Need opinion of E1B, or suggestions on other singe cell lights...

[yzfmik]

I am looking at the Surefire E1B as an EDC light and was hoping for some opinions. I want a small single CR123 light with a clip to easily carry in jeans, shorts, etc. I recently bought the Typhoon 2 to carry on duty at the Fire Dept and I love it, but it's too big for my everyday use. The size of the E1B is perfect and I like the 2 settings. If anyone can suggest any alternatives, I would love to hear 'em. Thanks for any help...

 

[BigD64]

I love my E1B the clip is perfect. It has a good tight beam and works well with a diffuser too. You can compare it with Fenix P2D or a Nightcore D10 but I still prefer it to the others. You can't beat the warranty.

 

[alibaba]

I don't own any other 1-123 lights other than my E1B and, thanks to the E1B, probably never will! The E1B is a fantastic torch and for most people will be the only torch that they ever need. It is very durable, has a great clip, throws very well for a small light (and still has useable spill) and the low level is perfect for most tasks with 80 (conservative) lumens just a click away. Runtimes may not be up to some torches out there (nautilus f.e.) but mine gets 1.75 hours on high and it's rated at 37 hours on low so it's still not at all bad. Low, BTW, is more than 5 lumens.................probably more like 8-10. Overall a SUPERB torch and you won't be sorry you got it!



EDIT: here's a quick & dirty beamshot (my first!) of my E1B on low
http://img213.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dscf1003ai1.jpg

 

[DM51]

Welcome to CPF, yzfmik.

I think you will find this thread useful - it is an excellent and very thorough review by selfbuilt, comparing a number of single-cell lights, including the E1B.

 

[Chawarito]

The E1B is a great light, however switching between brightness by pressing the tailswitch quickly does become annoying at times. Also the light seems to be a little longer than it needs to be for a CR123A light. Don't get me wrong i love my E1B, and the fact that it can be carried bezel down makes it even better. However many people would perfer a light that is smaller and more simular in size to the CR123a battery it uses. If price is a factor than some of the lights listed below can be bought for a fraction of the price as the Surefire E1B.


A few other lights you may want to consider would be the NovaTac Series lights that have a nice wide beam, The Fenix P2D CE which is about half the price, The Olight T10 which switches brightness by turning the head of the light, and the LumaPower IncenDio. These are all single compact CR123A lights that you may want to consider. If you are looking for the most compact light, you may want to look at the P1D CE which is extremely small. It's soo small that i carry it on my keys at all times.


Anyways i hope some of this is of help. There are many other lights you can buy that are even cheaper, however i have no experience with them and therefore can't recommend them. Good luck in finding the light that best meets your needs.

 

[brighterisbetter]

+1 for Novatac 120p. Extremely durable, locator flash, SOS, tact.strobe, user configurable, an all-in-one EDC powerhouse. I carry mine on the inside of my beltloop, parallel with my waistline. You can't go wrong with anything Made in USA.

 

[Delta1067]

Take a good look at the JetBeam JetII Pro.

 

[tricker]

Ra Twisty is hard to beat

 

[LG&M]

The E1B is outstanding light. If you get one I suggest getting the diffuser for it. You can take it off for great throw and it will protect the bezel.

 

[precisionworks]

The E1B is outstanding light. If you get one I suggest getting the diffuser for it.

+1

This particular light really benefits from the F04 diffuser - turns a spotlight into a floodlight for close up use.

Low, BTW, is more than 5 lumens.................probably more like 8-10.

Mine measures 11 lumens out the front. Plenty of light from a small package.

 

[Sig Sauer]

+1 Novatac 120P

If you will settle with the 5-10 lumen on low the e1b may fit you. I however needed something brighter than 5-10 lumen when not using max output. I went with the Novatac 120p with tactical 120T switch. Is is programmable with 22 different outputs from 120 lumen to 0.3 lumen.

 

[LumensMaximus]

E1B is an awesome EDC, many other great ones to choose from these days too. Probably not helping with the last line but that's why you always hear or see "buy them both", it really comes down to what looks and feels good to you. I also like the Novatac 120T, Nitecore Extreme and EX10, you can't really go wrong with the Fenix line either, (a little slippery IMO) I'm beginning to think E1B could be a little shorter in length, I don't clip it though, I keep mine inside my pants pocket. I actually have the E1B head on an E1E body, I personally need the extra grip, fantastic lamp, very happy with it and the rest of them. :thumbsup:

 

[H2Orower]

The E1B with a Z68 tailcap is as close to a perfect light as I've personally come across. If I could only keep one, this would be it.:thumbsup:

 

[LumensMaximus]

Very nice, I have the same set up with an E1E body, if I could only figure out how to place photos on here...

 

[yaesumofo]

The E1B is a fine flashlight. It has a nice beam and almost no side spill.
It is a pretty good thrower especially for it's size.
The Surefire Optic does a fantastic job of concentrating the emitters light into a cool beam. The tint on my unit is very white.
I say Buy one.
Yaesumofo

 

[generic808]

If you're considering the E1B, you should also look into the E1L. I personally like the E1L a little better than the E1B because of the knurling on the body and the lower output but longer runtime. They are both great lights with dual ouput so it boils down to preference. Runtime vs output. Or you could pick up one of ttran97's "classic" E1B's. It's an E1B head on an E1E body :thumbsup:

 

[roymail]

The E1B with a Z68 tailcap is as close to a perfect light as I've personally come across. If I could only keep one, this would be it.:thumbsup:

H2Orower, congrats on a nice E1B... love the look with that Z68. :thumbsup:

 

[H2Orower]

Thanks roymail.

 

[Outdoors Fanatic]

I am looking at the Surefire E1B as an EDC light and was hoping for some opinions. I want a small single CR123 light with a clip to easily carry in jeans, shorts, etc. I recently bought the Typhoon 2 to carry on duty at the Fire Dept and I love it, but it's too big for my everyday use. The size of the E1B is perfect and I like the 2 settings. If anyone can suggest any alternatives, I would love to hear 'em. Thanks for any help...

The E1B is the best single cell production light on the market hands down! Don't waste your time looking for an alternative when you have the best readily availabe. Go for it!
:thumbsup:

 

[yzfmik]

Thanks for all your help guys, it's much appreciated! I looked at some of the lights mentioned, but I feel the E1B will suit my needs best. I love the look of the light and the clip seems really usable too. I will be ordering one in the next week or so.