Bored With Surefire?

[ColoradoStoneman]

its just a flashlight.

lighten up everyone. Go have a beer or pop, or cigar or hug or something.

many people here have family or are in the "sh:green:t" as some put it. Some are also in other areas of the military. No one here is any better or any less a person as a result.

its just a flashlight.

:sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2::sick2:

That is exactly right. JUST A FLASHLIGHT.

But some folks try to make it something else. Surefire isn't the US military's choice, any more then corn in the mess is better then greenbeans. :duh2: Good God, they use lights other then Surefire.

Internet warriors are just that.

Beyond that, I find it interesting that I have to answer to some forum SS, that doesn't even have any power, other then a self serving power trip.

Pretty weird.

By the way, I never said being a Marine was better, only that I had a right to post my opinion. I never said anyone should shutup. I was told to shutup. What I can and cannot say. If that isn't obvious, then this country is really in big trouble.

Have a different opinion? You are in trouble. God help us. Or maybe God knows that whimpy crap doesn't deserve help?

A big difference, indeed.

My God, we can't even have an opinion if it isn't approved?

God help You. I have made my choice. :>)

 

[leon2245]

I'd prefer to have something more thoroughly tested, even if that meant the final product ends up being a little behind the others' technology. I.D.K. that's always the case, & my S.F.'s haven't been without their minor problems of course, but either way I wish I were bored with S.F. THen I wouldn't be interested in the AZ2, A2L, LX2, & T1A, because I can't decide & want them all.

I just don't understand why S.F.'s make people so angry.

 

[ColoradoStoneman]

I'd prefer to have something more thoroughly tested, even if that meant the final product ends up being a little behind the others' technology. I.D.K. that's always the case, & my S.F.'s haven't been without their minor problems of course, but either way I wish I were bored with S.F. THen I wouldn't be interested in the AZ2, A2L, LX2, & T1A, because I can't decide & want them all.

I just don't understand why S.F.'s make people so angry.

I'm not angry, or is anyone else. In namm we had the first M16, It wasn't exactly perfect. But at the same time, I don't remember an M16 forum, where there were people saying that you shouldn't complain about the holy Stoner M16. :duh2:

The part of this that is amazing, is that people are fighting and dieing, and we worry about what is said on a thread, and if it is on topic.

I guess I shouldn't trouble people with silly poop like tens of thousands of US military folks in combat. What is really important is arguing about flashlights. I guess many haven't noticed, but our military have people shooting at them, and they probably have things at a higher level on their minds then whether or not they have been issued Surefire flashlights.

WOW.

 

[dudemar]

You have got to be kidding????

Someone shares their thoughts, and only gets away with it because DM51 is sleeping?

Sorry, but I don't see where I insulted anyone, and if this is Jr high, where we better watch what we say, I guess I don't belong.

Did I insult someone, or is it that my opinion should be the forum's opinion, or maybe your opinion.

Sorry, but what you just posted was the weirdest thing I every read on a forum.

I am a Marine Corps family, and two Marines were killed in Afghanistan yesterday. My main concern today, is if I have a visit from a couple of Marines telling me that my Son was killed yesterday, and not if I made someone, that is obsessed with Surefire flashlights, upset with my "very polite" posts.

In reality, you don't have to read or care about what I post, but if it makes you so afraid that I have an opinion, that you have to make threats, then I have to wonder what scares you so much? What is it about someone's thoughts that scares you?

Pretty amazing that a flashlight discussion needs a censor, while my fellow Marines fight and die in foreign lands.

Seriously, your post is pretty weird. Off topic? What is the topic? That's right, Surefire flashlights. The choice of the military? As long as the members of the military agree with the forum?

There are a lot of Military and Leo's here that just want the facts, and have a interest in reality, without censorship. We are adults, at least those that can read a post without trying to silence those with an opinion that you may not agree with.

Good grief.

If they don't agree, just shut them up.

Good Luck.

