the.Mtn.Man
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2008
- Messages
- 2,516
Cool. Not outrageously priced, either.Hein Gericke. Concord.
Cool. Not outrageously priced, either.Hein Gericke. Concord.
So, yesterday marked the 27th anniversary of the Great Hanshin Earthquake. I was living in Higashinadaku at the time... a few hundred yards from the expressway that tipped over. Thus began my flashlight obsession.
Me by the toppled expressway 27 years ago.
I still have the jacket. It was several years old at the time of the quake. This is why I look for quality.
They do. My favorite is the Drakkar. This is about 30 years old.
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that's awesome combo of jacket, lights and is that Walter PPks?
They do. My favorite is the Drakkar. This is about 30 years old.
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It's interesting that you are mentioning these flaws regarding the Novatac, as it was already a very decent light back in the day!
Now the "storm" being made in China if I'm not mistaken is probably a very cheaply built version of the first Novatac, but I'd still say they compare decently to a modern clicky, even on the runtime aspect (or maybe I just got lucky and/or you unlucky, there was a lot of variability).
Even the UI has its charms (once "unlocked"), with the temporary access to any setting you want without saving them. My main complain about them would be the random flickering in low modes, that comes and go, software issue apparently that Novatac never fixed. And the build quality....but when they sold for $50-60, they were just worth that.
All in all they were a "cheapened" version of the previous HDS Basic/Ultimate, with a surprisingly modern UI. And yes, the spring in the battery compartment was a PITA.
That's very weird...well the late Novatac aren't especially known for their reliability, but I have quite a few of them and none have that kind of problems...but like I said I could just be lucky!
As for the 30 minutes runtime with RCR...that's pretty much what a ~600ish mAh RCR gives you when you're pushing ~1A through the led, with a buck/boost driver, no miracles there sadly. Modern emitters and also batteries have come a long way!
(30 min is pretty much what you get in a current HDS with a similar battery and burst mode disabled...maybe a bit more with latest emitters)
edit: by "very decent" I meant compared to what I call supermarket style lights
I will probably receive an answer that seems downright obvious once I've read it but:
How do these things handle encounters with sand, mud, and silt? I am ashamed to say I have never taken a Rotary into such conditions because the Clicky comes instead every time.
The only way that would ever happen to me would be if I stepped in quicksand.I will probably receive an answer that seems downright obvious once I've read it but:
How do these things handle encounters with sand, mud, and silt? I am ashamed to say I have never taken a Rotary into such conditions because the Clicky comes instead every time.
The only way that would ever happen to me would be if I stepped in quicksand.
I have to say that I treat my HDS lights like royalty.
I have actually dropped a couple and my heart stopped as I check my baby for and dents or scratches.
The only way that would ever happen to me would be if I stepped in quicksand.
I have to say that I treat my HDS lights like royalty.
I have actually dropped a couple and my heart stopped as I check my baby for and dents or scratches.