VITAL-GEAR F2 FLASHLIGHT

Vital-Gear F2 Flashlight, retail $72.00 (www.vital-gear.com)
Manufactured by Vital-Gear, LLC (www.vital-gear.com)
Last updated 06-24-08




The Vital-Gear F2 is a small incandescent flashlight that comes in aluminum body, has a high-pressure xenon bulb to produce its light, two CR123A cells in the body to feed that bulb, and a curved Pyrex glass window (or "lens") at the end to protect the bulb and stippled (texturised) reflector.

It has a crenelated (scalloped) bezel, so you can tell if you left it on if you store it standing on its bezel.

It looks a little bit like a SureFire E2D, but costs less than one.


SIZE



To use the F2, feed it first (see below), and then you'll be ready to go to town.

Press the rubberised tailcap button firmly and then release it to turn the F2 on in continuous mode. Press and release it the same way again to turn it off.

Press the tailcap less firmly and hold it that way to turn the F2 on in momentary or signalling mode. Release it to turn the F2 back off.

The F2 does not have a LOTC (Lock Out TailCap); please do not look for or expect to find such a mode.

The F2 also does not have an adjustable beam; please do not look for or expect to find such a mode.



To change the batteries in your F2, unscrew and remove the tailcap, dash it to the ground, and stomp on it with bowling shoes...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead.

If necessary, tip the two used CR123A cells out of the barrel and into your hand, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit.

Slide two new CR123A cells in the barrel, button-end (+) positive first.
Screw the tailcap firmly back on, and be done with it.
Aren't you glad you didn't stomp on that tailcap now?

Measures 1,138mA (1.138A) on my DMM's 4A scale.


Because this flashlight uses an incandescent bulb, sooner or later you're going to have to change it.
Ehhh doodlebugs!!! Now I can't figure out how I'm supposed to do that without {vulgar term for having intercourse} up something.
When I figure out how to change the bulb/lamp assembly, I'll post that information on this web page.

(Edit, 6:29pm PST same day)
I figured out how to do it now.
I figured out how to change the blub.
I figured out Blue Clues!!!

Remove the bezel (head) from the flashlight. Unscrew the bezel at approximately the halfway point. Set the upper half (with the lens) aside.


Here is a photograph showing the bezel disembowelled as it should be for a lamp assembly change.

Pull the old lamp assembly straight out, and dispose of it as you see fit. They are not recyclable, so that's why I did not offer that option. Push a new lamp assembly straight into the part of the bezel you're holding. Screw the top half of the bezel (the section with the lens) back on, and screw the entire bezel assembly back on the F2's barrel.

You can use a SureFire P60 lamp assembly in this flashlight - it is directly interchangeable with the lamp assembly that comes with the F2.




Photograph of the F2's business-end, showing the stippled reflector, the curved Pyrex window, and the crenelated bezel.

The F2 is durable. It withstood my "new and improved" (read: more devastating) smack test (ten whacks; five against the side of the tailcap and five against the side of the bezel), and the damage I found was very, very, very minor; and consisted of some very minor denting on the bezel where it was struck. No optical or electrical malfunctions were detected.

The F2 has a Type III hard-anodized finish, known as "HA-III" to us flashaholics.
I tried to cut through to bare metal with the blade of a Swiss army knife, and I was not successful.
Would I really try to cut up a brand spanken new flashlight?
You bet your sweet patootie I would, if it's in the name of science.

The F2 is water-resistant, but it is NOT submersible. When I removed the tailcap, relieved the flashlight of its batteries, and performed that dreadful suction test on it, it failed. It did not fail miserably, but it did indeed fail. So please try not to drop it in creeks, rivers, ponds, lakes, oceansides, docksides, puddles of frog pee, slush piles, mud puddles, tubs, toilet bowls, cisterns, sinks, fishtanks, dog water dishes, or other places where water or water-like liquids might be found. A little rain or snow probably wouldn't hurt it though, so you need not be too concerned about using it in moderately bad weather. The F2 will not leak at the tailcap; I removed the bezel (head) and performed the same suction test, and it passed. That is, no air leakage was detected.

If it fell in water and you suspect it got flooded, disassemble it as you would for a battery change, dump out the water if necessary, and set the parts in a warm dry place for a day or so just to be sure it's completely dry inside before you reassemble and use it again.

If it fell into seawater or if somebody or something peed on it, douche all the parts out with fresh water before setting them out to dry. You don't want your flashlight to smell like seashells or piss when you go to use it next. Besides, salt (from seawater or pee-pee) can't be very good for the insides.

One of the first things I noticed about the F2 is that it has a crenelated (scalloped) bezel, so if you set it down face-down while it's on, light leaks out through the crenelations, so you know it needs to be turned off. Yes, I ruined a set of batteries in a SureFire KL2 by doing this.

The F2 has three bands of knurling (crosshatch texturising) on the barrel, so retention (the ability to hold the flashlight when your hands are cold, wet, or oily) should not be an issue.



Beam photograph at ~12".
Measures 1,913cd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



Beam photograph on a wall at ~10 feet.

That rectangular object near the right is a calendar my sister gave me.

And that green spot near the upper left of the calendar is from a Laser Stars unit.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrographic analysis of the incandescent bulb in this flashlight.
USB2000 spectrometer graciously donated by P.L.






TEST NOTES:
Test unit was sent by B.C. of Thunder Sports, and was received on the morning of 01-22-05.


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Durable construction
Reasonably bright
Glass window ("lens"), not plastic
Crenelated (scalloped) bezel (head); lets you know when light is left on & placed face-down


CONS:
Not entirely waterproof & definitely not submersible
Uses batteries that may be expensive or difficult to locate


    MANUFACTURER: Vital-Gear, LLC
    PRODUCT TYPE: Small handheld/tactical flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: High-pressure xenon bulb
    No. OF LAMPS: 1
    BEAM TYPE: Medium spot with dimmer penumbra and dimmer, wide corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Rubberised pushbutton momentary/on/off on tailcap
    BEZEL: Metal; bulb and reflector protected by curved Pyrex window
    BATTERY: 2xCR123A cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: 1.138A
    WATER RESISTANT: Splash-resistant
    SUBMERSIBLE: No
    ACCESSORIES: None
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Vital-Gear F2 Flashlight * www.vital-gear.com






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