Arc, SureFire or CPF?

[jayflash]

Which of these, or what OTHER source, do you think most greatly advanced the state of high quality consumer LED flashlights?

SureFire had the serious, military/LEO, market early on but Gransee offered the flashlight enthusiasts products not, yet, available.

CPF provided valuable information for anyone interested in improving the state of the art, years ago, and still acts as a test bed.

Certainly, Wayne, McGizmo, Mr. Bulk and other notable modders have positively impacted the industry - perhaps more than given credit for.

What or who do you think had the largest impact upon early the LED lighting that evolved into the large variety of, present, offerings and features? Would this all have happened as quickly without the three mentioned in the title?

 

[NAW]

Lumileds and Cree helped the most IMO.

Tey were the ones who made the LED. Then all the other companies take there LED and puts it in there flashlights.

 

[Ty_Bower]

Most people I know have never heard of Arc, Surefire, or CPF.

 

[Bearcat]

Probably, Maglite, because they are the best known.

 

[Owen]

I would think Lumileds. There would have never been an Arc LS, SF KL1, or all those wonderful mods and customs without a Luxeon Star to build them around.

 

[LEDcandle]

Yeah I would think the LED manufacturers themselves helped flashlights advanced to what they were today, even though this isn't their primary target market. Some might argue the clever electronics contribute to making a flashlight advanced, but if LEDs were still chucking out 3 lumens/watt today, who would need 3-stage and strobe and dimming and stuff....

 

[tebore]

The old Arc company gave us huge advancements. The "new" Arc is a stale and stagnant company that sits still relying on a once great design. HDS is almost as bad because they haven't released anything in almost 2 years.

Mag brought Power LEDs to the "people"

Elecktrolumens and McGizmo are awsome as a boutique manufacture because they are always pushing the limit.

Dorcy earned some honourable mention in the LED lighting field.

 

[jayflash]

Good LED flashlights didn't exist until the earliest part of this century...just a few years ago! M^g only got on the bandwagon last year with less than average offerings. Dorcy was there for the masses but I'm referring to the high output, multi level, multi function, rugged, waterproof, offerings that we CPFers prefer.

What was the motivation for Fenix, Nuwai, JetBeam, and the dozen or so other makers of these new high tech lights. Yes, Arc & HDS are stagnant and, most likely, no longer real players but along with the other, very few, "boutique" names, they showed and first made the best of what was possible.

Gotta wonder how much WE, the CPF, helped to influence the world of LED flashlights.