# Life Gear lights



## mikekoz (Apr 25, 2009)

I was in Target today and saw several new lights! It has been awile since I have seen new lights in a brick and mortar store, but I figured that Target was getting ready to get some new ones in judging by how many of the old ones they had on closeout over the last several weeks. I saw four new Energizer lights that I believe have been mentioned here a few times already. The three that caught me eye though had the Life Gear name brand on them. One ran on one AA, and boasted 80 lumens using a Cree LED. One other ran on 2 C cells thumbsup and it also had a Cree, boasting 210 lumens. The last one I did not pay too much attention to since it ran on 3 AAA's. Both of these lights seem very well made. One thing that is surprising, is the quality of the finish on them in relation to their price. The anodization on both seems really nice. However, the big question remained...how well did they perform??? I tried the single AA model first, and I was impressed! This little jewel may actually come close to its 80 lumen claim. It is a bit brighter than the upgraded single AA Energizer. The next test was the one I was looking forward to, the "C" cell model!! Thuis is one of my fav form factors in a light. I put the two batteries in, took it out back tonight...and WOW!!!!:thumbsup: The light blew me away!! I compared to my Tiablo A9. It beats the Tiablo when it is on low, in every way! When the Tiablo is on high, the Life Gear still beats it in flood, the Tiablo just out throws it a bit. This thing just may be 210 lumens. It is the brightest C light I have ever owned! The beam is a great combo of flood and throw, and is just slightly ringy. You do not notice the rings at all in real world use. I also like the switch near the head! I will try to post some photos tomorrow!

Mike


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## Marduke (Apr 25, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Holy runon sentence Batman!!

How about some line breaks??


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## parnass (Apr 25, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Can you post a photo of the 1AA, 80 lumen Life Gear flashlight?

Thanks.


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## BamAlmighty (Apr 25, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Price? Pics? What type of reflector do they use?

I have been looking for a new C cell light.


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## lumenal (Apr 25, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

The closest Target here has shrunk it's flashlight section from 4 wall panels to one...:thumbsdow.

They were replaced by digital alarm clocks :green:.

Whats the price on these new lights?


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## blademan (Apr 25, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

I can't do pics but the 1 aa has a smooth reflector and throws pretty good. It's a reverse clicky unfortunately... Quality is pretty good it's just big. The rubber grip is nice. I usually put rubber on my lights for grip so I don't have to on this one!


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## mikekoz (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



Marduke said:


> Holy runon sentence Batman!!
> 
> How about some line breaks??


 
It is good to see that somebody is paying attention to my posts and getting the point....lovecpf. For everybody else, the C cell light is $39.99, the AA is $19.99. They both use a smooth reflector. Both lights have a nice rubber grip in the center. 

(Marduke....is this OK.....does it meet your approval?????????)

Line break....

Mike


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## StarHalo (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

I've searched thoroughly around the particular Target that I frequent, and it appears that *they have no flashlight section at all.* :banned:

This particular Target just happens to be built right on top of where a small airport/landing strip used to be, where the '50s TV series Sky King was filmed. Maybe there's a connection..


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## mikekoz (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Here are a few photos. Sorry, they are not the greatest quality!


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## parnass (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



mikekoz said:


> Here are a few photos. Sorry, they are not the greatest quality!
> ...



Thanks for the photos. I saw the New Life Gear lights at Target today. Wish the 1AA version was furnished with a pocket clip.


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## mikekoz (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



parnass said:


> Thanks for the photos. I saw the New Life Gear lights at Target today. Wish the 1AA version was furnished with a pocket clip.


 

I KNEW there was something missing from this light!! The only other single AA light I have with no clip is the Nitecore D10, but I never use it anyway.

Mike


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## f22shift (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

pretty damn good pics.

looks like some progress in the dept store lights.


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## DaveG (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Not bad looking lights,have to hand it to Target they do come up with some good stuff.


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Are they regulated?


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## mikekoz (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



PhotonWrangler said:


> Are they regulated?


