+Sissy-n-CR Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 As some of you know, I'm an engraver. I get to see many objects that people like to engrave. There are some impressive pieces of gear that come through my section. Today, it's the SureFire C3 Centurion. This is one impressive little light. For grins, I grabbed my 4D cell Maglight and went into the back room. I don't know when I last changed my Mags batteries but they're still strong. You know that mags have that adjustable focus beam. They also have a fairly uneven spot. Mine has a big hole in the middle on anything other that spot beam. Let me let ya! The little bugger is quite impressive. The beam was actually brighter than my mag and had a really smooth spot--about the equivilant of the medium bean on the mag. It's a little larger than a 2 AAcell maglite, about the size of a cheap armored 2AA cell light I have for backup. But this light beats any 2AA light, hands down, no contest. Down side? THE PRICE! $123.00 was what my customer paid for his. It takes litium batteries and last only 60 minutes. Doesn't have an adjustable beam. Oh, get this; this light is rated at 105 lumens. There is an available bulb that puts out 200 lumens!!! Definitly something on my drool list! CR Quote Link to comment
Soylent Green Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Hoooooooooooo..... Pricey!!! SYLENT GREEN IS PEPLE!!! Remember, Tuesday is Soylent Green Day...... Quote Link to comment
martmann Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 Try the Streamlight Scorpion it works just like your description of the SureFire C3, It's rugged, and well built, but isn't as finely machined as the C3. Both only last a few hours on a set of ($11 per set of 2)batteries. I love mine, I use it when I need a really bright light. Otherwise I use the increadibly bright (for an LED unit) Inova X5 which is just brighter than a 2 cell AA Mini-Mag, but last over 20 hrs on a set of batteries (takes same batteries as the Scorpion), is extreamly well made, rugged, and fits nicely in my pocket. You can get 25 Lithium CR-123 batteries for $25 at the Scorpion link above. But the best price I've seen for the duracells at the supermarket is about $11 a pair (I haven't looked in a while though, due to the price). _________________________________________________________ If trees could scream, would we still cut them down? Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason. Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest) [This message was edited by martmann on June 13, 2003 at 06:12 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+Snoogans Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 I'm partial to LED. I call my Inova X5 Tactical Floodlight my hand held sun. LED has a much longer life than bulbs. My department is switching from MagLite to INOVA. Can't beat it for the price. I have the titanium model. Sngans The greatest labor saving invention of today is tomorrow.... Quote Link to comment
Soylent Green Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Snoogans:I'm partial to LED. I call my http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/flashlights%20main/inova_x5_led_light.htm my hand held sun. LED has a much longer life than bulbs. My department is switching from MagLite to INOVA. Can't beat it for the price. I have the titanium model. Sngans http://www.texasgeocaching.comThe greatest labor saving invention of today is tomorrow.... Heyyyyyy! I have one of those. I LOVE IT! BTW- Your sig inspired my sig........... SYLENT GREEN IS PEPLE!!! Remember, Tuesday is Soylent Green Day...... Quote Link to comment
martmann Posted June 13, 2003 Share Posted June 13, 2003 I have used my Inova X5 on all my night cache hunts, (mine is the titanium finish too). This is an excellent caching flashlight. _________________________________________________________ If trees could scream, would we still cut them down? Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason. Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest) Quote Link to comment
+StarshipTrooper Posted June 26, 2003 Share Posted June 26, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Sissy-n-CR:As some of you know, I'm an engraver. I get to see many objects that people like to engrave. There are some impressive pieces of gear that come through my section. Today, it's the http://www.san.surefire.com/cgi-bin/main.pl?pgm=co_disp&func=displ&prrfnbr=894&sesent=0,0#. This is one impressive little light. For grins, I grabbed my 4D cell Maglight and went into the back room. I don't know when I last changed my Mags batteries but they're still strong. You know that mags have that adjustable focus beam. They also have a fairly uneven spot. Mine has a big hole in the middle on anything other that spot beam. Let me let ya! The little bugger is quite impressive. The beam was actually brighter than my mag and had a really smooth spot--about the equivilant of the medium bean on the mag. It's a little larger than a 2 AAcell maglite, about the size of a cheap armored 2AA cell light I have for backup. But this light beats any 2AA light, hands down, no contest. Down side? THE PRICE! $123.00 was what my customer paid for his. It takes litium batteries and last only 60 minutes. Doesn't have an adjustable beam. Oh, get this; this light is rated at 105 lumens. There is an available bulb