The Quark RGB is the first commercially available product which utilizes the Cree MC-E Color LED which provides high output colored light in a single package. Size-wise, the Quark RGB is typical of a light running on 2x CR123 batteries. The body is coated in smooth, black Type 3 anodizing. Up the front it has a smooth bezel and sapphire-coated impact-resistant lens. Although the head section is rather long, the aluminum textured reflector used is very shallow. This suggests that most of the internals is taken up by electronics. The exterior is mostly covered in knurling which provides good grip when twisting the head for output selection. Viewed from the rear you can see the physical reverse polarity protection design built onto the PCB battery contact.

Keeping with the same clean cylindrical design concept, the battery tube is almost totally covered in knurling on its exterior apart from three flat faces. The entire light is coated in black Type 3 anodizing which is consistent throughout. There is also a removable clip which comes pre-attached to the battery tube. It's held securely in place by a retaining ring which threads into the battery tube from the rear, and the clip also sits in a small notch which prevents it from sliding around. The interior diameter of the battery tube accommodates most of the supported battery types easily accept for protected 17670 cells which can be a snug fit. The threads on either end of the battery tube are well cut and mate nicely with those on the head and tail cap. The Quarks are advertised as having square-cut threads, though they're rather fine and you probably won't notice the difference to regular threads, unlike those on the recent JETBeam's for example. There are also rubber o-rings placed behind the threads for water resistance. The threads on the battery tube are of the same size on either side which allows the user to swap the head and tail cap positions, thus allowing the clip to be orientated for either head-up or head-down carry. The clip is stiff and provides a secure hold. The tail cap houses a reverse push button switch which doesn't allow for momentary activation. The switching mechanism has average tension and travel. It provides a positive tactile feedback when fully engaged. The rubber switch cap sits recessed within the rear end of the tail cap, so tail standing is not a problem. There are holes machined into the tail cap for lanyard attachments as well. The rubber hand grip attachment allows the light to be held while allowing your fingers to be free for use.

If you're unfamiliar with any of the terms used in this review, click here for explanations on common flashlight related vocabulary.

As mentioned earlier, the Quark RGB provides colored output modes in addition to white. Each colored output is capable of the same brightness level options and signaling modes. When the head is fully tightened, the Quark RGB outputs white light. With the head loosened, one of the 3 colored output is activated. Cycling through colors is done by performing a sequence of tightening, then loosening the head. Both loosened (colored) and tightened (white) head positions is capable of the following output levels:

Off > Moonlight > Low > Medium > High > Max > S.O.S. > Strobe > Beacon

There is a memory feature which means the light reverts back to the last used level even after being switched off. Also, the loosened and tightened head positions work independently. For example, if you set the red output to moonlight level and white to medium, these settings are memorized. So switching back and forth between colored and white output doesn't affect the levels. The colored output modes however, share the same memory. For example, when red output has been set to moonlight, cycling through green and blue will also have them turn on at moonlight.

Please take note that the lux meter used for this review isn't specifically calibrated to measure the red/green/blue color output this light provides. As such, I can't guarantee the accuracy of the measured values for the colored outputs.

The Quark RGB is quite different from the other Quarks released thus far. Not only because it uses the MC-R Color LED which allows switching between white/red/green/blue output, but it also produces a beam profile which is almost completely flood. The beam is focused just slightly by a shallow textured reflector. Also, due to the different positioning of the 4 die quadrants, the beam profile is a little asymmetrical. Since the beam is mostly flood anyway, it doesn't really affect practical usability.

Runtime performance is actually very short, producing slightly below 100 lumens on 2x CR123 cells, well at least it trades that off by being more versatile providing its colored outputs. A peculiar behavior I noticed with the Quark RGB is that as the battery runs down in red output, the light goes into S.O.S. mode instead of steadily diminishing.

The Good - Clean body design. Well-designed pocket clip. Practical implementation of programmable user interface. Colored output provides for flexible applications

The Bad - Runtime on white is comparatively short with respect to its output.

The Relative - Asymmetrical beam, white output has a slightly cool color tint. Uses a reverse push button switch. Is able to tail stand.