It’s a big EDC market out there, and tons of awesome gear is released all the time. We made The Drop to help you discover the latest and greatest essentials worth a spot in your EDC.
Cloud Defensive does it again. They already make one of our favorite all-around tactical lights as well as a new compact contender, but they also take customer feedback to heart and push their top-tier products to be even better. Such is the case with their new Dual Fuel MCH (Mission Configurable Handheld) lights.
While the original MCH in both its EDC and High Candela iterations was already one of the most rock-solid lights you could buy, the new Dual Fuel model takes their versatility up a notch. As the name suggests, the light can now take its power not only from an 18650 cell like before, but also from 2 x CR123A primary cells. While this does mean a noticeable decrease in output and throw, the main advantage is in being able to use the batteries themselves. Lithium primaries are light, have a 10-year shelf life, minimal drain, and have next to no chance of leaking, unlike their alkaline counterparts.
The other new feature is a programmable interface for the MCH, an absolutely welcome upgrade from the original High/Low modes. While those were certainly serviceable, the two-mode system pales in comparison to the new output selections across five modes. These are:
- Mode 1: High-only (100%)
- Mode 2: Low (10%), High (100%)
- Mode 3: High (100%), Low (10%)
- Mode 4: Very Low (5%), Medium (30%), High (100%)
- Mode 5: High (100%), Medium (30%), Very Low (5%)
These now give the new MCH all the versatility that’s needed for even the most stringent tactical applications.
What we like: Versatility without overcomplication has always been a difficult balance to master for flashlights, and we think that these additions are commendable for being simple and straightforward.
What to watch out for: The Dual Fuel MCH only comes in the larger size, but a Micro variant is in the works. This release also means the original MCH models are now at a steep discount, and we still highly recommend those.
Final verdict: One of the best lights in the business gets even better.
