# I accidently bought a Surefire A2 Aviator



## Epic Win (Feb 25, 2010)

I made a bid on ebay, and I was the only bidder  The light cost me 100.00 + shipping. I'm a 100 dollars down now, but a comforting thought is that this light seems very well received on CPF. I'm getting the incandescent version with white LED (new, as the seller says). Thanks to CPF....I at least don't have buyer's remorse.


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## Chrontius (Feb 25, 2010)

Good deal for a new Aviator. _Very_ good deal.

It may not become your EDC, but if you realize that it's made to be used relying on the LEDs and using the incandescent main gun intermittently (and it has soft-start and regulation to encourage that use; you won't go through bulbs quickly) you will come to respect it very quickly.


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## Epic Win (Feb 25, 2010)

Chrontius said:


> Good deal for a new Aviator. _Very_ good deal.
> 
> It may not become your EDC, but if you realize that it's made to be used relying on the LEDs and using the incandescent main gun intermittently (and it has soft-start and regulation to encourage that use; you won't go through bulbs quickly) you will come to respect it very quickly.



Thanks for the info. Actually when I bid on it I had no clue what I was buying. In the morning, ebay sent me a message saying I won...then I had a moment of "what did I just buy?". After some reading on CPF I realized it was a good light. Originally however, my sight was fixed on a E2L Outdoorsman.


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## Outdoors Fanatic (Feb 25, 2010)

You're going to LOVE that light! Congrats on a super sweet deal...


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## carrot (Feb 25, 2010)

That's no accident, the light seduced you! It's one of the best there is... and for the longest time it was my favorite EDC.


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## saabgoblin (Feb 25, 2010)

Definitely a winner in my book and the incandescent bulb's output is regulated as well much like many LED lights. I have begun carrying mine again in my backpack and it is an acceptable size for EDC pocket carry whereas the 6P, G2 and lights of similar size would need a holster for me to EDC.

Great beam with pretty amazing throw.:twothumbs


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## kramer5150 (Feb 25, 2010)

Its a KILLER light.
People are hocking them for next to nothing now that the LED version is out. I scored mine for $79 a couple weeks ago!!!:thumbsup:

Its a great nightstand light, for those light sleepers like me who get up often at night. Mines been bored for a 17670 cell, I cant run the incan at this low Vin, but still the low Vf red LEDs work great. Its a great night time task-light. BC measured mine at 90 Lumens OTF with non-IMR RCR123 cells


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## csshih (Feb 25, 2010)

> I accidently bought a Surefire A2 Aviator



is that the excuse you're using now?


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## Epic Win (Feb 25, 2010)

kramer5150 said:


> Its a KILLER light.
> People are hocking them for next to nothing now that the LED version is out. I scored mine for $79 a couple weeks ago!!!:thumbsup:
> 
> Its a great nightstand light, for those light sleepers like me who get up often at night. Mines been bored for a 17670 cell, I cant run the incan at this low Vin, but still the low Vf red LEDs work great. Its a great night time task-light. BC measured mine at 90 Lumens OTF with non-IMR RCR123 cells



HI, about your pic, it seems the reviews I read for A2 were for lights that had a few flat surfaces on their body. Yours is round, and I suspect mine is round too. Will that make a difference?


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## angelofwar (Feb 25, 2010)

Great light! Once you get it and see the quality, go ahead and get that E2L...one of SF's best and most useable (for non-tactical apps, anyways)

:welcome:


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## carrot (Feb 25, 2010)

The new ones have a bit longer runtime on high and slightly brighter LED's but besides being _wickedly ugly_ have no downsides.


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## Epic Win (Feb 25, 2010)

Chrontius said:


> Good deal for a new Aviator. _Very_ good deal.
> 
> It may not become your EDC, but if you realize that it's made to be used relying on the LEDs and using the incandescent main gun intermittently (and it has soft-start and regulation to encourage that use; you won't go through bulbs quickly) you will come to respect it very quickly.


Hope you don't mind me asking so many questions on CPF  I looked around to understand what "*soft start*" and "*regulation*" meant, but the CPF wiki and faqs didn't help (and google search returns posts in which people already know the meaning so don't describe these terms well). So would you please be kind and explain what these mean! Even now I'm debating if I should have gotten a red LED version instead because I am an amateur astronomer and sometimes I use a separate red light to help with my night vision.


