Foursevens Quark QK16L MKIII & Quark QK2A MKIII Review

Posted on by TLR

Preface

As shared in our prior Foursevens Mini MKIII series review, Prometheus Lights had acquired Foursevens back in Q1 2018.

The Quark QK16L MKIII and Quark QK2A MKIII are the third iterations of the original Quark series.

Fun Facts:

  1. The original Quark series (MK I) was released in 2009 and the second iteration of Quark series (MK II) was released in 2011.
  2. Among many other items, Foursevens have been known for their Quark compatibility, similar to what Surefire & McGizmo have been known for their E-series compatibility.

Let’s check out the merits and demerits of these new generation Quark QK16L MKIII and Quark QK2A MKIII models.

Note:

  1. For ease of reading, henceforth the Foursevens Quark QK16L MKIII shall be termed “QK16L” and the Foursevens Quark QK2A MKIII shall be termed “QK2A“.
  2. The Aspheric Lens Kit & Quark Deep Carry Pocket Clip shown in this review are optional add-on accessories.
  3. The QK16L and QK2A comes with rechargeable batteries, 1 piece of 16650 battery and 2 pieces of AA Ni-MH batteries respectively.

Packaging & First Impressions

This is what the lights will come with as shown below.

  • The threads and o-rings were lightly lubricated. Threads were rather smooth and clean (no gritty feeling at all).
  • Clips are not reversible.
  • The clip has sufficient tension to ensure that the light will stay clipped to any material to prevent the light from falling out.
  • Anodizing of the lights are uniform without any missing specs.
  • No lanyard and/or holster is provided.
  • Bump Protection which prevents the light from skipping to the next Mode (<60ms off time), is a rather useful feature – especially when attaching the light to a flat ferrous surface with that strong magnetic tail cap.
  • For the QK16L, the provided non-proprietary Foursevens 16650 battery will work in other flashlights.
  • For the QK2A, the provided non-proprietary GP ReCyko+AA Ni-MH batteries will work in other flashlights.
  • The battery compartments for QK16L and QK2A, hold their respective 16650 and AA batteries with sufficient room for a slightly thicker battery width.

Note:

  • Before using the flashlights for the first time, remove the Insulation Film from the battery tubes.
  • Only Button Top Batteries can be used, Flat Top batteries will not work in these flashlights.

Front:

Back:

Sides:

Specifications:

Box Contents:

Removing Insulating Film:

Quick Overview (Manufacturer Specifications)

  • Body Material: Black HAIII Aluminium
  • LED: Nichia 319A [QK16L & QK2A]
  • LED Specification: 80+CRI 5000K [QK16L & QK2A]
  • Battery Format:
    • [QK16L] – 1 x 16650, 2 x CR123A OR 2 x 16340/RCR123A (not recommended) ONLY
    • [QK2A] – 2 x AA (1.2V NiMH rechargeable/1.5V lithium primary batteries/1.5V alkaline [not recommended]) ONLY
  • Voltage Ranges:
    • [QK16L] – 3.0V to 8.4V
    • [QK2A] – 1.2V to 3.0V
  • Output & Runtime (with included Foursevens 16650 3.7V/2200mAh battery) [QK16L]:
    • Low (1 lumens / 11days 6h)
    • Mid (40 lumens / 16h)
    • High (400 lumens / 1h 45min)
    • Turbo/Burst (700 lumens / 1h 30min)
    • Strobe (700 lumens)
    • SOS
    • Beacon
      • Note: Turbo/Burst mode will operate for 30 seconds before ramping down to HIGH mode over the next 30 seconds.
  • Output & Runtime (with included 2 x GP ReCyko+ AA Ni-MH batteries) [QK2A]:
    • Low (1.5 lumens / 8days 16h)
    • Mid (40 lumens / 16h)
    • High (300 lumens / 1h 30min)
    • Turbo/Burst (500 lumens / 1h 15min)
    • Strobe (500 lumens)
    • SOS
    • Beacon
      • Note: Turbo/Burst mode will operate for 30 seconds before ramping down to HIGH mode over the next 30 seconds.
  • Max Beam Distance: 170m [QK16L] / 145m [QK2A]
  • Waterproofness: IP68 Standard (3m) [QK16L & QK2A]
  • Impact Resistance: 1m [QK16L & QK2A]
  • Dimensions:
    • [QK16L] – 114.3mm (length) x 22.35mm (head diameter)
    • [QK2A] – 147.32mm (length) x 22.35mm (head diameter)
  • Weight (including batteries):
    • [QK16L] – 90.7g
    • [QK2A] – 119.1g
  • Battery reverse polarity protection (extra caution must be adhered when using 2 batteries)
  • Bump Protection
  • Accessories Included [QK16L]:
    • 1*Foursevens 16650 3.7V/2200mAh
    • 1*Pocket Clip
    • 1*Tailstand Cap
    • 2*O-rings
  • Accessories Included [QK2A]:
    • 2*GP ReCyko+ AA Ni-MH batteries
    • 1*Pocket Clip
    • 1*Tailstand Cap
    • 2*O-rings
  • Optional Accessories
    • [QK16L]
      • Additional 4 x AA Ni-MH Batteries with USB Charger
      • Aspheric Lens Kit (1*Reflector & 2*Aspheric Lens)
      • Aspheric Lens (2*Aspheric Lens)
    • [QK2A]
      • Flex Charger
      • Additional Foursevens 16650 battery
      • Aspheric Lens Kit (1*Reflector & 2*Aspheric Lens)
      • Aspheric Lens (2*Aspheric Lens)
  • MSRP:
    • ~$85 [QK16L]
    • ~$75 [QK2A]

