Changed my mind about the E1b

Got my E1b last week and as I posted in the E1b thread, initially my assessment of it was positive.

After using it a few days "for real", I have to say I've changed my mind.

Firstly, the way the light switches on to the high (claimed 80 lumens) beam first and the low (claimed 5 lumens) beam second has gone past being a quirk to being a major annoyance. It seems to make no real sense, a waste of battery life and gives you a blast of blinding light before a more acceptable level.

Second, as noted by many initially, the finishing is VERY slick. It might not seem it at first, but in actual useage I've dropped my E1b three times. It's not just the holding of it, but it's also hard to turn the tailcap or head. There are some longitudinal grooves milled into the light as a sort of afterthought - but they are totally inadequate. If it weren't for the clip, handling this light would be like holding a greased snake in a ballbearing factory.

So whilst it's no doubt a high quality light, and on this forum, lights get totally dissected in reviews and expectations/standards are so much higher than anywhere else; I can't recommend it.

I was hoping I wouldn't have to look elsewhere for a light for this role, but the E1b is forcing me to seek another solution.

Critically, I think this is a failure of design and testing rather than any kind of engineering failure.

Sounds like you should sell it and get a new E1L. Similar, but with regular knurling and a low->high switching sequence.

Agree, the new E1L coming out might be just what you want.

How did the E1B slip out of your hand? Was it wet, or oily?

gary3911 said:

Critically, I think this is a failure of design and testing rather than any kind of engineering failure.

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Nothing wrong with not liking a light and it failing to meet your needs. I can think of more than a few high end lights I have no use for. However to call those lights a "failure of design" I don't think is fair. Just because this lights features does not meet your needs doesn't mean that it doesn't meet someone elses needs.

An example would be a police officer ( its intended market). If I was a officer I would definitely want the high coming on first, not the low. And I actually like the smooth finish in my pocket.

Bill

Gary,
Those 2 points you mentioned are the very 2 reasons I decided not to get one. The high to low is a personal preference/need which I don't prefer. It is a personal preference only. The smoothness/lack of grip is, I feel, a flaw in the design of any light that small, especially from a tactical standpoint.

this model was designed/tailored with a specific purpose in mind. imo, surefire's marketing has been fairly articulate/transparent regarding the features of this model. as others have mentioned, there's other alternatives that provide a first stage low setting & knurling; however, these features wouldn't necessarily fit with the intent of the backup.

There are a couple of things I really like about the E1B. The clip is great and does go in your pocket very well. As for the slickness of the light I agree, but there is a fairly easy fix, if you drop an O-ring in the large space just behind the head it helps keep it from slipping in your hand. This light has become my 2nd favorite EDC right behind a 2 stage E1L that I managed to get.

Right on,Bill! Sometimes the "drama" gets a little thick.....

I don't have much use for a Bulldozer, but does that mean that the dozer is a poorly designed SUV?



I find the UI of the Backup to be perfect for my needs, and I'm not a LEO or "tacticool". I am tired of having to go through low to get to high every time I use my light. I see the E1B as high level light , with an optional low available; the opposite of the L1 IMO. This is the first Surefire since the E2E to be easily carried in pocket all the time; carries much easier than the E2E, BTW. I've been using it at work, with gloves on, wet hands, very cold and tired hands, and I've never dropped it- some people are just more clumsy than others, can't design for everybody... IMHO its not slippery at all, its too thin at the tail, making the light a little head-heavy and not offering much to grab at the tail end. I think all single cell e-series Surefire lights have the same characteristics, the tiny bit of knurling doesn't have much effect either way. My PD-S and most every Fenix made is far more slippery than the backup, just look at the giant clip that is there on the E1B to aid grip! I have found that the stock tailcap is good when the light is in your pocket, very low profile and the light disappears in pocket. However, I much prefer switching the tailcap for a Z68, which makes the light much easier to hold on to, adds a place to attach a lanyard, and allows cigar-grip and tailstanding.

This is just another example of people needing something to gripe about, and since this is a great ight, there isn't much to choose from.:nana:

Cool thing is that Surefire offers many interchangeable parts and various designs....The new KX1's should make alot of folks happy!

BTW, just because Surefire targeted the LEO community with this light, doesn't mean it has no applicability to us regular civilians...I mean cummon, how many folks really need a M6 to walk the dog, or use it as it was intended.....