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## Epic Win (Feb 25, 2010)

angelofwar said:


> Great light! Once you get it and see the quality, go ahead and get that E2L...one of SF's best and most useable (for non-tactical apps, anyways)
> 
> :welcome:


Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I was seriously considering the E2L because I spend much time outdoors, and the runtime on E2L is the best I've seen so far....just that I wish it was slightly cheaper. What kind of lights do you guys have? I'm sure everyone posting in this thread has an A2 :laughing:

(edited: I just saw your signature...I don't understand anything but it must be your lights!)

(edit2: It seems that popular science has posted a review of this flashlight, holy molly! http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-space/article/2003-10/review-a2-aviator-flashlight )


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## computernut (Feb 25, 2010)

Welcome to the A2 club! :thumbsup: Keep your eyes peeled for Koala's Onion Rings when they come out:Link


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## angelofwar (Feb 25, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> Thanks for the welcome! Yes, I was seriously considering the E2L because I spend much time outdoors, and the runtime on E2L is the best I've seen so far....just that I wish it was slightly cheaper. What kind of lights do you guys have? I'm sure everyone posting in this thread has an A2 :laughing:
> 
> (edited: I just saw your signature...I don't understand anything but it must be your lights!)
> 
> (edit2: It seems that popular science has posted a review of this flashlight, holy molly! http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-space/article/2003-10/review-a2-aviator-flashlight )


 
You will understand it all soon enough if you spend much time here :nana:...the aviator is the first (and still???) the only regulated incan...the chip in it regulates the energy that the incan lamp consumes, ensuring you get the same amount of light out-put (lumens) for the life of your batteries (i.e. it won't get dimmer like a [email protected] or other incans. And when the batteries can't provide enough juice to fire up the incan's 50 lumens, you can still run the LED's for several hours, so it's nice to know that you won't be left in the dark (in more ways than one)

I have the white A2, but still want to get a red one as others have mentioned, for a stealth light. nd I want a yellow green one for "bad arse" factor...especially when you explain to some-one what the YG light is for 

The E2L is also probably the best regulated (commercially available) LED out there...you get exactly 11 hours of 60 Surefire lumens (70-75'ish actual). That alot of light for that amount of time. Google "E2L runtime charts" and see for yourself. Alot of CPF'ers actually do tests themselves and try to keep the industry honest (and let us know when they're not).

Get an F04 Diffuser for it and you have the best non-tactical EDC/camping light. The E2L's are hard to find on the marketplace, but that's a testament to how many people don't want to get rid of them. You know I'm right guys!


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## Illum (Feb 25, 2010)

carrot said:


> The new ones have a bit longer runtime on high and slightly brighter LED's but besides being _wickedly ugly_ have no downsides.



lol, yeah, generally speaking the new round A2s have and appearance only a mother could love:nana:


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## Echo63 (Feb 25, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> Hope you don't mind me asking so many questions on CPF  I looked around to understand what "*soft start*" and "*regulation*" meant, but the CPF wiki and faqs didn't help (and google search returns posts in which people already know the meaning so don't describe these terms well). So would you please be kind and explain what these mean! Even now I'm debating if I should have gotten a red LED version instead because I am an amateur astronomer and sometimes I use a separate red light to help with my night vision.



Ok, Regulation means that there is a little driver in the body of the light, that keeps the voltage or current to the bulb at a preset level, so the bulbs output doesnt diminish over the life of the batterys.
I believe the A2's regulator bumps the 6v from the cells down to around 4 for the bulb.
Soft Start is just what it sounds like, the bulb is warmed up gently (over maybe 1/4 second or less) this means it is less likely to blow the bulb.

and a CPF member named Koala is working on a new LED ring for the A2, it has an adjustable output, and sockets so you can change the Led colour.
hopefully they will be ready soon


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## paulr (Feb 26, 2010)

You did great, 100 bucks for a brand new a2. If you get tired of it I'm sure you can turn it around on cpfmp and make a small profit. Re the round vs flat sided models, they changed styles a few times over the course of production. Some collector can probably tell you exactly when your light was made, but from a user perspective there's not much difference.

The A2 is one of the highest tech incan lights, using a digital circuit to keep the brightness level constant through the battery runtime, and also to ramp up the voltage over a fraction of a second when you turn the light on, to not hit the bulb with a huge sudden inrush of current when the filament is cold.

