Inova XO3 Passaround & Maxpedition sheath Review

[TOB9595]

I got this Ti colored Inova XO3 light in Passaround and have been sooooooo bad about posting a review.....

I liked this light so very much that I bought three of them from Botach for ~$52 each......For Dad, Airman OBrien and me
Yeah, Yeah....It was like a lottery if I was gonna get them or not. BUT I got them only a few days after ordering....KUDOS to Botach....this time.
Botach has/had the T3 for ~$46 which I would order for the clickie switch.

The light is a three watt led that takes two 123 batts. It will light up the night!! Runtime is VERY good lasting well over an hour. I took no illumination pics!!! DANG! This is a VERY bright light in a strong body.
The passaround light suffered a failure when it was dropped onto carpeted floor from ~ 3 feet when MicMurry had it. He's tough on passarounds
hahahahahahaha
NOT!!
Inova replaced the light and it's back on passaround, now.

The light is ~ six inches in length and the lens is a bit over an inch. There are the usual Inova flats on the barrel but the light still rolls around when on a flat, almost, surface. The switch is in the tailcap. Push for momentary light and twist to turn on. I would prefer the clickie switch which is push to turn on. You can also turn on momentary with the clickie. I think the T3 comes with this style switch.
The sheath it comes with is terrible. Started to rip and lost retention almost immediately.

The light fits the hand well

Here's the story on the sheath
The sheath that came with the Inova XO3 is VERY lame. It started to shred after a few days and even quicker lost it's retention. I posted a query on USN and several folk recommended the Maxpedition sheaths. Of course there were many of my buds that mistook the X5 for the XO3 and gave me recs for the smaller size..
hahahahaha
The thread is here
When I have some money I'll ask Nitin to make me a kydex sheath as the one he made was KILLER!!!


I received a maxpedition single sheath from PMDC Tactical and Mike offered to let me try out another sheath to see which one fits best.
The other sheath Mike sent was a 4 inch tube sheath that fit the Inova X5 perfectly.... Another primo guy who swapped the XO3 and X5 in his head
hahahahahaha
It took me a bit to figure out that the single sheath has a flap that you can make longer by pulling and wiggling the flap. As it came the flap wouldn't fit the XO3 which is six inches long.. After adjusting the flap length it covers the XO3 well. The XO3 is the same size as the Inova T3.

I'm wearing the sheath, with the lens down, in a horizontal position on my 5 stitch Wilderness belt on weak or left side. I have the lens down so when I deploy the light it is in ready position to light up the night.
The single sheath doesn't have a belt loop but has velcro flaps that you can loop over your belt in horizontal or vertical carry. This is handy cause you don't have to remove the belt to remove or put on the sheath
In horizontal carry I have a concern as the tailcap comes out from under the flap all the time. This comes about from my fat waist torquing the rigid tube of the light till it comes out from under the flap. I'm concerned that the flap won't protect the tailcap or the cap will snag on the many things I bump into. like doorknobs, chair arms. etc.
I'm not too concerned about the light falling out as it is well retained by the side elastic and the diameter of the lens.
I may start to carry in a vertical position if tailcap protruding becomes a problem.

There are many adjustments to the sheath and the flap cover well.

Covers well except when the tailcap comes from under it

Here's the velcro flaps for vertical or horiz mounting.

Here's the slick fit iof the X5 in the 4 inch tube sheath. Wonderfful fit but only in a vertical position and the belt loop is stitched so you have to remove the belt to take the sheath off.. I may end up trying out the 5 inch tube sheath, for the XO3, if the single sheath doesn't work out.

Tom

 

[LongRifle]

Great review Tom. Maybe I'll take a look at another Inova. Cool sheaths too.

~M

 

[TOB9595]

Hi Matt, I often think of your troubles with Inova and their customer service.
When the passaround broke I held my breath as I had ordered these before I read the post from MicMurry about the failure of the light....
Then I was hopin that Botach would be true to form and ignore my order....BUT I am pleased with the light and my Dad and Son are pleased as punch with the light throwers

As I said above BUT I'm fond of repetition
I like the XO3 but I think I'd rather have the clickie tail switch on the T3.
Botach has them for ~ $46 or maybe had them. Worth the look, tho.

Tom

 

[TOB9595]

Here's a mod I did with the Maxpedition Single Sheath 1411.
I'm carrying horizontal and I like to clip my keys to my belt loop and tuck in the left back pocket. The sheath location prevents me from gettin at the loop so as I was looking for a black tie wrap I found a large key ring...split ring???....
Works like a champ and better than a tie wrap
IMNSHO

Don't have a clue......usually.... what the loops top and bottom, fore and aft of the sheath is for.....

BTW the spring gate clips are Berkley Point stainless in a couple of sizes.
Tom

 

[TOB9595]

Here's a comparison shot of the Single Sheath and the Tube Sheath.
Tho a better comparison would be the 5 inch Tube Sheath

I got a 4 inch tube sheath that the X5 fits in well and there are malice slots on the back of the vertical positioning belt loop. The belt loop is stitched on this. Where the single sheath has velcro to attach around a belt if you want vertical carry and has the horizontal velcro. AND the single sheath has the velcro flap that you can lengthen or shorten, or remove depending on your wants
The tube sheath is much less bulky than the single sheath and has the flap as a contiguous part of the sheath.

Pic of the Single Sheath (top) and the 4 inch Tube Sheath (bottom)
Here you can see the malice weave slots on the 4 inch tube sheath (bottom of the two)

And here is a top shot

I'm looking to see the difference in bulk of the 5 inch tube sheath to the single sheath. I think the tube sheath will prove to be much more streamlined than the single sheath as there appears to be much less material due to the flap that is inserted into the pocket of the sheath and the velcro flap on the back is pretty bulky..

I ordered a tan 5 inch vertical sheath to try out but I think that the XO3 will only fit in barrel down which is opposite of the way I want to deploy it. I want the barrel in my hand so I have the switch in hand when I pull it from the sheath. I'm hoping tht the bigger 5 inch tube sheath will host the XO3 lens down..But I don't know yet

Tom

 

[rnpollard]

Well written! Now I have another entry on my gotta have list!