6P or Dereelight CL1H v4 or Solarforce L2

[Gatsby]

Well I've had some expenses so the 6P I was going to buy is now off the table so I have some time for additional research shall we say...

Anyway - I have two extra Dereelight pills/reflectors (I have a 3SD Q5 in my current CL1H v3 host) - a 3SD Q4 and a 2SM Q5. The 2SM will only work reliably in the Cl1H which is fine since I have one. So I have been thinking about another host(s) for one or both of the 3SD pills and have narrowed the field down to a Surefire 6P, a CL1H v4 or a Solarforce L2. Here are my pros/cons:

Surefire 6P - Pros: Surefire quality, I'd have the option of the P60 incandescent (and oddly I have found myself these days with all LED lights and there are times when a hotwire would be useful). Cons: Price, HAII. Other: I don't know how well the stock 6P switch would work with the Dereelight digital pills since they are really designed to work with a clickie - I know you can add one to the 6P but they are somewhat pricey and in the CPFM get snatched up quicker than a $50 M6.

Dereelight CL1H - Pros: solid build quality, inexpensive relatively for the host, will work with any of the pills. Cons: not very many other than I already have one basically and it is kind of fun to have something a little different (i.e. kind of boring).

Solarforce L2 - Pros: inexpensive, solid reviews. Cons: not crazy about the form factor of the strike bezel. Other: Unsure of the build quality.

So there it is - I suppose part of me would like a 6P just as I haven't had a Surefire since my old E2E (which I sort of wish I still had...) and it would be nice to have the incandescent option, but I am troubled a bit about the traditional momentary/twisty switch and the digital pills...

Thoughts?

 

[Kestrel]

Solarforce L2 - Pros: inexpensive, solid reviews. Cons: not crazy about the form factor of the strike bezel. Other: Unsure of the build quality.

I just picked up a Solarforce L2m (the single-cell version, which also comes with an extension for running 2xCR123 / 1x18650). I didn't want one with that strike bezel (as you mention) until I saw the stainless steel retaining ring option instead of the strike bezel:

Also, I'm not inspired by the stock reverse-clicky tailcap, so I sold it & purchased a SureFire Z41 twistie for it for only a few dollars more - which is a perfect swap, a little shorter in overall length, and works great.

All-in-all, the SolarForces seem to be pretty good for the money, but the only reason I opted for one over a SureFire was that the single-cell 3P-length SF's are collectors items now and much more expensive. FWIW.

 

[ykb]

Hi Kestrel,
I also have a Solarforce L2M, but it won't work with a Surefire Z41 tailcap because the threads on the L2M body are too short to make contact with tailcap contact.
How is yours able to work? Is there a newer version of the L2M with longer threads? The threads on my L2M are about 7mm.
Thanks!

 

[Kestrel]

I also have a Solarforce L2M, but it won't work with a Surefire Z41 tailcap because the threads on the L2M body are too short to make contact with tailcap contact.
How is yours able to work? Is there a newer version of the L2M with longer threads? The threads on my L2M are about 7mm.

Aha! I have read here on CPF that the pre-2009 L2m's do not work with the SF Z41, while the 2009 version does, & I have a brand-new model, so this is probably the reason.

 

[old4570]

Solarforce L2 or L2M

Just depends on what batteries you want to run . ?

I would get the L2M [ 18650 or 18mm body ] with 2xCR123A extensions + the new low voltage pill from Solarforce or do a 1A Buck boost mod to the existing pill ..

That way you could run 1xCR123A / 1xRCR123A / 1x18650 / or 2xAA .
If you wanted .

 

[Roberts30]

:twothumbsI have an L2 and absolutly love it! I think you would too.. (the quality is also great)

 

[bugsy714]

Solarforce's machining is bar none, be sure to get a 2009 l2m which accepts 18650's

 

[Gatsby]

I have three pills but the 2SM will only work in a Dereelight host due to the physical rather than digital switching mechanism. My 3SDs take only 17670 or 18650s so it sounds like I need to be careful if I get a Solarforce to make sure it will accept 18650s (I have an extra 18650 and a 17670 available). The 6P from my understanding will only take the 17670 (and may not be 100% with that one...).

 

[flatline]

Solarforce's machining is bar none, be sure to get a 2009 l2m which accepts 18650's

If you're planning on running 18650s, why would you get the L2m rather than the L2?

 

[Black Rose]

If you're planning on running 18650s, why would you get the L2m rather than the L2?

The 2009 L2M includes an extension tube that turns it into an L2.