I knew it was a mistake

[flashy bazook]

Glad you're enjoying your new L2D CE, Katdy. I feel obligated to warn you that you should NOT buy any Surefire flashlights with the 2 cr123 form for the next 6 months. As far as LEDs are concerned, Surefire is in the process of rolling out their Cree based lights, so they're more or less desperately trying to unload the "old" Luxeon based lights they have right now. As far as Incans are concerned, the Cree based LED lights (such as the Huntlight FT-01) has more output than the Surefire P61 Lamp (incan) AND has way more runtime as well.

You would be wise to ignore ANYONE who tells you to buy either a Surefire LED or incan flashlight right now; I highly suspect they're just trolling for their favorite brand at the expense of your checkbook...

daveman,

congrats on making a sensible and balanced statement to help out a fellow CPF'er.

I am new here, and have enormously benefitted from the useful and kind people who post. And I don't mind opposite points of view - in fact I sometimes enjoy them all the more!

But, I have noticed a tendency of people to over-sell "their" flashlights (no doubt others have noticed the same tendency in me!). A bit like those internet stock bulletin boards where if you dare point out the least problem regarding the stock, you'll get flamed right and left!

 

[Gunner12]

The two things about incandescents that LEDs can't do is:
-Massive amounts of light, the best avaliable single led could produce about 240 lumens max while an incan could produce at least 4000 lumens
-Incans have better color rendition then leds.

But:
-LEDs are cheaper and require less mantainence the incans
-They are improving quickly
-They can be dimmed

Based on what I have just experienced with the new LED why would I want an incandescent?

 

[MacTech]

Another thing to keep in mind is that a stock Maglite isn't the best example of incandescent technology, don't get me wrong, they are a decent, inexpensive, solidly made light, but they are *ancient* technology (the classic incan Mag has changed little since it's introduction), you're essentially dealing with 1970's era technology

here's a thread where i compared a 2 C-cell Mag to a *one* cell SureFire E1e

any good modern incan light, be it a SureFire, a Streamlight, Pelican, the Mag Instrument MagCharger, etc... will easily outperform a stock incan Mag

then again, maybe you're just not the incan type, some people like LED, some like incan, some like both, i like 'em all.....

as far as advantages of incan over LED, the main advantages, comparing two lights of equal power/output are....
the incan cuts through fog/mist/ambient light easier
the incan gives objects a more three-dimensional appearance, LED's tend to "flatten" things out

maybe incan isn't your thing, but at least give it a try before dismissing it out of hand....