# New LEUPOLD Lights !



## kosPap (Mar 14, 2008)

well they are soon tobe released, the MX modular flashlights.

http://www2.leupold.com/resources/downloads/leupold_MX_broch_08.pdf

Replacement taicap, 1-3 batt bodies, magnetic switching. very interesting don't you think???

I have already asked for technical info from Leupold and a sample to review.

What do you think??? Kostas


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## DM51 (Mar 14, 2008)

Those look pretty good. A versatile modular system - very rugged too. Leupold has an excellent name and reputation.


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## mhubble (Mar 14, 2008)

Ive owned a number of their scopes. In my opinion they are the best money can buy. I just hope the flashlights arent as expensive as the scopes.


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## kosPap (Mar 14, 2008)

well Leupold scopes are not the most expensive in the market...they are the cheaper QUALITY scopes backed up by tops warranty service. Leupold is innovative responsible and aims in the great market of good owners.

If they handle their flashlights the same as their scopes they are going to be a bit behind surefire (a guess of cource). (Surefire quality is similar to Zeiss, Novatac is similar to Schmidt and Bender)

I really liked the interface. it simpler than the U2 but lacks the one hand operation of the Gladious.

well Kostas


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## tebore (Mar 14, 2008)

Magnetic sensors eh? I thought Surefire had the patent on that.


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## bigfoot (Mar 14, 2008)

Inteeeeeeeeeeeeresting. Thanks for the heads up!


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## BGater (Mar 15, 2008)

Doesnt Stenlight use a magnetic switch, also ? I wondered about patents when I saw this.

Leupold has differant grades of scopes, the VX 1 and 2's are a bit over priced I think. I used to have a MK4-M1 16x on my 25-06 Ackley Improved. At $1100 I felt the scope was worth every penny. I hope their flashlights are just as good, will have to give them a serious look.


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## FlaGator (Mar 15, 2008)

tebore said:


> Magnetic sensors eh? I thought Surefire had the patent on that.


 
Maybe SF licensed it to them???

That might be cheaper for Leupold than reverse engineering a U2 and finding a (defensible) way around the patent. For SF, an arrangement like this could work for them - they might get a an upfront fee and a few $$/unit. In addition, Leupold's market is not the same as SF's so they wouldn't be competing against themselves.

Disclaimer - I have no specific knowledge of this situation, just my speculation based on some experience with these arrangements in other markets.


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## greg_in_canada (Mar 15, 2008)

Cool looking light. The gold band reminds me of the Pentax DA* (star) lenses: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06092102pentaxdastarlenses.asp and MX was a great Pentax camera back in the pre-digital pre-autofocus days.

Greg


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## DM51 (Mar 15, 2008)

Magnetic switches (Hall effect) are used in many applications. There may be patents that are still valid, but these are likely to be on matters of detailed design - they won't be for the general principle, which is now widely used.

Lol, plenty of Gators in this thread - we already have B. and Fla., so maybe we can expect Al E. to check in here soon.


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## kosPap (Mar 16, 2008)

greg_in_canada said:


> Cool looking light. The gold band reminds me of the Pentax DA* (star) lenses: http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06092102pentaxdastarlenses.asp and MX was a great Pentax camera back in the pre-digital pre-autofocus days.Greg


 
Greg you got taht right. And I thought the flashlights reminded me of something. Photo Camera Desin!!!!

BTW The bezel design is EXACTLY what I would do.....functional and racy.

all the best Kostas


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## TaterBo (Mar 16, 2008)

These new LEUPOLD lights will leave Surefire lights in the dirt!


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## McGizmo (Mar 16, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> These new LEUPOLD lights will leave Surefire lights in the dirt!



With assumed due respect, this thread is primarily about a new flashlight and not in regards to how this flashlight will stack up against its competition. Obviously how it compares to other lights will be of major interest to many.

With the diversity of the SF line and little known yet of the Leupold lights, can you be more specific, if you feel you must, in identifying which SF lights will be left in the dust and out of curiosity, how this will come about?


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## jeffb (Mar 16, 2008)

Downloaded the .pdf.......perhaps Leupold will leverage their successes in the optical shooting field?

Looks of high machining quality, which would follow their scope and spotting scope production. 

Just as an observation, it seems that a flashlight "line" would fit with their existing production and the optical engineering might enhance lighting design?

My opinion is that the modular system "MX" pictured, is very limited (no one cell body) and might be of limited interest to many that use flashlights "professionally" or for specific use? Cost would be a factor in complete modular system, and in defining specific tasks for different modular parts.

Price, availability (what channels will they use for distribution?), performance will obviously be determiners for any successes.

Just an opinion, but compared to the market that Surefire presently has; (Government, Military, Professional including Police Fire and Construction and also the shooting, hunting, camping markets) Leupold could be a well-funded newcomer with a huge uphill battle to compete in the same markets. Surefire's focus and main product is flashlights and they already have an huge advantage in existing sales, not to speak of Engineering, Innovation, Design, Quality Control, Manufacturing AND Marketing. It will be interesting to see how these lights perform, IF they even make it to market?

jeffb


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## thermal guy (Mar 16, 2008)

WOW! they do look nice.I have several of there scopes and if they are built like them they will be great lights.


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## dano (Mar 16, 2008)

I d/loaded the .PDF and I dont see any pictures (there's the black background and brown text)...are there pics?


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## thermal guy (Mar 16, 2008)

I can see them


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## CM (Mar 16, 2008)

Their scopes are good (though I prefer Nightforce myself). My only concern is that anything leupy has a high $$ associated with them. Also, high end lights these days tend to be differentiated mainly by their price tag also. It seems like yet another "me too" product entering the fray. But, I will say no more and give them the opportunity to prove themselves. They do look very nice.

Edit: I notice they mention magnetic system. Wonder if they're using Hall type switches like Surefires and the Gladius.


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## dano (Mar 16, 2008)

I found some pics online (couldnt get any pics in the .pdf with Foxit reader). The design looks familiar, and the street price of $180+ seems steep for a basic two cell LED...

-dan


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## CM (Mar 16, 2008)

dano said:


> I found some pics online (couldnt get any pics in the .pdf with Foxit reader). The design looks familiar, and the street price of $180+ seems steep for a basic two cell LED...
> 
> -dan



$180 is street price and not MSRP? If it's really street price, I'd hate to see what retail is.


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## kosPap (Mar 17, 2008)

CM said:


> $180 is street price and not MSRP? If it's really street price, I'd hate to see what retail is.


 
225! in optics Planet and SWFA


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## TaterBo (Mar 17, 2008)

McGizmo said:


> With assumed due respect, this thread is primarily about a new flashlight and not in regards to how this flashlight will stack up against its competition. Obviously how it compares to other lights will be of major interest to many.



How these new LEUPOLD lights compare to Surefire is especially relevant given both manufacturers’ price points and general design. A comparison gives CPF members a means to evaluate the goodness of a light and I think this is what most CPF members are interested in knowing.



McGizmo said:


> With the diversity of the SF line and little known yet of the Leupold lights, can you be more specific, if you feel you must, in identifying which SF lights will be left in the dust and out of curiosity, how this will come about?



All Surefire 2x&3x123 aluminum lights having a single bulb or single LED are bested by these LEUPOLD lights. Here are just a few reasons why:
-	LEUPOLD lights are really waterproof – not just water resistant
-	LEUPOLD LED lights have select bin LEDs – no green tints here 
-	LEUPOLD lights use sapphire lenses – no easily scratched cookware Pyrex


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## WadeF (Mar 17, 2008)

Wow, they look nice. Are these available yet? Can't wait to see some reviews.


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## Evan III (Mar 19, 2008)

They look very interesting, There scopes are top notch so i assume the lights will be also. The GOLD ring is classic Leupold! As for the scope being compared, There are alot of good scopes out there but many will say Leupold is the best, and many will say the same about other brands. Surefire is about the biggest rip off going in flashlights (In my opinion) they are way overpriced and take advantage of people buying a name! But hey if you build it they will come! I'm sure leupold's lights are just as good as surefire if not better, but again overpriced because of the name.


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## adamlau (Mar 19, 2008)

> LEUPOLD lights are really waterproof – not just water resistant


The M series is at least waterproof up to a depth of approximately 10 meters. Full N certification can be had at an additional cost.


