It Pains me to Say - Updated

that I spent many months desiring, nay, Lusting, for a Surefire. I finally stopped waffling and whining to myself, and, broke down. Resistance IS Futile.

I ordered my first Surefire today: The L4 Digital Lumimax. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Beware: talking on the phone with Dan of Tactical Warehouse and being on the website at the same time, Plus Paypal, makes it FAR too easy to spend money. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

Congratulations! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif You shall be pleased! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

From one Charlie to another -- way to look at it so as not feel as bad, is that ya can't take it with ya anyhow. Closest one could get is, I plan to have one of my flashlights (whichever is my favorite at the time) propped up in my folded hands at my funeral!

Re: It Pains me to Say

Charles. Ya done good /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
It sounds like you had a great day & Dan is always good to
talk with. Now you just have to wait for your L4 to arrive.
Dan ships fast, so you shouldn't have long to wait.
Enjoy your new L4!!! All the best.

Re: It Pains me to Say

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Thanks guys for the nice compliments! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Dan

Re: It Pains me to Say

Charles:

Congratulations on taking your first step to happy flashaholism and your wise decision on the L4. Don't worry, the next steps will be even easier. And I agree, Dan is the man you want to continue doing business with.

Re: It Pains me to Say

First step, Alberto????? This is my first Surefire, not my first flashlight. I joined CPF right after I ordered my first Arc LS (rev1). I have something like 8 headlamps and 13 flashlights, not including the L4.

Thankfully, I missed the initial L4 - CPF Feeding Frenzy. I thought I would never buy a 5 watt LS light. Wrong!

When Dan explained how the L4 worked, I felt more comfortable about buying it. My bank account sure doesn't!

Before I joined CPF, my first good flashlight, was the Lightwave 4000.

The topic title sure got your attention. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Charlie, I just could not justify buying an expensive short runtime (though very bright) incandescant flashlight.

My waffling and whining is more a matter of my income and budget. What is left each month after expenses (which are fixed, to a point), is what I can spend on a flashlight or something else. It turned out I could swing the L4 this month. Next month is a different story.

Re: It Pains me to Say

It arrived around Noon. I am impressed a whole bunch.

Mine has a pure white beam, nice hotspot, though a bit wide compared to what I am used to. The bezel does heat up fairly quickly. The reflector makes the hotspot and sidespill perfectly smooth.

I don't know why, but I was expecting it to be somewhat larger in size, than it really is.

If I don't wear sunglasses while using this, I may need a blind person's cane before long. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

Point the light toward the heavens and say "AMEN, I have seen the light and it is good!"

Does your have a bit of a donut shaped beam?

Re: It Pains me to Say

Perfectly circular and Pure White, Crash. I hit the Jackpot on this one for sure. No rings, like the Rebel has. Smooth, but wide hotspot, and very wide sidespill (corona).

Well, Since I only got it yesterday, I finally had a chance to test it outside at night. I live in a residential neighborhood with more than enough light pollution (porch lights, security lights, etc.)

Still, this light managed to light up the street to about a half block distance (weathered blacktop aka asphalt). From a horizontal distance of a half block from myself to base of tree, this light lit up entire very tall oak trees, all the way to the top, through haze.

I like a tighter focus than this has, for better throw, but this was intended for tactical usage, where a wider hotspot is desirable. There is no X marks the Spot, that is typical for 5 watt luxeons with optics, unless you use a dark surface and hold the light no more than a few inches from it. Only then do you see it.

As white as my Arc LSes are, they look yellowish by comparison.

My legend LX may throw farther, but it is yellow compared even to my Arc LSes.

All of my lights look pathetic after turning this L4 on.

Re: It Pains me to Say

[ QUOTE ]
Charles Bradshaw said: If I don't wear sunglasses while using this, I may need a blind person's cane before long. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Charles, Charles, Charles. How many times do we have to keep telling you "Don't stare into the shiny end!" /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif

Seriously, though, sounds like you got a really nice example of this light. Enjoy!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/huh.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

Tomas, I don't look into the business end of flashlights. It was a comment on how bright it is. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

Chareles you did good /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif, but remember next time...GET 'EM BOTH! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

I don't have an L4....lots of raves over it. I wonder if I need one. I got lots of lights that might do its job but boy people see to be high on this light.

Re: It Pains me to Say

Kirk, unfortunately, my income and budget does not permit much. The L4 with shipping cost me 38 percent of my monthly income (what I paid for it, not list price).

JonSidneyB, all of the raving is for good reason. This little light is a true Gem. Even I have read the threads on the L4, and have seen that there is color variance in the 5 watt emitters used.

When talking with Dan and doing the order online at the same time, I asked him only to make sure all of the seals were there, so I didn't get a nasty surprise. This is from being aware of that QC problem. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

What I expected, was maybe somewhat off white. What I did not expect, was a perfect light, due to the luxeon lottery. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

What I got, is a perfect light, in all respects. I guess I got super lucky with this one. Now you understand why I am sounding like a Raving Looney. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

The KL4 I got is almost perfect - it's missing at least one gasket in the head and fails a suction test, but it produces a bountifully overflowing cornucopia of pure snow-white light like no other! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(For those that don't know, a "cornucopia" is that wicker or straw, curved, cone-shaped thing usually seen on Thanksgiving day table settings with grapes and other fruit pouring out of its open end).

I won't return my KL4 to SureFire because I don't want to get a "rotten cat urine green" one in return, as I'll probably lose in the Luxeon Lottery.

Re: It Pains me to Say

Craig, did you get just the head, or the complete L4? We do get a bit jaded after a time, then a company like Surefire comes out with a real gem of a light, and we get all excited again.

Incandescant lights don't do a thing for me. Luxeon lights, on the other hand, er, well, you get the idea. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

I got the whole flashlight. The body reads "EXECUTIVE ELITE E2e" but is otherwise an L4 in all its glory.
Mine was probably an early release, before a lot of them were produced and before a lot of "L4 Digital Lumamax" bodies got made.

I'm going to be sans my L4 for a bit while it gets gasketed, but I really love the light otherwise, and I'll be sad to mail it off. But it's what's best for it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

That does sound like an early release. Well, it does need to be gasketed. Better now, than after it gets way too soggy inside. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Re: It Pains me to Say

Craig's "L4" as well as mine and a few other people's were as near pre-production samples as you get.

Sometimes the samples that are sent are not quite the same as production because in the months we have them for evaluation the specs usually change!

Al