that puts out 200 lumens!!! Definitly something on my drool list! CR http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/72057_2000.gif I have two Sure fire lights, the E2e (Executive Elite) and the G2. The E2e is the second most portable light that Surefire makes. It uses a pair of lithium batteries that last about 75 minutes and cost about $2.50 a pair ($15 for 12). I like the E2e a lot - but if the $75 price makes you balk, look at the G2. Both have similar power (65 and 60 lumens, respectively), and use the same number of the same batteries - but the G2 sells for $34. And the G2 has the option of adding a brighter lamp (120 lumens for 20 minutes) for another $25. The 120 lumen lamp is only worth buying if you want it for self-defense (blinding opponent) - so for geocaching, the $34 is all you need spend for a light. I have used both these lights for geocaching, and the real benifit is in daylight hours. A lesser light just will not light up the darker corners of a rocky ledge or back-alley the way these lights do. BTW, the batteries may be a bit spendy, but they last a long time if you don't use the Surefire as a primary light. I always use one one of my LED lights for most night-time work. I get out the SF only when it is needed. Like CR, I have compared these lights to my four-cell maglight with fresh batteries, and the maggie loses even to the E2e (the least powerful of the SF two-cell lights)in comparison of brightness and quality of the light beam. The Surefire light throws a beam with NO dark spots - and that helps a lot when geocaching. I may be a little eccentric about such things, but I believe the G2 with the optional 120 lumen lamp is a good overall investment. With the 65 lumen lamp, it will light up any cache - whether at night or just in the edges of daylight - and the 120 lamp can be put in for those night caches where you might want to be able to blind the bogyman for a hasty retreat. No, I don't work for Surefire, or sell their lights - but if it's a publicly traded company, I might buy their stock.... Surefire flashlights ...clear as mud? Quote Link to comment
+RobRee Posted June 26, 2003 Share Posted June 26, 2003 first off the surefire is a great light. i use streamlights at work though. streamlight scorpion cost me 24$ with 2 lithiums and a spare bulb. quote: $11 per set of 2)batteries oooof.. i pay about 1.25 for one. check your supplier. might be time to switch. botach tactical supply is where i get them. buy a 20 pack. robbie A family that Geocaches together... eventually gets wet. required reading My first bible Great Orienteering Site! Quote Link to comment
Team Sidewinder Posted June 26, 2003 Share Posted June 26, 2003 I too have the INOVA X5 and love it in fact I bought another one for work. They were through the Snap-Tool man and so therefore are like everything else he sells they were $15 dollars higher than anywhere else but he doesn't bat a eye if you have a problem. While I have more Mag lights than I can count and they are good lights I am in the LED mode right now and like the battery life, bulb life and brightness that I get from the LEDs. Glad to see what others are getting for battery life out of their X5s. Team Sidewinde LOST AND FOUND DEPT. Quote Link to comment
martmann Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 quote:Originally quote: $11 per set of 2)batteries oooof.. i pay about 1.25 for one. check your supplier. might be time to switch. botach tactical supply is where i get them. buy a 20 pack. robbie Precisely why I put the following in the same post you are quoting from: 'You can get 25 Lithium CR-123 batteries for $25 at the Scorpion link above. But the best price I've seen for the duracells at the supermarket is about $11 a pair (I haven't looked in a while though, due to the price).' Oddly enough the link I mention goes right to Botach. _________________________________________________________ If trees could scream, would we still cut them down? Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason. Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest) Quote Link to comment
BBH Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 I'm not sure about posting websites here, but do a search on google and check out surefire's website. Surefire are some of the best lights on the market. One complaint is about the batteries, Surefire now selles them for $15 for a box of 12!! I've got a M3 Turbo headed my way this week$225 lumens of light! There are people out there that are just as passionate about Lights as GPS & geocaching!!. They spend thousands of $$'s on lights. Surefire also makes LED heads to retrofit on lights and just introduced a L4 digital Lumamax model that puts out 65 lumens of light, about the same amount of light as a C2 (2 batteries compared to the C3 which takes 3 batteries). A mag light is nothing compared to the Surefires, which are marketed mainly to military and law enforcement. They are also marketed as non lethal self defense tools where you can temporarily blind someone with the light. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Snoogans:I'm partial to LED. I call my http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/flashlights%20main/inova_x5_led_light.htm my hand held sun. LED has a much longer life than bulbs. My department is switching from MagLite to INOVA. Can't beat it for the price. I have the titanium model. Sngans http://www.texasgeocaching.comThe greatest labor saving invention of today is tomorrow.... I've seen one of them. A caching partner got one for helping out another guy with his GPS. First time in my life I've ever suffered flashlight envy. Quote Link to comment
