Why Surefire?

[Swedpat]

I started to buy a black 6P and a 9P. This because several reasons:

1: The reputation of Surefire made me interested
2: I then understood that a flashoholic's collection would not be complete without at least a Surefire
3: I really love the design of 6P

Now I have five Surefires: two 6P(black and Gun Metal), one 9P and two G2(black and yellow). For the moment all of them except from the 9P is armed with each Malkoff dropin.

Actually I thought about this: why are these simple hosts and dropins so popular, when there are many good lights in the same pricerange(yes even cheaper) with multiple modes in the same light?

There are advantages with multiple modes light, but I like the no-nonsence solution. One mode, and no temptation to "just for fun" switch between the brightness modes.

I like 6P because of it's quality feeling and thoughness. G2 is also good and much more lightweight, and works well with the lower output M60LL/M61LL dropins.

I know there is only a matter of time until I get a Surefire of the new generation. E1L and E2L Outdoorsman I find interesting lights.
E2D Defender also...

But that will be next year, because I decided to not get any more light this year...Wish me good luck!

 

[Search]

I take back what I said. In the beginning of the thread you came off like you were arguing why SF was so popular. Given you've proved otherwise..

The very first non Mag I bought was a SureFire G2 from a a hunting store based on a whim. Over time I started buying more lights from various companies (whom I will not name). Well once I started to really use my lights with time I noticed which ones had been working for many, many months and which ones had been warrantied or sold for never ended problems.

Eventually, and by complete accident, I ended up only owning my SureFires. Not because I particularly liked them, but because nothing else stood up to my demands.

Around that time I started in Law Enforcement. I now carry an M3 as a backup which sits in the car, an LX2 clipped onto my radio holster as my main light, a 6P in a holster (which is mainly there to fill in a void at this point) as an immediate backup while on calls or as a handout to someone who needs it) and depending on the pants I'm wearing an E1B in a cargo pocket, which has been an EDC since day one.

The 6P has been with me for over a year and the E1B since they came out. All original stuff. The M3 was bought by my SGT when they were released and is so old the anodizing on the tail cap has worn off from being turned on. We are actually still on the original MN10 bulb. Other than new grip rings that mother nature has worn it's still original. I was the first person to clean the threads on it. The LX2 is still in it's infancy

The only other light I own is a Streamlight TLR-1s for my Glock but I trust their stuff just as much.

I don't expect people to go looking for good flashlights to find SureFire and just know. I expect them to do what most of us have done. We don't like SureFire because they are based on hype. We have all come to respect them from our own personal experiences and use.

They get talked about so much because they have earned it by years of making damn good lights and standing behind them.


Because my E1B is always in my pocket, I get asked a lot how much I paid because people want one after seeing how bright it is. After their shock when I tell them I hand it to them and tell them to throw it as high or as far or against anything they want. When it continues to work the point becomes obvious.

 

[TwinBlade]

I take back what I said. In the beginning of the thread you came off like you were arguing why SF was so popular. Given you've proved otherwise..

Hey, it's all good. I most definitely was not arguing them or bashing them. the crazy part of the web sometimes is it is difficult to convey emotion in words. Were I to actually speak the question to you, you would have seen pure inquisition, nothing more.:thumbsup:

As far as the rest of your post, I agree with everything you said. I would also like to add that Made in the USA, as mentioned earlier in this thread, holds a great deal of merit with me. I fought for this country and do my best to preserve her in my own little way every day.

I also could not help myself. There was a sale on a website and I picked up a Surefire C2L Centurion. The price was just too good not to.

I better try to step up my kydex sheath and holster sales. I am going to need more fun money than I anticipated...



Here is my 6PD with one of my favorite knives. I love this light.

Jeff:thumbsup:

 

[Search]

Just wait until you want an M3, M4, or M6. You can never have enough :shakehead

 

[Brigadier]

Just wait until you want an M3, M4, or M6. You can never have enough :shakehead

Quoted for absolute truth.

 

[TwinBlade]

Baby steps guys, baby steps.

My aspirations are far greater than my checking account at the moment...