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## Size15's (Mar 19, 2008)

Isn't it fun to get all worked up over specs and ratings?
It's also great to get excited about vaporware.
This is the wider context of flashoholic interest in flashlights. Gives us something to do I guess.

Relating this to the Leupold MX lights I take the view that these appear to have some potential for good performance and it will be interesting to follow reviews / opinions / experiences / feedback of them if and when they are released.

I get the impression that Leupold is quite serious about their new venture - these don't appear to be re-branded imports and based on this it is my opinion that they should be given serious performance evaluation. From my perspective it is far more interesting to gain feedback based on several hundred police and military users putting these to use over the course of 3-6 months compared to reading a 'review' written 5 minutes after getting the flashlight home. That may be suitable for some brands but I would hope that Leupold would prefer to aim higher.

Al


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## McGizmo (Mar 19, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> ......
> 
> 
> All Surefire 2x&3x123 aluminum lights having a single bulb or single LED are bested by these LEUPOLD lights. Here are just a few reasons why:
> ...



Thank you for the response and support of your initial contention. I agree that once these lights are understood, one can move on to price point consideration and evaluate on that basis as well as the feature sets and perceived value within.

In regards to a light being "really waterproof", that is a slippery slope given the nature of a waterproof claim and how it has been eroded years back by the likes of Ralph Nadar and such. 

I consider good seals and integrity of a light under pressure a significant plus and I believe Leupold knows what they are doing here and this is quite likely a big plus, in my book. However my criteria is that a light be salt "waterproof" and in viewing the PDF spec sheet I would like to confirm that what looks like raw aluminum on the front end of the battery tube is sealed from the elements before I would consider the light viable in salt water immersion. None the less, this is certainly a plus. I am curious about the raw aluminum and I would like to see how the ground path travels from tail to head. Hopefully (or preferably) it is not dependent on the threads themselves. :thinking: :shrug: 

I am also an advocate for sapphire windows and have been for quite some time; I might even have been one of the pioneers to bring sapphire to this application. This too is a plus in my book even at the expense of light transmission efficiencies. Leupold is likely an expert at glass and lens coatings and they may have treated the sapphire in a manner which would enhance its light transmission capability. That is the kind of factoid that tickles my interest. There is no mention of AR coatings in the PDF but that doesn't mean this wasn't addressed. :shrug:

Now on the statement of Bin sorted LED's sounds like a marketing ploy to illicit comments and thoughts as you have expressed. Do we know what LED Leupold is using? The tint lottery is still alive and well as far as I know. SF brought us a number of lights in the past which had less than desirable tints but these lights used premium bin selection based on flux and not tint and many of these lights most likely used LED's of a different design than present generation lights. I won't claim that Leupold can't establish a uniformity in tint yet to be experienced across a population of lights but I would like to know more on how they bring this about before I accept a "True White TM" claim as more than just a marketing ploy.

Actually I have high hopes and expectations for the Leupold lights and I think there is good reason to have these expectations. The proof will ultimately be in the hand and not the PDF.


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## Size15's (Mar 19, 2008)

I assumed that the lack of obvious surface treatment on the threads was down to the products shown being proto-types. I guess we won't know for sure until these products can be purchased and examined.
To early to judge them on this IMHO.

It is obvious to me that Leupold are approaching flashlights from a scope manufacturers perspective. They appear to have taken a shine to SureFire's selector dial UI - whether this will be a bright move we'll have to wait until these products see the light of day.

Is there any merit in discussing why it takes the likes of Leupold to step to 'advanced selector dials' when all the flashlight manufacturers seem to fear attempting to play the high technology game with SureFire.
Perhaps having the brand name and the power to price to invest means the likes of Leupold have the funds to take risks?

Al :thinking:


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## THE PUNISHER (Mar 19, 2008)

They will make it,it iz a golden ring light with a lifetime warranty no matter how high itz priced someone will buy em,they look high end,but look at fenix itz coming on strong with a mid market price...........:candle:


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## TaterBo (Mar 19, 2008)

Thank you for your reply McGizmo.



McGizmo said:


> In regards to a light being "really waterproof", that is a slippery slope given the nature of a waterproof claim and how it has been eroded years back by the likes of Ralph Nadar and such.



Leupold is pretty clear in detailing what they mean by waterproof for these new Leupold lights – it’s four atmospheres (a water depth of 132 feet or 40 meters). 



McGizmo said:


> Now on the statement of Bin sorted LED's sounds like a marketing ploy to illicit comments and thoughts as you have expressed. Do we know what LED Leupold is using? The tint lottery is still alive and well as far as I know. SF brought us a number of lights in the past which had less than desirable tints but these lights used premium bin selection based on flux and not tint and many of these lights most likely used LED's of a different design than present generation lights. I won't claim that Leupold can't establish a uniformity in tint yet to be experienced across a population of lights but I would like to know more on how they bring this about before I accept a "True White TM" claim as more than just a marketing ploy.



Leupold further defines “True White” with a specific temperature, 5500 degrees Kelvin. Given the right equipment, one could actually measure how close Leupold comes to achieving this color temperature, but this is not practical except perhaps by a very few CPF members. My contention is that CPF members will not be disappointed with the tint of any of these Leupold LED lights.


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## greenstuffs (Mar 19, 2008)

These flashlights don't look cheap by any means, they are more expensive than surefire. 
http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-flashlight-accessories.html


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## McGizmo (Mar 20, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> Thank you for your reply McGizmo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Understood on how waterproof is qualified and that's cool. With the clickie switch, as they also detail, one would need to revert to twisty on and off well before the rated depth anyway. Still, good seal system on the face of it for sure.

Regarding 5500 K color temp, that only tells us something about tint if the the LED just so happens to fall on the Planck curve (black body); something none of the LED's do, as a rule. I could probably find a green LED that measures 5500K and yet there is no green anywhere in the black body spectrum. No matter. I suspect your contention may be based on more than just familiarity with the spec sheet and for that reason, I defer to your supposed familiarity. 

If by chance you have some relationship with Leupold, shame on you for your "in the dirt shot". :nana: Welcome regardless!


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## 276 (Mar 20, 2008)

the seem pretty cool, but i will wait to see review or two before i decide, i have to keep myself under control this year a least!


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## TaterBo (Mar 20, 2008)

McGizmo said:


> If by chance you have some relationship with Leupold, shame on you for your "in the dirt shot".



I do not now nor have I ever had any relationship with Leupold.

How about you and Surefire?


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## fresnorich (Mar 20, 2008)

These are USA made, right? 

I'm going to add Leupold to my list of American (USA) made flashlights.


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## McGizmo (Mar 20, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> I do not now nor have I ever had any relationship with Leupold.
> 
> How about you and Surefire?



Taterbo,
Fair enough but after my comments here, I will try to avoid unsupported speculation on these lights and allow them to "speak for themselves" once they get out and in our hands.

I have no formal relationship with SF but PK is a good personal friend and we enjoy dialog and similar interests and certainly among them are illumination devices and designs. 

I have also had some contact, of a private nature, with some nice folks at Leupold. 

I am biased in favor of both companies and hope that both have good success. Further, I hope this success is a result of sales of quality and "honest" tools which find market interest and acceptance based on their inherent merits and real value. To use the horse race analogy, I have money on both of these horses and hope to see them do well. Of more import to me is that it is a good horse race. Where the analogy falls short is in the sense of there only being one winner and a winner in a race that ends. In reality, there can be more than one winner and hopefully no end.

I was curious at the strength of your contention and guessed you had some inside information or insight. It seems you are a relative newcomer to CPF and your convictions are surprisingly quite strong. I assumed there must be some basis for this and I assumed falsely it would seem.

Without qualifications, what strength can be given to speculation? :welcome:


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## CM (Mar 20, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> Thank you for your reply McGizmo.
> 
> 
> 
> ...




5500K tells only a very small part of the story. You can be 5500K and still have "tint". The real number to look at is on the Planckian curve "along the line". The Kelvin temperature method of characterizing tint has long been discarded in favor of the latter method which is used by Cree, Lumileds, and probably others.

EDIT: Looks like McGizmo beat me to the punchline.


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## Mercaptan (Mar 29, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> Leupold is pretty clear in detailing what they mean by waterproof for these new Leupold lights – it’s four atmospheres (a water depth of 132 feet or 40 meters).



Four atmospheres of pressure is actually 30 meters... at least, absolute pressure. At the surface of the ocean, it's 1 atm. 

