SF U2 TO GET UPGRADE FOR 2008?

I'd really like a new SF U2 for Christmas but I'd be willing to wait if the company is going to upgrade it for 2008. Of course nobody I've talked to at SF will even drop a hint (if they, in fact know themselves). If anybody out there in CPF land has got any "HOT" scoop, I would sure appreciate the clue. Now I know I'm going to get the replies of "Buy it now for Christmas, then if the upgraded model comes out after the first of the year, buy it too!" I'd love to be able, but can't pull that one off, unfortunately.

Even if they announce it at SHOT, it'd probably take several months before the actual product is available. I don't usually hold my breath for "new" products - I buy them when they're available.

greenLED said:

Even if they announce it at SHOT, it'd probably take several months before the actual product is available. I don't usually hold my breath for "new" products - I buy them when they're available.

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Haha Ditto! You'd be six feet under before they even start proper production!

If you can muster the funds just get milky to mod the U2 like that 4x Rebel animal. I know I am seriously considering just that. SF will upgrade when SF can upgrade. No reason to wait on them.

I don't think it'll be anytime soon. I have heard that Surefire is aiming for 300+ lumens for its next U2, and no emitter available right now can deliver that at 1 amp, not even the planned R4 from Cree. I highly doubt Surefire will go the multi-emitter route, as it will only make an already expensive light prohibitively expensive (think $450+). I think Surefire will upgrade their Lux Vs, as no manufacturer is using Luxeons anymore, but just not within the next 6~8 months.

If you need it now, buy it.
If you can wait, I say wait.

The present U2`s are still top notch, IMHO, even in this age of Seoul.

You can use 18650 batteries in the "older" ones without any and/or little modification, and you can do the same with the "newer" ones by simply using the 18650 U2 battery tubes made by CPF`er Leef and that are sold at Lighthound.

Using an 18650 battery having 2400 mA, one runtime chart I`ve seen indicates that you can get over 90 minutes of runtime on high, and over TWO DAYS of runtime on the low setting. That is pretty impressive!

The U2 is one of my main "go to" lights for the above reasons, and its high brightness level is still really, really bright...matching or exceeding some of my favorite Seoul flashlights.



And did I mention yet, how much I like the U2 flashlight?

Buy one! You won`t be disappointed.

:thumbsup:

Ah the loveliness of 18650s.

I'm pretty sure there are more multi-die emitters on the horizon using cree or rebel dies. Osrams have been out for a bit, and I'm sure this current silicon process will be pushing its efficiency limits soon. I don't know how much headroom crees and rebels have left but my guess is that it is shrinking. SF may be waiting for those to replace the U2 and such.
SSC and Nichia are putting out claims of efficiency landmarks. They're bound to release an actual new product one of these years.
But I wouldn't hold my breath for the next several months.

Thanks for the input guys. I'm waiting to hear back from an acquaintance in the SF tech support, if he doesn't have any news, I'll order one now.
This will be my fourth SF from Battery Junction and instead of a discount, they provide free shipping, no sales tax, and 28 free CR123's with the order of a new U2. I use a Craftsman tool box to store all of my batteries and it's so full now I can't close it. Got to get the roll-around cabinet next. By the way, forgive my ignorance, but what is the acronym IMO?



PS. How about a clue on price from Milky for the U2 mod w/ the 4 Rebels or a CREE XRE?

Oh boy, looks like a U2 in my near future!

Spence, here are some acronym meanings. hope this helps

IMO = in my opinion
IMHO = IN MY HONEST OPINION
WTF = WHAT THE F*#K
BRB= BE RIGHT BACK
LOL = LAUGH OUT LOUD
LMAO = LAUGH MY A$$ OUT
ROTFLMAO= ROLLING OF THE FLOOR LAUGHING MY A$$ OUT
PP SENT = PAYPAL SENT
PM= PRIVATE MESSAGE

XXX = YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS :naughty::naughty::naughty:

SaVaGe,
Thanks for cluing me in with the list, I hate being ignorant, as well as a dumb sh*t half the time.

Just got an e-mail from my friend in SF Tech. He says the upgraded, NEW U2 is about 12 months from release.
That made my mind up, I'm ordering one this week from Battery Junction and when/if a new U2 hits the streets, this one will go to my son who will be in the U.S. Army Ranger School about then. He'll love it though he is not as particular about lights as I am. And I'll eagerly buy the new U2.
My thanks to all.

:twothumbs

You know, I have a fair number of LED lights, several with Crees in 'em, including the L1. But the U2 with it's ancient Luxeon is still about my second favorite light. The termwall of light comes to mind. Not real throwy, but is sure does light the stuff up you need to see!

I'm off to get a Leef body and a couple 18650s for it! I didn't know that option existed. All riiiiight!

PhantomPhoton said:

If you can muster the funds just get milky to mod the U2 like that 4x Rebel animal. I know I am seriously considering just that. SF will upgrade when SF can upgrade. No reason to wait on them.