UI (User Interface)

UI for these 2 lights [QK16L & QK2A] are the same and are suitable for both Every Day Carry (EDC) as it is rather straightforward to use after the initial learning curve.

Switching ON and OFF is done with the mechanical forward clicky switch on the tail of the light, so momentary activation is possible.

Normal Operation

From OFF:

  • 1/2 Press – Direct access to MOMENTARY Last Brightness Level (all modes except TURBO/BURST are memorized only).
  • 1 Click – Direct access to Last Brightness Level (all modes except TURBO/BURST are memorized only).
  • 2 * 1/2 Press – Direct access to MOMENTARY TURBO/BURST; depress switch entirely (1 Click) to get TURBO/BURST.
  • Repeated 1/2 Press –  Mode change (light cycles through LOW, MID & HIGH → LOW, MID & HIGH), mode changes are dependent on the current Configuration’s mode(s) availability. TURBO/BURST mode is not part of the mode changes.

From ON:

  • 1 Click – Light will switch OFF.
  • 2 Clicks (~0.5 sec between the 2 Clicks) – Light will switch to the next MODE.

Notes:

  1. These flashlights have a “hybrid” mode memory. After the Last Brightness Level is activated, the next mode change will cause the lights to revert back to Mode 1 of the current Configuration.
  2. To activate Strobe, SOS or Beacon modes, the Configuration must be changed to Configuration 6.

Configurations Options

There are a total of 6 Configurations options available and Configuration 3 is the default Configuration that all flashlights will come with, from factory.

The following are the 6 available Configurations to choose from.

  1. High – (Turbo/Burst)
  2. Max (100%) – Strobe
  3. Mid – High – (Turbo/Burst)
  4. Low – Mid – High – (Burst)
  5. High – Mid – Low – (Burst)
  6. Low – Mid – High – Strobe – SOS – Beacon – (Burst)

Note: There is no Turbo/Burst mode for Configuration 2, as the default mode is already at 100%.

Configurations Programming Mode

To change the Configurations, carry out the following from OFF:

  1. Cycle (OFF – ON) 10 times using 1/2 Presses within ~3 seconds, the light must be in the ON position for the last cycle.
  2. The light will start to blink repeatedly in sets to show the current Configuration it is in (e.g. 3 blinks in sets will indicate that it is in Configuration 3).
  3. 1/2 Press again, to engage the next Configuration option (e.g. if previous is Configuration 3, the light will have 4 blinks in set to show it is in Configuration 4 option).
  4. Repeat Step 3 till the desired Configuration option is selected.
  5. Switch OFF (~5 secs) the light, to select the current Configuration option.

Form Factor

For flashlights that are intended to use on a daily basis (EDC) and for possibly a long period of time, form factor is extremely important.