 

The packaging does not give any indication one way or another. It gives a 10 hour runtime for the AA light, and a 5 hour for the C model. Is there some way of testing the light for regulation???:shrug:

Mike


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## boomhauer (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Yeah we have the Life Gear here, too. I agree, you do have to hand it to Target. The 1AA light does seem a little large, though - at least compared to the Energizer.

Guys, check your Targets - some of them have moved their flashlight sections completely.


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## Flying Turtle (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

The Life Gear lights I saw the other day were located in the camping aisle, as were some Eddie Bauer (LED Lenser) lights.

Geoff


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## PhotonWrangler (Apr 26, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



mikekoz said:


> The packaging does not give any indication one way or another. It gives a 10 hour runtime for the AA light, and a 5 hour for the C model. Is there some way of testing the light for regulation???:shrug:
> 
> Mike



Yes - 

Take it to an AM radio. Turn the radio on and tune to an empty spot on the band near the low end of the dial. Turn on the flashlight and hold it next to the radio. If the light is using PWM regulation (and most regulated lights do), you'll hear the PWM oscillator as a steady whine in the radio.


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## Imworking (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

It appears to be a simple boost circuit of some kind. The electronics don't have the big induction coil that you see with PWM lights. I like the AA model it throws really far. I sanded the outside edges of an old Novatac polycarbonate lens and swapped it with the stock lens. If I could figure out how to pot the electronics of a light I will do it with this one and will have a pretty tough beater light. I think the 10 hours run time is diminishing light output. Even with a mostly depleted cell it still puts out a good 15 to 20 lumens of light.


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## Mdinana (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Do you have ideas on runtimes? One thing I didn't like about my last Energizer was the 1 hour runtime


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## Imworking (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

It says 10+ hours on the package. I would assume that to be diminishing light over time. I use the mid grade energizer lithium batteries (Advanced Lithium) so I'm assuming I should get about 7 hours then a drastic drop off. I'm no expert so I can't validate that fact until I waste a cell and try a run time test. The 7090 XR-C's (I guess that's what it is) produce around 80 lumens (the lights rated output) at 350ma so I'm guessing with a 3000ma cell that the run time should be halfway decent. 

On another note, would "Ceramique" from the Sandwich Shoppe be used to pot the electronics for this light?


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## Imworking (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



Mdinana said:


> Do you have ideas on runtimes? One thing I didn't like about my last Energizer was the 1 hour runtime



I know for a fact it just won't die out like the energizer light. As I previously stated, I took a cell that would not even power the energizer light and it still fires up in this light. Nowhere near the 80 lumens claimed but still a good 15 - 20 lumens. I could tell the cell was almost dead because I used it in my 2-stage SS C3 and it barely made it 3 hours on low. That light usually will run for 10 with cells that are too depleted to produce meaningful light in my other AA lights.


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## Flying Turtle (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Good news that the circuitry allows for a long tail of runtime. I really don't like those lights that give little warning.

Geoff


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## kramer5150 (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

can you post a close up pic of the emitter in the 1AA?.... I wonder if its an XR-C.

FWIW... the easiest way to tell if its an XR-C is by the numbr of lead wires. 2 wires = XR-C. XR-C emitters also emit a tighter beam then the XR-E (when used with the same reflector).


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## BamAlmighty (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

How does it compare to the C cell Riverrock Nightfire?

Do they use a plastic lens?


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## imgadgetman (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

I have the aa version but unfortunately the led is not centered but it is bright. I will second it runs on dead batteries, I put an AA in from a headlamp that measured at 1.15v and it still put out decent light. The headlamp was a 1watt and it would light about 10 seconds before going out. I did not see the 210 lumen version.
Imgadgetman


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## BIGLOU (Apr 27, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

I'll be on the look out at the Targets near me. I already have most of the Inova X series and River Rocks sold at Target. Now this. FYI also look in the Automotive Section.


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## darknessemitter (Apr 28, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



kramer5150 said:


> can you post a close up pic of the emitter in the 1AA?.... I wonder if its an XR-C.
> 
> FWIW... the easiest way to tell if its an XR-C is by the numbr of lead wires. 2 wires = XR-C. XR-C emitters also emit a tighter beam then the XR-E (when used with the same reflector).