Semper FI

Relax, this is a forum about flashlights. Just step away from the keyboard and take a minute to chill.

I know it's not easy to do right now, but sometimes you have to ignore people who offend you.

Otherwise this thread is going to go .

Anyone else bored with Surefire?

I'm definitely bored with SureFire. They just don't have anything new to offer anymore.

When the A2 first came out it was groundbreaking stuff. It was the reason why I spent $200 on a flashlight to begin with. Now their most recent offerings are, at best, tepid. Backing it up with a lifetime warranty doesn't raise my spirits either.

Can't say much about their rechargeable offerings, they are dinosaurs by today's standards.

 

[ColoradoStoneman]

Relax, this is a forum about flashlights. Just step away from the keyboard and take a minute to chill.

Don't worry, I am cool. Just worried about my son.

I am sorry for the BS on here. Just hard to deal with the boy out there without me covering his back.

I sure didn't worry about my own butt this much.

I guess this is just a father thing.

Thanks for the concern, and sorry to everyone else, who are trying to have a nice day on the forum.

Something about war that just gets me a bit off. It never seems to be done. My poop wasn't the end of it, and it seems it never ends.

 

[Marlinaholic]

As an owner of both the single and dual mode E1L and E2L, a 120 lumen L4, E1B, E2DL, LX2, L1 Cree, L1 5th gen w/SSC P4 McR20S mod, a couple KL1s w/SSC P4, one with optic, one with McR20, Milky special reserve L2, and a 6P, I would say I am not bored with Surefire. I own some other lights too, but I really love my Surefires. I think that for brightness/runtime Surefire is keeping up pretty well with the competition. I love the L1 style UI, press for low, press more for high, its just so simple and easy to use.
I also use rechargeables much of the time in ALL my Surefires, Soshine 3.0 Volts in most of them (which work great) and 3.7 volt with my modded KL1 heads and with my 6P Led (both of which can handle the higher voltage) so I don't know why people complain about not being able to use rechargeables in Surefires. CR123s are cheap on line, or at least no worse than AA Lithiums, so no big deal there. I find that I can pretty much do all of my tasks with a Surefire as well as with some other brand of light, and I enjoy the quality and warranty I get with Surefire, so why wouldn't I go with them?
I'll be the first to admit a cheaper light will often get the job done too, I just enjoy using my Surefires more than most of my other lights. I gotta say, I trust them more too, the switches on some of my other big name lights are mushy and weak feeling compared to the Surefire E series switches. Maybe its just a feel difference, but the Surefires sure seem robust. Or use the L1 type lights and eliminate clicky failure completely. I buy my Surefires mostly off the CPFMP and find they really don't cost that much more than many other lights out there. Surefire's retail prices are higher than what you really pay for their lights, just like their lumen ratings are lower than what the lights usually put out. As for the incan stuff, I like the color rendition, but just can't give up the runtime I get with LED stuff, but I'm glad they still make them, love the warm beam they put out, and lots of other people do too or they wouldn't still make them. Grab a Lumens Factory bulb and you can even use rechargeables with them! They have really come a long way since the KL1 was introduced. :thumbsup:

 

[Search]

I'm not much in the mood for an internet warrior, while my son is in the poop.

I would venture to say you don't have a soft spot for airsofters, and I don't blame you.

To be on topic.

I'm often very curious why everyone is either obsessed with SureFire or hates them. It's not often you see someone who is indifferent and just passes it up. These threads get more replies and views than any other type.

It's almost like some people hate them because everyone else loves them.

I'm 100% SureFire biased for my own personal reasons, however..

There are plenty of companies that put out "SureFire quality" lights. If you are thrown away by the price, the lack of various functions, the color, anything, then there is a company that has a place for you.

I would be the first to vow to allegiance to SF, but I'll be the first to ask why in the world is the question even in someones mind.

If you have your preferences, and they aren't SureFire, then why does it even matter why so many people do like them.

