9P/G3 vs. 6PLED/G2LED/G3LED?

Hi, I am just starting out and trying to buy a basic SureFire flashlight as a starting point and to see if I get addicted to better and better lights! I've only owned mini-MagLite type things before, but I'm pretty demanding so I want to be impressed by a decent light. I've never actually seen anything better than a MagLite in the flesh so I don't really know what I'm dealing with. Anyway a lot of people on here seem very helpful so I thought I'd try asking a question and see if I can figure this out :twothumbs

I don't know whether I want a 9P incandescent or an LED equivalent? As far as I can tell the 9P is 105 lumens but doesn't last too long, whereas the LED version say... the G3LED is 80 lumens and lasts 10 hours on the same batteries. I was wondering whether I would notice the difference between the two lights in brightness? If I saw a 9P in action would I regret having bought a 6PLED or G3LED? Would I miss those 25 lumens? I'm not really using the light for anything serious it's just for finding things in the dark, walking at night type purposes but I crave power haha. Otherwise I would just stick to the AA mini-Mag. Also my budget will only stretch to like $90, not ready to invest in the L2/L5 yet!

And if I should buy an LED light, which one should I go for? That's a really confusing part since the one with 3 123A's (G3LED) seems to have less runtime than the ones with 2 123A's (6PLED/G2LED)!! What's going on??

Can anyone help me make sense of this??

Thanks

On that last point, you might take a look at this thread testing output/runtimes for the G2L/6PL:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/176621

You will definitely get much longer runtime at full power before the output starts to decline with three 123As as opposed to 2. Don't let the advertised claims confuse you, as these often include declining output in the total runtime.

You should probably also check out mdocod's compatibility chart for typical incandescent set-ups in the 6P and 9P size ranges.

I say go with an LED drop-in and look into rechargeable options.

I have a number of Surefire 6P flashlights. Mostly the standard version(10), two 6P Defenders, and two 6PLED versions. They're great lights. I'd highly recommend them.

I got the 6P LED models at Lowes. They were around $85 each and I had two $10 Lowes coupons so they cost around $75 each.

However, you may be better off starting with the basic 6P. Get it for $37 plus $5 shipping here:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=260208607117&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=016
He still (at this time) has 20 left in the current batch. When one batch is gone, he usually lists another batch soon after.

Here's one good drop-in if you can't get a Malkoff.
The Wolf-eyes *260 Lumen* D26 3.7-13V Cree Q5 LED *High Output [HO D26 3.7-13/Cree Q5
http://www.pts-flashlights.com/produ...5-114-125-6437

The run times specified on the web page for that drop in:

-Runtime (2-CR123A batteries): 90 minutes with regulated output, and 8 hours with unregulated output.

-Runtime (3-CR123A batteries): 180 minutes with regulated output, and 14 hours with unregulated output.

Then, if you want a 3 cell light, you can get a Surefire A19 adapter (or a similar adapter from ebay) to add the 3rd cell to the standard 6P. That's what I have in each of my vehicles. With most LED drop-ins there won't be much if any difference in light output but you'll gain a big increase in runtime.

One word of caution. If you opt for the 6P Defender with the 'Strike Head', it will cut off a lot of the side spill from your light. That may be ok for most occasions, but when sweeping an area for intruders it could be a big minus.

Rich

If you can afford it, go with a 9P or G3 incan, and buy the LED dropin seperately. The reason I reccommend this rather than just buying a G3 LED is,if you buy the incan models you get a pyrex lens. I'm pretty sure the G3 LED has a lexan lens. This may not matter to you, but in the future, if you wanted to run a P91 or something you wouldn't have to worry about the lens. Just my $.02 :thumbsup: