X5MT, Opalec upgrade, or E2e?

VampyreWolf

VampyreWolf

Joined
Feb 12, 2001
Messages
3,415
yep, I'm considering getting a new light...

I asked about the Opalec before, but had to wait till I got a job... now I do.

I'm tired of my 6-7hr total runtime from my MiniMag(with Energizer E2s), and buying new bulbs every month(I've only had it since mid June and on bulb 4 and it's almost dead).

Any way I go, I'm getting a concealex holster made for it, as I prefer to have it on my hip.

The Inova X5MT is $48USD, the Opalec is $28USD, and I hear the E2 is $70 USD(so 120ish CAN)...

is it worth the price being 3x as high? I know my MiniMag is piss yellow(I went and bought a Maglight Solitaire and my 2aa is yellow compared) and want something white.

so, what do you think? I want longer batt life, but a good output.

edit: just popped onto 1sks... SUREFIRE E2 EXECUTIVE, SF-E2-HA - Type 3 Hard Anodized Olive Green, is only $61 USD(+8USD for HA)... thats better for price...
 
The E2 will be much, MUCH brighter than either of the LED lights, but keep in mind it only gets a little over an hour runtime off 2 123 batteries. Very expensive if you use the light much.
I use the KL1 bezel on my E2e, and love it, but the initial cost was $70-something for the E2e + $45 for the KL1 bezel. The KL1 is brighter than the X5, but only runs about 4.5 hours off the same set of batteries. I like my X5, but don't use it much since getting the Surefire. I would if long runtime were more important than pure output, though. My best friend has the X5T, and it is a great light, too. It puts out alot more usable light than a Mini-Mag, and is more of a flood light. I would go with the X5T, but again, keep in mind it uses those same 123 batteries.
Tons of info on all these lights on www.candlepowerforums.com (I love that place). Do a search of the LED forum for the Opalec and the X5. You'll be reading all night:)
 
I got that site from Eric 'Normark' when I was asking about a rig for my minimag(he suggested the x5mt, and gave me the site for reading, it gave me idwas for mods on my minimag such as the opalec).

I've done a lot of reading there...

I toss about 2hr of use every week on my lights. I don't turn on a light if I don't have to, just grab my minimag and go.
 
personally, since you're going to be wearing it on your belt anyways i would get the minimag and put a luxeon module in it for decent runtime on cheap simple batteries. anything less and it probably won't be enough for all tasks. if you go with the e2e stock it's gonna be too bright for some things. so, buy a minimag, send it to normark for a sheath, and decide whether you want more light from a luxeon drop-in, or more run time from the newbeam (more light!).
let us know what you decide.

Pete
 
found a cheap source of cr123a lithium batts... $3.50/batt or $28/10... 1sks.com....

I have a deal going on right now for a X5MT for $60 including shipping... from a BCer on CPF... only 30minutes of use and in like new condition... waiting on details though.

then I email eric and get a rig for it...
 
If you have a mini Maglite, I suggest getting the Opalec NewBeam because it doubles your battery-life and produces a nice, bright, white light at the same intensity for close to ten hours.

The Inova X5 is an excellent, bright LED flashlight that has a battery life of 20+ hours and cool push-button, tail switch.

The Surefire E2e is a high-quality flashlight. The trade-off of choosing the E2e over LED flashlights is brightness vs. battery-life. The E2e can temporarilly blind someone at night but the batteries will last less than two hours. It all depends on what is your intended use for the flashlights that you want to buy.
 
I just got my Inova last night and I'm very impressed with how bright it is considering the battery life. Surefires are very nice lights and well worth the money, but if you are considering battery life, consider the Inova.
Matt
 
You might consider changing the bulb in your maglite to a Brinkmann Nexstar bulb - noticeably brighter & whiter than the stock bulb, and would run you about $5 for a pair.

Next step would be opalec, then a Luxeon star upgrade as previously suggested. As you start increasing the brightness, your battery life is going to drop - sticking w/ cheap/easily available batteries may be your best bet.

Investing in some decent rechargeable NiMh batteries and the Nexstar bulbs may be good overall compromise (throw in a Kroll clicky switch for the maglight & it is a decent (not exceptional) light. If you don't mind going a bit bigger, the princeton tec Impulse & Impulse II, as well as Attitude lights are pretty decent & get decent battery life, but are not as bright as the other options listed above.

Sam
 
I own a NewBeam and an E2E. The NewBeam is a very good piece of kit. It is the perfect "task light" - it gives the perfect ammount of light , enough to see where you're going - but not too much light. I propped it up on my pillow and read a book by it in the dormitory of my fire station. On two AA batteries I could have read like that for 10 hours, but got tired before that!!
The E2E is a very bright light , even with the KL1 LED bezel, it can be blinding when you use it to check a map in the back of a fire appliance.
If you want a light with "throw" get the Surefire E2E.
If you want a light with long runtime and subtle lighting (and cheap batteries)
get the Opalec NewBeam.
 
