Is anyone NOT happy with their Surefire UB3T?

[MrBenchmark]

The modes are really nice, but not wisely positioned.
But still I love this light.

Yeah, I love this light too.

In actual practice, I haven't found the SOS mode to be a big problem, more of a mild annoyance, but it really needs to be the last mode of the light, right after the signal strobe. If you can keep track of how many times you've turned the selector ring, it's not a problem at all I guess.

 

[LiteTheWay]

This really seems to be the major (relatively speaking - not really major) complaint.

I might have thought it would be the relative lack of spill but most users seem to think there is in practice enough spill even though the white-wall shots don't really show much.

Yeah, I love this light too. In actual practice, I haven't found the SOS mode to be a big problem, more of a mild annoyance, but it really needs to be the last mode of the light, right after the signal strobe. If you can keep track of how many times you've turned the selector ring, it's not a problem at all I guess.

 

[LiteTheWay]

Now that I have one and have tried it out, I find the spill quite adequate - even in white wall shots.

Mine certainly seems to have more spill than the photographs in Selfbuilt's excellent review seem to show.

Could it be that Surefire have subtly changed the UB3T without telling us? Mine has a 'B' serial no. FWIIW.

I might have thought it would be the relative lack of spill but most users seem to think there is in practice enough spill even though the white-wall shots don't really show much.

 

[LiteTheWay]

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether SureFire MIGHT have subtly changed the UB3T as below?

Now that I have one and have tried it out, I find the spill quite adequate - even in white wall shots.

Mine certainly seems to have more spill than the photographs in Selfbuilt's excellent review seem to show.

Could it be that Surefire have subtly changed the UB3T without telling us? Mine has a 'B' serial no. FWIIW.

 

[Smood]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would buy this light. Its $400 and gets absolutely destroyed in throw and spill by the SR90, TK70 and probably many other lights and these are all cheaper as well! I just cannot understand why anyone would like this light unless they enjoy spending more money and getting less.

 

[Swedpat]

I find the TIR construction very interesting. Not much of spill but it instead has a wider hotspot than a reflector light with same hotspot intensity at same total output.
Because the runtime of UB3T is too short in my opinion, I may be going for the M6LT instead. Only one mode, but for lower brightnesses I have other lights!

 

[pjandyho]

I honestly don't understand why anyone would buy this light. Its $400 and gets absolutely destroyed in throw and spill by the SR90, TK70 and probably many other lights and these are all cheaper as well! I just cannot understand why anyone would like this light unless they enjoy spending more money and getting less.

Perhaps you "need a light" to see the drastic and very obvious difference in size between these lights? Maybe you pocket your TK70 and SR90 everyday? UB3T isn't pocket friendly too but at least it is not as huge and as cumbersome as the 2 lights that you have mentioned. They are of totally different class.

 

[BLUE LED]

If you like throw, then it is a good choice. The spill isn't very bright compared to reflectors. My only minor concern is the shortish runtime.

 

[Swedpat]

Using as a searchlight at distance I think it's excellent. A bright spill sometimes is a serious drawback when it dazzles on the foreground. A wide and beefy hotspot with less spill actually has it's place for some situations!

 

[Smood]

Perhaps you "need a light" to see the drastic and very obvious difference in size between these lights? Maybe you pocket your TK70 and SR90 everyday? UB3T isn't pocket friendly too but at least it is not as huge and as cumbersome as the 2 lights that you have mentioned. They are of totally different class.

Ya I guess size it does have an advantage. But are you honestly telling me you cannot get a light that size that has as much lux or more for cheaper? I don't even think it will throw that much further than a olight M3X or a Crelant 7G5v2 and those lights are similar in size and less than half the price. The UB3T is a total waste of money and surefire is just expecting purchases based on their name. Its sad.

 

[BLUE LED]

My Sunwayman T40CS U2 version throws better than my Surefire UB3T, but it is not a fair comparison because the T40CS runs on 2 x 18650 cells. Therefore giving it an advantage on excellent regulation / long runtime.

 

[ABTOMAT]

I wouldn't pay full price for one, and I have to admit I'm laughing at when SF charged $700 for it, but I got a deal on a used UB3T and it's a great light. The UB3T isn't sold just for its brightness, it's sold for the interface. Show me another 800 lumen thrower that size with a selector ring and is built as solidly as this one. It's Surefire's current technology demonstrator. Probably overpriced but it's designed to draw attention to the brand--what they call a halo product. SFs are also made domestically by a US-owned company which, which matters to a lot of people. SF also does their own in-house design work, compared to a lot of CPF's flavors-of-the-week which are outright copies in some cases.

