Spares Carriers

Anyone use the SF spares carriers?

Are they very handy? I don't know if I got one that I would ever use it.

Am I missing out on anything?

I use one and they are built like a tank compared to some cheaper ones I have owned. The SF Carrier should last for many years.

It does what it says it does, so if you need to carry spares its very handy

Ditto...I like the fact that I can throw them in my bag (literally), drop it, get it wet (SOAKED), ran over, etc., and my batteries and spare bulbs will be fine. It can stay in my bag for months with stuff being chucked in there, with no damage. I never have to "make sure my batteries are safe". Put them in spares carrier, throw them in your bug out bag/glove box/tool box, and forget about them until you need.

I have 4 currently (owned 6 at one time ,but gave two away too family since they were so good), if that tells ya anything. The SC1 is for 6 Batteries and a P60 Lamp; SC2 for 6 Batteries and millenium lamp (M3/M4/M6), and the SC3 holds four batteries and an E-Series lamp (MN01/MN02/MN03).

Hope this helps in your decision making!

I really like the SC1 that I have it is much better than most of the battery carriers I have seen for CR123s.The only downside is probably the size but IMO it is worth it for the advantages it offers.

I have two. I usually take both whether camping or hunting. The extra cells mean a lot when you are on a ridge in the Sierra Nevada and it's getting dark and starting to snow. I have a few tubes, but rarely use them.

I have one in the bottom of my EDC bag with CR123's and a P60 bulb. I too like the fact that it can roll around in the bottom of the bag, waterproof, impact proof, and have batts ready for use if necessary.

Info to remember re: SC1's and LED drop-ins...

Many LED drop ins do NOT fit in the SC1. The SC1 is made for Surefire incandescent lamps. The now discontinuted Surefire P60L lamp fits. "Surefire like" LED lamps may fit, but I would recommend trying them first. If you are looking to carry a back-up LED bulb, find a Surefire P60L or do your research.
I have put Surefire P60L's in all my SC1's. Many here on CPF have dismissed the P60L for good reasons but for an emergency situation, I would much rather have an less efficient LED that runs three hours on two cells than an incandescent P60 that runs one hour.

Also, keep in mind that Surefire's future product path appears to be LED based rather than incandescent. Some have talked about Surefire completely eliminating their incandescent line of lights. Whether or not that is the case, I would act sooner rather than later to buy a Spares Carrier. There is always the possibility that they will be discontinued in there present form. Surefire has discontinued their rechargeable line and it appears they have also discontinued the products that support them (rechargeable batteries and bulbs) because I could not order them from their website. I hope this is not the case.

Does anyone know if there is a list of lamp assemblies, incan and LED, that have been verified to fit in a SC1?

angelofwar said:

Ditto...I like the fact that I can throw them in my bag (literally), drop it, get it wet (SOAKED), ran over, etc., and my batteries and spare bulbs will be fine. It can stay in my bag for months with stuff being chucked in there, with no damage. I never have to "make sure my batteries are safe". Put them in spares carrier, throw them in your bug out bag/glove box/tool box, and forget about them until you need.

I have 4 currently (owned 6 at one time ,but gave two away too family since they were so good), if that tells ya anything. The SC1 is for 6 Batteries and a P60 Lamp; SC2 for 6 Batteries and millenium lamp (M3/M4/M6), and the SC3 holds four batteries and an E-Series lamp (MN01/MN02/MN03).

Hope this helps in your decision making!

Click to expand...

I also have 4 SC1's for the same reasons as A.O.W. and agree with him 1000% buy SC1's and never have to worry about it again. Mine live in my GO-bags and have been drowned-kicked-stomped-sat on and still look like new. excellent watertight storage check EBay always a few floating around on there New in Pkg

I use preformed pop bottles. CountyComm calls them TubeVaults I think. I got 12 for around $10 I think a while ago. Very tough, waterproof. Here's a quark mini warm and 2 cells I threw together as a last resort.

Just a couple of notes:
The tube vaults that I got from Countycomm last year or the year before were just a little too short to fit 4xCR123a, but the ones from lighthound did. Both appeared to be equally indestructible.

Someone has mentioned knock-off SC1 carriers on ebay that are not dimensioned properly, so make sure it is an authentic SC1 before you get it. A lower-than-expected price is one indication, as is the phrase, "replacement for..."

Why dont they make a spares carrier for batteries only? With the intro of the LEDs, I have upgraded all of my FLs so I no longer need the spare bulb portion of the carrier. I do carrier a backup light, just in case.

novice said:

Just a couple of notes:
The tube vaults that I got from Countycomm last year or the year before were just a little too short to fit 4xCR123a, but the ones from lighthound did. Both appeared to be equally indestructible.

Someone has mentioned knock-off SC1 carriers on ebay that are not dimensioned properly, so make sure it is an authentic SC1 before you get it. A lower-than-expected price is one indication, as is the phrase, "replacement for..."

Click to expand...

A good way to make sure it's genuine, is that most spares carriers (since they only recently updated the die) will have "Laser Products" on the bottom instead of Surefire. The Laser Product ones were made as recently as 2009/2010, then they updated the die to say "Surefire" on the bottom.

A good single spare carriers, that's just as tough as the SC1, is the little white bottles of tylenol/advil that you see at the check-out lane. They ft perectly, and are pretty tough. I use these in my smaller bags for when when I'm EDC'ing my single cells lights. Same concept, throw in my bag, and forget about them.

They don't keep the cells dry, but when flying I carry the "tools aviation" battery carriers in my carry on bag.

Paladin

http://www.lighthound.com/Carriers_c_154.html

They are great Paladin I have a pile of them to keep track of my AA rechargables (seperate colors for which are charged/dead/stored) and CR123 stores

I bought a bunch of SC2 spare carriers when I used to EDC a M3T since I would burn through CR123s like nothing. I still use them now to carry batteries. They're a little bulky but they're waterproof and practically indestructable.

While the SC3 technically includes a lamp bay, the lamp its meant for is so small as to not matter. For 4x 16mm cells, its a great way to go - sans lamp.

SC1 / 2 / 3 for me too - I really like that they don't rattle when they are in your bag and waterproof too. The also come with a great Surefire lanyard.

I have a couple of the tools aviation ones as well, but only because they fit nicely in the elastic straps of my gear pouches and won't get wet / abused in there.

I also use the little tube for cr123 sized cells, its a great and cheap little thing and like suggested earlier with the introduction of LED emitters carrying a spare isn't as big as a requirement anymore.

I also carry one of these:


Ridiculously strong, waterproof and with a little piece or rubber added it doesn't rattle.

Where did you find that nice metal carrier?

Those Surefire carriers are just so huge though... and unless you're on the incan tip, the spare bulb holder is not needed. I keep the small Pelican cases/Otterboxes in my bugout bags filled with L91s and CR123s... Cheap... Waterproof... They hold more... I use those 4 CR123 holders from CountyComm/Lighthound and stick matched pairs side by side for my 2xCR123 lights and keep the holders in my Pelican/Otterboxes...

These work great for a night out to keep a single CR123 backup:
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=253