 USD for a beautiful hand-crafted flashlight firmware development kit seems quite a steal 
Is this “easy programming without disassembling” option a novelty in the current flashlight landscape, or are their other flashlights with this option (apart from the expensive Lux-RC driver and the proprietary Windows-only USB-programmable Nextorch myTorch flashlights)?
Edit: clarification of the easiness of re-programming the firmware.
External programming pads are rare at the moment. The D4S is one production light with them, and there are some BLF drivers that have them, but the trend is new and will eventually catch on. The plan for the Nymph is to offer several firmwares in addition to the stock one, offering user configurable mode groups and ramping.
Okay, it’s official: I’m off the fence. Just pledged to one Darkside Nymph.
This is not intended to be a stocking filler, this one is for keeps.
It will cost me about six times what I on average have spent on an AAA-light.
So not being a budget light, I still consider it to be an absolute steal. Why?
- first of all, it is a beauty. And beauty costs. Certainly at my age.
- secondly, it is not only beautiful on the outside. Read the OP and follow the link to KS.
You will notice that the specs of this tiny light are about as-good-as-it-gets.
Great care of details and quality, nice UI, built in capability to re-program, et cetera.
BTW, you have only 25 hours time to make up your mind.
Thanks Henk.
BTW, I intend to incorporate a glass lens into the design to protect the optic. Wasn’t sure if I could due to the design and how the light is assembled, but I thought of a good way to do it. 
I’m in for one.
Holy cow, this looks like the kind of light you rarely see except for $$$ custom work.
I’ve never bothered with kickstarter before, and unfortunately it looks like this might not make it, but I’ve just signed up for one.
People get scared about Kickstarter, because so many projects have failed or taken forever to finish. Random people create projects, take money, and disappear. It would probably help if they knew this was by someone already known in the community, and was already almost done and would ship pretty quickly after the campaign.
Would probably also be a good idea to get on the facebook groups if you have something to sell, because it’s much more commercially oriented than BLF.
I’m backing this and one other Kickstarter project at the moment and am so disappointed to know that I will be eating a bag of roasted crickets instead of carrying this torch as my new edc!
Wait, this torch gets hot enough to roast crickets?
At what range?
not expensive enough or limited to a small number to get CPF guys interested?
Bingo.
I think you have to call it a “drop” and then do a lottery and charge 5-6x more. There was also no reference to “mcclicky”, “Ti skull clip”, “custom bead” or picture of the light on a “hank”.
Sadly, kickstarter did not reach the goal.
I just wonder what is the reason why kickstarter funding is required? With working prototype, what else is required before it can be produced? I think there is still interest in this flashlight and even without kickstarter, there would be enough “early birds” willing to pay in advance and wait a few months before it’s made. To start this projects. I’ve never worked on such project, so maybe I just don’t see the reasons why it’s not possible, but still wondering anyway…
Maybe since Kickstarter takes your money up front (Hoop needed to buy some stuff to help mass production). Now that the Kickstarter has timed out, maybe a Group Buy could be started instead. If enough people would sign up for it, and be willing to pay in advance and wait for production to happen, it would have the same effect on funding. One benefit would be that there would not need to be a funding time limit. Also, some people have already stated that they don’t like Kickstarter anyway, so a direct Group Buy might draw more of those people. I would very much like to see this light (and future models) come into being, and Hoop’s business take off.
Hoop, sorry to hear that your Kickstarter project did not succeed. I think DavidEF is right pointing out your project failed within the strict time limits. Personally I still think your concept is interesting. Perhaps also good to think about or probe who is your target audience and how and where to address it best. Or like mihlit stated, how to continue with your current backers, and grow from there if that is a possibility.
Please let us know if you come up with a new idea or approach.
I would be in for a group buy
I don’t know for sure how Kickstarter handles the backers’ contact info. I doubt they pass it on to the project owner if the funding goal isn’t met. In that case, there needs to be a new “participant” list made for a Group Buy or other funding formula to happen.
+1 :+1: