flashlight help

BBeard · Aug 7, 2010

I am looking for a new flashlight. I currently have a Surefire Outdoorsman fitted with the optional 60 lumen incandescent bulb.I was amazed when I went back to surefire's website, at how much flashlights have changed.
Below is a list of what I am looking for. Hopefully with some good input I can cut my search time down.
1. Reliability and good manufacture support
2. At least 120 lumens but really prefer 200
3. Pocket clip that has bezel down orientation or bi directional clip
4 Good durable finish like Mil spec III
5 Momentary illumination and twist for on
6. Exposed tailcap button. do not want or need button that is recessed
This is for supplementing a ccw so lots of fancy stuff not needed
7. random tactical strobe
8. Pocket sized. The Surefire i have has the 1" bezel which is perfect for pocket carry.
OK in advance thanks for your help.

Jash · Aug 7, 2010

Don't know if you want to stick with Surefire or not.

If not, try this.

SiliconCali · Aug 7, 2010

BBeard said:
I am looking for a new flashlight. I currently have a Surefire Outdoorsman fitted with the optional 60 lumen incandescent bulb.I was amazed when I went back to surefire's website, at how much flashlights have changed.
Below is a list of what I am looking for. Hopefully with some good input I can cut my search time down.
1. Reliability and good manufacture support
2. At least 120 lumens but really prefer 200
3. Pocket clip that has bezel down orientation or bi directional clip
4 Good durable finish like Mil spec III
5 Momentary illumination and twist for on
6. Exposed tailcap button. do not want or need button that is recessed
This is for supplementing a ccw so lots of fancy stuff not needed
7. random tactical strobe
8. Pocket sized. The Surefire i have has the 1" bezel which is perfect for pocket carry.
OK in advance thanks for your help.

Check out the new Surefire Z2-S LED. It splits the difference on lumens at 160, bezel is 1/4" larger than what you have now, and meets every other requirement except the pocket clip.

I have one and think it's a tremendous light. Rock solid and IMHO a good value (features vs price) relative to the other Surefire offerings. :twothumbs

:welcome:

sfca · Aug 7, 2010

BBeard said:
I am looking for a new flashlight. I currently have a Surefire Outdoorsman fitted with the optional 60 lumen incandescent bulb.I was amazed when I went back to surefire's website, at how much flashlights have changed.
Below is a list of what I am looking for. Hopefully with some good input I can cut my search time down.
1. Reliability and good manufacture support
2. At least 120 lumens but really prefer 200
3. Pocket clip that has bezel down orientation or bi directional clip
4 Good durable finish like Mil spec III
5 Momentary illumination and twist for on
6. Exposed tailcap button. do not want or need button that is recessed
This is for supplementing a ccw so lots of fancy stuff not needed
7. random tactical strobe
8. Pocket sized. The Surefire i have has the 1" bezel which is perfect for pocket carry.
OK in advance thanks for your help.

I think with the momentary illumination and twist for on most of these, if not all are Surefires. In fact I believe the switch is patented.

jabe1 · Aug 7, 2010

sfca said:
I think with the momentary illumination and twist for on most of these, if not all are Surefires. In fact I believe the switch is patented.

Peaks with the momentary switch are momentary with twist for constant, but no clips.

carrot · Aug 7, 2010

Clearly you are looking for the LX2.

BBeard · Aug 7, 2010

Jash said:
Don't know if you want to stick with Surefire or not.

If not, try this.

The way I hold it is like a syringe with the body between my fingers and the tailcap button against my palm. Will the recessed button tailcap work like this?
Thanks for your help!

BBeard · Aug 7, 2010

SiliconCali said:
Check out the new Surefire Z2-S LED. It splits the difference on lumens at 160, bezel is 1/4" larger than what you have now, and meets every other requirement except the pocket clip.

I have one and think it's a tremendous light. Rock solid and IMHO a good value (features vs price) relative to the other Surefire offerings. :twothumbs

:welcome:

Thanks for the welcome

This looks like a great forum. I went today and looked at the Z2S. Its a little larger than I wanted but I could live with it. The killer is the pocket clip. I dont want to use a holster and I dont want it loose in my pocket where i would have to dig for it. I saw some clips on the for sale section. I will check if he has any for this flashlight. Thanks too for the help!

