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Reviewer's
Impressions:
Tektite has gone one step beyond the current Luxeon
Star LED trends. They managed to get the new and highly
desirable Luxeon III LEDs (which can be driven harder
and brighter than the standard Luxeon I modules) and
have incorporated them into a premium, heavy duty flashlight.
Light output and beam is easily comparable to common
incandescent flashlights and it has the advantage of
a bulb that will never blow if dropped or abused.
The body of the Excursion LS4 is the same body as found
on the rest of the Tektite 3-D cell Excursion series.
It is made of aluminum, machined from a single billet
of the metal. The body is tapered near the head and
has a very wide band of checkering all the way around
the middle. The checkering feels almost "sticky"
when gripped. You won't be dropping this light by accident!
Inside, the unit is simple bare aluminum with a spring
inserted in the end for contact.
The entire bezel lens assembly is made of Lexan with
ribs for easy grip when turning. A rubberized cover
surrounds the clear plastic bezel to prevent glare from
light backwash, but can be removed if desired. Even
with the cover on a ring of light glows back at the
user when the unit is on, reminding you that it is on
if placed down on its bezel. The rubber cover also
helps protect the unit from impacts if dropped on its
head. Behind the bezel lens cap is the actual LED module.
The LED module consists of a Luxeon III LED behind
what appears to be the optics system developed by Fraen.
Tektite is still one of the few companies who utilize
this optics system which results in a tighter collimated
beam than the standard Lumileds optics that usually
accompany the Luxeon Star LEDs. The optics provide a
10° beam with a nice bright spot and smooth surround
beam. The warm color temperature of the light produced
provides excellent color rendition. The reds stand out
much more than would be expected with normal 5mm LEDs
which tend to be bluish in tint.
At the rear of the module are the contacts
for the light. Tightening the bezel forces the contacts
to close, while loosening the bezel opens the contacts.
Two hands are needed to turn the light on and off. Inside
the module is a platinum catalyst pellet which is designed
to neutralize any hydrogen gas which collects in the
light due to its airtight seal as the batteries are
used.
Batteries are reported to last for 10 hours at high
output with another 10 hours of diminishing output thereafter.
To change the batteries, simply unscrew the bezel all
of the way, remove the LED module and drop out the 3
batteries. Replace with fresh batteries inserted negative
first.
Runtime Plot: Well, if you consider anything above
50% to be "high output", it's more like 20
hours of "high output" with 20+ hours diminishing
thereafter. Very long runtime with a huge "tail"
of lower output for emergency use.
Runtime
completed with Rayovac batteries. More information on
runtime plots is available HERE.
The light will stand on end but is a little
unstable. To increase stability, remove the black bezel
rubber cover and place it large opening down on a flat
surface. Push the tail of the light into the bezel cover
from the top until the base of the body is flush with
the base of the rubber cover. The black rubber cover
acts as a stand to help balance the light.
Simplicity and durability makes this light
a winner. The only thing that is missing is a regulator
circuit, but with the long battery life already provided
by the 3-D cells as compared to an incandescent light
using the same power source, a regulator would add just
another possible point of failure.
As a point of comparison, according to
my readings this Luxeon III LED light is both twice
as bright and has twice the throw of the Expedition
Star, a Luxeon I LED flashlight from Tektite. Another
good comparison would be: although the beam can not
be focused as tight, this 3-D cell LED light puts out
about as much or more light overall than a common 4-D
cell aluminum incandescent flashlight. It can also out-throw
many of the Luxeon V lights out there today.
What I Liked: Waterproof to 1000
ft., Tough/impact resistant, Long battery life, Bright,
Easy battery change, Stands up
What I Didn't Like: Nothing Significant
Other Things I Noticed: The knurling
around the body is rough. Very rough. It will gouge
up surfaces that rub against it so use some caution.
Once you get a grip on it you won't drop it, that's
for sure. It is a bit heavy as well.
Conclusions: Well, I think it's
safe to say "that's it". Incandescent bulbs
are fighting a losing battle. The Tektite Excursion
LS4 is just one more nail in the coffin of incandescent
flashlights. At the rate technology is progressing,
incandescent bulbs will be obsolete in less than 2 decades,
if that long. The only thing holding back the high powered
LEDs from dominating the market is price, and over time
the price will drop as competition and manufacturing
techniques improve.
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