# Zebralight just bumped up lumens again, now H600w Mk IV



## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

just checked Zebralight since I hadn't in a while. Now all Mark III's are on sale, Mark II are on deeper sale, and new are Mark IV lights

this is the H600w series (best lens for mtb)

One user gave a sour review for the Mark IV as defective out the gate, but they are now on backorder and I trust ZL that the new batch has any issues remedied.

Mark 3 specs XHP neutral emitter
Light Output (runtimes)

High: H1 *1126* Lm (PID, approx 2.2 hr) or H2 *580* Lm (PID, approx 2.8 hrs) / *312* Lm (4.3 hrs) / *139* Lm (12 hrs)
Medium: M1 *61* Lm (33 hrs) or M2 *28 *Lm (73 hrs) / *10* Lm (8 days)
Low: L1 *3.3 *Lm (18 days) or L2 *0.37* Lm (2.8 months) / *0.05 *Lm (5.1 months) / *0.01 *Lm (7.1 months)

Mark 4 specs XHP neutral emitter
Light Output (runtimes) 

High: H1 *1400* Lm (PID, 2.8 hrs) or H2 *875* Lm (PID, 2.9 hrs)/*502* Lm (PID, 3.2 hrs)/*264* Lm (6.3 hrs)
Medium: M1 *127* Lm (13.8 hrs) or M2 *56.4* Lm (28 hrs)/*22.9* Lm (2.8 days)/*8.5* Lm (7.3 days)
Low: L1 *2.9* Lm (18.5 days) or L2 *0.92* Lm (1.5 months)/*0.26* Lm (3 months)/*0.07* Lm (4 months)


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

FYI

these are 4000k which I find is --absolutely perfect-- in the woods.


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## detsortehul (Jun 25, 2007)

"You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to 127.0.0.1 again."


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Okay I was just looking at these over on Amazon. This is the type of torch that I call "Periscope" style and mounts sideways. While I'm sure these are very nice and very bright I can't help but wonder how one uses one of these while mountain biking. I mean if you wear a helmet how does this work? I suppose if you use a helmet without a visor you might be able to get the strap system to go over the helmet ( on the outer edge ) but other than that rigging up a mount to work on a helmet with visor would require some different type of mount. 

Mark IV looks to have some crazy output with some long run time. Keep in mind though that the output on the ZL's is designed to taper off as the lamp heats up. This is how they get the longer run times. IMHO this is a type of false advertising because unless you read up on how the lamps work you don't know how they come up with the numbers. For once I'd like to see an actual lumen read out from testing inside an integrated sphere "after the lamp has been on high for a half hour". That's because I'm pretty sure that "1400 lumen" output is going to ramp down real quick. I'd be real surprised if the output was still around 1000 lumen after a half hour on high.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

cat-man-do

you forget stuff

http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/best-mountain-bike-light-900383.html#post11057941

you
http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/best-mountain-bike-light-900383.html#post11061298


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

I have about 30 lights and my daily driver is a headlight. Thrunite is upping their game with a 3350lm xhp70.2 cool or neutral. Doubt it puts out for very long..... https://thrunite.us7.list-manage.co...e717eb38fab383881f&id=1864b0cc67&e=b71e6de99d


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

Dirt Road said:


> I have about 30 lights and my daily driver is a headlight. Thrunite is upping their game with a 3350lm xhp70.2 cool or neutral. Doubt it puts out for very long..... https://thrunite.us7.list-manage.co...e717eb38fab383881f&id=1864b0cc67&e=b71e6de99d


That uses an IMR (very high discharge) fast drain lithium. will have short runtime of 1.5 minutes at max lumens, or else it would catch fire from the heat

compare to the ZL, the thrunite will run about as long as a ZL > High (1275 lumen; 90 minutes)

so all you get with the thrunite is bragging rights, not practicality. also more weight


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Dammit! Was happy with the Mk III
Nice they bumped M1 up to 127lm, thats very useful.


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## RAKC Ind (Jan 27, 2017)

I have to agree with cat. Though zebra makes some NICE lights, they are still flashlights. No constant output.

I do want one for other uses (always thought periscope style EDC lights are awesome)

Which means 1600 lumens at cold start (or even at 30 seconds as required by ANSI) means its producing 160 lumens when it hits the end of runtime. Cant defy laws of physics there. But seeing as you can swap cells at will it's not of concern.

I wouldn't call it false advertising though. It's how all flashlights are rated. ANSI is simply certifying the lumens at beginning of run time and states that end of run ti.e is when light dims to 10% of it's original rated output. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

most here sit in a box with a keyboard, and fret the numbers. how about actual riding ? 

I ride bikes at night, and have the lightest 18650 helmet light possible, it side loads cells easy, and lights up the trail perfectly. who gives a rats arse what it looks like on paper the thing works well and doesn't mess around. gawd damn you can't even get out the gate here fretting about PID thermal reg and whatnot

all I am posting here for... is to say ZL has mark IV now.

damn, how about stepping up and riding with it ? no ? whatever....

go argue ZL 'actual numbers' on CPF they tear thing down hard on paper

sheesh. in the meantime I'll be riding my butt off at night and loving it


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

1275 for 90 min? Where’s the heat going? 1275 for about 2 mins if that. ZL is lighter, a good benefit until you try running at max output. I don’t care about the battery, I have Sanyo GA which is one of the best mix for high capacity and current. My armytec wizard xhp50 still won’t maintain 1000lm for long. Heat and like RAKC said, battery capacity are going to limit any sustained output. Btw, I had a Zebralight, quickly sold it. Definitely not a light for me.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

I only ever use H2 for riding, it's fine for me. don't like it, who cares ? 

man o man didn't want to start yet another lumens pissing match, yet here we are. how about an actual ride at night in the chunk pissin match ? I'll be hammering

I realize this is the lighting forums where you 'have an integrating sphere or go home' type attitude, but I am a) an engineer and b) decided this is the ultimate headlight for me and my hard, come home bloody style of chunk riding.

as an engineer I think -really hard- about equipment choices and if I end up using it I could write a 500 page dissertation about the reasons why I chose it. that ain't happening here because it's fruitless


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

here is a good quote about the numbers game. I ride at h2 always, btw

----------------------

"That is *exactly* how I feel about H1 levels, whether in ZL or in other lights. I do not mind the fact that I can use it only for a minute or less--that is often all that I need at the highest level. I know that it is not intended for long use. But I want the option of pushing the system at a level that it can only sustain for a brief time. 

The comparison that always comes to mind for me is afterburner in a fighter jet. How long can I fly using afterburner? Not long--certainly not all the way back to base. But when I need it for 5 seconds, it is incredibly handy.

Imagine if a pilot came back to the jet manufacturer and said, "that afterburner mode is a fraud; it only works for 10 seconds. You should take it out, and make the maximum cruising speed now your absolute maximum speed for the plane." Anybody would think they were crazy. Making the afterburner available does not *prevent* you from using the maximum cruising speed (i.e. H2). If you want to treat H2 as though it's the absolute maximum on your light, then go ahead. That's what I do, too, 95% of the time. When I'm cruising, I stick to cruising speed. But I want the option of kicking in the afterburner when things get risky!"


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

127.0.0.1 said:


> here is a good quote about the numbers game. I ride at h2 always, btw


I use H1 on fast downhills. I've actually never visually noticed the PID stepping it down.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

127.0.0.1 said:


> ....man o man didn't want to start yet another lumens pissing match, yet here we are.


You like the light and it does what you want. We get that and congrats that you have found your "perfect light".

When you post the sketchy, craftily worded claims of the manufacturer, some knowledgeable forum users will call BS for what it is. Not a personal attack on you.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

127.0.0.1 said:


> That uses an IMR (very high discharge) fast drain lithium. will have short runtime of 1.5 minutes at max lumens, or else it would catch fire from the heat
> 
> compare to the ZL, the thrunite will run about as long as a ZL > High (1275 lumen; 90 minutes)
> 
> so all you get with the thrunite is bragging rights, not practicality. also more weight


What I like about the Thrunite is that at least the ad tells you the lamp runs on turbo for only 1.5 minutes and then drops down to about 1K lumen the rest of the way. Not to mention the run time seems more reasonably although it too may not run at the listed output for the time listed. What I don't like about the Thrunite ( the one in the link ) is that the lamp doesn't really have a mid-range mode I'd find appropriate for bike use. The TH30 goes from the 1K lumen range and then to something in the 300 lumen range. Personally I'd prefer a mode somewhere in the 650 to 750 lumen range so it would have something as a workhorse mode. These torches with the newer LED's should be able to hold that kind of output for a longer period before a noticeable loss of output.

The torch I use on occasion is the PFlexPro version of the Convoy M1 using the XPL HI emitter. I've been very pleased with how that works. The turbo on mine ( >1K lumen ) is set to 2 minutes. After that it drops to the next mode which is somewhere around 600-700 lumen. Even when I use it on it's mid mode it does an outstanding job of letting me see well ahead of where I need to see.

I'd love to see how one of these small torches claiming 2K-3K lumen ( on turbo ) actually performs. If you're using a single cell torch though you'd be smart to only use the turbo mode only when really needed. If I'm using a torch on the helmet I want the weight to be almost unnoticeable and I want the battery to at least last an hour. That said when I do rides with a torch on the helmet I can usually get the battery to last for my typical two hour ride without too much problem. ( although I always carry a spare battery )

( Edit; I seem to have found the answer to my own question. I see that Zebralight sells a bracket for the periscope type torches that should allow someone to use on a helmet if they have some good sized Velcro straps to hold it down. Might not work with all helmets but then again that's just the way it is with some helmets )


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

^ did you see how I mount it on a helmet ? just the silicone mount strapped down. 
works great


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

start here on page 56 if you need to question ZL Mark IV drivers, PID, thermal, FLIR... it's been covered. exhaustively
--------------------------------------------------

The Official Zebralight Thread . - Page 56


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Vancbiker said:


> You like the light and it does what you want. We get that and congrats that you have found your "perfect light".
> 
> *When you post the sketchy, craftily worded claims of the manufacturer, some knowledgeable forum users will call BS for what it is. Not a personal attack on you.*


Well said.


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

A quick glance at a graph from the linked thread shows pretty clearly the fast drop to ~50% of the advertised output.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

127.0.0.1 said:


> ^ did you see how I mount it on a helmet ? just the silicone mount strapped down.
> works great


This + other alternative mounting options because of the lights (parascope model) unique layout + light weight + far longer than normal runtimes and replaceable cells are the things that make the Zebralight different (better?) than most single cell bike lights or flashlights. Side shining beam allows for easier vertical (spin light) beam adjustment compared to other torches and very low to the helmet mounting especially compared to typical single cell self-contained bike lights that can only be mounted high on the helmet. Also is an option for those with front racks that would block the beam of a normal bar mounted light. Light weight is a big plus for comfort compared to other self-contained bike lights when helmet mounted. 2.8 hrs. min. runtime is almost double what you get from most self-contained lights and even though like other single cell self-contained lights the output will be greatly reduced with a theoretical 140 lumen min. it's still usable for emergency's and you can always put in a new cell if you need more light.

As far as the consistent degrading output with use issue, all single cell lights do this to varying degrees. I don't have one of these lights but from looking at the runtimes of the different presets (1400/2.8 hrs, 875/2.9 hrs., 500/3.2 hrs., 264/6.3 hrs.) it looks like output rapidly decreases till the 3rd lowest setting and stabilizes around there with the next lowest setting having a fairly equal increase in runtime compared to the decrease in output so what I would expect is for the output to be hover around 500 lumens (plus or minus a couple of hundred lumens) for the largest portion of this lights runtime (this is my guess anyway). 
Mole

That's what I get for taking so long making my post (nice output graph Vanc). I guess you can ignore my "guess". Not that important anyway since all self-contained lights perform somewhat similarly (unless your unawhare self-contained light do this). Advantages to this light are still worth looking at if your considering a single cell self-contained light.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

The new mode groups are great. Programming looks a little daunting but the ability to double click between three different sets of two light levels is brilliant.


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## arc (Sep 9, 2004)

Dirt Road said:


> 1275 for 90 min? Where's the heat going? 1275 for about 2 mins if that. ZL is lighter, a good benefit until you try running at max output. I don't care about the battery, I have Sanyo GA which is one of the best mix for high capacity and current. My armytec wizard xhp50 still won't maintain 1000lm for long. Heat and like RAKC said, battery capacity are going to limit any sustained output. Btw, I had a Zebralight, quickly sold it. Definitely not a light for me.


There was a review of the wizard on Budget Light Forums that stated the optic was blocking the output of the emitter. Swapping out the optic made the light run noticeably cooler and give a good bump in output.

I just received a Haikelite SC26 flashlight today. XHP35HD neutral white emitter, 204 grams with the 26650 battery installed. Nice tint and beam. 1200 lumen mode throttles pretty fast sitting on my desk with temperature limit set at the stock 45C. Next mode down is 750 and looks rideable.

Its light and fat and should cool off pretty fast. It may actually be fine for riding, just need to figure out a decent helmet mount.


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

:thumbsup:SC26, smooth ramping ui!


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## Vancbiker (May 25, 2005)

MRMOLE said:


> ....decrease in output so what I would expect is for the output to be hover around 500 lumens (plus or minus a couple of hundred lumens) for the largest portion of this lights runtime (this is my guess anyway).


Pretty good guess! Your experience with so many different lights shows.

All light companies (it is certainly not limited to Zebralight by any means) that advertise an unsustainable high output and long runtime are, IMO, deceitful at best. Personally I think it would be far better for them to advertise the output as "peak" or likewise. Runtime should be stated when the output drops to something like 80% of starting output for each level. Not a 50 or more percent drop.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Vancbiker said:


> A quick glance at a graph from the linked thread shows pretty clearly the fast drop to ~50% of the advertised output.


All things considered that's still not bad but....my concern is the noticeable negative spikes "after" the 50% mark. That means the Mark IV is dropping output momentarily to maintain that 50% output. 700 lumen is a very usable amount of light. Not sure if the negative spikes are noticeable or not but that would worry me if I were to consider buying one.

At least when I use my PFlexPro Convoy M-1 I can run the medium which according to the spec's for the UI I use the medium is 50% ( turbo is 1250 lumen ) which means my medium mode is likely about 600-500 lumen. I can, at that point hit my turbo at anytime and have a higher output for at least two minutes ( my cut-off being set at two minutes ). Glad I just looked at the spec's on mine again because I found out that the driver on mine has a built in low voltage protection circuit. I'm really happy about that because I use unprotected cells.

Anyway, my guess with the ZL Mk IV, if using H1, once you get into the 50% zone you can't access the turbo till the lamp cools(?) Now if I'm wrong about that please let me know. If that's so I don't think I'd like that.


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## MaximusHQ (Aug 6, 2007)

I use my Zebralights nearly every day. I have the H600w (18650, neutral with reflector), H602w (18650, neutral all flood or called a mule), and an AA model the H52fw (aa, neutral with frosted lens or flood) . The H600w works quite well as a helmet light although runtime and heat could be an issue for some. 

I generally use my glowworm x2 lights for biking , but have used the Zebralights on occasion. My older model doesn't have the same ability to program each level to whatever you want like the newer models, but are still quite functional.

I bought extra silicon holders to easily mountable them on my pack strap to light my way hiking etc, and also for helmet or bar mounting. While Hiking I mount the H602w on my waist or pack strap and the H600w on my head and it gives me all the light I could ever need and still see the toe catchers like roots. The H602w (mule light) is a thing of beauty while working at night around the house in the garage on bikes or whatever. It lights up everything and makes you forget sometimes you are wearing a headlamp because the whole field if view is just blanketed in even light. 

As tech progresses and brightness and battery runtime improve, they will be even more useful for biking too.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

well...


now that the last hour of my rides are dark, I been rocking lights, and the new Mark IV blows away the Mark III in comparison. I always use H2 mode and this things H2 is far brighter than the III. it is washing out my bar light, which I got used to being a hair brighter than the noggin so I can contrast shadows better. so now I can aim the ZL up and further out to get the same near-illumination but get deeper far illumination. win win across the board. 

no noticeable PID if it's doing it, it is not detectable on a ride and no I haven't turned it on and watched it against a wall...I just ride. big difference in mk III to Mk IV H2 mode though... wow.

and of course I just carry my loaded mark III as a spare in my pack as a battery case essentially.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

127.0.0.1 said:


> no noticeable PID if it's doing it, it is not detectable on a ride and no I haven't turned it on and watched it against a wall...


I tested my MKIII in the shed to see the step down. Its very noticable. Never seen it riding and I did a 10 minute slowish ride to see if it was kicking in. Nope.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Okay, today I have been seriously contemplating buying one of the Zebralight flashlights. Of course these things are not inexpensive and the one I'd most likely get is one using the newest NW Cree XHP50 LED's.

I've got some good torches that work well on the helmet and I really don't need another. There are some other things I'd like to have that cost about the same...still, a person with a light monkey crawling on his back has a hard time not buying another light, especially when it's offering something using a newer emitter.

I spent a bit of time looking over the options. That was when I stopped thinking about the lumen numbers and started thinking about some of my most basic preferences and how these might relate for use on a bike helmet.

I was considering one of the ZL with the periscope style light head. That was when I started thinking about how I would use it if I bought one. Using a lamp with a 90° light head means that if I were to mount the torch more forward on the helmet that the entire weight of the lamp will sit more to the front of my helmet. This might cause my helmet to slide down in front. No real way to know for sure unless I buy one...hmmm. Then another "in use" issue suddenly made me think about how using the periscope style might work.

The ZL periscope style torches have the mode button at the end. The same end as where the emitter is. This means you have to reach your hand over the hottest part of the lamp and press a button to change modes. Probably not an issue if the lamp isn't too hot so I'l need some feedback from some users as to how much of a problem this might or might not be.

Lastly, the periscope style torch will likely be setup on your helmet with the lamp head slight off center. I tried to mimic this by holding one of my other torches slightly off center so see how that may feel. Not sure I'd like it although I'm sure if I were using one I'd quickly adapt to the feel. Basically it just means you have to get use to moving your head slightly to one side and letting it sit there. Maybe I'd get used to it or maybe I wouldn't but these are issues to be considered.

To be on the safe side I could just buy a standard straight version ( no 90° head ) and then use that. At least with the straight version I can mount the torch so it is center mounted and more balanced on the helmet. Then I started thinking about how I would use that. On the helmet I currently use there would likely be little problems. The lamp would be perfectly centered and I can mount directly to my helmet without need for a mount ( only need piece of Velcro to hold in place ). Then again if I wanted to mount to a Gopro system only then might there be some issues. If Gopro mounted the lamp would sit higher. ( I do this sometimes with my other torches with little issues ) However, with the ZL's in order to change modes you have to put "vertical pressure" on the lamp head to change modes ( unlike my other torches which all have rear switches which just require a gentle push to change modes )

With the straight version ZL it would be necessary to actually hold the front of the lamp while changing mode if in a Gopro mount. That said even if there are not heat issues ( which could burn your hand ) _*this might effect how the lamp is aimed if the lamp moves while trying to change modes._ ( especially problematic if bouncing around on rough terrain ). ( * this happens with my other torches as well when using GoPro mount which is why I prefer to direct mount to the helmet ) With this in mind the PScope version might be the better way to go. Now as to which version would be easier to operate while on the helmet... that my friends is the $100 question. Whatever I choose ( if I do decide to buy ) I'll be rolling the dice and hoping for the best.

( edit; I just mounted one of my Convoy torches in a manner in which a periscope type torch would be mounted if mounted to my helmet. I just needed something to judge the weight. Perhaps this could work....as long as the off-center lamp head doesn't drive me nuts... )


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

https://linternas.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/BLG_GT_MOD_2.jpg 
Here's your helmet light! BLF GT 70.2. Holy throwdown, a mile plus distance and a wall of light! Not my pic, it's too fkn big for bar, helmet maybe....lol.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Cat-man-do said:


> Okay, today I have been seriously contemplating buying one of the Zebralight flashlights. Of course these things are not inexpensive and the one I'd most likely get is one using the newest NW Cree XHP50 LED's.


I'll usually take the light off the helmet during the day for a 600k (to alleviate inevitable neck issues day 2) but for shorter rides it's just not a problem. Heat and button pressing is a non issue.
I mount the light to it's offset to the right, this helps when looking down at the drivetrain maybe? It's not really noticeable.

Dirtroad with that light can you see Rupunzel at the top of the castle?


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

I’m still amazed by my BLF Q8. Those folks get what they want by sheer buying power. Driving an XHP70.2 to 6-7000 lumens is wicked! Around 300 for the group buy, I ain’t in, redicillus size, old fks will get Popeyes forearms from hoisting the light to the bingo hall! Wish we could garner a 1/4 interest for our own custom light.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

Cat-man-do said:


> Okay, today I have been seriously contemplating buying one of the Zebralight flashlights. Of course these things are not inexpensive and the one I'd most likely get is one using the newest NW Cree XHP50 LED's.
> 
> I've got some good torches that work well on the helmet and I really don't need another. There are some other things I'd like to have that cost about the same...still, a person with a light monkey crawling on his back has a hard time not buying another light, especially when it's offering something using a newer emitter.
> 
> ...


forward mounted periscope zebralight, as mounted in the pics I supplied earlier...you will not notice the weight at all, it does not droop helmet, it is so friggin light you forget about it. but can easily reach up and turn on/off/switch modes/swap cells or adjust tilt (if you use the silicone holder for it)

I hate any odd weight on my helmet which is why I rave about this thing being stupid light and stupid bright


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Dirt Road said:


> https://linternas.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/BLG_GT_MOD_2.jpg
> Here's your helmet light! BLF GT 70.2. Holy throwdown, a mile plus distance and a wall of light! Not my pic, it's too fkn big for bar, helmet maybe....lol.


That video is awesome! I would absolutely love to have something like that but if I bought one I'd want one that was already modified like in the video. Of course having something like that has nothing to do with cycling per say. I'd just like to have it to mess around with. I already own a 3K lumen torch but that one...my lord, that one in the video is the holy grail.

Sadly today my monkey got the best of me. Actually it wasn't quite just the monkey's fault as Amazon had a role to play in this as well. I started out by just benignly checking out the offerings on the Zebralight website when I noticed that ZL did not show the Mark IV XHP50 ( periscope style ) in a non-floody version. This had me perplexed. I could of sworn I saw one just the other day. Sometimes my eyes play tricks on me though and having the monkey whispering in my ear ain't helping matters either.

Before I knew it the monkey had grabbed the mouse and had me on Amazon. "Bad Monkey"! I yelled as I took back the mouse. Since I was already on Amazon I went ahead to see what they had in the way of Zebralights. Nope, none of the non-floody versions of the Mark IV XHP50's there either. They did have the Mark IV with the XHP35 / non-floody. I leaned back on my chair and gave a soft disatisfied moan.

Suddenly the monkey starts squealing, jumping up and down and points his little finger at the computer screen. Written in small type next to the product name were the words, "Only one left in stock". Before I knew what hit me the monkey grabbed the mouse out of my hand, carted the selection and quickly hit the "Buy now" button. I just sat there completely stunned looking at the screen that now said, "Your order has been placed" The monkey who still had a S-eating grin on his face looked like he had just had an orgasm. After that me and monkey had a little sit-down talk.

Anyway, nuff said I guess. Trying to discipline an imaginary monkey is just a big waste of time. That's because for the most part they have a very short attention span ( or so I'm told ) The monkey is gone for now but now I feel terrible. Life ain't easy living with a "light" monkey on your back but what'a-ya gonna do?


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

.....


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

127.0.0.1 said:


> .....


 I agree. I'll let you know how I like it when I get it. I guess if I don't like it I can return it....I just have to make sure the monkey isn't around when I send it back...


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

A Zebralight will sell quickly if you ever decide to go that route. Congrats on the new light!






Monkey gets me occasionally! Xpl v6 nw. 430lm. Love right angle lights! On the slowboat from chiner....


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Dirt Road said:


> A Zebralight will sell quickly if you ever decide to go that route. Congrats on the new light!
> View attachment 1214914
> Monkey gets me occasionally! Xpl v6 nw. 430lm. Love right angle lights! On the slowboat from chiner....


I was just looking up the torch that you posted. Very nice looking. Banggood is raising the bar. The ones you show are also using a new size battery; namely the 18350. Now maybe these batteries have been out a while but I've never seen them before. The more common 16340's are similar in size but only go up to 650-800mAh. I'm seeing the 18350's in the 1200mAh range...very interesting. You also have the option to buy a longer tube that would make it compatible with 18650's. These also charge via USB, very cool.

I also happened to see another Banggood torch that looks very much like the straight tube Zebralights only they ( once again ) are using a new size battery, the 26350.  This torch looks quite nice and is using the Cree XHP-35 in your choice of emitter tint. It too can be bought with a longer tube that will house a 26650. Even comes in colors, very cool. What really makes this torch interesting is that the Chinese decided to go all out and give this setup a complete programmable 5-menu UI! That means you have 5 different mode groups to choose from. Heck, they even threw in programmable heat ramp down settings! The only bad thing I could say about it without having one is that one, they only come with a smooth reflector and two, they do use the 26***size batteries. Nothing wrong there if you just want a nice torch but anything using a 26*** series battery would be hard to use for cycling. AFAIK, they don't make many torch holders for that wide a torch tube. Could make for a hell of a bright bar light if you can find a way to mount to the bars and find a compatible OP reflector ( or a front lens designed to spread out the beam pattern ).

