SureFire 6P Over Clones- I'm a Believer

[ampdude]

I don't know how anybody could be on such a tight budget where they cannot afford a $40 6P over a $20 L2. If so, maybe this is not the hobby for them. :huh:

 

[ace0001a]

I don't know how anybody could be on such a tight budget where they cannot afford a $40 6P over a $20 L2. If so, maybe this is not the hobby for them. :huh:

I won't say that... I think it's great anyone wants to be in this hobby. If they want to be thrifty, that's fine too. Almost $30 ($16 and $45) difference can be alot for fellow flashlight hobbyist on a budget.

 

[aussiebuddha]

if you are not in the states, the difference between a clone and a surefire is way more.

i bought an L2 shipped to australia for $12 and a surefire for $50

 

[ampdude]

I won't say that... I think it's great anyone wants to be in this hobby. If they want to be thrifty, that's fine too. Almost $30 ($16 and $45) difference can be alot for fellow flashlight hobbyist on a budget.

I really think in today's day and age, with the price of everything and the exchange rate getting worse, the benefits of buying China lights are becoming less and less in the USA. $20 is really nothing. And I've seen a lot of people spend a lot of money on a lot of department store and DX type junk lights (now non-working with no warranty) when they could have had a few nice Sure-Fires instead.

 

[ace0001a]

I really think in today's day and age, with the price of everything and the exchange rate getting worse, the benefits of buying China lights are becoming less and less in the USA. $20 is really nothing. And I've seen a lot of people spend a lot of money on a lot of department store and DX type junk lights (now non-working with no warranty) when they could have had a few nice Sure-Fires instead.

Keep in mind, I am speaking from the perspective of having both actual Surefires and clones and so I'm open to either point of view. With that said, I don't think you can discount $30 as "really nothing" if you are indeed on a budget. When you think about it, you can almost get 3 Solarforce L2s for the price of 1 Surefire 6P. I have both and I like both. I think the Surefire Classic format is a great one with all the P60LED dropins out there. If someone wants to get into this format on the cheap, I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with going with a 6P clone such as the L2. For some, they just want to dabble and so the clones serve their purpose there too...if you dabble and want to own and/or try many different flashlights, cost will be a factor. I'm not saying that an actual Surefire isn't better, I'm just simply saying that the clones shouldn't be counted out so quickly either.

 

[AvroArrow]

my 6P has seen about four years of use, and after being dropped, runover by cars, used as a hammer a few times, it just plain works. WIth a Malkoff an a Novatac clip it lives on my belt now.

That's a great idea about the Novatac clip because I always wanted a clip for my 6P. I just tried one of the newer low-profile Novatac clips on my 6P but the hole is too big and the clip wobbles around. How did you get yours secure? By adding o-rings? I have a titanium lanyard ring for my 6P and the main hole for the body is definitely smaller than the Novatac clip.

 

[nanotech17]

What is even nicer about 6Ps is that you can add many little pieces and parts to make it your own:

Surefire 6PL, BOG Q5 (Malkoff soon?), Leef McClicky, Leef Grip

:tinfoil:

 

[Stainz]

Then there are those of us with little in the coffers for another hobby - who enjoy 'quality' over quantity. I spent my mad money plus one day in a local gunstore earlier this year for a 6P LED - $74.50 OTD with four spare SF CR123s. I had just taken the Lowes 2xC cell monster - with my DNA sample in it's rough machining. The difference in quality was/is astounding.

I did order a Fenix Q5 Premium P2D/L1D kit - <$68 delivered. Great build quality - and a neat light, 123 or AA - makes a great EDC in it's little sheath. I ordered a <$42, inc s/h, evil-bay 6P - intent on trying 'drop-ins'. A quick trip the day after it arrived back to the gunstore landed a P60L for $34 inc s/t - drop-in hunt halted due simply to the 6P LED's use - quality light.

For me - and my most exhaustive needs - a 6P LED is perfect. No, I don't have a drawer full of PRC-made lights. I now have a few big old MagLites under the beds - OEM LED 'drop-ins' for most of them were found at closeout prices. There is an X1 or two around here, too - great for the middle of the night. The X5 is better - and further dumps nearly dead 123s. A few Streamlights - some Twin Task - got a deal on them over the years - always watching closeout/clearance sales. But, if I hear something in the back yard - or need a car light - that 6P LED is unbeatable. I even spent my T1/TK10 moola on Surefire - batteries! So, my needs are met - two LED 6ps. Hmmm, maybe I need a third one? Where is that stimulus check? I predict I'll see it before the high powered P61L, of course.

I'll go for quality rather than quantity.

Stainz

 

[270winchester]

That's a great idea about the Novatac clip because I always wanted a clip for my 6P. I just tried one of the newer low-profile Novatac clips on my 6P but the hole is too big and the clip wobbles around. How did you get yours secure? By adding o-rings? I have a titanium lanyard ring for my 6P and the main hole for the body is definitely smaller than the Novatac clip.