:scowl:

 

[TwinBlade]

Well I just purchased a ThruNite P60 Style XP-G R5 300 Lumen Drop In - 3 Mode from Going Gear. After a LOT of thought last night and today, I opted for a 3 mode because of versatility. I really dislike strobes and blinky flashy stuff, but a REALLY dig the flashlights I have that change output modes. It works for me.

If there were a 3 mode Malkoff, I would have bought that. I have a SF Centurion LED inbound and may drop a Malkoff in, but as I said, I really like the versatility. :thumbsup:

 

[angelofwar]

I started to buy a black 6P and a 9P. This because several reasons:

1: The reputation of Surefire made me interested
2: I then understood that a flashoholic's collection would not be complete without at least a Surefire
3: I really love the design of 6P

Now I have five Surefires: two 6P(black and Gun Metal), one 9P and two G2(black and yellow). For the moment all of them except from the 9P is armed with each Malkoff dropin.

Actually I thought about this: why are these simple hosts and dropins so popular, when there are many good lights in the same pricerange(yes even cheaper) with multiple modes in the same light?

There are advantages with multiple modes light, but I like the no-nonsence solution. One mode, and no temptation to "just for fun" switch between the brightness modes.

I like 6P because of it's quality feeling and thoughness. G2 is also good and much more lightweight, and works well with the lower output M60LL/M61LL dropins.

I know there is only a matter of time until I get a Surefire of the new generation. E1L and E2L Outdoorsman I find interesting lights.
E2D Defender also...

But that will be next year, because I decided to not get any more light this year...Wish me good luck!

K.I.S.S....Another thing SF has going for it!

Congrats on the C2L Twin Blade!

 

[TwinBlade]

Well I just landed a 6P with the KX4 head on CPFM.

My wife went through 90% of my guns, 90% of my knives, all of my bowhunting equipment...

hopefully she can go through this phase too...


LMAO!:shakehead

 

[ebow86]

Surefire's customer support and warranty is one of the biggest selling points for me. I know that if anything breaks, weather it's my fault or not, I am going to either get it fixed or replaced, no charge, no questions asked. I don't have that same assurance with other brands.

I believe that surefire's customer support and warranty is one of the biggest reasons why they are so sucessful as a buisness, you will overpay for most products but the assurance of their world class warranty is priceless.

 

[fyrstormer]

A surprisingly refreshing take on an old question.
...The reason I buy Surefire is the same reason I buy Spyderco, ESEE, Victorinox, Apple, and Endeavour and McGizmo and Dozier: these are companies or individuals who are really concerned with making a product for users.

You had me until you said "Apple". If there is a company that DOESN'T want users to be able to upgrade and customize their tools to fit their individual needs, or to keep using hardware long past the point of obsolescence, Apple is it. All the others I agree with, though.

However, that's neither here nor there. The point remains that a SureFire will last forever if you take care of it and it's designed to be functional and usable, and due to their popularity there are also a lot of upgrade parts available for them.

 

[TwitchALot]

Guys... please! I keep letting folks convince me that CPF still has the same generous undertones that it started with. I really hate to see any thread swerve into the discussion of when it will be closed. Who wins from that? I think we can all see both sides to the problem here:

1. New guy doesn't want to spend the time searching for answers because it is a waste of his valuable time.
2. Old guy doesn't want to spend time answering the question that's been asked an untold number of times before because (wait for it) it is a waste of his valuable tiem.

So here's the compromise that I propose:

New guy can preserve his valuble time by asking a question without first searching. Old guy can choose to waste his valuable time by answering, or can choose to preserve his valuable time by moving on and not posting anything.

Does that work? Can we all just get along so I can go back to not dealing with this?

Thanks muchly! :welcome:

Great moderation Darell! :thumbsup:

 

[Screwball]

I don't have even close to half the knowledge of the bulk of pepole here but for me my 6P feels right in the hand ,granted it has a drop in that at a guess sit about the 200 lumen (it was about the same as my TK11 on high)
The tk was moved on and the 6P is my go to light for nearly everything
SF is now the only way to go in my opinion .
But as my old dad is fond of saying opinions are like your rear end everybody has one :naughty:

 

[glazer1972]

Surefire has an excellent reputation with regards to quality.