 
Both of the 1xAA Life Gear's I saw (one of which I bought) were silver-back XR-C's, while the C-cell version had an XR-E. 

I'm pretty happy with my 1xAA so far. Has a brighter hotspot than the Energizer 1xAA Cree XR-C (the single mode one that has been on clearance, NOT the new multi-mode), probably due to its larger smooth reflector. I think the Life Gear might be brighter overall, but it's hard to say yet because of the different beam patterns and tints. The beam is a little bit ringy, but that's to be expected with a smooth reflector. 

Reverse clicky, not quite fully recessed, but enough that it can do a slightly wobbly tail stand. If this varies a tiny bit from unit to unit, then maybe some of these can do a steadier tail stand. 

Both the head and the tailcap can be unscrewed from the battery tube, but I don't see any way to open the head itself so far. 

Rubber grip seems like it would be easy to remove. There's no anti-roll feature unless you attach a lanyard. 

It will provide some moon-mode output on nearly dead cells that can't power the Energizer 1xAA, but if you switch it off when the cell is that low, it won't come back on right away. You have to let the cell rest for a few seconds (depending on how near-dead it is) before switching back on.

Not perfect, but for $20, I consider it one of the better value lights at Target right now. :thumbsup:


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## Imworking (Apr 28, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



darknessemitter said:


> Both the head and the tailcap can be unscrewed from the battery tube, but I don't see any way to open the head itself so far.



You can lift up the black piece that contains the electronics. The wires are pretty long. Then you can use a spanner wrench on the two notches in the aluminum piece and back the emitter out. The electronics just snap into the pill.

The stock lens is halfway decent and kind of thick but I replaced mine with a slightly sanded down (the outside edge) HDS polycarbonate lens. Once I pot the electronics it should be a nice little light. Still can't figure out how to get the switch out yet.


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## Sgt. LED (Apr 28, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

Anyone have any info on the 2C's price?


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## Flying Turtle (Apr 28, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*

When I checked it out the 2C scanned in at $39.99. 

Geoff


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## danielo_d (Apr 28, 2009)

Great! Now I have to buy another flashlight! 
[rolling eyes]

Anyone try this puppy out with Nimhs?

Danielo


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## Flying Turtle (Apr 30, 2009)

Aside from the ones mentioned, my Target today also had some other Life Gear lights. They were red, green, and blue glowstick type lights with a white LED flashlight at one end, colored glowstick in the middle, and a whistle at the other end. They appeared to run on 3 watch batteries and cost $4.99.

Geoff


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## f22shift (Apr 30, 2009)

Flying Turtle said:


> Aside from the ones mentioned, my Target today also had some other Life Gear lights. They were red, green, and blue glowstick type lights with a white LED flashlight at one end, colored glowstick in the middle, and a whistle at the other end. They appeared to run on 3 watch batteries and cost $4.99.
> 
> Geoff


they have that in bed bath beyond.

they re banned for me because they didnt send those free ones to alot of ppl.:thumbsdow


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## mikekoz (Apr 30, 2009)

I am hoping to find one of these lights in a 2 AA format!! The "C" cell version is quickly becoming one of favorite lights to use around and outside of the house. Is has a large, strong, hotspot, and tons of spill!

Mike


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## ledaholic (May 3, 2009)

I picked up a 2 C today. It had a very intense hotspot,almost optics like. I quickly removed the reflector and sputtered it, much better now. I also whipped up another 2C to 1 18650 adapter and am using that now. The package claims 210 lumens but I think that's wishful thinking. Overall build quality is not bad.


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## mikekoz (May 3, 2009)

How did you get an 18650 to work in the light?


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## ledaholic (May 3, 2009)

mikekoz said:


> How did you get an 18650 to work in the light?



I had some 1in acrylic rod that I drilled to fit a 18650 and long enough to replace 2 C cells. I'll have to look around and see if I have a pic.

