New guy with questions

Hi guys!

I'm new to CPF. My name is Csaba, and I think I'm the thrid member from Hungary. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I've been reading this terrific forum for a while (you guys are great! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif), and I registered approx. a month ago. I wanted to delay this first post, until my Pelican M6 and some other stuffs (12x NiMH AA for my MR16 MOD) arrive, so I could write my experiences about them.

The sad thing is they never arrived. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I suppose the Postal Service lost my package, or it got stolen (it was sent via Global Priority Mail BTW). I won't give up that easy. I am going to order the same package along with some other things in the near future, just I'm gonna choose GEM for the shipping. The shipping itself will cost me $33, if I'm correct, and that's a pretty high cost in my opinion.

That's why I deciced to order some other "things" (things I would order sooner or later anyhow), so I will pay the shipping only once.
These other things would be a SureFire L5 ('cos I MUST have a SureFire /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif), and a SureFire SC1. I hope I can have resort of ksbman's truly generous offer about international forwarding (I will ask him later, when everything's planned).
Anyway, it will be hard to get things together, so I have some questions:

#1 Which is the best place to buy L5+SC1 from? I've been looking at TADgear, because of the free shipping, and good price. Are they OK?

#2 Is L5 available at the moment? Or I'll have to wait a few weeks?

#3 I was wondering if the (new) Pelican M6 LA fits into any of the SureFire SCs? I don't think I'll ever have a SureFire incan (the LAs would cost too much). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

#4 Should I order anything else? (Other than 123's) Most likely this will be my one and only order in 2004 (maybe even in 2005), and I barely can afford this one.

Ok, this post is long enough (sorry about that). Sorry about the bad English either, and thank you for you help!

Hi hacky welcome to CPF That has to be a major disappoint ment to have your first lights lost,stolen/delayed. Your english is fine. I would recommend getting your 123s from The Battery Station The L5& SC1 is also available from Dan at Tactical Warehouse. I have no experience with TadGear.Pull up a chair and enjoy the most iluminating forum around.

Forget the L5. Get an L6 (They are relatively new) from www.Brightguy.com He has them for a good discount. L6 is brighter for just a bit more money.

Surefire charges list price on there site but they have very good price on those 123 batteries 72 for $90 US ($1.25 each) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

smokinbasser: Thanks for the welcomes! Actually I knew batterystation already, great service there (if only the Postal Service delivered my package)! I've seen L5 at the Tactical Warehouse, but their price ($180) is higher than TADGear's ($158 IIRC, free shipping), and I want to keep the cost as low as possible.

NikolaTesla: Thanks for your suggestion, but the L6 costs $227... too much for me. And I like the size of the L5. I was able to test it at the local SureFire dealer, and I liked it very much. Only problem with the dealer is that the price of the KL5 only was $262 (converted). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Tell you what, Hacky- I got a bunch of lights I won't be using as much anymore and spent more before I bought the L6. It is longer and cost more than an L5 but has a better beam and throw than anything else (not including lanterns of course). Still easy to carry too. I thought the same till I seen it work- too expensive. That faded away after comparison and I already spent more total on other lights that just did not stack up. I would have been money ahead to get it first. My incandescent lights can just stay on the table now as collector's items- The L6 aint going to burn out a bulb either (nor will an L5). Have fun anyway. I will have to check that TADgear site out. Do you have there URL?

I've no doubt that the L6 is a really nice light either/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif, but the size (and the cost /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif) of the L5 is an upper limit to me.

And I'm not even sure the L5 is the best choice for me, I'm still considering an L4. I still cannot choose between them. This is what happens, when one buys a light as a "toy", not for a purpose. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

What do you think guys? Which light is more useful? I'm sure many of you has both. Which one do you use more often, and when do you use them?

Anyway, I will have a Pelican M6 or a G2 w/ P61 for throw. I want to try and incandescent too, and I mean a "real" one, not my MiniMag knockoff...

Here is the link for TADGear: www.tadgear.com.

Thanks for the URL, Hacky. Yes the L6 head is kinda big compared to L4 or L5. I have to use a eyeglass softcase to protect it while it's in my brief case (I travel a lot). Most of the equipment I work on has real poor lighting, sometimes is dirty and old. Over the years I find MOST of the problems with a very thorough visual inspection. I was using the StreamLight TL-2L mostly. It has both incandescent and LED in same light but has short run time on bright light- like 2 hours. You might want one of those too as they only cost $29 and use 2 123 batteries. The LED uses 3 small white LED's and is nor real bright unless you hold flashlight real close (1 foot) from what you are working on but plays for a real long time. The L4,L5,L6 SureFires are real bright LED only which means they won't burn out and my L6 is as bright as the 6P Surefire incandescent. Probably any of those LED SureFires can do the job. I am old though (50) and need a good bright light to see stuff and at night outdoors with no light around. The L6 shines 1 block away were as my other 5 watt luxeon light, the SteamLight TL-3 LED is only good for 20 feet or so. I guess it depends on the range you want it to work for. That is why I like the L6. REal Real bright up close but still works far at night. I must admit I have not tried an L5 at all but bet it does not go as far. There are a lot to choose from but it all is subjective when you come down to what you need or want. I need to use A) a flashlight EVERY day at work. B) a big large area flood/work light for projects frequently. (Thats why I got the X990- no need for power which some sites don't have). That TL-2L is real small too and fits in pocket were as L6 needs to hang on neck string. I guess what I am saying is there is no perfect light yet. Let me know what you think of the L5 when you get it and how long it runs on 1 set of batteries. My email is in my profile or PM me.

