I did also write CountyComm requesting they add a Nichia option. And I got a very enthusiastic reply saying they will be sure to pass on the request.
My favorite light is a Maratac Rev 3 copper with a ReyLight LMH driver, and a High CRI XPG.
I first tried that light with a Thrunite TiS driver, but felt the low and medium were unnecessarily dim.
I am Much happier with the ReyLight driver.
I also have a Maratac Rev 3 copper with High CRI XPG and the Maratac driver that is MLH. In addition I have head swaps with Nichia in LMH (ReyLight) and MLH (Wrom) versions. So I enjoy choice of modes, and choice of emitters. My most used combo is the LMH 3000k XPG, my second most used is the MLH 4000k Nichia. Choices are good
I agree LMH is superior for low light use, for two reasons, the Low is 3x Lower with the Rey Light driver than with the Maratac driver (as in the Worm and Tool), and I totally agree that for low light prioritized use, Low first is the better option (ReyLight version of Lumintop). The LMH ReyLight driver is a personal favorite, for both Nichia and XPG options, I highly recommend the ReyLight driver over the Thrunite TiS driver.
for reference, the low on the Thrunite driver is 0.04, the low on the Rey Light driver is 0.8, and the low on the Maratac driver is claimed to be 1.5 lumens, though imo its the same 3 lumens as on the Nichia Worm and Nichia Tool (Lumintop versions). imho, the maratac lumen claims are inflated possibly because they are reporting LED lumens, instead of Ansii. The maratac runtime claims are also very "optimistic". But I worry less about efficiency, than I do CRI. That is why I appreciate Eneloops so much. Regardless of efficiency drops, to me High CRI is an absolute priority over runtime. And BTW, the runtime on a Nichia is the same as on a Cree, the difference is only in the lumens, as the added phosphor coating of the High CRI LED, consumes about 1/3 of the lumens of a Cool white LED
I do find that with my LMH light, I most often use Medium, hence my appreciation for a Medium first interface. I can still get to Low without losing night vision, I do have to remember to turn the light on against my hand when using it for late night bathroom strolls. When waking up in the dark, I found 0.04 lumens lower than necessary, 1.5 lumens more than necessary, and the ReyLight low of 0.8 closer to my ideal. Preferences vary by application. When Im awake at the end of the evening walking through the house turning off my incandescents, the 1.5 lumen low of the Maratac driver is actually more useful than the 0.8 of the Rey light.
and btw, Maratac aka County Com, does not manufacture anything, they are just buying batches of things from, in this case Lumintop. Maratac did not change to a NoPwm driver, Lumintop did that on their own, accross the range of their AAA lights, Tool, Worm, and Maratac. Like Apple, County Com is a USA company, capitalizing on Asian imports manufactured to their specifications for large batch orders. And imo, Maratac is not responding to "thousands of requests", they are responding to thousands of sales. When they sell out of stock, which they do frequently, they go back to Lumintop and order a new batch, which benefits from whatever the latest developments in driver technology, that Lumintop has to offer. I even have reason to believe that the driver in the Maratac and the driver in the Tool and Worm, are the same, they are just being marketed as having different specs, by massaging LED lumens vs Ansii luments, but I have no evidence to confirm that, its just my hunch. Lumintop Does have the ability to modify drivers to customer requests, as seen in the LMH Rey Light driver.
I still think its a great idea to ask Maratac to offer a Nichia, and I still appreciate that flashaholics prefer LMH modes.
Most of all, I LOVE the Copper Maratac Host, despite my preference to avoid cool white, as delivered. And, I still look forward to a Copper Maratac AA option, regardless of the driver and led County com chooses to offer.
Also agree County Comm is motivated by brightness claims, like most flashlight marketing departments. Thanks to Lumintop, and ReyLight, we more sophisticated consumers, enjoy LMH and Nichia options
one more note on brightness and drivers. when a maratac with 6000k XPG2 is LED swapped to a 4000k Nichia, the drop in Kelvin is mirrored by a drop in Lumens of similar percentage. That is, a drop of 1/3 of the Kelvin, just happens to correlate with a drop of 1/3 of the Lumens. I accept that lumen loss, and even prefer it, in terms of having a more useful Low for full dark adapted vision.
When I want more than 80 lumens on High, from a Nichia, I opt for an AA light, that gives closer to 150 lumens on high (eg L11c) instead of an AAA light. For a mechanic looking under the hood of a car, 80 lumens of High CRi is simply too dim, in that scenario closer to 200 lumens is much more practical. To get 200 lumens of High CRI, requires a step up to a CR123 battery, as in the HDS with Nichia. Unfortunately there is no CR123 sized Eneloop, and I have not adopted disposable batteries, even though Lithium primaries are excellent performers, I prefer a rechargeable option that does not require me to invest in the more dangerous Lithium Ion chemistry..
AAA Copper visual aids
4000k nichia on left, 3000k xpg on right
Top 6000k XP-G2, bottom 4000k Nichia
Looking forward a some AA Coppers w High CRI and NoPWM..