Purchasing Surefire U2.

Hi. I am thinking about buying Surefire U2. So, I did some search and found about the potential problems with it, like the tailcap.

I found one in the local dealer. It is in the box (rather than the blister pack), and the box says variable output 2 to 100 (not 2 to 80).

I thought all the current Surefire came in the blister pack. Is it the older one?

If it is the old one, should I not get it? Or, maybe the one in the box with 2 to 100 is more desirable. I just want to avoid the problems.

What do you think?

Best regards.:thanks:

It's probably not an older one! I've just had mine for five months or so and it came in a box. They are supposed to be 2 to 100 and not 80. At least so far I have not had any tailcap issues. The beam from the Lux V is smooth and white. Decent throw with plenty of spill. I own a handful of lights and my U2 is in the top 3 or 4 favorites! :thumbsup:

I wouldn't hesitate if I were you. I own several lights, and like BSCOT1504, my U2 is in my top 3. It is such a versatile workhorse, with the most elegant UI I've seen yet IMHO.

If it is in the box then I would ask to test it. Make sure the beam has a good spot beam and color. After test the tailcap and see if it gets stuck while depressing.
If everything checks out I would definitely buy it. It is still one of my brightest and it also has the best overall spot/flood combination.

I like a 5W fllood and the Surefire U2 fits the bill. I purchased a "newer" module and it is very white with no donut hole. Everything worked fine, however I added a Leef U2 18650 body and Leef tail cap! (Lighthound carries knurled and grooved Leef 18650 for U2 and Leef tail caps) Leef tail cap allows tail stand.


Good Luck in your quest!

jeffb

My advice... Go For It. The U2 is a great light to have around with the variable outputs and can throw a decent distance. This is actually one of the lights I am looking forward to getting soon ( maybe after a cree or SCC gets popped in place of the lux V.).

I have seven Fenix lights plus a few Lumapowers etc. but when I really want to illuminate my garden only U2 can really do the job. Go for it, you'll fall in love like the rest of us. :kiss:

I have had my Surefire U2 since the first month that they became available on the market, and it has never failed me. I have been carrying it on-duty at my full time Police job since getting it, which I guess has been around 3 years now???. As previously mentioned it is the most versatile of all of my lights (I have many) and the easy adjustabilty is of great value to my line of work, for example.... I need the full 80 or 100 lumens when searching areas outdoors, but the low setting is ideal for creeping through gangways trying to sneak up on gangbangers and other similar wastes of human matter. The 5th or 6th brightness setting is perfect for searching vehicles as well.

As much as I love my new EDC "off-duty" light (Surefire L1 Cree), the U2 is still my all time favorite. Other guys at work that are usually tight about spending their money on their personal equipment, have never complained about the cash that they dished out for the U2 after I turned them on to it. Sadly, that is quite a big deal as most Coppers are cheap about their personal equipment, as most of them that I see still carry their 10 year old Streamlight poly Stingers that all seem to have melted plastic lenses, and completely worn out rechargable batteries:shakehead They always ask to borrow one of the five Surefires that I carry with me after their lights die on them.

Dont hesitate! Buy it NOW!!!

Thanks for the information. It sounds like I was thinking too much, the box or the blister pack. I was pretty much decided to get it, so I will do that.

Hopefully, the one I am getting will have the good tint and less donut hole.

The U2 is as good as ever, but if you're paying the same price that its always been, you have to remember that it has the light output of an LED from 2004.

I have one, but I wouldn't buy it today unless it was very cheap or had a new LED.

The LED is a small and inexpensive part of the whole light. Thats why getting a high end light with a low end LED would kill me. It's unfortunate that new U2s haven't been upgraded to provide 2x the upper-end output for the same battery life.

Right now I'd be tempted to get a Draco/Drake

Loomy said:

The U2 is as good as ever, but if you're paying the same price that its always been, you have to remember that it has the light output of an LED from 2004.

I have one, but I wouldn't buy it today unless it was very cheap or had a new LED.

The LED is a small and inexpensive part of the whole light. Thats why getting a high end light with a low end LED would kill me. It's unfortunate that new U2s haven't been upgraded to provide 2x the upper-end output for the same battery life.

Click to expand...

I have to disagree with some of the above....

The U2's max output is still impressive to this day when you actually use the light out in the real world, and not simply rate it by a multitude of overly technical lab standards. Of course it's output doesnt measure up to the latest batch of Chinese "wonder lights" CLAIMED max output, which in reality isnt even close to what ends up actually coming out of the front of the light.

The fact that the U2 still receives as much interest and attention as it does after being on the market for 3+ years is a statement to its overall impressive utility. If I lost mine today, I would order another new U2 tomorrow.

