Why so little talk on the Surefire Stratum?

[ebow86]

? For such a new light with some pretty good specs it seems like there isn't much intrest here, aside from a couple pretty good reviews. One would think this light would be talked about or even brought up more here, what gives? Any stratum owners want to chime in on their thought on the light?

 

[jellydonut]

Well, I just looked it up, I can't see what is so special about it. It's a Surefire with three levels and an annoying clicking UI to get to those levels.

Really, turn the light off, on again within two seconds and it'll change its level? :thumbsdow I tolerate the clicking UI on my Zebralights because they cost around $50 and are so small there isn't much else to do. On larger lights I've been spoiled by my Malkoffs to expect something more clever.

I guess most people actually like the (to me) annoying clicky level switching UIs?

If this thing had the stepless twisty UI of the Titan I'd be all over it; why can't they make more lights like that? :naughty:

 

[jblackwood]

I would guess because it's your average Surefire light. Let me qualify that, you get what you pay for with this light but there are other lights on here that aren't built as tough and put out the same, if not greater, amounts of light for much less money. I'm not bashing SF at all. I have a 6P, but that's all I've chosen to get as far as Surefire goes. I hope your thread gets lots of action, but I guess as far as Surefire goes, unless it's something new and sexy like a Kroma or titanium Titan, there's not much reason to talk about what everyone knows to be an incredibly well-built product.

 

[pjandyho]

I guess the 3 mode clicky just resembles some cheaper Chinese variants which many don't see the need to pay top dollars for.

I too felt the same when I first heard or read about the Stratum, until I bought it about a month back. Now I think differently.

I can't speak for all Chinese made lights here but some utilizes a 3 mode clicky that is offered with a reverse clicky making it hard to do a quick mode selection before locking it in. With Stratum I can. From off, 3 quick tap gets me to high before I click it all the way down to lock it. Quick and simple.

I think the UI in the Stratum makes it a very nice camping light. In the tent or resting area I have low power. When walking a trail I have medium and when I needed to see further I have high mode with another click to off and click to on. Simple design.

The K2 TFFC emitter is nice too. I do not know what color temp it falls under. It is definitely warmer than cool white but cooler than neutral white. It is kind of hard to describe but a close representation would be a cooler version of the Osram energy saving bulb used in our home lighting or what some fluorescent lamp manufacturers would term as daylight. You either love the tint or you hate it because it neither falls in the cool white camp nor the neutral whites. Sometimes it does make things appear more yellowish but I think it is nice.

Stratum was definitely made with general usage in mind and was never intended for tactical applications.

 

[ebow86]

pjandyho, I've read this light has a fairly good amount of spill, how would you rate the throw on this light compaired to other lights of similar output?

 

[pjandyho]

pjandyho, I've read this light has a fairly good amount of spill, how would you rate the throw on this light compaired to other lights of similar output?

Throw wise, moderate range. LX2 and E2DL does better and has a bigger hotspot. The spill is fantastic though.

Andy

 

[Splunk_Au]

its wierd how every now and then a thread comes up with the title
"why so little talk about..."

isn't it obvious that there probably means there's just little interest in it compared to others?

 

[carrot]

The way I see it is for many of us it is nothing new to talk about. The UI of the Stratum is simply that of the E2DL and similar witha third level in between (aren't the firefighter lights like this?), the body is just about the same as a 6P with new styling, and the reflector/LED combo is just like all the others Surefire recently released.

So partly there is little talk because it doesn't offer any new features we haven't seen before in other lights, doesn't offer attractive pricing like the 6PX and G2X, and is mainly a culmination of other parts we've seen before. For most of us who have been Surefire collectors for years, the Stratum comes out like a big yawn: oh, a 3-level clicky 6P...

Not to say that the Stratum isn't very good or without merit, as it certainly fills a much needed niche in Surefire's lineup, but theres nothing "new" to talk about.

 

[jamesmtl514]

to throw my 2 cents in; I think that it would have been more popular if it were a P60 host. Instead people are still buying and modding the 6P.

Most SF lights are excellent out of the box, we flashaholics can't live with that and need to upgrade.

 

[jp2515]

its wierd how every now and then a thread comes up with the title
"why so little talk about..."

isn't it obvious that there probably means there's just little interest in it compared to others?

Indeed. I did see some reviews of the light.

The way I see it is for many of us it is nothing new to talk about. The UI of the Stratum is simply that of the E2DL and similar witha third level in between (aren't the firefighter lights like this?), the body is just about the same as a 6P with new styling, and the reflector/LED combo is just like all the others Surefire recently released.

So partly there is little talk because it doesn't offer any new features we haven't seen before in other lights, doesn't offer attractive pricing like the 6PX and G2X, and is mainly a culmination of other parts we've seen before. For most of us who have been Surefire collectors for years, the Stratum comes out like a big yawn: oh, a 3-level clicky 6P...