You should also look at the Magmaled Minimag bulb replacement module by technology assosiates (www.techass.com). I just orded a couple of these and am quite impressed with them. They will even fit in a AAA Minimag (but you will have to shorten the reflector a little).

They are not as *quite* as bright as the stock bulb, but it is a nice smooth blue/white light that focused quite well. Roughly the same brightness as a white Photon or an ARC AAA.

Look in the reviews section of Candlepowerforums.com to see some runtime graphs for it.
 
I have an X5T, a couple of Surefire lights, and a couple of older Maglites. I found that my 2AA Maglite was just collecting dust, so I decided to try one of the drop-in adapters for the 2AA Maglite. I considered the NewBeam, but ended up buying a 2AA maglite Inretech adapter. I installed the Inretech adapter in my 2AA Maglite with lithium batteries. It's strictly my subjective opinion, but the 2AA Maglite is brighter than the X5T when the two are shined against the wall in a darkened room. Pretty good bang for the buck IMO. I don't have the NewBeam adapter, so I don't know how it would compare. In any event, my 2AA Maglite now has new life. I always liked the size and construction of the Maglite, but just wanted something "a little better".
Jim
 
I carry both, an Inova X5T and the SureFire E2eHa, the SureFire for those times when I need to SEE far out or really light up a whole room easily! and the Inova if you are stuck in the dark and need a light to be on for a long time, we were just out of power recently for over 2 days, Inova came in VERY handy!! Way better than any mini mag could think about, cost more but worth it!

I also have a SureFire E1 and a 9P, the 9P has 3 batteries and WOW is she bright! The E1 is really a very good light and will provide a powerful throw of light as well, almost as good as the E2 but not quite...still very handy to have!

G2
 
VampyreWolf: Greetings from a fellow Canuck (Toronto)

I, like you, was in the market for a tactical/performance flashlight. I wanted a flashlight that was bright, cool, small, tough, easy on batteries, etc...

I narrowed my choices down to a SF E2eHA and X5T. To make a long story short, after lots of reading here and there, I decided on the E2eHA + KL1 head over the X5T.

Here were my principal reasons why:
1) Users swear by Surefire
2) E2e appears to be universally loved/recommended
3) E2e is really bright
4) E2e is really small
5) E2e is really tough, esp. the HA
6) E2e feeld just right in the hand
7) E2e is brutal on batteries I understand... therefore I also bought the KL1 head to use when my batteries are running low, and to get a different LED option
8) Absolutely no offence to Inova supporters... I'm planning on picking up the X5T also in the New Year

Having now owned the E2e for exactly one day, and playing around with it, I have come to the conclusion that the E2eHA is the superior setup FOR ME. I like the coolness of the KL1 head, but its not bright enough...Its a different kind of brightness, like comparing apples and oranges. I think I am going to get a E1 and put the KL1 on it and use it as an EDC LED, and my E2eHA as my EDC filament light...

Just my $0.02, or $0.036 in CAD$...:p

Good luck...

JC
 
I agree that surefire is the way to go IF YOU HAVE CASH. However you are aware that for the price of a E2E and KL1 you could buy 3 X5T's right? and 3 or 4 of the Badboy mods mentioned in my post. and the X5 is almost as bright as a KL1 and the badboy drop in mods(especialy the 500ma version) will blow a KL1 out of thw water plus it uses cheaper batteries(2 AA). I wont argue with surefire being a good standup company and they do make tough lights but a X5T is just as tough as any surefire i own and i have put my X5T through some serious abuse, and its half the price of a E2E, and 3 times less than a E2E+KL1. I think you would be more than happy with a X5T or a Badboy drop in mod, depending on how much light you want, the badboy is 2-3 times brighter.
 
Hopefully getting the X5MT late january... have to see how the cash sits... only gonna cost me $60CAN for it.

Have to pay off Hawkbill for the Salsa I have sitting in the box(not playing with it until I pay for it), and then look again to see how soon I can pay off the lil temp Linda Glasshartt is holding for me... and the anni delica's are coming out soon... then the SS Crickets...
 
I am most impressed with my Badboy 400mA drop-in. I have the following lights:

Arc AAA LE
Arc SLS (2)
E1e
E2e
Newbeam
Badboy 400

I carry the SLS almost all the time due to its size, but use the Badboy more when I know i'm going to have the light on alot, due to the battery cost, the badboy is brighter than the SLS as well. Get the Kroll tail switch also if you buy the Badboy. I like it so much I ordered another one.
 
Randman,
What is the real-world runtime on the Badboy 400mA drop-in with the light at its brightest? I could never figure out all the advertising stats.....when you turn it on, how long does it take before you notice it enough to think about changing the batteries?
Thanks,
Jim
 
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