PATRIOT!!! you need to stop commenting on this light! you are performing a verbal arm twisting on me making me want one, shame one you
Hey Glenn7, I actually typed up a nice couple of paragraphs about this light a few nights ago and lost everything. I'll try to capture my thoughts again with a shorter post.
I've spent a good amount of time now with the K30GTvn on several walks and hikes and even got in a 'real' hike on a mountain trail. My comparisons have focused mainly on the D18vn and T27. The K30GTvn has very similar but slightly worse throw than the T27 but more than double the lumen output. The D18vn is obviously a completely different kind of light but it's really impressive for its size and the pop can that I reach for the most when I want a good combination of lumens and throw. Also, I just know the T27 & D18vn really well from using them on 40 acre property at work.
Going back to the T27, the K30GTvn has about a 200% larger hotspot by surface area, although this isn't twice the hotspot diameter. The larger hotspot makes quite the difference when steering the beam around in the dark, looking for things. Its impressive when shining at really dark mountain sides or canyons at distances from 100-300 yards. Whereas the T27 has a perfect hotspot, there is a
very slight doughnut effect from the hotspot of the K30GTvn on walls. I don't think most people would notice this and it's definitely not visible on terrains and textures. The beam color is great compared to the T27. A soft creamy white of about 5000K on the lowest levels stepping up to a happy 5500K on the higher levels.
From the standpoint of hand carrying and weight aside, the K30GT is better balanced than the T27, which always seems head heavy. I tend to hold the T27 way forward around the switch and heat fins. With the K30GTvn, I have three fingers around the body still and my index finger and thumb on opposite sides of the switch. Of course, I still have the option of the K30GT's carry handle which I suspect I'll use when the weather warms up. Compared to the T27, the K30GT has a 57mm head instead of 70mm and is 20mm shorter. Regarding belt carry, the differences are less clear. The smaller head of the K30GT seems to help a lot because the light overall is more cylindrical. The shorter length also leaves less length protruding to snag on something. When weight is considered, the T27 has a big advantage at 293 grams vs. 462 grams. There's a hike that I do from time to time called Skull Mesa and sometimes I'll turn it into an overnight trip. The terrain is open and the distances huge, a perfect example of when I'd enjoy a small searchlight. Both the CatV6vn and T27 have been with me up there but I'll likely be leaving the K30GT at home due to the weight.
After all the comparisons to other lights and trying to fit the K30GTvn into some kind of classification, I think I've got it nailed down. If someone asked me to describe this light today, I'd basically just tell them it's a T27 on steroids! The long version would be; a T27 on steroids, with 275% more lumen output, 200% larger hotspot, better color temperature, better switch and better balance for hand carry, plus a carry handle option.
I hope this helps those who are considering this light.