What are your opinions of the Surefire L4?

[lemlux]

I bought an L4 from a CPF'er who had four of them. He said they were all and equivalent off white -- maybe slightly toward the green side.

I bought a KL4 head only from another CPF'er who described the beam as being slightly bluish.

To my eyes the beams are the same color and brightness. The color is a cream colored off white. I currently have 4 other 5W luxeons all of which are brighter and whiter than my KL4 and L4. Each of them also is in a considerably larger light than the KL4. I'm happy withe each of them.

 

[MicroE]

I love my L4 and carry it all the time.

I'm carrying it now. It is amazing.---Marc

 

[Stealthnet]

I have a quick question, and didn't want to waste another topic on it. Which is brighter, the rechargeable Streamlight Stinger (15,000 CP), or the L4 at 65 lumens? I'm going to receive my L4 on Monday, and one of my co-workers carries the Stinger -- he saw me using my Arc AAA one day and proceeded to tell me how LED lights are too dim, even full sized ones. Then he bragged about how he has a high-tech Xenon bulb in the Stinger... It's not really a big deal to me, but I would still like to prove him wrong if the L4 is brighter (especially since it is much smaller). Thanks in advance....

 

[kz1000s1]

It is well worth it. Every time I pick it up I have to shine it on something. I just can't stop playing with it. The throw isn't as good as the E2e, but it's still good. Although the 65 min. runtime of maximum brightness could be longer, the last minute is just as bright as the first. Heat hasn't been a problem as I don't use it for more than 2 minutes at a time. The E2e was my favorite light and was replaced by the L4, then got traded off.

Stealthnet, I don't have a Stinger, but compared to my other bright incan lights the L4 isn't brighter, but the volume and quality of its' light makes others look sickly and yellow. You and others will be impressed.

 

[brightnorm]

I have one L4 plus two KL4's. The two are of a similar subtly greenish white tint; quite acceptable but not quite as bright as my first one. I may sell those two, though I haven't decided yet.

Al three of them are remarkable lights, my only wish being longer "holdable" runtime, but considering the light's brightness relative to the size and mass of the KL4 and the E2E body that's an unrealistic wish, at least with current LEDS.

Stealthnet,if the KL4's light could be focused into a Stinger size beam it would be considerably brighter than the Stinger. Any narrow beam 2x123 light or similar tight-focus rechargeable will project a longer and brighter beam than any very small 5W LED that I've seen or read about.

That is not the purpose of the L4. It provides surprisingly bright light over a remarkably large area; that is its significant advantage over any similar size light of any type. I believe it was Darell who said it illuminated his entire yard.

I EDC the L4 along with a Nascar-mod P61/E2E and a LSH-P. Each serves its purpose. If I had to choose a single EDC (perish the thought!) for general short term use it might well be the L4.

This is a light that's easy to like.

Brightnorm

 

[Josh]

I like the L4s very very much! but I can't stop from also EDC'ing my A2 also. I can't walk back stage with the L4 blazing away /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif

 

[PJD]

I've had mine for about 2 weeks now, and I've had absolutely no remorse for dropping the $$ on it. It may not throw a beam as far as an E2 or a Stinger, but the quality and amount of light it produces is nothing short of amazing! The only thing I use my E2 for now is to show people what a truly "white" light looks like when I compare it to my L4. I got an exceptionally good draw in the luxeon lotto with mine...there is absolutely no discernable green or blue tint to it; just PURE, WHITE light. After 2 weeks, I'm still amazed every time I turn it on. If you purchase one you WILL NOT be disappointed with it, IMHO!

PJD

 

[Sean]

I've got nothing to add to this other than I give the L4 two thumbs up! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

Run-time is about 65 minutes at full brightness, something the E2e can't give you. It will get hot but will run just fine and does not get "unholdably" hot in my opinion.

 

[RossB]

Oh dear, I hate to bring up my sole issue that nobody else cares about...but SF markets it's products to emergency responders, yet DOES NOT get them certified for combustible/explosive atmospheres.

I won't buy anything that I can't wave at the safety officer and get an OK to proceed to the site.

RossB

 

[brightnorm]

[ QUOTE ]
RossB said:
Oh dear, I hate to bring up my sole issue that nobody else cares about...but SF markets it's products to emergency responders, yet DOES NOT get them certified for combustible/explosive atmospheres.

I won't buy anything that I can't wave at the safety officer and get an OK to proceed to the site.

RossB


[/ QUOTE ]

Don't certain emergency responders need certified lights? Firemen, rescuers, etc?

Would a waterproof light (divelight) be the equivalent of a certified light, since being waterproof it is probably "gas proof"?

Brightnorm

 

[Size15's]

Waterproof and airtight are not the same thing.
The certification of metal flashlights for use in hazardous atmospheres is quite rare is it not?

I'm not sure what an emergency responder is, or what they do. SureFire don't market to firefighters though do they?
Not that I've seen.

Al

 

[Luminati]

Heat is a big consideration for lights used in Hazardous Locations and I imagine many SF lights burn too hot for such use. Certainly, almost any serious dive light is too hot: some of the more powerful ones will burn themselves up if used out of water.

Firefighters aren't normally too concerned with Haz Loc ratings, cuz the places they go to are often already on fire! 'Course, they're pretty much the "do-all emergency engineers" in our society, so they certainly can be called upon to enter Haz Loc at any time.

 

[Size15's]

Are the higher safety rated Pelicans using cooler bulbs then the non-safety versions because the Lamp Modules have different codes and the rating are very specific about which one must be used?
Pelican's new Zone 1 StealthLight and Super SabreLite meet the new ATEX directives.
http://www.peliproducts.co.uk/hazard.htm

So heat is a very important factor - SureFires in general and the L4 specifically are very hot properties.

Al

 

[Double_A]

Being an Emergency Response Team (ERT) member in the Semiconductor field I have the same concerns.

We have many toxic, corrosive and pryophoric gases. I don't use my Surefires in these environments, I use a rechargeable Stealthlite (4AA's) It has all the "non-incendive" ratings it has been issued molded right into the casing. It throws a bright tightly focused beam, exactly opposite of what I need. I would be super if the L4 was tested and rated it's beam sounds exactly what I need. Others on the team use the 3 c-cell version.

GregR

 

[paulr]

I think a metal flashlight might be harder to get certified because it can spark if you bang it into something.

 

[The_LED_Museum]

If it's made of aluminum, it shouldn't spark at all.
But then again, aluminum is considered a Class D (flammable) metal (it can be flammable, if the shavings are of the correct size), so getting certified for hazardous materials locations could be a bit difficult. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif

 

[FalconFX]

Unfortunately, something like a plastic housing for a 5W LS (like the L4) is, thermally, unwise...

 

[holtz58]

I have only had my L4-HA-WH for about two weeks now and I love it. Super white beam, reasonable run time and I like the new tail cap. Winner in my book!

 

[js]

Cancel the below, I was misinformed. Sorry.

*******

Personally, I think that it is absolutely ridiculous to
have an EDC light that you can't hold on to for more than
a half hour or so. See my post on the L4.

 

[this_is_nascar]

[ QUOTE ]
js said:
Personally, I think that it is absolutely ridiculous to
have an EDC light that you can't hold on to for more than
a half hour or so. See my post on the L4.

[/ QUOTE ]

... and the light you would to EDC which meets all your needs (which by the way is a compact and bright as the L4) is...........drum roll............?