Is anyone NOT happy with their Surefire UB3T?

Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
644
Well, are you? I have read lots of reviews and am thinking of getting one myself.

Is the fit and finish as good as you expected?

Is the throw as good as you expected?

How does the throw compare with a SST-90?
 

tobrien

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 16, 2005
Messages
4,861
Location
Georgia Highway 441
I'm sure you're gonna be hard-pressed to find someone who isn't satisfied.

as far as throw compared to the SST-90s, I don't know if you're gonna get the exact answer youre looking for. the sst-90 is a very floody emitter I believe. HOWEVER, I don't know if anyone knows for sure what emitter the UB3T uses, so perhaps it is an SST-90. The thing is, though, the SF UB3T has a TIR lens that makes the beam a very tight one, so it could well be an SST-90 in there, for all I know, but the TIR (total internal reflection, that is) lens just modifies the standard emittings pretty darn well.

I don't own an Invictus, however, although I wish I did. I'm sure you'll be more than pleased if you buy one :)

and the paragraph I wrote on throw is from my amateur-ish perspective/knowledge. feel free to correct me guys!
 

TadpolePilot

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
67
Location
Texas
:sssh:
One should try out different torches before a purchase!
There are a few budget lights that may do the same or better :oops:

China has come a long ways and most torch factories can be found there.
 

Lou Minescence

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 12, 2011
Messages
1,189
Location
New England US
I would be unhappy to see I had paid $695 a couple months ago and now the price is $395. As I've said before, everyone should make a profit. But how much profit does a company need to make? Is the light now being sold at a loss?
 

Patriot

Flashaholic
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
11,254
Location
Arizona
The UB3T ranks high among the best XM-L throwers. It doesn't have the spill that some of the other conventional reflector lights have but instead its beam is concentrated into a fairly tight cone. Lux numbers are in the area of 40K+. The LED isn't an SST-90 because you can actually see the die through the TIR. Most SST-90 lights aren't normally considered throwers except for those with exceptionally large or deep reflectors, like the SR90. I think few would be disappointed with the capability of the UB3T unless they want a lot of spill.
 

MrBenchmark

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
616
Location
Dallas, TX
Is the fit and finish as good as you expected?

Yes. The variable output modes and throw make this a very useful and versatile light. The battery indicator is great too.

Is the throw as good as you expected?

Yes, it throws a LONG way. I would expect you would be impressed.

The other thing I'll say about it is that while it is mostly a throw light, it does have enough spill, and also the lower output modes, so that it is a useful walking around light. When you need to spot stuff in the distance, it can do it, but you don't really need to switch to another light to walk around. The only negative thing I'll say about it is that they need to reintroduce the diffuser that fits it, because it is just not a substitute for a floody light.
 

TEEJ

Flashaholic
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Messages
7,490
Location
NJ
RRT-3 XML?

That's a floody light, not a thrower except by sheer horsepower. Still, it can do 300+ yards.

The Invictus is only ~ 800 lumens, but its 800 lumens all in a row on their way downrange...figure close to 400 yards throw.

The SR 90 similarly throws a tighter beam, but its head makes more spill, buts its closer to ~ 1,300 otf lumens...so overall its throwing a coupla hundred yards FURTHER than the SF...with a fatter beam on target, etc.
 

curtispdx

Enlightened
Joined
May 10, 2008
Messages
538
Well, are you? I have read lots of reviews and am thinking of getting one myself.

Is the fit and finish as good as you expected?

Is the throw as good as you expected?

How does the throw compare with a SST-90?



It's a fantastic light and I think it's only downside it the high cost, even though it's much cheaper than when it was first introduced.

The fit and finish is typical Surefire, top notch.

The throw is as good as I suspected but I peeked at some reviews on YouTube so I knew what to expect.

I have no idea how it compares to a SST-90 and don't really care.
 

HotWire

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
1,651
I love mine! I use the low mode a lot for wandering around the house at night. I find I either use low or high the most and not much in between. But.... those settings make the light very useful. Surefire gets and A+ from me.
 

Jeffa

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 9, 2008
Messages
140
I like the Invictus and use it quite a bit. I like the levels but could do without the SOS and strobe. I like the throw with minimal spill but not so small to be useless. I like my DBS aspheric but it is very one dimensional and limited in its use so the UB3T fills my practical uses much better. The battery level indicator is very practical IMHO.

My only gripe is the initial cost versus what it is now going for. I understand prices going down but not by almost $300 dollars, so quickly, these are clearance prices, I feel robbed. This will keep me from buying any Surefires too quickly in the future. I like Surefire and will buy them as any other light but they will no longer make money from me on any new product until it has seen some considerable shelf life.
 

Vox Clamatis in Deserto

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 7, 2006
Messages
1,126
My only gripe is the initial cost versus what it is now going for. I understand prices going down but not by almost $300 dollars, so quickly, these are clearance prices, I feel robbed. This will keep me from buying any Surefires too quickly in the future.

As I commented on another thread :):

I share your pain. I was thinking about buying another UB3T at the new price so I could cut my losses.;)

I'll observe that every year when we complain about the SF price increases, the thread always gets closed. Now that we are complaining about a SF price cut, our discussion is allowed to run unfettered.:thumbsup:

I like the UB3T, I do wish it had a little more spill, it is definitely a spotlight in my view. I've complained elsewhere on CPF about the ergonomics. Since it is hard to click down on low modes to maintain your eyes' dark adaptation without risking a sudden 800 lumen SOS blast, I find I use it mostly as a two mode light with a low setting for walking and watching the stars and high available by tightening or pushing the tailcap to check out distant wildlife.

The UB3T works great on AW 17500's, if the power is off for a while, it will even take CR123A's.:huh:
 

iapyx

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 7, 2007
Messages
741
Location
Close to the North Sea
MrBenchmark said:
I agree with this - the placement of the SOS is terrible, that is my only complaint about the light.

Yes, I agree. It's the problem with light.
The modes are really nice, but not wisely positioned.
But still I love this light.

Ask KROMATICS for his opinion. He sold his UB3T. I wonder why.
 

Latest posts

Top