Not to say that the Stratum isn't very good or without merit, as it certainly fills a much needed niche in Surefire's lineup, but theres nothing "new" to talk about.

It looks like a 6P with a different body, has 3 modes (a la the firefighter lights) and the LED is a Luxeon K2. Think a more modern (Surefire definition) 6P, now with more modes!

to throw my 2 cents in; I think that it would have been more popular if it were a P60 host. Instead people are still buying and modding the 6P.

Most SF lights are excellent out of the box, we flashaholics can't live with that and need to upgrade.

Yup, upgrading still a big reason why people are buying the P/C/Z (P60) hosts. Do note that the S2 head is loctited and the LED is no longer removable (not a P60L) so that decreases it's appeal

 

[Kraid]

Thats too bad. If it could be used as a P60 host, it'd be a nicer departure from the standard body styles. But yeah, with the lack of upgradeability, it just doesn't do much for me.

 

[Hobbs]

It's a Surefire with three levels and an annoying clicking UI to get to those levels.

No need to click to get to the level you want. Light pressure until you get the level you want, then click.

 

[pjandyho]

No need to click to get to the level you want. Light pressure until you get the level you want, then click.

Yes and like I said above, I could get to high very fast. Just tap 3 times and click it down on the last. I can do it in 1 second flat like how you'd say 'one thousand'.

 

[GarageBoy]

I actually prefer reverse clickies for these UIs, but thats just me (click on, tap to change)

Why is the straum unpopular? Because we've been waiting for the Invictus, etc

 

[red02]

Its probably just being overshadowed by the E2L-AA, G2X and 6PX. The lackluster marketing, clickly UI and lack of revolutionary thinking doesn't help.

The S2 is marketed as a newer 6P, which isn't exciting since it doesn't have the classic style or compatibility that the 6P had. I really think if they just offered a new head on the 6P it would be more talked about, but people seem to dislike the design (atleast me).

Looking at the S2 on the SF site now. Doesn't seem that impressive when the LX2 can do 200+lm on 2xCR123s for the same 2hrs. The LX2 is about 30 dollars more and looks like there is no TIR on the S2. The only new thing the S2 has to offer is the levels, and I don't think most people who buy Surefires need or care about having 3 separate levels. As long as you have a low and a high, what really the point of the mid? I guess I'm reaching, but I can't figure out what special role the S2 can fill. Maybe thats just the problem, I've been fighting off the urge to get an LX2 or a E2L-AA myself, thats just not going to happen with the S2...

 

[pjandyho]

Red02,

Much as I agree the UI needs improvements, I felt that the mid level is still a plus point. Many times I wished LX2 has a mid level which allows me ample light to see more than the low but yet does not burn up batteries faster than high level. Also, a mid level would keep the light cooler to handhold. I dislike the feeling of holding a hot flashlight.

 

[ebow86]

pjandyho, earlier you commented on the throw of the light when I asked you. I was wondering, although it has more output, how would you compair the beam of the stratum to something like, oh, say a 6P LED? Bigger hotspot? More throw? Less throw and more spill? And, how conserative do you think the 150 lumen output rating is?

 

[Vesper]

Like carrot said, it's nothing too new, so the buzz isn't there. That said it definitely does fill a niche. The Stratum is a very good backpacking choice. Like an E2L but with a third, much brighter level should you need it. A nice light to consider for many tasks. I am a fan of its UI too - momentary on or half-clicks until your desired level is a setup I enjoy.

 

[SuperTrouper]

Even in the wake of the announcements of the 6PX/G2X I'm tempted to buy a Stratum. I have an AZ2 and as pjandyho says, the TFFC emitter puts out a very likeable tint. It kinda makes me wish the AZ2 had a low mode for the main emitter with the twisty UI it uses, but without that it seems my best bet to get a Surefire that has this same emitter but has multi-modes with it is the Stratum.

I think that'd be a very handy EDC light for me assuming it retains similar dimensions to the handy sized 6P, which according to the Surefire specs, it does.

 

[pjandyho]

pjandyho, earlier you commented on the throw of the light when I asked you. I was wondering, although it has more output, how would you compair the beam of the stratum to something like, oh, say a 6P LED? Bigger hotspot? More throw? Less throw and more spill? And, how conserative do you think the 150 lumen output rating is?

I can't really comment on the 6PL. Never did get to own one. Read about the bluish tint in the P60L which puts me off. I use my lights frequently for field trips and I hate blue tints. Sorry pal, couldn't be of help here.

The 160 lumens seems a little under-rated. Can't be sure though. The Stratum puts out a wall of flood together with a distinct hotspot making overall light output seem very bright. Visually one could be fooled to think it is brighter than the 160 lumen claimed but do take note that the main hotspot is quite a fair bit dimmer than the LX2 or E2DL.