UPDATE
In January 2018, it was announced that Prometheus Lights entered into an agreement to acquire FOURSEVENS. Since then, various new models have been released with improvements and a few changes.
The newest versions of the Preon P1 and Preon P2 can be purchased below:
The Preon P1 and P2 have been FOURSEVENS best-selling flashlights for the entire six years they’ve been out. Not wanting to mess with a good thing, minimal changes had been made, except a Gen 2 variation three years ago which improved the lumen output.
Now, with the new Preons unveiled and on store shelves, it’s good to see that what we’ve always loved about the Preon has not changed: the size, pocket-friendly design, use of AAA-batteries and their slim profile.
So, what has changed?
1) The Grip
One complaint of the original Preon’s was the smooth surface of their aluminum bodies that when wet, would be slick and hard to hold on to. Now, we see an improved grip due to the axial micro-cuts throughout the body of each light. These sub-millimeter cuts allow your fingertips to grip in the grooves, preventing slip.
FOURSEVENS wanted to stay away from any aggressive knurling, which can add thickness to a flashlight and if too abrasive, can wear out your clothing and fatigue your skin. The axial cuts, which are one continuous “screw” pattern on the body of the light, can easily hold the light in place with just slight pressure applied. It solved the problem of adding more grip without taking away from the pocket-friendly, smooth design.
2) The Tailcap
For us, the biggest improvement is seen with the updates to the clicky tail-cap, which came standard on the original P1 or as an add-on accessory for the original P2. Now both the P1 and P2 come with the clicky tail-cap standard.
Re-engineered to have less accidental activations by making it firmer to press, the travel to click it is shorter and the smooth edges of the button have been replaced with a much more angular edge, which limits access to the button until you’re ready to use it. This stronger, forward (momentary tactical) clicky is less prone to accidental activation, which makes it much more pocket-friendly.
Use the clicky tail-cap to momentarily turn your light on by partially pressing the button. Lockout the light (when throwing in an EDC kit, go-bag or suitcase) by slightly untwisting the head.
3) The Clip
Inspired by the after-market pocket clips designed by Prometheus Lights for the original Preons, the new clip is thicker and noticeably stronger over the previous generation.
Made out of stainless steel, you can still get the Prometheus-designed clip in titanium at DarkSucks.com.
4) Configurable Interface
Inspired by the FOURSEVENS MMR-X, the new Preons have five configurations to choose from. This gives you versatility for any application without cluttering your flashlight with unneeded modes. Configurations range from a single maximum-output mode to having all six distinct modes ready for quick access. You can set the light to be as simple or as complex as you need it. The default setting is on Configuration 2 (high and low).
To change a configuration, quickly turn it on 10 times with a half-press until you see a dim light. The light will then start flashing 1 time for “Configuration 1”, 2 times for “Configuration 2” and so on. Once you see the number of flashes for the configuration number you want, turn the light off by doing a full click and the interface is now updated.
Configurations
- Config. 1: High
- Config. 2: High – Low
- Config. 3: High – Strobe
- Config. 4: Low – Med – High – Strobe
- Config. 5: Low – Med – High – Strobe – SOS – Beacon (hi) – Beacon (lo)
The new Preon P1 and P2 are available in both black and blue, They are brighter and better in every aspect. FOURSEVENS gets it right again. Have you been carrying an old Preon? What do you think of these updates?
