Finally, here’s the last and biggest of the Scangrip lights. I’ve been testing this along with the other lights (Sunmatch 2 and I-Match) most of this year and it is very impressive to say the least. Just like with the headlamp I-Match and handheld Sunmatch, I own the original Multimatch and will be comparing the new with the old a bit in this article.
The first thing I noticed taking this Multimatch 2 light out of the box is the added handle. While the original multimatch was easy to grab by simply pinching the top, this is a great addition and makes it a lot easier to handle the light. The handle is also well protected with rubber trim which makes it very comfortable to hold.
On the back, we see a whole lot of new additions.
I’ll get into everything a bit later, but now want to mention the thing I enjoyed immediately… the charger. On the original Multimatch, the charger isn’t “hard” to use, but it is fairly annoying. The cord adapter has to be plugged into the female end on the light in the right orientation, then screwed on for a secure fit. Both my original Multimatch lights have the charging cord attached and is rarely removed due to the inconvenience. The new light is MUCH easier than that. It simply has a plug that you place correctly and screw/rotate into place.
I’m not sure how this affects the water resistance, but I’m sure they have that figured out and works just fine. Some more comparisons below…
As you can see, the new Multimatch is a bit larger overall (I assume to accommodate the handle) and looks a LOT sturdier than the original. The lens and cover around the LED is thicker and stronger. The rubber protective trim around the light is also noticeably thicker and should hold up a lot better (the original isn’t bad and has held up great for the last few years). Of course, one of the obvious things to note is the dual LED just like the other Scangrip lights. It has the warmer 4500k and cooler 6500k option.
Onto the rear…
Much, MUCH busier than before, but great additions to the new multimatch! There is a hole in the stand of the multimatch which allows it to be screwed onto a tripod or any custom setup. Also, this light now has 5 different modes so you’re able to adjust the light output as necessary. It also reads the battery life as well as an estimate of time remaining on the certain brightness setting. I have found this more useful than I originally thought and it’s definitely a welcome tool. Battery reading definitely helps if you’re in the middle of something and don’t want to charge it if it’s not necessary.
Now the main part of the light… the light. Here are some comparison shots of both lights on at different settings. These were all taken in the shop later in the evening, so it was pitch black inside.
First off is the original at the low setting, 600 lumens…
Next is the original at its high setting of 2000 lumens…
Here is the new Multimatch 2 on the high setting of 2500 lumens… (As you can see, it’s noticeably brighter than the older light)
New multimatch at 75% (I’m not sure of exact output but the math says around 1875 lumens)…
50% (~1250 lumens)…
25%…
And finally, 10% of total output…
Here’s a quick comparison of the warm and cool setting at 2500 lumens for the new Multimatch 2 light…
As previously mentioned, I use the multiple output settings quite a bit and I believe it adds a lot of value to the light. Specifically, the really long run time at 10% (220-250 lumens) of 14 hours. This is great to have just sit and provide light during a job, but I also found it extremely useful while camping earlier this year. 200 lumens in a dark forest is a lot of light and 14 hours of that makes it an awesome tool.
Overall I’m very happy with the Multimatch 2 light and think this is definitely one worth getting over the original. The original is a great light and I still use mine almost daily. However, this new version is brighter, more durable (based on limited experience and look & feel of materials), comes with a handle, easy to use charger, two color settings and 5 brightness settings. That’s quite a bit of upgrades for only $65!
The only reason I don’t have multiple is that my 2 original Multimatch lights are still working great, but I highly recommend it for anyone in search for a high quality, high output shop light. I really have nothing negative to say about it, so thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it!