The Ultimate Sure Fire

Random Thoughts.

Over the past few years I have found the A2 Aviator, white LED's to be the best Personal Flashlight, for my use.

It is fairly small and handy to carry. Has a fairly bright Incandesecent bulb [made maybe even better with the LF HO A2 Lamp, it is new to me I am still testing it].

For the Outdoor things I do I find Incand, much superior to LED's...

But the A2 has low output, fairly long runtime Led's, that again, I have found to be very useful.

It is this dual output, in a small package that has proven itself to me as a Personal Use Light, from Texas to Alaska to Canada, to Zimbabwe, and a few places in between, whether in the Bush, Woods, Motel Room or in the City.

I never go ANYWHERE without my A2.


SO, what I think Sure Fire needs to do is make an A2 style Turbo Head for their M Series "Illumination Tools" .

Think about it, 3 or so LED's [white] that put out from 60 to 80 lumens, with the ability to take the M Series Incandescent Lamps.

This way it would fit ANY OF the M Series lights, as it would take any of the M series turbo type bulbs.

Basically it adds a lower level of LONGER running LED light, for general purpose use to ANY of their M series Turbo lights, weapon or handheld, while still retaining the use of the Incandescent Bulbs, when their brighter Incand light is needed.

Of course they could ALSO make a 10X Dominator type head, for the M Series lights, taking 2 Incandescent bulbs, but that probably would be harder to "electronically" do. And It would not give the Loooooong run time advantage of LED's.:thumbsup:

What do y'all think?:shrug:

An 18650, 500 lumen incan bulb, with 60 - 80 lumen flood LEDs all in the same reflector.

The A2 is held in very high regard here in CPF, it was quite groundbreaking when first released. Read js' treatise on it: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/107943

However I personally feel that the day of the incandescent is over. led's are superior in almost every way, efficiency, durability, multilevels etc. The only traditional drawback of leds was the (subjective) poorer colour rendition. But even that is being addressed with the new warmer tinted leds.

A very cool idea, you listening SF?

-Mayo

dandruff

I would agree that LED's have certain advantages over incandescents.

However, I have found/discovered, that for outdoor use, where color rendition is of most importance Incanescents are still by far the best "tool" for the job.

So Both have their place, and I do not see the need for Hatfield and McCoy type Fueds.

Once upon a time, a stick with an oily rag, on fire, was a good "torch".

Who knows what the future holds.

But NOW, TODAY, for MY use Incandescents have some traits that are best for me.... AND for some other uses LED's are the best choice.


BUT a "light/torch" that combines both, like the A2 Aviator, or my futuristic "M6 AVIATOR", just might be the BEST of both "Worlds", for the "SERIOUS USER", THAT NEEDS both, LOOOONG RUN TIME, and a BRIGHT INCANDESCENT.

Yep, the A2 is definitely a SureFire icon, and has been for quite some time. I think js's thread (linked in the post above) is probably the best highlight of the A2's status among flashaholics, though if you search around, you'll find a TON of other threads praising it, as well as a seemingly endless wealth of knowledge about it - everything you ever wanted to know about the A2, but never could have imagined you'd ever think to ask.

As to your idea of an M-series turbo A2, you should check out the thread in the Flashlight Collecting subforum about "Rare and Unusual SureFires". Somewhere in that thread (or Part I, which should be linked in the first post) you'll be able to find pictures of a prototype A2 with a turbohead. Not quite the lumen output you were hoping for, but it should definitely throw further. Of course, that leaves the rather difficult task of tracking one of said prototypes down, and even then, being able to afford it...

Anyway, I definitely appreciate incandescents, and think a product like you have in mind would be pretty cool. But unfortunately, I doubt that SF will ever bring something like it to market. In fact, I don't think they'll ever be bringing ANY new models out with incan lamps. There's certainly a use and a user base for incans, but I suspect it's quite well supported by the current incan offerings in SF's lineup. I think our best bet is to hope for a transition from "normal" LED's to high CRI LED's; what say you all?

zven

You are probably right.

I may have to resort to a "Sigorney Weaver re. "Aliens", and duck tape a G3 to my M6, to get "What I Need".


However, for a working light, around my place, the SF 10X Dominator looks "like the Bomb", as the saying goes.

BUT, for a "Traveling Survival Light", what I learned from YOU, about the G3LED and AA's.... IS PRICELESS.

Just remember, the G3 "KIT" was my idea....

There is enough room on CPF for more than ONE Genius...:thumbsup:

zven said:

what say you all?

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I say that the best light is always the one just around the corner; the one just out of reach; the one you don't have.

Grox said:

I say that the best light is always the one just around the corner; the one just out of reach; the one you don't have.

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Very true. That's definitely what seems to keep us all in this hobby and frequenting these forums...

Also, I found a link to those turbo head A2 photos I was thinking of:

http://www.surefirekorea.com/board/...2&page=2&type=v&num1=999967&num2=00000&lock=N

I have a vague memory of a post somewhere (might be in the rare/usual SF's thread) of someone who had two or three different prototype A2's, including one or two types of turbo heads, and one with a crenelated bezel. Very cool stuff.

Grox said:

I say that the best light is always the one just around the corner; the one just out of reach; the one you don't have.

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Grox

I would Disagree [Respectfully].... The BEST light is, the ONE YOU HAVE, THAT GETS THE JOB DONE, THAT YOU NEED TO BE DONE, WHEN YOU NEEDED IT TO BE DONE.

You can't worry about the FUTURE, when you are in NEED, IN THE PRESENT.

Best plan is, BE PREPARED, for the Present.

THINK about the Future.

I find that what I have is perfect for the present but I can't help but look at what's in the future for the next thing to replace it. Whether that light is better or not is usually in my head.

My excuse for buying new lights used to be "But baby, it's perfect for what I need it for."

Once she started her training as well she realized every light I had was already perfect for what I needed it Goodbye excuse.

NE450No2 said:

So Both have their place, and I do not see the need for Hatfield and McCoy type Fueds.

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Never intended to start any feud! We are all entitled to our own opinions and I was just sharing mine in response to your "What do y'all think?"

NE450No2 said:

Grox

I would Disagree [Respectfully].... The BEST light is, the ONE YOU HAVE, THAT GETS THE JOB DONE, THAT YOU NEED TO BE DONE, WHEN YOU NEEDED IT TO BE DONE.

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That's the corollary, and it's also true.

dandruff said:

However I personally feel that the day of the incandescent is over. led's are superior in almost every way...

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dandruff said:

Never intended to start any feud!

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Incan vs led is offtopic?

I hear the Strion upgrade to the A2 is a nice upgrade.

NE450No2,

see if u can get Al, Size15's, to wax poetic about the M1000....

Redd

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/133466

I too think that an A2 Turbohead would be excellent, particularly with a 3 cell A2. Need an extra cell for runtime/output.

Yes, I think that OP made it clear that it was not an Incan vs LED thread, though he did bring up high CRI LEDS, but that does not imply that he wants us to get carried away with a we vs they thing here. Maybe I am wrong. It is your thread NE450No2.

Bill

Bullzeyebill said:

I too think that an A2 Turbohead would be excellent

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There's pics of such a beast (prototype) in PK's site somewhere.

NE450No2 said:

SO, what I think Sure Fire needs to do is make an A2 style Turbo Head for their M Series "Illumination Tools"

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like this? ["Generation5" Surefire Prototype owned by McGizmo]