You should read js's epic review of the A2 if you haven't yet:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/107943

there is also a meta-thread of links to other A2 threads:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/2504848


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## hyperloop (Feb 26, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> I made a bid on ebay, and I was the only bidder  The light cost me 100.00 + shipping. I'm a 100 dollars down now, but a comforting thought is that this light seems very well received on CPF. I'm getting the incandescent version with white LED (new, as the seller says). Thanks to CPF....I at least don't have buyer's remorse.




Good deal, mine was $130 without factoring in shipping to singapore, total came to about $150 or so.

Got the HO-A2 bulb from Lumens Factory to replace the stock bulb and running mine of rechargeable CR123s too. You will like the light, it's great!


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## MarNav1 (Feb 26, 2010)

Had mine for awhile, got the Streamlight strion bulb adapter for it too. Was excited about the atomic chicken mod but hopefully koala's mod will be better. Swapping LED's would be a very nice option.


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## LightJaguar (Feb 26, 2010)

Good catch. I almost accidentally bought a Surefire M2 on ebay with the old style bezel. I kind of need one but got outbid and someone got it for like $112 dollars. I wonder if he was a fellow CPFer.


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## RobertM (Feb 26, 2010)

:welcome:

I don't think you will be disappointed with your newly acquired A2 Aviator. The A2 is one the greatest flashlights ever made! $100 is a pretty decent deal for a brand new one as well. I've paid between $100-110 for each of the A2's I've owned over the years (brand new, like your A2), but even if the only way to have an A2 was to pay the full $199 MSRP, it would be worth every penny IMO.

Enjoy your new light. :thumbsup:

-Robert


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## JNewell (Feb 26, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> HI, about your pic, it seems the reviews I read for A2 were for lights that had a few flat surfaces on their body. Yours is round, and I suspect mine is round too. Will that make a difference?


 
Really just a question of how it feels and looks, so ymmv. From time to time, if you want to cross-grade, you'll see four-flats bodies for sale. I snagged one last year for $26. It feels a little more compact to me, though I think that's mostly optical illusion.


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## paulr (Feb 26, 2010)

RobertM said:


> :welcome:
> 
> I don't think you will be disappointed with your newly acquired A2 Aviator. The A2 is one the greatest flashlights ever made! $100 is a pretty decent deal for a brand new one as well. I've paid between $100-110 for each of the A2's I've owned over the years (brand new, like your A2), but even if the only way to have an A2 was to pay the full $199 MSRP, it would be worth every penny IMO.



Keep in mind that Surefire prices have been going up steadily, including the A2, though the A2 might also get some downward pressure because it's an incan.

I've somehow managed to have a fairly wide-ranging flashaholic career without ever owning a Surefire, but one of these days I'll fix that and buy one, and I'm pretty sure it will be either an A2, an M6, or a vintage 6P. YMMV but these (and maybe the M3 and L4) really seem like the quintessential Surefires to me.


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## Epic Win (Feb 26, 2010)

From all I've read about the A2, I find it a technologically advanced gadget (perhaps a step below Kroma), but I'm not sure it'll serve my needs so well. The LED brightness seems usable, but I feel that I'd find E2L more useful. I'm not sure...hmm. I also ordered a LD20 which runs on AA, and it seems more efficient from what I've seen...

I'm so confused.


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## paulr (Feb 26, 2010)

There is no question that modern led lights have higher efficiency (lumens per watt) than the A2's incandescent lamp. So they can be brighter or run longer than the A2, on the same amount of batteries. If you need maximal brightness or if runtime or battery expenditures are a big issue, that is an area where the A2's older tech doesn't keep up so well. It's still a very usable light, and there are various schemes for running it on rechargeable lithium ion cells, for what we call "guilt-free lumens" (you're not burning substantial amounts of money or resources every time you use the light).

The A2's main design advantage over most other lights is the difference in beam angles between high and low. For nearby illumination you want a wide beam, while for distant illumination you want a narrow beam; the A2's hybrid design (3 leds for nearby, reflectorized incan for distance) gives you both of those. The E2L and most other led lights just let you choose brighter and dimmer settings of the same beam.

The LD20 is a popular light trying to solve a different problem than the A2. If it's to your liking, that's great, it's a good value.


