L2 generation differences?

Today I was at a local store and noticed that their L2 was more round than my L2 was.



So, after doing some research online, it turns out that the square mid section L2 is an older model Surefire put out, and the new rounder one is a newer one.

Is there enough of a difference that I should be concerned? I love my L2, its my favorite light, and I have a bunch (haha).

The newer L2 has a slightly longer head for better thermal management. There was also a inbetween model round body L2 with the old head.

Is there enough of a difference that I should be selling and upgrading to a newer model?

Like you, I have the older model, and decided to keep it. Seems to me the differences are negligible.

There is an important difference that turned my L2 from collecting dust to collecting SF123s... The longer bezel also has a better focus and lets the L2 throw further, and the difference is very noticeable to me.

Hmmm...in that case, maybe an upgrade is warranted.

Two things:

1. Are there comparison pictures between the apparently three generations of L2's?

2. Can you simply replace the head and get the longer throw?

I owned an old L2 (square body) which was a fantastic light. Beautiful white beam. I'd never even heard of doughnut holes back then. I sold it because the new version was supposedly brighter (100 vs 60 lumens) and had longer runtime on low (18 vs 8 hours). When I got my new one, I was extremely dissappointed. Green tint (not too pukey, but it certainly wasn't beautifully white), doughtnut hole, and for some freaking reason, the indicators on the tail cap weren't alligned; all they indicated was that the indicators weren't indicating what they're were supposed to indicate. I sent it to back to Surefire for replacment (they said they'd replace it) and they sent the same light back without any explaination why or why not they did anything with it. I sold it for a lot less than I paid.

I honestly can't say if the new one was any brighter since I didn't own both at the same time, but neither can I honestly say the new one seemed any brighter based on memory and comparison with other lights I owned. Then I learned that the upgrades in Surefire's ratings of some of their LED lights were because they used a different, more accurate way to measure them...and might not have actually even increased in brightness.

If you like your old one, keep it, and don't bother with a new one. I wish I did. If you're concerned about the (supposed) longer runtime on low with the newer model, don't be, and pick up a couple 14760 rechargable lithium ion batteries from AW or lighthound and run them guilt-free. Maybe keep a couple sets of SF primaries in the glove compartment for emergencies.

Planterz, thanks for the honest and intelligent response.

I never even considered getting rechargeable, as I typically have avoided rechargeable 123s.

Also, I love my Surefire L2. It is by far my favorite light in terms of size, usability, useable light, white light, run time, the works. Actually I prefer the L2's light output over my L6. And the L6 has one amazing tight beam.

Rechargable 123s won't fit in the L2, let alone work without frying it. The 14760 will run for a good half-hour or so on high, fully regulated. Great if you're just putzing around the house, walking around the neighborhood (on low), or pissing off your friend with minimags.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/103009&highlight=14670 (out of stock, but you can get the same batteries at lighthound)

I do miss my old L2, but not terribly so. I loved the wall of light that came out of it, and it felt really good in the hand. But now, although I'd like an A2, I exclusively own single-cell flashlights, and they all run off rechargables. The one thing I didn't like about the L2 was feeding it primaries two at a time. If the rechargable battery option existed back then, I probably never would have gotten rid of it.

OpticalSerenity said:

Two things:

1. Are there comparison pictures between the apparently three generations of L2's?

2. Can you simply replace the head and get the longer throw?

Click to expand...

Yes. That's how I found out. I got a replacement head for the L2.

a99raptors,

HOW DID YOU GET A REPLACEMENT HEAD FOR YOUR L2 !!?? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD PURCHASE ONE SEPERATELY!

opticalserenity,

yes, I too have an old one with no temptation to tempt fate in the luxeon lottery. I'm not worried about the heat sink capability of the longer, newer head because I don't run it long enough to worry. I have a beautiful white LED, and I bought it for it's famous wall-of-light, not a throw capability. I actually like the old body design with the flatter sides better. The only thing that makes me curious is the longer throw that "a99raptors" mentions. It would sure make it a better light if you still had the "wall-of-light" together with a lot more throw. Especially if you could acquire it with just the purchaes of an extra head.

planterz,

I don't THINK anything changed between the old and the new as far as the specs go. I think Surefire just upgraded the numbers. However, the "longer/focus/throw/heatsink" aspect of the newer head intrigues me.

Flashdark said:

a99raptors,

HOW DID YOU GET A REPLACEMENT HEAD FOR YOUR L2 !!?? I DIDN'T KNOW THAT YOU COULD PURCHASE ONE SEPERATELY!

Click to expand...

No you can't. dropped my L2 from my pocket and it hit the pavement. Cracked the "pyrex" lens......

a99raptors,

Aaaaahhhhh! My sympathies. I have a habit of attaching an F04 or other appropriate beamshaper to the front of every light that I own, so thus far, I have been lucky. Extra weather-proofing, lens protection, shock-absorption, and flood-beam option.

Wow! Good protection!

Thing about Surefires, you are not supposed to need any of the stuff....

Well, mine has plenty of throw I'd expect out of it. I love the gorgeous white light. So I'm gonna stick to the one I have. Its funny, but the L6 I have has less lumens according to SF but the throw is amazing. Probably due to the super deep head. By far the deepest I've seen.

Kai said:

The newer L2 has a slightly longer head for better thermal management. There was also a inbetween model round body L2 with the old head.

Click to expand...

What version is the one that came out in 2005? Is that the latest version? Is it more rounded than the older ones?

I think I lost the Luxeon lottery and got a greenish tint complete with a slight donut. "Green Donuts" anyone else?

I'm wondering if it really is 100 lumens on high. My HDS U60 XRGT is much brighter and that is measured around 60 lumens. My Fenix L1P is a better tint than the L2, and the L1P looks green in comparison to the other LEDs I have.

Are the U2 LEDs the same as the L2 minus the reflector?

Seems like Surefire is getting too big to maintain quality control.

I have the older square one, and the beam is perfect and the color white. I don't plan to upgrade it. Reading here just confirms this thought.

I don't know about Surefire's QC going down... Out of my Surefire LEDs I've never had a bad one. I had one bad P60 bulb and it was only slightly oval in beam shape. Not really a problem, but I called and they sent me one to replace it, and didn't want the old one back, so it made a nice backup.

A year or two ago, Surefire was tops. Now all we hear is doughnuts holes, pukey tint, iffy tail caps, etc. QC is definitely faltering. Of course, unhappy people are always more vocal than happy ones, but damn there's a lot of unhappy ones (myself included).