Impulse buy, bought a Surefire E1B backup

[Simon520]

I get you on the OCD thing.

I bought a Backup from Plaza Cutlery in Costa Mesa, CA and was annoyed to find I had the "old" model with "only" 80 lumens. I was doubly annoyed since I'd paid retail, tax, and double toll road fees (going out and coming back)!. Probably a $180 Backup when everything was said and done.

However, that Backup really gives up NOTHING compared to an LX2 (200 lumens) and an E2DL (also 200 lumens). The only time you'll really notice a significant difference is during the day, when you need to illuminate something in shadow and for that you need a REALLY bright light.

The 5 lumen low is bright enough for all tasks. I rarely use mine on high. It's even a bit bright for reading; you'll need to moderate the beam or use the spill rather than the beam to illuminate the page.

My Backup has pushed the Haiku out of my pocket and now resides there along with the LX2. I wouldn't sell it for $180.

 

[MrBenchmark]

Question guys, how conserative is the 5 lumen figure for the low on the backup? Do you think it is bright enough for most tasks? And how is the tint on low? Greenish or does it stay white like the high?

Great choice on the light. It will serve you well.

Yes, 5 lumens is fine for most tasks. For general walking around, I think 15 lumens (like on the LX2) is actually somewhat more comfortable, but 5 lumens is fine for that - it gets the job done. And as a bonus, for closeup tasks, like reading something, 5 lumens is MUCH more comfortable than 15 lumens.

5 lumens is still quite bright - so for walking around while my wife is asleep, it's actually still way too bright. (It wakes her up.) For anything a reasonable person would do, it's just fine.

The tint on my E1B is fine on low.

My only (minor) complaint about this light is the small size (for my hands) + the smooth body makes it hard to hold securely in any grib except for an overhand grip. My belief is that since an overhand grip would be the preferred grip for the target market (LEOs), this is working as designed.

(Long winded way of saying I have big hands, don't do what I'm supposed to do, and then b*tch about it. Sheesh, some people!)

I loaned my E1B to my son's girlfriend last night. They needed to go outside for a smoke, and it's DARK out here. She couldn't stop playing with the E1B - it was great!

 

[kaichu dento]

One of the finest EDC's out there. For work during the day, it has no rival. The wonderful beam from the optic really can perform especially when there is ambient lighting around... most reflector based lights in the 1 x 123 format will wash out but the E1B can punch through.

I used mine the other day to light up something on the ceiling inside of a 60 to 70 foot tall building when there was more than enough light around to see. It wasn't spot light bright, but it definitely did the job and I know my other lights wouldn't have done the job so well.

At night, still an excellent light.

Great choice.

I am with KD on the E1L; for any outdoors experience where I will be away from a steady supply of batteries, I would go with the E1L... not as bright, but double the runtime on high and still very, very bright.

Either one of the E1B or E1L are definitely some of the best lights for working on an engine in the bright sunlight and you can't see down between things!

I love the predictable UI on these too, where if you turn on an E1B you know you're getting full blast and one more touch will get you low. Exact opposite with the E1L, which along with the knurling makes it my favorite!

 

[BigBluefish]

Well, at least your impulses are good ones!

The E1B by all accounts is an excellent light. I have been eyeing one, as well, for some time. I have an E1L, so have a pretty good idea of what to expect from the E1B, and it is just different enough to be useful to me, which is why I am still thinking of gettin one.

For one, it should carry very well in a suit/business attire, and not shred your clothes. I'm afraid I can't say the same for the E1L. The E1B also comes on in "high" first. Frankly, for most suburban/urban EDC needs, I think that's fine and in many cases, better. You want to light up that parking lot or side street on the way to your car in the middle of the night? You don't want to start with 5 lumens.

The E1B should have very good throw, and the spill, despite some comments to the contrary, is somewhat useful. The E1L is rated at "only" 45 lumens (and probably really puts out about 75-80), and I've found that to quite adequate. The E1B, however it's marked should be putting out 110 or more, so should be even more useful, and give you more reach, and more brightness, which is good when you have some ambient light (street, building lighting) but also dim or dark areas (alleys, side streets, parking lots, parks, etc.) to navigate.

(In contrast the E1L has knurling and enough bumps and ridges and edges that you aren't going to drop it if your hands are cold or slippery, and it comes on first in low, so you are less likely to fry your night adapted vision in the middle of the woods at night. It also has longer runtime on high than the E1B, which has more use if you are out in the middle of nowhere overnight or longer, and not so critical in the suburbs or city. Unless there is a blackout or some disaster that lasts for an extended period of time, in which case, you probably have bigger worries anyway.)

In short, if you want a light to use for EDC/personal security while still in "civilization" but out at night for a couple of hours at a time, the E1B is the one to get. If you want to have a light for an extended (intended or otherwise) trip into God's Country, the E1L is the choice to make.