I have a beater 6P, so I just bend the clip a bit and use the tension between the clip and the body to hold it to my belt. I saw someone else who used an o-ring underneath the clip that works great.

ALthough the G2L is the perfect candidate for the clip with its slightly larger outer body diameter.

 

[Delta]

I think a lot of Surefires newer, higher end lights are great, but having owned a 6P and a G2...I don't think they are anything to get excited about. I'd take my TK10 over a 6P, 6PL, or 6PD any day. I just don't think they are that special for the price. Now, when you get into Surefires $125-$300 lights, the difference becomes much more profound.

 

[M@elstrom]

I'm afraid I can't offer much to this Clone Vs. SF 6P** debate other than to say that it's the 'exotic' nature of the battery cells (especially considering runtimes) that deter many people away from SF (and similar clones), yeah I know you can get protected/rechargeable **123 Lithium cells but that's even more expense on top of the original purchase price

 

[gallonoffuel]

$16 to $46 is not just $30, its 300%. Is the 6P three times the light of the L2 or Cabelas XPG? I own all 3, and I'd say while the 6P is a fantastic light, and probably worth the money if you ever have to have Surefire replace it more than once, I don't view it as three times the light.

However, for the price of a real 6P, i was able to purchase a pair of XPG combos on sale, and a pair of the Solarforce tactical bezels. Thats two lights, two bezels, and two knives (great for cleaning trout when fishing) for the cost of one 6P. Mine are both upgraded with CREE dropins, so that drives the cost up by $20 for the pair.

For me, and for a lot of people, they'd rather chase the latest technology with cheaper lights then spend a much more significant amount on a popular brand. There's also a political/economic thing for a lot of people, supporting American workers and all that, and I understand completely. I'm more into the bang-for-the-buck, and the knockoff lights give me that.

 

[ttran97]

Surefire's 6P was one of the original lights in this form factor. A lot of research and development went into it years and years ago. What did the clones do? They looked at the 6P and said "Hmm, how can we copy this without getting sued?"

People that aren't impressed with the 6P and G2 have to realize that these are the "entry level" lights for SF. They may not be all that impressive, but hell, they're just as reliable as any other Surefires.

And now this thread is starting to drift and morph into a SF vs. other brands thread...great... :shrug:

 

[Brigadier]

$16 to $46 is not just $30, its 300%. Is the 6P three times the light of the L2 or Cabelas XPG? I own all 3, and I'd say while the 6P is a fantastic light, and probably worth the money if you ever have to have Surefire replace it more than once, I don't view it as three times the light.

Until it gets dropped form 20 feet or run over by a car. Then that cheaper light's construction will rear its ugly head.

"When you buy quality, you only cry once......"

 

[270winchester]

For me, and for a lot of people, they'd rather chase the latest technology with cheaper lights then spend a much more significant amount on a popular brand. There's also a political/economic thing for a lot of people, supporting American workers and all that, and I understand completely. I'm more into the bang-for-the-buck, and the knockoff lights give me that.

see, people always say they "understand". It's your action that speaks best.

I didn't expect much from CPFers these days anyway.

 

[270winchester]

Surefire's 6P was one of the original lights in this form factor. A lot of research and development went into it years and years ago. What did the clones do? They looked at the 6P and said "Hmm, how can we copy this without getting sued?"

People that aren't impressed with the 6P and G2 have to realize that these are like the "entry level" lights for SF. They may not be all that impressive, but hell, they're just as reliable as any other Surefires.

And now this thread is starting to drift and morph into a SF vs. other brands thread...great... :shrug:

well, I did expect that much from a few people.:thumbsup:

 

[Chrontius]

see, people always say they "understand". It's your action that speaks best.

I didn't expect much from CPFers these days anyway.

Consider that some of us are into this hobby on a - gasp - fixed income. Right now, I'm an unemployed college student (that's fixed, but I don't start until next week). I can barely justify the cost of Eneloops to run my ROP, let alone anything Surefire makes. I thought - and if I wasn't running late, would have - about buying 8 more eneloop AAs because they were $10, and the charger was $25 and they'd have lasted me through the short term quite handily.

I have nothing against supporting American companies, but until the American companies start supporting me back, I'm kinda up a creek, and I think I speak for a rather non-vocal minority here on CPF.

 

[Taepo]

If you drop your Surefire 20 feet on concrete and it gets run over by a car....will Surefire fix it if it stops working?

Just curious....I have a E1L, but havent had to send it in for any service yet.

 

[Jarl]

If you drop your Surefire 20 feet on concrete and it gets run over by a car....will Surefire fix it if it stops working?

Yes.

Some guy dropped his light outside, thought he'd find it the next day, and then it got run over by a ride-on lawnmower. Collected the parts (literally), phoned SF, sent them back and got a new light.

 

[Delta]

My dog ate my 6P once and it died....

Not only did Surefire get me a new 6P, but they got me a new dog too!

Thanks Surefire!