# Has 4seven's flashlights lived up to the hype?



## sfca (Nov 18, 2009)

I know everyone betting on the Maelstrom being released tomorrow, so I want to get this posted before that hits.

So, what do you think? For those that have followed the releases whether moderately or obsessively how have they lived up to your (reasonable) expectations so far?

This thread is for those that *own* 4sevens lights only. I want to know your impressions, comparisons would be okay but I'd prefer for the thread to be dedicated to 4sevens only.

My Quark Turbo and 1st 4sevens light is coming via priority from Flashlightsngear. Waiting..


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## Saint_Dogbert (Nov 18, 2009)

hype?

My quarks have done what they were expected to do; I wasn't planning on going and changing the world with them or anything.


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## madmook (Nov 18, 2009)

Thusfar, I have been satisfied with my 4sevens lights. I wasn't on CPF before they started manufacturing their own line, so I don't know how large the hype-train was for their lights, but I now own several of their lights and have pre-ordered a MiNi AA, so that should speak to something...


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## ninjaboigt (Nov 18, 2009)

i have the quark 2AA Neutral white tactical light..and i love it. i always expect all my lights to turn everything from night to day lol but thats just me being silly. i love the neutral tint...

i think the maelstorm will be perfect, that will be my 2nd flashlight from 4sevens. it'll be my new edc ( looks comfy enough for me to carry ) 500 lumens in my pocket...and possibly 700 lumens..can we say wow? ( would love a neutral tint verison also )

my 3rd will be a 123 mini and also maybe a AA mini. these lights are great for key chains. because sometimes i just run out of the house real " quick " and dont bring my other lights so i'd like to have 189 lumens on my keychain just in case...and of course the wow factor of " whattt the ? from that keychain light?" and a strobe hidden just in case i need to use it. 

i like the preon..but i cant find my self spending 29+11+7=47 dollars or 49 dollars for a small flashlight! i know..kinda stupid but thats why i never bought the LD01 from fenix..just wish it was cheaper...oh well i'll end up buying it as a gift for someone, because they must have a clicky on their keychain. 

The RGB...hmm i dont find it nessiary for me to have a red blue or green light, but having a floody bright light would be sweet! so i wanna see the beam shots for these...but then again...if i had a floody light it would be my number one used light...so i perfer it in a 2AA format that way i can use my eneloops i dont use li ions...but! the maelstorm should be pretty floody...so...i might just have to get in to li ions..and hope i dont blow my self up.

prism is an awsome idea. but i need to buy a reg quark 123 and buy the prisim...that can wait...

the 123 turbo is sexy! and that will probably be my 4th purchase from 4 sevens. i love the tail cap button on it. looks very familar to the maelstorm..

lived up to the hype so far? i say yes, 

is he done making flashlights after the 12/3 release date? i dont think so...


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## Marduke (Nov 18, 2009)

Considering there was no hype...


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## Sgt. LED (Nov 18, 2009)

Let's just say that they have lived up to my _expectations_.


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## Burgess (Nov 18, 2009)

Here's my "view" on this subject . . . .


I've been a Flashaholic for *50 years* now.


My 4Sevens Quark Titanium 2xAA Regular (s.n. 509 of 750)
is the nicest flashlight that i've ever owned.


Been EDC carrying it for nearly 3 weeks, so far.


And it impresses me* more and more every day*.





Good work, David.

:goodjob::thanks:

_


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## divechief (Nov 18, 2009)

Fenix P3d, my first quality work light (I work in a factory maintenance type of setting (actually I work in ship engine rooms but kind of the same thing). 4 sevens Quark AA with a 10500 battery replaced it (I keep my fenix in my locker in case I forget to charge, or over use my quark)

I considered a Preon for EDC. almost flipped the switch then I learned about the IluminiTI. After reading the reviews I think I am glad I was hesitant. on th Preon. anxiously awaiting the IlluminaTI, but I love my 4 sevens..

and I am looking forward to seeing how my ROP lights up the bilges <G>


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## adnj (Nov 18, 2009)

Perfect? No. But the price, function and performance are what I expect. I also appreciate that the Quarks are slimmer than most of the other CR123 lights that I own.