Don't get hung-up on the 80/110 lumen thing. Your eyes would never be able to tell the difference between 80 and 100 lumens, anyway. Thing is, as some have explained, SureFire rates their output in terms of the minimum that the light will put out, given the bin of the LED, current to the emitter, loss through the optic etc. So, when they first put the light on the market, with whatever LED they are starting with, all the lights will be doing at least, say, 80 lumens. That's the "worst performance" scenario. Many lights will put out more than that. At some point during the light's production, they'll have ordered more LEDs, and more likley than not, these will be brighter/more efficient than the originals, so the newer lights are even more likely to perform over spec. If SureFire is now rating the light at 110 lumens on the packaging, then they are saying that the current lights are going to be outputting at least 110 lumens (which you won't be able to tell from 80 lumens). There will be a few over-acheivers, sure, and some new "110" E1Bs might actually be putting out 130 lumens or thereabouts.

Now, you won't be able to tell the difference between 110 and 130 lumens. you might be able to perceive the differnce between an E1B putting out 80 lumens and one putting out 130 lumens. But as a practical matter, I don't think it would make any difference. And there is no way to determine whether the new E1B you get today will be putting out 110, 120 or 130 lumens. Whatever its actual output, you have picked an excellent light, so impulsive your purchase may have been, but I bet you've now got a lgith you will not part with in the future.

 

[mitch168]

i noticed on my new e1b, the serial number is located under the "fire" side of the surefire logo. the old 80 lumens are located under the "sure" side of the surefire logo. but the package that came my e1b still has the 80 lumens rating. on the new 110 lumens package, the serial number on the e1b is located under the " fire" side also. i just want to share it. i dont know if i got the 110L in an old packaging.

 

[m3flies]

For a while now, I have been reading many posts about Surefire lights. One common thread between just about all of them is how much SF owners trust these lights and can't say enough good things about them. While I am going to purchase an E1B backup, there is one question. While the black finish is mil-spec type 3 hard anodized coating. Is the silver body color the same coating?......Sorry, no need to answer this question, just found out answer on google, which I should have searched before asking.

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Great impulse buy!

I had an E1L that I had to sell a while ago to pay other bills, but I was missing it deeply. I recently acquired the funds to buy another one and this time I decided to go E1B instead. I have to admit the biggest reason I chose the 110 E1B this time is because I fell in love with the silver/gray color... And also the slightly higher output... Good looks for sure!

EDIT: Ooops, I now realize you bought this light over a month ago and this thread was resurrected... Still, great impulse buy!

 

[m3flies]

Great impulse buy!

I had an E1L that I had to sell a while ago to pay other bills, but I was missing it deeply. I recently acquired the funds to buy another one and this time I decided to go E1B instead. I have to admit the biggest reason I chose the 110 E1B this time is because I fell in love with the silver/gray color... And also the slightly higher output... Good looks for sure!

EDIT: Ooops, I now realize you bought this light over a month ago and this thread was resurrected... Still, great impulse buy!

Consider it a post towards my "impulse buy" which I did about 1 hr ago. You never cease to make me laugh Captain Spaulding.

 

[lasermax]

I like mine so much I bought 2 of them backup for the backup but seriously there nice lites to me only decent throw in the dark I live in an erea where I have gang problems so its nice to see ahead of time on who's ahead of ya and yes I carry concealed

 

[BRO]

Just picked one up myself, really liking it a lot. Just ordered a new Z68 tailcoat for it- hope it works .

 

[bullfrog]

Just picked one up myself, really liking it a lot. Just ordered a new Z68 tailcoat for it- hope it works .

The Z68 should be standard on a lot of the lights - I have one on my E1B and E1L and it just makes the light perfection. Enjoy it!

 

[AZPops]

It's been over a year since the last post, ................................ And I finally bought a silver one tonight! ....


And the LX2 still is in transit as well! ..... Now I gotta figue out the DANG battery thing!

 

[2000xlt]

E1b Is a great light, i have been EDCing it off and on for 3 years, I also in the last 6 months or so dded a e2d tail cap for it which is a great TC

 

[AZPops]

E1b Is a great light, i have been EDCing it off and on for 3 years, I also in the last 6 months or so dded a e2d tail cap for it which is a great TC

Geee Thanks! Now I got another thing to buy! ... LOL

 

[CarpentryHero]

I like Vital Gear body for my E1B

Tails stands and deep pocket carry awwwwwh Yeahh

 

[BenChiew]

I am glad I found this post. This serves to confirm what i thought all along.
Over the last few weeks, I started buying surefires. I ended buying 2xE1B, 2xE1L, 2xLX2, 3xL1.

I am a happy man...

 

[AZPops]

I like Vital Gear body for my E1B

Tails stands and deep pocket carry awwwwwh Yeahh

Nice! But, but, ... you guys gotta stop it! ... Cause I'm broke already! ...

I am glad I found this post. This serves to confirm what i thought all along.
Over the last few weeks, I started buying surefires. I ended buying 2xE1B, 2xE1L, 2xLX2, 3xL1.

I am a happy man...

Man congrats! Now it may be time for some tough wrist type of accessories to go with them Surefires!

 

[brianna]

I am still waiting for the 200 lumen EB1 model for 2012. It is supposed to be out the last quarter of this year.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

I bought this one from Moddoo, he sanded the bezel edges.

~ Chance

 

[AZPops]

I bought this one from Moddoo, he sanded the bezel edges.

~ Chance

That's pretty cool! This time around I went with the silver one!


Brianna, Can't wait to read about your thoughts on the EB1 after you get it! I saw in one online vendor's web site that the pre-order ETA was listed as May (this month), I guess that may be a wishful think'in kind of thing huh?