/Technical input


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## Bullzeyebill (Mar 31, 2008)

I met the CEO of Leupold at SHOT this February. He did not know a thing about the flashlight line. Sort of tells you something.

Bill


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## eric1975 (Mar 31, 2008)

i just went to leupold's web site and there new lights on there web page check it out, gota go im buying me a new leupold light


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## eric1975 (Mar 31, 2008)

ok does anybody know when they are coming out or where i can get one???


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## dougie (Apr 1, 2008)

I'll wait for the reviews but the suggested water resistance and sapphire lens are good selling points for me.

The inclusion of a lanyard hole is a nice touch and doesn't (to my eyes at least) detract from the good looks that these lights have. 

Doug


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## kosPap (Apr 1, 2008)

eric1975 said:


> ok does anybody know when they are coming out or where i can get one???


 
Well I asked for one to review (for CPF and out mag) but I was told 

"As for what’s new in the military market, the only new product is the MX flashlights. This year will have more of a focus on production rather than introductions. ...
...Unfortunately, flashlights are not available for testing just yet. Currently it looks like it will be the end of April before they will be available. I’ll be sure to keep you posted. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance."


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## woodrow (Apr 8, 2008)

These look like they have the potential to be great lights... especially in the fit and finish area. I am not looking at them as competition to Surefire, since we have yet to see a review on either SF's new models or any of these leupold lights for that matter.... but to be another choice of high end lighting availible to the consumer.

I do like the idea of not worrying about spending over $150 on a light and being pretty sure I will be getting a good tint. As to the switches.... hopefully they will work great. I am not sure I really like magnetic switches as I had a Heliotek's (a great light by the way) magnetic switch fail on me. I can usually jurry rig a spring switch in an emergancy if it breaks....a sealed magnetic switch is another matter. But if they are reliable (as I believe they will be) it should be a really nice setup. Way to go Leupold!


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## kaichu dento (Apr 8, 2008)

Evan III said:


> They look very interesting, There scopes are top notch so i assume the lights will be also. The GOLD ring is classic Leupold!


Yep, that Gold ring just screams Leupold!

Gorgeous looking and it will be fun to see if they live up to the specs and can make inroads into a fairly crowded marketplace, especially at such a high price point.


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## AvidHiker (Apr 9, 2008)

TaterBo said:


> These new LEUPOLD lights will leave Surefire lights in the dirt!


 
In my experience here, divisive comments like these (especially related to a yet unproven design) only serve to ostracize and certainly don't work in favor of a happy community seeking constructive comparison. Don't be suprised if you ruffle some feathers.... and welcome to CPF

Anyway, I very much like the design and specs for these lights. I'll be anxiously awaiting thorough CPF reviews.


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## kaichu dento (Apr 9, 2008)

Especially when personal choice is involved, there's seldom a cut & dried winner.

Might have better to have said that the new Leupold lights would give buyers another high quality light to choose from.


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## woodrow (Apr 14, 2008)

I just looked into buying one at Optics Planet. Every piece is sold separately. The tube was $59, the multi mode led bezel is $189. The switch is $39. So basicly, you have a $300 flashlight if you want one. I am still tempted.... but $300 buys a number of good lights these days.


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## Bullzeyebill (Apr 14, 2008)

I need to see a review of Leupold lights before I can make any judgment for or against them. Not a lot of good info on these lights and I will not take a gamble on them, for awhile.

Bill


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## woodrow (Apr 14, 2008)

Bullzeyebill said:


> I need to see a review of Leupold lights before I can make any judgment for or against them. Not a lot of good info on these lights and I will not take a gamble on them, for awhile.
> 
> Bill


 
I know what you mean. I am still very tempted (and have never resisted flashlight temptations very well) to buy one, but I keep thinking that one multi level leupold is the price of 3 Fenix TK10's and some extra 123a's. I have little doubt that the Leupould will have a slightly better fit and finish (or I would at least hope so) but is it worth all the extra money for (potentially) less lumens? I am not yet sure.

I would sure like to be able to pick one up for a minute or two before spending the $$$.


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## tvodrd (Apr 14, 2008)

I checked them out at SHOT, and wasn't that impressed. I like their rifle scopes, and IMO feel they should stick to their core competency. 

Larry


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## Wired2Code (Apr 30, 2008)

*New Leupold Flashlights*

These are WAY cool. It's nice to finally see a flashlight company with a rational product naming system.

http://www.leupoldmx.com/


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## Frankiarmz (Apr 30, 2008)

*Re: New Leupold Flashlights*



Wired2Code said:


> These are WAY cool.
> 
> http://www.leupoldmx.com/


 
These look very nice but I can't understand why they don't have a higher output? I'm relatively new here myself and I look for the brightest and smallest flashlight I can get, but these do not seem to be the desirable traits the experts want.


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## DM51 (Apr 30, 2008)

*Re: New Leupold Flashlights*

Threads merged.


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## MattK (Apr 30, 2008)

*Re: New Leupold Flashlights*



Wired2Code said:


> These are WAY cool. It's nice to finally see a flashlight company with a rational product naming system.
> 
> http://www.leupoldmx.com/



cute use of flash in the 'build your own'


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## mhubble (May 6, 2008)

Look at the size of these lights. I didnt realize they were twice the size of a 6p.


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## eric1975 (May 6, 2008)

wow its huge


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## dougie (May 6, 2008)

look at it positively, it's a huge area of heat sink in the bezel!


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## c0t0d0s0 (May 7, 2008)

is this a 3-cell body?


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## L.E.D. (May 7, 2008)

Hmmm.. Hopefully that large head gives it some killer throw.


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## woodrow (May 8, 2008)

I was going to buy the new SF L5 with the new P4 head this morning from Batteryjunction. Jeff (at bj) told me that the light was sealed in plastic, and he could not comment on tint or comparitive brightness. Since (in my experience and what I have read here) Surefire tints kind of run the gammet from white to blue-purple and green, I decided to hold off and order the Leupold 80 lumen led light from Optics planet. I called to make sure they had them in stock.... and  the girl said not for a week to 10 days. 

Oh well, I can still look forward to getting one soon. I do like the guarenteed tint thing though. I am not that picky.... but I think a light should put out a basically white beam.... especially when the light starts reaching the $200 level.


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## russthetoolman (May 24, 2008)

*Leupold MX Flashlights*

http://www.opticsplanet.net/leupold-flashlight-accessories.html

I live by Leupold and have written them requesting an in office visit to discuss their lights and try to get a sample for reviewing on here. If I am successful in receiving an invitation I will report back here with the results.
Russ


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## eric1975 (Jun 19, 2008)

*leupold*

anybody buy a new leupold mx flashligh yet ?


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## kosPap (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: leupold*

hi all again....

I have applied for a T&E sample and here is an update on the flashlights....

_"...there is an issue with the packaging on the MX. No one seems able to give me an answer when it will be corrected. All I can say is that it looks like mid-July at the earliest to ship you a light."_

So we will ahve to hold our horses some more on this...

enjoy, Kostas


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## DM51 (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: leupold*

LOL, shipping is being held up for another month because of an issue with the _packaging_??!?


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## kosPap (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: leupold*

Do you mean there are greater issues with the lights and they might turn out to be a fluke??? LOL


Maybe but I have a different opinion myself but I will have to reserve my impressions and hints to myself for the moment.


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## Aluminous (Jun 21, 2008)

*Re: leupold*



DM51 said:


> LOL, shipping is being held up for another month because of an issue with the _packaging_??!?



I think it's possible... For example: they could've been having the packaging printed by an outside company, for what would've been right-on-time delivery to have the products put into the packaging, but when it arrived, they discovered that all the packages had an embarrassing typo and they'd all have to be reprinted. :shrug:


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## monkeyboy (Jun 21, 2008)

Hmm... I wonder if the 3 cell tube will take 2x18500?


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## rayman (Jun 22, 2008)

I really like he design. I would order one right now if they wouldn't be so expensive. But they like really good.

rayman


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## guiri (Jun 22, 2008)

DM51 said:


> Those look pretty good. A versatile modular system - very rugged too. Leupold has an excellent name and reputation.



Pretty light and I like the modular system.

Would have loved a higher output head though


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## guiri (Jun 22, 2008)

mhubble said:


> Ive owned a number of their scopes. In my opinion they are the best money can buy. I just hope the flashlights arent as expensive as the scopes.