No hard feelings, but IMO if anyone has to ask question about why are they this or why are they that, maybe they should just hop on the bandwagon. It's a rollin!

 

[Blindasabat]

No. I'm actually getting bored with everybody else.

 

[easilyled]

Well Surefire must have done something right, because each time I look at the next model of JetBeam and Solarforce,
amongst many other new brands coming out, I'm damned if it doesn't look just like a Surefire design.

Is it because these brands consider that the Surefire designs just can't be beaten or because they want to be compared with Surefire?
Either way, its a huge compliment to Surefire.

I think what I'm a bit bored with is catalogues coming out with very interesting looking future models which then fail to materialize.

Resisting the temptation to announce "Vapourware" would be helpful in my opinion.

 

[HKJ]

Well Surefire must have done something right, because each time I look at the next model of JetBeam and Solarforce,
amongst many other new brands coming out, I'm damned if it doesn't look just like a Surefire design.

I can not see that, JetBeam is using stainless steel both on the front and on the back of the light, is SF?
Solarforce has a clone of the 6P, but it is hardly a new model, but one of SF oldest lights and clones have of that light has been on the market for some years.

I do not see the most of lights as clones, but some of the manufacturers are using SF as inspiration and the improves on them.

 

[iapyx]

No. I'm actually getting bored with everybody else.

Sounds like a problem

 

[RobertM]

I only have 2 SF(A2, M6) but they have left a positive impression on me. I'm looking forward to picking up a Saint and maybe a A2L.

I also agree, its just a flashlight people.:tinfoil:

-Mayo

If one were to only have 2 SureFires, those are definitely the two to own IMO! If I got rid of all of my lights but two, the A2 and M6 would be staying.

On the topic of "bored with SureFire?" I'm not really bored with SureFire (the wait for them to release new lights is a bit tough though, but that's another topic which we won't revisit), but bored with entire market of flashlights to be honest.

Here is how I see it... I came to CPF to learn about LEDs and purchase the best I could find. Learn and purchase I did. But after a few outings in the outdoors and coming to this painful realization that LEDs lacked color rendition compared to incans of similar output, I started buying high output incans. The boredom comes from the fact that nobody is really developing and releasing new incans, and at the same time, no one is really putting high-CRI emitters in production LED lights either. :sigh:

With all that being said, I do have an LX2 on order (2-3 week backorder since SF sold out ), but I think one future SF I'm most excited about in the Arc lights.

My 2 lumens.

 

[easilyled]

I can not see that, JetBeam is using stainless steel both on the front and on the back of the light, is SF?
Solarforce has a clone of the 6P, but it is hardly a new model, but one of SF oldest lights and clones have of that light has been on the market for some years.

I do not see the most of lights as clones, but some of the manufacturers are using SF as inspiration and the improves on them.

By design, I mean the shape of the light, not so much the materials used.

The M1-X/Raptors looks a lot like the SF Millenium series, to me at least.

Apart from the 6P clone, Solarforce have also brought out a hard-anodized one-cell light that looks extremely similar to the E1L.

I can't remember which model, but there's a picture of it in the Solarforce Collection Thread.

I am not criticizing the newer brands for this at all.

Just saying that its a tribute to Surefire that their designs have endured the test of time so well that they are still being used.
(So we are in complete agreement there)

 

[DM51]

ColoradoStoneman…

Opinions, expressed reasonably and in the appropriate place, are welcome on CPF. What is less welcome is someone lashing out with belligerent, disrespectful and provocative outbursts as you have done in some of your posts above.

