# EagleTac P20A2 & P20C2 Reviews: BEAMSHOTS, RUNTIMES and more!



## selfbuilt (Oct 4, 2009)

_*Reviewer's Note: *The P20C2 and P20A2 were provided for review by EagleTac. Please see their website for more info._
_*
UPDATE APRIL 21, 2010:* EagleTac has come out with new Mark II versions of these lights. Please see my more recent review for details._

*Warning: Even more pic heavy than usual! *

*Manufacturer's specifications, condensed from EagleTac's website:*

Cree XR-E R2 LED (Cool White, WD tint) or Q4 (5A tint, Neutral White)
P20A2 Maximum 230 lumen / 60lumen / 15lumen, Runtime 1.5 hrs / 8hrs / 55 hrs
P20C2 Maximum 300 lumen / 60lumen / 5lumen, Runtime 1.5 hrs / 13hrs / 180+ hrs
Three levels output, activate by twisting bezel
Tactical strobe mode, operated by pressing rear switch
Stainless steel crenelated bezel
Syntax ultra-clear glass lens w/ hardening and AR coating
Type III finish / aerospace grade aluminum
Smooth aluminum reflector
Gold plated on all contacts
Agressive tactical knurling and griping aerodynamic
Protruding tactical forward clicky tail-cap
Base Model: ET-21 Diffuser Filter, Spare O-rings, GITD Switch Boot, Black Stainless Steel Pocket Clip, Heavy Duty Nylon Holster w/ Flip, User Manual
RGB Kit Includes everything in base model, plus: ET-21 Red Filter (PP-RF1), ET-21 Blue Filter (PP-BF1), ET-21 Green Filter (PP-GF1). Chooice between smooth and OP reflector, choice between Cool White or Neutral White Emitter, choice between standard protruding tailcap or tail-standing tailcap (tail-standing includes paracord lanyard).
Optional Accessories: Optional upgrade to orange peel reflector, optional tail-stand tail-cap. Weapon mount support
P20A2 Length 6.3 inches (16.2 cm), Head Diameter: 1" (2.6 cm), Body Diameter: 0.8" (2.1 cm), Weight 3.2 ounces (91 grams)
P20C2 Length 5.1" (13cm), Head Diameter: 1" (2.6 cm), Body Diameter: 0.8" (2.1 cm), Weight 2.8 ounces (79 grams)
P20A2 Batteries: Two AA batteries (also compatible with NiMH rechargeables or 1.5V lithiums)
P20C2 Batteries: Two Lithium CR123A batteries (also compatible with two Li-ion rechargeables)
P20A2 MSRP $70 ($80 with RGB filter kit)
P20C2 MSRP $75 ($85 with RGB filer kit)
The P20A2 and P20C2 are the latest in the line of "Personal" lights from EagleTac. I will compare both lights in this one review, as the overall build is identical (except for the battery sources and corresponding circuits). In all the pics below, the P20A2 will be shown first, followed by the P20C2.











By default, each P20A2/C2 comes with a manual, warranty card, spare o-rings, o-ring lube, extra GITD tailcap boot cover, good quality belt pouch with closing flap and lens diffuser attachment. :sweat: Optional accessories are the RGB filter kit (shown above), OP reflector, wrist lanyard and tailstanding tailcap (shown below). 






Note that the green and blue filters have a reflective finish, just like the Olight filters. Here they are without and with a flash, to show you how they look:














From left to right: Duracell AA battery, EagleTac P20A2, P10A2, P100A2, Quark QAA-2. 





From left to right: AW protected RCR, EagleTac P20C2, T100C2 MII, T20C2; Quark Q123-2.

*P20A2*: Weight 91.2g, Length 164mm, Width 26.6mm (bezel), 23.1mm (tailcap)
*P20C2*: Weight 78.8g, Length 133mm, Width 26.6mm (bezel), 23.1mm (tailcap)



























The body tubes are the most obvious change from earlier lights. Consistent with the new T20C2, there are now extra raised areas along the length. Given the lower thickness of these lights, this looks a little cheesy to me – but that’s just a personal preference . The heads are reminiscent of the earlier P10A2/C2 era for EagleTac, although there are some changes here (scroll down for more beamshots).

