Gladius review

[Ross]

Right, I’ve had the Gladius for a couple of days now and its time for a wee review.

This torch really is amazing, it’s the best torch I’ve had a play with. I love LED torches and this is a mutts nutts.




Straight out of the packaging you can tell the quality. It is very sturdy and the tailcap, whilst easy to move/press, is also of very high quality. The one on offer here is black in colour, although not HA, which the proper ones will be.

You don’t need instructions to operate it, press the tailcap switch and the light comes on – simple as that. Turn the tailcap to the next setting and press it again, this is where the fun starts…..the strobe function. This is seriously good fun, the strobe is VERY disorientating, even in daylight. I didn’t have a chance to use it as a force option at work but I tried it on the wife & some friends and they were very impressed with it – it is nigh on impossible to look into it when it is pointed into your eyes and even in a dark room, operating it makes you feel quite dizzy. If you can justify its use – this is a VERY useful tool to have on you. The tailcap gives you momentary on or permanent on as well. I tried to take a small movie of the strobe but my digicam wasnt up to it. Imagine being at a rave, thats about the same!




You can hold the torch in the ‘normal’ way, i.e. wrap your hand round it and operate the tailcap switch with your thumb. The torch also sits very naturally in another way (I think the US cops refer to it as the ‘rogers’ technique?), i.e. sit the body of the torch between your forefinger and middle finger, at the ‘ring’ section of the torch, and operate the tailcap switch by pulling it towards you. Sounds difficult but is actually very natural.




The tailcap screws off to change the batteries



Beamshots – sorry for the crappy pic, I thought it would be best up against another 2 x 123 light, the Surefire G2. As you can see from the pic, the light is MUCH whiter than the incan G2 but the G2’s hotspot is bigger. The throw of the Gladius is actually about the same as the G2, as my neighbour will testify……



Sizewise, here is is up against a Mag 3D, Tigerlight FBOP, Gladius, Surefire G2 and a babypin.



I can’t tell you just how cool this torch is, you’ll have to find out that for yourself!

[Ross]

Forgot to mention the user variable output!!!!!!!!!!! bloody hell, how could I forget that???

Once the light is on, press and hold the tailcap and the light will dim to approx 2 lumens, and then back up to full output. You can change the level at which the light starts on by holding the tailcap for 10 seconds at the output you desire, then releasing it. When you start the light the next time, it will start on that level. Very cool.

"Basically, they've created a waterproof/divable tactical LED flashlight (with Surefire-style insant on/off thumb activation) that's fast-selectable (one-handed-with-thumb) between settings that include strobe, dimming/re-brightening, and lockout features."

[Ross]

Forgot to say It's waterproof to 50 meters (166 feet).

[Ross]

http://www.blackhawkvideo.com/videos...s/gladius.html

Not for dialup - very cool promotional vid for the torch.

[WestWolf]

Hi!

Just looking at your post there, and had to do a double take...Looking at your pic is like home from home, same monitor, torches, phone, stuff....

Patrick's even waiting for the Dame Edna of torches too

Spooky
Ruth x

[Hellz]

Great stuff Ross, although you have made the wait even worse now

I've ordered the olive drab version, but the black looks really cool too...

Interesting functions but the variable light output is what I'm looking forward too most though!

I saw somewhere that there will be rechargeable batteries available from Night-Ops for this torch too... yay!

Can't wait...

Hellz

[Ross]

Great minds Ruth!

[Danzo]

Forgot to say It's waterproof to 50 meters (166 feet).

Ross, when a watch says 'waterproof to 50m' us scuba divers assume 10m. For a 50m dive you would only a trust a 200m proof watch. Is that a similiar thing with the Gladius do you know, or is it a full kosher 50m?

Danzo

[Ross]

Its designed as a fairly 'hardcore' torch so I would imagine its kosher. I'm not going to test this though!

[mojofilter]

Twiddles the thumbs in anticipation!

[Hellz]

Hey Ross, you mention the throw but whats the spill like? Looks like quite an intense beam (which is cool )

Hellz

[Ross]

It'll light up the whole side of a house from 20m...........its very good.

[Tvividr]

That is one cool torch
You really know how to rub it in....

[pts652003]

if you want more information about gladius ie specification, function, statistic, etc, here is the link

http://imagometrics.com/FLReviews/BH_NO_Glad.htm

[Ropeman]

http://www.blackhawkvideo.com/videos...s/gladius.html

Not for dialup - very cool promotional vid for the torch.

Now that is what I call torchporn My head hurts now

What news of price?