Surefire vs Streamlight vs Fenix vs 4Sevens vs Other

[tbenedict]

Eneloops are the only ones that have lasted for me. They last, hold their charge, and are quite durable. I have had at least four other brands go bad. I haven't had one Eneloop fail yet. One big plus to either rechargeables or Lithium primaries is they don't leak. Costco frequently has a nice bundle for around $20.

[drivenfrmwithin]

I ended up ordering the Fenix PD32. Should have it Thursday! Sent from my iPhone

[jgradyc]

These are all good lights, but you don't really have to pay that much to get a good LED light any more. The state of the art in LEDs has advanced a lot in the past few years.

 

I have several no-name LED lights that are great. My favorite is a Convoy M1 bought for $20+ at www.FastTech.com  It uses an 18650 Li Ion rechargeable battery. There are a lot of options with the Convoy line with different beam widths and colors. I'll probably buy a Convoy S7 soon.  I'd say that my best 18650 lights put out nearly as much light as a single low beam car headlamp and I didn't pay more than $25 for it.

 

A couple of Panasonic rechargeable 18650 batteries will cost about $9 apiece and a good Li Ion charger will cost about $25-$30. There are a lot of junk batteries, but if you stick with Panasonic or Sanyo you should be okay.  A good website to read LED flashlight reviews is www.BudgetLightForum.com

 

I've had good luck with other brands as well, but the folks at BLF have given good reviews for the Convoy line, so I'm sticking with it. (They also speak highly of Fenix and 4Sevens. Surefire and Streamlight are generally considered to be paying more for the name.)

[GlockSpock]

So now I'm considering a Nitecore SRT5 vs the Fenix PD35.

 

I really wish Surefire would just end this by offering lights with more functionality.

[GlockSpock]

Givin' up my Fenix PD35 would be akin to losin' my weapon. My Ruger, Fenix, Leatherman and Kershaw are more important than underwear in my book and have been seen wearin' only those and a belt before. You should thank God there were no pics.

 

So I am very tempted to purchase the PD35 for myself. What is important for me is for the light to be usable as a blinding/disorienting tool easily without complication. I notice that it has an "instant strobe" accessible by holding the side button (I believe). My question is whether or not it will "remember" strobe mode. For example, if I am about to go for a night walk and I turn the light on "strobe" mode before I get started, will it remember that it is on strobe mode for the duration of the walk? How well does the memory function work? Does it theoretically remember what setting it is on forever as long as you leave the battery in? 

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Dunno about the pd35. Maybe the pd35 has different controls. I have a fenix TK-15 that has worked fine and I like it. Dual cr123 small light with tail button and side button toward the front. Tail button is either momentary with half-push, or push-on/push-off with full click. When the light is on (either momentary click or push-on full click), if you quick push-release the side button, each time it cycles thru the four brightness levels. If you turn on the light and hold the side button (or alternately hold the side button and then turn on the light), it waits about 1 second then enters strobe mode. If you turn off the light, it forgets the previous strobe mode and remembers the last brightness setting next time it is turned on.

 

If I grasp that TK-15 in the fist, with thumb on tail button, then the little finger can be (carefully) placed over the side-button. In theory somebody could quickly grab the light with thumb on rear button and pinkie finger on side button, press both buttons at once and enter strobe mode within 1 second. But I've tried to do that, and it is difficult for me to do when I'm thinking about the light and nothing else, and it would be impossible for me to do in an emergency.

 

However, the side button in combination with the tail button is easy-peasy for two-handed control. Or first turning the light on, holding the light with thumb over side button, and adjusting the brightness. Except for easy getting into strobe, one-handed, Fenix' two button system is easier more convenient than some of the difficult-to-remember lights with rotating controls and such.

 

I have a larger TK-45, also really like it. Real bright for the era it was made, runs on 8 AA and about the size of a 2-C cell old flashlight. That one is waterproof with 2 side switches side-by-side near the front. Held like an old-style flashlight, buttons under the thumb-- One button is on/off (electronic-latching, not physical switch latching), and the other button cycles thru the four brightness levels. When the light is on, a quick double-click on the on/off switch enters strobe mode. IOW, if the light is off, a triple-click goes right to strobe mode. When the light is strobing, a quick double-click will go back to flash light mode. When you turn off the light, it forgets about the previous strobe mode.

 

The TK-45 would be very obnoxious in somebody's face, in strobe mode or not. It is easy-peasy to go right into strobe mode. But with side buttons you have to carry the TK-45 like a farmer, rather than carrying a tail-switch light like an ultra-kewl tactical feller.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Lester Weevils

[southernasylum]

For anyone who is interested, many laptop batteries use 18650 rechargeable batteries wired in sequence. My wife's laptop battery needed replacing so I cut the old one open and use the 6 salvaged batteries in some cheap Chinese Cree flashlights with no problems. The batteries all tested fine so it must have been part of the circuit board that was bad. I got a USB charger from Amazon for under $6 to charge them and it works great.

 

I bought a couple 5 mode Cree lights and didn't like having to cycle thru the modes so I modded them bypassing the circuitry and now have simple on off maximum brightness settings. For 6 to 8 bucks a light I have absolutely no complaints. I do long for some of the high end lights but I can't get myself to pay that kind of money.