NikolaTesla

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Lights: ******************* CAREFULL: The last one is NOT UL approved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STREAMLIGHTS: KEY MATE, TTL-2D, TTL-3C, TL3-LED(5watt), STINGER XT-HP,
TTL-2L, TL-3AA (1 watt LED). BRINKMAN LEGEND LX. VECTOR SPORT LIGHT 1 MILLION CP.
SUREFIRE: 6P, L6 (5watt)LED. Cygolite 16 watt dual beam.
MAGLITE 2AA, 3C. Acro X990 HID. NikolaTesla 1.5 KW 1.5 Million Volt Arc light (I have Torus
blown 15KW style primary Arc & 175 amp @ 12.5 KV High Q rated .068uf resonating capacitor)

Oh one other thing, Hacky. I used to just have only a maglite 3C in my tools till about 5 years ago and I got that SureFire 6P which I used for years until all these high tech lights came out. The Brinkman LX for $20 at wallmart works as good as a 6P. Times change. The new ones really do work better. They cost more $$$ but so what. Once you get old and your kids grow up, you can afford the stuff. Hey mine are going to get it all anyway when I am gone. The stuff I heard about old guys loosing their vision sensitivity must be true because I see better with bright lights now.

NikolaTesla

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Lights: ******************* CAREFULL: The last one is NOT UL approved.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STREAMLIGHTS: KEY MATE, TTL-2D, TTL-3C, TL3-LED(5watt), STINGER XT-HP,
TTL-2L, TL-3AA (1 watt LED). BRINKMAN LEGEND LX. VECTOR SPORT LIGHT 1 MILLION CP.
SUREFIRE: 6P, L6 (5watt)LED. Cygolite 16 watt dual beam.
MAGLITE 2AA, 3C. Acro X990 HID. NikolaTesla 1.5 KW 1.5 Million Volt Arc light (I have Torus
blown 15KW style primary Arc & 175 amp @ 12.5 KV High Q rated .068uf resonating capacitor)

Hacky, I don't have any advice except to stick around and enjoy. Welcome to this great forum. Jay

NikolaTesla,

I admit to some surprise at the lack of throw of your TL-3LED. I have a TL-2LED, and I just went outside and looked across the street at the side of my neighbor's house. I paced off from where I was to the fence past his truck and it is approximately 50 yards. The TL-2LED was perfectly adequate to observe anything there.

I also have a PM6-LED and it is very bright at that distance.

I also like the SL TT-2L and the TT-1L. I think they are about as good all around light for camping and general use as anything, and they do not cost much.

Jerry

Hacky-

Welcome to the group, your English is very good.

Please consider the Surefire L4, it may meet your needs just as well as the L5. The Surefire lamp assemblies are much more durable then you believe.

Also consider Electrolumens flashlights. They have a model not yet in production, but I expect it to be very popular. This light uses three - 3 watt Luxeon LEDs (9 watts) over 200 lumen output. It runs on four common C-cells.

GregR

Wow! Thanks guys for all of the replys!

NikolaTesla: belive me, I'd rather buy a SureFire L6 for throw, and an L4 for flood illumination, but that's just too much of $$$. So I will stick to the PelicanM6/L4 or L5 combo. I've read some reviews, and the Pelican M6 seems to be a very good deal, it's a throw king (for a 2x123). I like the StreamLight TT series too (I've read Quickbeam's reviews), but you know, I have to limit myself, I can't buy 3 or 4 lights, just 2. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I already have a 7LED, 3AAA light for closeup tasks, and now I want a real thrower, and the TT series just aren't REALLY good at that. You can be sure I'll let you know my thoughts about the L5/L4, when I receive it.

jayflash: Thank you for the welcome. I can assure you, I will stick around here for a long-long time! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Double A: Again thanks for the welcome! Do you have both the L4, and L5? Which one do you find more useful? I am considering L4, because I'll have the Pelican M6 for throw, so I won't really use the L5 for high range applications. But on the other hand, sometimes I will carry the L4/L5 only, and then the L5 would be better, because the lack of the throw of the L4. Oh, It's so hard te decide! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif
I was considering an other Elektrolumens light, the XM2 till yesterday, but finally, I deciced to go with the Pelican M6, it just fits better my needs. Maybe next time I'll try one from Elektrolumens. I can see the future is very bright, but poor to me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif, thanks to you guys! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Hacky I have both the L4 & L6 and they are for two different applications and both are excellent doing their respective jobs the L6 will light up anything ouside you care to see better. The L4 really shines(sorry for the pun) in the house when navigating at night. For real throw the Surefire G2 with the P61(120 watt) incand is outstanding for its price and the LAs although pricy are well worth the few $ more. The G2 can be had for $30 almost all the time with a bit of a search.

Thanks, so you suggest me a G2+L4 combo over the G2+L5 combo? Thats ok for me /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I just thought that there isn't THAT much difference between the L4's and the L5's beam (and they both are good at flood illumination), and I like the L5's form factor better. But OK then, I give in, I'll go with the L4.