The last flashlight I will ever buy

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DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
I have been looking at Surefire's for a while, and got a bonus from year end. Well I found a retailer near me and last night after work headed over to just look at them and help me figure out what light I wanted. Well after looking at a few for a bit, I did an impulse buy and got the Surefire A2 Aviator with red LED's. It is simply stunning. Just looking at the light off center (so the main beam isn't shining in my face) my eyes took a few minutes to adjust to the room lighting (it was night time so wasn't super bright in the room). Surefire say's that it will be the last flashlight I will ever own, and they are right.

If you have not seen one IRL, find a dealer and check them out.
 
mugs

mugs

Lifer
Apr 29, 2003
48,920
46
91
It won't be the last flashlight you buy. It starts with one, but then you want more. :Q
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Originally posted by: mugs
It won't be the last flashlight you buy. It starts with one, but then you want more. :Q
Click to expand...

Yeah the motto should be The last cheap flashlight you will buy.

:laugh:
 
Throckmorton

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
Too bad you'll have to keep buying batteries and/or being tied to a power source to charge them. I have 1W and 3W LED flashlights, but the one I actually use and can always count on, even in the event of a natural disaster, apocalypse, or collapse of the world economy, is the Garrity hand crank one that cost $10 at Fry's.
 
Throckmorton

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
Keep in mind that looking at the LED element from any angle will burn your retinas. It doesn't matter how much total light is being shone into your eye, but the energy per unit of area on your retina.
 
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DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: mugs
It won't be the last flashlight you buy. It starts with one, but then you want more. :Q
Click to expand...

Yeah the motto should be The last cheap flashlight you will buy.

:laugh:
Click to expand...

If a Surefire is cheap... I don't know if I even want to SEE what an expensive one is.... lol

Okay yeah I might buy another Surefire or two (I dunno about you but 500 lumens in a flashlight is so amazingly cool, let alone the 5000 watt spot light they have lol), but its the last flashlight I ever NEED at least :) lol
 
0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Too bad you'll have to keep buying batteries and/or being tied to a power source to charge them. I have 1W and 3W LED flashlights, but the one I actually use and can always count on, even in the event of a natural disaster, apocalypse, or collapse of the world economy, is the Garrity hand crank one that cost $10 at Fry's.
Click to expand...

think some of those have a small rechargable battery inside that can wear out. i know they are supposed to have a capacitor but cheap ones cheat.
its easier to get an AA based light and buy a box of 40 or 100 batteries for less than 10-20 bucks.
 
D

DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Keep in mind that looking at the LED element from any angle will burn your retinas. It doesn't matter how much total light is being shone into your eye, but the energy per unit of area on your retina.
Click to expand...

My bad I described it wrong, I was looking at the silver reflective surface inside the head of the light so didn't look directly at the xenon bulb but right at the edge and that was dang bright. I know better then to look directly at LED's or the Xenon bulb :)
 
D

DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
Originally posted by: Throckmorton
Too bad you'll have to keep buying batteries and/or being tied to a power source to charge them. I have 1W and 3W LED flashlights, but the one I actually use and can always count on, even in the event of a natural disaster, apocalypse, or collapse of the world economy, is the Garrity hand crank one that cost $10 at Fry's.
Click to expand...

think some of those have a small rechargable battery inside that can wear out. i know they are supposed to have a capacitor but cheap ones cheat.
its easier to get an AA based light and buy a box of 40 or 100 batteries for less than 10-20 bucks.
Click to expand...

I do have another cheap AA one that I used up until now, but I still have it just in case batteries on this die and I dont have any spares (picked up a few spare batteries with the light though so should be fine for a bit)
 
0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
the led stuff is trickling into the mainstream which is good.
saw a river rock headlight at target that stated that it had a luxeon k2 led on the package:) slow but its getting there.
 
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DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
Originally posted by: chuckywang
So what practical use will you get out of it?
Click to expand...

The old AA one is the one I used to use, and have just in case. The Surefire is the one that will be with me and will use exclusively, unless the batteries are dead and I dont have spares. Thats when I will use the AA one b/c I would have to (thats the only downside is the Xenon bulb kills the batteries in 60 min :(, but the LED's last 20 hours which is much better and works for most needs).
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus


If a Surefire is cheap... I don't know if I even want to SEE what an expensive one is.... lol

Okay yeah I might buy another Surefire or two (I dunno about you but 500 lumens in a flashlight is so amazingly cool, let alone the 5000 watt spot light they have lol), but its the last flashlight I ever NEED at least :) lol
Click to expand...

No they're not cheap - the Beast II is $4800! But what I meant is once you have acquired a Surefire, you will never want to buy a cheap flashlight ever again. :D

For high output LED I like this:

FoxFury

I've asked for it but have not heard anything. Apparently they don't feel my role needs such a light. :laugh: I just may have to buy it myself. :p

Here's another (HID) serious contender:

Text

Brighter and far cheaper than the Beast and waterproof!

For cheaper but very versatile solution look at the Fenix products. The new T1 seems very good for the money.
 
D

DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
Originally posted by: Rubycon
Originally posted by: DisgruntledVirus


If a Surefire is cheap... I don't know if I even want to SEE what an expensive one is.... lol

Okay yeah I might buy another Surefire or two (I dunno about you but 500 lumens in a flashlight is so amazingly cool, let alone the 5000 watt spot light they have lol), but its the last flashlight I ever NEED at least :) lol
Click to expand...

No they're not cheap - the Beast II is $4800! But what I meant is once you have acquired a Surefire, you will never want to buy a cheap flashlight ever again. :D

For high output LED I like this:

FoxFury

I've asked for it but have not heard anything. Apparently they don't feel my role needs such a light. :laugh: I just may have to buy it myself. :p

Here's another (HID) serious contender:

Text

Brighter and far cheaper than the Beast and waterproof!

For cheaper but very versatile solution look at the Fenix products. The new T1 seems very good for the money.
Click to expand...

Yeah the Beast is one expensive light, and my gawd is that 1k lumen LED light a club or a flashlight? Oh and Size / Type = 15 CR123 (Batteries Included)? 15 batteries wow lol, at least the Dominator has a rechargable pack (10x) and the M6 Guardian only uses 6 batteries, granted the LED on lasts much longer. That Polarion is crazy bright as well. My flashlight e-peen was feeling pretty big until I looked at those two :( lol

I did look at the Fenix ones but wasn't as impressed as the Surefire's
 
Rubycon

Rubycon

Madame President
Aug 10, 2005
17,768
485
126
15 123's seems excessive. Of course the Beast runs that way too...

For departments that require a light to work without notice off the shelf that's what they do. When done, throw out the batts and replace and put back on the shelf ready for action at any time.

For a frequent user a pack or arrangement of li-ions is required. Even at $1 a pop, $15 for a batt change is rather high. :Q

Those lumen ratings are rather conservative I'm told by a FF owner. Instant on unlike HID and HID brilliance. Also it's nearly indestructible and could well be used as a weapon if needed.

I use a NovaTac EDC120P for my every day use and it suits me well. But it has seemed to develop a strange act of stepping all the way down by itself even with a fully charged cell. :(
 
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DisgruntledVirus

Lifer
Dec 26, 2007
11,782
2
76
I do like that NovaTac light you have, gets brighter then the Aviator I picked up. It looks like a small flashlight though, almost too small (I would most likely lose it someplace lol)
 
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