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That's where my first ever U2 went - to the Milky Labs straight away - I haven't even seen my U2 yet! But in a few weeks it should arrive hopefully! YAY! :twothumbs

I bet that SureFire is holding out on upgrading the Lux V until the next big thing. The Cree was a great tangible upgrade from the Lux III, but it would only be a moderate upgrade to the Lux V. You might get a little more runtime and a little more output, but it certainly wouldn't be the "wow" that we got when going from the Lux III.

While the package still says "Lux V", the U2 still performs very well. If you want one but don't want to spend $300 on a light that might be slated for an upgrade, pick up a used on on BST.

I thought
IMHO meant In My Humble Opinion

The only way to be sure you get a to notch LED in a U2 is to send it to Milky, as long as I can remember the U2 has suffered the worst from the Luxeon lottery. You either get an unacceptable light, a acceptable but not great light, or a great light, I lucked out myself, but milky does mods right. You won't be disappointed.

ja10 said:

...The Cree was a great tangible upgrade from the Lux III, but it would only be a moderate upgrade to the Lux V. You might get a little more runtime and a little more output, but it certainly wouldn't be the "wow" that we got when going from the Lux III.

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A little more runtime? How about double?
A little more output? How about 50% more? The absolute brightest stock U2s with the latest Lux Vs top out at ~120 lumens out the front. Fenix's P3D with the Q5 emitter tops out at 180~190 lumens out the front.

daveman said:

A little more runtime? How about double?
A little more output? How about 50% more? The absolute brightest stock U2s with the latest Lux Vs top out at ~120 lumens out the front. Fenix's P3D with the Q5 emitter tops out at 180~190 lumens out the front.

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I have compared several lights to my U2, and haven't ever felt like it was blown out of the water. I go back and forth between my U2 and my SSC P4 at 1000mA and still have a hard time seeing which light is brighter. Of course there are better bins out now that I have not compared yet.

You are right on the runtime, my use of "a little" wasn't fair. However, with the multiple levels in the U2, I have never had runtime be an issue. With the L4, it seems that SF (and the customers that buy it) don't really mind only having and hour or so of runtime with diminished output after that. These lights seem to represent the brightest possible regardless of runtime, and I assume that SF will want to stay on that course with the next upgrade.

I guess my point that I made too quickly before was that the Cree compared to the Lux III isn't even a comparison. It blows the lesser LED out of the water. It isn't even close. If SF changes all of their Lux V lights to Q5s though, they will get some more brightness and will add runtime, but IMHO it be that big step forward that I can only assume they are waiting for.

My uneducated opinion is that SF is waiting for the LED that will give those lights that big bump forward. Unlike Fenix with their incremental improvements with new bins, SF seems content waiting for the next great thing.

ja10 said:

You are right on the runtime, my use of "a little" wasn't fair. However, with the multiple levels in the U2, I have never had runtime be an issue. With the L4, it seems that SF (and the customers that buy it) don't really mind only having and hour or so of runtime with diminished output after that. These lights seem to represent the brightest possible regardless of runtime, and I assume that SF will want to stay on that course with the next upgrade.

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I'm not sure which lights you're refering to, but if you're talking about the U2s and the L4s, like I said, they still lack quite a bit of output when compared with the latest XR-E lights. What these Lux V lights excel in are their emission and beam patterns, which seem to pair nicely with textured reflectors to produce a very wide, even beam that's ideal for close to mid range work in close quarters.

ja10 said:

I guess my point that I made too quickly before was that the Cree compared to the Lux III isn't even a comparison. It blows the lesser LED out of the water. It isn't even close. If SF changes all of their Lux V lights to Q5s though, they will get some more brightness and will add runtime, but IMHO it be that big step forward that I can only assume they are waiting for.

My uneducated opinion is that SF is waiting for the LED that will give those lights that big bump forward. Unlike Fenix with their incremental improvements with new bins, SF seems content waiting for the next great thing.

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Agreed, Surefire will upgrade, just a matter of what and when.

Spence said:

Just got an e-mail from my friend in SF Tech. He says the upgraded, NEW U2 is about 12 months from release.
That made my mind up, I'm ordering one this week...

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Excellent decision! The U2 remains one of my favorite lights of all times.

Oh, and thanks on the inside info. I'm to see what they upgrade the U2 to.

Spence said:

Just got an e-mail from my friend in SF Tech. He says the upgraded, NEW U2 is about 12 months from release.
That made my mind up, I'm ordering one this week from Battery Junction and when/if a new U2 hits the streets, this one will go to my son who will be in the U.S. Army Ranger School about then. He'll love it though he is not as particular about lights as I am. And I'll eagerly buy the new U2.
My thanks to all.

:twothumbs

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Still waiting on him to tell you what that "Phantom Surefire" business was all about.