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## strinq (Nov 18, 2009)

My only Quark light is the 123 Ti. Always thought that I'd keep it as a shelf queen but somehow these days i seem to always slip it into my pocket before leaving the house (in it's holster of course). Not because i think that i'll need to use the light, but just because it's...pretty... 

Anyways, been impressed at the beam pattern and am used to the UI so yeah, they're great so far.


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## bernards (Nov 18, 2009)

Speed to market, price, customer service seem to be great. My Quark set when it arrived was all gummy in the threads and had a ding on the body. Kinda like what I would expect from those $10 DX lights. I guess improvements can be made in this area.


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## boojum (Nov 18, 2009)

I don't know about "hype", but as others have said, they've performed the way they were advertised.


Burgess said:


> Here's my "view" on this subject . . . .
> 
> 
> I've been a Flashaholic for *50 years* now.
> ...





strinq said:


> My only Quark light is the 123 Ti. Always thought that I'd keep it as a shelf queen but somehow these days i seem to always slip it into my pocket before leaving the house (in it's holster of course).



I've been EDC carrying the Ti Quark 123 since I got it (prefer this to the 2xAA model that I also have, both lights in the Tactical version).



bernards said:


> Speed to market, price, customer service seem to be great. My Quark set when it arrived was all gummy in the threads and had a ding on the body. Kinda like what I would expect from those $10 DX lights. I guess improvements can be made in this area.



I didn't find any dings on the bodies of my 4Sevens lights; everything that was shipped was carefully packed. I like the square threads. These weren't "gummy", but the thread action was a bit rougher than I expected, so I followed the recommendations in the Quark Titanium thread at the CPF Marketplace and used an inexpensive dental pick set to gently smooth off any rough bits. Then, I simply twisted the threaded heads several times to smooth things off. Finally, I applied a light coating of Krytox lubricant that I ordered from a member in the CPF Marketplace forum. The beams on the Quarks that I have are great.


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## mbw_151 (Nov 19, 2009)

I've managed to accumulate 4 Quarks all neutral white; two AA, a 123 and a 123 Tactical. I EDC the Tactical and one of the AAs does nightly "Moon mode" duty. I got the tint I want, a great UI and at a cost that's 1/3 of my Milky modified HDS or Malkoff M60W/Surefires. My early impression is "These are great!" Now comes the hard part, holding up for the long haul of daily use. The HDS and Malkoff/Surefires have set the bar really high in the reliability/durability department. Ask again in a year.


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## PhantomPhoton (Nov 19, 2009)

It'd be difficult to live up to that much hype. There's been a ton of it.
My answer to the OP is _almost_. Considering how much there has been that's pretty good.

Has it lived up to my expectations? No; but my expectations are far beyond the "common" flashaholic's expectations. Only a couple production companies have ever exceeded my expectations.


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## amigafan2003 (Nov 19, 2009)

Quark AA2 and 1232 Turbo here.

I didn't buy them for the hype - I bought them because they were the two lights that seemed to fit in with my required use. And now I have them I can say I'm massively impressed with the build quality, the packaging, the included accessories the tints and the best beam patterns I have ever seen.

Can't comment on customer service as I haven't had a need to use it but it doesn't seem anyone else has any issues.

I'm impressed enough with the two 4Sevens lights I already have to put the Preon kit, Prism kit and a Mini AA on the xmas list I gave to the wife


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## NoFair (Nov 19, 2009)

They do just what they are suppose to and at a great price.

Would have preferred HA natural, satin Ti finish and a couple of other small things, but all in all they are great lights at good prices.

Currently EDC a neutral white tac AA Quark since it does almost everything I want it to. 

