The HDS Systems "EDC Ultimate 60 XR" is designed to be the final word in EDC (Every Day Carry) lights, and frankly it very well may be. The EDC Ultimate combines a Luxeon III LED and a combination boost/buck regulation and multifunction circuitry into a very small and tough package. The result is an incredibly versatile and easily carried light which exceeds the expectations and the requirements of most users.

There are several different models of EDC units. There are EDC 42 and EDC 60 models. The 42 models produce 42 Lumens of light on High, while the 60 models produce 60 Lumens of light on High. The XR designation (extra runtime) on the EDC 60 models indicates a 30 minute runtime on the highest setting instead of a 20 minute runtime as found in the non-XR models. There is also a GT designation which indicates a guaranteed tint LED. These lights have a near-sunlight white tint to the LED. The tint may vary slightly on all other models. Last, there are EDC Basic and EDC Ultimate models. The Basic provides 4 brightness settings. The Ultimate includes the 4 brightness modes of the Basic model, plus a number of different additional options. The model tested is a EDC 60 Ultimate XR.

Body: The body itself is made of aerospace aluminum with a military spec. type III hard anodize finish for durability and abrasion resistance. There is a wide band of knurling around the head area of the light for grip. Below this section is a narrow area with another band of knurling, followed by the smooth tailcap area where the clip makes contact. The clip is large, has a lanyard hole built in, and is easily installed/removed with a Phillips head screwdriver. The clip is included but not installed.

Bezel/Head: The glass lens is held in place with a removable retaining ring. The tool for removing the ring can be acquired as an accessory. Behind this is a smooth reflector with a very slight texture. In the center of the reflector is the Luxeon LED which produces the light for the product and is extremely shock resistant. Deeper inside the head is the circuitry which can boost or reduce the power from the battery as needed to maintain constant brightness. The circuitry also provides a myriad of features for the user.

Output description: At this point I should probably start to describe all of the great things this light can do!

First off, you click the switch on the tailcap and it turns on in Primary mode. This mode provides an excellent balance between output and runtime. From Primary, double click and you move to Secondary mode - lower output, longer runtime. A double click brings you back. From either Primary or Secondary you can triple click and you get Minimum mode - very low output but loooooong runtime. A double click again brings you back to whichever setting you were just on (Primary or Secondary). From any of these modes you can press and hold the button to get momentary Maximum setting for about 60 Lumens (advertised) of output. Releasing the button returns the output to the setting you were just on. To lock on the Maximum setting on you quickly triple click but hold that last click until the light switches to Maximum. Maximum now stays on. A double click returns you to your Primary or secondary setting. A single click always turns the light off. In actual use you become familiar with the options very quickly.

Both the "EDC Basic" and "EDC Ultimate" models supply these exact options, but the "EDC Basic" lacks the specialty options found in the "EDC Ultimate" version. The "Ultimate" model also has the following additional options:

Change the preset brightness levels of the four basic settings (19-20 possible settings)
Select an emergency strobe mode
Select an emergency SOS mode (46CFR161.013-7 signal timing compliant)
Turn on a locator flash for finding your light in the dark
Force a particular brightness setting for initial turn-on output level
Set the light to automatically lock after 5 minutes off- a triple click unlocks and manually locks the light
Set automatic turn off (5 minutes with warning)
Set simple momentary usage capability (press for momentary, click for constant on)
Set tactical momentary on (press on, release off only)

In the event that you mess around with the menus and options and completely hose your light, you can perform a soft reset (retains your settings) or a hard reset (returns the light to factory defaults).

Output from the light is in the form of a smooth beam with a bright center, good corona and wide spillbeam (not seen in photo). Color temperature of this particular unit is a fairly high with a very slight purple tint. Unless you get a GT (guaranteed tint) unit, there will be some tint variability between units. As the tint is not severe, the eyes adapt to it quickly and you really don't notice it in practical use.

Beam at one meter at target center.

Runtime Plot: This runtime was completed on the factory preset Primary mode. Over 11 hours before output drops. Regulation is excellent - it literally remains at the brightness level it starts with, displaying only slight variations. No initial drop at all. The circuitry drops the output by 50 percent when the batteries become too weak to support the mode the light is in. This continues until the light reaches a very low level, providing emergency light. If the light is turned off when the batteries are weak, it will remain lit very dimly until the batteries recover a bit. If you turn the light on with a weak cell it may come on in the Primary setting and quickly step down to a lower setting.

Runtime completed with Duracell batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.

Here is the runtime on "Maximum". The light was placed upright in a cup of room temperature water to conduct heat away from the body of the light so it didn't shut down due to overheating.

Runtime completed with BatteryStation batteries. More information on runtime plots is available HERE.

It should be noted that the light does also have a thermal protection system to protect the LED. If the light gets too hot due to excessive use of the brighter output settings and/or environmental conditions, output will drop to facilitate cooling. When the light cools you may turn the light off and then back on to access the brighter output levels again.

Switch: The switch is a simple click switch covered with a rubber cap. The circuitry inside the light interprets the clicks you make in order to perform all the wonderful functions of the light. The cap on the switch is almost, but not quite, flush with the tailcap. The result is that it will stand precariously on end on a flat surface.

Seals / Water Resistance: O-rings seal the light from the entry of the environment. The manufacturer gives the light a 2 atmosphere watertight rating.

Ergonomics: Small, easy to use. The switch is easy to press and the narrow waist on the light body helps provide an excellent grip.

Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light

Batteries: A single included 123A lithium cell powers the light, but the EDC lights can handle a wide variety of battery options which produce up to 7.2V. A two cell 123A battery pack is mentioned in the documentation, as well as a two cell AA battery pack, but I was unable to find any for sale at this time. A single rechargeable Lithium-ion 123A cell can also be used (use only manufacturer recommended type), and should be changed as soon as step-downs in illumination occur. To change out the battery simply unscrew the tail of the light. Inside you will see the depleted cell which is held in place by two gold colored contact/battery retainer wires. Shake gently and the old cell will drop out. Carefully place a new cell in the tail and reassemble. The unit has reverse polarity protection, so if you put the new cell in backwards the light will not work. When you tighten the two halves of the light together the LED will illuminate dimly for about 1 second to indicate acceptance of the new cell.

Accessories: There are a bunch of additional accessories mentioned in the documentation including replacement lenses, lens removal tool, lanyards, battery pack cap, battery packs, and rechargeable battery pack and charger. The clip is included and comes in a separate baggie in the package. It can either be attached or left off depending on your preference (I prefer it off).

What I Liked: Waterproof, Tough/impact resistant, Excellent regulation and long battery life, Very bright output available, Easy battery change, Lightweight, Lots of options.

What I Didn't Like: Almost too many options in the Ultimate model. Keep the little plastic cheat card that comes with the light handy in case you need to program options in the field. If at all possible, set your options ahead of time under controlled conditions.

Other Things I Noticed: The HA-III finish is missing along the edges of the machined knurling in spots and there were a couple of nicks - minor issues.

Conclusions: The HDS EDC Ultimate series is an excellent set of lights which have a wide variety of extremely usable features. Anyone can pick the light up and use it without having to read the instructions (important in emergencies), but it can also be customized to meet almost any need with minimal effort and learning. A light is useless if it is left at home, and the EDC series is small enough to be carried with you almost all of the time. Keep in mind that "A pearl of great price is not for the asking."; all of this versatility and quality comes at a fairly high price, as should be expected.

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