Old Style A2

[Katdaddy]

What would be the value of an old style A2 in good condition?

 

[Illum]

$135-$150 used [some are marked higher but after a few price bumps they're usually sold in this range :thinking:

some reason all older threads selling four flat sided A2s go in this region
I bought mine for $125, but I doubt threads like that exist anymore

Theres no benchmarks that I know of, but usually a reasonable rational on how much the owner values on it or would want from it. [Thats why I never sold any lights, I mean jeez, trying to put a price on a priceless item you keep for sentimental reasons is harder than it looks]


hope this helps, cheers

 

[DM51]

I would agree with Illum - $140, maybe $150 if it's in very good condition and you really like it.

 

[carrot]

Most people make no distinction (in price, especially) between the new and old styles, as the only "real" difference is the external design. Personally I prefer the looks of the old style...

 

[Atomic_Chicken]

Greetings!

I've only purchased one of the old-style A2s, and I paid the same for it as I have for all my others (somewhere in the $115-$135 range). After using it, though, I would personally be willing to pay a $5-$10 premium for an old-style over the new, I just seem to be able to hold on to it better... and I think it looks better too.

Best wishes,
Bawko

 

[JNewell]

I agree on preference for the 4-square body, both for the L1 and the A2 (and other lights as well). I like the way they handle better, and they seem smaller, though that's mostly illusion.

 

[Illum]

I agree on preference for the 4-square body, both for the L1 and the A2 (and other lights as well). I like the way they handle better, and they seem smaller, though that's mostly illusion.

actually...there is in fact a couple grams worth of difference between the new and old A2s

 

[JNewell]

a couple grams worth of difference

I think that'll fit under the heading of "mostly"...

 

[leukos]

I'm a square body fan as well. Two of my three A2's have the four flat sides.

 

[Illum]

we need to stop digging up size15s pics and post some of our own

I'll throw mine in for the heck of it

Most people make no distinction (in price, especially) between the new and old styles, as the only "real" difference is the external design. Personally I prefer the looks of the old style...

erm....the earlier versions of A2s have more purple LEDs than recent models. my guess was back then Nichia CS were used and now these are different :thinking:

 

[greenLED]

+1 on liking the square bodies better.

Illum, do you have side-by-side pic comparisons of this tint difference you're talking about? I've yet to see it first hand, but I've had at least 3 people ask me about it (either tint or brightness differences). I've checked several times with SF (to get different CS reps) and they assure me the LED bins haven't changed :shrug: (which, if you think about it, doesn't quite make sense unless certain assumptions are made).

 

[Wetterman]

So when did they change the body design?

 

[JJH]

Does the old style A2 have a larger diameter battery tube to accomodate rechargeable batteries (similar to the U2 new & old differences)?
Thanks,
JJ

 

[greenLED]

nope.

 

[DM51]

Actually, my old-style A2 bodies DO have a slightly larger internal diameter than new ones. There's only a very small difference, but there is one. If I put one of AW's RCR123s into an old body I am confident I would be able to get it out again, but in a new body the fit is so tight I wouldn't risk it.

 

[js]

+1 on prefering the square body A2 to the newer rounded one. But I like that one as well -- just prefer the older.

 

[Illum]

kinda odd to think with so many of us favors the old square design why did Surefire have to change it?, but I suppose PK knows whats best oo:

 

[Atomic_Chicken]

Greetings!

kinda odd to think with so many of us favors the old square design why did Surefire have to change it?, but I suppose PK knows whats best oo:

My guess is that it's a combination of production yields as well as product ruggedness. The new 3-Sided design cuts less metal off the body, making the walls thicker and less likely to "cut through" during production if the center hole is not aligned perfectly. The resulting flashlight is also quite a bit harder to break in half from a mechanical standpoint, due to the 3-sided asymetrical geometry.

It's hard to argue that the newer 3-sided A2 is not the better mechanical design... but there's just something aesthetic about the old design that most people seem to like better. The older design also seems to be more "grippy", at least to me.

Best wishes,
Bawko

 

[Wetterman]

So when did they change the body design?

Does anyone know?

 

[lightplay22]

+1 for the square sides, it just feels better in my hand than the new one.