Here's my take on this subject:
- I ended up going DBAL-D2 so I wouldn't have to think about running a separate illuminator.
- I started by comparing the DBAL-A3 and D2. Purchased the A3 bc smaller.
- Changed my mind and decided I’d skip the daytime laser and go DBAL-I2 w/ illuminator.
- Changed mind again for TNVC Steiner VPC and separate illuminator a la Modlite with IR head bc Surefire vampire lights aren’t that powerful and I’d heard about too many white light ND’s.
- Realized it’s probably best to have a white light all the time though. So now I’ve got the D2 and PHLv2 Modlite on rifle, Surefire x300v on pistol, and Inforce WML IR on helmet.
-This was my thinking about a month ago.
Since then a few more builds have happened/will happen, so I'm moving the above setup to the Griffin RECCE build, and I'm going to go
TNVC Steiner VPC paired with an
Inforce WMLx IR on the 5.56 shorty & 300blk shorty. This will run me about $420/gun compared to the cheapest other option I've looked at which is the I2(IR laser/illuminator, no vis laser), which I've found on sale for $650. And that would still need to run with a white light of some sort + cool switches probably.
I may also pick up a Luna Optics LN-ELIR for handheld use(I've heard they can be made Class 3, but I don't actually know how).
I'm going that route b/c the
Surefire M640v's specs are not as good, to the tune of 350 lumens white light and 120mw IR(also 2x the cost). The WMLx is 700 lumens white light and 400mw IR. For comparison, the DBAL-D2 is 600mw IR. The A3 & I2 use laser illuminators, so they really are anemic in comparison to the LED illuminators. Another positive is that the Steiner VPC uses an adjustable IR laser, which maxes out at 0.7mw, same as the D2 - this is actually really bright and blooms, especially on reflective walls. For CQB like the shorty's might be meant for, having less IR lume, less white light, and an adjustable laser seems like an acceptable move. Of course, this setup doesn't allow for switches, so there's that to consider, but my understanding is that one doesn't move around in the night with lasers/lights switched to ON anyway, they're for momentary use.
One other option to consider is the DBAL-PL; it's a pistol light, but the stats are the same as the D2 and it comes with a 400 lumen white light. The new version has a port for a tape switch, so it can be used with a rifle more easily, however, the illuminators have to run with their respective laser(visible/ir).
To sum it up, what I'm thinking of using here is the cheapest version and very flexible. I don't have to move my D2 around and re-zero as was suggested elsewhere in the thread and I'm not stuck mounting two lights(white & IR) plus a laser etc.
And I can always upgrade to a couple MAWL's if I need to haha.