has been my go-to light for the past several years. However, it's old tech - non-LED bulb - and has been starting to show its age. When I picked up a Surefire E1B a few months ago, the little, single-cell LED light was noticeably brighter than the Falcata. Instead of consigning the Falcata to backup status, I did some research to see if anything could be done to bring it into the modern age.
Turns out the Falcata can accept a standard P60-drop in bulb module, and there are a variety of LED P60 drop-ins on the market, from the standard Surefire LED bulb to high-powered bulbs that use cutting edge LED technology.
I tried to purchase a Thrunite model around Christmas time, but couldn't find any in stock. I searched again recently and found that Thrunite had released a new generation of bulb, using a new LED, the Cree XML. The old model, if I recall correctly, put out an advertised 300 lumens. The new generation puts out an advertised 460. I again had some trouble finding the Thrunite in stock, but finally found them at sbflashlights, who provided reasonable prices, cheap shipping and a discount for CandlePower forum members.
I went with the single-mode because this will be primarily a light used for home defense purposes. I don't want to accidentally cycle through modes in an emergency situation. I want lots of light at a single click. There is a three-mode module available, which could be useful if you're looking at one for EDC purposes.
The Thrunite arrived quickly. Install was fairly simple. Remove the old bulb and reflector, insert the new Thrunite module. It took a couple tries for the assembly/spring to get seated correctly, but when that was figured out, the light worked perfectly.
I don't have any clue how to measure lumens, but this bulb is bright. An inadvertent shine in the eyes leaves you seeing stars...definitely not a light to be careless with! No problem lighting up the entire side of a house or spotlighting objects a hundred yards away. Substantially brighter than the Surefire E1B.
I haven't done long-term testing or done anything to verify the battery life, but after initial use, I've got to give the Thrunite P60 drop in a big thumbs up. It's brought new life to my trusty old Falcata. If you've got an old incandescent flashlight that can run a P60-style bulb (old G2s, P6s and such), definitely check these out. For $30, you can turn that outdated light into a cutting edge, blazingly bright pocket spotlight. Very cool.
