Enlighten me on Surefires

[griff76]

Ok, so I have heard a bit about surefire flashlights here and there on this foum and want to know what is the deal with them. What makes them so good vs a maglight or whatever. I know I may be a bit behind the times, but I am really curious about them. A mini review on a couple of different models would be much appreciated. I just looked at some prices on e-bay and was shocked. I have a several flashlights and probably will not get a new one anytime soon, but please, enlighten me. Thank you much!

[severedthumbs]

over priced lights.

[iamerror]

Surefire certainly has a following. Surefires will be brighter, smaller, and have better beam quality than stock Maglites. There are many other flashlights that will do this too, though.

I agree that they are expensive, and do seem overpriced to me at times. The higher prices don't always mean you get the brightest/longest runtime/etc. flashlight or ensure reliability. There have been many reported clickie switch failures and also quality control issues especially with the U2, which is ironically one of the more expensive Surefires.

They do have good customer service and a good warranty in my experience and based on other people's feedback. Surefires are nice, but there are other options out there too.

If you wany to try Surefire out, you could go for the G2 which is their cheapest flashlight and see what you think.

[dmrllgr]

I have gone through a few flashlights, and for me I see some value in their lights. I have one of their nitrolon models that I keep in the car (their most inexpensive model). That is just my flashlight for general use. With my house gun I keep a Blackhawk Gladius. As far as comparing Surefires to other flashlights, what you really get for the money is a compact light that is about as bright as a big maglight. This becomes more important in a self defense situation if you are using a gun. With a little research you would learn there are several different adaptations on how to hold the surefire and gun combination. Also it makes for a much easier package to carry than a maglight. When compared to the small 2 aa maglight the surefire puts it to shame as far as brightness in about the same size package.

[clovisc]

i could light up the entire park in my old neighborhood by switching on my surefire P9 -- not bad for three lithium batteries.

i had three surefires when i was in the peace corps in africa -- all of them great fun. first time i shined one over upon my neighbors' house you could hear them screaming "MOTOCAR!" -- then i saw them running around scattering! people soon learned it was just me goofing around, as it was a lot brighter than any of the vehicles that occassionally came down the road.

a lot of the younger kids were horrified of it.

after i moved to a more isolated location, i used to shine it up into the night sky or really far away towards other villages... could hear the distant sound of children cheering my name.

i wish i had a dollar for every overzealous drunk, stray/ferile/wild/deranged dog, and obnoxious teenager i chased away with my P9, G2, and C2 while i was living in out in the bush. there were a couple times where i KNOW the light prevented physical conflict. nothing funnier than a drunk who suddenly switches from being beligerant and aggressive to a clown running away stumbling, screaming about not being able to see.

used a C2 while working with my neighbors to kill a 7.5 spitting cobra that hosed down my leg with hemotoxic venom -- we battled the thing with a spear and a slingshot for a good hour and a half at night as it held its ground underneath my bed frame. without the C2 (and the bushwoman holding it), it probably would have nailed either me or my neighbor in the eyes -- we were both within range.

can't imagine how many other snake situations were diffused by me carrying around a surefire through the bush, pointing it in front of me... you could hear and see wildlife scattering!

yea, they're expensive. yea, they sure get a lot of hype. yea, they drain batteries quickly. yea, mine have probably saved my life, so they were probably worth the price and all the battery-changing... although the G2 and G3 are both really inexpensive, and still extremely hardy. if i wanted a serious flashlight for serious situations, i'd get a surefire and never again think or worry about how good my light was.

[Darkfin]

I used to think "WTF" whenever I came across the "surefire snobs" spouting off. But then I bought a 6P, then a E2E. And now I...erm...see the light! But seriously folks...I do have a couple brighter flashlights, the Princeton Tec Surge, for example, but for the size and the fact that they are essentially kubotans, and their PERFECT beam, the only light I like more is my Coast LED LL7730 V6, which is available at Amazon for $47 (incl free sheath and shipping).
Here is a snap for you to see the size compared to the delica and the 5D mag.

[Ronald NL]

I guess it all comes down to: what do you want to do with it....

For every day carry I use a fenix P1 D CE It is cheaper, as sturdy as and much brighter than a Surefire

In my car I use a Inova T4 rechargeable. Because of the Li-ION battery I can leave in in the charger without any battery memory effect.

The mag is ancient history as far as I see it: still lead batteries that are only good if you daily use them and charge again. Their LED technology is behind competition also.

[Darkfin]

Actually, the I believe P1D CE retails at $70, and the Surefire 6P at $60. Then there is street cost--you can get a black 6p on ebay for around $40 shipped, but I have never seen a new Fenix listed for less than $69.99 + shipping on ebay or the net. Also, the PI is the size of an overweight AA battery, so not much tactical use or in personal defense, though better if you want a keychain light. Fenix is a fairly new Chinese company, and the Cree LED has yet to really be proven (though it looks promising, and I hear rumors of surefire switching to them). So durability issues might lead to warranty issues which could be problematic.

