I just got the surefire 2x123 1200l. I picked up a Nebo claims 1400l but actual 700l is much larger. It takes 6xAA. I just thought I would point out junk Vs. quality. To Any person new here at least get a good light. Read up here. Do not buy something like this Nebo! I know no one will be interested in this but maybe I just helped someone new! I was very taken aback by this Nebo.
Nebo Vs Surefire
- Thread starter nitebrite
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bigburly912
Flashlight Enthusiast
Now not all nebo lights are junk. If you could provide a model name that would be helpful. The Larry lights are fantastic for what they are and will live under hoods and in garages for years and years.
I apologize for just bashing a brand. It is the Nebo Redline Blast. I really don't see this as acceptable? Correct me if I am wrong. I don't mean to start an argument by any means. Perhaps I am wrong. I just think 6AA is a lot to get a claimed 1400lm or actual 700lm. What do I know?
bigburly912
Flashlight Enthusiast
No you are probably right and 6xaa is ridiculous but they do make some good usable shop lights.
idleprocess
Flashaholic
I've a passing familiarity with Nebo. I've owned a Larry and Big Larry; someone I know procured one of their convertible flashlight/lantern models - possibly the first SLYDE models.
My takeaway is similar to bigburly912 - decent work lights for the money. But I'm not sure that a comparison to Surefire is apt since Nebo is positioned at the lower end of the market (principally worklights) while Surefire lives at the top of the market (principally tactical lights). There's overlap, but the strengths and weaknesses will probably be in opposition - Nebo is inexpensive (with mediocre performance) while Surefire has the excellent performance (at terrific cost).
- The Larry is an inexpensive COB worklight that's serviceable as a toolbox light. Puts out enough lumens for working under a sink or under a hood. It probably won't survive a drop from 3m nor will it care to be submerged but it's also going for $10.
- The Big Larry has a beefy build, some semblance of environmental resistance, and more lumens thus can light up a larger area. The driver and its modes are not as well-engineered as I'd like (PWM for low, can only blink the red LEDs), but it's also only $20 so it seems like a decent buy.
- The SLYDE struck me as a reasonably useful all-around light with both a focused beam and a COB floodlight. The design is inherently a bit less robust than most comparably-sized lights due to the need to slide out the COB section most of the length of the barrel of the light. Since it's a 3-cell light I suspect it's the same underlying direct-switched / PWM driver that the Big Larry features.
My takeaway is similar to bigburly912 - decent work lights for the money. But I'm not sure that a comparison to Surefire is apt since Nebo is positioned at the lower end of the market (principally worklights) while Surefire lives at the top of the market (principally tactical lights). There's overlap, but the strengths and weaknesses will probably be in opposition - Nebo is inexpensive (with mediocre performance) while Surefire has the excellent performance (at terrific cost).
I did not honestly mean to compare it to Surefire per se. I understand two different markets. I meant 3xaa is kind of absurd, At least I think so. Either think of a better power source, don't attempt to make a light that bright(they did not come close anyway) or use more emitters. Those are just my ideas. Too bad people will buy this...and Energizer batteries. Nothing against Energizer they are very good, just the price. I just wish people knew what they are about to spend in batteries they could get a nice light.
Surefiere still releases 2 * AA light, so there is no need to offend this standard size of battery, especially since there are eneloop and its rechargeable brothers
bigburly912
Flashlight Enthusiast
He meant to say 6xaa which is a lot of battery for a small light
Chicken Drumstick
Flashlight Enthusiast
Number of batteries can also impact runtime, not just output.
Plus lumens are a bit like 'torque'. It depends on how they are used. The biggest number does not always mean it is the best.
I have no familiarity with Nebo. However a quick Google suggests they are relatively cheap'ish junk sold in retail stores for more money than they are worth.
idleprocess
Flashaholic
I can agree with that sentiment - LED Vf dropped to 3V years ago, low-discharge NiMH usage is commonplace, and altering the voltage of the source to match the emitter's needs can be done almost trivially cheaply while also allowing for some graceful reduction in function as the cells deplete. 3xAA and 3xAAA designs are holdovers from when Vf was 3.6V, driver circuits had to be implemented largely from discrete components - if not simply just being resistors - and alkalines were the norm.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?415418-NEBO-ITEMS-POST-ALL-NEBO-ITEMS-HERE
Nebo has a following here. For the money they aren't bad for their purpose.
To compare a SureFire to a Nebo is not that much unlike comparing a skil saw to a serated steak knife.
Nebo has a following here. For the money they aren't bad for their purpose.
To compare a SureFire to a Nebo is not that much unlike comparing a skil saw to a serated steak knife.
Now I understand, then yes, this is unnecessary, unless they (manufacturers) want the flashlight to work for a very long time. On the other hand, they could make a lantern for 2-3 C or D elements.
It seems to me that the craving for the number of elements, multiples of 3, goes from the moment of using 3R12, since the 30s.
Chicken Drumstick
Flashlight Enthusiast
Is it a small light? Google suggest it is Magllite 2d/3d sized.
6 AA's make sense. 3 in Series to get 4.5v, which despite modern LEDs is still a more efficient way to power the LED vs 2 x AA (3.0v). Doubling up the AA's for 6 gives double the capacity. So on something like Eneloops would give you 4000mAh. Which is going to give you good runtimes in theory. Certainly better than 4AA or 3AA.
The blast looks like a cheaper version of the coast 450. I wasn't impressed by the coast, looked good but poorly made, too floody when zoomed in and I doubt that the sliding head is very water resistant. I think that anything that takes more than 4 AA's is starting to get excessive.
Coast and Nebo (and Lux-Pro) really like their small battery fueled ideas. Wal Mart used to carry this ginormous Coast that used I don't know how many batteries, like 200 or 300 or something. Not really but it was way too many considering how little fuel they hold.
I like Nebo for working on cars or under the sink. I like SureFire when I'm fighting in a war. If I need to absolutely positively blind every perp in a warehouse I'll pick SureFire. If I need a light that can stick to the frame of my car in a horizontal position via a magnet, Nebo gets the nod.
I like Nebo for working on cars or under the sink. I like SureFire when I'm fighting in a war. If I need to absolutely positively blind every perp in a warehouse I'll pick SureFire. If I need a light that can stick to the frame of my car in a horizontal position via a magnet, Nebo gets the nod.
euroken
Flashlight Enthusiast
I think there still is a market for 6 - 8 x AA lights.
Few I know are hesitant to venture into li-ions or even nimh for that matter.
Fenix used to make tk40, tk41, tk45 etc. great lights for the time.
Few I know are hesitant to venture into li-ions or even nimh for that matter.
Fenix used to make tk40, tk41, tk45 etc. great lights for the time.
bigburly912
Flashlight Enthusiast
Several people use li-ion every day and don't even realize it with power tools. No reason not to use them in flashlights
I suppose they make some sense to people who buy alkaline AA's by the 48 pack at the warehouse store and want to use them for everything, but they still have to fight with the battery carrier to get all those dead cells out and to load in new ones. If you have the good sense to use eneloops, you also have a chore charging all of them.
euroken
Flashlight Enthusiast
No disagreement there from my perspective.
Just sharing the thoughts of few out there who have not yet made the transition. My guess is that people who prefers the lower cost light options may also opt to use alkaline batteries (my parents for example
).