If you think they're expensive, try Swarowski, Kahles and so on


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## Lane (Aug 8, 2008)

Just saw the commercial for the Leupold lights on Realtree Road Trips tonight. I haven't seen the light before tonight. Looks like it would be a useful light.:twothumbs

Browning lights seem to be a very popular light that hunters are choosing and using around here. Bass Pro is pushing them.


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## woodrow (Aug 9, 2008)

Does anyone have one of these yet?


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## loszabo (Aug 23, 2008)

Bumping this up as well... 

Anybody seen those Leupolds so far? And, do I need one? Please tell me the truth...


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## Bronco (Aug 23, 2008)

Apparently the, ahem, "packaging" issues haven't been completely worked out yet. LOL.


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## Anders (Aug 30, 2008)

"These are probably the highest quality flashlights in the world"

http://www.chuckhawks.com/leupold_MX_flashlights.htm


Available now:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...106987&ssPageName=STORE:PROMOBOX:NEWLIST#LIST




Anders


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## AKCamper (Aug 30, 2008)

I only wish that it had a lanyard hole or a clip or something. But other than that it looks like a pretty good light.


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## guiri (Aug 31, 2008)

greg_in_canada said:


> and MX was a great Pentax camera back in the pre-digital pre-autofocus days.
> 
> Greg



Yeah, I made the mistake of buying the ME (the store morons advice) and got stuck with a semi auto camera that I couldn't fully control and wound up getting rid of it. Should have gotten the MX 

With the pancake 40mm it was tiny


----------



## guiri (Aug 31, 2008)

I like the looks of the light but not the price and especially NOT for the lumen output vs price.

Not sure about the bezels. Hell, they could have put all modes in one bezel but I guess at least it's a choice.


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## sunspot (Sep 12, 2008)

kaichu dento said:


> Yep, that Gold ring just screams Leupold!


 Some of the early SF's had a gold ring. I remember Lightlover wrote a post about them when SF had a forum.

I sure wish that post could be dug up again.


----------



## dudemar (Sep 12, 2008)

AKCamper said:


> I only wish that it had a lanyard hole or a clip or something. But other than that it looks like a pretty good light.



It has a lanyard hole if you look carefully at the photographs.

Anyone take the dive yet? I couldn't help but notice these lights remind me of Pilas, in terms of size and modularity. Pretty awesome in my book.


----------



## Swedpat (Sep 12, 2008)

mhubble said:


> Ive owned a number of their scopes. In my opinion they are the best money can buy. I just hope the flashlights arent as expensive as the scopes.


 
Leupold is a knowned among hunters for the riflescopes. I have two Leupold binoculars; both of them well reknowned for their excellent optics for the price. If the flashlight is in the same class as the optics it's a good one!

Regards, Patric


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## dudemar (Sep 12, 2008)

So I built a Leupold at Optics Planet, but it'd cost me $300.:sigh: They look very nice, but way too expensive for my taste. $40 for a TC switch... ouch. I love the design, I just don't know if I'd spend $300... especially for a non-rechargeable light.

I could get the Pentagonlight R20 for $200, and that has way more bells and whistles than the Leupold. It's rechargeable too...

...but I think the Leupold lights look very promising. Very expensive, but promising.


----------



## guiri (Sep 13, 2008)

Swedpat said:


> Leupold is a knowned among hunters for the riflescopes. I have two Leupold binoculars; both of them well reknowned for their excellent optics for the price. If the flashlight is in the same class as the optics it's a good one!
> 
> Regards, Patric



Patric, just thought I'd let you know that I lived in Boden many years ago.
Last place was on Garnisonsgatan 

George


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## dudemar (Sep 13, 2008)

I have to come clean with you guys... as a flashaholic I've reached a "moment of clarity" with my addiction. I am officially in love with the Leupold light.:laughing: If I ever manage to scrounge up 300 bucks I just might pick one up! I'll write a review to let you guys know how it goes!

I would at least like to play with one at my local B&M...


----------



## Swedpat (Sep 13, 2008)

guiri said:


> Patric, just thought I'd let you know that I lived in Boden many years ago.
> Last place was on Garnisonsgatan
> 
> George


 
Interesting George! Did you work here?

Regards, Patric


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## Size15's (Sep 14, 2008)

sunspot said:


> Some of the early SF's had a gold ring. I remember Lightlover wrote a post about them when SF had a forum.
> 
> I sure wish that post could be dug up again.


I have one. It was a very special C2 proto-type.


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## dudemar (Sep 14, 2008)

Size15's said:


> I have one. It was a very special C2 proto-type.



A little OT, but any pics?


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## Size15's (Sep 14, 2008)

dudemar said:


> A little OT, but any pics?


Only the one or two that are already on my online galleries - I have to be careful how it is photographed. See www.pk-e.com
(I put a proto-type M2 bezel on it for a while. Remember of course the original M2 didn't have the shock isolated bezel - it was essentially what a C2 is today)


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## sORe-EyEz (Sep 19, 2008)

ooh?.. i should have done some search before starting a thread on this brand. anybody has their lights yet? i think their screw in color filter is very neat. :thumbsup: so is their tough sapphire windows.

thanks DM51 for the link. :thumbsup:


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## dudemar (Sep 20, 2008)

I am on the fence on buying this light right now, specifically the MX-431. I would really like to handle one before spending $300 on it, in particular the strobe function. My local "Leupold Gold Ring" dealer doesn't carry the lights, despite Leupold's site saying it does...


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## sORe-EyEz (Sep 24, 2008)

dudemar said:


> I am on the fence on buying this light right now, specifically the MX-431. I would really like to handle one before spending $300 on it, in particular the strobe function. My local "Leupold Gold Ring" dealer doesn't carry the lights, despite Leupold's site saying it does...


 
maybe they're out of stock at the moment? awaiting arrival? :shrug:

but for any light above $120, i'll prefer to test them out in person before plonking the cash down. surely do not wish regretting on such a purchase... :sick2:


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## dudemar (Sep 24, 2008)

I guess it all depends on the light. I never handled an AElight when I bought my Xenide HID here on CPF Marketplace, and it cost me $300! Yes, a big risk, but well worth it. It's one of the best lights in my collection. The problem with the Leupold is I know there are lights out there with comparable output. Whether it's worth laying $300 can only be determined after handling the light.

WHY LEUPOLD, WHY DON'T YOU HAVE ANY ON DISPLAY???


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## TJx (Sep 24, 2008)

Saw them at Cabela's the other day, no display models out though.


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## sORe-EyEz (Sep 24, 2008)

wait for close out?... :shakehead


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## dudemar (Sep 25, 2008)

TJx said:


> Saw them at Cabela's the other day, no display models out though.



Would it be _possible_ to ask them to see/handle one?:naughty:


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## gswitter (Oct 8, 2008)

Cue broken record... Anyone pick one of these up yet?

I'm curious to see if the MX-100 bezel will accept aftermarket P60 drop-ins. Based on the few pictures of their lamp assemblies I've come across, it looks like a possibility. That would be an expensive P60 host, but it might offer a solution for the concerns about the MX series output. And maybe the MX-1*1 turns out to be the "waterproof" P60 host some people have been asking for.

I came back to this thread today because I got a spam coupon from <irony> CPF's favorite retailer </irony>, and noticed they have the best deal I've seen to date on the two preconfigured Leupolds (MX-121 & MX-221). I have no idea if they actually have them in stock, but with that coupon, they're _almost_ in the impulse buy range.


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## Art Vandelay (Oct 9, 2008)

Why don't they say what kind of LED is has? I'd hate to find out I just bought a $300 SSC P4 flashlight, when the Cree R2 is already out, and the upcoming Cree R4 is supposed to be amazing. Surefire does not say what kind of LED it has in its advertisements, but lots of flashoholics have looked for themselves and reported the results here at CPF.


----------



## dudemar (Oct 10, 2008)

From the specs I'd say they're Q5's.


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## gswitter (Oct 10, 2008)

I debated for a while, but eventually gave in and ordered an MX-221. Got a shipping confirmation today. I'll post impressions when it arrives.


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## TJx (Oct 12, 2008)

dudemar said:


> Would it be _possible_ to ask them to see/handle one?:naughty:



I took it to the flashlight counter and nobody was there so I went ahead and pulled it out (the flashlight) at the counter without damaging the box.
They seem well made, what I didn't like about it was the module was smaller than the bezel so there is some black material (plastic?) between edge of module and edge of bezel, if that makes sense. Made it seem like an afterthought .