Contrary to what you appear to think, no-one has attempted to suppress your opinions about Surefire. Apparently under the misunderstanding that this was the case, you flew off the handle and insulted other members with scattergun accusations that they were "brand biased", behaving in a "cult like" way, "weird", and so on. And you didn't stop there – you also took a gratuitous swipe at CPF staff in general (and me in particular):

Someone shares their thoughts, and only gets away with it because DM51 is sleeping?… Pretty amazing that a flashlight discussion needs a censor… We are adults, at least those that can read a post without trying to silence those with an opinion that you may not agree with… I find it interesting that I have to answer to some forum SS

You demonstrate there, in the most unfortunate way, one of the reasons why moderation is sometimes required on boards like this one, if it is not to degenerate into ill-natured anarchy. Your attack was misdirected and unnecessary, as nobody was trying to stifle your opinions; but you DO need to find a more reasonable and less personal way of expressing them.

I posted some cautionary advice earlier on, in posts #19 and #22, because threads like this one almost always end badly, either when a troll appears with the deliberate intent to cause disruption, or (as in this case) when a member loses his temper on perceiving some slight, either real or imagined, and takes a swing at someone else. The caution was a reminder to members of the need to respect other people's opinions and remain civil. Unfortunately, in the attempt to defend your own (which were not at any stage under attack) you lost sight of that.

You aren't the only member here with a son who has served or is serving in Afghanistan. For example, DHart posted a thread about his son who, like yours, is out there right now. All of us here wish his son and yours well, and we all hope for their safe return. Some of us have served in the military in time of war and have experienced enemy fire ourselves, so we understand your anxiety; but that anxiety doesn't give you a licence to be rude or disparaging about other members of whose experiences you know nothing.

I think you realise that, as your last post (#85) acknowledges; so please let's have no more of it.

 

[maxrep12]

Bored with SureFire? Most certainly.

My dissatisfaction with the melodrama that at times accompanies SureFire subject matter is to blame in part. I am reminded of Duracell battery commercials. The ones that will highlight perhaps a medical life flight service that will only use that brand of battery, and so the conclusion is drawn that it is indeed the only battery the particular outfit trusts. The inference is left to be drawn that the other brands just can't meet the bar.

Visable light represents the streaming of information. The intensity or volume of light determines, to a significant extent, the amount of information available to process. When one chooses a light with truncated run times, or lower lumen output, real concessions are made. Whether these concessions are understood does not matter.

Humor me in wading through my following experience. As a sponsored cyclist, I have owned thousands of dollars in bicycle lighting equipment over the years, including some offerings from Lupine that sell for more than $1000. Several pro mt bikers and myself regurlarly participated in group night rides on single track through rolling woods. When HID lights came on the scene, a few of us splurged.

Those who bought the new equipment were not quite ready for the major change in the group dynamics of our weekly night rides. One particular ride found about 16 of us tearing across a wooded hillside at night. It did not take long at all for a sifting action to seperate the incandescent riders from the HID riders. Those aided by an increase in lumens were able to read the terrain more quickly - a faster and more complete stream of information could accomodate higher speeds through the roller coaster single track. Within two weeks time, every member of the group now had the new gear.

What does this have to do with SureFire? At any pricepoint, this product offers lower lumens. The romanticized notion that every other light might fail when life hangs in the balance, is a red herring, especially since so many quality lighting options exist. The crux of the problem is the immediate performance concessions made in accepting lower light output everytime your light is used. It means less information to visually process in a given time frame. This translates to slower reaction times. Imagine 100 equally adept individuals running a timed tactical obstacle course that also includes targets to be fired upon. Give half of the participants lights with double the lumen output of the other group. Would you hazard to guess the outcome?

I will own lights both less expensive and more expensive than SureFire, but for the forseeable future I don't plan on owning anything from SureFire. Paying top dollar for quality and performance is crucial in my book. Paying top dollar for quality and bravado does not entice me.

 

[ColoradoStoneman]

I had said I was sorry, but obviously that is not enough.

As far as my "Brand Biased" remark, I feel that is pretty mild compared to the source post that basically says that those that don't have Surefire are cheap skates, that lack the ability to discriminate features and quality. Implying that you are an tightwad idiot if you don't buy Surefire is freindly?

