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#Post#: 524--------------------------------------------------
Maratac Cu all copper AAA
By: JohnnyMac Date: April 12, 2013, 1:08 pm
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[html]<p style="text-align: center;"> <strong>Maratac Cu Copper
Executive AAA light </strong><strong>Rev. 2</strong></p><p> <a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192346-1.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192346-1.jpg"<br
/>width="40%" style="display: block; margin-left: auto;
margin-right: auto;"></a></p><p style="text-align:
center;">Purchased from <a
href="
HTML http://countycomm.com/aaacopper.html"<br
/>target="_blank">CountyComm.com</a> for
$41.95</p><p><strong>PROS:</strong></p><ul><li>Body machined
from hardened copper billet</li><li>AR coated
lens</li><li>Incredibly small size</li><li>Beautiful machine
work</li><li>Possibly the nicest knurling I've ever seen or
felt</li><li>Light OP aluminum reflector and smooth
beam</li><li>2 very useful modes</li><li>Easy to activate with
one hand</li><li>Smooth but tight threading and o-ring for good
waterproof seal</li><li>Gorgeous polished finish</li><li>Arrived
vacuum sealed in foil to preserve finish</li><li>Comes with a
nice plastic case with magnetic
latch</li></ul><div><strong>CONS:</strong></div><div><ul><li>Umm
m...pricier
than the average AAA twisty</li><li>So gorgeous you might not
want to carry
it<!--break--></li></ul></div><p><strong>Specifications:</strong
></p><ul
style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;
line-height: 19px;"><li>Executive Series</li><li>Packed in foil
packs to preserve polished finish.</li><li>Each light is hand
finished.</li><li>Length: 2.6" ( Smaller than Rev 1
)</li><li>Diameter: .5"</li><li>Weight: 27 grams</li><li>Weight
with battery is 40 grams ( 28.1 grams without battery
)</li><li>LED type: <strong>New Cree R3</strong> with a life
span up to 50,000 hours.</li><li>The <strong>New Orange Peel
Reflector </strong>is aluminum alloy.</li><li>Flashlight body is
machined of solid billet ultra conductive pure alloy 101
copper.</li><li>The lens has been treated with an <strong>AR
(anti-reflective)</strong> coating.</li><li>Its proprietary
circuit design features reverse polarity protection and runs off
of one AAA battery that provides</li><li><strong>Now with 2
levels of brightness ( Low / High).</strong></li><li>Comes with
clip & o-rings</li><li><strong>Note:</strong> this is a solid
copper flashlight not plated</li><li>Machined from solid copper
billet stock</li><li>Clip installed from factory to preserve
finish</li><li><strong>New Stronger Clip
</strong></li></ul><p><strong>Using a single Duracell AAA
battery we got the following results:</strong></p><ul
style="font-family: Calibri, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;
line-height: 19px;"><li>low mode, 1.8 lumen output for 55
hours</li><li>high mode, 115 lumen output for 60
minutes</li></ul><p><strong>My Noted Specs:</strong></p><table
border="0"><tbody><tr><td>Purchased from:</td><td><a
href="
HTML http://countycomm.com/aaacopper.html"<br
/>target="_blank">countycomm.com</a></td></tr><tr><td>Price
Paid:</td><td>$41.95 +
shipping</td></tr><tr><td>Material:</td><td>All Copper body
w/spring steel clip</td></tr><tr><td>Battery:</td><td>AAA (14500
not recommended)</td></tr><tr><td>Lens:</td><td>AR Coated
Glass</td></tr><tr><td>Emitter:</td><td>XP-G
R3</td></tr><tr><td>Modes:</td><td>Low &
High</td></tr><tr><td>Memory:</td><td>No</td></tr><tr><td>OTF
Output:</td><td>Low: 1.38 lumen<br>High: 71.8 lumen<br>(tested
with generic alkaline cell)</td></tr><tr><td>Switch
type:</td><td>Twisty</td></tr><tr><td>Length:</td><td>67.23mm</t
d></tr><tr><td>Width:</td><td>14.47mm</td></tr><tr><td>Weight:</
td><td>28g
(w/clip)</td></tr><tr><td>Pocket clip:</td><td>Yes.
Removable</td></tr><tr><td>Lanyard
clip:</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Waterproof:</td><td>Yes</td><
/tr><tr><td>Carrying
Case:</td><td>Yes</td></tr><tr><td>Extras:</td><td>2 spare
o-rings</td></tr><tr><td> </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td> </td><td>
</td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong>Impressions:</strong></p><p
>My
Maratac Cu arrived in a ziplock baggie with 2 main parts: the
light in a sealed foil wrapper and a plastic carrying case with
spare o-rings.</p><p>Opening the vacuum sealed foil revealed a
gleaming, gorgeous little light. My first impression was
"<strong>Wow!</strong>" and that about sums up my whole review.
