Need help choosing my first REAL flashlight please

[xy16644]

Hello All,

Great forum BTW!

I am wanting to buy my very first "REAL" torch. By that I mean a good quality unit that is bright, strong and can be used in emergency situations.

I have narrowed it down to the following two units:

Surefire U2 Ultra

OR

Fenix TA21

What do you think? Both seem awesome torches.

Two differences I picked up on are that the Fenix is Chinese (and I haven't had good experience with Chinese products) and the Surefire is made in the USA.

The other difference is that the Fenix (in theory) is WAY brigher. 225 lumens vs 100 lumens. Do these numbers mean anything in the REAL world when I am using my torce in an emergency?

Hope you can help me pick one soon as I am VERY keen to order it!

I realise the Surefire is more expensive (£120) than the Fenix (£80) but I want a awesome quality torch that lasts a lifetime and is a joy to use.

Look forward to your thoughts and experience with flashlights!

 

[SFG2Lman]

go with the surefire, fenix are great lights, but you need the greatest to start your collection! surefire gives out the front lumens, others tend to over estimate, not saying that fenix does or has, but many light makers do. also, the U2 can be upgraded if you find yourself needing more and more lumens
(you will) enjoy! and :welcome:

 

[xy16644]

go with the surefire, fenix are great lights, but you need the greatest to start your collection! surefire gives out the front lumens, others tend to over estimate, not saying that fenix does or has, but many light makers do. also, the U2 can be upgraded if you find yourself needing more and more lumens
(you will) enjoy! and :welcome:

Thanks for the reply!

How does one upgrade the U2 if you need more lumens?

I really am battling to make a decision as to which flashlight to choose!!

 

[Mjolnir]

Here is a review you might want to read:
http://www.light-reviews.com/surefire_u2/
Apparently the U2 doesn't have very good runtime on the high level, especially considering the output. You would probably be satisfied with the U2, but you would probably also be satisfied with the fenix for much less money. Fenix lights are very high quality, and shouldn't have any more issues than a surefire would.

 

[xy16644]

Here is a review you might want to read:
http://www.light-reviews.com/surefire_u2/
Apparently the U2 doesn't have very good runtime on the high level, especially considering the output. You would probably be satisfied with the U2, but you would probably also be satisfied with the fenix for much less money. Fenix lights are very high quality, and shouldn't have any more issues than a surefire would.

Thanks, I have read the review. All the U2 reviews I have read are generally very favourable. I'm just wondering if 100 lumens will be bright enough?

As much as I like the Fenix light, the "Made in China" thing concerns me. Do I want to put my life in the hands of a Chinese light? Almost everything Chinese I have bought up to now has failed or given me problems (even "high" end items), whats to say the same wont happen with the Fenix light?

I really REALLY wish Surefire has a 200 lumen light...

 

[KD7EIR]

I have the TA21 and it's a great light with great runtime.

:welcome:

 

[xy16644]

I have the TA21 and it's a great light with great runtime.

:welcome:

Thanks for the welcome note!

Would you bet your life on the TA21? Is it a good quality unit? How does it compare to the U2?

I literally have two flashlights to choose from and I dunno which one to choose!

Help!

 

[Henk_Lu]

I own a Surefire U2, in fact, it was the first flashlight I ever bought. Mine is the "old" version with the LuxeonV LED, the new one has a Seoul P4 IIRC. Runtime has been improved, it's probably a little bit brighter and the beam is probably less homogeneous.

Are 100 Lumen enough? What do you want to do with the light? The TA21, which isn't on my wishlist, will probably throw further, but the Surefire will have the better beam, brighter spill. So, at near distances, the Surefire will be better, at long distances the Fenix. That's cutting a long story short and comparing the uncomparable...

I never tested the runtime on high, but as it offers the same brightness than the L4, ist should be the same, which is about one lousy hour for the LuxeonV, should be 1,5 hours with the Seoul P4.

My advice : The Surefire if you want a REAL flashlight, the Fenix if you want a real flashlight!