Found one


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## StandardBattery (May 4, 2009)

Nice Adapter! 18650 Rules! when it comes to rechargeables.


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## HeyGuysWatchThis (May 7, 2009)

I'm liking the looks of the 2C version. I always like to look at as many options as I can before I pull the trigger, though. Is there anything comparable out there? I like the 2C format with the 200 lumen output. Is there anything else I should look at before I pull the trigger on this one?


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## Unclemonkey (May 9, 2009)

save your money.  I saw them tonight at target. Invest your money into something good. This light is a no-no. :shakehead


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## darknessemitter (May 10, 2009)

Unclemonkey said:


> save your money.  I saw them tonight at target. Invest your money into something good. This light is a no-no. :shakehead


 
Um, have you actually tried any of them? The 2xC light might be a bit overpriced, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad light.


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## Illum (May 21, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



StarHalo said:


> I've searched thoroughly around the particular Target that I frequent, and it appears that *they have no flashlight section at all.* :banned:



three places my Target always resides "flashlights" under...and I guess management dunno where to put them because they keep switching places.
By the towels and shower curtains
By "home improvement"
By "outdoor life"



Imworking said:


> I sanded the outside edges of an old Novatac polycarbonate lens and swapped it with the stock lens.


 
care to tell how you got the window off?



Sgt. LED said:


> Anyone have any info on the 2C's price?


$39.99 here

Alright, I bought the 1AA, marked at $19.99

Its a tad bigger than the X1


 


 

 


*BATTERY NOT INCLUDED*

Thick body, so there's no real concern of battery rattling




Reverse Clicky and head contact 


 



The head uses Polycarbonate window, smooth reflector, the LED is centered pretty well




closer... for those wondering about the LED type, its definitely an XR-C




the Beamshot 10" to my desk does not impress me, its a somewhat eccentric sphere marked by artifacts and rings...what do you expect from a smooth reflector?:shrug:

using an multimeter, its drawing around 200ma, so using an Eneloop might actually hit that "10 hour" advertisement:thumbsup:

Its a very nice thrower, but the spill is weak and not that usable unless its in total darkness


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## neal.a.nelson (Jun 4, 2009)

3C 3 Cree 360 Lumen Life+Gear 2 pack at Costco for $79.99 until 7/5/09 here: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US&s=1


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## PhotonWrangler (Jun 5, 2009)

neal.a.nelson said:


> 3C 3 Cree 360 Lumen Life+Gear 2 pack at Costco for $79.99 until 7/5/09 here: http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US&s=1



Linky no workie... :shrug:


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## HeyGuysWatchThis (Jun 5, 2009)

PhotonWrangler said:


> Linky no workie... :shrug:


http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11474620&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=〈=en-US&s=1


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## Mdinana (Jun 5, 2009)

Try this:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

"Law enforcement grade??" And water proof, huh? Interesting wording.

It is interesting that there's supposedly 3 Crees in the light!


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## mikekoz (Jun 5, 2009)

I have seen another one of these Life Gear lights advertised on the web that was 360 lumens, but it ran on 4 C's. I am wondering if these lights are going to show up at Target?


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## JonN06 (Jun 6, 2009)

Hey guys, I picked up this light at target last night. I was super pleasantly surprised. They had 2 or 3 and now I wish I would have grabbed at least one more. Hadn't heard of them till last night. It was the 1aa lifegear that your talking about in this thread. Clearance for $9.99 at my local target on one of the side bin clearance racks. I'm really glad I picked it up especially for that price. So, just a heads up if you thought $19.99 was to much go back and look again it may be on clearance at yours also. :twothumbs


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## Mr Happy (Jun 28, 2009)

I picked up the Life Gear 2C from Target as it looked interesting.

It seems to have about the same output as the Husky Taskforce 2D, but in a much smaller and more convenient form factor. The beam pattern is very similar, with a slightly larger hotspot on the Life Gear. The Life Gear 2C also runs very nicely on two AA rechargeables if you use an adapter to fit them in the tube.

Just thought people might like the info.


