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The Quake II is like many new LED lights coming out
recently. By using a number of 5mm LEDs for producing
light, these LED lights are now competing well with
traditional incandescent flashlights in terms of output.
Some of these lights use boost circuits or resistors
depending on the power source.
The body of the light is made of anodized aluminum.
The body has little plateaus machined into the sides
for grip. The tailcap has a checkered ring around its
circumference, while there are decorative rings machined
into the head. The body wall is quite thick - well built.
The finish is a speckled polished silver. At the very
front of the light is a polished silver ring which contains
the LEDs, recessed in holes. Both the head and tailcap
are removable. The tailcap has a hole for the attachment
of a wrist lanyard (included) and is flat so that it
can stand on end. The tailcap contains a rubber covered
push button click switch for operating the light.
At the front of the light you will see the polished
silver disk where the LEDs reside in recessed holes.
By recessing the LEDs into the front of the unit, the
flashlight produces a more concentrated beam while at
the same time the LEDs are protected from impacts. There
were a few dings in the metal plate upon arrival, but
it is only cosmetic, and the dings are polished so it
must have happened at the factory before the plate was
polished/coated. I should also note for the techies
out there that most 5mm LEDs have a yellow phosphor
on the LED die which is visible from the end when you
look at the turned-off LED. These have a phosphor which
is almost white.
Yow! One of the brighter multi LED lights I've seen.
Output is in the form of a very slightly bluish tinted
white spot of light. The spot is fairly wide and tapers
off around the edges. A nice soft spillbeam surrounds
the main spot.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot: Very good! Over 2½ hours to 50%.
Great output for a very good length of time.
Runtime
completed withSurefire batteries. More information on
runtime plots is available HERE.
The switch is covered by a flat rubber cap. This cap
is very slightly recessed from the surrounding material
of the tailcap so that the light can sit on its tail
end. The clickie switch is a "reverse clickie",
turning the light on after it clicks and is released.
The light is sealed from the environment by O-rings.
I'd give it a splashable at the minimum. If water gets
inside just disassemble as much as possible without
tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: A very convenient size. Not too large,
not too small. A too large around the head to be carried
comfortably inside the front pants pocket. Use the cargo
pocket if your pants have them. Jacket pockets work
well too.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Two 123A lithium cells power the light. As always,
I'd recommend getting them from an online retailer where
they can be had for as low as 1.25 each. If you want
to pick them up at a retail store, go ahead, but be
ready to pay $10 for a pair! To change the batteries
just unscrew the tailcap, drop out the old cells, drop
in new ones positive first and reassemble.
Accessories: Nylon wrist lanyard included.
What I Liked: Water resistant,
Impact resistant (withstood multiple drops), Bright,
Easy battery change, Lightweight, Stands up
What I Didn't Like: Nothing yet.
Other Things I Noticed: Unlike
many other mulit-LED lights appearing in huge quantities
on the market today, this little critter actually appears
to be of better quality than most and it's very bright
for the number of LEDs built in.
Conclusions: Good quality light
with very good output, rivaling that of lights with
nearly double the LEDs. Of course this could also be
a sign of the poor little LEDs being driven really hard.
The head of the light does get warm with use. I had
no problems with the light at all, and I would recommend
it for normal tasks. The price is very good for the
output, quality, and number of LEDs.
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