I don't know anything about Inova, but I agree with Ronald about the MAG to a point. I carry a 5 D cell one in my car because carrying a baton is illegal and a baseball bat is impractical and a Gun is not feasible. (Though it is legal to carry (without a carry license) a loaded Gun in my glove box in this and most other Southeastern states.) The big mag fits nicely between the door sill and the driver seat on the floor, and if pulled over, it doesn't get a second glance.

[OuchThatsSharp]

I have a Surefire E2D. Great light. But overpriced. After one hour of use I had to replaced the lamp assembly. The battery lasts less than one hour. I just received a Fenix P1DCE and a L2DCE yesterday. Quite a bit cheaper than my Surefire. Both lights have twice the Lumens as the E2D with adjustable light settings and according to the specs the batteries should last at least twice as long as the Surefire. You might want to check Fenix lights out.

[OutofGum]

At the moment, Surefire isn't your best choice for a high end flashlight. There is a new line of LEDs (Crees and Seouls) that will give you more light than an incandesent with much longer battery life, and a lifetime bulb. Surefires run hot, drain batteries fast (relatively expensive CR123s), and need bulb replacements every couple of months if used a lot. They are built very well, and can stand up to a lot of abuse, but unless you need an incandesent, I would recommend other lights (Fenix, Orb, Jetbeam come to mind).

Note: Surefire will be coming out with a cree model sometime this summer, but its rumored to cost over $150.

[NoFair]

Surefires are small, sturdy, waterproof to at least 33feet and very bright. Think 6D maglite in your pocket... :eek:

They are also well made and have a very good lifetime warranty.

Most of their models are targeted at LEOs and military personell and some are very specialized for certain tasks. Most SF lights are easy to use with gloves, together with a gun and are therefore not as small as some other led lights (Fenix and so on). I would say Novatac/HDS make better small led lights for military and field use, but they are $100-300.

For a small utility EDC a Fenix would probably be a better choice, they are good flashlights that can use normal AA batteries (they only perform well on NiMH or Lithiums though). But if my life depended on it I would not choose a Fenix or quite a few other brands.

Although Surefires (and many other tac lights) use cr123s, many of them can use Li-ion rechargeables with little or no modification.

Surefire is realeasing several new led models using Cree and Seoul emitters this summer. They will spank any Fenix I've seen yet I think prices will start at about $100 on these.

[WORKER#9]

Surefires are the best period, I do also own Fenix and Cree led lights. They are also nice. Surefire is the best because the lights flat out rock and I have a lot, but there customer service and warranty are beyond the call of duty. They have treated me with the best care possible. I have called and had parts sent to me in a couple of days. The company+the product make it for me. I will continue to buy Surefire no matter what. When the new Surefire Cree comes out, That might be the best light ever made!

[SoCal Operator]

They're good lights. Certainly not for everbody, but they do what they do very well. A lot of the cost of the lights goes to R&D and maintaining thier manufacturing in the US.

[Darkfin]

Surefire:Flashlights::Spyderco:Knives :)

[Jimd]

Surefires have a lifetime warranty.

I have used Surefires daily for over a decade on the job, and never once has one failed me. I've dropped them, been tackled while wearing them on my duty belt, and generally abuses the living **** out of mine, and they've taken everything I've dished out.

They are generally **** bright - my Z3 will light up an incredibly large area for its size.

I also have an E2e with an LED head that will run for hours and hours on a set of batteries. The SF123 batteries, these days, are MUCH cheaper than they used to be - buy them online from Surefire or one of the other dealers, DO NOT buy them at your local grocery store because you'll probably pay about $9/battery.

Every military unit that is deployed currently uses Surefire. A good percentage of law enforcement personnel and agencies use them, as well. I think that says volumes.

If it's good enough for the SEALs, Marine USSOCOM, Rangers, Delta, et. al., then it's surely good enough for me! They wouldn't buy junk.

[dete]

I have a Surefire E2D. Great light. But overpriced. After one hour of use I had to replaced the lamp assembly. The battery lasts less than one hour. I just received a Fenix P1DCE and a L2DCE yesterday. Quite a bit cheaper than my Surefire. Both lights have twice the Lumens as the E2D with adjustable light settings and according to the specs the batteries should last at least twice as long as the Surefire. You might want to check Fenix lights out.

E2D "engineering" doesn't seem all that great, esp. with the more modern
flashlights comming out. BUT, the design and size of the E2D is
waaaaaaaaaaaaaay nice :D

[Darkfin]

Well I am finally getting a Fenix. An L1S, as I was looking for a keychain light, and while I considered the P1, P1D & CE, (and SF E1) they are all just to big for the keychain (and cost 2-3x more). So the L1S gets the nod. And NO, the fact that you get a cool Fenix folding knife had NOTHING WHATEVER to do with my decision. :p

Fenix KM1:
Blade material: 8Cr14MoV
Blade hardness: HRC57
Unfolded length: 156 mm
Blade length: 65 mm

Oh--y'all wanted to see the light....



Holster is included, SAK is not. $38.00 for the lot, including shipping.