Advice b/t E2L Outdoorsman & L2

Hi all my first post

Great forum
on to the question

Im looking to buy a Sf torch
Important to me are

Throw (Outdoor use)
Lead
And ability to momentary blind someone (tactical)
EDU
Reading ( Mapa etc)

Ive read the L2 is not good for throw and has a wall of light but is rated at 100 lumens..And secondary light is at 15 lumens.
At 15 lumens is it to dark a light for outdoor use and tactical use.
If u do use 15 lumen setting for x hrs, will there be a point were you want be able to use the 100 lumen setting due to battery drainage.

E2l (30 lumen)
can it be used as a tactical light
would buying the (diffusive addon filter ) would make reading easier on the eye
How far inmeters would the (e2l)throw and quality be compared to the L2

Lok forward to your replyies
thank you
Fuzz

I think the A2 would fit the bill for all your listed requirements but then at that it is a compromise. I assume Lead is LED. Most LED's I have tried don't fare well outside in terms of color rendition and punching through smoke/fog.

Tactical use to blind someone must be followed with a weapon or other form of defense if it comes to it.

If I went camping I would have a U2 for general utility use and a M6 with HOLA to identify threats (usually just carry an HDS and have the M6 in my back pack, my U2 is sitting on my desk due to being out of commission until the o-ring comes in the mail.)

What is the task you will be using the light for? I assume camping, better to have several than just one.

hi again thanks for the info and reply

In your above reply your wrote A2
whats an "A2 "

Ill be using it for outdoor walks
night orienateering
General house hold needs in the dark

And at wrk if someone tries to threaten me shine it in there eyes to stun em so i can move away from the threat

I really like my L2. I live in the country and I'm outside most nights to feed the dogs, water some plants, walk to the mailbox, etc.. The 15 lumen low is plenty for most of that, if I need/want to scan for whatszats a push of the tail switch will light up everything. It really is a wall of light.

I probably wouldn't spend a lot of money on a single level flashlight again, now that I've gotten used to having a choice. Having said that, I'm eagerly awaiting an HDS EDC Ultimate 60XR. Hoo boy! Might want to take a look at the threads on the HDS flashlights. (As for the SF A2 mentioned above, it's a 2 level with LED low and Incan high. I now find the yellow of the incandesants to somehow look weak and unsatisfying when compared to a decent LED. I'd spend a couple dollars more for the L2.)

The A2 is another Surefire light, a hybrid of incandescent and LED. LED may be the "cool new technology" but the A2 proves that the incandescent is not down for the count. The A2 makes all my LED lights look greenish or bluish, and it looks quite white to me. In fact, incandescent light seems to be the preferred type of light for outdoor use because it has better color rendition and thus allows you to pick out details more easily than with LED. It's difficult to see just how well the A2 compares with "brighter" LED lights without having owned one.

Between the E2L and L2, the E2L should throw better, as my E1L (the 1-cell version of the E2L) throws nearly as well as my Surefire A2. The L2 is a floody light, and not designed for throw. For reading, however, the E2L may be *too* bright, even with a diffusion filter. I think it provides a good amount of light for reading with the diffusion filter but it will also ruin your night vision while you're at it.

I'll also mention the Pila GL3, a 3-cell incandescent/LED hybrid, which I just reviewed in another thread-- http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=122737 and it is FANTASTIC and very bright. Throws even better than the E2L and A2.

ohh A2 aviater SF

Thanks for the input you have cleared afew misconceptions i had for the L2 thank you

But Carrot you wrote
"I think it provides a good amount of light for reading with the diffusion filter but it will also ruin your night vision while you're at it."
What do you mean by that i dont quiet understand it

Simply put... the E2L is too bright for reading when you're walking around in the dark.

The L2 on high puts out so much light that everything within 30yds is lit up like a flare. For most situations 30yds is plenty. Especially tactical, which is usually across a room or street. It definitely blinds. Inside a house, it will light up a whole wall across a room, so you see everything instantly. Some flashlights that throw, you'll see the part of the wall your hotspot is on and everything else (maybe another bad guy) is still in the dark. You'll shine up your wife or girlfriend once, she'll be so blind and pissed you won't do it again.

As for reading, the low is still to bright if you want to have any vision left. I cover the lens with my hand and let the light crack through a couple of fingers.

lukas thats the info i was looking for thank you

The flood affect is what appeals to me about the light and the distance and flare effect sounds great ..

The edc 60 woludnt have that flood light affect as well would it ??

thanks again

the fuzz said:

lukas thats the info i was looking for thank you

The flood affect is what appeals to me about the light and the distance and flare effect sounds great ..

The edc 60 woludnt have that flood light affect as well would it ??

thanks again

Click to expand...

In heavy underbrush this "wall of light" as it is generally known as on CPF is not very useful, as you get a lot of backscatter from light bouncing off nearby tree limbs and other such foliage. Same goes for foggy conditions. A tight incandescent or LED beam is preferable in such cases. Otherwise, the "wall of light" is fine. Which is better depends on what your exact needs are.

The HDS EDC has a balanced beam with some flood and some throw, and so it is fairly versatile in its usage, especially with the multiple light levels.

Also keep in mind that the L2 runs on high for about 30 minutes and the E2L runs on high for 170 minutes -- nearly 3 hours.

Do not dismiss the A2 Aviator so easily, as it is quite likely the light you are looking for, with a powerful 79 lumen beam and a lower output that is very suitable for map reading, and even walking around. It is not a LED light, but that does not make it any less versatile or reliable. There are many on CPF who swear by the A2 due to its tremendous versatility. In my opinion, if you can only own one good light, the A2 is a fantastic candidate.

i found these shots:
Below is some pictures of the L4 SF oudoor and indoor beam shots.
http://members.aol.com/qn9513/myhom...ashlightl4.html

Would i expect similiar results from the L2 torch as seen with the L4 beam shots in the above photos.?

Thanks Carrots but the A2 is out of my price range as cost a small fortune in australia $360 Aust

Now im leaning on maybe the HDS EDC-U-60-XRGT or E2l

If you have Paypal you can buy a light from Lighthound.com or oldgrandpajack on CPF, both of whom ship worldwide for good prices. May save you a good amount of money, so it's worth looking into.

Hello thefuzz

Welcome at CPF

My advice is, take a look to different models and brands, compare the datas of throw, overall output and beamshots and decide to buy more than only one light.
One for reading and low output for indoors, tent and a bright one for middle and far distances. If one gets fail, you will have a second one.

Perhaps this helps:

Flashlight Reviews and LED Modifications

Zaklamp test

WWW.LEDMUSEUM.ORG * THE LED MUSEUM - Reviews of LEDs & LED Flashlights - Gallium Indium Nitride UV, violet, purple, blue, aqua, turquoise, green, white. Also Gallium Arsenide and others. New LED MUSEUM! GaN, InGaN, SiC, GaAs, GaP, GaAlP, ZnSe, LED flashlight, LED flashlights. Formerly For The Love of LEDs

Best regards

_____
Tom