My first incandescent since a POS Minim@g

Since my original LED purchases of an Arc AAA-P and a Surefire L2 a year or so ago, I've owned only LED flashlights since owning several minimags many years previous (the one I still happen to have hasn't worked in 10 years).

Today I received my first "real" incandescent, a Surefire A2 (white). Major props and thanks to OpticsHQ; after the $35 coupon and CPF discount, I got the A2 Gift Set, which includes the A2, a spare lamp, 2 spare batteries, all in a nifty case, all for a mere $134. Yep, $134. I think I might name my firstborn "OpticsHQ".

I'm quite happy with the blueish LEDs. The tint doesn't really bug me, and it's brighter than I thought it would be. Just about the perfect amount of light IMO.

What supprised me was how yellow the incandescent beam is. Compared to my LED lights, it's almost reddish. I'm just too used to LEDs I guess. I can see what people mean about how incandescents provide better color rendition than LEDs, and give better definition in shadowy areas. The LEDs definitely have that "ghostly" look.

The A2 is pretty much the only pocket-sized incandescent I ever had any interest in, because I've been spoiled by LEDs with flat regulation and non-yellowing output. As of yet, the A2 is the only incandescent that doesn't dim and yellow over time.

For the most part, I'm still going to stick with my single-cell LED lights for EDC, but I like having a bright, throwy, two-cell incandescent for when I need it.

Like yourself, I too rarely EDC an incan light and A2 is one of the few that I do carry often. Very versatile and just plain cool to play with/use. Have fun and congrats on the new light!

Being a LED guy myself, I found myself jumping on an A2-BK the other day. All this after briefly using a couple of A2's that rscanaday and bwaites kindly let me borrow. Really, it didn't take more than 3 minutes for me to be sold on having one.

ARGH! Another thread on the A2! You people are testing my discipline!

It's a viscious cycle: One guy starts a thread then many chime in and eventually a few people buy. Then they start to express their satisfaction by starting their own threads. Then more people buy and more threads come up until everyone gets really sick of hearing about the A2. So far, the "sick of A2" stage has yet to be reached... I hope I can hold out.

what's the $35 coupon?

It's one of the "gifts" you can choose when you buy an HDS from them. They also offer a SF G2, or batteries, or some other things.