No worries from me. I'll likely be very happy with the ZL I just bought. The Zebralight XHP35 I'll be getting is in the sweet zone, 4500K ( kelvin ). Should be a beautful NW. Will it beat out my custom build Convoy Pflex M-1? We'll see. If it can run on mode H2 and provide 800 lumen for 40 minutes and have decent throw as well as spill, I'll be a happy camper.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

ZL product list

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WRnPsoYXE9oYKMievC1NOWQyrvSVk8HxkkEMBjAPo_s/edit#gid=0

many of us periodically check since it's often a silent announcement of new lights and their features they plan.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

127.0.0.1 said:


> ZL product list
> 
> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WRnPsoYXE9oYKMievC1NOWQyrvSVk8HxkkEMBjAPo_s/edit#gid=0
> 
> many of us periodically check since it's often a silent announcement of new lights and their features they plan.


Thanks for that. I think I know now why I thought there was an angled 90° version in XHP50 that wasn't all flood. I was likely looking at the one straight tubed version that claims to have a 14° spot with 80°'s of spill. I must have assumed there was a angled version using the XHP50 that had the same beam pattern.

Okay I have to ask this; Is there a way to remove the mount from the headband? I will probably need the mount free of the headband if I want to mount it to my helmet.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

Cat-man-do said:


> Thanks for that. I think I know now why I thought there was an angled 90° version in XHP50 that wasn't all flood. I was likely looking at the one straight tubed version that claims to have a 14° spot with 80°'s of spill. I must have assumed there was a angled version using the XHP50 that had the same beam pattern.
> 
> Okay I have to ask this; Is there a way to remove the mount from the headband? I will probably need the mount free of the headband if I want to mount it to my helmet.


yes no headbands harmed


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*Problem with my new Zebralight*

Bad news. The *H600w Mk IV* I received from Zebralight looks to be a complete disappointment. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I am. When I turned this lamp on I only see about ~ 600-700 lumen tops. H2 looks like ~150 - 200 lumen. Nice NW tint. Still a bit on the floody side but does have a slight hot spot. I am using mine with the LG-MJ1 18650's. *Is this perhaps a battery issue?* MJ1 is rated to 10A.

As it stands right now my PFlexPro custom built Convoy M-1 with XPL-HI blows the ZL out of the water. I did go to the ZL website and filed a complaint. I don't know if it's something wrong with the lamp or if the lamp requires a battery that can deliver more than 10amps. After checking the Cree data sheet on the XHP35, it looks like the 35 needs more than 11 volts to get an output. Is this tiny little torch built with a voltage step up converter? If it is that might require a bit of current to obtain a voltage needed to operate the emitter.

I just compared the output of the Mk IV ( *on high* ) to the ITUO XP3 ( *on low* ). This turned out to be a good comparison as the output for both look to be very close. The listed output for the XP3 on low is 600 lumen so that pretty much settles it for me. If I have to I'll buy a couple Sony VTC6's ( rated for 30A continuous ) but I should note that I'm not going to be happy with this torch unless I get this up into the 800 lumen range. In order to produce a more useful throw I need 800 lumen because the beam pattern is somewhat wide. The same is true for the beam pattern of the XP3. I only use the low on the XP3 when I'm going slow which is usually more than enough....Oh crap, I just remembered that the XP3 is programmable and I really don't remember if I ever reprogrammed any of the modes ( although I likely did ). AHHHH!

Oh well, if ZL tells me I need a better battery I'll buy some. I will say though, Damn if this lamp isn't small and very light weight. If I can get the output I want I'll definitely try to use it on the helmet. I just need better throw. If I can get 800 on H2 that should be enough for most trails that I ride. Of course if it's drawing that much more current than a normal torch I'll be lucky to get an hour of usable normal output from one battery.


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Are you sure the modes are set correctly? Make sure it’s on the normal mode group where H1 is always available.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Bad news. The *H600w Mk IV* I received from Zebralight looks to be a complete disappointment. I can't begin to tell you how disappointed I am. When I turned this lamp on I only see about ~ 600-700 lumen tops. H2 looks like ~150 - 200 lumen. Nice NW tint. Still a bit on the floody side but does have a slight hot spot. I am using mine with the LG-MJ1 18650's. *Is this perhaps a battery issue?* MJ1 is rated to 10A.
> 
> As it stands right now my PFlexPro custom built Convoy M-1 with XPL-HI blows the ZL out of the water. I did go to the ZL website and filed a complaint. I don't know if it's something wrong with the lamp or if the lamp requires a battery that can deliver more than 10amps. After checking the Cree data sheet on the XHP35, it looks like the 35 needs more than 11 volts to get an output. Is this tiny little torch built with a voltage step up converter? If it is that might require a bit of current to obtain a voltage needed to operate the emitter.
> 
> ...


For your sake I hope the batteries help but looking at the output vs. runtime chart Vancbiker posted and ZL's claimed mode runtimes your light is performing exactly how I would have expected. If H1/H2/H3 (1400/875/500 Lumens) have claimed runtimes (2.8/2.9/3.2 hours) within about 10% of each other it tells me average output in those modes will be similar to the weakest mode. Chart only shows H1 mode but outputs back up my assumption.
Not so bad as most single cell lights perform similarly (because of the limitations of the current standards of measurement used). Periscope design and the positive things you mentioned (size and weight) are the best reasons to consider this light IMO.
Mole









Mark 4 specs XHP neutral emitter
Light Output (runtimes)

High: H1 1400 Lm (PID, 2.8 hrs) or H2 875 Lm (PID, 2.9 hrs)/502 Lm (PID, 3.2 hrs)/264 Lm (6.3 hrs)
Medium: M1 127 Lm (13.8 hrs) or M2 56.4 Lm (28 hrs)/22.9 Lm (2.8 days)/8.5 Lm (7.3 days)
Low: L1 2.9 Lm (18.5 days) or L2 0.92 Lm (1.5 months)/0.26 Lm (3 months)/0.07 Lm (4 months)


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

With the Zebralight you do a quick press and the lamp goes to high.* I double clicked on high and I got a higher output.* The lamp is getting real hot on that setting so that is encouraging. Still I'm not seeing 800 lumen on H2 unless that first level was suppose to be H2. I don't see anything that comes close to a 500 lumen level no matter how much clicking I do. ( edit ) Okay more fooling around I can get a mid level that looks like about 300 lumen. Maybe that level will go up with the different batteries.