These lights feel extremely well balanced in a medium sized hand (not head/tail-heavy). Switching between overhand and underhand holding method is easy with its form factor. The knurling, “flats” and attached pocket clip on the light enable it to be “grippy”, even with wet hands/gloves.

The QK2A has a slight disadvantage due to its extra length of using 2 x AA batteries so in terms of outright EDC-friendly for the pocket, the QK16L will edge it out as the preferred choice instead. However, there is no denying on the perks and flexibility of having lights (QK2A) that can run on the more common and generic AA battery.

For those that enjoy deeper carry clips than the stock pocket clip, can rejoice at the option of a Foursevens Quark Deep Carry Pocket Clip that comes in Black. Do note that once this Deep Carry Pocket Clip is attached, it is pretty much a permanent fixture as it is a lot more difficult to remove than the stock pocket clip.

These 2 lights will cater to both type of users, those who prefer tail buttons that stands proud (and are easier to access/activate) and those who prefer lights that can tail-stand. These lights comes with the included of the Tailstand Cap accessory, as standard.

Installing the Tailstand Cap is as simple as aligning the slightly protruding tabs on that Tailstand Cap with the slots on the tailcap and snapping them in place. Removing the Tailstand Cap is slightly trickier as it involves using a flat blade screwdriver to gently insert into the slot (a slight rocking motion may help) to ease out the Tailstand Cap’s protruding tab from the tailcap’s slot.

With the Tailstand Cap attached, the flashlights are able to tail-stand perfectly without the slightest wobble.

Fun Facts:

  1. The included Tailstand Cap is backwards compatible to the 2 previous generation Quarks (MK I and MK II).
  2. The optional Quark Deep Carry Pocket Clip is backwards compatible to the 2 previous generation Quarks (MK I and MK II).

Foursevens Quark QK2A MKIII

Installing the Tailstand Cap:

Swapping out Pocket Clip for the Optional Quark Deep Carry Pocket Clip:

Foursevens Quark QK16L MKIII

Installing the Tailstand Cap:

Foursevens Quark QK2A MKIII & Foursevens Quark QK16L MKIII

Beam Style/Beamshots

For the QK2A and QK16L, the spill, corona and hotspot is somewhat predictable due to the relatively shallow Orange Peel Reflector. With the LED used, the beam is mostly “floody” but is still “throwy” for recognising items in the near to mid-range distance.

The above beam profile is a rough interpretation of what is seen when white wall hunting.

Both the QK2A and QK16L have the same beam profile with a fairly distinct hotspot with some slight corona and a fairly wide usable (circular) spill. It also helps that the hexagon die LEDs are perfectly centred in this sample. There is a slight ring in the beam when white wall hunting but not visible in real world usage.

L to R: QK2A and QK16L

All of the beamshots taken below are done so with the following camera settings:

  • [QK2A] – LOW: 2sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, MID: 0.4sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, HIGH: 1/6sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB and TURBO/BURST: 1/8sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB.
  • [QK16L] – LOW: 2.5sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, MID: 0.4sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, HIGH: 1/8sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB and TURBO/BURST: 1/10sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB.

Some pictures have been adjusted slightly to depict as close as to what is seen in real life. The distance of the light from the door is 4.6m.

QK2A

Control shot:

LOW (1.5 lumens):

MID (40 lumens):

HIGH (300 lumens):

TURBO/BURST (500 lumens):

QK16L

Control shot:

LOW (1 lumen):

MID (40 lumens):

HIGH (400 lumens):

TURBO/BURST (700 lumens):

Quark Aspheric Lens Kit (Optional Accessory)

Why Aspheric?

If there is requirement for even more ‘throw’ out of these 2 Quark lights, this optional accessory will help to provide additional ‘throw’ in the form of replacing the stock reflector and lens assembly with the aspheric lens kit.

Due to the engineering limitation of the Quark’s size/bezel, the aspheric lens will protrude out of the front bezel, so Foursevens (Prometheus Lights) has included 2 aspheric lens instead of just 1 aspheric lens (so that you would have a spare lens) as part of the kit.

Aspheric lights are known to project the size of the LED’s die and since most LEDs have their die in a square shape (e.g. Cree XP-G2, Cree XP-L HI, Nichia 219B, 219C and etc.), their aspheric version’s beam profile is a square.