 Note that the body tube of the P20C2 is only wide enough to allow a protected 17670 cell to fit – 18650 is too wide.

Fit and finish are excellent on my sample, no obvious flaws in the black type-III hard anodizing (although chips in the knurling are not uncommon on EagleTac lights). Consistent with other EagleTac lights, the knurling on the bezel and tailcap is quite aggressive. Identification labels are very sharp and clear, in bright white against the black background.




















Screw threads are anodized for head or tailcap lock-out. :thumbsup: Due to the standard protruding forward clicky, the light cannot tailstand in its default form – but you can get the tailstanding tailcap accessory (scroll back up for a pic). 

Note that the black stainless steel clip is removable, but be careful not to scratch the anodizing when removing/attaching the clip (I find a little teflon oil can help).






The reflector can be easily swapped after unscrewing the head portion of the light. To allow you to better compare, I've installed the OP reflector in the P20C2 for the shots below.



















The light uses the standard Cree XR-E emitter, with a R2 output bin in this case (WD tint reported). Also available from EagleTac is the relatively warm "neutral" 5A tint with a Q4 output bin. For those of you not familiar with tint bins, please see my Colour tint comparison and the summary LED tint charts found here. 

And now for the requisite white wall shots: all lights are on Max on an Sanyo eneloop (2xAA lights) or AW protected 18650/17670, about 0.5 meters from a white wall. 

First, a direct comparison of the P20A2 (with smooth reflector) and P20C2 (with OP reflector):


















As you can see, there is not a huge difference in terms of the beam profile. I personally prefer the OP reflector, as it helps smooth some of the rings without affecting throw very much (reminds me of the early JetBeam Jet-II/III reflectors - some smoothing, with little loss of throw).

Here's how the lights compare to some of the competition:

*P20A2*













*P20C2*













One of the more interesting features of these lights is how you can remove the bezel retaining ring and screw on the included diffuser (or optional RGB filter kit). This is a fairly smart way to attach a filter/diffuser, although you have find a place to stick the bezel ring when not in use. I found mine all screwed on fairly easily (except for the red filer in one case, which was a little stiff). The quality of the included filters and diffuser seem very good – on par with the Olight filter/diffuser material available for a number of their lines. 

To help you compare the effects of the diffuser and RGB filters, here are some individual shots taken of the P20C2 with the OP reflector (~1m from the wall, 1/25sec exposure, f3.2). 

OP reflector:





With diffuser:





With RGB kit:












Not surprisingly, the red filter seems to allow the least amount of light through (white LEDs are well known to be somewhat deficient in the red wavelengths).

Here's a few more shots, taken up-close on my infamous “integrating carpet” :laughing:



















*User Interface*

The P20A2/C2 have the same interface as the T20C2 reviewed previously. Simply activate the light with the forward clicky (press for momentary, click for lock-on) - tighten the head for Turbo, loosen for General mode. :kiss: 

There is a “hidden” low output mode that can be accessed by rapidly switching to or from Turbo/General within a sec or so (i.e. a rapid Turbo-General-Turbo, or General-Turbo-General switch). The low setting is not retained if you turn the light off – it will come back on in Turbo or General mode, depending on how you left the head. Interestingly, the light doesn't just jump from one output mode to another – when going down in output, it rapidly ramps down instead.

The other (unfortunately not-so hidden) mode is strobe – it is accessed by simply clicking off-on within 3 secs. :sigh: This removes the ability to rapidly signal in momentary mode, and means you will always strobe yourself if you turn the light back on within 3 seconds of it turning off. I would have preferred if strobe had been confined solely to a head switch instead of a simple off-on tail click. Note that the next batch of lights is supposed to have this delay reduced to 1sec. 