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## Epic Win (Feb 26, 2010)

hi Paul, you stole words from my mouth. This is precisely the reason I wrote "accidentally" in my title. I'm not sure the light is made for me. It appears that instead of the light adapting to me (as with programmable flashlights), I have to adjust myself to the light! I will have to decide if I should take the flashlight outdoors and if it is too bright or if the LED is too dim. The Incandescent part doesn't bother me too much. It is the two levels of brightness and the difference between them that is worrying me (and I haven't received the light yet!). Maybe when I get and toy around with it I'll appreciate it better. I don't know what to do. All A2 appreciation threads date back to 2006 or 2007 but now in 2010 we have better technology. Has surefire caught up? A2 comes with a LED option now, instead of incandescent bulb, but the internals are still (correct me if I'm wrong) the same as before. Sigh....why isn't there a perfect light for everyone?


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## angelofwar (Feb 26, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> hi Paul, you stole words from my mouth. This is precisely the reason I wrote "accidentally" in my title. I'm not sure the light is made for me. It appears that instead of the light adapting to me (as with programmable flashlights), I have to adjust myself to the light! I will have to decide if I should take the flashlight outdoors and if it is too bright or if the LED is too dim. The Incandescent part doesn't bother me too much. It is the two levels of brightness and the difference between them that is worrying me (and I haven't received the light yet!). Maybe when I get and toy around with it I'll appreciate it better. I don't know what to do. All A2 appreciation threads date back to 2006 or 2007 but now in 2010 we have better technology. Has surefire caught up? A2 comes with a LED option now, instead of incandescent bulb, but the internals are still (correct me if I'm wrong) the same as before. Sigh....why isn't there a perfect light for everyone?


 

You will find it...mine is either a C2 w/ M60L or the U2...with my L4 coming in close 3rd...my E2L is a GREAT light, and I'll never part with it, but it's not my "favourite" to "use", if that makes sense??


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## Blindasabat (Feb 27, 2010)

The A2 is a great light. I put a Lumens Factory 120L bulb in mine as many have. I think it makes less than 120L out the front after reflector and lens losses, but it is still brighter. The size and feel is so good and knowing you have a versitile Incan - LED combination that can cover more situations than almost every other light made. I'm a real LED fan, but hold onto this one incan for the things incans still do better.



angelofwar said:


> The E2L's are hard to find on the marketplace, but that's a testament to how many people don't want to get rid of them. You know I'm right guys!


You are right. It's very flexible too. I run my E2L on shorter E1L and other bodies on anything from a 16340, 17500, 18500, and 18650 (Lithium-Ion rechargeables) as well as 2xCR123 occasionally. This light really comes alive for me with custom bodies to fit the alternative cells in a smaller size.


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## paulr (Feb 28, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> I'm not sure the light is made for me. It appears that instead of the light adapting to me (as with programmable flashlights), I have to adjust myself to the light! I will have to decide if I should take the flashlight outdoors and if it is too bright or if the LED is too dim. The Incandescent part doesn't bother me too much. It is the two levels of brightness and the difference between them that is worrying me (and I haven't received the light yet!).



Don't worry about this. The eye has an enormous amount of dynamic range and will accomodate the A2's levels. Multi-level programmable small lights are completely overrated. 2 or 3 levels is really enough, and more just get in the way.



> Maybe when I get and toy around with it I'll appreciate it better. I don't know what to do. All A2 appreciation threads date back to 2006 or 2007 but now in 2010 we have better technology. Has surefire caught up? A2 comes with a LED option now, instead of incandescent bulb, but the internals are still (correct me if I'm wrong) the same as before. Sigh....why isn't there a perfect light for everyone?



The internals are fine--the only thing somewhat dated about the A2 was the incan lamp, and even that still has its adherents. If I had an A2, I don't think I'd trade it for an E2L despite the E2L's higher output. The A2's multi-beam design is just sweet and the only way to beat it is with a Lunasol that's about 4x-5x as expensive.


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## Boy SureFire (Feb 28, 2010)

Congratulations to the OP on his new love. Also I know this is a family forum, but I just really love porn so, here's my 3-Flats w/Blue LED :naughty:....


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## Wetterman (Mar 9, 2010)

paulr said:


> The A2's main design advantage over most other lights is the difference in beam angles between high and low. For nearby illumination you want a wide beam, while for distant illumination you want a narrow beam; the A2's hybrid design (3 leds for nearby, reflectorized incan for distance) gives you both of those. The E2L and most other led lights just let you choose brighter and dimmer settings of the same beam.