In order to have a more circular beam aspheric lens’ beam profile, the Nichia 319A (with the hexagon shaped LED die) became the natural candidate for the new Quark MKIII.

These improvements in ‘throw’, comes at the expense of total lumens output:

  1. Maximum Beam Distance (With Reflector → With Aspheric Lens):
    1. QK16L (170m → 200m)
    2. QK2A (145m → 180m)
  2. Maximum Output (With Reflector → With Aspheric Lens):
    1. QK16L (700 Lumens → 350 Lumens)
    2. QK2A (500 Lumens → ~250 Lumens)

Installation Process

Installing the Aspheric Lens Kit is fairly simple by following the instructions:

  1. Loosen the top part of the head from the base part of the head.
  2. Remove the Reflector and Lens. If the lens and/or reflector get stuck, gently tap the sides of the head and it will come loose.
  3. Insert the Aspheric Lens into the head first, the part with the taller part of the aspheric lens should face outwards.
  4. Insert the white delrin plastic Reflector.
  5. Tighten the top part of the head back with the base of the head.

To remove the Aspheric Lens Kit, repeat step 1 to 5 but for step 3 and 4, insert the Lens first followed by the Reflector instead.

If watching a video “how-to” is preferred instead, watch Jason Hui (Owner of Prometheus Lights) perform the Aspheric Lens Kit installation process here.

Note: All Quark MKIII lights will come without any thread lock applied, so those who enjoy modding/tinkering their lights would be happy to hear of this news.

Aspheric Components with QK16L and QK2A

QK2A:

QK16L:

Aspheric Beam Profile

The below beam profile is a rough interpretation of what is seen when white wall hunting.

All of the beamshots taken below are done so with the following camera settings:

  • [QK2A] – LOW: 2sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, MID: 0.4sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, HIGH: 1/5sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB and TURBO/BURST: 1/6sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB.
  • [QK16L] – LOW: 2.5sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, MID: 0.5sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB, HIGH: 1/6sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB and TURBO/BURST: 1/8sec, F3.5, ISO100, 5000K WB.

Some pictures have been adjusted slightly to depict as close as to what is seen in real life. The distance of the light from the door is 4.6m.

QK2A

Control shot:

LOW:

MID:

HIGH:

TURBO/BURST (~250 lumens):

QK16L

Control shot:

LOW:

MID:

HIGH:

TURBO/BURST (350 lumens):

Quark Modularity

Quark have been known for their modularity — the heads and tails can be used interchangeably with the various bodies (1 x AA, 2 x AA, 1 x CR123A and 2 x CR123A/1 x 16650). That said, due diligence for the head/light engine’s battery voltage input ranges/limitations, has to be taken into consideration when making such swaps.

We are very happy to share that these modularity/conversions is still retained in the MKIII version of the Quarks.

Click HERE to view the 2 other optional bodies conversion (1 x AA OR 1 x CR123A) that can be purchased with the Quark MKIII.

For reference, here are the recommended battery compatibility for the 2 Quark MKIII (QK2A and QK16L) lights, photo below is courtesy of Prometheus Lights:

Mode (Output) Spacing

Mode spacing appears to be progressively brighter to the eye and the modes are well spaced enough to be able to know which mode one is currently in. With that in mind, TLR tend to view mode spacing as battery life indicators (amount of runtime left) rather than the specific output (lumens).

There is no true moonlight level (sub-lumen or 1 lumen) option available for the QK2A model. However, it is still fairly acceptable for night-adjusted eyes and midnight snack runs (might need to squint slightly at first).

That said, we are happy to report that the LOW mode (1 lumen) on the QK16L is what most would call a moonlight mode and is perfect for night-adjusted eyes and midnight snack runs.

On a side note, it is nice that Foursevens (Prometheus Lights) selected the HIGH output to be in the ~300 to ~400 lumens ballpark whereby it is mostly the sweet spot for output and heat/battery management for the LEDs used.

Tint & CRI

Foursevens (Prometheus Lights) used the Nichia 319A LED that has a tint (color temperature) of 5000K and 80+ CRI (Color Rendering Index).