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## cooper80 (Jul 2, 2009)

I'm interested in the 1AA Life Gear flashlight. I'm wondering about the output, though. They are claiming 80 lumens AND 10 hours of run time on a single AA battery; I just don't think that's possible.

It sounds like the current draw is somewhere between 200 and 300 maH. If that's using a standard AA battery @ 1.5V, you're talking 0.3W - 0.45W of power consumption. If the Cree XR-C LED is at most 80 lumens per watt, then how on earth could it generate 80 lumens? Or is it really a 40 lumen light?

I would also point out that Energizer's newest Lithium 1AA flashlight with an XR-E claims 65 lumens and 3 hours of run time on a lithium battery. Of course the Energizer is regulated, so I suppose that causes it to shorten battery life somewhat, but the XR-E is supposed to be more efficient than the XR-C.

What do you guys think?


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## Illum (Jul 2, 2009)

both values are marketing values

using a 1.5V alkaline I got 200ma draw, using an eneloop you can get close to 8-9 hours without damaging the battery. I am not certain whether it'll accept the LiFeS2 lithiums...like the Energizer L91, if it can expect the runtime to be around 14-15 hours

as for output, its around the same with the dorcy 1 watter, but with alot more throw, I'd say 40 lumens to be an optimistic estimate


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## trailblazer (Jul 2, 2009)

I picked up the 1AA tonite and gave it a try, it's no where near 80 lumens maybe 40 tops. It's going back home to Target.


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## ReadyFreddy23 (Jul 21, 2009)

I just bought the 1 AA Life Gear light at Target. It was on clearance for $4.99 (last one as far as I could tell). 

For $5, it's a nice pocket flashlight that I don't have to worry about losing. I'm using an eneloop AA in it (free lumens):twothumbs. 

Maybe my opinion is biased because it was only $5 but it's a heck of a light for the money. 

The beam is much tighter and has more throw than the Dorcy Super 1 Watt. 

It's a bit longer than the Dorcy or the Energizer but still fits my pocket great.

I just wish it had a pocket clip :sigh:.


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## Rex01 (Aug 16, 2009)

I just bought the 2C tonight. I was looking for something with good output and run time that the whole family could use without instruction. Besides that, a recent trip to Glacier National Park had taught me that I need something with good throw for outdoor use, and the 2C's smooth reflector and claimed 210 lumens looked like a good combination.

When I fed it batteries and lit it up, I was disappointed. The hot spot was broad and blotchy, and overall output was weaker than I had expected. So I opened up the head, and out fell a small, very convex lens sort of thingy. The back of this thingy (what's the right term for it?) had some small, silicone-like boogers stuck to it. I left it out and reassembled the light. (I tried to attach a picture, but the "manage attachments" button that the FAQ talks about isn't there.)

With the "thingy" removed, the light is now very throwy. The hot spot has only a few artifacts, and the threaded head can be used as a focus ring, Maglite-style. The spill beam has two stages: the first stage is about half the diameter of the entire spill and is relatively bright, and uniform except toward its edges. The second stage is artifact-free.

The 210-lumen rating is clearly bogus; even without the "thingy," it puts out less light overall than my Novatac 120P, as determined by ceiling bounce.

So what should I do? Accept the added throw from the "thingy-less" light, return it for one with a more secure "thingy," or what? What's the "thingy" for, anyway?


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## jhc37013 (Aug 16, 2009)

I bought the 2C about a month ago because of its apparent nice bulid, good ano and nice rubber grip but once I fired it up regretted the purchase badly.

The beam reminded me of that AA river rock zoomed deal(like the moon) and the artifacts was just terrible, awful rings to boot. I got a refund the next day.

To bad because like I said it has a nice body and finish.


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## Rex01 (Aug 17, 2009)

I found out what the "thingy" is. I went to the Cree web site and found out that it's a lens that's an integral part of the LED.

Now I wonder if the poor initial output was because of the poorly-attached lens that fell off when I removed the head.

