Very small, very gosh darned bright. I find it too bright for true "night" use close up
(poking around in drawers/toolbox/etc.) but it's great for clearing out the shadows
at the far end of the hallway... It'll get toasty on extended use. It's a great light, but
wouldn't be my first choice for a continuous-duty walkabout light at night.
For a little more, the L2 would be much better, low level that goes on forever (and
doesn't hurt you when looking in a drawer, or even just your feet on the pathway),
same shadow-searing high level for any reasonable distance.
I might also recommend the VB-16 (just being sold by waion; also spotted at Deal
Extreme I think it was) as a very affordable multi-level LED light that takes 18650
LiIon cells with aplomb -- and if you start chewing through 123A cells by the box, an
18650 and charger will quickly pay for itself (halfway into the second dozen 123A
batteries!).
Another recommendation would be the Streamlight Strion. It's incandescent, not LED,
but it's designed for rechargeable LiIon battery, comes with nice cradle to recharge the
battery in situ so you don't have to keep taking the battery out and putting it back in
every other day or so -- go for your walk, when you return just snap it into the cradle
and it's ready for your next walk. The light level is more restrained than the Surefire L4,
great for around the house, or just walking about.
And of course if you have a tax refund just burning a hole in your pocket, the Surefire U2
is a GREAT multi-level (6) LED, not as bright on high as the L4, but much more versatile.
Nice thing today -- you've got a plethora of really great lights available; it's hard to
choose "just one" . . .
Enjoy!
-RDH
P.S. -- forgot to say: Hey! Welcome to CPF! Guard your wallet, temptations abound...heh heh