That's so true. And that's one of the reasons I carry my A2 every single day. (I mean one of them  )


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## flasherByNight (Mar 9, 2010)

It's my least used light, I almost never use it.
Probably because I'm always thinking about the short runtimes. I guess if I used it more I'd _get_ the incan love *shrug

I certainly would never edc it, 2 cell is just way too large for me to lug around all day.


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## Outdoors Fanatic (Mar 9, 2010)

flasherByNight said:


> It's my least used light, I almost never use it.
> Probably because I'm always thinking about the short runtimes. I guess if I used it more I'd _get_ the incan love *shrug
> 
> I certainly would never edc it, 2 cell is just way too large for me to lug around all day.


You can put rechargeable batteries in your A2.


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## Epic Win (Mar 9, 2010)

what kind of rechargables can I get for A2?


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## Outdoors Fanatic (Mar 9, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> what kind of rechargables can I get for A2?


AW 16340 Li-ion cells, also known as RCR123 3.7V LiCo or AW 16340 IMR cells, also know as RCR123 LiMn.

Here you go:
http://www.lighthound.com/AW-RCR123a-Protected-750-mAh-Battery_p_114.html

http://www.lighthound.com/AW-IMR163...LiMN-Rechargeable-Lithium-Battery_p_2626.html


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## Epic Win (Mar 9, 2010)

Thank you! (and coupon code = cpf amirite?!)


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## Outdoors Fanatic (Mar 9, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> Thank you! (and coupon code = cpf amirite?!)


Yes!

You can get them from Lumens Factory as well. (cheaper international shipping if you're not in the U.S)

Cheers.


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## DM51 (Mar 10, 2010)

Good thread title, Epic Win, and congratulations on your accident 

Quite a few of us here are similarly accident-prone!


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## nbp (Jul 11, 2010)

I just did the same thing and randomly bought an A2 on the MP. Seemed like a good deal, so I bought it. 

Thing is, I have no idea what I'm gonna use it for.  I've seen the love towards the A2 for so long, I just had to try one. But I don't know if it will be right for me or what I will do with it. Did I make a mistake? Will I end up using it or will it collect dust? :shakehead


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## oldways (Jul 11, 2010)

nbp. Use it for a week. use the low leds inside and the incand outside.

i think you will appreciate just how useful the A2 is,

btw that was not my only a2


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## nbp (Jul 11, 2010)

Hehe, hi oldways. I had to come in here and confess. 

I am looking forward to trying it out. I hope I feel it as much as others do. All these highly respected CPFers can't be too far off, can they?


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## jp2515 (Jul 11, 2010)

I bought 2, none are stock (1 has a LF HO-A2 and the other has a FM Strion socket). Have no idea what I will be using them for but both just became way more useful. 

If you happen to see a FiveMega A2 Strion socket, do not hesitate to get one!


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## TwitchALot (Jul 11, 2010)

"Accidentally" bought.


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## Illum (Jul 11, 2010)

Epic Win said:


> Thanks for the info. Actually when I bid on it I had no clue what I was buying.



I sometimes wonder why some people bid without knowing what they are in for :thinking:
Is this what it is expected?


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## Mark Mck (Jul 11, 2010)

Great buy even if it was an accident.


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## Monocrom (Jul 12, 2010)

Bought a very slightly used A2 myself not too long ago. It's basically mint. Got it for half the price of a new one. Now that the A2L is out, you can definitely find some nice bargains on the older A2. Mine also came with two extra SF inca. lamps for it. :twothumbs


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## computernut (Jul 12, 2010)

jp2515 said:


> I bought 2, none are stock (1 has a LF HO-A2 and the other has a FM Strion socket). Have no idea what I will be using them for but both just became way more useful.
> 
> If you happen to see a FiveMega A2 Strion socket, do not hesitate to get one!



The FM A2 Strion Socket is a great addition and gives a great beam. A little less runtime and a bit more heat but well worth it. Voice your interest in another run here: Link


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## stallion2 (Jul 12, 2010)

i bought one around the same time as the OP w/ a Xmas certificate to Cabela's. it was their display model and was virtually mint, even had the original SF123's in it. i knew i wouldn't use it much but it was too cool to pass up. i would like to see what Milkyspit could do w/ it but would like something more substantial than just replacing the LEDs w/ slightly brighter and/or different colors. i wouldn't mind doing away w/ the incan altogether really. i've yet to find a large selection of potential mods but would love any suggestions others have tried.


