I am done with P60 modules

Surefire P60 is obsolete for me. I like the surefire G2x bezel more, it throws further and is just as compact despite being deeper.
For example surefire g2x pro throws further than malkoff m61.
I also like the head of malkoff Hound dog for serious business but maybe not every day carry.

etc said:

Surefire P60 is obsolete for me. I like the surefire G2x bezel more, it throws further and is just as compact despite being deeper.
For example surefire g2x pro throws further than malkoff m61.
I also like the head of malkoff Hound dog for serious business but maybe not every day carry.

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I'm with you dude. It's saves a good bit of weight as well, making the light feel balanced.

I own 2 Surefire G2x lights that sit in my cars for an emergency use. They are nice lights with two levels that throw farther than my Malkoff dropins, but I am still interested in the P60 format. Nothing beats the Malkoff M61 (n, w, Nichia) dropins for beam quality, flexibility and overall satisfaction for this flashlight enthusiast. I hope the P60 format stays around for a long time.

There are so many different P60 modules though... I have a Nailbender or five, all are quite lightweight and run circles (as far as output) around a G2X. Different tools for different jobs. Yes, M61's and their kin are heavy, but they heatsink like nobody's business. Lots of different P60 choices out there, you can write your own ticket as far as UI, tint, flood, throw, etc. And the platform is relatively future proof as newer emitters come out...

It's not all about throw unless that's your requirement. Speaking of throw the Mountain electronics drop-in actually throws good but does so because of massive output. Looks very very near the claimed 1000 lumens. I also have an older R5 single mode XP-G1 that really throws great but is also very bright and has a smooth deeper (within the confines of the host) reflector. But again high lumen ratings are also not the most important aspect unless that's important to a particular user. Personally I like the M61L or LLs.

Interesting points about throw. If we look back to the classic SF lights, I see three lines: e-series heads for edc, Z44/P60 for general use (& police duty), and lastly the extensive line of Turboheads - which ruled the roost for throw at the time. Although some here have put together P60-format lights with a reasonable amount of throw, the original format was always supposed to be a compromise. What is interesting (and perhaps logical in these times of LED's) is that SF has moved away from their once-ubiquitous TH's and as a result, don't seem to have as many new throwers these days.

I think my point is, P60 has its limits. And if you want to go far outside of M61 boundaries, it's limited in throw. All of P60 modules, even most powerful ones, just don't throw all that well, because of platform limitations. You have to go to the next step. Surefire Fury bezel of G2x is an improvement over P60, just too bad it's not removable.

Malkoff M61 family is great, but it's a short range module with optimum use up to 30 meters IMO. After that, it runs out of steam. Yes it will light up things at 100m but very faintly, without much effect. A head like Hound Dog puts you in the medium thrower ranger IMO and run out of steam at a longer distance like 75m or maybe even 100m, but at the expense of EDC abilities. Surefire G2x bezel gives you a little more punch but marginally so. Perhaps M61 mates really well with P60 because both are short-range devices and work well together.

I think P60 is really good for indoor use and short range usage. But it's not a high performance situation. Even the highest-powered p60 modules don't really throw all that far, they feel like you are holding a household bulb in your hand. Once I got the hound Dog, I realized how much more performance you can get out of the platform. It's just so much substantially higher in lux. I can only wonder what a 2,000 or 3,000 lumen light will look like out of the Hound Dog.

If your looking for GREAT throw check out OMG Lumens[Michael] or SKYLUMENS[Vinh]..........I know they are modified but once you have one ALL stock seem obsolete!

etc said:

I think P60 is really good for indoor use and short range usage. But it's not a high performance situation. Even the highest-powered p60 modules don't really throw all that far, they feel like you are holding a household bulb in your hand. Once I got the hound Dog, I realized how much more performance you can get out of the platform. It's just so much substantially higher in lux. I can only wonder what a 2,000 or 3,000 lumen light will look like out of the Hound Dog.

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I use them outdoors all the time. Why? Because more often I want a floodier light outside than one with more throw especially when crossing streams etc.



