Surefire L1: still a great flashlight
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This light is the perfect size,not too big not too small.
Feels perfect in hand and gives one the impression of quality when held.
Bullet proof reliability mine's been dropped more times than i can count,once it even got run over on my driveway. No clicky so the switch will never fail.
And that TIR ..boy oh boy did Surefire hit the mark with this optic.I don't know why some people say there's no side spill. It has the perfect blend of a focused beam for throw and sidespill for indoor use.
I'll never forget when i first got mine about 9 months ago. I mounted it on my bike and went for a nice ride through some really dark trails (this is when you really notice the side spill) my wife was under the impression back then that anything with an LED in it was dim like our Xmas lights.
Needless to say she was blown away as were alot of other riders on the trail.
I still EDC this light to this day.Use AW RCR123's in it for more output.
Feels perfect in hand and gives one the impression of quality when held.
Bullet proof reliability mine's been dropped more times than i can count,once it even got run over on my driveway. No clicky so the switch will never fail.
And that TIR ..boy oh boy did Surefire hit the mark with this optic.I don't know why some people say there's no side spill. It has the perfect blend of a focused beam for throw and sidespill for indoor use.
I'll never forget when i first got mine about 9 months ago. I mounted it on my bike and went for a nice ride through some really dark trails (this is when you really notice the side spill) my wife was under the impression back then that anything with an LED in it was dim like our Xmas lights.
Needless to say she was blown away as were alot of other riders on the trail.
I still EDC this light to this day.Use AW RCR123's in it for more output.
manoloco
Enlightened
which raises again a question that i havent seen a definitive answer yet:
what happens with the driver when its fed 4.2v?, does it go direct drive?, can it handle that current?, we all already know it works and there are no immediate bad effects, but it would be nice to know what is truly happening when its receiving more voltage than what is recommended.
what happens with the driver when its fed 4.2v?, does it go direct drive?, can it handle that current?, we all already know it works and there are no immediate bad effects, but it would be nice to know what is truly happening when its receiving more voltage than what is recommended.
batman
Enlightened
Shot in the dark here, but I assume you ask because you'd like to direct drive your L1 head with 2 X CR123a primary cells?(ex e2 body) like that one guy did, Am i correct?
manoloco
Enlightened
http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_56_58&products_id=708
Batman: the L1 head doesnt contain any drivers, if i put it in a 2x123 body its going direct drive, no other option, unless that 2X123 body has a driver itself and thats a whole other story, im just curious because i want to run my L1 with rechargeables.
however if you want to try a L1 head direct drive, you can use any E-series 2x123 body, it will work, but you will probably kill the led, i just tried it but just a couple of flashes to see if there would be contact -and of course look at the output
- . (would that do any damage to my led?- cree R2 WG)
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http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_56_58&products_id=708
Batman: the L1 head doesnt contain any drivers, if i put it in a 2x123 body its going direct drive, no other option, unless that 2X123 body has a driver itself and thats a whole other story, im just curious because i want to run my L1 with rechargeables.
however if you want to try a L1 head direct drive, you can use any E-series 2x123 body, it will work, but you will probably kill the led, i just tried it but just a couple of flashes to see if there would be contact -and of course look at the output
manoloco use a 3.7V RCR123 in your L1,the light works better with it.
Even the hotspot gets a bit bigger,brighter and there's more throw. What's not to like?
I've had this setup for several months now and i find myself using the light every chance i get.
As far as DD this LED with 6V+ i,like you tried it for a couple seconds just to see how bright it is..it put my E2DL to shame which is saying ALOT.
I wouldn't feel comfortable with this setup.It doesn't feel right but if Surefire was to say "two cells on this LED is fine" then i'd say well i'll take 15 minutes or so of that intense brightness (before the output drops..just guessing here) :devil: .
I wonder if there's a way to find out
marinemaster
Flashlight Enthusiast
I have many times got 99% to buy other lights that have great runtime, performance, 18650 compatibility BUT the Head Twisting, push 10x times to get to who knows what level have turned me OFF. L1 UI is Awesome. So it the Proton Pro UI. American ingenuity is still the best.
jumpstat
Flashlight Enthusiast
I had the priviledge to own both the Lux L1 and the Cree L1. Best aesthetics, and if the low on the Lux version is available for the cree L1, it would be a winner. Furthermore if it can run on a R123 it would be better still.
Somedays I do miss my L1......
Somedays I do miss my L1......
Qoose
Enlightened
It's funny, I've fallen out with my L1. Back in the day, I made my first jump into flashlights, which happened to be the L1 cree. I remember it was great, but I was in a wilderness area, and I used it every night, the beam pattern was just what I needed. More brightness couldn't have hurt, but then again, we are always on the brightness hunt.
Now I've moved and am living in an sub/urban area, the outdoors is constantly lighted, and there are no power outages. My 120P+F04 has taken over EDC duty, mainly because I use the low low to read, navigate dark rooms at 2am, and the darkest places I will be in will be indoors (like a ventilation shaft), so a full flood is best. Plus it's a tad brighter.