I contacted ZL and got an auto-response email ( not good ). The auto response seem to think I need to switch to a high drain battery. This was my thought as well so I went ahead and ordered two Sony VTC6's. Should have them in a couple days. At least for now I'm getting a higher output than I had last night but I hope to see a level that is suppose to be 502 lumen so I can use that when going slow. I really hope the new batteries make a difference


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

^you were in h2 mode, double clicked to h1

h1 only lasts a long time for me if I run it in winter (so it cools) but that is too damn bright. h2 on the mark III is my ideal headlamp lumens. h2 on Mark IV is what I will be doing now, but it's notably brighter by 200 lumens than the III

h1 with not much airflow on the zl teeny heatsink, it will PID down noticeably if stopped, not very noticeably when riding, and never noticed when moving in winter. h2 just runs... never ever noticed a pid on mark III or mark IV (yet)

it's not all about the lumens game I am after, I am after lightweight, no cables, and won't mess with my helmet physics much, ez one button on/off, easy 4 button batt level check, easy side load no need to take off helmet, 4000K or so tint...all plusses with this. not trying to beat total runtimes not trying to beat total lumens...the overall package in combo with my bar light zl fits -me- well. I use olight 3600mah and zl3400mah standard protected liion 18650 have not tried unprotected cells to squeeze out even more lumens ...that would just blind me at night. there is a point (for my eyes) where enough light is enough light, and I got that nailed with fenix on bars and zl on noggin. yes I do high speeds in chunk and twists got loads of light for that. zl works great lighting up far corners and small cliffs the bar light ain't yet aiming at. zl ain't everyones bag but it sure is mine.

I do not own any IMR 18650 so have never tested the zl with... but now that I have an XHP35 maybe I should get an IMR or three

ZL will get back to you they always have with me. that was three years ago last time I contacted them.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

127.0.0.1 said:


> ^you were in h2 mode, double clicked to h1
> 
> h1 only lasts a long time for me if I run it in winter (so it cools) but that is too damn bright. h2 on the mark III is my ideal headlamp lumens. h2 on Mark IV is what I will be doing now, but it's notably brighter by 200 lumens than the III


Please clarify on UI steps to get to H1. Does it require a double click to access every time or is in th main menu?


> it's not all about the lumens game I am after, I am after lightweight, no cables, and won't mess with my helmet physics much, ez one button on/off, easy 4 button batt level check, easy side load no need to take off helmet, 4000K or so tint...all plusses with this. not trying to beat total runtimes not trying to beat total lumens...the overall package in combo with my bar light zl fits -me- well. I use olight 3600mah and zl3400mah standard protected liion 18650 have not tried unprotected cells to squeeze out even more lumens ...that would just blind me at night. there is a point (for my eyes) where enough light is enough light, and I got that nailed with fenix on bars and zl on noggin. yes I do high speeds in chunk and twists got loads of light for that. zl works great lighting up far corners and small cliffs the bar light ain't yet aiming at. zl ain't everyones bag but it sure is mine.


I agree that the ZL's have a lot of unique desirable features that give them advantages in a lot of situations (mostly for mounting) over more traditional torches and bike lights. I also agree that too much light is easily possible with many of today's medium to high powered lights (at least for bar use). While I agree lumens aren't everything in cases like this where differences in claimed and actual usable output are extreme noting this is important. Definitely not convinced that this particular ZL version can output much over 5-600 lumens consistently which may work for some but may not meet everyone's needs (or wants). 
Mole


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

with one fast click, and whatever the last H level was you picked last time

when lit, double click to step between 1-2. a bunch of double-clicks and then you can scroll/set h2 level. but anyway, one fast click comes on at h1 -or- h2


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*Zebralight Mk IV ( XHP35 ) review continued*

Okay, had some more time to play with the Mk IV. 127 was right about how the modes work. A quick double click lets you toggle between Hi and H2. Haven't got the new batteries yet but maybe tomorrow. On true Hi it is much brighter than I first thought. How bright?, that is the golden question. This is the smallest 18650 torch I've ever seen. What makes it so hard to judge the output is that the beam pattern is very spread out and dispersed. The high quite possibly is 1400 lumen but because it's so spread out it really doesn't have a noticeable hot spot when in use to help me judge. What I really need to find out is whither or not the Mk4 will allow me to see well enough so I don't feel like I'm missing trail details or outrunning the provided throw. I won't know that until I get a chance to ride some nice single tracks. Looking forward to the weekend.

When I got home from work tonight I decided I just had to mount it to my helmet and give it a try. Behind my building is a short snippit of single track that leads down to one of the local paved trail systems. Pretty dark back there so makes a good place to test out lights. I'll first say it was real easy mounting the Mk4 to the helmet. Didn't even need the mount. I just used a small piece of Liz.Skins friction tape around the middle and than Velcroed it to the helmet. Perfect! very snug but still easy to adjust and aim. The NW tint of the Mk4 blended almost seamlessly with the GW X2 I have on the bars. While the Mk4 is not a super thrower it does let you see things pretty well. Most of the time I was using H2 and that seemed to work very well. Mind you I wasn't going real fast but the Mk4 excels on trails that are twisty and or wide. When I got to a straight away I did test the HI mode. HI does provide a bit more throw but like I said before it is very well dispersed. Just how usable it will be on trails will depend on the type of trail you ride and the preferences of rider.

Tonight was a real barn burner. My area is still stuck in a record breaking heat wave. I don't think I can ever remember an early Sept. where it was this hot, even at night!. When I went out to do the ride it was about two in the morning and it was so hot/humid I knew I was only going to be able to ride for about 15 minutes. Believe me it was that stifling. Humidity is still hanging around the 95% mark.

Oh, almost forgot. 127 was completely right about the weight of the lamp. Matter of fact the whole time I was out I hadn't even thought about the weight. It is that light-weight. I'll also add no need to worry about the light being off center because the beam pattern is so wide you don't even think about it. Now to be fair I did compare the Mk4 to my PFlexPro Convoy M1....Really no comparison as far as throw goes. The M1 with XPL HI absolutely kicks butt.

I look forward to see if the Sony VTC6's cells I have on order are really going to make that much of a difference. Keeping my fingers crossed though. I'd love to see that lower mode bump up to about 500 lumen. More observations when time and weather give me a chance for a longer ride. Hot spell is suppose to break by Friday but we'll see about that. *whew* Can't wait for the more seasonal weather ( 80°F / 50% humidity ) to return.


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## Dirt Road (Feb 6, 2016)

At turn on, fully charged, vt6 may have a slight advantage. After a minute or 2, mj1 will be right there with a vt6.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Dirt Road said:


> At turn on, fully charged, vt6 may have a slight advantage. After a minute or 2, mj1 will be right there with a vt6.


While you're likely correct I can't help but wonder how ( if any ) how it will effect the lower modes. I think I can get by with the two highest modes as is but I'd like a mode that looks more like 500 lm. which it is suppose to have. I'm hoping for the best but if there is indeed a big difference in all around output, I have to admit I'll be surprised.