Hitthespot said:

Nothing wrong with not liking a light and it failing to meet your needs. I can think of more than a few high end lights I have no use for. However to call those lights a "failure of design" I don't think is fair. Just because this lights features does not meet your needs doesn't mean that it doesn't meet someone elses needs.

An example would be a police officer ( its intended market). If I was a officer I would definitely want the high coming on first, not the low. And I actually like the smooth finish in my pocket.

Bill

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I've had to modify my E1B in order to make it work for me.

1) I do like the high mode on first. This is a targeted light for the LEO crowd or those who are carrying concealed.

2) I've been carrying some variant of the E1 (mostly the E1e) for a LONG time in my front pocket. I've never had an issue with it tearing up my pockets - whether it be Jeans, dress pants, etcetera.

3) The body of the light is too slick. Period. I had to mod mine with a different tailcap in order for it to work for me. IMHO - Some mild knurling has to be there to make it work better.

As a former LEO instructor, this light works in it's intended design. It's only fixes is just some sort of increase in it's grippiness and my own personal wish (which diverges from Surefire's intentions) that it work with 3.7v rechargeables.

-Steve

I like the E1b even more after 2 weeks of real world use. It fits in my pocket easily, is super bright for its size, and has a very useful low level. Never had a problem with it slipping from my hands. Failure of design for the high to come on first? I believe the only failure was that of the OP to consider his needs....

Does anyone stock Z68 tail caps? Can they be ordered from Surefire directly?

This kind of thread makes no sense whatsoever. You say that the two main problems are that the High then Low switch assembly is a problem for you, and the other problem for you is that it is too slick due to it's lack of knurling. The reason I don't see any problems here and don't understand this thread is because both of these "problems" were cleary stated as part of it's description, you knew that there was no knurling and knew the body would be slick, and it specically says that it switches from high to low. If you don't really like it than I agree with the above posts and say that you should sell the E1B and get the new E1L, it will fix both problems.

-Evan

WadeF said:

Does anyone stock Z68 tail caps? Can they be ordered from Surefire directly?

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I don't think the Z68 is available now. I know you can take a Z61 and put an OregonShooter add on to it. I've debated about doing that to my E1B.

-Steve

There's no multi-level style that can make everyone happy. I have a bias towards clickies and against not having access to high with 1 press.

I surely have purchased items that I either wanted to try or thought that would fit, but in use or trial....found that they weren't for me.

I also surely believe that with all the opinions shared on this forum that telling that you changed your mind is very acceptable and very good.

I change my mind (when I can remember!) all the time and my needs and wants change as well.

The flashlights that I use, am very particular about ( have small hands and knurling works better.....and I bought a few "smooth" to completely learn this lesson). I also prefer low first...but have tried lights that are bright, first. (Guess I am an idiot :nana

The comment

"This kind of thread makes no sense whatsoever"

IMO could apply to many threads OTHER than this. Most say "buy a XXXXX,
because I have one and it is the best and brightest".

Rant mode off....some here amaze me!

jeffb

I've had mixed feelings when I received the E1B (never owned a 1 cell surefire before). I'm glad I kept it and after a couple weeks of EDC (used everyday mornings and nights), it makes alot of sense for me to have high on first. I agree with mspeterson that this is a high level light with an optional low. I rarely use low since I'm outdoors when I use the light. I don't walk around the house with a flashlight when there are lights I could just turn on.

I've never dropped the light, clip makes the light stay put in hand.

just my experience

I have to agree, it was advertised as high first, low second. Also, with LEO and Concealed carry foremost on this lights marketing, I'm not sure why you bought it. Granted, you did and I'm sorry you're unhappy. I'd rather have a tactical light that goes HIGH first, otherwise what's the point. If you need a low, you can go slow put the light down on your pants or something and cycle through. When one wants high on a tactical light, there isn't time to cycle, hence why tactical light should be high to start. That's one reason I like my HDS/Novatac, I can program it how I want it.

I see a lot of recommendations to get the new E1L if you don't like the bright setting first, but they are not the same output. E1B has a 80 lumen max, E1L has a 45 lumen max.

schiesz

WadeF said:

Does anyone stock Z68 tail caps? Can they be ordered from Surefire directly?

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Currently, no. Not direct from Surefire.