As it sits now, the light's throw is in the same league as my 4D incan Maglite. Not quite as much throw, but close enough that it renders the heavy, bulky, battery-eating, bulb-burning Mag redundant. And it has a very nice spill that the Maglite lacks completely.

Will the Cree survive without this lens attached?

jhc37013, I'm sorry to hear yours wasn't up to snuff. I'm delighted with how mine is working.


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## jhc37013 (Aug 17, 2009)

I liked the body very much besides the plastic lens and refelector.


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## [email protected] (Aug 17, 2009)

*Re: New Life Gear lights at Target*



f22shift said:


> looks like some progress in the dept store lights.




OMG what are retailers thinking these days... people actually want decent value for money products? 


Nice looking lights though I'm not overly fond of the rubberized grip appearance


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## Rex01 (Aug 18, 2009)

I actually like the rubberized grip. It feels more secure and less slippery than a lot of the knurling I've seen.


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## jhc37013 (Aug 18, 2009)

Well I picked up a Twin Task 2C from Lowe's today and I think its a better light than the Life Gear 2C.

There is no artifacts in the hotspot like the LG and more spill.


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## Rex01 (Aug 18, 2009)

Is that Twin Task or Task Force? My Lowe's doesn't carry the Twin Task or any other Streamlight gear.


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## jhc37013 (Aug 18, 2009)

Rex01 said:


> Is that Twin Task or Task Force? My Lowe's doesn't carry the Twin Task or any other Streamlight gear.



Yes your right Twin Force, my bad


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## Rex01 (Aug 18, 2009)

No problem. How does the Task Force's throw compare to the Life Gear? Throw was my main concern after my last outing, as I realized how helpful it would be to see a bear down the trail a couple of hundred feet before I got to it.


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## jhc37013 (Aug 18, 2009)

Well seems about the same from what I remember with about the Life gear I returned to Target. Its not advertised but comparing to my Jetbeam Pro the Task Force is atleast pushing 200 lumens.


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## Rex01 (Aug 19, 2009)

MINI REVIEW

I picked up the Task Force 2C today. Now I can compare it with the Life Gear 2C. This review is based on the new Life Gear 2C that I got to replace the first one (the lens fell off the Cree in my first one).


THROW

The throw is almost identical between the two lights. The Life Gear wins by a narrow margin, though. The Task Force give the illusion of slightly longer throw because of its larger hot spot, but when you try to resolve detail (such a the branches in a tree), the Life Gear does slightly better. In any case, the difference is not large enough to make you have to rush out and get the one if you've already got the other.


OVERALL OUTPUT

Again, the Life Gear wins by a nose. Its output is ever so slightly higher than the Task Force's. And again, the difference is not great enough to warrant buying one if you've got the other one already. Both give somewhat more light than my Novatac 120P; this gives some credence to the Task Force's claimed 150 lumen output, but not to the Life Gear's claimed 210 lumens.


HOT SPOT

The Twin Task wins here, by a nose and a half. Its hot spot is larger than the Life Gear's (its diameter is about 50% larger). Its only artifacts are a somewhat darker center and an off-center corona.

The Life Gear's spot has a couple of subtle artifacts but is really quite smooth. Note that you have to focus the Life Gear, Maglite-style, to get the tightest and smoothest spot. The corona blends quicky into the spill beam.


SPILL

The Life Gear wins this one — its spill is simply brighter. The inner 1/3 of the Life Gear's spill beam is fairly ringy when hunting walls, but the rings aren't noticeable in real-life use. Moving outward, the rings diminish greatly to the edge of the first stage of spill. The second (outer) stage is dimmer and completely uniform.

The Task Force also has two stages of spill. The first stage is ringy, but the artifacts are more subdued than those of the Life Gear; it's about the same size as the first stage of the Life Gear's spill but not as bright. The second stage is dim (much dimmer than the Life Gear) and fades to black as it moves outward. It's actually larger than the Life Gear's second stage, and it gives some useful light where the Life Gear does not.

In outdoor use, the Life Gear's spill has the advantage in spotting your surroundings and orienting yourself. In indoor use, where light is bouncing off of walls, ceilings and objects, its advantage is reduced but still there.


