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I know, I know. Form over function. Who cares what it looks like, as long as it works the way it is supposed to (and I expect it to). When it comes to our gear, what it does should absolutely take precedence over what it looks like. But, why can't it look good, too? A while back, we posted our Handguns column on the different colors in which firearm frames come. I happen to be partial to flat dark earth; I don't especially know why, I just do. I have a number of rifles in FDE, and a couple of polymer-frame handguns also in FDE.
And I have been shamelessly marketed to by SureFire, which has released its popular X300U weaponlight in, yep, you guessed it, flat dark earth. It is exactly the same weaponlight as the standard X300U in black, just... FDE. And, I had to have one. It just adds so much to the two-tone effect, don’t you know? Okay, actually, it’s more that with two different colors, I can designate a backup that is functionally identical to the main item but visually different – i.e., if my standard carry pistol has the black X300U and anything happens to it, say in a training session, I can transition to the pistol using the FDE X300U without having to change anything. Later, the different color will remind me that something is amiss with the main firearm. See? There is a practical purpose for different colors.
And I have been shamelessly marketed to by SureFire, which has released its popular X300U weaponlight in, yep, you guessed it, flat dark earth. It is exactly the same weaponlight as the standard X300U in black, just... FDE. And, I had to have one. It just adds so much to the two-tone effect, don’t you know? Okay, actually, it’s more that with two different colors, I can designate a backup that is functionally identical to the main item but visually different – i.e., if my standard carry pistol has the black X300U and anything happens to it, say in a training session, I can transition to the pistol using the FDE X300U without having to change anything. Later, the different color will remind me that something is amiss with the main firearm. See? There is a practical purpose for different colors.
Even more practical, the X300U in flat dark earth features the same specs as the black variant -- still 1,000 lumens, still the same attachment method (this model is the X300U-B, which uses a screwdriver-tightened nut as opposed to the X300U-A which is a sliding lever) and identical operation to the black X300. The two models are even the same price ($299 MSRP, slightly less off-the-shelf). Aside from the body color, it works the same: push either of the side-mount switches out for momentary on, slide up or down for constant-on. It's the height of ambidextrous operation. And, did I mention, it matches my FDE frame? I'm all verklempt.
No word yet on whether or not PHLster will be offering the ARC switch upgrades in FDE...
