Better/Comparable SF G2 <$30

[jml90]

Alright, my dad likes the brightness of SF g2, but doesn't like the $40 price and is unsure of the battery life. What I'm looking at is maybe an Ultrafire or something else with a Cree or the TOPS Stryker. Anybody have any suggestions, as I'm sure there's many.

PS. All my dad knows is Maglites for the most part so that G2 blew him away.

EDIT: Argh I put it in the wrong forum someone want to move it to General?

 

[defusion]

how about a G2 from ebay
you don't have to pay retail if you don't want to!

 

[jml90]

how about a G2 from ebay
you don't have to pay retail if you don't want to!

By the time the shipping comes it get's just as expensive.

 

[mdocod]

brinkman maxfire at target is $17. fairly similar.

 

[270winchester]

brinkman maxfire at target is $17. fairly similar.

um, in that they both use lithium batteries and are of the incandescent type? sure. other than that I wouldn't say they are anywhere near being similar.

 

[mdocod]

other than that I wouldn't say they are anywhere near being similar.

ok, ok, i'll play ball.../throw

What incredibly sophisticated technology Surefire has incorporated into the G2 that makes it entirely different from another flashlight that is in fact fairly similar? The switch? wait, nope, pretty basic stuff technology wise, the bulb? hmmm, incandecent high pressure, check and check,... hmm... oh... it must be the NITROLON material... oh yea... wait, that's a Surefire invented buzz word for a quality plastic type composite material, Similar grades of Polymers are found in hundreds of products...

Conclusion, the price buys a warranty. plain and simple.... if you are the type of person who passes on the extended warranty when the kid at best buy is trying to shove it down you're throat, then you may be well off continuing to avoid paying big bucks for warranties that may or may not pay off in the long run. (BTW warranty plans always benefit the seller more than the buyer, that's the way the world works, screwed if you do and screwed if you don't.... to bad SF doesn't offer the don't option, at least we'd have more ways to get screwed.)

If you don't think the Maxfire is a fairly similar alternative to a G2 at less than half the cost, then you may be worshiping a false god.

 

[Kid9P]

I love a good game of catch! LOL

 

[lexina]

If all you want is the brightness of the G2 D26 lamp assemblies and don't really need the nitrolon material, there are lots of SF-compatible lights such as the Ultrafires, G&Ps etc that will accept the SF lamps or cheaper compatible lamps. Check out dealextreme.com. I recently bought the Ultrafire Alpha C-1. It comes with a Cree drop-in but will accept the D26 assemblies as well. I chose it because it has a nice squarish body similar to the SF C2.

 

[270winchester]

ok, ok, i'll play ball.../throw

What incredibly sophisticated technology Surefire has incorporated into the G2 that makes it entirely different from another flashlight that is in fact fairly similar? The switch? wait, nope, pretty basic stuff technology wise, the bulb? hmmm, incandecent high pressure, check and check,... hmm... oh... it must be the NITROLON material... oh yea... wait, that's a Surefire invented buzz word for a quality plastic type composite material, Similar grades of Polymers are found in hundreds of products...

Conclusion, the price buys a warranty. plain and simple.... if you are the type of person who passes on the extended warranty when the kid at best buy is trying to shove it down you're throat, then you may be well off continuing to avoid paying big bucks for warranties that may or may not pay off in the long run. (BTW warranty plans always benefit the seller more than the buyer, that's the way the world works, screwed if you do and screwed if you don't.... to bad SF doesn't offer the don't option, at least we'd have more ways to get screwed.)

If you don't think the Maxfire is a fairly similar alternative to a G2 at less than half the cost, then you may be worshiping a false god.

another "SF sucks because it costs more than ____" response eh, that's fresh. I have used both, I own the G2.

I have had many, many great experiences with SF customer service and I am willing to pay the extra 20 bucks for a name I can trust from my home state.

Why do we buy SFs? why do we buy HDSs, McGizmo, or Arc lights? because they are the cheapest of the kind? heck no. not by a long shot. you have made it pretty clear that we are not the smartest buyers for choosing these products for the "illusion" of warranty. Boy how dumb we have been exposed to be.