The biggest problem as I see it might have to do with the beam pattern. If you really need to see trail detail you are going need more light because of the wide beam. That means the low mode is not going to be as usable unless of course you are just walking. Using more light means using more battery so there is a definite trade off if you really want a wider beam pattern and still want to see well.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

^not sure but CPF reviewrs are saying vtc is the way to go

don't think it will affect lower levels

to get 500lm on the mark IV

a) be in H2 mode

b) do this rapidly

At a main level H2, double-click 6 times to start configuration. for the first set of double clicks it will swap between h1/h2 but then after 6 it will start scrolling only h2 sublevels.

On subsequent double-clicks the light will cycle through 3 different brightness levels H2 *875 Lm /502 Lm /264 Lm *. Short click to turn off the light when finishing configurations. The selections for the second sub-levels are memorized after the light is turned off and through battery changes.

stop on the middle level that is 500lm..so now h2 is set on 502 not 875


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

127.0.0.1 said:


> ^not sure but CPF reviewrs are saying vtc is the way to go
> 
> don't think it will affect lower levels
> 
> ...


Okay, I think I figured out how to get 500 lumen. Basically you have to reprogram H2 and doing that is not something you can do on the fly. The 875 lm H2 will likely be the work horse mode if I'm using this light. There is a mode that is called Medium. You reach that by doing a double click from off. To me that looks like about 300-350 lumen. I can if I want double click in that mode and get it to go lower but it doesn't go higher

I did get my Sony's in today ( friday ). After I got home Friday night I played around with the new cells to see if there is a difference. Yes, there is a difference. Both of the high modes ( H1 and H2 ) are a little brighter at start up. Hard to notice though because of the beam pattern. I had to verify what my eyes saw by using a lux meter and yes the lux meter did show there was more light. As expected has no effect on the lower modes.

If I had to compare the Mk IV to any of my other torches I'd say my BLF-A6 compares well and although not as wide has close to the same beam pattern. The Mk IV could be brighter on turbo but likely it will taper the output very fast once the lamp gets hot. I look forward to riding with the Mk IV but that might not happen this weekend because now the rain has moved in. Not raining at the moment so if there's no more rain by night fall I might try to get a MTB ride in. Forecast isn't promising though.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Just did some more fiddling with the Mk IV. This time I set the H2 to 500 lumen and did a lux test. The 500 lm is about twice as bright as the medium level at it's highest option. I might decide to make that the "work horse" mode as I rethink things. If I need more light a quick double click goes to turbo and well, things being as they are the lamp will likely ramp down fairly quickly if it starts to get hot. In all honesty if I have H2 set to 875 lm when you switch to turbo there doesn't look to be that much more difference ( although this is while shining it around in my home ). That might change when I finally get a chance to play with it outside.

Another way to go which I've never done before is to use my XP-3 on the bars in combo with the Mk IV helmet mounted. Likely with that combo I really won't need too much helmet light unless doing sharp turns so a 500 lm. setting might be the way to go as long as I'm not going real fast. 

I did go ahead and order another rubber mount for the Mk IV. No way am I going to dismantle the head strap to get to the mount. That would be way too much of a hassle. I like the setup I'm using now with the Velcro but I'm worried that with the lamp being as small as it is that the Velcro ( and rubber shim ) are going to block off air flow from the small battery tube. Believe me this little lamp is going to need all the air flow it can get to keep it cool when used on the upper output levels. 

Ho-hum....another weekend and another complete rain-out.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Just tried without success to get another local ride in. Soon as I went outside it started to rain ( drizzle )...I did however try to make a little quick ride before things got wet all over again. Wet drizzly weather is not good for testing bike lights, particularly if they are helmet lamps. Still...was able to learn a couple things. First the Mk IV does a pretty good job when in boost. I had my BLF-A6 along and like I said before the A6 provides a similar beam pattern. Drizzly air was hampering throw but both did well on their highest modes. A6 had the better lower modes. The Mk IV with H2 set at 500 lumen was not really that useful although I'm sure it would of performed better in dryer weather. It does kick ass in boost mode though. 

What really surprised me was how well the Gearbest Convoy S2 I had on the bars was working. I bought that torch a year or so ago and carry it along on most MTB rides as my backup bar lamp. I guess I got lucky when I bought it because it provides a fantastic NW beam pattern coming off the bars. On medium it was blowing the Mk IV away when in 500 lm. H2. That particular S2 came with a shorter reflector than the one I bought from MTN Electronics. It also has a really warm NW emitter.

I am beginning to see that the Mk IV ( as well as other angled torches ) are really designed for people who are running, walking or hiking. Usability on lower modes is just really limited if you want to use one for cycling. If you're going to buy an Mk IV best plan on using the boost or 875 lm. modes a whole lot if you're mountain biking.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Since there was very little rain today I thought I'd try to get a quick ride in on the paved paths behind where I live when I got home. Wasn't raining but with 98% humidity it might as well have been. 

This time I set H2 back to the default 875 lumen setting and went ahead and tried that again. With H2 back to default the Mk.IV was working pretty good considering the conditions. With so much moisture in the air ( and cool temps ) it was almost like riding through a light fog. This lamp might actually work well but with so much moisture in the air I can't help thinking that this little lamp would work so much better if I were riding with less than 75% humidity!

With this in mind I got me a' think'in....Once the fall sets in I'll be seeing more ground fog at night on a regular basis. :nonod: Yep, food for thought.

Well, Friday the hurricane is suppose to make landfall in the Carolina's so will likely hit my area with a vengeance by Saturday. I figure for at least 5" of rain ( per day ) and will likely be rained out for who knows how long. ( assuming of course that the system doesn't stall and rain for more than a week ) Not to mention if we see wind speeds over 50 mph I'm pretty sure there will be multitudes of downed trees blocking up the trails along with massive trail erosion and tree debris strewn all over the trails. Sitting here as I'm writing this I have a bad feeling that I'm not going to be a happy camper anytime soon. This has just not been a good year for MTB'n in my neck of the woods ( I can count the number of summer rides I've been able to do on two hands )


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*More Mark IV riding time*

Luckily for me the proposed hurricane / tropical storm Florence that was supposed to hit the Maryland area I live in decided to take a more southernly path once it hit the Carolina coast. Thankfully we got none of the winds and only a sprinkling of rain, most of it just an annoying all day drizzle. I considered taking a MTB ride today but then figured that the trails would likely still be too wet.

I did however take my MTB for a longer ride on the local paved paths near where I live. This time I was using the ZL mount on my helmet. With temps only around 80°F and humidity only about 75% I could see it was going to be a much nicer ride.