SiliconCali · Aug 8, 2010

You bet BBeard, glad you are here. You'll get plenty of good recommendations from the folks here. I'd wager that it will ultimately be a 'dilema of choice' issue versus a lack of options.

jhc37013 · Aug 8, 2010

carrot said:
Clearly you are looking for the LX2.

That's a heck of light and that's what I was thinking, but to the OP do you really need strobe? If so no LX2 for you.

BBeard · Aug 8, 2010

jhc37013 said:
That's a heck of light and that's what I was thinking, but to the OP do you really need strobe? If so no LX2 for you.

From everything i have read I would like to have the strobe. I would prefer that the flashlight come on with full brightness and the strobe. A variable frequency strobe.
I've got a feeling nobody makes exactly what i want.
Streamlights PT 2L seems to come the closest so far. I wish I could find a review of this light or somebody who owns one.

carrot · Aug 8, 2010

I'm pretty sure you don't want strobe.

jhc37013 · Aug 8, 2010

BBeard said:
From everything i have read I would like to have the strobe. I would prefer that the flashlight come on with full brightness and the strobe. A variable frequency strobe.

Well if you really want strobe and a tough light and can't find it in the Surefire lineup have you looked at the HDS Ra Clickys? I'm not sure about variable frequency strobe but you can program the light to do basically anything you want including strobe.

Edit- HDS has twisty and clicky

BBeard · Aug 8, 2010

carrot said:
I'm pretty sure you don't want strobe.

Why is that?

carrot · Aug 8, 2010

Because it means then you can't get a Surefire LX2, which otherwise perfectly meets your requirements.

BBeard · Aug 8, 2010

carrot said:
Because it means then you can't get a Surefire LX2, which otherwise perfectly meets your requirements.

LMAO I was expecting a detailed explanation of the pitfalls of current strobe technology

carrot · Aug 8, 2010

BBeard said:
LMAO I was expecting a detailed explanation of the pitfalls of current strobe technology

Well, I got nothing. :shrug:

I personally do not think much of strobe on tactical lights, but on the other hand there are a lot of people who do. Suppose you could say that about a lot of things...

But, you should take note of the fact that IF you are indeed terribly needing of strobe, the fact remains that there's pretty much nothing if you want a pocket clip AND strobe AND a twisty tailcap. As far as strobe is concerned, you can have the pocket clip or the twisty tailcap it seems, but not both. If you forget the pocket clip you can have the Z2-S, if you forget the twisty tailcap you can have the Inforce, Quark Tactical, Ra Clicky or Novatac Storm...

jp2515 · Aug 8, 2010

BBeard said:
LMAO I was expecting a detailed explanation of the pitfalls of current strobe technology

Let's not go into a detailed explanation of that here, a Search would be a better idea.

Pretty much strobe is a personal preference, some like it (and must have it) while others don't want it/like it.

jhc37013 · Aug 8, 2010

BBeard said:
LMAO I was expecting a detailed explanation of the pitfalls of current strobe technology

There is lots of threads debating the strobe function my personal opinion is it is useless for a EDC light, the only thing I have ever used strobe for is to annoy my wife. You would be better served to have a high and a low for tasks that require up close observations and to also preserve battery life.

Two things very important to me in my EDC is to have a very bright light to illuminate a large area with medium range throw and also to have a low mode for up close work and for the reassurance that if the situation/emergency arises that you have something on hand for extended runtimes.

BBeard · Aug 8, 2010

jhc37013 said:
There is lots of threads debating the strobe function my personal opinion is it is useless for a EDC light, the only thing I have ever used strobe for is to annoy my wife. You would be better served to have a high and a low for tasks that require up close observations and to also preserve battery life.

What better reason to get one then? :devil:

Ive carried a Surefire Outdoorsman with the 60 lumen bulb for several years and until I joined this website I had no idea what throw and spill were. I almost always need to see things at a distance. Over illumination has never been a problem. I just shine the light off to the side until the glare has subsided or I wrap my hand around the bezel to choke off the light. My primary number 1 concern is as a defensive tool. Anything I use it for outside of that is icing on the cake. I only need full brightness with momentary contact illumination. If I can have the choice of strobe or not thats more icing As long as i can make the strobe come on everytime at full brightness. Reduced levels of illumination are not needed and really just over complicate what I am trying to do.

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