Surefire L1 or L2?

Well Which would you go for? I 'need' a light that is portable and bright with good battery life. I can't decide which to go with. I have found a place that gives you 20 free cr123A, the L1 http://www.batterystation.com/surefire_L1.htm, and the L2 http://www.batterystation.com/surefire_L2.htm. Is the price difference, $40, worth it for the L2? This will be my first real flashlight and the start to an addiction i'm afraid.

Price isn't the only consideration. The L1 is considerably smaller and has a completely different beam pattern. It is very tight and has good throw. The L2 is one of the longer 2-cell lights you'll find. I has a very floody beam, great for lighting up a room. It depends on what your use is/will be.

i had the l2 and didn't like it because it was too long at over "6 it makes it will be noticed in your pocket. If i were you i'd just wait for the new L1 with 10 lumens low and 65 lumens high.

I didn't know about a new L1, any idea when I can buy one? I am new to all of this so.... thanks for all of your help. I think I like a tighter beam, never find myself using the wider beam on my 2D Mag.

June or July, thats what everyone are talking about the new L1's, L2 is really too long you might want to get a Aleph A19 with 2 stage switch if you can't wait for the Surefire crees.

FenglerF1 said:

I didn't know about a new L1, any idea when I can buy one? I am new to all of this so.... thanks for all of your help. I think I like a tighter beam, never find myself using the wider beam on my 2D Mag.

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FenglerF1 said:

I 'need' a light that is portable and bright with good battery life.

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There are a lot of lights like this. Does it have to be a SureFire L1 or L2? Could it be one of the other SureFires? Do you need multiple levels? Are you open to looking at other brands? Are you going to be carrying the light around with you every day? Are you going to be using it inside or outside?

Re: SureFire L1 or L2?

GeorgePaul said:

There are a lot of lights like this. Does it have to be a SureFire L1 or L2? Could it be one of the other SureFires? Do you need multiple levels? Are you open to looking at other brands? Are you going to be carrying the light around with you every day? Are you going to be using it inside or outside?

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Does not have to be a SureFire L1 or L2, I like the multiple levels of light but that is not as important as battery life- 4+hrs preferred, don't know of any other brands, I will either leave the light in my backpack or car, not so much in my pant pockets, used in and outside, I do like the look of the SureFire lights. $180 is my upper budget but would like to keep it at ~$140 or less.

Re: SureFire L1 or L2?

FenglerF1 said:

Does not have to be a SureFire L1 or L2, I like the multiple levels of light but that is not as important as battery life- 4+hrs preferred, don't know of any other brands, I will either leave the light in my backpack or car, not so much in my pant pockets, used in and outside, I do like the look of the SureFire lights. $180 is my upper budget but would like to keep it at ~$140 or less.

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The current runtime champions in high-powered lights are the ones with Cree or Seoul LEDs. Right now, no SureFire lights come with Cree or Seoul LEDs. I suggest that you get a Cree or Seoul-powered light from the likes of Fenix or Wolf-Eyes or Lumapower or several other brands, or wait for SureFire to come out with their Cree lights later this year. You might take a look at the reviews of the LumaPower M1 Hunter and the Fenix L1D-CE and L2D-CE at FlashlightReviews.com. If you really want the SureFire look, Lighthound, Wolf-Eyes, LiteMania and Dealextreme sell Cree drop-ins for SureFire lights such as the 6P, 9P, C2, etc. Not quite sure that these drop-ins provide the long runtime you need, though.

I have a current-generation L2 and once I got my Lumapower M1 it started sitting on
the shelf. This is mostly because the M1 can use an 18650 rechargable lithium battery and get something like 27 hours before it reaches 50% brightness on low. On high it's something like 4 hours to 50%. The runtime numbers are somewhat more like the L2 when the M1 has lithium primaries, just brighter. However, the M1 is a throw-light and the L2 is a floody light, so it's a preferential thing. Are you looking for an every-day-carry kind of light? I have to say that while I like my M1, the bezel is a little wider than I'd like it to be, so if you have small pockets it may not be the right one for you. In your position I would look at the Fenix line of products that take 123a lithium primaries:

P1D CE: http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_55&products_id=158
~ US$ 67.95
~ One 123a battery
~ Keychain size
~ Twist-type switch
~ 5 modes
~ Cree emitter
P3D: http://fenix-store.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_55&products_id=227 (pre-order until 4/20/07)
~ US$ 61.50
~ Two 123a batteries
~ Larger than keychain size
~ Reverse-clicky tailswitch
~ 5 modes
~ Cree emitter

According to the owner of http://www.fenix-store.com, the P3D will not accept 18650 lithium rechargables, but will take 17670s, a slightly smaller diameter and slightly longer battery and usually chargable in the same charger as a 18650. You're not going to get quite the runtime from a 17670 light as an 18650, but it should still be pretty good.

Other options might be:
Ultrafire Alpha-C1: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.2672
~ takes 2x123a or 1x18650
Ultrafire C2: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.1446
~ takes 2x123a or 1x18650
Several of the new Inova lights might also be the ticket, depending on what you want. Lastly, don't discount 1xAA or 2xAA lights as options either. With the arrival of low-selfdischarge batteries like the Rayovac Hybrids and Sanyo Eneloops, rechargable NiMHs have come into their own and are perfectly viable options for a serious light.

