Night-Ops Gladius tac-light

J

john.thomas.

Joined
Apr 28, 2005
Messages
52
Anyone had any experience with it, features list at the site seem quite respectable, though the price is steep.
 
I've had one for a month, now. Excellent light that lives up to the hype. Goto www.night-ops.com and read some of the reviews (esp. from CPF).

--dan
 
I've had one for a month as well and it is outstanding. The light is the brightest that I own (and I own several surefires) and the strobe implementation is a great bonus.
 
how's that turning thing. is it useful for everyday chores, or is it more of a tactical gimmick? like the strobe feature, sure it works but unless you're LEO or are attacked, etc. you'll never use it 99% of the time.
 
It's a 3W LED.

There's nothing wrong with an incan, though, contrary to the internet LED trend.

-dan
 
The turn dial is useful and it lets you set modes (pressure on, always on, and strobe).

Even more useful is the ability to set the LED brightness on the fly by holding the button down while in pressure on mode.

Overall, I am very happy with it
 
is setting the brightness easy to do? or do you have to do a whole procedure like the Arc 4+ had? is all you have to do is hold the button down and it grows brighter and brighter?
 
Thanks for the info! The night ops has been on my list as soon as it surfaced but at it's price range, it's not something you can just go ahead and buy without guilt :D
 
Just ordered one of these lights based on several rave reviews elsewhere - anybody have experience with this light to add?

Thanks.
 
While the U2 has variable brightness, the appeal of the Gladius for me is the strobe feature.

I'm convinced it's not just another cool tactical gizmo, but may in fact be something of a true non lethal force option. The few reports I've read so far indicate it does an effective job of disorienting subjects, and maintaining some level of temporary standoff.
 
I tried one out recently. The only thing I didn't like about it was the feel of the switch, which will take some getting used to if you're used to surefire switches. It works fine but feels a bit mushy. No effect on utility though.
 
well shoot, I checked the threads on cp forums, the ceramic wears off so black is the only HAIII color. And it seems the HDS light, with the f'upped menu system may be better. Sigh, maybe I won't buy one.
 
I am not a flashlight collector or geek, but I used to be able to get Surefire at cost, and can now get Inova, Streamlight, Night-Ops and some others at cost, so when I find one I like, I buy it.

This is one of the most expensive flashlights that I have purchased. ALL coatings have a tendency to scratch at some point, so the first thing I usually do is use heatshrink tubing on the areas that I can. It also provides a better "feel" IMHO.

The switch is fine. A little less "crisp" than a Surefire or Inova, but it is "quieter" as well. It is a fair trade off. I am not super crazy about the plastic control knob, but there is probably a lot of thought that went into its' development.

The strobe and "one-push on down to dim position" is what sold me. I always have some sort of light with me everywhere I go, but it would be nice to have the dim to guide my way into the bedroom when my wife is sleeping. I carry a red Photon, and when I use it at night, it freaks her out. She says it is like waking up in a Dario Argento movie, or something to that affect.

I carry a T3 in my BOB, and compared the two side by side in a totally dark room. The T3 has a much "bigger" light circle with a warmer coloration. The Gladius is "whiter" and has a fairly focused light circle with a wide dim light corona.

I like this light, and when I showed it to a friend who is an Lt. for the county Sheriff's Dept., he said he wants one. He likes the strobe feature too. If the light gets shined in your eyes when in strobe mode, you ARE disoriented, and I really like that.

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
I should have mine today....I was lucky enough to win one in a raffle on another forum :D I already have a Surefire E2d, so I have been wanting a LED light. I'm looking forward to messing around in the dark this weekend...my wife thinks I am such a dork :p :rolleyes:
 
Although I prefer to EDC an SFA2 porcupine, my early production Gladius has replaced my SFU2 in the LED role around the house. Its just a lot more useful to me than the U2.
The ceramic coating doesn't wear nearly as well as anodizing (hard or soft). The strobe is a nice feature if you want to make someone sick or have the time and need an alternative to the Heimlich manuver.
 
I have the Gladius and the SF U2, and I'm pretty happy with mine at the price that I paid. It is hard to find a use out of the strobe feature outside of disorienting someone or signaling help in an emergency situation. The Gladius spot is tighter than the U2, but still has a decent spill. As far as the tailcap, it does take a little getting used to, especially if you are used to the SF tailcaps. I think what I like most about the Gladius is its versaltility with changing how the flashlight operates in channel 3, start on high then dim, start low to high and a memory mode. I think its worth checking out.
 
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