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## dudemar (Oct 13, 2008)

TJx said:


> I took it to the flashlight counter and nobody was there so I went ahead and pulled it out (the flashlight) at the counter without damaging the box.
> They seem well made, what I didn't like about it was the module was smaller than the bezel so there is some black material (plastic?) between edge of module and edge of bezel, if that makes sense. Made it seem like an afterthought .



Kind of makes sense... without a picture it's hard to visualize, though.


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## gswitter (Oct 13, 2008)

I'll do what I can, but don't count on beamshots. I'm camera challenged.

Previously, I was put off by the price and lack of comments from owners here. Were it not for the deal at Botach on the preconfigured packages, I never would have bought one.


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## dudemar (Oct 13, 2008)

gswitter said:


> I'll do what I can, but don't count on beamshots. I'm camera challenged.
> 
> Previously, I was put off by the price and lack of comments from owners here. Were it not for the deal at Botach on the preconfigured packages, I never would have bought one.



Don't worry, I'm camera challenged as well and I take pretty decent beamshots. Heliotek and Leupold comparison beamshots would be ideal, I'll even settle for whitewall hunting.

AFAIK you're the first CPFer that's confirmed purchasing the light, congrats.


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## sORe-EyEz (Oct 13, 2008)

i am looking forward to an informal review of that light! 

highly doubt a torture test will come soon...:devil:


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## gswitter (Oct 13, 2008)

dudemar said:


> ...congrats.


We'll see...


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## dudemar (Oct 13, 2008)

gswitter said:


> I debated for a while, but eventually gave in and ordered an MX-221. Got a shipping confirmation today. I'll post impressions when it arrives.



Holy Cannoli that's awesome! Let us know when you get it, hopefully it's as good as it looks. I'm still on the fence on buying the MX-431.

Pics and beamshots would be nice!


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## gswitter (Oct 15, 2008)

My MX-221 arrived today. I don't have a camera at the moment, so I can't post any detailed pictures or beam shots, but I'll try to provide as many details as I can in my impressions below.

The light was packaged in a laminated cardboard box, twist-tied to a foam insert. Included with the light was an adjustable lanyard (similar to Surefire's) and a pair of Panasonic CR123A cells. I was a little leery the Leupold would come in a more elaborate package (excessive packaging is a _big_ pet peeve of mine), so the simple box and contents that are obviously inspired by Surefire is a plus in my book.

The MX-221 consists of the MX-200 single-stage head, MX-020 2x CR123A body tube, and MX-001 momentary, forward-clicky tailcap. The light itself looks and feels substantial. It's size is similar to the Surefire L5. The finish is matte black HA, with a gold stripe around the bezel (I'll assume you've seen the pictures). Most of the finish is smooth. There are eight flutes on the base of the head (another nod to Surefire), and smaller corresponding flutes on the tailcap. There are bands of knurling (the pattern is similar to that on HDS/Ra lights) on the body and tailcap. The machining is outstanding, and the anodizing may be the best I've ever seen on a flashlight.

The MX-200 head is substantial - again, similar in size to the KL5. The bezel has very small scallops, and appears to be loctite'd to the head. The inside of the bezel is threaded and apparently accepts Leupold's 28mm scope accessories. I don't know how useful any of the existing scope accessories are for a flashlight, but it's a nice touch. The window (apparently sapphire) is recessed in 3 or 4mm from the side of head. It looks a little unusual, but I don't mind it. The reflector (about 20-21mm) is deep with a medium orange peel surface. The emitter is a Cree XR-E. The positive battery contact is a hex screw (haven't see that before), and I haven't attempted to remove it yet. The screw is surrounded by a nylon ring for reverse polarity protection.

The MX-020 body tube has a bezel-up clip attached with two hex screws. There is also a machined lanyard attachment hole at the tail end. The threads on both ends are very smooth. The threads on the head side are free of anodizing, and appear to be chemcoted. The tail threads and the interior of the tube are anodized. The tail edge of the tube appears to be bare. There are two o-rings on the tail end, but oddly no o-ring on the head end. I don't know how they're accomplishing their depth rating. The head itself may be well sealed, but the head/body junction is suspect.

_Edit: Actually there is an o-ring in the head/body junction, at the base of the female threads in the head. I initially thought it was a strip of anodizing (don't know why, it would be an odd spot for it), and I'm happy to find I was wrong. The rest of the junctions appear to be sealed up well, so I might give their depth rating the benefit of the doubt._

The MX-001 tailcap appears to house the same switch mechanism as the McClicky. It's held in with a retaining ring, which is also loctite'd (grr!). The boot is fairly thick, and using the switch requires more effort than most lights, but tactile feel and feedback is very good. Untwisting the tail even slightly, will lock it out. The boot is unfortunately protruding, so tail standing is out. But... the tailcap threads are the same as Surefire C/D/G/P series (sweet!). I tried the MX-001 on a 6P. It looks a little odd, because the exterior diameter of the MX-001 is a little greater than the Surefire, but it works fine. My 6P tailcap with two-stage switch from the Shoppe works just fine on the Leupold, giving me a two-stage option if I really want it. And, my RPM tailcap fits on the Leupold if I really need tail standing. I haven't tried an A19 or Detonator extender yet, but I suspect they'll work.

The claimed 80 lumens is definitely out-the-front. The reflector smooths out the beam fairly well - not quite as well as an McR19XR, but otherwise it's about the smoothest beam I've seen from a small-reflectored XR-E. Unfortunately, my emitter is slightly off-center, and it's noticeable in the beam on a white wall. Otherwise, I'm happy with the beam. The tint is very warm, almost a little green to my eyes. It's looks identical to the tint of my Muyshondt Aeon, which houses an XR-E R2-WH.

Based on the runtime specs of the MX-200 head on the two and three cell bodies, I assume there's a decent buck converter in the head. I went ahead and tested a few cell configurations. Obviously 2x CR123A works. 2x AW RCR123A also works with no perceived change in output. The interior diameter of the MX-020 is big enough to accommodate AW's 17mm cells, and the head also appears to run with no perceived difference in output on a single AW 17670. 18mm cells will _NOT_ fit.

Overall, I'm impressed with the MX-221. Aside from the minor issue with emitter centering, the build quality is outstanding. The output is decent, and if the runtime claims are accurate, it slots in well between the Surefire L5 and E2L. I'm not ready to proclaim the Leupolds are the "highest quality flashlights in the world", but depending on the criteria, I might have a difficult time making a convincing argument to the contrary. Leupold may be new to flashlights, but they've definitely done their homework, and they've overcome my initial skepticism.

I don't know if I'll buy any of the other MX series pieces, but the MX-100 head is very tempting. I'm now even more curious to see if it will accept P60 drop-ins.


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## dudemar (Oct 15, 2008)

Very nice review gswitter, I thoroughly enjoyed it.



gswitter said:


> There are two o-rings on the tail end, but oddly no o-ring on the head end. I don't know how they're accomplishing their depth rating. The head itself may be well sealed, but the head/body junction is suspect.



I too noticed the head end of the body tube is missing o-rings. Unless there's something sealing water out (o-ring, gasket, something?) I too am skeptical.



gswitter said:


> ... the tailcap threads are the same as Surefire C/D/G/P series (sweet!). I tried the MX-001 on a 6P. It looks a little odd, because the exterior diameter of the MX-001 is a little greater than the Surefire, but it works fine. My 6P tailcap with two-stage switch from the Shoppe works just fine on the Leupold, giving me a two-stage option if I really want it. And, my RPM tailcap fits on the Leupold if I really need tail standing. I haven't tried an A19 or Detonator extender yet, but I suspect they'll work.



Awesome.



gswitter said:


> I don't know if I'll buy any of the other MX series pieces, but the MX-100 head is very tempting. I'm now even more curious to see if it will accept P60 drop-ins.



That would be cool. I'm interested in seeing the 400 head's strobing capability. If it's similar to SL's rate of strobing, then I definitely want one.


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## woodrow (Oct 15, 2008)

Thanks for the update gswitter! It sounds like a very well made light. Please continue to keep us posted.


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## Art Vandelay (Oct 15, 2008)

gswitter said:


> The emitter is a Cree XR-E.


