SF G2 vs. G2 led

Flashlight noob, so be gentle...

A friend has a G2 incandescent, and I was very impressed with it. I've been considering getting one, but I like the longer run time of the led. The thing is, I've never seen a G2 led version, so I'm not sure how they compare. I'd hate to drop the coin on the led, only to be disappointed.

The light would be for general use, in my pocket on hikes, the glove box on trips, etc.

Any thoughts? side by side comparison photos?

Thanks!

another thing you can do is get the G2 incan and a malkoff M60L module, the module fits directly into it, do a search about it, some nice info awaits you.

i agree with monaloco completely.
get the incan g2 and buy an LED drop in. you'll have 2 lights in one for about the same price.

The G2 is an excellent light for the price and is a very affordable option for those who are either starting out or wish to own a Surefire, but don't want to or can't pay for their higher priced lights. It is essentially maintenance free and offers a solid body for different types of light; you sound like you've gained some familiarity with them.

Many here say the aluminum head of the G2L doesn't do that much more in the way of dissipating heat over the Nitrolon head, and the finish of the head is susceptible to dings and scratches. It is my opinion that a G2 (Nitrolon incan version) with an LED upgrade such as the Malkoff M60L would be an excellent option, and one that isn't that massively different in price than a G2L, but is a better performer in the way of output and light quality. If you were to purchase the light and for whatever reason not like it, getting rid of it is going would be fairly easy. There are many here who would help you out if you decided the G2 wasn't what you were looking for.

If you use the search function using 'Malkoff' and 'G2', you will get quite a bit of information relative to your question. I learned what I know about lights from the recommendations posted here; it is an excellent learning source and the community is very friendly.

Oh, and of course, :welcome:. It's nice to have you here.

I agree. I would get the regular G2 and play with it for a while while you research what LED dropin you want. You could also consider getting a cheaper DX dropin at first, too.

I don't think malkoff has heat protection, so you may want to stick with SF's P60L in plastic light. While P60L isn't a great performer it does have protection circuit to prevent damage from heat build up.

malkoffs have a brass heatsink.

can u run the malkoff with rechargeable 123s?

eFxA2C said:

can u run the malkoff with rechargeable 123s?

Click to expand...

With two RCR123's yes. Do not try it in a 3-cell light with three RCR123's.

manoloco said:

malkoffs have a brass heatsink.

Click to expand...

There is still no place for heat to go from there.

The main difference is LED vs Incan(the LED is much cooler, it seems like the P60L overall has a slightly purple tint), runtime(3 hours regulated for LED vs 1 hour runtime for incan), and longevity(LEDs slowly dim, not burn out).

You don't even have to buy a Surefire. A single powered AA light like the Nitecore Defender Infinity sould be able to match the G2 for output(not throw though beacause of the smaller refelctor).

For general use I think a multimode light might be a better choice. The different levels of output can be very useful.

What price, battery, output, throw, and runtime are you looking for?

:welcome:

I currently have a G2 nitrolon in olive drab that has a Malkoff M60LL in it. That bulb runs a full 8 hours, at full power, at 80 lumens. Then you start to get diminishing light after the 8 hours. It makes a great survival light. You should look into that bulb as well.

jzmtl said:

There is still no place for heat to go from there.

Click to expand...

The M60L does not generate enough heat to be either harmful to the LED or to be concerned about reguardless of the host body used.

Nothing wrong with a $13 R2 "5-mode" drop-in for a G2. You'll have a very, very bright light for several minutes at a time (so you don't damage things), lesser modes for longevity and decent brightness...and of course a very fast strobe and a useless SOS mode!

But hey, in "bang for the buck" category, NOTHING beats it and far outweighs the minimal risk you'll overheat things keeping it on high too long. $32 for the G2, $13 shipped for the drop-in. And guess what? If you toast the drop-in..you'll still be able to get another drop-in (maybe something with less modes) and still fare well financially. But otherwise, if you don't mind spending more on the drop-in than the light cost, then get that absolute blessing that is the Malkoff drop-in.

My first Surefire purchase was the G2L and its still stock and i love it. Alot of people say its not the brightest light out there,true but it has a very nice floody beam and its very useful for everyday use.
I really appreciate the beam when i'm outdoors in pitch darkness.
A great light with alot of upgrades available.

Take care

Another thing to keep in mind that I don't remember seeing someone say yet, is that the G2L bezel is hex anti-roll, while the G2 incan is still somewhat anti-roll but not hex and with very small nubs. I'm not sure if the OP would have a preference, but I certainly like my hex bezel better. Budget permitting, I'd go a step further and get a C2-HA host. They hold their value more than the G2's should one wish to resell, and they're considered by many to be the ideal Malkoff host. I keep a G2 with P60 in the glove compartment, and a C2-HA with Malkoff in the closet as a go-to light.

Lowes stores will take just about anything back with the receipt. Buy them both and return whichever you don't like the next day.

For me I was having a hard time making the jump to CR123's and the extended run time of the led made that easier. Plus I didn't want to have to baby the light and the LED is MUCH more durable as far as dropping it when its lit. The incan module also has a relatively short lifespan. I forget what it was but I was shocked when I read it.

Call me old fashion but for me i still like the stock surefire bulb/LED when i

buy it.. I know the malkoff is great but having carrying a original Srefire

assembly makes me feel more.. complete? hahaha. Well maybe 1 day i will

try the malkoff..:naughty:

Cost to run a G2 for 11 Hours

Light = $39
Batteries (20x $1.5)* = $33

Total Cost = $72

(1 hour on the included batteries and then 10 more sets of batteries required for additional 10 hours = 20 batteries)

Cost to run a G2L for 11 Hours

Light = $69
Batteries (2x $1.5) = $ 3

Total = $72

(This figures 5.5 hours on the included set of batteries and an additional set of batteries, which is pretty conservative I think)

So after 11 hours of use the cost is about the same.

A lot of people will tell you that the Surefire first-party P60L LED lamp module isn't worth it. I disagree. It is awesome. First off you get Surefire's legendary warranty and reliability, and secondly it offers a fantastic amount of runtime. Nothing against the Malkoff M60, but the P60L is an excellent choice.