I do love the UI. This is why I was anxious to get my hands on a UA2. Last I heard, it was full adjustability for the 'low' press, and max for the high.
It might be because I love my L1 so much that I don't use it. If I ever do carry it these days, it's when I've on some trek, and it goes on one belt loop, locked out, and the lanyard is tied in a blocked slip knot around another loop. Basically, it's on reserve.
It is my most sentimental light though. So many a night romping through the forest, whth those closest to me. I would feel horrible if I lost it.
So maybe times change. Maybe habitats change, and lights required change. My L1 is now sitting on my desk, but I don't dare ever sell it. I still love it, just in a different way.
Now I've moved and am living in an sub/urban area, the outdoors is constantly lighted, and there are no power outages. My 120P+F04 has taken over EDC duty, mainly because I use the low low to read, navigate dark rooms at 2am, and the darkest places I will be in will be indoors (like a ventilation shaft), so a full flood is best. Plus it's a tad brighter.
I do love the UI. This is why I was anxious to get my hands on a UA2. Last I heard, it was full adjustability for the 'low' press, and max for the high.
It might be because I love my L1 so much that I don't use it. If I ever do carry it these days, it's when I've on some trek, and it goes on one belt loop, locked out, and the lanyard is tied in a blocked slip knot around another loop. Basically, it's on reserve.
It is my most sentimental light though. So many a night romping through the forest, whth those closest to me. I would feel horrible if I lost it.
So maybe times change. Maybe habitats change, and lights required change. My L1 is now sitting on my desk, but I don't dare ever sell it. I still love it, just in a different way.
Quick question for L1 owners. I recently bought an E1L which I'm rapidly falling in love with. Seeing all these really positive commens on the L1, I'm wondering if I should get one. The thing is, I'm on a really tight budget and it'll be a while before I can afford one, but is there any really significant advantages in the L1 over the E1L for some uses? To me it looks similar, a bit longer, with lower low and lower high.
So, on a very tight budget would you be happy enough with one or the other, or are there reasons you'd still want to own both?
So, on a very tight budget would you be happy enough with one or the other, or are there reasons you'd still want to own both?
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
I took my tailcap apart as much as I could yesterday and I could not get to the resistor board. Basically, once I got the buttoncover removed, there was nothing else I could take apart without potentially destroying the tailcap. It looks like there is a rivet holding the spring assy to the button through a neck-down in the aluminum housing. I pulled on it with pliers, but no give. I could drill out the rivet (if that is what it is), but I don't know what is below it to damage, & I don't think I'd be able to replace it to put it back together. Anybody have more detail on the rest of the process?
manoloco
Enlightened
if you take out the rubber button, you will see a plastic stem with a head (disc shaped), you have to break that head to be able to disassemble the tailcap, after you are done, you must reattach that plastic head.
FredM
Enlightened
Surefire has yet to make a stinker LED since they first switched over to the TIR and LuxIII emittors.
Might not be what you need but they are are very useful and tough.
Might not be what you need but they are are very useful and tough.
Oops, I forgot about that part. I used a flat head screw driver and pried the plastic rivet out. I didn't break, and it came out easily. Maybe some are harder to remove than others?
I personally prefer the user interface on the L1 - its just, well, perfect.
Also, technically it is much less prone to failure as it is a twisty and there is no clicky to break.
One thing to point out - both modes on the L1 are higher than the E1L (10/65 vs. 3/45). I really thought the size of the L1 is much more usable and comfortable. I had an E1L and got rid of it due to the size. With that said, I just sold my L1 (which I regret) as I am anticipating the release of the newer version within the next year (hopefully). If money is an issue , wait until the actual release date on the new L1 is out and then I would presume there will be a flood of the oldies on marketplace.
In short, the L1 is a wonderful light, mostly in my opinion, due to the UI. It all depends on what UI you prefer...
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Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'd definitely be in on a modified, customized L1 group buy. I'd want a neutral bin LED, a lower low (you can then always switch tailcaps with other L1's (assuming you have more than one L1) to get a higher low again), and want to keep the stock optic. Perhaps the bezel could be kept unglued for focusing to our preference, a mild diffusion film option be in place, ...a few "tweaks" while we are at it.
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Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
Did yours 'break' or just come out unbroken like ja10's? Did you have to glue it in or did it just push back in? I didn't pry to hard because I didn't want to break it. I will have to pull harder or pry it like you guys did.
Cheers, you mentioned a couple of things I hadn't noticed. I'm not sure what I've been looking at to get the wrong brightness on the L1. I read
Was I looking at an older L1? :thinking:
Blindasabat
Flashlight Enthusiast
Yes, those numbers are for the earlier Luxeon versions.
Ah thanks. It looks like both the UK websites I've found the L1 on are still selling the older version.
