Does anyone have any experience with Cloud Systems or Modlite flashlights?

[ampdude]

I was wondering what you think of yours. They don't seem to advertise the tints much, but I was able to gather 5000K and 5700K for various models of both manufactures. That's a bit cool for me. They seem like really high quality lights in the price range of Surefires and made in USA.

 

[Voider of Warranties]

I have no experience with CD, but I do have a Modlite PLHv2, OKW, and PLHv2 Dual Fuel. None of these is the current multi-mode model which seems to be the only option at the moment. I share your opinion on color temp in general, but I am very pleased with my Modlites. While they do not render the warmer end like a Malkoff M91BN (4000K) with which I was just now comparing them, I was satisfied with how easily I could see that red was definitely red. Just not the exact shade of red as the Malkoff revealed. I believe that there is a hint of green in the mostly blue-leaning beam, and just enough green to aid with color rendering without producing any of the nausea factor that some lights have. The company seems a bit secretive, and I've heard, for what that's worth, that they do not even reveal what emitters they are using. I can see that they are domeless, and I'd have mistaken them for XP-L HI's except that they are producing too much throw with a reflector the size of a P60 for that to be the case. At least in my experience. Bear in mind that these are throwers designed primarily as rifle lights, and that the company has simply provided a body (with a McClicky switch in the tailcap) for handheld use. I carry an old-school Oveready-Bored Elzetta Bravo as my primary EDC and Modlite OKW in the 18350 body as a backup and in case the Bravo hasn't got the reach for "get off my lawn" situations. As for your question, "What do you think of yours?": Well, I like them. Perhaps I should have opened with that.

 

[ampdude]

The only lights I seen that actually advertised the color temp were 5000K on Cloud Systems, and 5700K on Modlite. Most of the models they have listed on either company's website do not show that spec for some reason. The reason I got to looking at them was because I saw a guy who was selling his new SureFire EDC2-DFT and keeping his Cloud Systems because he preferred the warmer tint over the Surefire.

 

[Voider of Warranties]

I saw a girl on YT comparing the CD and the ML a few months ago:

 

[aginthelaw]

My plh-v2 is around 5700k. My mch 2.0 hc df pathfinder edition is 5000k, approximately. My mch hd df (2.0 but not marked as such) moonshine edition is approximately 4500k. The color of the first 2 is quite pleasing. The last one, not so much (yellowish). Very sturdy, well built lights. Body color on the cloud defensive lights are off, but the finish is tough. I don't like running any light on high for the duration of the battery charge, but apparently these can take it.

 

[drunktank]

I have all the handheld models of both brands. I'm selling all my Clouds due to the fact that all of them ended up with bad tail caps and 2 had defective heads. Their customer service replaced everything for free, but it took a few months and it doesn't change the fact that I have a 100 percent failure rate with them. Each conversation with customer service took an average of 4 days wait for every single response from them. Frustrating to say the least.

My Modlite handhelds all have better throw. Fit and finish feels better on all my Modlites as well and the heads and tail caps are compatable with Surefires, Malkoff's etc. The Cloud Defensives are not.

I do think the Clouds are good lights when they work. Everything can fail, but at this price point I expect them to run at least as reliable as my Modlite's and Surefires which hasn't been the case.

Hope this helps any.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

I had CD MCH in both the HC and EDC flavors. One switch failed and was replaced. I ended up selling both because they were just too slippery in hand. Only the Thyrm LPC and its lip made it grip-able.

I currently have the Modlite OKW and PLHv2; I also have the SureFire EDC2-DFT Turbo. If you'd like, I can get CCT readings.

The OKW looks like it has the Osram W1 like the EDC2-DFT; the PLHv2 has what looks like a W2.

 

[boo5ted]

I've got three Cloud lights, two Duties (one red and one clear) and a Clear Micro EDC. The EDC I have is the earlier model that I'd say is 4500k, the others are closer to 5000k-5500k. The HC versions are even colder from what I've seen (6k+).