 

[etc]

The tk was moved on and the 6P is my go to light for nearly everything
SF is now the only way to go in my opinion .

I agree, 6P is the ideal EDC, with some kind of Malkoff module in it. You cannot go wrong with M61, M60L, etc. Have been using it for 1 year and stopped buying other lites. 6P is it!

Bored for 18650, you can have Li-Ion, or still take primaries. Amazing 6V in such a small package.

 

[Solscud007]

Ok there are just too many posts for me to waste time. I like to compare by analogy.

twinblades, you are a knife and gun guy right?

there are plenty of examples of comparing apples to really freaking expensive apples.

Look at http://knifetests.com/ He tests a Strider BT and a Coldsteel GI tanto. One costs hundreds of dollars while the other is a fraction of that cost. But they seem to perform similarly. Why would you want to spend couple hundred dollars on a strider when you can have a Coldsteel GI tanto that can pretty much do the same thing at a fraction of the price? who knows. its your personal preference.

same goes for guns. take the famous 1911. There are your budget 1911 that cost about $400 then you have the super expensive and im not talking about custom guns. Like Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, or simply Kimber. Why do they cost so much more just to shoot the same bullet?

Look at AR-15s. Does a gas piston FN Scar really need to cost $2300? When you can buy a M&P for a LOT less jsut to shoot 223?

same goes with Surefires. In any hobby world, there are multiple ways and objects that can do the same for a lot less and or perform much more for the same money.

I can only speak for myself, but look at most Military, special forces, and law enforcement. They use Surefire. Sure there are exceptions but a LOT of them use Surefire. They perform and they perform all the time, every time. This is why I buy surefire.

My friend likes to buy Fossil watches. He has quite the collection, but I told him you should have used the money and bought something nice like a Rolex. It would last much longer. I have a GMT Master that was given to me. It is over 35 years old. Still run strong. I doubt a Fossil watch can run flawlessly for 35 years. But it is all in the eye of the beholder.

If you want something inexpensive then by all means go right ahead.

Im sure people have mentioned Surefire's world class customer service. that is also a major issue. Im wondering, and this is purely speculation, that the reason you dont hear of inova and other brands failing, might be because hard use people dont use them? I could be wrong here. but just food for though.

 

[TwinBlade]

Ok there are just too many posts for me to waste time. I like to compare by analogy.

I should help everyone else out here who has not followed this little adventure of mine.

I took this photo a couple days ago. :thumbsup:

This thread may have run it's course.

 

[Solscud007]

I better try to step up my kydex sheath and holster sales. I am going to need more fun money than I anticipated...

Jeff:thumbsup:

Ahh good man Jeff, Sorry for not reading. In terms of kydex, here is a little something I had a friend make for me.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/3536617&postcount=499

There have been two collaborations with Surefire. What you see in that thread link, is my Surefire Strider combo. the Strider ST is stamped with the Surefire logo. AFAIK there have been confirmed 290 something paired sets. The knife is serialized with a matching Surefire M2 that sports the Strider logo.

The other collaboration is with Emerson knives. A CQC-8 with Surefire logo and serial along with a C2 in HA-BK, one two times Surefire has made an official C2 in black HA, the other being a C2 for Remington Military division.

Anyway you should start your craft and make EDC kydex holsters for Surefire lights. Just an idea, I would be interested.:welcome:

 

[TwinBlade]

That is some good kydex work there. I also specialize in 2 piece designs as opposed to foldover. First, they look better IMO, and second, they are far more versatile for carry.

Truth be told, I have been laid off for 16 months now and have been doing kydex as a supplemental income along with knife sharpening and modifications. I took a job with a friend a few months back and got laid off from there as well. Frickin' economy is enough to make me want to spit.

The good news, is I may get back to work in the next couple weeks and I will be no longer doing kydex unless one of my military or LEO friends needs a hook up. If I don't get called back, that is another story.

We shall see. I will keep that option open for the future. There is a big market apparently for flashlight kydex holsters. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

Jeff

 

[Brigadier]

This thread may have run it's course.

Not until there is an M3, M4, or M6 in that picture!! The M3 and on up is a whole new level of SureFire goodness.