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## JNewell (Jul 12, 2010)

jp2515 said:


> If you happen to see a FiveMega A2 Strion socket, do not hesitate to get one!


 
If you do, you should act instantly. There's a thread that is probably literally hundreds of posts long at this time with people begging FM to run off some more of these. Edit - see the link above. OK, so as of today, only 153 posts... 

Great light. Not necessarily the best by any single metric, but a very flexible light and still extremely useful. Also, unique technically. A worthy purchase. Welcome & congrats!


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## KiwiMark (Jul 13, 2010)

nbp said:


> I just did the same thing and randomly bought an A2 on the MP. Seemed like a good deal, so I bought it.
> 
> Thing is, I have no idea what I'm gonna use it for.



I bought one a while ago, also from the MP (new for $95).
Try taking it camping - the incan beam really throws well for the size of the head!


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## afraidofdark (Jul 13, 2010)

I accidentally bought an A2 also ... three of them :laughing:


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## nbp (Jul 14, 2010)

Got the A2 today! Blazing fast shipping, thanks Oldways! Waiting for it to get dark now so I can give it a try. So far I have to agree with those who find the switch interesting. It really is quite an ingenious design with the two lamp options.


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## greenLED (Jul 14, 2010)

DM51 said:


> Good thread title, Epic Win, and congratulations on your accident
> 
> Quite a few of us here are similarly accident-prone!


No, you really have an A2? :nana:

Epic, I bought mine for $85 a long while back. 

If you're looking for really dim LED for your astronomy needs, you should check out the Y/G version of the A2. IMO, it's the best LED color in the A2 setup (and I reviewed and photographed all of them!)


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## nbp (Jul 15, 2010)

Had an opportunity to use the newly arrived A2 already. Went to our Wednesday night service and as I was getting ready to leave, a huge storm, one of the fiercest t-storms I can remember came through. Crazy winds and sideways rain. And the POWER WENT OUT! I was prepared with an E01 on keys, Ti MiNi AA, and freshly delivered A2-WH. The emergency lights went on but that wasn't sufficient for a hardened flashaholic! The A2's floody LED mode was perfect for checking that belongings were picked up, lights were in off position in case power comes back overnight, and doors were locked up. Incan was good for looking outside to check the weather to see when I could sprint to my car. Hope I can continue to find good uses for this versatile light.


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## Monocrom (Jul 15, 2010)

It's a bit ironic how the A2 was popular as Hell when it first came out. Then interest slowly began to dim. (Like a light that is direct drive.) And now that the A2L is out, and some owners are selling their well-cared-for A2 models, the light is popular all over again. Half price tends to do that I guess.


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## Illum (Jul 15, 2010)

Monocrom said:


> It's a bit ironic how the A2 was popular as Hell when it first came out. Then interest slowly began to dim. (Like a light that is direct drive.) And now that the A2L is out, and some owners are selling their well-cared-for A2 models, the light is popular all over again. Half price tends to do that I guess.



the Aviator's high point was 2006...trickled for a bit then suddenly the attention dropped around 2008. It is still an excellent light to have, it would be something I'll want with me on long excursions. Remember it as John Matthew's EDC 
I'll be selling mine soon, but for reasons not in my favor:candle:


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## KiwiMark (Jul 15, 2010)

Monocrom said:


> It's a bit ironic how the A2 was popular as Hell when it first came out. Then interest slowly began to dim. (Like a light that is direct drive.) And now that the A2L is out, and some owners are selling their well-cared-for A2 models, the light is popular all over again. Half price tends to do that I guess.



I bought mine because I didn't have a Surefire light and heaps of people suggest that Surefire lights are a 'must have'. I got the A2 because I read so many positive comments and I like incan light. I will keep mine because it is much smaller and easier to carry than my Maglites and it really does throw well for a smallish light. It is a nice light for camping when you want the throw and better colour rendition of the greens and browns around you.

