The SureFire A2 Thread Index

[Daniel_sk]

​

This is thread should serve as an index of all the SF A2 Aviator related threads on CPF. The original thread was started by Bawko, but it seems he doesn't plan to return to CPF anytime soon and the old thread is getting outdated. I'll continue where he stopped.

Please send any thread links related to the SF A2 Aviator and I'll keep updating this index. (the new links will be marked with "New")

General A2 Aviator Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Surefire A2 - More than a collection of numbers
The SF A2 - Part 2 (Continuation of the above thread)
A2: greenLED's comparison of LED colors
Dim A2 Incandescent Mode
A2 improvement or is mine just defective?
Surefire A2 Owners - What's your bulb life?
How shock-proof is the SF A2?
Old Style A2 (Comparison of different A2 body styles)
Poll: What A2 LED colors do you have?
Surefire A2 Photo - A thing of beauty and wonder!
A2 Aviator Pictures


Surefire A2 Reviews
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Surefire A2 - More than a collection of numbers (The ultimate A2 review)
Surefire A2 Aviator review (Mr. Carrot's review)
I BELIEVE - another Surefire A2 Aviator convert
Surefire A2 - A pretty nice house inspection light
The A2 Stinks. (Not-so-glowing A2 Review)
Flashlightreviews.com Surefire A2 Review (link no longer working, archive.org version)
Outdoor Magazine's A2 Review (link no longer working, here is an archived version)
Yet another A2 Review
It's a disease, I tell you! A horrible disease!
The A2 Aviator - Do I want one?
Surefire A2 or L2? (Comparison)
Surefire U2 or A2 Aviator? (Comparison)
U2/Gladius/A2 for Hiking (Comparison)
To A2 or not to A2????
Why is the A2 so popular?
A2 outdoor beamshots compared with other lights
A2 review - Sean's Flashlight site (external link)

Surefire A2 Product/Sales Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Surefire's A2 Aviator Page (external link, link no longer working - archive.org version)
Willie Hunt's incandescent regulators (The heart of the A2!) (external link)


Rechargeable Batteries and the Surefire A2 Aviator
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Warning about overdriven LED's in the A2 (Rechargeable A2 Problems)
Definitive A2 Protected R123 Thread
Rechargeable A2?
LiFePO4 and the A2 Aviator?


Surefire A2 Technical and Modding Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Homemade Surefire A2 Aviator LED rings (2nd Run)
A2 Tune Up Thread (Customize your A2!)
Dummy reference guide to SF A2 modding with MJ led (or 35k 5mm) leds
A2 Starting Current Graph
Surefire A2 findings
Surefire A2 Runtime Data, for LED-only use, 3 different colors compared
Surefire A2 Runtime Tests - Light Output runtimes of various batteries compared!
A2 Lanyard Removal
My Orange SureFire A2 Thread
SF A2 Outdoor Comparison Beamshots - Stock A2 vs. LF HO-A2: Frosted & Unfrosted
Fivemega's Strion conversion kit for Surefire A2
Surefire A2 Aviator meets Seoul SSC P4 *This may offend Incandescent A2 enthusiasts*
A2 dumb LED rings - (Onion Ring)
The Great A2 Bulb Shimmer Debate
A2 Regulation Cutoff
Tad Customs Bi-Pin adapter

Misc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Surefire A2 Aviator Fan checking in
Purple Surefire A2

Surefire A2 Aviator Accessories
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Horizontal Leather Holsters for the A2


Aviatrix Mods for the Surefire A2 Aviator
(only for historical reference - the Aviatrix project was never really finished)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Announcing: The Aviatrix! Fantastic new modification for Surefire A2 Aviators!
Aviatrix Update - All buyers and interested members please read!
Aviatrix and Glowfob production schedule and updates
Surefire A2 Add-on... Would you buy it? (Pre-Aviatrix Concept Thread)
THE AVIATRIX (js's Aviatrix Review)
Lips' Flashlight-Forums and CPF Aviatrix reviews!
Luigi's Aviatrix Review on EDC Forums
My Aviatrix has arrived! (Review)
Aviatrix Output Measurements and Beamshots


Last update: December 23, 2020

 

[greenLED]

Very cool, Daniel - subscribed!

 

[DM51]

Excellent, Daniel - I've added this to the "Threads of Interest" sticky.

 

[greenLED]

Koala's brand new "A2 Onion Ring" thread.

 

[Daniel_sk]

Just added (section Surefire A2 Technical and Modding Information). Thanks.
I think I'll make a new section for "Onion rings" later.

 

[JNewell]

Yeow, thanks!

 

[xcel730]

Pretty neat information. Thanks for compiling. I still want to get an A2 even though it's a relatively old tech flashlight compare to what we have available today.

 

[greenLED]

Pretty neat information. Thanks for compiling. I still want to get an A2 even though it's a relatively old tech flashlight compare to what we have available today.

