Got my SF L4 - WOW!

[berklee46]

After many years of carrying around my Streamlight Stinger on my duty belt, I replaced it with a Surefire L4 this week and am blown away by this little light.

Comparing the two is like night and day - literally. The Stinger lit things up in a dark room or outside, but doesn't even come close to lighting things up like the L4. It wasn't cheap, especially since I got the Pila batteries and charger, but I got a good price on both from SF and JS Burly's, and it was definitely money well spent.

Who'd have thought that I'd be excited by a little flashlight?? Is this how all you guys started?
If so, I wonder if that means that now I can look forward to buying more lights, taking them apart, modifying them, and then buying more and...and...and... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[KDOG3]

Welcome to the world of Surefire! I got started with the 6P and now I'm up to 3 lights G2, G2Z and the 6P for now - when the 9P comes back out in less than a month I'll be getting that one too! Yes this is how it starts - and don't try to fight it, there is no cure. Next you will be getting into the tactical nylon - Blackhawk, SpecOps and Maxpedition. There will be no end.

I'm curious as to why you chose the L4 instead of the L2. The L2 puts out 100 lumens. Not that 65 lumens isn't good enough, just curious....

 

[sithjedi333]

..

 

[sithjedi333]

Yes, the L4 is badass and probably the most useful production light made. Now you just need the Mcgizmo 2 stage switch! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[berklee46]

[ QUOTE ]
KDOG3 said:
I'm curious as to why you chose the L4 instead of the L2. The L2 puts out 100 lumens. Not that 65 lumens isn't good enough, just curious....

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't really know...Either I didn't look into it closely enough, or just saw the L4 mentioned around here so much that I concentrated my research towards that one. Or since I was looking for something small, I could have ended up going with the L4 since it was an inch small, but not appreciating just how small these lights really are!
Either way, I'm quite happy with the light and may end up with an L2 somewhere down the line.

And maybe an M4...or an M6... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Size15's]

The L4 can use the Pila battery... The L2 can't.
For a "dutylight" rechargeable is perhaps the most important feature!

The size of the L4 means you could carry a second or even an E2L (with KL1 bezel) as back up. Two is one, one is none as they say.

 

[KDOG3]

G2Z with HOLA make a great compact combatlight 120 lumens of retina scorching power...

The upcoming 9P will be 105 lumens stock and a searing 200 lumens with the HOLA... and the 9P will only be $75!!! ($28 extra for the P91 HOLA)

Just thought I'd help with the insanity. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Lexus]

[ QUOTE ]
KDOG3 said:
I'm curious as to why you chose the L4 instead of the L2. The L2 puts out 100 lumens. Not that 65 lumens isn't good enough, just curious....

[/ QUOTE ]
According to this thread the L4 puts out around 80 lumens:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=252381&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=all&vc=1

I compared my L4 to my Streamlight Strion which is rated at 80 lumens and my L4 puts out more light.

 

[MaxaBaker]

Just a quick question......can you put 2 rechargeable lithium 123's into a L4? Or will that make an insta-poof?

 

[JonSidneyB]

I wouldnt run an L4 with 2x3.7

 

[wquiles]

Baker,

Get the Pila 168S from Burly's - works great on the L4 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

However, if you want to run the head of the L4 by itself (KL4) then with a 1 cell body, a single rechargable CR123 works really well - that is the light that I EDC /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Will

 

[berklee46]

[ QUOTE ]
Size15's said:
The L4 can use the Pila battery... The L2 can't.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think *that* was the reason I went with the L4. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Carpe Diem]

[ QUOTE ]
berklee46 said:




Who'd have thought that I'd be excited by a little flashlight?? Is this how all you guys started?
If so, I wonder if that means that now I can look forward to buying more lights, taking them apart, modifying them, and then buying more and...and...and... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]


MORE and MORE and MORE....! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif


YES! You`ve got it right, Berklee46. And welcome aboard! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

The L4 is a realy nice light, so enjoy. Both fortunately and unfortunately, though, there are a lot (and I mean...A LOT) of really *nice* lights roaming around the Land of the CPF, usually in large herds, and with one herd quickly following another herd. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif (Does the word "stampede" ring a bell with you?)

Anyway....

You are now forever one of us, hopelessly trapped (like a rat, but with A LOT of flashlights) in the "ever-exciting-yet-always-agonizing" world of flashaholism. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/au.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy23.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif


Again...welcome aboard! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
And may God have mercy on your soul. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
(If you don`t know what I mean about that yet, you soon will. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif )

 

[KevinL]

L4.....mmmmmmmm....

I'm watching the tracking number on mine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Your item was accepted at 12:09 pm on February 18, 2005... so the journey begins!


PS: I suspect the L4 is underrated. Process technology and binning has improved since those days and Surefire might not have re-rated their L4, but re-rated the L2.

Besides, I'd prefer them to under-spec their lights. My U2 is definitely *NOT* 80 lumens, more like 120+. My KL1 has never been 15 lumens, more like 30. List goes on. Specs are just specs; how a light performs in operations is my main concern.

 

[briteguy]

KevinL

Well Said: "Specs are just specs; how a light performs in operations is my main concern. "

I can't agree more! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

 

[KDOG3]

The Surefire website says it puts out 100...

 

[MaxaBaker]

Thanks for the answer guys, I wasn't quite sure. But, I don't think I'll go with Pila's because I know I wont use it enough to make it pay for itself. $1 CR!@#'s would be cheaper in my case.


wquiles, very good idea for me but I currently have a EDC I'm happy with.

Thanks.

 

[JanCPF]

Congrats on your L4 berklee46, and welcome aboard. My flashaholism really took off when I bought the L4. I've been looking back a couple of times, but stopped that a while ago, when I got sucked in to the Surefire world of modularity. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Jan