I did a comparison between the old EDC, new Dual Fuel EDC and the Duty not long ago. Here it is.


===============================================================================================================
Friday night picture dump.
Decided to jump on the Labor Day sale and pick up a programmable EDC to go with my Micro and Duty. Super fast shipping from Cloud, ordered on Tuesday and it was delivered tonight.
I did notice a few changes to the EDC DF vs the standard EDC. Looks like they changed the led and the temp of it also. Kinda bummed because I was thinking it was the same warm tint just programmable. Looks like Cloud is using the same led as the Duty now.
Noticeably bigger hotspot on the Duty and brighter spill area. Smaller hotspot on the EDC DF that the other two also. I have the EDC DF programmed to mode 4 and the low and high is the same as the EDC dual. The medium of the EDC DF is just between the other two levels.
No outdoors shots just yet because it's storming currently but I will say the cooler temp of the Duty and EDC DF isn't harsh outdoors but indoors or at work the warm tint of the EDC just can't be beat. The Duty will definitely stay as the truck light, EDC will still be the daily, the EDC DF might be regulated to the bag or might release it back to the wild, not sure yet.
Really wish the EDC DF used the same warmer led as the EDC and the low was more like 1% or 2% vs 5%. Oh well, maybe I can wish that for the 3.0

==============================================================================================================


That being said I've carried the Micro for over a year and have not had any issues with it. The red Duty is regulated to the console in my truck and the Clear Duty stays in my bag. Both the Duties have been used and tossed around and perform flawlessly. I've heard of plenty people having issues with the tailcaps and flickering of the lights but knock on wood I haven't had any issues with them. I'd not hesitate to recommend any of Cloud's lights.


Except the Chicro, that thing is just trash. Cloud commissioned some maker in China to make them so they had an admin light to sell and they failed miserably with them. SUPER cold output, bad switches and charging issues.

 

[ampdude]

I currently have the Modlite OKW and PLHv2; I also have the SureFire EDC2-DFT Turbo. If you'd like, I can get CCT readings.

That would be cool!

 

[Monocrom]

Oh, I definitely have experience with CD.
Better hope and pray your order was filled out right.
If it wasn't, they will turn your customer experience minor issue in a hellish nightmare, as they try to hold onto your money; while screwing you over. Be sure to pay with a credit card from a provider who will bend over backwards for you, when you need to do a credit card charge-back. I sure as hell needed to do that! Never bought from them since.

 

[Lights and Guns]

I have owned both and will weigh it.

I'll start with cloud defensive.
CD lights are absolute trash.
1) On high they cannot dissipate the heat they produce making the light too hot to hold VERY quickly…
2) the light cannot sustain its output on high for long at all. I'm talking a 40-50% drop in output within the first 45-90 seconds from turn on. It's super noticeable to the human eye.
3) the tail cap had several issues, including needing to watch a tutorial crested by the company to show you how to take off the tail cap without breaking the washer. (What a joke)
4) they honestly just feel like a cheaper made light.

I can continue, but I won't… I don't own a CD anymore and don't envision myself ever doing so in the future.

Now for modlite :
I have been using and carrying a modlite for work for the past 4+ years now, since the gen1 heads.
They are absolute workhorses.
I still have the gen1 PlhV2 head that I carried for work daily for years and it still works as well as the first day I received it. Since then I have also bought the newer PlhV2 head with high/ low mode and it's absolutely fantastic. The fact they allow you to change between a high/low mode and just high mode is clutch. 1 head to do it all…

I have also picked up a HOG and it's a beast. Though I would say one of my favorite setup's is the HOG body with the adapter with a normal PlhV2 multi mode head On it.

Runs on the 21700 battery so you have plenty of sustained output, and on low you could run it forever.

Anyway, I hope you take the plunge and grab a modlite, once you do you'll never go back.