FIT & FINISH

The Life Gear comes out ahead here. Neither light is up to the level of my Novatac, but the fit of the Lite Gear is a bit tighter and the look is more refined. The biggest disappointment is the Task Force's anti-roll fins. They have burrs and sharp edges and will quickly chew up your furniture if not taken down with abrasives. Even the cheapie $3.95 lights don't have this problem.

Both lights appear to be ruggedly built and likely to last well beyond the time when they will become hopelessly outclassed by new technology. I don't think they'll have to be babied.


MISCELLANEOUS

The Life Gear is about 15% longer than the Task Force.

The Life Gear's switch is on the barrel toward the front. On a light of this size, I think that's where the switch belongs for convenience and balance. The Task Force's switch is in the tail cap.

The Task Force has an anti-roll feature; the Life Gear does not.

The Life Gear can tail stand; the Task Force cannot.

The Task Force's switch is made of metal rather than the rubber used in the Life Gear light. I'm not sure what that means for water resistance, or whether either light is in fact water resistant or waterproof.

The Task Force has an O-ring around the outside of the bezel. I have no idea why.


OVERALL

Both of these lights make great general-purpose lights. They're good ones to grab when you don't know whether you'll be need near light or far. They outperform my 4D Maglite in every way (except maybe run time, which I haven't tested). Some people may find these lights larger and heavier than they'd like, but their performace and simplicity make them a good choice for both you and your non-flashlight loving friends and family. Their two C-cell configuration gives them exceptional runtime considering the job they do, and their size makes them easy to use and control with heavily-gloved hands in the dead of winter. They appear to be ready to take some abuse, and their low price and tremendous throw makes them strong contenders.


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## RSnatch (Aug 19, 2009)

Speaking of Lowe's, I was surprised to see a few Surefire models in our local Lowe's. 

I bought the 80 lumen AA Lifegear from Target several weeks ago. The switch had some sort of short in it, plus it wasn't as bright as my other AA 80 lumen lights, so I returned it. 

I agree through; the Lifegear lights definitely look good, but I'd have a hard time convincing myself to buy another one.


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## dementedlemur (Aug 19, 2009)

RSnatch said:


> I bought the 80 lumen AA Lifegear from Target several weeks ago. The switch had some sort of short in it, plus it wasn't as bright as my other AA 80 lumen lights, so I returned it.
> 
> I agree through; the Lifegear lights definitely look good, but I'd have a hard time convincing myself to buy another one.


 
I picked up the same light yesterday and have been impressed so far. The one I got seems pretty close to 80 lumens by comparison to some of my current lights. 
I plan on getting 6 or 7 others for coworkers so I will see if there is a wide variation in brightness levels and issues among the ones I pick up.


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## Tanglefoot (Jan 19, 2010)

Picked up the single AA Life Gear light at Target for $20. This is my first Cree LED light. WOW!:twothumbs 

Very nice light for the money. Blows away my 2x CR123 Streamlight Twin Task in LED mode. The Twin Task has a (slightly) better flood, but I don't care for the artifacts. 

Thanks for the posts - CPF really helped put me in the right direction. Must not succumb to the lure of more flashlights.........:shakehead


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## robo21 (Feb 24, 2010)

Rex01 said:


> MINI REVIEW
> 
> I picked up the Task Force 2C today. Now I can compare it with the Life Gear 2C. This review is based on the new Life Gear 2C that I got to replace the first one (the lens fell off the Cree in my first one).
> 
> ...


 
*EXCELLENT REVIEW!* 

I have both lights and I would make the margin of superiority between the two much wider between the two and definitely in favor of the Life Gear 210 lumen 2C. *I love the value this light provides for the price.*
*:twothumbs*
I'm stunned by the CPFrs who are complaining about "artifacts" or "rings" in the beam. *I too prefer a lovely OP reflector and a coated lens but C'MON! THIS LIGHT SELLS DELIVERED FOR UNDER $30!!!* I paid almost *$100 more* for my Tiablo A9S when it first came out and this light is a close contender for real world usage. Ok so if you sit at your desk and point your flashlight at white walls then you *may* be somewhat disappointed when comparing this flashlight's beam to flashlights costing 3 or 4 or 5 times the price. 