As good as the A2 is I still EDC other lights made by other manufacturers and feel no need to replace them. I prefer smaller single cell lights for EDC like my Nitecore D10 R2, the Surefire A2 is a little long to easily slip into a jeans pocket. But even though I don't EDC it I do like owning my A2 and at $95 (marketplace) it wasn't a bad price compared to my others. Full retail price locally on the other hand - I wouldn't even consider Surefire at those prices.


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## jwyj (Jul 15, 2010)

Accidents? What accident? 







What other colors left?


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## Monocrom (Jul 16, 2010)

jwyj said:


> What other colors left?


 
Black!

The very rare black-bodied A2.


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## DM51 (Jul 16, 2010)

Monocrom said:


> The very rare black-bodied A2.


Yes, quite rare...


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## csshih (Jul 16, 2010)

hey! use those dang lights! :nana:


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## DM51 (Jul 16, 2010)

I do use them...


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## csshih (Jul 16, 2010)

curses, proved wrong again


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## jwyj (Jul 16, 2010)

Looks like there is a black body on sale here,
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?t=231960 
Is it? :shrug:


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## DM51 (Jul 16, 2010)

No, that HA-Nat. It's the newer 3-round-panels style. All the HA-BK were 4-flats style.


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## cm_mtb (Jul 16, 2010)

jwyj said:


>



Is that a yellow, third from right? Is that stock? Because I thought the one second from right is what Y/G looks like.


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## Illum (Jul 16, 2010)

Only conceivable issue with the square A2 is that from head to tail everything has been redesigned. new A2s TCs are slightly longer and round A2's lamps do not function in square A2 sockets...so if your lamp blows either find yourself a strion socket or consider LF's HO-A2 lamp. Both are excellent alternatives. 



DM51 said:


> No, that HA-Nat. It's the newer 3-round-panels style. All the HA-BK were 4-flats style.



any chance of seeing you with another black A2?



cm_mtb said:


> Is that a yellow, third from right? Is that stock? Because I thought the one second from right is what Y/G looks like.



there is no such thing as a yellow stock A2
and yes...I think the 5th one down is YG


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## Illum (Jul 16, 2010)




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## cm_mtb (Jul 16, 2010)

Illum said:


> there is no such thing as a yellow stock A2



Thanks, I didn't think so.  If you don't mind, what is the mod, jwyj?


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## Monocrom (Jul 16, 2010)

DM51 said:


> Yes, quite rare...


 
The A2 just looks sooo much better in black. :kewlpics:


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## jwyj (Jul 16, 2010)

cm_mtb said:


> Thanks, I didn't think so.  If you don't mind, what is the mod, jwyj?


I bought them all here and +I believe all the A2 LEDs are stock. The seller never mentioned about any of them being modded. The Y/G seems dimmer. I could probably use rechargables on it to increase the brightness and use a Lumens factory bulb.


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## cm_mtb (Jul 16, 2010)

jwyj said:


> I bought them all here and +I believe all the A2 LEDs are stock. The seller never mentioned about any of them being modded. The Y/G seems dimmer. I could probably use rechargables on it to increase the brightness and use a Lumens factory bulb.



Hmm, that's interesting. The Y/G is the one second from right, though, correct?


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## greenLED (Jul 16, 2010)

jwyj said:


> Accidents? What accident?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Check against the master list.  Other than a couple more custom LED colors, that thread has all the A2 LED colors made. I even tested a UV A2 (custom), but I lost the pictures before having a chance to post them.


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## JNewell (Jul 16, 2010)

I looked back through those threads - I think the A2 between the Y/G and G is not stock SureFire.


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## nbp (Jul 16, 2010)

I kinda like the plain yellow though, I'd like to see beamshots. :naughty:


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## ninemm (Jul 16, 2010)

Mmm. BK A2. I think I'll have my sights set on one of those. Should delay me getting an A2 for awhile, but it will be worth the wait.


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## cm_mtb (Jul 17, 2010)

ninemm said:


> Mmm. BK A2. I think I'll have my sights set on one of those. Should delay me getting an A2 for awhile, but it will be worth the wait.



One just popped up in the MP...


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## Illum (Jul 17, 2010)

cm_mtb said:


> One just popped up in the MP...



hmm...certainly not mine, I can't find mine...probably tossed it by accident


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## cm_mtb (Jul 17, 2010)

Illum said:


> hmm...certainly not mine, I can't find mine...probably tossed it by accident



ouch...


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