Are Surefire lights better than other brands?

Now that I've spent a little while looking into higher end flashlights for the first time, I've noticed that Surefire lights are significantly more expensive than most other brands.

You can spend twice as much, or close to it, on a Surefire than on a similar featured flashlight with similar brightness.

They are made in America, but is that the only reason they are more expensive, or are they significantly better?

Yes.

They're made in the US so that might be the price premium but they're proven and have been around for decades.

yes / no / whatever lies in personal point of view,
the product that works for You is "better", not the brand

if that is a Surefire light - good
if that is another makers light - also good

if the light You use fails ---> not good, even if it is from some premium maker

They have an outstanding warranty service and fantastic build construction. Plenty of surefire threads to search for. Search button is your friend!

It depends on what you mean by "better". If you want a brand that is proven tough and reliable and backed by exceptional customer service then you won't find much better than Surefire. HDS Systems is another brand that comes to mind. These are lights you could literally bet your life on.

To try an honest attempt to answer your question, yes, Surefire is better than alot (not all) of flashlight brands. There high cost is due to 3 reasons...

1) Made in the USA...labor costs more
2) They make the best...they use the best...they don't cut corners on construction...the buy the best parts for there lights (as far as functionality goes), regardless of the price. The spend more on their O-Rings, the spend more to make the threads smoother, they spend more on research and development.
3) Warranty...and not a hollow one. The don't just claim to back their lights, they actually do...and that's figured into the cost. Wonder why their LED heads cost $80-$100??? Cause they will repair/replace it for life...seriously.

Am I an SF fan? Yes. Why? I've used and abused and trust their products. Hope that answers your questions. Do some research, and find the one you want. The basics are the G2 or 6P. if you want top of the line, check the marketplace for a U2, or an LX2/A2L. Oh...and Welcome to CPF!!!

A loaded question. There's no question that many other brands can offer a better value, but Surefire is a consistent innovator (hybrid regulated incandescent, 2-stage tail switch, 4-position clicky, and so on). Their products also spent much longer in testing and R&D phases, and you are paying for the assurance that they have been put through the wringer before being put on the market.