 

[xy16644]

I own a Surefire U2, in fact, it was the first flashlight I ever bought. Mine is the "old" version with the LuxeonV LED, the new one has a Seoul P4 IIRC. Runtime has been improved, it's probably a little bit brighter and the beam is probably less homogeneous.

Are 100 Lumen enough? What do you want to do with the light? The TA21, which isn't on my wishlist, will probably throw further, but the Surefire will have the better beam, brighter spill. So, at near distances, the Surefire will be better, at long distances the Fenix. That's cutting a long story short and comparing the uncomparable...

I never tested the runtime on high, but as it offers the same brightness than the L4, ist should be the same, which is about one lousy hour for the LuxeonV, should be 1,5 hours with the Seoul P4.

My advice : The Surefire if you want a REAL flashlight, the Fenix if you want a real flashlight!

Great post!

This is my first real flashlight and since I am spending a lot on it I want to get the right one. The thing the strikes me about the U2 Ultra is the ruggedness and solid quality of it. I would bet my life on it. The ONLY thing preventing me from buying it is me thinking about the 200 lumens the Fenix TA21 does!! (and the fact that I am a newbie to all this).

What do I want to use the light for? General use but more importantly emergencies as well (should the need arise). I need something that is EASY to use (I dont want to have to read a manual or remember weird button pushes to get the light brighter!) and DEPENDABLE. And pretty bright.

Just to give you an idea of what I have had in the past, it was a Maglite 3C Cell. It was a great little torch but I absolutely hate those incandescant lightbulbs. I have been dying to get an LED torch for ages now. Now that I have the funds, its time to bite the bullet but this time I want it to be a serious light that can be used in emergencies too.

 

[Ctrain]

Considered the LX2?

 

[xy16644]

Considered the LX2?

I did consider it but I dont like the fact that you only get a low and high output level to choose from. So its either really really bright or dim. Pity cause its 200 lumens! I also didn't like the way you operated it. The U2 seems so user friendly that anyone could just pick it up (say in an emergency scenario) and just start using it and know what to do.

After all the research I have done it comes down to the U2 Ultra and the TA21.

Both look fantastic....

 

[brigadeer]

Here is a link to an initial TA21 review in case you hadn't read it yet. More information to chew on lovecpf

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=234922

 

[Phyltre]

As much as I like the Fenix light, the "Made in China" thing concerns me. Do I want to put my life in the hands of a Chinese light? Almost everything Chinese I have bought up to now has failed or given me problems (even "high" end items), whats to say the same wont happen with the Fenix light?

There are 1.3 billion people in China. Statistical data indicates that China could supersede the US in some consumer technology markets in 10-15 years. "Made In China" doesn't mean what it used to.

It's one thing to say that many Chinese products are produced specifically in China to reduce product cost, and therefore the final product is generally inferior to domestic products (most would agree on this.) It is another issue entirely to ask "Do I want to put my life in the hands of a Chinese light?" Statements like that are starting to develop protectionist, culturalist undertones. Chinese products have not been inferior because they are from China, they have been inferior because corporate interests both Western and Eastern sought out cheap labor inside China's borders.
Now China is set to keep right on growing, and eventually the cheap labor crowd will go elsewhere (or keep moving farther out into China's poorer areas.)

To remain on topic: I have owned several Chinese LED flashlights now, all carefully chosen by me based on customer feedback rather than region of origin, and I have yet to be disappointed. In fact they've outperformed my expectations. In my humble opinion--if you are willing to ignore superior product specifications in order to favor a domestic product, it is your flashlight experience that will suffer (relative to the choices you might have made under different criteria).

Get the Fenix, I can't imagine you'd regret it.

 

[xy16644]

There are 1.3 billion people in China. Statistical data indicates that China could supersede the US in some consumer technology markets in 10-15 years. "Made In China" doesn't mean what it used to.

