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The Pelican M3 LED, model 2370, is a very professional
looking, straightforward light. It uses a Luxeon III
LED for light, a regulator circuit to maintain constant
output for as long as possible, and utilizes three 123A
lithium cells for power.
The body is machined aluminum with what appears to
be a Type II anodized black finish. The head and tailcap
have 8 flat plateaus machined in to help prevent the
light from rolling off of a surface. The switch is just
below the head and the body tube has a raised knurled
area for grip. The knurling is not aggressive at all.
The tail cap includes a water resistant vent and an
internal spring which serves as the negative battery
contact.
Overall the machining and finishing is excellent. It
is aesthetically, and functionally, a very nice light.
Bezel/Head: The bezel ring is removable, but it is
totally unnecessary to do so. Behind the polycarbonate
lens is a plastic reflector which is partially textured
to help smooth out the beam. The high-dome Luxeon III
can be seen in the center of the reflector. Somewhere
behind the LED is a regulator circuit that keeps the
light output constant while in use until the batteries
become too depleted for the circuit to function. At
that point output diminishes over time.
Output description: The white light produced by the
LED is a high color temperature and produces good color
rendition weighted toward the center of the spectrum.
No discernible tint is detectable when compared against
a near sunlight-white source. The beam pattern has a
nice central spot, a bright corona and a wide spillbeam.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot: This graph shows the regulator in action.
In fact, you can see how it "sea-saw"s up
and down as the regulator decides that output has dropped
too much and it bumps it back up. This action is not
detectable in actual use, but the meter can pick it
up. After just about 2 hours the light output drops
dramatically and the LED goes into direct-drive mode
with output diminishing over time.
Runtime
completed with Duracell brand batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
Switch description: The switch is a typical reverse-clickie.
Press until it clicks for "on". Once on, press
gently to blink, or press until it clicks for "off".
The switch gives both auditory and tactile feedback
when used.
Seals / Water Resistance: O-rings seal the light at
the appropriate places, and the vent in the tailcap
is water resistant as well. The rubber cap protects
the switch. It can be soaked, dunked, splashed, etc.,
but it is not intended for diving.
If it gets wet inside, just disassemble as much a possible
without tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: For a 3 cell design, it is quite compact.
It is a very nice diameter for holding in the hand.
The knurling does provide some grip improvement, but
it's not aggressive at all. Be careful in situations
where dropping the light would result in its loss. Because
of the flat plateaus around the tailcap, it is easy
to grip when twisting off the tailcap to change the
batteries. The switch is small, but easy to depress
with the thumb.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Batteries: Three 123A cells power the light. I would
recommend Titanium
brand cells for $1.00 each (here's
a review) or BatteryStation
or Surefire
brand cells for less than $2 each. I would not recommend purchasing
these cells at retail stores since they cost $10 a pair
or more in most retail stores!
To change out the batteries: unscrew the tailcap, drop
out the old cells, place in new cells observing proper
polarity. Reattach the tailcap and you're ready to go.
Accessories: A nice nylon sheath with snap closure
is included in the package. There is a plastic sleeve
inside the sheath and in the body/flap that provides
additional rigidity and protection for the light. There
is a pouch to one side of the main compartment for holding
3 spare cells. This extra compartment is closed with
a velcro flap. The cells are removed by squeezing from
the bottom, pushing the cells upward.
What I Liked: Water resistant,
Tough/impact resistant, Regulated/good battery life,
Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight, Stands up
What I Didn't Like: Nothing
Other Things I Noticed: Nice sheath!
Conclusions: Overall a well made,
nicely designed, and very effective illumination tool.
Very good output regulation gives about 2 hours of steady
output followed by diminishing output which will serve
as an indicator to change cells. I like it, and would
feel comfortable recommending it for use by anyone who
needs a bright illumination tool.
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