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Reviewer's
Impressions:
The Arc LS is just as much at at home in the warm inner pocket
of a three piece wool suit as it is in the bottom drawer of
a greasy, dusty, battered toolbox. So well made, they would
almost pass for an unusual form of fine jewelry in much the
same way as a vase or silver box bought on New York's 5th
Avenue. In my evaluation of the light I am tempted to use
the word "perfect" for lack of anything more descriptive.
The Arc LSH-P body is made of machined aluminum with Type
III hard anodize coating. This coating is much harder to damage
than that of your standard aluminum flashlight. The body is
in two pieces, unscrewing slightly below the middle to allow
access to the battery compartment. Both halves sport raised
areas that are gently checkered for grip without the aggressive
texture that could damage the fabric of the pocket it is carried
in.
The threaded portions and the inside of the
light are coated with a special substance called Chemkote.
This allows the threads to conduct electricity and yet resist
corrosion. Inside the head of the light the positive battery
contact is made of Cobalt/Gold to improve conduction and resist
corrosion.
Behind that cobalt/gold contact is where the magic happens.
The 3 volts supplied by the single commonly available lithium
battery is boosted to levels that really make the perfectly
centered Luxeon Star element show what it can do. The Luxeon
Star LED will get warm in use, but will never "blow"
like a common light bulb. Heat from the light is transferred
to the case through an internal thermal bond between the LED
and the body of the light, moving heat away from the LED where
it could cause damage. The circuit even includes a thermal
cutoff switch to protect the LED and circuitry in case it
gets too hot. Arc advertises that they have only been able
to get the thermal cutoff to activate under very controlled
and insulated conditions. If held in the hand, the human body
actually acts as a cooling system for the light carrying away
excess heat via your own circulatory system. In order to say,
it may get warm in your hand but it won't become uncomfortable
unless you leave it on and set it down for some time.
The light will run about 2 hours on a single 123 lithium
battery, during which time the circuit inside is sucking the
battery almost dry. During those 2 hours, Arc states that
the light will retain 95% of its maximum output. After the
battery is so exhausted that the circuit cannot pull enough
juice to maintain its brightness the LED will flicker a few
times to warn you that the battery is going dead and then
switch to "moon mode". This is a low light mode
that gives you enough light to work with for about another
hour or so while you locate your spares.
The light from the Luxeon Star element is sent through a
collimating optic to produce a bright spot of light with a
square bright surround and round, dim aurora. The optic and
the rest of the head is sealed behind .030" anti-reflective
coated scratch resistant shatterproof Lexan lens. Between
the seals in the head and the significant O-ring on the body
the light is waterproof to 50 feet. The O-ring is made of
Nitrile and can be lubricated with commonly available silicone
grease.
The switch is a Kroll click switch and is perhaps the weakest
part of the light, having not been designed by Arc. However
the entire light has a 30 day satisfaction guarantee and a
10 year repair/replacement warranty which includes the switch.
Overall quality is outstanding, fit and finish are darn near
perfect, and durability is fantastic. Quality of this caliber
is not inexpensive, so prepare yourself. If you expect the
best, you have to be willing to pay the price for it. At the
time of this review the Arc LS series of lights were selling
for $120 to $160 US$ each on the Arc web site. Better prices
may be found from their authorized dealers.
As for accessories, a nylon belt sheath is available, a 2-AA
battery pack is available, and a split ring is attached to
the lanyard hole on the tail of the 123 lithium battery pack
for attachment to a keychain or a lanyard. An older 123 lithium
battery pack was available in short supply at the time of
review which allows the light to stand on end when in use,
but must be twisted to turn the light on and off.
Improvements? Yea, right...
+ + + Pluses: Waterproof to 50', Tough/impact
resistant, Regulated, Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight,
Insides corrosion resistant coated
- - - Minuses: Cannot stand on tail end
with included battery pack.
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