 

[WDR65]

The polymer version of the Pelican M6 call the 3320 I think is a decent alternative with a similar warrany to Surefire and it throws a bit further in a slightly smaller package with a clicky tailcap. I gave one away as a gift and was impressed with the throw compared to my G2's. Its around 20-23 dollars most places that I've seen it and there is a 1 watt led version that's around 40.

 

[jml90]

What about any of the DX Cree lights?

 

[mdocod]

270winchester

No purchase is a bad one if the buyer feels his money has been well spent. I don't mean to accuse anybody of being "stupid" for making purchasing decisions, only to expose the fact that not all purchases will be the greatest value for a particular buyer. We all make poor purchasing decisions at some point, I payed extra for an extended warranty on my Apply computer (The Surefire of Computers IMO) and it turned out to be pointless because I'm about 5 years with this machine and not a single issue. You have great reasons to continue to support SureFire and I see no reason to argue against them (I like your enthusiasm towards supporting a company that is part of your community) ... I very clearly stated that you are screwed if you do AND screwed if you don't, so I am not singling out buyers of expensive goods, I am saying that you are screwed when you buy expensive quality items because if you loose the item, it's all to waste, and there's always a possibility, that a less expensive item could have performed the same function. This is hobby, so many of those points are moot. At the same time, you can be screwed buying the cheaper option, because it may be more apt to fail you, or need to be replaced enough times to have bought the good one in the first place... But there is no way to predict these things in advance. So some people will request alternatives to the $40 G2, because to them, it does not appear to be the best value at the time. I've seen many "value-oriented" products OUTPERFORM expensive ones in reliability... Consumer reports has routinely shown that price does not reflect reliability or performance of consumers goods.

 

[Abrams.357]

brinkman maxfire at target is $17. fairly similar.

i have this and the G2 and the brinkmann is a good light, you cant put it through a GLOCK torture test like the G2 but its a solid light......w/ a good price.

 

[270winchester]

wait a minute, so your whole issue is that you might, let me get this straight, "lose" it? Then why buy a BMW when someone can just steal it? why buy an Apple when you can drop you bag when a strap breaks while cross the street by accident and a truck may run it over?

make a lanyard out of shoe strings and a piece of coat-hanger wire and enjoy the Surefire warranty years down the road.

snip

I am saying that you are screwed when you buy expensive quality items because if you loose the item, it's all to waste, and there's always a possibility, that a less expensive item could have performed the same function. This is hobby, so many of those points are moot. At the same time, you can be screwed buying the cheaper option, because it may be more apt to fail you, or need to be replaced enough times to have bought the good one in the first place... But there is no way to predict these things in advance. So some people will request alternatives to the $40 G2, because to them, it does not appear to be the best value at the time. I've seen many "value-oriented" products OUTPERFORM expensive ones in reliability... Consumer reports has routinely shown that price does not reflect reliability or performance of consumers goods.

 

[carrot]

Decent little light is the 1W Dorcy 123. $20 at Target, runs on a 123 cell. Or try the 1W Dorcy Metal Gear, 3xAAA, at Walmart. Old tech and not as bright but certainly usable. It looks to me like the Dorcy 123 would be pretty easy to mod too.

In any case, I'd pass up on the Best Buy warranty too. Manufacturer warranties like Surefire's are like gold, though. Mdocod, I think you experienced this yourself when you broke a P90/P91 in a non-Surefire light? Surefire has replaced several lamps for me whether I did something stupid with them or if they just failed on their own after being dropped one too many times (I'm not too gentle on my lights).

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

+1 to the point that while I don't find the beam quality of the Maxfire and the G2 comparable the brightness IS!

And the Maxfire has a nice forward clickie and a pretty solid body. I made mine "better" by removing the original rubber grip and wrapping the light in "sport tape"

Available at Wally world in the sporting goods section.

Here it is on a couple of lights.

 

[mdocod]

(for most readers just skip to the last sentence)

wait a minute, so your whole issue is that you might, let me get this straight, "lose" it?....

why buy a BMW, period, LOL... no cup holders!!!

The BMW can be insured against damages, can be protected and insured against theft with security and tracking devices. It may be comfortable, but it is a perfect example of a product that costs a boat load more than the competition, but does not come with a guarantee of reliability that is substantially greater than any other vehicle. Instead, it comes with a higher initial cost of ownership, followed by a higher average cost of operating and repairing. Economically speaking, a BMW is a poor choice in transportation. Doesn't compare to a Surefire, that like yall are saying, can technically be the BETTER choice for some people economically speaking. (1 G2 instead of replacing a maxfire 3 times, for example).




