What's so great about Surefire?

[Brigadier]

I still own my first ever Laser Products 6P..........

 

[JNewell]

"Off the chart for what you get"??? I mean this in a friendly tone of voice, but - are you kidding? Who else would continually rebuild a flashlight for 15 years for no charge? That's the only reason my 6Z is still part of my EDC equipment, rather than the fifth or sixth replacement for my 6Z.

OK..I'm not a surefire hater, but I find it hard to like them. The cost is off the chart for what you get. I have been able to get several 6P's for a great price, but what I have to spend to get the same output as other companies is a lot. You end up spending almost a hundred dollars for what 60 dollars will get from other companies. Persoally I think 239.00 for a titan that only puts out 70 lumens at the emitter is insane. IMO. I agree the build feels good. I picked up an E1E for a song and gave it back because it was so weak. Many will continue to buy SF bacause of the "Made in USA" lable and I will continue trying to like them.

 

[LightWalker]

LightWalker, I have reconsidered your case and your suspension is lifted. In return, I would ask you to take great care in future when intervening in threads with comments that could be misinterpreted.

I will do that, thank you.

 

[kaichu dento]

OK..I'm not a surefire hater, but I find it hard to like them. The cost is off the chart for what you get.

Are you sure? 😕 The cost is higher than some other lights but I suggest that the cost is pretty reasonable considering what you get, and I'm not even much of a Surefire fan.

I think 239.00 for a titan that only puts out 70 lumens at the emitter is insane. IMO. I agree the build feels good. I picked up an E1E for a song and gave it back because it was so weak. Many will continue to buy SF bacause of the "Made in USA" lable and I will continue trying to like them.

For you it may be that the T1A is a light you should avoid and I hope you'll stay away from the 007, McGizmo and Modamag threads so that we don't have to hear about how overpriced for output level all their lights are.

I think your last statement is the worst; to suggest that the only reason I've bought Surefire is because it's made here. I bought a couple out of curiosity, knowing that I would just resell them, but once I got the E1e in my hands there's just something I really liked about it that has simply to do with the way if feels and operates.

 

[Rocketman]

I think if Surefire would make a 6P with a low, medium-low, medium, and high, I would love it. I think if they had done a better job with my LX2, I would have loved it. As it is, I see Surefire as a company who has big contracts with our military and manufactures lights accordingly.

I do like to buy from USA companies.

Streamlight is another USA company but I think some of their lights are made somewhere else.

I suppose if I had to say, I would say that Surefire should make a consumer line of lights with the same quality as their current line but with more current led's and circuits. And I would also say that Surefire should do some work on their service department because in my experience that is a problem.

This economy is changing and people expect to get what they pay for regardless of the USA stamp and company history.

I have a few friends at work who have Surefires. Each light was military issue, did not cost them a single penny.

 

[zs&tas]

The new stratum looks good Rocketman

 

[hakuin]

I just dug-out my old Laser Products 6p (with the lithium batt extension tube and instructions) with the idea of doing a module replacement. This light has a great deal of sentimental value to me, and I would enjoy using it with an enhanced output. What should I look for in such a project?

 

[staticx57]

Malkoff M61N

 

[BugoutBoys]

One of the reasons why SF is a bit behind other manufacturers in output is because rather than jumping on whatever is new and high tech, they make sure that the LED they put in is perfect and optimized. It's like buying the new iPhones RIGHT as they are released. There are bugs and glitches that need to be fixed in updates. So rather than jumping on what is new, they use what is going to work.

 

[ven]

Holly thread revival, well for me simply the history, feel and made in the USA all make it special for me. They have added a lot of interest for me, reading up of past and drooling over what you guys could get your hands on. Also, it just does not feel quite right putting a custom p60 in a cheap host.............just does not feel right. With so many great p60 options of today, its nice sometimes to put a super charged v8 in an old classic..............looks super cool and performs better than ever.

Plus you can pimp them up(all with purpose of course)


Or just go basic yet practical




For me, lots great about surefire............plus i have so much more to learn about the classics😎

No bugs and glitches yet bugoutboys

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Right you are, ven.

Plus, you can color them beautiful colors.

~ Chance

Oveready Orange N Black, from back in the day.

 

[bykfixer]

What's so great about SureFire?

Once upon a time they hired a guy named PK. We are still enjoying results.

 

[Newlumen]

I have a surefire 6p bored. I also bought surefire z2 combat... i bought it because it look cool. Please tell me what so good about surefire z2...

 

[staticx57]

Forgot to mention that having a surefire grants you entry into the cool kids club. Minimum purchase is a 6P

 

[Bdm82]

This bugs me. (Nothing personal BugoutBoys; couldn't resist the bad pun!)

I get the support for the 6p for the modularity, and I get the overall top notch build quality. Great hosts.

What I don't get is throwing support behind old technology and somehow saying that it's a good thing a company is stuck in the past. Yes, using old tech that has been well-vetted is noble. But so do so many brands we don't like (or even know of); just check the bay of e for examples. Why the double standard for SP lights? The build quality and design makes us look past the tech/output?

Whether it is a quality budget brand or our favorite modder, they manage to test new LEDs and find a way to leverage them for good (or skip them). SF is a big brand with deep pockets and a sizeable staff. If SF wanted to use newer LEDs and/or get higher outputs, they could. But they have such a reputation and following that they don't need to; they can keep riding the wave that formed in the past.

Really not trying to start a flamewar.... really not. But I do want to challenge that a company deciding to stick with the old in an industry that is quickly evolving wouldn't fly with other brands...

 

[staticx57]

Objectively speaking, P60 is terrible for LEDs. The lack of integrated LED shelf really hampers heat transfer, aluminum or copper foil is not a patch for a true ground-up LED design. Not to mention it is a one size fits none platform for reflector size.

 

[liteboy]

There are certainly trade offs made for modularity but the market ultimately decides which products continue on and which become history

 

[scout24]

^^^^ This. The market decides. The fact that the aftermarket support for the classics is as large as it is says all that needs to be said. The 6P in particular has been around since the "6", introduced in 1988? It to this day can be made to compete with any similar sized light. (Weight, bezel diameter, length.) if you really want to compare apples to apples. Heat is a nonissue. Everything making a bunch of lumens in this size/ weight package has turbo timers or stepdown. Don't like stepdown? See: Malkoff. Oveready. Vinh. Nailbender. Tana. All making flamethrower modules. Yes, it can be approached cheaper. But I can take the Oveready V5 dropin, 2x18350 IMR's, and Zero-Res switch out of my bored 6P and make it anything else I want to. 🙂 I will truly be thrilled if some of the current popular lights have the longevity in the market as some of the classic, modular Surefires. Time will tell.

 

[hakuin]

Malkoff M61N

Okay,and thanks! M61Nis on the way.

 

[DellSuperman]

I have a surefire 6p bored. I also bought surefire z2 combat... i bought it because it look cool. Please tell me what so good about surefire z2...

IMO, the best grip ergonomic: round tube with rubber grip rings. And as all others, the endless choice of dropin & things you can change on the light