Sverre


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## ubetit (Nov 19, 2009)

Quark Ti - I love the tactical 123. I have various models but that is my favorite by far. 

Quark AAx2 Turbo and 18650 tube - I find myself using this more than some of my bigger lights anymore when i'm outside... very nice. Great regulation with the AA2 head and 18650.

Preon I - I don't love it. I'm waiting on the clicky though and that may save it. Mine is hard to turn on and is finicky. I have to really twist the head hard to get contact. It's small but almost too small for me. I have really high hopes that the MiNi 123 and MiNi AA are more my style.


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## NonSenCe (Nov 19, 2009)

q-w-aa-t. q-w-2cr123-r, q-ti-aa-r,

ordered prism, miniAA warm tint.

thinking about if i should be getting one more warm tint model.. (i like the warm tints) and the 18650 body too. maelstorm maybe too. preon almost bought it. well.. actually very likely buy it later on when i get some extra fun money to spend. hah. or ask one for xmas present. 

hype. not sure if there has been that much of it. or am i blind to it?

i saw the promoted features. size runtime functions warranty tint ui all seemed to fill my needs well enough. 

i bought one (the tactical).. then the others as i got 1st hand proof they seem to be fine. 

we will know better next summer after we all have used them enough. for now, they seem to be filling my expectations.


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## jamie.91 (Nov 19, 2009)

I have a MiNi 123 on its way cant wait, i hope its what i am expecting

jamielovecpf


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## f22shift (Nov 19, 2009)

hype sort of has a negative connotation. 4sevens definitely gets alot of attention.

i think in general they do as advertised.

i'm very happy with my quark 2aa tac. it's so versatile and if i had to pick only one, it would be it.


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## Grumpy (Nov 19, 2009)

My Quark 123 is the best EDC flashlight that I have ever owned. 

I love it.


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## DimeRazorback (Nov 19, 2009)

I think that they are a good flashlight for the price, and meet my personal expectations.

I also have my negative thoughts on them, which is only natural.


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## kimck99 (Nov 19, 2009)

I have the Quark AA with a 18650 body and overall, I am happy with it. From a Price, Performance, Quality standpoint, I think it provides a very good value.

Comparing the QAA with my Nitecore D10 R2, IMO, the D10 is of higher build quality and I like the beam/spread of the light better. To be specific:

Quality - the Nitecore D10 R2 has a much smoothers threads. I cleaned and lubed both lights and the D10 is still much better.
Beam - (Both on Eneloops) the D10 R2 seems brighter ( I say seems because the tint on the D10 is a bit cooler than the QAA so I preception may be a bit skewed) and the spill area is definitely brighter.
I am currently running D10 on 14500 and QAA with 18650. With this configuration, the D10 seems brighter. (Again, just visually, not with any instrument to measure.)

Having said that, even though the D10 is my EDC, I think for the money, Quarks are a good value.

Hope this helps.


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## Snow (Nov 19, 2009)

I have Quark 2xAA tactical and a 1xAA, both in neutral white. I have been extremely satisfied with them. I usually carry the tactical in 1xAA with the flat tailcap daily, the other is in my car, bag, or home. The neutral tint has changed my world. I will no longer buy a flashlight with a cool tint.

My only disappointment is the anodization. I am used to Surefire milspec HA and the "HA" on the Quarks rubs off quite easily. All in all, they are great lights and a good value, so I won't complain.


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## Speedball (Nov 19, 2009)

I'll let you know when I receive my Gold Preon...

So far my T-1, Tk-11, P3D, and P1D do just fine.