The Life Gear 210 make a *great* back up light with the ubiquitous 2C cells and really throws a beam. Artifacts schmartifacts, in real world applications this light is a MONSTER home run for the money. And for those interested in what may be the best price, look no further:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...il_499B2B-_-FOCUS-_-6-_-LifeGearFlashlight://# 
[Thanks to my friend Allan for finding this deal]

*2 lights delivered with tax and shipping included for <$58!!!* Ours came with the 2 flashlights individually, blister packaged so gifting is an option. Or you can put one in the car and one in the garage etc. In my case my buddy and I split a 2-pack just to try them out but he has already reordered another 2 pack for himself and I am about to order another myself because my wife has already um, _*appropriated*_ my new light for herself because she says it's the best flashlight she has used to date. Mind you, she's not a CPFer but she has above average technical skills (builds computers, etc) and has used all of my "high end" more expensive flashlights. She just likes the "feel." I can't disagree the light _feels_ like it should sell for $75 EACH or more. And since she is prone to "butterfingers" I feel vastly better about her using the Life Gear vs a more expensive flashlight. She's happy and I'm happy. 

*I give this light 6 out of 5 stars given the value, price, fit, finish, compact size and weight and most importantly, the performance.* 

*For those who don't like the "ringy artifacts," I would have to say "to each his own" but would you like a little cheese with that whine? :mecry:*


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## wildweed (Feb 24, 2010)

I have the AA 80 lumens and love it :twothumbs. Been wanting to get the 2C cell 

and it looks like i need to just do it. The AA is a great light for the price and 

i'm sure the 2C cell version is great. 

Thanks robo21 I agree 100%:thumbsup:


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## robo21 (Feb 24, 2010)

wildweed said:


> I have the AA 80 lumens and love it :twothumbs. Been wanting to get the 2C cell
> 
> and it looks like i need to just do it. The AA is a great light for the price and
> 
> ...


You're quite welcome Wildweed, and thank you for mentioning the AA 80 lumen. Given how delighted we are with the 2C 210 lumen we will definitely want to look at the rest of the lineup from Life Gear. You just can't beat the bang for the buck with the 2C light from Life Gear/Costco. :twothumbs


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## irlmarko (Mar 8, 2010)

Target seem to be clearing these out. I saw the 2C model on the shelf for $26 and change today.


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## MightyMart (Mar 14, 2010)

irlmarko said:


> Target seem to be clearing these out. I saw the 2C model on the shelf for $26 and change today.



I am in the Cleveland Area. From time to time, I will check out the section with the flashlights and saw the 2C Version for 20.00. So I picked one up.


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## michi098 (Mar 19, 2010)

Yep, all my local Targets have the Life Gear and Dorcy and some other lights on clearance. Right now they are at 50% off. I got a Life Gear AA for about $10 and the 2C for about $20. I like the AA a lot, it's brighter and smaller than the Maglite 2AA LED light, and nearly as bright as my Inova 2AA Bolt. Pretty impressive. I haven't tried the 2C Life Gear, it's a gift for someone. Wish I would have gotten one for myself also...


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## steven252000 (Mar 20, 2010)

I picked up the 2C version last night for $19 at my local target. I plan on using it just as a general around the house kinda light.


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## RAGE CAGE (Mar 21, 2010)

2C picked up today at Target- threads and orings were dry- lubed them up- $19 and some change- waiting for darkness- even inside my sunlit house (a rare thing in OH) the throw is a just a hair under my Maglite 3D Rebel 090....seems fairly well made- little bit of battery rattle in the tube- but for $19 bucks it as a great priced thrower- waiting for long distance outdoor shoot out tonight.


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## icaruz (Mar 24, 2010)

Been wanting to give this 2C light to my father in law. after checking with Amazon the Life Gear 2C is label as 180 lumens not 210. Is this the same light?


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