If you want to compare a SF to those two lights use the M3LT. It's nearly the same as the UB3T but with two levels and you can get it for around $250 new if you shop around.

I'm not a SF apologist but every year this argument goes around. Ten years ago it was "Surefires are overpriced since you can built a brighter hotwire Mad mod."

 

[Smood]

My Sunwayman T40CS U2 version throws better than my Surefire UB3T, but it is not a fair comparison because the T40CS runs on 2 x 18650 cells. Therefore giving it an advantage on excellent regulation / long runtime.

Are those advantages worth another $280 more over your light?

 

[Smood]

I wouldn't pay full price for one, and I have to admit I'm laughing at when SF charged $700 for it, but I got a deal on a used UB3T and it's a great light. The UB3T isn't sold just for its brightness, it's sold for the interface. Show me another 800 lumen thrower that size with a selector ring and is built as solidly as this one. It's Surefire's current technology demonstrator. Probably overpriced but it's designed to draw attention to the brand--what they call a halo product. SFs are also made domestically by a US-owned company which, which matters to a lot of people. SF also does their own in-house design work, compared to a lot of CPF's flavors-of-the-week which are outright copies in some cases.

If you want to compare a SF to those two lights use the M3LT. It's nearly the same as the UB3T but with two levels and you can get it for around $250 new if you shop around.

I'm not a SF apologist but every year this argument goes around. Ten years ago it was "Surefires are overpriced since you can built a brighter hotwire Mad mod."

Here you go: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WN4QYY/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Ring selector and power that will absolutely murder the UB3T... oh btw.. you also save $150.

 

[BLUE LED]

Are those advantages worth another $280 more over your light?

It really depends upon what it is that you require from a light. I am probably not the best person to ask, as I am biased towards Surefire. My first quality light was a Surefire Defender D2. It is basically a 6P with a long clip. From that moment on a purchased a lot of Surefire lights.

It also depends upon your budget and what type of batteries you would like to use. In some respects, the two are similar in length and both using XM-L.

 

[880arm]

Are those advantages worth another $280 more over your light?

Yes

 

[Smood]

Yes

Alright. Personally I'd rather spend it on a TK70 with premium Tenergys and charger or the Xtar S1 (if I wanted something smaller) and then have one of those + the sunwayman. But thats just me.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Here you go: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007WN4QYY/?tag=cpf0b6-20

Ring selector and power that will absolutely murder the UB3T... oh btw.. you also save $150.

1. It's rechargeable-only and uses three batteries
2. It's much larger
3. It weighs almost three times as much loaded

I don't know anything about Xtar as a company so I can't comment on that, but I haven't been impressed by the quality of Fenix and Jetbeam lights I've messed with. I only paid $75 more than that for my UB3T, too.

Honestly, if you're being purely objective I don't think any flashlight's really worth hundreds of dollars unless your life depends on it. I bought this one because I wanted to, and it seemed like the best option for my purposes.

 

[Smood]

1. It's rechargeable-only and uses three batteries
2. It's much larger
3. It weighs almost three times as much loaded

I don't know anything about Xtar as a company so I can't comment on that, but I haven't been impressed by the quality of Fenix and Jetbeam lights I've messed with. I only paid $75 more than that for my UB3T, too.

Honestly, if you're being purely objective I don't think any flashlight's really worth hundreds of dollars unless your life depends on it. I bought this one because I wanted to, and it seemed like the best option for my purposes.

It might be somewhat bigger, but the performance it gives you is dis-proportionally greater. Anyway if size is that much of a concern there are still tons of options with as much power and for far cheaper.

Fenix and Jetbeam have great reputations overall on CPF for their performance and build quality.

The price you paid was for used so its irrelevant to the discussion.

A light for 1 or 2 hundred that can be your go to light for all lighting purposes, camping, hiking and over all use seems very reasonable to me. Lights that are less than 50 generally do not have the power and quality to really last and be versatile.

 

[ABTOMAT]

Yeah, and an HID lantern is even more powerful but I still can't jog with it or put it in my pocket.

The Fenix and Jetbeam lights _I've_ handled I wasn't impressed by compared to Surefire. They were on the level of some of Streamlight's newer stuff, which given the price range is probably about right. Not bad but not terrific. What's your impression of the ones you've had? I've only experienced a few models.

Get it through your head I'm not saying the UB3T is a best buy. It's a fairly unique light and you pay a lot of money for those small differences. And high-end lights from good US companies don't usually come cheap regardless. It's a matter of preference and opinion and if you're still trying to get an argument out of that then good luck. If you really want to start a fight head over the SPY007 thread and ask why people are paying $3000 for one.