In a nutshell the ride only lasted about 45 minutes and on segments where I rode on the road I didn't use the Mk IV. Still the Mk IV got a pretty good work out with the setting on the 875 lumen H2 mode. With less humidity it was obvious that it was working a lot better. ( Note; when I got home the battery only took a 880mAh recharge. I feel good about that although if used on single track I'm sure it would have used much more battery )

I still need to be able to test this lamp on some single track as that is why I bought it. Once I get on single track I will have to run the higher modes much more often and that will tell me more about how useful it might be for MTB'n. I will say once again that one of nicer advantages of using the angled Periscope style design is that it is so light-weight you don't even notice it. Add to that that it also is very, very low profile ( *see photo below ). I will add though that it might not mount as well to every helmet depending on the arrangement of the vent holes. I found that the ZL mount works better if you can strap it in using Velcro and running the strap up/down and around thru the vent holes. The closer the distance of the vent holes the better. If you run the straps side to side the mount ( being made of rubber ) tends to flop around if you need to adjust the angle of the lamp on the fly. Up / down through the middle of the mount is the way to go ( if your helmet gives you that option ).

The PID thermal management of the Zebralight's does a very good job. While riding I would touch the lamp head every now and then to see how hot it was getting. Never got really hot, only moderately warm as long as I was moving. Of course how well it will cool while on single track remands to be seen. When I climb rough rock filled trails I usually don't move too fast. If it gets too hot in H2 (875 lm ) I might have to reprogram it to the 500 lm setting.

Tomorrow might rain in the evening ( 40% chance ) Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best. If I'm lucky I'll be able to do a ride after watching some football tomorrow night.

So far I like what I see from the Zebralight Mk IV. However I plan to contact ZL after I finish getting some more rides in and then making a few recommendations. First, I'd like to see a more MTB geared version of the angled lights. My ideas are thus; Using the same spot reflector as the Mk IV, replace the XHP emitter and use an XP-L HI NWhite of the same tint. While it might not be quite as bright as the Mk IV with XHP it will come real close to the same output, won't require a step up driver, with the end result being a lamp that provides more brighter hot spot thus making it more useful both on upper and lower settings. Then I would recommend a change to the medium setting options. Medium options on the Mk IV kind'a suck. For a MTB version I'd like to see the following settings for medium; 650 lm, 400 lm. and 150 lm. The 150 would only be needed for doing repairs or for when stopped. Once finished the MTB version would probably end up with a turbo setting being about 1100 lumen, H2 about 800 lm. and medium any of the settings I mentioned before... ( mine I would set for 650 lm. )


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

*Zebralight Mk IV on single track*

Got lucky today and no rain showed up to spoil things. Of course that didn't change things much as it turned out that the place I had planned to ride at had new parking restrictions. Not only could I not park at the trail head after sunset ( no surprise there, it's always been that way ) but someone decided to line the entire road leading to the trail head with "No Parking" / "Towing enforced" signs on both sides of the road. That really had me pissed and so I had to bale on riding at that site.

Next I went to one of my other regular venues, particularly the one I tend to ride at a lot lately ( no signs there yet )...HOWEVER....The road leading to that trail head just so happens to be closed off due to some sort of construction. That construction has been going on for almost a month now. What ever it is they are doing it is taking a long time to fix. There are detours but the detours add another 40 minutes driving time ( one way ).

Since I really wasn't up for the longer drive I had no choice but do another ride that once again I have become very bored with. Fairly warm tonight with temps around 80°F and 90% humidity. Trails were wet but not too much mud so I took a short ride

I found out that the Zebralight Mk IV doesn't do so great on dark, wet single track ( with heavy humidity. ) In grassy open areas and flat pavement the torch looks to have some decent throw. All this changes once you are riding on wet, dark trails with scatterings of wet leaves that hide a lot of things you really need to see. For one on wet dark trails reflectivity of the trail surface is really low. That means that not only are you generally going to need more light if you really want to see what not to hit but what light you do have is not going to travel as far or illuminate as well objects or trail features you need to see.

I did okay for the most part as trail conditions were as such that I couldn't go too fast. Not being able to see as well ( with a torch as a helmet light really wasn't helping matters much. That was one of the reasons why I decided to keep the ride short.

I guess the Mk IV did okay but with the conditions I was riding in the Mk IV really didn't have a whole lot to add to the GW X2 on the bars ( X2 in medium mode ). This of course is while going straight. On wide turns with the bar lamp aimed off trail the Mk IV did well ( running H2 much of the time). I also stopped on occasion and compared it to my BLF-A6. Since both are using the same reflector the throw of both lamps was almost identical.

Nope, in wet / dark conditions some torches just really lack the ability to provide enough longer throw in a given situation. If I was flying down a hill at higher speeds and the trail surfaces were very dark I don't think I'd want something like the Mk IV as my helmet light. On the other hand if you were on trails that were very dry / sandy or light colored trail surface with twisty / wide turns, the Mk IV might very well work well in those conditions. As for me likely I won't be seeing conditions like that for a very long time.

Once I see some dry trails I might enjoy using the Mk IV but for the time being I'll stick with my XP3 as my helmet light or use the Convoy M1 I have which has enough extra throw to add something to my bar lamp to make it worth using.

**Below; Mr. Spider wanted to say hi to my face but I wasn't in the mood.


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Continued from above; Funny but it suddenly occurred to me ( when I woke up today ) that the place I took the photo of the spider last night is the same place I did the face-plant with the web the last time I rode this trail only I was going the other way and at the start of my ride.

Now here is where things get very strange....this section of trail is at the very beginning of the ride and is ridden both at the start and at the end of the ride. I took this picture at the end of the ride as I was coming out of the woods...This begs the question; _Why did I not hit this web at the start of the ride last night??_ :skep: No way could this spider have built this entire web in the short period ( half an hour ) I rode last night and I expressly remember NOT hitting any webs as I was riding in! Now I was able to go under this web without knocking it down but I had to get off the bike to do it....This is very strange...very strange... ( cue up X-file theme song ).


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## MaximusHQ (Aug 6, 2007)

Glad to see you got a Zebralight Cat as they are excellent lights. I use the unprotected 18650s from Zebralight's own site. They are the red Sanyo 3500mah unprotected cells. I had some 3400mah protected olight batteries, but the Sanyo seem to go further between charges. I have the older version h600w and h602w so I don't think they really need the high drain batteries like some if the newer lights. Mine runs the same brightness on both sets of batteries, it just gains a little runtime with the sanyo unprotected.


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