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## bosh (Nov 19, 2009)

I have a 1232 Tactical and am slightly disappointed in it. While it's not a big deal I guess, the pre-flash when switching modes seems like someone didn't do their homework when they designed the circuit. Kinda cheapens the light for me if that makes any sense. It's also having a problem getting stuck in the "head tightened" mode, when the head is loose (won’t switch output levels or enter the program mode). This is an intermittent problem and has only happened a couple of times. Its working fine right now . I have a note in to customer service and am sure they will take care of the issue... but it's still an issue.
Things I love about the light are the form factor, just the right size and nice and slim. Very light weight with a good beam pattern. The threads are very good on my example and the UI is fantastic, almost exactly what I was looking for.
I'd buy another one.


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## BentHeadTX (Nov 20, 2009)

I have one 4sevens light, the Quark Turbo AA2,

I bought it as a 2AA light with some throw, high output with great spill and was not disappointed. It's main use is a bicycle light and used for out doors for spotting things at a distance. Works great for that and with the larger finned head, it does not get hot if left running for an hour with no air flow. 

Comparing it against other lights for quality, it is on par with Fenix (I think they are related) My Nitecore D10 is better quality and it does not live up to the bomb-proof construction of my Peaks. I do like that they added a protected tail switch for the Turbo, I'll order one pretty soon to protect the switch for heavier abuse in the out doors. Always good to have a spare tail switch laying around so it is not an issue with me. 

I would buy another Turbo AA2 XP-G R5, it works great for out door abuse and the two-position rotate the head tactical UI is easy to use. I have mine set for max output with head tight and medium output with head loose. Nice option when the batteries run low as the medium gives enough light to see (or be seen) so you can make it home. 

Would I take it to the desert as a primary light? No, it would be a great back up light though.


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## Cataract (Nov 20, 2009)

The only negative thing I could say about 4Seven lights is that both my Quark AA's o-rings are slightly too big and make it hard to unscrew the head and/or tailcap. My Fenix lights seem a little better on the machining.

Other than that, both my Quarks do what they have to do and very well at that. They are my main EDC ever since I got them, so they passed the test so far. I even drop them (unwillingly) every now and then and no sign of scratch or anything. Plus the battery life is excellent.

On top of that, I love their UI's (regular and tactical) and the choice of output and availability of neutral LED

Service wise, 4 Sevens has the best in Canada. I always know what's going on without needing to inquire and shipping and delivery happens exactly when they say so. I just hope 4 Senvens.ca starts carrying a wider range of lights so I don't need to deal with other companies which seem to make me wait forever for shipping and take over 48 hours to tell me what' going on.

Bottom line: yes, they live up to all the fuss


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## funkymonkey1111 (Nov 20, 2009)

sfca said:


> I know everyone betting on the Maelstrom being released tomorrow, so I want to get this posted before that hits.
> 
> So, what do you think? For those that have followed the releases whether moderately or obsessively how have they lived up to your (reasonable) expectations so far?
> 
> ...


 

what is the maelstorm? i don't see it on their site.


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## bernards (Nov 20, 2009)

My threads were really gummy. It's a tactical version. When I attempted to program the light by twisting. The loctite part was twisted opened instead. (Yes the loctite part was looser than the greased part.) Maybe it's one in a thousand, but still QC can be better.


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## PeaceOfMind (Nov 20, 2009)

funkymonkey1111 said:


> what is the maelstorm? i don't see it on their site.


 
The Maelstrom is a yet-to-be-released 4Seven's MC-E light. There is some random tidbits about what it might be in the 4Sevens forum in the Marketplace, but there is no concrete info. No release date has been announced, but it is expected to be fairly soon....


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## Closet_Flashaholic (Nov 23, 2009)

The quark AA tactical I have replaced my D10 about 2 months ago for EDC. The D10 replaced a Fenix L1D CE before that. And before that a Surefire Incan.

The quark has been good so far. As previous posts stated, give it a year and ask again.

The quarks have a lot of things going for them, extensive leggoing and updated LED technology are the 2 that I like the most. I have lots of quark pieces now (and on the way). Some Ti, 18650 bodies, Turbo 123, etc. I also am looking forward to seeing how the Quark prism works and the RGB model when it shows up. If David's not careful, the Quarks may become the king of the lego kits. Although I can't imagine what else he can come up with, maybe a lantern kit (that takes 4 D cells in the base) or diffuser kits, as someone else has mentioned.