Strobe frequency was measured at 8Hz, similar to the T20C2 and EagleTac M2-series lights.

*No PWM (Pulse-Width-Modulation)*

Consistent with other EagleTac lights, I was unable to detect any signs of PWM.  As the runtimes clearly indicate, lower output levels appear to be current-controlled.

*Testing Method:* All my output numbers are relative for my home-made light box setup, a la Quickbeam's flashlightreviews.com method. You can directly compare all my relative output values from different reviews - i.e. an output value of "10" in one graph is the same as "10" in another. All runtimes are done under a cooling fan, except for the extended run Lo/Min modes (i.e. >12 hours) which are done without cooling.

Throw values are the square-root of lux measurements taken at 1 meter from the lens, using a light meter.

*Throw/Output Summary Chart:*






An interesting note here – my lightbox reports there isn't much difference between the various 2xAA EagleTac offerings (scroll down to runtimes for more info). However, by ceiling bounce, the P20A2 definitely leads the pack. I suspect this may have something to do with how the beam pattern and tint are interpreted by the lightbox, but it's hard to say for certain. By eye, the P20A2 does seem marginally brighter (scroll back to the beamshots).

Throw of the P20A2 is among the best of this class and size.














Interestingly, on 1xLi-ion, the P20C2 is a bit brighter than either of the other two recent EagleTac lights in this space – the T100C2 MII or the premium T20C2! oo: On RCR/CR123A, the T20C2 and P20C2 are actually pretty close in output, althought the T20C2 seems to have the edge. 

As expected, throw is reduced on the P20C2 compared to the T20C2 and T100C2, due to the smaller head.

*Output/Runtime Comparison:*

*P20A2*















I've only done the basic runtimes on the P20A2, but you can see performance is right about where you would expect it - based on the older 2xAA EagleTac lights. Basically, they aren't so different from each other in terms of output/runtime. Note that although my lightbox shows the P10A2 is brighter over most of the run, by eye I would say that the P20A2 has a slight advantage. The difference isn't huge, though.

The output/runtime efficiency of P20A2's General/Turbo modes are also remarkably similar to the Quark QAA-2 Hi/Turbo. :thumbsup: I haven't done the Lo mode runtimes, but I suspect this relationship would hold up.

*P20C2*




























I've done a greater range of tests on the P20C2 (although still haven't done the Lo mode runtimes). So far, the conclusion is much the same as above – the output/runtime performance of the P20C2 is very similar to the T20C2 and the Quark Q123-2 (when you take into account the 17670 vs 18650 single Li-ion source). The T20C2 still has a max output advantage on CR123A/RCR, though.

The Q123-2 seems to have a runtime advantage over the EagleTac lights on Turbo on 2xRCR – but that could be a problem with my cells on the more recent EagleTac tests. :shrug: I will investigate further and report back. 

*Potential Issues*

As with the T20C2, strobe mode is easily (and potentially inadvertently) accessed by clicking off and back on within 3 seconds on both the P20A2 and P20C2. Note that this is supposed to be reduced to 1sec in the next batch of lights.

Like most multi-power lights, the P20C2 is direct-drive on Max on 18650.

*General Observations*

EagleTac has taken the basic P10A2/C2 line and given them a make-over with the feature set and extras developed for the higher-end T20C2. Build-wise, the appearance is something of a hybrid between the old P10-series models and the new T20C2 styling. Fans of aggressive knurling will be happy – there's little risk of dropping these puppies! 

Personally, I quite like the flexibility of these new builds – you get the good quality diffuser included in the basic package, and can customize your choice of reflector, tailcap, and RGB kit. :thumbsup:

Of course, you also get the new UI from the T20C2 – including the extra Lo mode and the easily accessible strobe mode. :sigh: Like many here, I don't like the loss of momentary signaling by having the strobe in the tailcap sequence. Frankly, this is one "innovation" of the T20C2 that I wish had not been ported over the P20 series. Note that this is expected to be revised on the next batch of all models by shortening the delay to 1 sec from 3 secs. While definitely an improvement, I would prefer to see it gone from the tailcap sequence altogether.

