My ideal torch is fairly simple and I’m amazed that you can’t seem to buy anything quite like it.
I’d like something like the EagleTac D25LC2 size and shape, but with a clicky. I know EagleTac offer one, but for some reason they removed the deep carry pocket clip
and seem to make the torch bigger than needed.
Emitter wise I’m not fussed, I think an XP-G2 or an XM-L2 would be fine, maybe offer both even. But NW tint please and high CRI.
UI wise, well I’d like something a bit more clever than we usually get.
I’d like an intelligent UI consisting of 4 modes.
High - This should push the LED as hard as the body mass can take and it should auto ramp down to regulate temperature. But always remain the brightest output.
Med - This should be as bright as you can use in doors, so that you can point it at a wall and not blind yourself.
Low - This should be as bright as possible, but not so bright that if you shine it at your hand that you blind yourself. i.e. it should be a close quarters output. To dim and it defeats this use.
Moonlight - very low. But the clever bit should be you can access it from off.
So here’s the clever bit.
Head tight should give you H-M-L but there should be a little toggle switch on the side of the driver (maybe between the + and - parts of the driver board, this switch could be tiny and need a little screwdriver to flick. What it does is reverse the mode order to L-M-H. This way everyone can be happy and you simply set it to the order that suits you the most. I don’t think it needs memory as the switch allows you to set 2 of the modes as the default.
The next clever bit is allowing you to access moonlight from off, as that’s the time you want to access it most often. Loosening the head should put the torch in moonlight, this way you can access it at any time from any mode and do it all by feel.