Old tech? Oh, man!! Don't let JS catch you saying that... :duck:

 

[werdnawee]

Because of all the A2 threads I have been looking at in the last 2 weeks ONLY!!!,

I now have the following items that are in the post and coming to me soon (and I have NEVER even touched/seen in person an A2 before)-

A2 with white LEDs
A2 with red LEDs
Lumenfactory A2 unfrosted bulb

And will be purchasing 1-2 A2 frosted from Lighthound today!!!

THANKS FOR ALL THE CONSOLIDATED LINKS GUYS!!! :thumbsup:

Btw, I have a question regarding the Aviatrix Mods. Will PM a couple of people shortly.

Thanks!!!

 

[Gunnerboy]

Old tech? Oh, man!! Don't let JS catch you saying that... :duck:

..or Willie Hunt!

 

[xcel730]

LOL. GreenLED, you left out the key word "relative". In comparison to what's available out in the market, it's leaning a little towards the lower tech side, no? It's still a great light to have nonetheless.

Edit: uh-oh, sounds like I'm going to get schooled.

Old tech? Oh, man!! Don't let JS catch you saying that... :duck:

 

[JNewell]

Well, in fairness, here's a quote straight from the horse's mouth (or, both sides of the horse's mouth) - the 2008 catalog:

The Aviator, which provides two beam patterns at two separate output levels, is SureFire's simpler, lower-tech solution.​

Not that the Aviator is low-tech—it is, after all, SureFire's only flashlight to feature a digitally regulated incandescent lamp.​

:thinking:

Old tech? Oh, man!! Don't let JS catch you saying that... :duck:

 

[xcel730]

Ah, I should have dug into the SF catalog and get that information.

I had the A2 before, but sold it awhile back and now I kind of miss it ... reading these threads definitely doesn't help.

Well, in fairness, here's a quote straight from the horse's mouth (or, both sides of the horse's mouth) - the 2008 catalog:



:thinking:

 

[climberkid]

Old tech? Oh, man!! Don't let JS catch you saying that... :duck:

yeah if you havent read those reviews you are in for some informing. i read it twice just to soak it all in and i couldnt stop smiling!!!:nana:

 

[xcel730]

I actually read js' review a few weeks ago ... I even bookmarked it. It's probably the reason why it triggered me to want to rebuy an A2.

yeah if you havent read those reviews you are in for some informing. i read it twice just to soak it all in and i couldnt stop smiling!!!:nana:

 

[climberkid]

yeah, im going to get one for sure. i just have to wait. i blew my months expendable budget this week on new lights...but im not dissapointed!

 

[Sgt. LED]

I got a mint 4 flats on the way with a new Strion Kit!
Now I need to find really bright 5mm led's. Pure white and smooth........

Everyone in line for Koala's dumb ring will be in the market to buy themselves some loose 5mm's. I know smjled are good ones and some are on their way from the Shoppe. There comes to mind 2 others that are good too but I can't remember the names, one is snow but that's a nickname and I don't know where to get it either(Peak only?). But the ones I remember are all older led's what are the newer options and where do I get them?

GS led's are new and bright but AFAIK they are way too blue for my tastes.

I only need 3!

 

[js]

LOL! Hey guys, you can call the A2 old tech (relatively), because in a way, it's definitely true: an incan lamp with nicha 5 mm LED's. Not cutting edge illumination sources.

However . . . the Willie Hunt LVR3L and the A2/L2/L1 LOTC and the build quality/components of the A2 aren't old tech, even relatively. Still pretty amazing even by the standards of todays newest LED lights. This is why the exact same tail cap is used for the L1 Cree, for example.

Just some thoughts . . .

(and thanks for the kind words! I occasionally forget that people still read my A2 review thread. LOL!)

 

[xcel730]

Jim, you should been leading SF's marketing team with that review. After reading it recently, I had the itch to buy the A2 again. In retrospect, this is probably the one light I regret selling.

LOL! Hey guys, you can call the A2 old tech (relatively), because in a way, it's definitely true: an incan lamp with nicha 5 mm LED's. Not cutting edge illumination sources.

However . . . the Willie Hunt LVR3L and the A2/L2/L1 LOTC and the build quality/components of the A2 aren't old tech, even relatively. Still pretty amazing even by the standards of todays newest LED lights. This is why the exact same tail cap is used for the L1 Cree, for example.

Just some thoughts . . .

(and thanks for the kind words! I occasionally forget that people still read my A2 review thread. LOL!)

 

[Dennis]

I have to agree that the A2 fills a specific niche, especially for aviators. Let your mission choose your light! It also fills a truly specific need for me where I can get low level non-white/non-attention grabbing light to sneak around with, but can get full power throw with just a press for tactical usage in a relatively thin form factor.

I am unaware of any other light that fills this need and I have dozens of SF's as well as Fenix, Gladius, and various other lights that caught my flashaholic eye. I plan on buying both the Invictus and Optimus ASAP when available, although they may be too big for my use as well. The P3D is just stunning when it comes to output, versatility, and value but it still doesn't fill my intended use.

I guess it just comes down to not buying something because it works for someone else, make your own decisions for your own reasons. On the flip side, I think people get too excited about something for their own reasons then try and convince others that it is the "best" as well when it may not be for them...

OR...

Just buy one of everything!

Dennis.