Circuit-wise, not much has changed to EagleTac’s efficient multi-power circuits, although there does seem have been some tweaking of max output (plus the extra low mode). More of an incremental improvement here - EagleTac's performance remains up there with other current-controlled lights (e.g. Fenix, Quark, etc.).

At the end of the day, I think this is an overall positive upgrade to the line. The basic models P100A2/C2 are still available for those who want a pared-down interface and build (and lower cost). But the new P20A2/C2 basically help close the gap to the Tactical series lights. 

_*
UPDATE APRIL 21, 2010:* EagleTac has come out with new Mark II versions of these lights. Please see my more recent review for details._


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## csshih (Oct 4, 2009)

nice review as usual, we've come to expect nothing less.

"integrating carpet"?  I gotta get one of those..
heard they were really expensive... and you gotta buy carpet pad, too! :sick2:


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## z-b-i (Oct 4, 2009)

Thank you for your great and very useful review.


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## strinq (Oct 5, 2009)

Great review man.
The comparison charts are really useful.


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## richardcpf (Oct 5, 2009)

Thank you for the nice review and detailed numbers!

If 4sevens carried P20A2 in their 40% off firesale I would have ordered few already. For the price I could deal with the strobe.


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## berry580 (Oct 5, 2009)

Thank you Self Built.

Btw, what would you think be the chances of 123^2 and T20C2 using the same electronics?


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## DM51 (Oct 5, 2009)

A comprehensive and thorough review, as always. I can't say I've followed EagleTac very much, so I have no particular comment to make other than to point out to members that there have recently been some warranty and dealership issues with them. Details can be found in threads in the MarketPlace. These issues may be discussed in the MP, but not here.

Moving to the Reviews section...


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## selfbuilt (Oct 5, 2009)

csshih said:


> "integrating carpet"?  I gotta get one of those..
> heard they were really expensive... and you gotta buy carpet pad, too! :sick2:


Yeah, and calibrating the pill can be tricky - just imagine the variance introduced by shag! 

I once made the mistake of showing a bunch of carpet shots at different exposures (to better show off the relative beam profiles). But people quickly noticed the relative output differences didn't match, and before I could explain, questions were raised about how well carpet integrates light output. :laughing: For the record, I don't recommend this method of estimating output ...



strinq said:


> The comparison charts are really useful.


Thanks, I hope so. Interestingly, this is one of the rare times when the lightbox and ceiling bounce diverge somewhat (i.e. initial output of the P10A2 vs P20A2 - no real difference on the lightbox, noticeable difference on the ceiling bounce). Usually, I think the lightbox is a better discriminator (or at least, is more internally consistent) - but in this case, the ceiling bounce better matches what I see by eye. Of course, the beam profile is a little narrower on the P20A2, so it's possible my eye is being fooled. :shrug:



berry580 said:


> Btw, what would you think be the chances of 123^2 and T20C2 using the same electronics?


Well, put it this way - there is often very little difference in runtime for a given output among the various makers who use a current-controlled circuit (i.e. Fenix, Olight, 4sevens and EagleTac). That may reflect a lot of similarity in how the base circuits are designed - but of course, each maker has customized things in terms of number and levels of output, interface, etc.



DM51 said:


> I can't say I've followed EagleTac very much, so I have no particular comment to make other than to point out to members that there have recently been some warranty and dealership issues with them. Details can be found in threads in the MarketPlace. These issues may be discussed in the MP, but not here.


Well put - thanks for the reminder David. I would also prefer to keep the review threads focused on the lights themselves.


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## csshih (Oct 5, 2009)

selfbuilt said:


> For the record, I don't recommend this method of estimating output ...



this is when I introduce.. the integrating table!