It's one thing to say that many Chinese products are produced specifically in China to reduce product cost, and therefore the final product is generally inferior to domestic products (most would agree on this.) It is another issue entirely to ask "Do I want to put my life in the hands of a Chinese light?" Statements like that are starting to develop protectionist, culturalist undertones. Chinese products have not been inferior because they are from China, they have been inferior because corporate interests both Western and Eastern sought out cheap labor inside China's borders.
Now China is set to keep right on growing, and eventually the cheap labor crowd will go elsewhere (or keep moving farther out into China's poorer areas.)

To remain on topic: I have owned several Chinese LED flashlights now, all carefully chosen by me based on customer feedback rather than region of origin, and I have yet to be disappointed. In fact they've outperformed my expectations. In my humble opinion--if you are willing to ignore superior product specifications in order to favor a domestic product, it is your flashlight experience that will suffer (relative to the choices you might have made under different criteria).

Get the Fenix, I can't imagine you'd regret it.

I hear what you saying re Chinas products and their quality but my personal experience has always been negative when it come to something MIC (Made In China). In the last two years I have had two cellphones fail on me, two top of the range laptops (one only last just over a year and I never travelled with it), failed Xbox 360, failed iPod a failed work laptop keyboard and a few other items I cant remember.

These are all items that CAN fail and don't affect my life. This is why I was asking about the quality of the Fenix torches. Its looks like a GREAT torch for the money right now but will I be saying the same thing in two years time? What about 10 years time? What about when I am in an emergency and REALLY need it to work for me?

I actually thought the Fenix WAS American when I first discovered it today. Only digging around in reviews and forums did I discover it was Chinese.

At the end of the day the Fenix cost £80 and the Surefire cost £120. To me thats not much of a difference which is why this is such a touch decision!! The fact that the Fenix has 200 lumes doesn't help either lol.

This is getting tougher and tougher the more I think about it...

 

[SFG2Lman]

true CPF style says you must get both and then tell us which one you like better...look forward to your review!:devil:

 

[KD7EIR]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Fenix light. You will get a dependable light, with brighter output, more options, and all that you will be giving up is a name.

People buy Ford/Chevy/GMC because they are "Made in the USA!" Know where a SIGNIFCANT part of those vehicles come from? Mexico.

Buy a product based on what job you need it to do FIRST, then look at the available suppliers. Once you have suppliers noted, then look at the pricing for their product. There is NOTHING in a Surefire light that makes it worth spending 50% more money for half the performance of the Fenix light.

 

[Kiessling]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Fenix light. You will get a dependable light, with brighter output, more options, and all that you will be giving up is a name.

People buy Ford/Chevy/GMC because they are "Made in the USA!" Know where a SIGNIFCANT part of those vehicles come from? Mexico.

Buy a product based on what job you need it to do FIRST, then look at the available suppliers. Once you have suppliers noted, then look at the pricing for their product. There is NOTHING in a Surefire light that makes it worth spending 50% more money for half the performance of the Fenix light.

All wrong and uninformed, sorry to disagree 100%.

Except the text highlighted in blue by me. That would be a very wise phrase.

bernie

 

[KD7EIR]

ALL wrong and uninformed? I can prove everyone of those points.

Ford/GMC/Chevy/Chrysler ALL make component assemblies in Mexico. Look at their SEC filings, look at their websites, look at the VIN tags on the door posts.

What makes Surefire worth MORE money for LESS performance? Personal preference is not being discussed here - realities of making a purchasing decision are being discussed.

Surefire produces a quality light, no doubt about that. But if a person needs/wants 200 lumens, it is ridiculous to pay 50% more money to get HALF of what they want.

All wrong and uninformed, sorry to disagree 100%.

Except the text highlighted in blue by me. That would be a very wise phrase.

bernie

 

[Legend]

I would choose the Fenix. Fenix has proved to be a reliable manufacturer.

I would go with Surefire if I had plenty of money to spend. Otherwise there are more versatile and cheaper, but just as robust, lights.

 

[Badbeams3]

The Fenix can run on an 18650 batt...not sure if that matters to you. For me it would be a big plus.