Thank you for taking the time to check it out and enjoy the
pictures.</p><p>Johnny</p><p><a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192808.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192808.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p><a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192942.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192942.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Ok, ok...My review isn't
over yet but it really could be. Look at this light and tell me
WOW wouldn't sum it up. It is a bit pricey and $45 shipped can
sure buy a lot of other flashlights both larger and brighter. Do
I regret this purchase? Not one bit. Everyone deserves a
beautiful, well made, functional work of art and I think this
qualifies as one. Fortunately for me it's my birthday and that
allowed me to have my sweetie open her purse strings and treat
me to something special. </p><p>After I opened it and she
admitted it is quite gorgeous, all she could say (and say it
several times throughout the evening) was "it's so small, I
don't know how it could be that expensive", or something like
that. All I heard was blah blah blah, expensive, blah blah
blah. I tried to explain that you are paying for the solid
copper machining and how it's not easy to make something like
this. "Besides", I told her, "it's a limited run and I can
always sell it for more than I paid for it. Plus it's solid
copper and one day, with the way things are going, it will be
worth it's weight in gold". That seemed to put a smile on her
face and I heard no more complaints. "As long as it makes you
happy that's all that matters", she said, and that put a smile
on <em>my</em> face. <img
src="/sites/all/libraries/tinymce/jscripts/tiny_mce/plugins/emot
ions/img/smiley-smile.gif"
alt="Smile" title="Smile" border="0"></p><p><a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192359.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192359.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>The pocket clip is
removeable, seems sturdy and, according to Maratac, is stronger
than the clip on the previous revision. The lanyard ring clip is
small enough to not be intrusive while also providing an
anti-roll feature.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192416.jpg"><br><img<br
/>src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192416.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Maratac says this is a new
R3 binned XP-G. All I know is that with the mild OP aluminum
reflector it proveds a really nice beam for a small EDC
light.<br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192430-1.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="589"></p><p>"MARATAC AAA" is laser etched
perfectly onto the head of the light. I am curious how well it
will hold up or be visible once the light developes a nice
patina.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192721.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192721.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Very aggressive but smooth
enough to not tear up your pockets, the knurling is fantastic!
As for those who worry that being all copper will leave their
hands green and stinky, don't worry. It's not pure soft copper
like used in plumbing that DOES leave your hands smelly and your
fingers green. This is all copper but it is a hardened alloy
that makes it not only more durable, but far less "copper"
smelling than a copper pipe from the hardware store.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192733.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192733.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Threads are extremely well
cut. There is very little play in the threads and the o-ring
provides a very snug seal with the head but not so tight that it
can't be turned off and on easily with one hand.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192543.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192543.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>While blurrier than I am
comfortable with, this photo shows the wide base which provides
for solid tail standing. The small but sturdy lanyard ring
provides anti-rolling even with the pocket clip removed.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192701.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192701.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Inside the body is what
appears to be, at the very least, a copper plated spring for
fantastic conductivity. I may even be solid, hardened copper
alloy for all I know.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192852.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_192852.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Perfectly centered and
focused emitter. I measured output on low to be just 1.38
lumen. In a dark hallway at night it still lights up the entire
hallway with just enough light to see fine by. It is really
quite throwy for such a small light. On high I measured a very
useful 71.8 lumens. CountyComm claims they measured 115 lumens
using a Duracell AAA. I just use Dollar Tree Sunbeams alkalines
in my 1.5v lights and find it hard to believe that they make so
much less light than a Duracell but it is still bright enough
for me.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194334.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194334.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p>Here it sits with one of m
y
other gifts, a Ganzo G707 (awesome, BTW) to give you an idea how
small this copper beauty is.<a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194421.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><br><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194421.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p><a
href="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194626.jpg"<br
/>target="_blank"><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194626.jpg"<br
/>width="600" height="450"></a></p><p><img
src="
HTML http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg106/CigarJohnny/Maratac%20Cu/IMG_20120912_194505.jpg"<br
/>width="600"
height="450"></p><p><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong></p><p>If you
can justify spending $45 on a AAA keychain light then all I can
say is "GET IT!" and get it before they are all gone. Comfort
yourself with the knowledge that you can always sell it to
someone else later for at least what you paid for it and that
one day, just possibly, copper will be worth as much as silver
or gold. Consider it an investment for your future that you can
enjoy in the present. ;)</p><p>Johnny</p>[/html]
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