 

-southernasylum

[jhc77]

So I am very tempted to purchase the PD35 for myself. What is important for me is for the light to be usable as a blinding/disorienting tool easily without complication. I notice that it has an "instant strobe" accessible by holding the side button (I believe). My question is whether or not it will "remember" strobe mode. For example, if I am about to go for a night walk and I turn the light on "strobe" mode before I get started, will it remember that it is on strobe mode for the duration of the walk? How well does the memory function work? Does it theoretically remember what setting it is on forever as long as you leave the battery in?

I've got the PD35. On/off button on the back. The pad on the side has 5 clicks. Press and hold for 850 lumens of strobe, release and it goes back to normal setting. Sucker is very bright. Turn it off and back on, it goes to the brightness you left it on previously.
Just noticed a few weeks ago a UC40 model popped up. Rechargeable version of almost the same light and 950 lumen. Tempted, but I also picked up another light not long after the Fenix.

[drivenfrmwithin]

I looked at the PD35 as well. Decided the 32 was enough for me, even though was only a few dollars difference in the 2. Can't wait to get mine. Sent from my iPhone

[MiddTennTaco]

2 x Surefire G2X Tactical (320L @ 2.5hrs, CR123a)
Fenix E01 (12L @ 21hrs, AAA)

Fenix LD22 (215L @ 2hrs, 2 x AA)

Fenix TK35 (860L @ 1.5hrs, 4 x CR123a)

Streamlight Stinger LED (28L @ 2hrs)

Streamlight Microstream (350L @ 2hrs, Rechargeable)

 

My end of the world reliability flashlight would definitely be a Surefire and in that manner they are definitely worth their exorbitant prices. I have two G2X Tacticals - one with a switch mounted on my AR and one in my car. The thing that really gets to me with these Surefires is that while they're built extremely tough (and I have beaten the shittake out of them) they will cost you a whole hell of a lot of money buying CR123a's on top of their initial cost. For an avid flashlight enthusiast as myself, this is not reasonable or affordable.

 

I then went to an extreme opposite end and bought some Fenix flashlights. While they aren't anything to sneeze at I would not depend my life on it. Upon examining the build quality I would not be comfortable dropping any Fenix onto a hard surface from more than 5 feet. Most of them are more or less waterproof/resistant. To me, this is good for additional lights for hiking, camping, walking the dog at night, etc.

 

I then found myself a happy medium that I am completely content with. The Streamlight LED Stinger is a rechargeable light that puts out 350L with a 2 hour battery life. This light is extremely popular around law enforcement and mechanics alike. They are extremely tough (the worst ones I've seen were at mechanic shops) and cost you nothing in batteries. At that, they have an excellent battery life! Now I wouldn't be comfortable running the light over with a truck (I wouldn't mind doing this with a surefire on soil) but I am more than comfortable with throwing a Streamlight across a room and slamming it into concrete. There's a chance that the lens might crack but it will continue working and stay intact. This is more than enough to serve my purposes.

 

That's my 2 cents.

[GlockSpock]

I want to try a rechargeable Streamlight but I haven't found one I like. I haven't look too hardly at them, but do they have one that is easily pocketable for EDC, has a pocket clip that allows for bezel down carry, tailcap switch that does not switch modes, and hopefully a super duper "low" mode accessible in some fashion.

 

I had the Quark Pro QP2A and put a tactical tailcap on it. I liked it but I decided I disliked the mode switching because I kept strobing myself in the dark due to the long reset time. I sold in in effort to find something else and ended up just buying the Quark Tactical QT2A.

 

I think my next purchase will either be the Quark Turbo QB2A (mainly because I think it is slightly higher construction quality and I want to see which parts will "lego" with my QT2A head) or the Maelstrom MMR-X (because it supports USB charging and runs off of a single 18650). I think it would be too large for an EDC light but it would be nice for a chargeable home light.

 

The "Quark" line of lights is really nice, but their build quality is not as awesome as Surefire or Streamlight. However, I think the Maelstrom and Quark Turbo lines are a bit better. I felt of a friend's older Maelstrom, it felt as solid as a Mag-Lite and just as heavy too.

 

My QT2A gets here today alongside my BC-700 AA Ni-Mh charger. The package of Eneloops that I purchased came with a charger, but a charger such as the BC-700 has many options and gives you information on the battery as well. I figured that for $30 I would give it a try. Review on both items soon!

[jeff43]

Has anybody looked at the lights that WalMart carries?They have some that says they are 1000 lumens and 500 and 700 lumens.Some are rechargeable and some run with AA's.Prices are from $40 to $70.I may get one of the 1000 lumen lights and try it. I can always return it if it' s not a good light.

[Tobashadow]

[quote name="jeff43" post="1127190" timestamp="1395281294"]Has anybody looked at the lights that WalMart carries?They have some that says they are 1000 lumens and 500 and 700 lumens.Some are rechargeable and some run with AA's.Prices are from $40 to $70.I may get one of the 1000 lumen lights and try it. I can always return it if it' s not a good light.[/quote] The Ozark Trail brand ones are pretty good, I bought the 150 lumens with the Cree led for $10 and I end up grabbing it more often then my Surefire. We ended up with three of them in the house.

[jeff43]

The Ozark Trail brand ones are pretty good, I bought the 150 lumens with the Cree led for $10 and I end up grabbing it more often then my Surefire. We ended up with three of them in the house.

Yes , I think you can buy some really good lights ( bright) for not a lot of money nowadays .I have some lights I bought at a gun show a couple years back for $10 each, they have held up good and are bright.( 200 lumens) The brand is TechLight,they use 3 AAA's and have low, bright ,and strobe.I have a couple of Surefire's but use these more.I would like to try one of the 1000 lumens at WM, just to see how bright they are.