Happens often in the custom knife world, two makers get together and design a knife, each having equal input until they settle on a final design.
Other option is to have a custom maker team up with a production company. Imagine a limited edition Schneiker or Mcleish design Zebralight for $175.
Or just imagine a USA made Zebralight... the people who like to shun any light made on foreign soil would likely be put in their place with far superior electronics and performance.
Not to poo poo on your parade but it really is a bit of a joke how high praise seems to be reserved [by many here anyway] for the U.S. made lights even if they, technically speaking, are behind the times compred to the modern electronics included in many other makers lights.
Yeah, I'm being serious BTW. I own over a dozen Zebras and recently began to experiment with Malkoff, Surefire and Elzetta. Yeah, some of those are overbuilt so durability
could be better than a ZL but in terms of efficiency, I find the ZL eclipse all those brands without even trying.
Malkoff M6* run way way hotter than a ZL at equivalent output levels and for much shorter duration.
Elzetta are [seemingly - time will tell] built like tanks but they're not much different to Malkoffs in that they run hot and don't seem to be the most efficient lights available. Then there are the bogus claims with the Alpha that it puts out 315 lumens on a CR123 and from what I recall, are mentioned to put out nearly double the output with a Li-ion. I either got a dud, or the reviewer has exaggerated their claims as mine barely rivals a SC53Fw which runs off a damn eneloop...... The elzetta has the flood optic and the ZL is frosted lens and BOTH seemingly have near identical beam shape so either the optic has major losses, my sample is a dud or......Elzetta specs and a certain reviewer have made false claims...
Don't even get me started on SF. The E1D I own has failed. It no longer has a low mode, it flashes at its former level then dims completely to a state with no visible output within 3 seconds. High works fine still but I wont use that piece of junk anymore. I have no use for a 2 mode light with only one functional mode.
So go ahead and keep dreaming of this fantasy light that will likely never be produced and even if it was, it would likely be 10 times the price of a far superior light anyway. I guess it may look better but thats purely sibjective anyway..