Surefire L1 - my new favorite

I just picked up my first Surefire, a new, current style L1 to use primarily as a nightstand light. I also picked up a F04 beamshaper to give me a floodier light than the L1 is as stock. I love this combo for moving around at night.

I call it my "Wall of Glow."

I am a relative newbie, and I was at first enamored by the powerful lights that are available. I picked up a Fenix L2D-CE, Lumapower M1, and a few others. For 99% of my uses, I don't need THAT much light. I cannot believe how useable the L1 is. For dark adapted eyes, 1.1 lumens is all you need to move around at night. I tried reading by a L0D-CE, but the PWM bothers me, (only when I read, for other purposes, PWM is fine) and it is still too bright to read by at night. The L1 on low is perfect for night reading.

The switch is very well thought out, and extremely flexible. I can turn it back a turn to "lock out" the high mode, lock it out completely, twist on to low mode with momentary high, or twist on all the way for constant high.

Although the light is a little large for pocket EDC, it is plenty small for belt or sheath carry, and it clips on easily to my Filson briefcase for my EDC needs.

Agreed, the L1 is a nice, solid light, it's not my favorite (that honor goes to the A2 and my E1L-SR (Seoul emitter and McR20-S reflector in a SF KL1 head), but the L1 is a great emergency/general use light

as you stated, the 1.1 lumen low is great for navigating while dark-adapted, especially when diffused through the F04 beamshaper

I'm a little torn with mine, part of me wants to send it to Milkyspit for the ML-1 modification (which voids the SureFire lifetime warranty), i'm more of a reflector fan than a TIR fan, but the other part of me wants to keep it stock, partially to retain the warranty in case it needs to be repaired, partially because i don't like the Cree L1's brighter Low (10 lumens)

the new model L1 will be my next light. haven't seen one yet.

i've got one of those. Very useful indeed. Good buy..

I have L1, ML1 and I am waiting for the new L1. It is really great

I'm sure you will find many people here, including myself, that agree with you. The L1 is a fantastic light.
<edit> I started writing this when there were no responses yet, now of course, there are already several positive replies <end edit>

And I've noticed (and mentioned) a few times myself that the Fenix low could be a lot lower than they set it. Especially if you have three levels, then low can be set veeerrryy low, like under 1 L (HDS is still useful at 0.3), medium at ~20L, then Max at whatever.

MacTech said:

I'm a little torn with mine, part of me wants to send it to Milkyspit for the ML-1 modification (which voids the SureFire lifetime warranty), i'm more of a reflector fan than a TIR fan, but the other part of me wants to keep it stock, partially to retain the warranty in case it needs to be repaired, partially because i don't like the Cree L1's brighter Low (10 lumens)

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ML1 Cree modded have a low around 2.2L, not 10. Both low and high are about twice as bright. I got one new version Soul modded and it has a very nice beam. Still a spot, but rounder with a little of fading spill. Perfect for a lot of things. The low is still very low.
I have an old ML1 that I am saving up to send to Milky for a Warm Cree Mod.

Personally I think right around 1-3 lumens is a perfect low setting. The Surefire L1 is around 1.5 lumens and works wonderfully for a great many tasks and at that level runs for damn near ever on a single battery.

The L1 is a favorite here, too. I have an ML-1, an old L-1 HA/WH and an old L-1 BK/RD. One of my sons has an L-1 HA/WH as well. The "new"/current one never grabbed me - I prefer some spillbeam. I'm looking forward to the new/2007 version.

L1 is my first and only surefire (for now). Fantastic light. I use it nightly to check on the kids (with beamshaper). Love the flexibility the beamshaper gives it--nice flood, but pop the beamshaper off for great throw. This is my preferred combo, by the way--flood and throw in one package (now if they'd make a flip-up beamshaper...)

Blindasabat said:

ML1 Cree modded have a low around 2.2L, not 10. Both low and high are about twice as bright. I got one new version Soul modded and it has a very nice beam. Still a spot, but rounder with a little of fading spill. Perfect for a lot of things. The low is still very low.
I have an old ML1 that I am saving up to send to Milky for a Warm Cree Mod.

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I meant the upcoming redesigned SureFire L1 will have the 10 lumen "low"....

What are the runtimes for the current L1? The Surefire website says 4 hours on high and 90 hours on low, but I know that the 4 hour high is bogus according to flashlightreview's tests. Doug says high lasts approximately 1:45. How long before Low hits 50% brightness? Any reliable tests that you know of?

aggiegrads said:

I just picked up my first Surefire, a new, current style L1 to use primarily as a nightstand light. ..................

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My own favorite for the same reasons. It may be "big" for a 1XCR123A but it's big "enough" to not lose and to hang onto with cold or gloved hands as well. This is the light I would grab on the way out the door if headed for the hills.

Very happy with mine!!!! The run times are awesome, and the light output is awesome, it's a little larger than I expected, and I am not really happy with the fact that the tailcap comes off in my back pocket because I have to unscrew it so much to lock it out. But in itself, it's darn near a perfect general light!!!

Jeff H said:

This is the light I would grab on the way out the door if headed for the hills.

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If i ever head for the hills my wife will have already sold all my stuff , but that's for another thread.

Someone know if the new L1 will have more spilbeam? I dont like the current L1 beam, its to square with no spillbeam.

Is there any place to buy an old L1?

I personally appreciate lights that have a really low "low". Since I sold my old HDS, the lowest light level I have is around ~3-5 lumens. And believe it or not, when I wake up in the middle of the night, that 3-5 lumens looks more like 15 lumens! I can't wait for Novatec to release their new light, I miss that super low level :candle:

FlashSpyJ said:

Someone know if the new L1 will have more spilbeam? I dont like the current L1 beam, its to square with no spillbeam.

Is there any place to buy an old L1?

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Spend $12-$13 on a beamshaper, then you get a nice flood--with the added benefit of a tight beam when needed.

prof said:

Spend $12-$13 on a beamshaper, then you get a nice flood--with the added benefit of a tight beam when needed.

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I actually have one of thoose on the way. Does anyone got a beamshot of their L1?(current version)

Im very interested in the light, the low on the current is appealing...

There's a thread on the evolution of the L1 over in the custom & modified lights section. I do not know if it has beamshots with the beamshaper.

I personally really like lights with tight beams and beamshapers--gives more flexibility.