The FourSevens Quark X AA2 Tactical (what a mouthful!) is a great light. I chose this light for its relative compactness, its output, and the common battery it uses. Using the AA battery allows it to be much thinner than many other “EDC” lights. Most 123 battery lights are 1 inch in diameter. The Quark AA2 is only .86 inch in diameter. It is relatively close in dimensions to the classic Mini-Mag light, but with so many more features. This allows you to carry it clipped to the inside of a pocket with much less noticeable bulk. Plus, I use my light so much, that I am thankful for the use of common, relatively inexpensive batteries. The lengthy name can be decoded for easy identification of the lights function. “Quark” is the actual model name. The “X” denotes that is the brighter version of that particular model. The “AA” is the battery used and the “2” is the number of that battery. The “Tactical” lets you know what the user interface is like. There are two interfaces, “Pro” and “Tactical”. The Pro cycles through each of the modes by simply soft-pressing the tail cap switch. The Tactical is programmable. It only has two readily available modes, but those two modes can set to whatever you want. The way to switch between them is by either loosening or tightening the bezel. As an example, you can set it up as Loose = Max and Tight = Strobe. For such a compact light running off of AA batteries, it has an amazing output. FourSevens advertises 280 lumens on this X model. The standard(non-X) is advertised at 205 lumens. With my normal use, this light seems to have a pretty good runtime. I usually keep it on High, which is 115 lumens, and I seem to rarely change the batteries. The Tactical has a momentary/constant switch. To use the momentary, you soft press the switch. To make it constant on, you just press the switch all the way in. You can also swap the head and tail cap, which lets you choose if you want the clip to carry it head-up or head-down. I had to send my light back to the factory for repair, because I accidentally got water inside of the tube and the head malfunctioned. This was entirely my fault, and not a faulty seal, but FourSevens fixed it free of charge. My only ding against them would be that I didn’t get any sort of ETA when I returned it. Six weeks doesn’t seem like a terribly long time to wait, but when you have no clue how long it will be, that seems like an eternity.
Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points
Claim to Fame: Bright and compact
Target Market: Concealed carriers that want a relatively compact, tactical light.
FNBs: (Features & Benefits of this product)
Key Features
- 280 Lumens
- Compact
- Many modes to choose from
- Uses 2 AA batteries
What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?
The Quark only comes in black.
What others are saying?
“Quality of fit and finish is excellent throughout the Quark AA2 Tactical and I anticipate all the Quark lights, including this one, to be lifetime lights.” - nutnfancy
Price point
I need it now! Availability:
Readily available from many retailers, including Amazon.
Our Rating
+ Compact + Bright + Uses common batteries + Can use rechargeable batteries + Momentary and Constant on - Repair customer service was relatively slow and kept me in the dark
Score 9.5