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## Bloodnut (Oct 23, 2009)

Please allow me to simply add here that the P20A2 ROCKS! If you are on the fence about getting one; go ahead and do it. It is guaranteed to make you smile. I spent weeks culling thru Selfbuilt's big AA review and others, trying to identify a good flashlight to give to a lady non-flashaholic, who hunts and who has done my family a few sizeable favors. A 2AA form factor was a no-brainer, but there are a lot of options in the 2AA form factor. I kept coming back to the P20A2. Ordered it from Illumination Gear two days ago; it arrived today. Funny, I was working out on the back part of the property and had no idea the mail lady had come by. But, I could sense a new light was on the grounds, Sure enough, my daughter was walking up the driveway box in hand! Work came to a halt for a little while so I could get the GID boot on and load some batteries. Had to figure out the settings don't ya know. Once it got dark, my family and I walked over and gave our friend the gift It as a little hard to let go of. 

This thing is NICE! Fit and finish was excellent; anodizing was not slick like my Fenix. Form factor was good. I did not have a good handle on how to change modes. I had imagined three settings with perhaps a detent for each setting - no such luck. But once I *ahem* read the directions, all was well. Was surprised by the strobe - geez what are they marketing these $60 lights to 12 year olds? I'll tell you one things, this sucker is bright on Turbo. Stepped all over my TLR-1 and a couple of admittedly lesser 2AA lights I had been happy with, until njow. I *will* be buying another P20!2 for myself. Perhaps I can hold out till Christmas.

Again, if you are tryong to make up your mind aout the P20A2, just get it. It's that good.

Thanks for the review(s) that lead me to this light.


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## selfbuilt (Oct 24, 2009)

Bloodnut said:


> PWas surprised by the strobe - geez what are they marketing these $60 lights to 12 year olds?


That gave me a good chuckle. :laughing:

Not to spark one of the endless debates here about so-called "tactical" strobes, but I must say I would personally prefer a much slower speed (i.e. something <2 Hz). This is not a comment about EagleTac - I've noticed a very definite trend over the last couple of years from all makers toward higher strobe freqs (somewhere between 12-18 Hz seems to be the new norm). 

But I remember when the first few strobes starting showing up - aside from the more tactical lights (e.g. the Gladius), most of the AA-form factor lights tended to have simple slow signalling strobes (e.g. Streamlight tasklights). Something you could use to simply get attention without driving people nuts. Personally, I think it would be great if we could see a return to those days on the more general-purpose lights ...


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## yowzer (Nov 8, 2009)

I picked up a P100A2 and a neutral white P20A2 a while back, and have been using both in various settings since. Both nice lights...

Some thoughts:

The tint of the Q4 in my P20 is very very nice. Compared to the P100, the P20 feels like higher quality, though the P100 isn't bad in that respect. The strobe mode sucks and I wish the UI was low with a loose bezel, medium with a tighted one, and high with a twist/untwist. A XP-E instead of the XR-E would have been nice, too, but that tint makes up for the older LED.

The P20's earned a place in my SAR pack, and the P100's living in my work backpack for now, though I'm thinking about making it my new emergency light in my car.


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## Dioni (Nov 11, 2009)

Very nice review once again! :twothumbs

Thanks!


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## drmax (Dec 2, 2009)

Hello. For the owners of this light, can the light be turned on by only mashing the tailcap button before it clicks? If so, then would this keep the strobe from coming on within that time frame, which is causing all the frowning faces, or does it still come on? 
Unsure of what the fwd click switch entails, and yes, I'm a noob here 

Also, what is eagletac's definition, rather time frame of "next batch"?

Thx folks. DM


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## selfbuilt (Dec 2, 2009)

drmax said:


> Hello. For the owners of this light, can the light be turned on by only mashing the tailcap button before it clicks? If so, then would this keep the strobe from coming on within that time frame, which is causing all the frowning faces, or does it still come on?
> Unsure of what the fwd click switch entails, and yes, I'm a noob here


A forward clicky switch means the light comes on as soon as you press the button - you don't need to click first. If you release without clicking, the light turns off - if you release after clicking, it stays on. A reverse clicky is a switch that only comes on after the click.