Portable "equipment/tools" are different... getting insurance on portable tools is rarely worth the price of the insurance (it's steep).

some of us don't want to tie ourselves to our gear. I don't want 3 lanyards hooked up to my portable lights. But I would rather have 2 maxfires than 1 G2, because between the 2, There's less likelihood of total failure and more flashlights to play with. (less likelihood that BOTH maxfires would fail me than for 1 G2 to fail me in a given circumstance)

at this point it feels like you are looking for anything in what I say to just have something to work with. doesn't matter if I say the sun is hot or cold at this point, you'd say it's warm and that I am wrong. hehe... I'm just calling it like I see it here man. A lot of people worship the stuff they own, and the companies that make that stuff, lots of CPFers are SureFire Worshipers, and that's very apparent to me. I thought Blind faith was supposed to be reserved for religious activities. lol (I don't have blind faith in anything) You had a loaded statement so I'm giving ya what ya wanted here!





Carrot you are correct that Surefire replaced a P91 for me when it burned out prematurely, I appreciate their excellent warranty and CALLED upon it because I had paid a premium for it ... For the price of 1 P91, I could have bought as many as 10 alternative 26mm style lamps. HOWEVER, they are the only manufacture of such a high power bulb in a D26 assembly, so that's a simple choice for me.(they are offering a product that I want enough to pay that price for, fair deal)

Please don't try to say that since Surefire invented the tactical lamp assembly they deserve the purchase, they did not invent reflectors, light bulbs, springs, or plastic molding methods, there were plenty of similar integral bulbs and reflectors on the market prior to SureFire. They just took pre-existing parts and concepts and put together a simple design)....I've torn apart some SureFire lamps and seen no evidence that they are of premium quality. (in fact, I see less overall build quality when compared to Wolf-Eyes, LumensFactory, and Pila lamps, which all are built primarily out of metal, while the SF has more plastic composite parts) So the big price I paid, was for American workers and a warranty.... which is fine by me... I am happy with my purchase.


BTW: The replaced P91 has busted again... the springs kept compressing more and more and wouldn't make contact anymore, so I had to stretch them again,.... but they broke right off the assembly in the process.... I can fix it with a soldering iron so it's no big deal... I have had better luck stretching springs on lamps made by other manufactures without breakage... (the need to be stretched is not specific to the SF lamp, I have to do this to most of my lamps at some point to keep em working right)...



Does any of this matter? nope.

 

[carrot]

Mdocod, I do agree that it is sad people blindly worship Surefire, but on the other hand when you consider that Surefire does have a pretty good track record and consistently (besides the U2 ) put out solid and aesthetically pleasing lights it is easy to see why people do like the company. They even sponsor the CPF party at SHOT show! I admit being guilty of being a bit of a Surefire fanboy, but I do recognize their shortcomings. They are expensive, you pay a premium, and competitors are rapidly catching up to their quality and output.

What I personally like in Surefire is one completely unique light they offer, the Surefire A2, which is unparalleled by any other light even remotely similar to it. But that's a whole 'nother story, with a whole 'nother budget.

 

[mdocod]

nothing wrong with being a fanboy, I appreciate your ability to like a company, but not be blind to their faults. (I do like SureFire products, but my posts don't always "sound" that way, lol, I'm usually just trying to defend some particular angle of thought)... When I was younger I was a total Apple computer worshiper, and I look back on it, "can't believe I was like that." We are all hypocrites, myself included, lol.

back on track a bit here...

another "cheap" alternative that might be considered... delivered all the way from around the world in anywhere from 2-6 weeks, (comes via Chinese air-mail, which is a nice way of saying they strap it to a seagull and hope for the best) for under $13
http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/ultrafirereg-wf501b-2xcr123a-recommended-p-384.html

I've got some Ultrafire products, yup, their cheap but overall you'll find that for the money, the track record isn't horrendous around here(also not stellar either). That light (in link) is compatible with D26 style lamps assemblies (like the G2 and maxfire and such).. so it's got a lot of options.

 

[jml90]

So what's a comparable CREE light? (To a G2)