Since then, I've pretty much carried modlite exclusively for work. Malkoff and all my other lights including surefire couldn't really compete…

For EDC I rock an HDS - but this summer modlite is releasing a much smaller head for EDC, so I intend on buying that smaller head, throwing it on an 18350 body and seeing if that'll work its way into my edc rotation.. I'm sure it will, though I do love my HDS rotary.

To summarize… modlite is GREAT…. Cloud is trash.

I'd suggest plhV2 for handheld. OKW for a long gun light with glass attached

 

[ampdude]

Lot's of good information in this thread. Thank you everyone. I might give Modlite a call eventually and see if they have a warmer version.

5700K just doesn't do it for me. I'm more a 3500K guy, 4000K at most.

 

[Tungsten98]

I've never bought a Cloud Defensive light, never plan to. So, I can't speak on their real world performance.

However, the company I work for does make internals for them, which I have seen and handled personally.

Without going into a sea of details that would take a ton of background info to make any kind of sense, let me say that the parts they order don't scream 'quality'.

That may sound more of a dig on my employer, but it really isn't. I work in plastics. In order to make plastic parts, they have to have a mold made then shipped to us, for us to make them the parts they want. The quality of the mold that is made will ultimately determine the quality of the parts. A crappy mold in the best machine, using the best material, will still give you crappy parts. That's the nutshell explanation.

Buy something else.

 

[Schokokeks]

There's a great YouTube Channel (Flashlight Crazy) that reviews pretty much all the well made lights:


He's not the most technically knowledgeable person, but he's good with daily usage, etc. His videos do a good job comparing light side-by-side, too.

I had a CD light, and I sold it. It would get EXTREMELY HOT, EXTREMELY fast, and it felt overly thin and smooth, so I didn't like using it. The button was awful and fragile, too.

I haven't bought anything from Modlite because of some negative behaviors from the company.

Despite asking about CD and Modlite, I'd probably recommend either Surefire or Malkoff (or even Elzetta).

I have a Surefire EDC1-DFT, which is MUCH better than the CD thrower I had, is cheaper, has a way higher build quality, and Surefire has great customer service.

You didn't ask about it, but I'd just get a Malkoff. I have an MD2 with the M61HOT, and that's pretty good as a tactical light. Malkoffs are amazing. They're absolute tanks, single mode (or two mode with the high/low ring), easy to "Lego," made in the U.S., have the best warranty/CS around, and are bright enough for defensive use, but actually produce stable lumen outputs (unless you want something like the Malkoff bodyguard).

If you're stuck on CD or Mod because of the candela, look at the Surefire EDC1/2-DFT lights, and/or Malkoff has some of his throwier heads. I'm not a huge fan of the high candela lights, as they're not the most useful.

If you want a simple, very robust, single mode light, Elzetta also makes some pretty great stuff here in the U.S. I only have an Alpha from them, but it's fantastic. I love the stepdown, as it's gradual and you don't even notice it.

 

[aznsx]

If you want a simple, very robust, single mode light, Elzetta also makes some pretty great stuff here in the U.S. I only have an Alpha from them, but it's fantastic. I love the stepdown, as it's gradual and you don't even notice it.

+1 (Gen3 anyway), and with the 'hi-lo' tailcap, it's a 2-output light. Wouldn't trade it for anything else in category, and most often, if I'm wearing pants, it's in one of the pockets. It also came w/ proper FL1 specs (including extremely good impact rating), and output/time graphs, which I don't believe can be said of any of the other products mentioned in this thread (unless I missed one).

My Bravo is also by far 'my' best-designed body in 2L size (same for the 1L Alpha), although it isn't chambered for 18xmm cells, but that doesn't stop me. Yeah, there's a 16650 & a Malkoff module in mine right now so it's a cross-breed, but I'm OK with that.

I would only add that quality that is inconsistent is, by definition, not quality. Even one user's 100% failure rate w/ multiple samples simply cannot be reasonably ignored, whatever the manufacturer.