swanlakers Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 Just a note of caution for all you bright lite folks. These flash lights make alot of light, but they also make alot of HEAT. Be sure that they can't turn on in your luggage, they can and will set your clothes on fire if in a confined space. Swanlakers Quote Link to comment
+Sissy-n-CR Posted June 27, 2003 Author Share Posted June 27, 2003 Question of the INOVA X5: I've not seen any kind of reference to the amount of light these put out other that the general 120' range or whatever. No lumens, candle power, or nothing. What kind of beam/spot do these throw and how bright are they compared to say a 4D MagLite on full flood? Would these light up a hollow in a tree on a bright day enough to see in? What I was impressed about with that C3 Centurion was the eveness of the spot--no holes or "waves." It was nice a even. Plus, being at least as bright as a 4D Mag with somewhat used batteries. Thanks for your help! CR Quote Link to comment
martmann Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 HERE is a review of the Inova X5 from the LED Museum, it may have some useful info for you. Yes it would light up a tree hollow on a bright day, it is a little brighter than a 2 cell (AA) Mini-Mag light, with a much smoother spot, and an indestructible case. _________________________________________________________ If trees could scream, would we still cut them down? Well, maybe if they screamed all the time, for no reason. Click here for my Geocaching pictures and Here (newest) Quote Link to comment
+Team GPSaxophone Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 Wimps! Try carrying around this baby! At 800 million foot-candles, it can be seen from 20 miles away! Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness Quote Link to comment
+StarshipTrooper Posted June 27, 2003 Share Posted June 27, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Swanlakers:Just a note of caution for all you bright lite folks. These flash lights make alot of light, but they also make alot of HEAT. Be sure that they can't turn on in your luggage, they can and will set your clothes on fire if in a confined space. Swanlakers Good point - and that's one of the great things about the Surefires. You can lock out the tailcap switch so that won't happen. ...clear as mud? Quote Link to comment
Bender Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 Hey Team GPSaxophone, How do you get that thing put in your backpack? Then how do you get it out?? And yet it is still somewhat portable. I do hate the thought of having a muffler on my flashlight though. Bender Searching, for the lost Xanadu Quote Link to comment
solohiker Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 The last time I got this excited about a flashlight was..... never? Get real. Dollar General has LED lights for a dollar. We stopped rubbing two sticks together, before I was born. Quote Link to comment
+StarshipTrooper Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 quote:Originally posted by solohiker:The last time I got this excited about a flashlight was..... never? Get real. Dollar General has LED lights for a dollar. We stopped rubbing two sticks together, before I was born. Yeah, and I can get a compass and a map for under $10 at Wallyworld. Why spend $100+ for gps? ...clear as mud? Quote Link to comment
+pdxmarathonman Posted June 28, 2003 Share Posted June 28, 2003 quote:Try carrying around this baby! At 800 million foot-candles, it can be seen from 20 miles away! But then you wouldn't be able to say you found the cache at night! Quote Link to comment
GlfWrVt Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 I've had my Surefire 6P for about 6 years or so. It has been great. I've only had to change the bulb once. Really bright and tough. Quote Link to comment
+TEAM 360 Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by Team GPSaxophone:Wimps! Try carrying around http://www.galarie.com/searchlights.htm! At 800 million foot-candles, it can be seen from 20 miles away! Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness This throws off a little heat as well. Get too close and you either get an instant George Hamilton tan or vaporized. Quote Link to comment
+st_richardson Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 As a collector of flashlights, mostly LED ones, the LED museum is one of my favorite sites. Just about every LED flashlight has been tested there. Quote Link to comment
+Team GPSaxophone Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 quote:Originally posted by TEAM 360: quote:Originally posted by Team GPSaxophone:Wimps! Try carrying around this baby! At 800 million foot-candles, it can be seen from 20 miles away! This throws off a little heat as well. Get too close and you either get an instant George Hamilton tan or vaporized. It's for people in Canada that want to know what it's like in Phoenix without actually being there. Took sun from sky, left world in eternal darkness Quote Link to comment
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