I don't personally have any interest in AAA lights or the quark MiNi's since they don't lego with the quark line, but to each their own..


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## gsxrac (Nov 24, 2009)

I have 2 4sevens lights right now and 2 more on the way but so far they have lived up to and surpassed all of my expectations. If I had more money I would have more 4sevens lights. They are right up there with Surefire in my book.


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## edc3 (Nov 24, 2009)

Interesting thread. I never saw what I perceived as hype. I had some expectations and they have pretty much all been met. I currently have 6 4Sevens lights and have a few more on the way (some for gifts). I've had no serious quality or performance issues and it's very comforting to know that 4Sevens is there to back up their products if I do have problems. To put it concisely, the lights do what they are supposed to do and do it well. :twothumbs


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## Egsise (Nov 24, 2009)

adnj said:


> Perfect? No. But the price, function and performance are what I expect.



+1


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## Henk_Lu (Nov 24, 2009)

The Quarks are indeed a hype, but the hype started for me AFTER I got the first one, not before...

When I first saw them at 4Sevens, I hadn't read about them and though that they were trying to make some copies of Fenix and sell them cheap. Then I read some threads, saw the neutral whites and decided to give them a try. I was convinced that they are no cheap-copy-thing.

Testing the lights was a revelation. Indeed, redefining the flashlight is a good description. You realise that those lights have been studied, that there is an idea from a flashaholic behind. They sport the best LEDs available, the reflector is OP as it should be, wel designed for a big hotspot and enough spill. There's the moonmode, which I wouldn't want to miss anymore, the different levels are well separated and they are bright on Turbo. What's more, the mechanical quality is top notch, there are usefull accessoires and you get them either with the classic reverse clicky or with a new designed tactical UI. The price is very attractive too.

You can get an 18650 body for the lights, all spare parts and you can lego them, so you have many different possibilities without the need to buy more than one complete light. It's not my thing, but it's a great opportunity to save a few bucks. The lights all work with different cell chemistries, including li-ions. I forgot the neutral-whites, unfortunately nearly sold-out and the oportunity to get titanium lights for a great price.

The only issues are the preflash, which is more disturbing on the tacticals than on the regulars and the heads are sometimes hard to turn (as on my AA-2), could be the o-ring. I'm strong, so it's OK...

The Turbos are high-class as well, perhaps I like them even more than the normal Quarks, at least in the forest. The Preons are nice, the Preon2 is quite special and a real winner, bright as hell for its size.

The RGB will be something really special, a niche light, the MiNi will be the brightest small light available with CR123A. I bet the Maelstrom will convince me to go multi-die, I'm the single-die man, I love my lights small. As all these lights are not in our hands yet, they are in fact tomorrow's hype and not subject of this thread.

If somebody asks me about a good light, I normally say Quark now, they are currently best in class. They surely live up the hype, they rock!!! lovecpf


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## NutSAK (Nov 25, 2009)

I EDC a Quark 123 Tactical NW, and carry a spare AA2 body for it in my EDC bag. I love it in both configurations. The beam is perfect for all-around use, with a smooth spot/spill transition and the most spill (largest diameter) of any reflectored light I own. The levels are easily configurable and the light is very simple to operate once configured.

I just purchased an 18650 body and a MiNi AA neutral as well.

...as to whether they meet up to the 'hype'? I don't care. They fit my uses perfectly.


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## DM51 (Nov 27, 2009)

If this thread was intended as an invitation for trolls to participate in a product-bashing spree, as the use of the word "hype" in the title suggests, it has backfired. 

If it was not intended that way, it is too general in its scope. It would heve been better for the topic to have been a specific light, rather than an entire brand, which in this case has its own sub-forum in the MP.

There's no point in continuing with it. It's closed.


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