SureFire Cree Update

[Ty_Bower]

E1L with Cree - will begin shipping early July
E2L with Cree - will begin shipping early July
...
KL1 with Cree - at this time it will most likely not happen at all (appearently SF is planning to discontinue it)

This doesn't make sense to me. Doesn't the E1L and E2L have a KL1 on the head end of it? How can they make a Cree E1L, but no Cree KL1?

Unless they just don't plan to sell the head as a separate piece, as they do now...

 

[OpticsHQ]

This doesn't make sense to me. Doesn't the E1L and E2L have a KL1 on the head end of it? How can they make a Cree E1L, but no Cree KL1?

Unless they just don't plan to sell the head as a separate piece, as they do now...

As far as I understand, that's the plan. However, don't take this as gospel, this is just an update

 

[AlexSchira]

I'm hoping they still make each head dual-compatible like the current KL1, I plan to buy a Cree EL1 and use it with my trusty E2E, if they change it to body-specific it'll throw my plans off the turnpike.

 

[LA OZ]

Look like I have to save up for one or two .
Mike, when will you have the price for these items?

 

[o0o]

The E-series with Crees will be interesting.

Don't see a new for an L5 with a Cree. One can simply buy a C2 or C3 and drop-in a 170 lumen Bug-out Cree drop-in Premium Plus (or another drop-in like Wolf Eyes) .

I'd rather keep the L5 a Lux V model with a reflector--the beam quality and pattern of the current L5 in my opinion is amazing. Best combo of throw and flood I have ever owned. Perfectly balanced beam for my preference and needs. I worry the Cree and optics will be geared too much for throw, and sacrifice beam quality.

 

[wacbzz]

OK, according to the SF Catalog (which is supposed to have the Cree specs)
E1L: 30 Lumens Total Runtime 17 hours
E2L: 45 Lumens Total Runtime 18 hours
I don't have any other info

Umm...maybe I'm missing something...30 and 45 total lumen output?? Only 5 and 15 more total lumens with the cree? And we have waited how long for this huge upgrade? :thumbsdow:thumbsdow:thumbsdow

 

[x2x3x2]

but look at the runtime...

 

[wacbzz]

Sweet...so I get a minimum $100 flashlight that will work perfect for me in Alaska half of the year.

But I'm sure the machining is perfect

 

[Russianesq]

hope there are no delays... fingers crossed

 

[jumpstat]

So when the cree stock comes eventually the prices i'm assuming is relatively like the lux counterpart? Do optics plan to clear the old stock (lux)?

Optics do ship overseas?

 

[o0o]

Umm...maybe I'm missing something...30 and 45 total lumen output?? Only 5 and 15 more total lumens with the cree? And we have waited how long for this huge upgrade? :thumbsdow:thumbsdow:thumbsdow

Yikes! If this is true, I'm not interested.

Yes, the runtime is good, but if I'm going to pay $100+ for a SF Cree flashlight I want serious lumens.

I was under the impression that the new Cree Surefires would get at least 130 lumens (for 2 cell models).

If 30 and 45 lumens are the max, I'll humbly hold on to my money.

 

[leukos]

The lumens rating combined with the runtime sounds very practical. Brighter isn't always better.

 

[GreySave]

<< You right about the description, but if you look at the symbols on p29, there is no TIR optic :shrug: I guess we'll just have to wait and see >>


I caught that a while back and e-mailed SureFire about the "error" and asked whether it was going to be reflector or TIR. No response and apparently no change to the catalogue.

 

[easilyled]

I have to admit to being disappointed that only one or two models
with very conservative output and long runtimes are being produced with
the new leds for the foreseeable future.

The L2, L4, L5 & U2 were very exciting lights because of their brightness
(at the time) - about 100 lumens.

So why are there going to be no Cree/SSC P4 lights produced as successors
to fill this niche?

In the case of the U2, imagine an equivalent light with one of the Q4-bin
Crees that WE says will be available from Cutter in a few weeks time.

This would be a real kickar** light on the highest level - it could easily
be designed to reach 200 lumens, yet on the lower levels, one could
still have 45 lumens for 18 hours.

I really don't understand this at all.

So Surefire will hang on to the 5W models even though the Q4-bin Crees
will probably be more than twice as efficient?

It doesn't make sense to me at all. :thumbsdow:hairpull:

 

[wacbzz]

The lumens rating combined with the runtime sounds very practical. Brighter isn't always better.

True...but that is what the original versions of the E1L/E2L are for. What current light company puts a cree in one of their flashlights simply for longer runtimes? :thinking:

Now, (if the aformentioned lumens ratings are correct) not only has surefire fallen behind in the brighter light category, but they are also putting out a light that appeals to.....those people that run their lights for 17 and 18 hours. Way to go SF R&D.:shakehead

 

[FlashSpyJ]

...So Surefire will hang on to the 5W models even though the Q4-bin Crees
will probably be more than twice as efficient?

It doesn't make sense to me at all. :thumbsdow:hairpull:

Maybe they just want to sell more batterys? Thoose models are popular, and will probably continue to sell, and eat more battery... maybe not the reason, but you start to wonder when they dont release more efficent leds for the popular models. The military must be interested in a more effecient light!

 

[PhantomPhoton]

The way I see it, if the new TIR optics are good, then we'll just send our lame cree SF lights to Milky, and other skilled modders around these parts, and they'll come back breathing fire... or doing marathons at plebian illumination levels. I am sorry to see that they will not be going after high performance cree lighting by dropping out on the L5, but I"m still excited about the TIR optic for the E1/2L.

 

[KDOG3]

I really wish they hadn't gone to an optic in the L5 and I certainly hope they don't use an optic in the U2. I really think they should just put a SSC P4 in the U2, same current drives and all....

 

[easilyled]

I really wish they hadn't gone to an optic in the L5 and I certainly hope they don't use an optic in the U2. I really think they should just put a SSC P4 in the U2, same current drives and all....

From what Mike at OpticsHQ has said in the first post,
there are no plans to produce either L5s or U2s with either
Cree-XRE or Seoul SSC P4

 

[KDOG3]

They had a L5 at SHOT with a Cree XRE and optic though. So obviously there WERE plans. But now theres' not. Argh. I wish they'd let us know whats up with that.