EDIT: I forgot about Wolfeyes as mentioned by the other posters. While I don't know much about them, they have a positive reputation as builders of quality lights.

Just wait for the SureFire.L1 as greenstuffs stated. Pretty much what others here summed up regarding your said choices of SureFire lights. How about the SureFire.A2.Aviator as another SF alternative, then try out other manufacturer's lights.

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

CHC said:

Just wait for the SureFire.L1 as greenstuffs stated. Pretty much what others here summed up regarding your said choices of SureFire lights. How about the SureFire.A2.Aviator as another SF alternative, then try out other manufacturer's lights.

Hope you find what you're looking for and Enjoy!

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I agree with that. The L1 is a great all-'round light. I use mine more than any of my others. Once you have that one, very usable, useful, versatile light that will take care of most situations, then you can "play the fieid" and flirt with the other lights that have great throw but no flood or great flood and no throw or just super bright, cool-looking, etc. Just make sure you always have that "Mama L1" to go home to when your infatuation with the other more glamorous lights wears off. There's a ton of reasonably priced (sometime just plain cheap) that you can mess around with later. Having a Surefire assures you that you have one that you can always count on and is warranted very well.

I personally like the current L1 because of its "low low" but the efficiency offered by a Cree is always welcome and a brighter "high" is always welcome as well.

Or, do what I finally did - get an old style L1 modded by Milky. It's not far from an L2 running on a single 123A cell, especially with the Seoul P4 in the one I've got, and the color rendition is miles better.

I have both so I can give you a direct comparison.

The L2 is quite long for a 2 CR123 light as the L1 is big for a 1 cell. The length of the L2 keeps it in my pack but the L1 is pocketable.

The beam patterns are VERY different. The L1 is basically throw with little spill while the L2 is a flood type beam. For the L1, I use a F04 diffuser when I use it close up but for a utilty light it is quite good.

The L1 low is great for low light tasks ( reading, midnight runs to the 'room ), on low it runs what seems like days. The high is quite usable, especially with the F04.

The L2 on low is quite amazing, just alot of light in a great flood pattern. Run time is very good as well. On high it has a real 'wow' factor but the run time suffers, less than 1 hour. Not a true seach light since the baid is on flood not throw.

The key with the L1 is that a new version with a CREE LED is due out in a few months ( hopefully sooner ), it will have better run time and greater output. I have mixed feeling about the low going up in output - it may kill the beauty of this light. On the plus side the beam patterns looks to have improved with more spill ( from SHOT show reports ). I am torn on the new L1, I like the run time but am not sure about the extra low output.

From what I have read Milkyspit's mods to the L1 are great but you may not want to loose the SF warrenty.

Do the CPF thing --- buy both I did and EDC both as well.

If you can wait until the CREE versions come out it may make the L1 a slam dunk. Personally, I am holding off LED purchases until SF Cree's make it out.

I am the opposite of the above post. I bought an old L1 due to the fact of the low setting runtimes. It has enough light to get you out of a jamb on low, and wont leave you in the dark! I can see the complaints with no flood on the L1, but for what I wanted, it's near perfect! I do plan on getting the beamshaper, just to see what it does, but the runtimes are increadable, the sze is good, one battery to carry for a spare, nice usable low beam, and an increably bright high beam. I think it's just about perfect as is, but will see what the new one brings.

I suggest an Amilite Neo T5. It's basically an L2, but it uses 1 battery. Same runtime, same levels, and also a floody light. Flashlightreviews.com gives it 5/5 stars. Go for it! :rock:

Well I am on the new SF L1, can't wait till it comes out.
Thanks to everyone, will certainly give all the lights you mentioned a thought for a 2nd light

Glad you made the choice, you and half CPF are waiting for the new SF L1 including myself.
Other lights mentioned are great choices but if you are used to surefire or into quality lights they just won't make the cut, but they are nice nonetheless, if i had an extra $80 i'd get a lumapower M1 i just don't to most people any cheapo $25 at DX will leave them jawdropping but the USA made stuff will always be nicer at least right now.
The runtimes of the new L1 are pretty decent, a very good high that will get most things done at 65 lumens and i wish they had a lower low but at 10lm should be ok.
Its always nice to have long runtimes of the old L1 but pretty pointless because nowdays unless you live in the woods, is like bragging having a car that has 100mpg but you only drive 2 miles to work.

FenglerF1 said:

Well I am on the new SF L1, can't wait till it comes out.
Thanks to everyone, will certainly give all the lights you mentioned a thought for a 2nd light

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You could also get a surefire l4 its like a single mode l2 but smaller.

I prefer the L2 because I like the "wall of light" pattern that it throws and don't have a use for the ultra low level of light from the L1. When I need very low levels, I use a different time of light. Usually and ArcAAA or CMG Infinity.

L1 and L2 are both exceptional lites from surefires. I've got the gen 5 L1 which was chosen over the L2 due to single cell, shorter and useful low output. Furthermore with the F04 beamshaper installed the L1 can also have useful spill. I too am waiting for the cree'd L1 coming soon as it comes with higher output among other things.