For both the QK2A and QK16L, there are slight tint shift in the beam profile. The hotspot is a neutral white tint whilst the corona possess a slight yellowish tint; and the spill having a slight pinkish-purple tint.
This is not noticeable in real life usage.

Waterproofness

The lights were subjected to warm water submersion, followed by cold water submersion and left under room temperature running water tap whilst running on TURBO/BURST.

No signs of water intrusion in the head, body or tail was seen.

Lockout Capability

There is no electronic lockout and/or mechanical lockout available when needed.

As such, we strongly recommend that the included Tailstand Cap to be installed to prevent accidental activation.

Quick Comparison to Previous Generation

DescriptionFoursevens Quark QK2A MKIIIFoursevens Quark AA-2 X MKIIFoursevens Quark QK16L MKIIIFoursevens Quark 123-2 X MKII
LED UsedNichia 319ACree XM-LNichia 319ACree XM-L
Turbo/Burst Output500 Lumens280 Lumens700 Lumens360 Lumens
Waterproof RatingIP68IPX8IP68IPX8
Rechargeable Battery IncludedYes, GP ReCyko+AA Ni-MH NoYes, Foursevens 16650No
Voltage Input Range1.2V to 3.0V0.9V to 4.2V3.0V to 8.4V3.0V to 9.0V
User Interface ProgrammableYes, 6 ConfigurationsRegular or Tactical Interface HeadsYes, 6 ConfigurationsRegular or Tactical Interface Heads
Bump ProtectionYesNoYesNo
Tail-stand CapabilityYes, with included Tailstand CapRegular - Yes
Tactical - No		Yes, with included Tailstand CapRegular - Yes
Tactical - No
Mechanical SwitchForward ClickyRegular - Reverse Clicky
Tactical - Forward Clicky		Forward ClickyRegular - Reverse Clicky
Tactical - Forward Clicky
Mechanical LockoutNoYes, quarter turn tailcapNoYes, quarter turn tailcap
Aspheric Lens Kit OptionYesNoYesNo

Scale Comparison (Ruler)

Summary

To sum up, we believe that the most important part of any review is if given the chance to purchase the same lights for our own EDC usage or to gift to our loved ones out from one’s pocket (wallet), would we still do it?
For these lights, it is a YES, if the lack of a true MOONLIGHT mode (on the QK2A model) and lack of proper mechanical lockout are not an issue for your usage.

The Quark Modularity, straightforward UI with quick Access to TURBO/BURST, “hybrid” memory that reverts to Mode 1 of current Configuration, 6 Configuration options, pleasant 5000K tint/color temperature with 80+ CRI, Bump Protection, great pocket clip, option to have protruding tail cap or flush tail cap with the included Tailstand Cap, nice knurling and included rechargeable batteries are all plus points for these 2 flashlights.

Improving on an already good product (MK II) wasn’t an easy task but it seems Jason Hui has succeeded with the plus points mentioned above as well as designing the Tailstand Cap to be backwards-compatible to both MK I and MK II Quarks. The optional Quark Deep Carry Pocket Clip is highly recommended if one needs a deeper carry pocket clip and especially need it to be in black.

As mentioned earlier, the QK2A model is perfect for those who prefer the usage of the common/generic AA batteries and for those who prioritize a smaller EDC form factor should go for the QK16L instead.

Lastly, if having an aspheric beam profile is your jam (or just a really ‘fun-to-have’ accessory), the Aspheric Lens Kit would be the perfect match for the Quark MKIII.

That said, it would be nice if the Quark MKIII models could come with an option of a black clip (hopefully with no added premiums) in the same finish as the optional Quark Deep Carry Pocket Clip.

Here are bonus size comparison with some of the other flashlights.
From Left to Right: Olight Perun Mini, Foursevens Mini Turbo MKIII, Malkoff MDC 1AA, Foursevens Quark QK16L, Oveready Ti BOSS 70, Prometheus Alpha Blue Label and Foursevens Quark QK2A.

As with all gears, two is one and one is none.

Stay safe,
The Lite Review

Disclaimer: Light was provided for by Foursevens – Prometheus Lights (manufacturer) for this review. No other compensation was provided.

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Foursevens Quark MKIII

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