In the end, it really matters what YOU plan on using the lights you buy for. If you plan on placing them under the microscope of technical scrutiny that seems to dominate many of the discussions here, then the U2 probably isnt what you need. BUT, If you plan to use it everyday, as a "tool" for whatever your trade may be, then the Surefire U2 Digital Ultra is unequaled as a all-around utility light in my opinion.

Stay safe,
Nick

I have had a U2 for nearly 2 years, and it is still the first light i grab when i need a reliable bright light
i will shortly be ordering a novatac 120p but i will still be keeping my u2 somewhere close by (probably my camera bag)

I have also had mine since they came available, SN A01893. I can not fault it, It is the best tool I have ever brought. Its always with me at work, and has never let me down.

It has the usual bomb proof surefire build quality for example its fallen from the tail of a 747 on to the concrete while on and it did not blink when it hit the ground. If I lost is I would buy another with out a doubt. The tail cap has been an issue once but the replacement I recieved is flawless.

You will not regret buying either the old or new versions in my opinion.

Dan

p73rs said:

Hi. I am thinking about buying Surefire U2. So, I did some search and found about the potential problems with it, like the tailcap.

I found one in the local dealer. It is in the box (rather than the blister pack), and the box says variable output 2 to 100 (not 2 to 80).

I thought all the current Surefire came in the blister pack. Is it the older one?

If it is the old one, should I not get it? Or, maybe the one in the box with 2 to 100 is more desirable. I just want to avoid the problems.

What do you think?

Best regards.:thanks:

Click to expand...

GO FOR IT! hehehe, I've got one and I can tell you with all my heart it has the BEST U.I interface of ANY hand held flashlight ever! Period. :thumbsup:You just can't beat that smooth, variable beam adjustment. As far as those isolated reports of tail problem incidents, that's OLD news. Surefure has ironed out the problem ages ago, and all Surefire U2 are now a study in perfection. << That's what you're gonna do for the U2

NickDrak said:

The U2's max output is still impressive to this day when you actually use the light out in the real world, and not simply rate it by a multitude of overly technical lab standards. Of course it's output doesnt measure up to the latest batch of Chinese "wonder lights" CLAIMED max output, which in reality isnt even close to what ends up actually coming out of the front of the light.

Click to expand...

Absolutely correct. It's amazing that a solid Surefire LUX V can still hold it's own against the latest cree, and beat it. Hey p73rs, take a look at this thread for compelling evidence of the brightness of SF U2 (100lu) vs Fenix P1DCE (supposedly 135Lumens) in the REAL world test. Look at post #8 photos.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/157601

You can either say Fenix over-rates their output or Surefire under-rates theirs... either way, the U2 TRUMPS the P1-DCE!

I have had mine for nearly 2 years now, and it is my EDC.
Do not leave home without it, and it has not failed me yet.
GO FOR IT!

Just as a quick aside, seeing as we are all on about the U2, I have had mine for 2 weeks and love it, but mine does have a slight donut beam, with a little black spot in the middle, so my question is, As far as SF are concerned is this a fault, can I get it replaced under warranty ??

Cheers guys

Lee

Lumalee mine has a small donut also, but it's only noticeable if I'm shining it on a wall. In real life it's very hard to detect. The rest of the light is sooo good that I don't care about the little donut! You might call Surefire and see what they have to say about it?

Surefire U2-----A Masterpiece

Loomy said:

The U2 is as good as ever, but if you're paying the same price that its always been, you have to remember that it has the light output of an LED from 2004.

I have one, but I wouldn't buy it today unless it was very cheap or had a new LED.

The LED is a small and inexpensive part of the whole light. Thats why getting a high end light with a low end LED would kill me. It's unfortunate that new U2s haven't been upgraded to provide 2x the upper-end output for the same battery life.

Right now I'd be tempted to get a Draco/Drake

Click to expand...

These posts always crack me up....people think the latest is always the greatest when they often have no clue. :duh2: Cree schmee....you just cannot beat the U2. Oh and by the way, an led other than the Lux V would totally change the beam pattern of the U2...low end led? Go out on a dark night and blaze up your whole yard with a U2 and then talk to me about low end.

Get the U2 right away...you will not regret it!

My 2006 U2 has a slight edge on my warm white L2D CE on turbo. This is to be expected, if you look on Cree's website ( http://www.cree.com/products/xlamp.asp ), the warm whites have a lower max lumen than cool whites. I guess you sacrifice some output for warm color rendering (no idea why), but they're both awesome lights, the U2 has a supreme edge on user interface. This is definitely a newer U2, and the potentiometer-style output control (practically infinite control) is priceless. I will say I'm dying to mod a Cree cool white Q5 into the U2, though.. Perfect switch function so far.