Then I hear how everyone of my posts are off topic?

The reason as you say these threads go bad, seems to me to be an intolerance to anyone that has the audacity to question the superiority of Surefire flashlights. Off topic or not, the real problem was having an opinion that wasn't 100% pro Surefire.

The fact remains that anyone mentioning that they consider Fenix, Olight, Nitecore, or any other quality light as a choice over Surefire, receives a condensending reply from some, as in the example of cheap skates that lack ability to discriminate features and quality.

It seems it gets a bit personal at that point. Like I said earlier, I am sorry for going off the handle, but at the same time, don't tell me that some of the posts weren't pointed and basicaly get personal to people that don't buy into "praise Surefire".

The bottom line to me, is it seems some people sure are defensive about their Surefire flashlights. Sorry, but I don't get it. I asked why is Surefire better, give me statistics, and all I receive is "off topic".

What I do get, is I can prefer a Jet-III M to a Surefire, and I can post that.

If saying I am sorry isn't good enough, then feel free to continue to blast me. I'll be just fine.

 

[Woods Walker]

I kind of like the G2/G2Z and P6 because the tail cap seems more bomb proof than most anything else going. Also think the prices for these lights are not too outrageous. Add in the easy upgrade feature and they have never grown boring to me. After all I can keep up with whatever new thing with a drop-in. Also I really trust these simpler Surefire lights. I never had much interest in Surefire's more advanced offerings but could see myself getting one if I could somehow justify spending more money on gear given this economy that is currently beating my backside.

 

[Sgt. LED]

One of the nice things about Surefire is that their lights make fantastic mod hosts. If you happen to get tired of a particular SF light you can usually turn it into something else without too much hassle.

Oh say a KX2 head. Put in a warm emitter from Cutter, a McR19XR from the Shoppe, and a mineral glass lens for the minimag from Lighthound and you are done. You don't even have to trim the reflector down with that lens. Easy way to get started modding and fun to personalize.

lovecpf
and I love many brands, chief of which is indeed Surefire for all the times I have (really) needed light they have worked and for all I have learned modding them. No they are not perfect but nothing in this world is.

 

[Robocop]

Colaradostoneman you are very welcome to express your opinion within reason and never have I seen us all agree on many topics. First let me say that I do hope your son is safe however there are many among us who are worried about loved ones. We can understand temporary mistakes however there is no excuse for repeated issues. This is no place to vent your frustration and if you wish to speak in a more open forum feel free to visit the underground section.....You will find many there who will be happy to discuss anything you wish.

My point with this reply is simply to add that your personal issues with family have no place influencing this thread. It is off topic and thus far seems to have controlled your replies to the point it puts this entire thread in danger of being locked. Good luck to you and your family and we welcome you here if you wish to continue however just drop the defensive, and baiting, tone of your replies.

You do seem to be able to communicate very well and as such we welcome any new members to enjoy this forum with us. Just understand that sometimes mis-understandings can get out of hand quickly. Step back a little and take a breath and you will see that CPF is a decent place to pass the time. DM51 has attempted to keep this thread on topic and I believe your reply to his post should have been worded differently. You have a defensive tone and honestly it is not necessary as you do not have to have the last word on this. Just simply try to understand our intentions and modify your style just a little if you will.

I do not feel any comments towards you are intended to start trouble and our own DM51 gave some very sound advice. Please dont argue as to "why" or as to "what" just know that if you wish to continue here you must simply have to tone it down and relax a little.

Welcome to CPF by the way and it has to be said that this will most likely be the last warning as to your future replies. In fact any future replies as to moderation or other off topic discussion should be done by means of private message. Keep this thread on topic please.

 

[Zeruel]

To OP, all I can say is there are a lot of choices now, if I'm bored with one, I'll try another or another or another or another.... or go back to the first brand later, in OP's case, Surefire. Different story if this is brought up in the 80's... I'm bored with Maglites...oh no!

Post #100