In this case, "mashing" (or soft-pressing the switch as it is known here) is the same as clicking on, as far as the strobe is concerned. In other words, two rapid soft-presses is the same as two rapid off/on clicks, and both will elicit strobe.


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## drmax (Dec 3, 2009)

selfbuilt said:


> A forward clicky switch means the light comes on as soon as you press the button - you don't need to click first. If you release without clicking, the light turns off - if you release after clicking, it stays on. A reverse clicky is a switch that only comes on after the click.
> 
> In this case, "mashing" (or soft-pressing the switch as it is known here) is the same as clicking on, as far as the strobe is concerned. In other words, two rapid soft-presses is the same as two rapid off/on clicks, and both will elicit strobe.


I understand...thx. I spoke with a lady at PTS yesterday and asked her about this strobe issue. She told me this problem was corrected, when the P10A2 was updated to the P20A2. Those were her exact words. I told her I didn't think so, as reported by this forum. 
Ok, a question about the optional LED selection. I just need to have good definition on the high selection. I don't care about color. Will the white led work ok? I'd rather not bring the lumens down with a neutral led. If that were the case, I'd get the P100A2. Plz advise.


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## selfbuilt (Dec 3, 2009)

drmax said:


> I understand...thx. I spoke with a lady at PTS yesterday and asked her about this strobe issue. She told me this problem was corrected, when the P10A2 was updated to the P20A2. Those were her exact words. I told her I didn't think so, as reported by this forum.
> Ok, a question about the optional LED selection. I just need to have good definition on the high selection. I don't care about color. Will the white led work ok? I'd rather not bring the lumens down with a neutral led. If that were the case, I'd get the P100A2. Plz advise.


The correction I'm aware of is shortening the off/on interval from 3sec to 1sec (which is definitely an improvement, but not exactly "fixed").

As for the tint, it all comes down to preference. Check out my color tint write-up for some discussion.


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## drmax (Dec 3, 2009)

selfbuilt said:


> The correction I'm aware of is shortening the off/on interval from 3sec to 1sec (which is definitely an improvement, but not exactly "fixed").
> 
> As for the tint, it all comes down to preference. Check out my color tint write-up for some discussion.


Oh, then the time has been reduced. I thought all along, it had not been fixed/reduced. Ok, thx.


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## lebox97 (Dec 3, 2009)

she must have misunderstood you, being the P10A2 doesn't have strobe. 

The new circuit "batch" has been available as of last month... the "new batch" T20/P20 series has shortened the strobe activation, from 3+ seconds down to 1+ seconds.
ie. if you use momentary - the strobe mode will not activate if you wait 1+ seconds between momentary activations. (and, you can still do a "double-tap" to switch strobe off again if you unintentionally activate strobe)

Make sure you request the new circuit/version if you want it - as there is still alot of older inventory floating around the dealerships - some dealers don't know there is a new version.

As for Color and brightness - Cool Blue may appear to be "brighter", but the lower lumen Neutral may allow you to "see" more due to the increased contrasts... so all depends on how and where you wish to use the light (indoors vs outdoors etc)

selfbuilts color tint link above is an excellent resource...
I have similiar ones_ Dealer links removed_





drmax said:


> Oh, then the time has been reduced. I thought all along, it had not been fixed/reduced. Ok, thx.


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## CaliColin (Jan 12, 2010)

What a great review. Since the brightness of the P20A2 does not appear to be noticeably greater than the P100A2, and everyone seems to hate the strobe feature of the P20A2 as I do, may I suggest you get the P100A2 (no strobe) and use the money saved to buy a second, lower budget light? Or perhaps more eneloops! The addl. diffusers and filters all seem like things you would play with for a few seconds and then toss in a box. I sleep soundly with my P100A2 by the bedside, knowing that I can never accidentally change the mode with a double click. Simple is better IMO.


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