Tag: Vital Gear

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Malkoff Devices E2/Scout 2-3 CR123 Head

When I started thinking about writing this post in 2013, Malkoff Devices had just expanded their product line with a few LED conversions designed for use with Surefire E-series lights and Surefire Scout Light Weaponlights.

  • Malkoff M61 in a VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head and Malkoff MDC LMH
    Malkoff M61 in a VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head and Malkoff MDC LMH
  • Malkoff MDC LMH and Malkoff M61 in a VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head
    Malkoff MDC LMH and Malkoff M61 in a VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head
  • Malkoff E2/Scout 2-3 CR123 Head on a Vital Gear FB1
    Malkoff E2/Scout 2-3 CR123 Head on a Vital Gear FB1
  • Malkoff E2/Scout 2-3 CR123 Head on Surefire E2D flashlight body
    Malkoff E2/Scout 2-3 CR123 Head on Surefire E2D flashlight body

Now the Malkoff E-series/Scout light range spans nine heads from superthrow, high output heads to a specialized Bodyguard V2 head (with greater than 1000 lumens for 10 seconds) and a three mode LiIon rechargeable battery powered head.

My early E2/Scout head has an input voltage of 3.4-9 volts. I run it on a Vital Gear FB1 or my Surefire E1B with a RCR123 battery. I compared it to my Malkoff M61 in a VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head, which is also designed for an input voltage of 3.4 to 9 volts. My M61 uses a Cree XP-G LED, compared with the current M61 which uses the XP-G2. The M61 has a slightly larger hotspot and in my sample while the E2/Scout head’s beam was slightly more neutral.

My Vital Gear FB1 has gone through several evolutions, first with a Veleno Designs E-Series tower module, then with a modded Malkoff M60 in a VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts head and finally the Malkoff E2/Scout head.

Currently, I carry a Vital Gear FB1 or Surefire E1B with the Malkoff MDC LMH. With three modes (15 lumens/80 lumens/400 lumens), the LMH is a little more versatile. It’s also slimmer than the Valiant head with the M61 and I can carry it clipped inside my front pants pocket.

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Malkoff Devices MDC HA LMH Li-ion Rechargeable Head

Malkoff Devices MDC HA LMH Head on Vital Gear FB1 body
Malkoff Devices MDC HA LMH Head on Vital Gear FB1 body

I’ve been using a Veleno Designs E-Series (3 mode, neutral white) tower module on a Vital Gear FB1 body as my EDC. When Malkoff Devices came out with a three mode, RCR123 compatible head, I thought it would be a better light for me than the Veleno setup. The Veleno’s neutral white looks green to me.

The Malkoff Devices MDC HA LMH Li-ion Rechargeable Head has a light orange peel reflector designed by Don McLeish. The beam profile is similar to the Malkoff M31 and M61 drop-ins with a large center hotspot and nice spill. The are three modes: 15 lumens, 80 lumens and 400 lumens. The MDC is noticeably brighter than the Veleno head, and has a cooler (6200K) Cree XP-G2 LED.

This setup is just 3 3/8″ (86mm) long and the largest diameter of the head is 1″ (25.4mm). It fits unobtrusively in a pocket. Compared to a Surefire E-B Backup body with the Malkoff MDC head, this combination is about 1/2″ (13mm) shorter.

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VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head

Flashlight with VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head, Malkoff M30 drop-in and Vital Gear FB1 BK body
Flashlight with VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head, Malkoff M30 drop-in and Vital Gear FB1 BK body

I’ve been using a Surefire E series bezel and a Veleno Designs E-Series tower module with a Vital Gear FB-1. I wanted a brighter light, so I bought a Vital Gear E to C adapter that enables the use of a P60 style dropin. When I screwed on a Surefire Z44 bezel, it made the front end of the light a little larger than I wanted.

Valiant Concepts makes the VME Malkoff Valiant Concepts Head that fits on an E series body and enables the use of a Malkoff Devices M series dropin lamp assembly. The VME head includes a lens for dropins that don’t have one but I use it with a Malkoff M60, which has a protective lens as part of the optic. I modded my M60 with a driver that enables three modes. The diameter of the VME head is slightly smaller than a Z44 bezel – 1 1/8″ vs 1 1/4″ (28.5 mm vs 31.6 mm) – which doesn’t sound like much but it makes a difference. With the modded M60, the flashlight is a lot brighter and also throws further than the Veleno Designs module.

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Vital Gear FB1 Flashlight

Modified Surefire E Series Defender head, Veleno Designs E-Series Tower Module, Vital Gear FB1 BK body
Modified Surefire E Series Defender head, Veleno Designs E-Series Tower Module, Vital Gear FB1 BK body

I bought a used Surefire KX2 head for my Surefire E2D, so I had a spare Veleno Designs E-Series tower module in search of a flashlight. I found a Vital Gear FB1, which is a single cell, Surefire E-Series compatible body with a forward clicky switch.

I’ve been carrying this flashlight built with the Veleno Designs E-Series 3 mode, neutral white, tower module; a slightly de-pronged Surefire E-Series Defender head and the Vital Gear FB1 body. The Veleno Designs module is about 140 lumens on the brightest mode and it has a good low mode. The flashlight is very light, compact and is only about 3″ long (77mm). It’s a lot brighter than a Surefire E1L Outdoorsman and about 1″ (25.4mm) shorter.