Gerber Expert LED Light
Review by Phil Elmore
Gerber Legendary Blades' "Expert" is an LED flashlight marketed as being for "military" applications. It's a handheld tactical light with a tailcap switch and a metal pocket clip. Its technical specifications, per Gerber's website, break down as follows:
Construction: Aluminum
Length: 5.5 inches
Bezel Diameter: Just Over 1.25 inches
Output Time: 1 Hour
Lumens: 100+
Powered By: 2 CR123A Lithium 3 Volt Batteries
The LED incorporates regulated circuitry, which means the light output does not fall as the battery power drops with use. The beam looks, to my amateur eyes, to be 100 lumens easily; it is nicely bright and nicely white, easily outshining my 60-lumen Laser Devices Operator (whose incandescent beam is much more yellow). All white LEDs are essentially blue LEDs combined with a phosphor cap to produce white light; the Expert's beam is free of blue tint (at least to my eye).
The tailcap switch activates with light pressure. There is no positive "click" or even much give when the switch is activated; pressure makes the light activate, while the release of pressure allows it to switch off again. The tailcap can be twisted up or down to adjust the pressure required; twisting the cap down all the way causes the light to enter always-on mode.
The pocket clip is removable and reversible; it is designed to attach readily to military MOLLE webbing and is "paracord adaptable," although I'm not certain precisely what that's supposed to mean. It rides comfortably in my pocket with the light oriented bezel-down, drawing easily. The clip fits tightly enough that it does not shift or come loose with wear, which was a problem so significant on my previous daily carry light that I eventually lost the clip, permanently, quite by accident.
The black anodized body is grooved or fluted, but only mildly so. While the light's surface is quite smooth to the touch, the irregular shape of the body and the grooves combine to yield adequate traction. The rubberized tailcap switch has a raised, checkered pattern. Facets on the bezel and by the tail prevent the light from rolling when it is resting on a flat surface (though the pocket clip would prevent this too). The bezel is crenelated but in a subtle fashion, so it does not look overtly aggressive.
This is a handy light that has all of the basic requirements for a self-defense tactical carry torch as outlined in my book, Flashlight Fighting. It is sturdy, well-suited to striking, produces a reliable, bright white light, and has a pocket clip to facilitate daily carry. I consider it a well-thought-out offering amidst Gerber's product line. >>
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