FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public

@teacher, that’s what I said, but I think the price difference should’ve been even larger.

Anyone else have problems with the discount code today? :frowning:

OK…. :+1: …. But as far as jacking up the price of the XP-L HI “to slightly subsidize the SST-20 version with a good optic and a lens”……

To me that would not be acceptable. Let the SST-20 Version pay it’s own way. No sense in punishing those of us who like, or even prefer; the XP-L HI. We want the “good optic & lens” also remember.

ymmv

No more cost saving ideas please! :smiley:

Well at least the new optic looks like it is a good match for the ruff MCPCB.
I believe the new optic setup is a bad move.

In theory the new optic should produce slightly higher lumens. No light is being lost from a lens. It’s all going through the one optic.

However, it’s not surprising that we here on this forum much prefer the glass lens (for scratch resistance) combined with the flexibility of being able to swap in any Carclo optic.

Personally, I wouldn’t mind if they added the new lens, but only as an option. Maybe get a $2 discount if you opt for their lens instead of the Carclo.

At least be able to purchase the glass lens as an option

I would never accept a plastic lens.
Not on a light like this.
If they want to mess up this light before it even ramped up, they can do this…
But I will no longer buy it…

It’s incredible with what type of problems Neal has to cope with…
Hope he gets them sorted out and this great flashlight restored to its original design…
:+1:

They did this with the Tool AAA already. It’s some unknown osram emitter and pebbled TIR now like the EDC01. Updated the marketing after the fact and called it by the same name.

12 June I ordered a FW3A 7A

13 June I ordered a FW3A SST-20 4000K

The 7A model & other stuff was shipped 14 June. :+1:

The SST-20 model is waiting to be fulfilled

Now today we get notification from Lumintop of an optic change & the elimination of the AR coated lens.

As far as I am concerned, this is a ridiculous move on the part of Lumintop at this early stage of the ‘FW3A Game’…… :person_facepalming:

It not only makes Lumintop look extremely bad, but it puts Neal in a bad position…. through no fault of his own.

I am guessing my 7A version may well be as advertised when I purchased it…. Carclo optic & AR coated lens. Hopefully anyway…… :wink:

But it sounds like the SST-20 version, from what I have read this morning; will not be as advertised when I bought it. It will have a “new optic” that will replace the Carclo optic & AR coated lens. :person_facepalming:

This…… (IMO) is no way to do business Lumintop. Notification of a crappy change in a product should come before the “crappy change”…… not after.

If indeed my SST-20 version has no Carclo optic & AR coated lens…. I will be very unpleased with Lumintop.

Bottom line & end of story.

Doing away with the Carclo optic & Ar coated lens as a cost cutting measure is a bad move.

Notification after the change is an inexcusably bad move by Lumintop… as far as I am concerned.

Heck, it would have been much better to announce a slight price increase & keep the Carclo with AR coated lens.

Disappointing, to say the least. As others have said, I should have bought a couple more early, but didn’t due to emitter options, and indecision. I hope I’m wrong, but further cheapening will probably occur, or is occurring. I bought optics already to switch out, but I will only buy more flashlights if I can find proper lenses to fit. I am not interested in any with this new optic.

Looks like the discount is gone. I should have gotten the XPL-Hi version. :(

If Toyota would do this with their cars, they would end up selling Ladas and no longer Toyotas!

Thank you TK, the blue and maybe the white are my picks. I thought I wanted the copper but it’s apparently only raw Polished finish without a coating so I think I’ll be too hard on the light and it’ll end up looking natty :smiley:
Gosh and now reading about he changes to the lens and optic setup it’s a bit of a downer that I gifted 3 of the 4 I ordered, should have kept the originals and gifted the new models haha

This sucks. I hope I can add an optic and lens to my existing (pre)order.

Aye, I’m in the same boat and I sent Neal an email about this. Might be a good idea for you to do the same.

BLF A6 - actually got better with time (double springs)
BLF Q8 - long term reliable product (Sofirn gave us new LED options too)
FW3A - 1 month in and ???

Maybe Thorfire/Sofirn would be interested in a group buy for a popular, relatively easy to manufacture design… they even have LH351Ds.

TK verifies that no lumens are lost, but candela is indeed reduced.

Agreed. Or maybe BLF should talk to Gene Malkoff: I know he has been toying with a programmable light. Yes, it would be over $100, but . . . Oh, I’m kidding. Maybe.

Chuck

TK, were you able to see if there were any other quiet changes, like to the driver or switch assembly?