But this is going to be a case of no wrong answers as personal preference is a personal matter.

I can understand your issues with the P60 format. The reflector size does have it's limitations and throw is usually regulated by the type of LED you put in there more so than any other piece of the puzzle. If you can accept this limitation and are okay with it then the format will work for you.

If you are the person who want to have multiple type of light but not buy more than one host the P60 format will still work for you as well. You can have a triple drop-in for floody work. A XP-L HI drop-in for a decent amount of throw and flood. Etc.

I don't use the P60 format myself much any longer as I prefer specialized lights for a task. But, when I first joined CPF and for a few years I would say that I was able to learn a lot about the type of LEDs, tint and beams I liked for much less than buying many lights.

My biggest problem with the P60 format now is the single click UI. I prefer a lights with multiple selection button where I can switch levels without turning the light off and losing light or having to flash myself through high just to get to a low setting. Rotation/infinite UIs also rate highly with me.

Doesn't Vinh offer P60s that put out more than 40k CD?
A XPL HI in a proper P60 smooth reflector does over 20k CD, which a few years ago, was considered throwy.
Unless you've become jaded, of course.

I bought a 6PX Pro and tried it for a while. It has a decent high and a usable low that cover most needs. What it doesn't have is a medium output, something that puts out a good amount of light for 3-4 hours. I don't need this mode often, but when I do, I really need it. So until Surefire addresses their insistence on hi-low only in affordable lights, I'll continue to use my Malkoff M361s in 6P and C2 hosts. I've burned that 65 lumens for multiple hours a few times and I see no reason to give it up.

I have three P60 lights: an original G2, an original 6P, and a Seraph 6. For emitters I have the XP-G that came with the Seraph 6, Lumens Factory's 90+ CRI three mode drop in, and Mountain Electronic's CUXM/CUXP Nichia 219B with an OP reflector. I see all three of them as all-round utility lights - low for close up work, medium for most uses like walking, etc., and high to flood an area when I need it. Where I live I can count 14 all night HPS lights, so there is no way it can be considered really dark. Given that, I can take any one of those lights and see noticeable light at 30-40 yd without any problem. If I need to see further than that I have my EA41 and TM16. When I think there is a possibility of needing more light than the EA11 and Microstream I EDC, one of those three go with me.

I was lucky. I managed to pick up all three mentioned lights with the drop ins for less than $150 within the last year or so. That is about what I paid for my TM16 this year. With those four lights, the Tube on my keychain, and the BLF 348 Nichia penlight I just scored I figure I'm ready for just about anything that comes along.

You can send me all your P60 hosts.

I went walking yesterday and took malkoff Hound dog, surefire g2x pro and surefire 9P with malkoff m61LL running on 2aa. It was kind of a test. The hd had the most reach, as expected. G2x was nice, all purpose device but not even close to Hound dog. I would say it has 20% more lux or throw than m61.

I saw some deer at about 75m, hd lit them up nicely, g2x was weaker, much, and I am sure m61 would be even worse.

M61ll was nice just looking under your feet.

Any p60 malkoff is nice navigating around the woods but if you need something beyond 50m, even beyond 35m, you need the hound dog or a very powerful and thirsty p60 module.

cland72 said:

You can send me all your P60 hosts.

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LOL!
+1

cland72 said:

You can send me all your P60 hosts.

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Great minds think alike.

EtA: That is the express purpose of the M61 configuration - to provide close to medium lighting. I kind of wish he'd kept the rights to the M60 design for a nice thrower compromise.

etc, on a serious (and sincere) note, you need all flavors of lights in your toolbox. Throwers, flooders, and all around bulletproof lights. The M61 (and it's tint/runtime/output variations) is an essential part of any serious flashlight collection. Don't be so quick to cast it out.

yeah I agree. I have M61, M61L, M60L, M61LLx2, M61LLL, etc.

etc - I am curious why you would go with a single drop in for each level rather than seeking out a drop-in that gives you multiples? I know each one is a solid device at a single level, but there is the 361.