Are you sure it is not a Q5? That is extremely disappointing. 
:shakehead:shakehead:shakehead:shakehead


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## gswitter (Oct 15, 2008)

Art Vandelay said:


> Are you sure it is not a Q5? That is extremely disappointing.
> :shakehead:shakehead:shakehead:shakehead




Unless someone at Leupold (or otherwise in the know) volunteers the info, I have no way of knowing if it's Q5. It may very well be. Or it may be an R2. Or it may be something else. I can see it's an XR-E, and I can see it has four bond wires. Based on comparisons to other known emitters, I can guess the tint is WH. That's all I have to go on.


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## dudemar (Oct 15, 2008)

If you have a known Q5 light you can do a comparison. I would love to compare it to my Pila Q5!:devil:


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## gswitter (Oct 15, 2008)

I'm not interested in cracking the MX-200 head just to determine the amount of current driving the emitter. And without knowing that, all I could offer is more speculation based on the spec'ed runtimes and lumens.


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## dudemar (Oct 15, 2008)

I just meant comparison beamshots with a Q5, if you have one available to compare with.

Cracking open the head would be flashlight murder! It's still brand spanking new so it's even more painful.

You can contact Leupold to find out what the LED is, I wonder why I didn't already do that...:thinking:

Bizarre... must be because I'm tired all the time.:sigh:


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## Art Vandelay (Oct 16, 2008)

We need somebody to do a runtime chart alongside some flashlights with known LEDs.


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## Welding Rod (Oct 19, 2008)

The manufacturers' claims are interesting.

A Surefire Defender is listed at 120 lumens for 1.9 hours (with 2 batteries).

A Leupold MX 300 or 400 head is listed at 145 lumens for 3 hours (with 2 batteries).


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## woodrow (Oct 19, 2008)

Welding Rod said:


> The manufacturers' claims are interesting.
> 
> A Surefire Defender is listed at 120 lumens for 1.9 hours (with 2 batteries).
> 
> A Leupold MX 300 or 400 head is listed at 145 lumens for 3 hours (with 2 batteries).


 
The nice thing about finding cpf is that you soon learn (OK, it took me a little longer than some) that no matter what the manufactures claims are.... a cree led from two different manufactuees will produce similar runtimes at similar output levels.


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## dudemar (Oct 19, 2008)

Welding Rod said:


> The manufacturers' claims are interesting.
> 
> A Surefire Defender is listed at 120 lumens for 1.9 hours (with 2 batteries).
> 
> A Leupold MX 300 or 400 head is listed at 145 lumens for 3 hours (with 2 batteries).



If it's a newer CREE module I wouldn't be too surprised at the extended runtime. My Pila Q5 runs 2.5 hours (regulated) on 3 CR123's. It's possible they lowered the output slightly in order to get the perfect balance of runtime and brightness.

Found a cool Leupold demo video on Youtube. Look up "leupoldmx" on google and you'll see the video listed. I finally got a peek at how large and bright they are. Also got an idea of the strobe function, very nice.:devil:


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## Art Vandelay (Oct 19, 2008)

The temperature of the LED also has an effect on efficiency. A light made of aluminum and that has good heat sinking will be more efficient than a light that can't draw the heat from the LED.


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## Welding Rod (Oct 20, 2008)

Well the Leupold certainly has no shortage of aluminum for heat sinking... it is pretty massive.

Here is a link to the youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aFDbQ2E8SI


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## gswitter (Oct 21, 2008)

gswitter said:


> The MX-020 body tube has a bezel-up clip attached with two hex screws. There is also a machined lanyard attachment hole at the tail end. The threads on both ends are very smooth. The threads on the head side are free of anodizing, and appear to be chemcoted. The tail threads and the interior of the tube are anodized. The tail edge of the tube appears to be bare. *There are two o-rings on the tail end, but oddly no o-ring on the head end. I don't know how they're accomplishing their depth rating. The head itself may be well sealed, but the head/body junction is suspect.*


Upon further inspection, there is an o-ring in the head/body junction. What I initially thought was a strip of anodizing at the base of the female threads in the head is in fact an o-ring. (Time to get my eyes checked )

So I take back my concerns about the depth rating. The internals are at least sealed well. My only remaining concern would be the threads on the head/body junction, as I can't tell if they've been treated with anything that would make them electrically isolated. Water will contact them.


----------



## AKCamper (Oct 21, 2008)

The Leupold scopes are not the best buy like KasPop said, they have a great warenty system. If their lights are any resembalance of their scopes then I will probably end up breaking it. 
Now if there was a Flashlight that was as tough and as high quality as a U.S Optics scope then i would definetly have a tough time breaking that one.


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## gswitter (Oct 21, 2008)

So after my favorable impression of the MX-221, I gave in to my curiosity and ordered an MX-100 (incandescent) head. It arrived today.

The MX-100 head looks very similar to MX-200. They appear to use the same bezel, so it too should accept Leupold's 28mm scope accessories. The MX-100 head itself is about 5mm shorter than the MX-200. Like the rest of the MX series, the machining and anodizing are outstanding, and it's a substantial piece that feels like it can take a lot of abuse. The body threads are clean and the head turns smoothly. Like the MX-200, there is an o-ring at the base of the threads, and I might give the company claims about "water tightness" the benefit of the doubt.

The MX-100 comes with a 6V Xenon lamp assembly that looks similar to the Surefire P60. It can be removed/replaced by unscrewing the bezel. The bezel/head junction is also sealed with an o-ring. The lamp itself is the one aspect of the MX series I am not impressed with. It looks like a cheap P60 knock-off, with messy/exposed soldering, and a general lack of quality that seems out of place with the rest of the MX series parts. The lamp is spec'ed at 60 lumens for 1 hour on two CR123A's, and assuming the specs for the Surefire P60 are accurate, Leupold's specs sound about right. The Leupold 6V lamp appears to put out slightly less light than the P60, and the Leupold beam - despite an OP reflector - is an ugly mess.

Fortunately, a P60 fits and works in the Leupold head, as do the P61 and P60L. I have no shortage of spare P60's, so the poor quality of the Leupold lamp isn't a big deal to me. I was more interested in how other lamps fit anyway.

Unfortunately, none of the aftermarket P60-compatibly drop-ins I have fit in the Leupold head. I have a couple generations of Malkoff drop-ins, a Wolf Eyes, a couple DX LED cheapies and a couple Lumens Factory lamps. The Lumens Factory lamps almost fit, and will light up, but there's a 1mm gap in the bezel/head seal. The Malkoffs, Wolf Eyes and DX drop-ins don't taper down as much as the Surefire lamps, so they won't fit at all. Working around the extra girth of the aftermarket LED drop-ins would probably be a simple task with a lathe, but the length may be a problem as well.

The poor quality of the Leupold lamp and the MX-100's limited ability to accept aftermarket drop-ins are a little disappointing, but I'm still more than pleased with the overall quality of the head (and series), and, at the very least, I'd consider the Leupold MX-1*1 to be the highest quality host for Surefire lamps. And with the questionable existence of the waterproof Surefire 6P variant aside, it may be the closest thing to a P60 (shallow) dive light.


FWIW... I also tried Surefire A19 and TnC Detonator 1-cell extensions with the MX-221, but the MX-020 has a slightly shorter threaded tail section than Surefire bodies, and the bare end didn't make contact in the extensions. I was able to get it working with one of the thin washers that Lighthound sold for Leef tailcaps on U2's/Kroma's.


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## dudemar (Oct 23, 2008)

Another awesome review gswitter. I knew the Leupold was a promising light, it was just a matter of when someone was going to do a review.


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## gswitter (Jun 3, 2009)

*Re: New LEUPOLD Lights ! (lots of pics added)*

Since my last post, I've added a 3-cell body and a second tail cap. (I found deals on both around Xmas, but buying these parts a la carte is _*not*_ the way too go!!!) So, I now have two complete lights.

And, I finally got around to taking some pics...






Top: MX-121
Bottom: MX-231





Top: MX-001 Multi-Mode Tail Switch (momentary, forward clicky), MX-020 Two-Cell Maintube, MX-100 Xenon Bezel
Bottom: MX-001 (again), MX-030 Three-Cell Maintube, MX-200 LED Bezel





MX-001 Multi-Mode Tail Switch exterior.





MX-001 Multi-Mode Tail Switch interior.





