I received my new Surefire S2-BK-WH from batteryjunction.com yesterday and thought I'd post my initial thoughts and, of course, photos. When I first opened the package, I immediately set the light beside my old 6P for comparison. It obviously looks and feels totally different, but I can already tell that the S2 could quickly become the new standard, dependable, go-to Surefire.
5 > 50 >160 Lumen Output. You can 'bump' the tailswitch to cycle through or turn the light on/off within two seconds to cycle. The S2 always initiates on the low setting.
Standard, sharp looking Surefire packaging.
A00017. I'm not sure what I think of the "FC CE" stamp on the bezel. It seems a bit unnecessary.
Switch:
The bezel is designed with numerous small teeth that show up in the beam pattern. However, the spill on the S2 is incredibly broad, so the pattern doesn't show when using the light outside.
The Stratum feels really nice in hand: well balanced, notched for grip, and built like a tank. It's mil-spec hard-anodized aluminum body feels smooth, heavy, and gives you that sense that most Surefire lights do: this thing is going to last forever (and if it doesn't, SF will stand behind it).
The clicky switch stands out most on this light compared to my other SF's. The S2's switch is so well balanced in that it's easy to 'bump' through the three modes, but it's definitely resistant enough that it won't accidently bump or click on in pocket. Low: 5 lumens @ 75 hours / Medium: 50 lumens @ 15 hours / High: 160 lumens @ 2 hours.
The beam pattern is definitely a big change after being so used to the TIR optic. The spill on this thing is ridiculous, and the spot is actually quite tight. I wouldn't call it a thrower by any stretch, but it's tighter than the pattern from my LX2 and E2DL, for sure. I was surprised the bezel felt quite warm after running the Stratum for about four to five minutes on High. By no means is it uncomfortable, but I expected it to take longer to reach that warmth level considering the extra aluminum on the S2 compared to the LX1 or E2DL.
I hope this has given a little insight into this brand new light from Surefire. This is my first review, so feel free to drop any questions below and I'll try to answer. Thanks.
5 > 50 >160 Lumen Output. You can 'bump' the tailswitch to cycle through or turn the light on/off within two seconds to cycle. The S2 always initiates on the low setting.
Standard, sharp looking Surefire packaging.
A00017. I'm not sure what I think of the "FC CE" stamp on the bezel. It seems a bit unnecessary.
Switch:
The bezel is designed with numerous small teeth that show up in the beam pattern. However, the spill on the S2 is incredibly broad, so the pattern doesn't show when using the light outside.
The Stratum feels really nice in hand: well balanced, notched for grip, and built like a tank. It's mil-spec hard-anodized aluminum body feels smooth, heavy, and gives you that sense that most Surefire lights do: this thing is going to last forever (and if it doesn't, SF will stand behind it).
The clicky switch stands out most on this light compared to my other SF's. The S2's switch is so well balanced in that it's easy to 'bump' through the three modes, but it's definitely resistant enough that it won't accidently bump or click on in pocket. Low: 5 lumens @ 75 hours / Medium: 50 lumens @ 15 hours / High: 160 lumens @ 2 hours.
The beam pattern is definitely a big change after being so used to the TIR optic. The spill on this thing is ridiculous, and the spot is actually quite tight. I wouldn't call it a thrower by any stretch, but it's tighter than the pattern from my LX2 and E2DL, for sure. I was surprised the bezel felt quite warm after running the Stratum for about four to five minutes on High. By no means is it uncomfortable, but I expected it to take longer to reach that warmth level considering the extra aluminum on the S2 compared to the LX1 or E2DL.
I hope this has given a little insight into this brand new light from Surefire. This is my first review, so feel free to drop any questions below and I'll try to answer. Thanks.
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