Have I found the near perfect flashlight for myself?

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

I’d like to share with you a summary of the decade long journey it took for me to find my almost perfect flashlight.

It all started back in 2009 when NiteCore was better known as Sysmax; selling their NiteCore brand of flashlights. I was enamored with the features of the D10 which made it something I could always have clipped to my pocket and instantly ready for most lighting tasks: AA battery size tubular design, black body with silver clip, rear clicky, tail standing, LED emitter, and most of all - smooth ramping output. At that time, the purchase price alone was out of my range of affordability. And, added to that were handling and shipping. But mainly due to the great job RoscoeBa did making her D10 / L1D comparison YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eL3BZ2jo6sw), well into 2010 and after saving for several months, I decided to drop the cash on a D10 for work. (Why do many places which require the use of portable lighting for: quality, technical, or security inspection not supply it?) Over the next few years, I ended up getting better paying jobs and passing over a dozen D10s through my hands.

While initially researching the D10, I discovered CPF. The influence for my D11 thread is Zeruel’s Incredible D10 thread on CPF; which has been going on as long as I have been actively seeking my perfect EDC flashlight.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb…-Nitecore-D10&

Which brings me to the NiteCore D11; specifically the D11 V.2.
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/…l-World-Review
I l-o-v-e my NC D11.2 flashlights! I have several of them at the ready stashed about the house. I also have primary and backup of three different EDC specific versions: daily, dress, and work. But sometimes for work, the D11.2 didn’t provide quite enough illumination.

Finding myself far too often needing more light from my EDC flashlights, I finally moved up to 18650 flashlights and tried an expensive semi-custom flashlight. I was sorely disappointed with both versions of the light I tried. So I moved back to NiteCore; only this time with a headlamp. Mainly thanks to “The Walker” on YouTube, I purchased a NC HC30.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb…ate-05-NOV-17)
The light performed so well, in any of my three EDC rolls, I soon purchased the NCHC33. But I personally achingly missed smooth ramping and professionally needed that feature to get exactly the amount of light I needed to perform inspection at work.

Moving on to the end of 2019. After it took the two years for the LiminTop BLF FW3A to be released, I bought my first one. FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight - SST-20 available, coupon codes public
With its Andúril firmware, it could have been the flashlight of my: need, dreams, and desires. I bought several FW3Xs. Each had its own problems right out of its box. I fixed all the issues I could with each light, but I couldn’t overcome all of the shortcuts taken in manufacturing. With their lack of dependability and propensity towards accidental activations, the FW3A was soo close but not good enough. That being said, I have witnessed two newer FW3As of better quality than any of the FW3Xs I received. But by then, I had moved on.

I was still on the hunt for my perfect EDC flashlight and joined BLF; where I learned of the Noctagon Emisar brand at Intl-Outdoor. Just after the end of the first quarter of 2020, I selected from a plethora of configurations and purchased my first Noctigon KR4 Quinta flashlight.

After initially personally verifying the reliability of my first KR4 through daily use, I recently bought a couple more KR4s. The build quality, therefore their dependability of each KR4 far exceeds that of any FW3X I own. And, I believe due to a greater button press depth required for activation, I’ve had no accidental activations. And even if I did, the lights utilize the most recently updated version of the Andúril firmware. So, the lights would most probably only turn on in low. My KR4s are everything I ever dreamed of in a flashlight. I can use them at everything from a quick low light check-in on the pets to my nightly scoping out of my neighborhood. And everything in between, from quickly checking under the couch to dialing in just the perfect amount of light for extend inspections at work. The KR4 is the D10 I wish I had, and needed, back in 2010. If time proves the KR4 as dependable as it is useful, I may get some of the fancier versions; thusly fitting perfectly into my triple EDC: daily, dress, and work.

2

Okay, so I’m guessing the answer is… yes?

3

Great writeup LedTed :+1:

Im also a big fan of stepless ramping, and Love my D10 on AA

for brighter needs I use 18350 in a Jetbeam RRT-01

I looked at the KR4 Quinta, that is a screaming good deal! for less than $75, I could have Nichia E21a, a trit marker in the tail, and more clicky and blinky, and colored aux than I have ever used.

What holds me back is the size and weight.

A KR4 weighs as much as Two Jetbeam RRT-01.
The Kr4 is also almost 1/3 fatter…

Have you tried and RRT-01, and if so, what made you choose the KR4 instead?

4

I guarantee you will change your mind in 6 months. Its normal.

5

damn, i was still on the fence about kr4…now u just made it so much more tempting to get

6

Agree with jon_slider, the 2012 RRT-01 is the bees knees for me. Speaking only for myself, its killed my flashlight search.
I’ve been using a Fenix E16 as a New York reload/ backup battery carrier. The E16 is used so infrequently it takes a conscious effort to remember the lock out and strobe sequence. Im done with morse code UI.

7

Yeh, that’s why I say my MH20 ticked all the boxes for me. Super compact even with charging, Nitecore’s NW is really nice, the 2-stage switch has enough shortcuts to moonlight/turbo/etc., and just “feels right”.

Even though I really like my SC31pro, FC11, SP32Av2, M200, other lights that I keep around (right in front of me or even on me as a backup), my ’20 is and likely will be my EDC for a looooong time.

And it has a simple and intuitive user-interface, and not an operating system. Its out-of-the-box features are enough that it doesn’t need tweaking. Eg, half-press’n’release turns on the sideswitch beacon. Half-press’n’hold shortcuts to moonlight/lowest. Little things like that you just intuitively learn and use without thinking. And I don’t need to wonder worry about whether N clicks from off does X but the same N clicks from on does Y, and so on, or have to keep a printed reference-manual folded up in my pocket.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to customise the living Hell out of my lights, but when eerie seldom-used options are too easy to get to, vs often-used functions, it’s not something I want to keep in my pocket as an EDC.

And something like the M200, where you can select modegroups A/B, and set the light levels for each step, you can configure once then forget about it. And they’re not too easy to get to, so there’s little if any chance of accidentally switching out of your preferred settings. So that’d be my close-second as far as an EDC.

8

The SP32A V2 would be close to perfect if it had charging. Mine does not seem to step down from high when using ramping mode. Doesn’t overheat either. Click on/off, inexpensive, can’t get lost in programming, enough light for country walks, regulated output, warm color.

9

Yes I also tried the: NiteCore SRT-5, SunwayMan V10R and V11R, as well as an older JetBeam RRT01 - and a few others.

As I work nights, I initially went with the KR4 for sheer light output. And I prefer a rear clicky.

10

Well, it’s only been about a month since I had a few KR4s (and a KR1) to play with. I l-o-v-e the lights. So much that I did order a few more to fit my three different EDC carries: daily, dress, and work. Neal was great with communication and super fast shipping. Each light worked perfectly right out of its box.

Working nights and performing inspection, I got a chance to tested each of my new lights through last week. Each light performed flawlessly. I did have three accidental activations. All were my fault. Two were me accidentally pressing the big button while inserting the light into my pocket. One occurred while reaching for the light to pull it out. Each time was no big deal to me because the lights always came on in their lowest setting.

After about a decade, I have now started to replace the D11.2s stashed throughout my house with KR4s. I’ll admit this saddens me a little bit. However, the practical usability and joy of use of the KR4 has helped me make the switch.

I have faced the fact that the KR4 easily outclasses the D11.

So, my thanks to Hank at Intl-Outdoor for the great customer service and outstanding product.