Maintube tail threads w/dual o-rings and lanyard attachment point. Decent shot of the finish and knurling, as well.





Maintube head threads and clip attachment.





MX-200 LED Bezel rear.





MX-200 LED Bezel front. Notice the female threads for 28mm scope accessories.





MX-100 Xenon Bezel disassembled w/Surefire P91 lamp. Obviously not the standard Surefire C-series bezel design.





Rear of the MX-100 Xenon Bezel base. It's hard to see, but there is an o-ring at the base of the threads. Notice the shelf below the o-ring - the negative spring of the lamp does not directly contact the Maintube.





Front of the MX-100 Xenon Bezel base. Notice the two steps and the lower shelf in the interior. The lower step creates a nice, snug fit for Leupold (and Surefire) lamps, but is too narrow for every other aftermarket drop-in I've tried. Opening the lower step up should be pretty easy, but that shelf is still going to be a problem for longer drop-ins - like the Malkof M60. By my measurements, the compartment is 2-3mm too short for the length of my M60. I imagine the M60 would fit if the lower step was opened up _and_ the shelf was removed, but the shelf is not _that_ thick, so I suspect you'd still end up with a slight gap between the head and bezel ring.





Front of assembled MX-100 Xenon Bezel w/Surefire P91 lamp. The bezel rings of the MX-100 Xenon Bezel and MX-200 LED Bezel are identical.

_Edit: I'd never noticed this before, but the window in the bezel ring is not as wide as the reflector.
_ 




Rear of assembled MX-100 Xenon Bezel w/Surefire P91 lamp.


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## 276 (Jun 3, 2009)

*Re: New LEUPOLD Lights ! (lots of pics added)*

How is the beam of them both?


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## UnderTheWeepingMoon (Jun 3, 2009)

*Re: New LEUPOLD Lights ! (lots of pics added)*

That switch looks very much like a McClickie to my eyes. Should be a very solid switch if it is housing one.


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## Search (Jun 3, 2009)

I'm surprised this is just coming up.

A few months ago I got to try out the two cell version with wichever LED head.

Wasn't that bright, obviously, but I will warn yall. The tail caps are extremely tight.


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## gswitter (Jun 4, 2009)

*Re: New LEUPOLD Lights ! (lots of pics added)*



276 said:


> How is the beam of them both?


The beam from the LED head is decent, but not a world-beater. The rated 80 lumens is probably accurate. The tint is very warm, almost green. The reflector is quite good, eliminating most of the typical Cree rings. The only artifact in the beam is a slight half ring just outside the hot spot - probably from the emitter being slightly off center.

The incan lamp is a poor-man's P60, and not impressive. But, I swapped it for a P91 and run it on a pair of IMR16340s. That combo _*is*_ impressive (see this thread).



UnderTheWeepingMoon said:


> That switch looks very much like a McClickie to my eyes. Should be a very solid switch if it is housing one.


I think it is, but I haven't been able to verify it yet. The retaining ring is loctited _very_ well. I gave up trying to remove it after struggling with it for a bit. The action of the switch feels very much like a McClicky, but the boot is thicker and stiffer. Other than the inability to tail stand, I really like the tail switch.


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## Owen (Jun 4, 2009)

*Re: New LEUPOLD Lights ! (lots of pics added)*



UnderTheWeepingMoon said:


> That switch looks very much like a McClickie to my eyes.


That was my thought as well. What is visible is identical.


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## gsxrac (Jun 4, 2009)

Its a decent looking light and all but id say its WAY overpriced for a company thats just getting into the game (as far as flashlights go) Not to mention the measley output!


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## gswitter (Jan 15, 2010)

*Re: New LEUPOLD Lights ! (lots of pics added)*



gswitter said:


> Front of the MX-100 Xenon Bezel base. Notice the two steps and the lower shelf in the interior. The lower step creates a nice, snug fit for Leupold (and Surefire) lamps, but is too narrow for every other aftermarket drop-in I've tried. Opening the lower step up should be pretty easy, but that shelf is still going to be a problem for longer drop-ins - like the Malkof M60. By my measurements, the compartment is 2-3mm too short for the length of my M60. I imagine the M60 would fit if the lower step was opened up _and_ the shelf was removed, but the shelf is not _that_ thick, so I suspect you'd still end up with a slight gap between the head and bezel ring.


A follow-up...

At a recent get together, another member donated some time and expertise on his lathe. He removed the second (lower) step in the above picture, but left the shelf at the bottom untouched. (Even with set-up, it took about two minutes total.) This modded MX-100 bezel can now accept every P60-compatible drop-in I've tried. Even the Malkoff M60 fits fine. I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out.






I didn't want to take up any more of the hosts time, but I hope to give boring the maintubes for 18mm cells a go at some point in the future.


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## gswitter (Jan 15, 2010)

I found a good deal on an MX-300 LED Multi-Mode Bezel a few months back. The MX-300 is the same length as the MX-200 LED Bezel, but the MX-300 tapers out slightly from the top to the bottom. The front has the same female threads for Leupold's 28mm Alumina scope accessories. Like the MX-200 the bezel ring is loctited to the head, the windows is apparently sapphire, and the LED is a Cree XR-E. The reflector appears to be the same as that in the MX-200 as well. The head/maintube junction is also the same as the MX-200 with a hex screw for positive contact, physical reverse-polarity protection and an o-ring at the bottom of the (very smooth) head-side threads.

The middle section of the head is a rotating selector ring that offers three output levels and an S.O.S. mode - from left to right: low, medium, high, S.O.S. As the selector ring rotates, it indicates level/mode changes with tactile detents and audible clicks. Levels/modes are also indicated via laser etching on the exterior of the head.

With the light on, level/mode changes are immediate with no blinking, ramping or other output artifacts. However, turning the light off at one level and quickly turning it back on at a lower level will exhibit a momentary flash at the previous/higher level. A few seconds delay before turning the light on at the lower level will not produce the flash.

While the output spec's for the MX-200 appeared to be accurate out the front, the spec'ed 145 lumen high of the MX-300 appears a little optimistic. It's somewhat brighter side-by-side with the MX-200, but doesn't appear as bright when compared to other known lights. The low level isn't a low-low, but is reasonable. The medium level is a little too high, IMO, and too close to the high output. The S.O.S. uses the low level, oddly enough. It's not going to attract attention from great distances, but the run time ought to be great.

The beam, like that of the MX-200, is very good for an XR-E - very floody, with no significant rings. The tint is identical to the MX-200 - warm, on the green side, roughly WH.

The MX-300 is compatible with both the MX-020 and MX-030 maintubes, and can be powered by 2x CR123, 3x CR123 or 2x Li-ion. (I haven't tried 3x Li-ion, and have no interest in doing so.) It will run at reduced levels on a single Li-ion (17670 in the MX-020 tube).

Fit and finish is once again outstanding.

MX-300 LED Multi-Mode Bezel










Left to right: MX-100 Xenon Bezel, MX-200 LED Bezel, MX-300 LED Multi-Mode Bezel


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## chartwell99 (Mar 16, 2010)

gswitter said:


> My MX-221 arrived today. I don't have a camera at the moment, so I can't post any detailed pictures or beam shots, but I'll try to provide as many details as I can in my impressions below.
> 
> The light was packaged in a laminated cardboard box, twist-tied to a foam insert. Included with the light was an adjustable lanyard (similar to Surefire's) and a pair of Panasonic CR123A cells. I was a little leery the Leupold would come in a more elaborate package (excessive packaging is a _big_ pet peeve of mine), so the simple box and contents that are obviously inspired by Surefire is a plus in my book.
> 
> ...


 
Great review and, since I am now the owner of an MX221, entirely accurate. I was initially put of by the somewhat green tint to the light (especially compared to the bluish white from Surefire) but the throw and spill are excellent and I continued to be impressed with this light the more I use it.


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## gswitter (May 18, 2010)

I've been taking machining courses at the local City College, and I finished up this semester's lab assignments a few weeks early. So, I've been given the green light to do a personal project, and I'll be taking a boring bar to the MX-020 body tube (and maybe the MX-030, if all goes well) on Wednesday. Fingers crossed...


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## gswitter (May 21, 2010)

Well... I can now fit a protect 18650 in the MX-020 main tube, but I also added a ventilation hole. 

The OD of the tube at the flats was not a problem, but I completely overlooked how narrow the body gets at the lanyard hole. With the limited tools available in the shop (anything that isn't too heavy to move or otherwise bolted down tends to walk out), it took me a lot longer than expected to get the tube centered and true in the chuck. I took it slow, and was pleased with the initial few (shallow) cuts, but I started to run out of time, got careless, mis-read a dial, and cut much deeper than I intended. Even if I hadn't screwed it up, it would have been very thin beneath the lanyard hole, and may not have been able to accommodate the bore anyway. Oh well. Found a good deal on a replacement on Ebay.

On a different note, anyone notice Leupold's new MXc series?


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## Chauncey Gardner (May 22, 2010)

Sorry to hear it, that must have been a doh! moment.

Thanks for all the info & work you did putting all this up. I love their scopes and was very curious about the lights.

Are they made domestically, didn't see that mentioned (but may have missed it.)


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## gswitter (May 22, 2010)

Eh... nothing ventured, nothing gained. Better an in-production part that I can replace than one of the old custom or otherwise out-of-productions lights in the queue.

I don't know if the Leupolds are made in the US. There's no indication on the light, I didn't save the packaging, and I didn't find any info on the website.


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## sonrider657 (Sep 17, 2010)

*Leupold flashlight*

Why doesn't anyone on CPF every talk about Leupold's LED flashlights? They are very nice, Made in USA, and modular.


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## wyager (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*



sonrider657 said:


> Why doesn't anyone on CPF every talk about Leupold's LED flashlights? They are very nice, Made in USA, and modular.



I'm pretty sure they aren't all that great, and very expensive due to the brand. I was unimpressed the one time I used one. Leupold makes good optics, not flashlights.


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## Imon (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*



wyager said:


> I'm pretty sure they aren't all that great, and very expensive due to the brand. I was unimpressed the one time I used one. Leupold makes good optics, not flashlights.



This is unfortunately .... true.:sigh:

Also big ups to their optics. Love the Yosemite binoculars and the Rifleman scope product line although truthfully I'd probably settle for a Nikon Prostaff.


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## ebow86 (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*

First I've heard of them making lights. No experience with them, but as mentioned earlier they do make quailty optical instruments though.


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## IceRat (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*

If you have a Cabelas near by, they have some of the modules marked way down in the bargain cave.


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## Cesiumsponge (Sep 17, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*

Does Leupold actually manufacture it or it just has their name? Some of their optics, I was not too impressed. A lot of the old timers have told me that their quality has dropped and many lines have been offshored.


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## chartwell99 (Oct 23, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*



wyager said:


> I'm pretty sure they aren't all that great, and very expensive due to the brand. I was unimpressed the one time I used one. Leupold makes good optics, not flashlights.



I don't know which one you tried but I have a mx 221 (95 lumens) and the only comparison I can think of is the Malkoff M61. Both are spectacular lights and actually worth their premium acquisition costs.


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## jellydonut (Oct 24, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*

At first I thought this was just a brand milking thing, like the 'Smith & Wesson' and 'Wilson Combat' lights. Looking at their site, however, the lights don't look like OEM lights with Leupold stickers on 'em, they look like actual new products, and it looks like Leupold is actually a bit invested in the line as opposed to selling them along with accessories and t-shirts.








http://www.leupold.com/tactical/products/flashlights/

Is this a new line? I haven't seen *any* discussion about them anywhere, not even on gun forums where people are well aware of Leupold. 

I like the design. I love that they have selector rings instead of jumping on the annoying clicky-mode wave. Maybe worth looking into..

They tout their 'True White' 5500K neutral LEDs. A mainstream manufacturer extolling the virtues of non-blue LEDs? Now that's something new!

The tailcap shape, design and rubber boot reminds me a LOT of Elzetta. Could there be a connection/collaboration?

They market them as 'modular flashlights' and sell them in parts purposefully. It's like a CPF member employed at Leupold convinced someone to let him create a new production line. Why is everyone so negative?


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## jtblue (Oct 24, 2010)

*Re: Leupold flashlight*

Woah oo:, that MX looks pretty sweet!


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## Monocrom (Oct 24, 2010)

On paper, these lights should be popular with those into firearms. But they're just not.


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## jellydonut (Oct 24, 2010)

I think it might be a combination of terrible (that is practically no) marketing, and high prices. Surefire can command these prices because they have a track record - Leupold is a brand new entrant and I guess people are reluctant to shell out this kind of cash for an unproven light manufacturer and design.


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## bigfish5 (Oct 24, 2010)

I do not know what these lights cost, but leupold has been putting out a top notch quality product for a very long time. Most of their optics have a lifetime warranty, and they are also known for outstanding customer service. I would think a company like that could come out with a high quality flashlight and charge a premium because non flashaholics already have a trust built up with them. 
A couple of years back i slipped on some ice and landed on top of my deer rifle with full force, all 265#s of me. I broke one of the adjustment knobs off of the vx III scope that i had. I sent the scope back to leupold with a note that i was leaving in 2 weeks for a hunting trip in Oklahoma and i really needed the scope fixed fast if possible. 
I received the scope back 5 days before the departure date for OK, plenty of time to remount and sight in. Good customer service!


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## BaileyMoto (Oct 24, 2010)

You'd think that they would offer a light with enough Lumens to compete with all the cheap Chinese lights out there..or at least with the likes of Streamlight. 

"95 Lumens of output for a startlingly bright beam." - Most people subscribe to the "bigger is better" theory, especially Americans. 95 lumens just doesn't hold a candle to all the other options out there.

EDIT - NM, I guess they do have one - "10 Lumens output on Low setting for maximum battery life, 175 lumens output on High setting for the toughest lighting situations." - But for $300??


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## wyager (Oct 24, 2010)

Yep, bailey... for some reason weapon light manufacturers don't seem to like big lumens in little packages.


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## thospress (May 19, 2011)

gswitter said:


> Well...
> On a different note, anyone notice Leupold's new MXc series?


Great looking (albeit low power) lights with nosebleed prices. I have yet to see one in the flesh and have yet to see a review. If the build quality is equal to the MX series (I own and love the MX 221), they're probably worth the money. Leupold, BTW, is the only manufacturer I know of that warrants their clicky switches for life.


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## tomp (May 19, 2011)

Leupold has apparently dropped their lights in 2011. Guess they didnt sell well.


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## thospress (May 19, 2011)

tomp said:


> Leupold has apparently dropped their lights in 2011. Guess they didnt sell well.


 The MXc lights are still shown in the 2011 Optics Catalog but, given the prices for both the MX and MXc series, I suspect Leupold will either shortly exit the light business or go the "made in China" route (which is the case for their current crop of binoculars). It's a shame, in my view.


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## dudemar (Sep 28, 2011)

I really liked their designs but I wasn't willing to pony up $300 for something of that caliber. They were overpriced. In this economy that's a tough sell.


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## duro (Sep 28, 2011)

Great, another high quality under driven low lumen light. Everything looks good except for the brightness.


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## Shooter21 (Sep 28, 2011)

mhubble said:


> Ive owned a number of their scopes. In my opinion they are the best money can buy. I just hope the flashlights arent as expensive as the scopes.


 u should try german optics like zeiss they blow leupold out of the water


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## Lapetus (Sep 30, 2011)

So have I missed something here or is the brightest light they make 145 lumens?



Bullzeyebill said:


> I met the CEO of Leupold at SHOT this February. He did not know a thing about the flashlight line. Sort of tells you something.
> 
> Bill


 
What does it tell you?


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## wadamt16 (Feb 4, 2012)

what do you think if having Leupold MX-131 with ThurNite P60L style 460 lumen drop in?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00288ABWE/?tag=cpf0b6-20
http://www.batteryjunction.com/thrunite-p60-xml-3m-9v-neutral.html


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## Monocrom (Feb 4, 2012)

wadamt16 said:


> what do you think if having Leupold MX-131 with ThurNite P60L style 460 lumen drop in?
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00288ABWE/?tag=cpf0b6-20
> http://www.batteryjunction.com/thrunite-p60-xml-3m-9v-neutral.html



Will the drop-in even properly fit inside the Leupold?


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## wadamt16 (Feb 4, 2012)

Monocrom said:


> Will the drop-in even properly fit inside the Leupold?



Yeah I think so, go to http://www.batteryjunction.com/thrun...v-neutral.html and look for "fits to the following lights" and read on page 5 on this threat


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