Flashaholic

Earlier, we had a short feature on SureFire’s X200 line of weapon lights. The X200B is a 5-watt LED-powered light that attaches to handguns. Technically, the X200 series has been replaced by the X300 and the X400 which also has a laser sight, but the X200B is still plenty available, and we just got our hands on it for an actual review.

The X200B, compared with the X200A, was designed to produce a wider beam which can be useful for peripheral threat identification. The body is constructed from impressive quality Milspec Type III hard-anodized aluminum, and the LED is surrounded by a micro-textured reflector. The lens itself is made from tempered Pyrex and has an anti-reflection coating.

Fitting the X200B is made easy by its Rail-Lock system. It clamps solidly to universal-style rails and to the MIL STD M-1913 rail, more popularly known as the Picatinny rail. In the package comes adapter plates for both rail systems.

The light can be switched two ways—first via a monetary ambidextrous switch located at the back of the light. You can press it for monetary on and rotate it for constant on. The switch is designed to be reached by the either hand via tactical grip.

The X200B produces up to 100 lumens maximum, and is powered by two SureFire SF123 3.0 volt batteries. Overall, it measures 1.34″ high by 1.43″ wide and 3.47″ long. It is really small and light (weighs less than 4 ounces), which makes attaching it to handguns seem invisible.

The torch itself is also waterproof up to 30 meters.

What can we say?

The X200B is quite impressive even for a semi-old product. Technically, the X300 upgrade wouldn’t have come any sooner, and the only reason why the X200B has been replaced is because of technology. Yes, technology that moves so fast SureFire has basically afforded to make improvements on the X200B with less cost. So yes, if you need a weapon light, by all means go with the SureFire X300. But if you happen to have one of these (X200B) around or have not heard of the X300, don’t fret too much as it is still a great little torch.

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The Led Lenser Frogman is a diving torch—a flashlight for divers, used in the deep blue. Different from regular flashlights, first of all these torches are waterproofed to different standards. The Frogman for one, is waterproof up to 60 meters in depth. Another thing different is because normal lamps’ beams would not get very far under water because of refraction, an axial collimator is used in the Frogman. That alone achieves a focus strength which cannot be attained using regular reflectors.

The Frogman is impressively made. The head which used to be the rotary switch has now been replaced by a fixed polished high-grade stainless steel. The bright yellow neon body, which in itself is already blinding, is made of synthetic shockproof material. The newly-designed flick switch in located just below the head. The design makes single-handed operation a breeze. A lanyard is also supplied which matches the body’s color, and attaches tightly. It comes with a quick-adjust spring-assisted adjustment thing.

I believe there has been four versions of the Frogman to date: 7456 which is the old neon yellow, 7457 the old black, 7456III the new neon yellow (which we have), and 7457III which is the new model black.

The new models now use CREE LEDs rated at 75 lumens—1.25 watts light chip. It also has dual o-rings, and has a prism reflector system.

The Frogman’s dimensions are just right—not too small, not too big either. It measures 160 mm x 41 mm and uses 4 AA batteries for operation. It weighs 226 grams with batteries.

Battery life claims to go up to 40 hours on a new set or fully charged set of batteries. The life of the LED, well don’t even worry about that as most LEDs nowadays have a 100,000-hour service life.

What can we say?

The Frogman is impressive. It is very well made and is very bright. Not blindingly bright especially if you are used to the brightness levels of the latest torches in the market today, but it is decent for diving use and really cuts through water. If you buy the Frogman, chances are you’ll be using it as a backup torch. And for that purpose, it is very, very adequate.

Reading most of the reviews before our unit came, the only issue we read about was the rotating switch. Well, in the new version that has been taken cared off and replaced with a flick-style magnetic switch. So I guess nothing wrong is left with this torch. There was a small bubble in the lens that bothered us, but we read something that it it was really part of the manufacturing process.

By the way, the Frogman throws a diamond shaped beam with absolutely no spill. It is good under water, because you need a really thick and powerful beam down there.

The Frogman sells for around $50 from most online dealers.

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Looking for a single AA battery-powered flashlight, I stumbled upon the Fenix LD10. First off, the LD10 has a version with a “+”. The LD10+ simply means that is comes with a pocket clip. The new LD10 features a premium Q5 LED, which is digitally regulated and controlled to provide maximum brightness at all times during the battery’s life.

The LD10 has six levels of output. It has a Cree 7090 XR-E LED, and its output can be selected by turning the bezel. Below are its lumen-ratings and life on each mode.

• 9 lumens—34 hours
• 47 lumens—6 hours
• 94 lumens—2.2 hours
• 120 lumens—1.5 hours
• SOS
• Strobe

The LD10 measures a very compact 100mm x 21.5 mm. The titanium-coated pocket clip on the “+” version is removable, and the glass lens is toughened with AR coating. The LD10 is waterproof to IPX8 standards.

The LD10+ Premium Q5 retails for $53.95.

As posted previously, here are some good reviews for the Fenix LD10—single AA battery flashlight that reaches 120 lumens in turbo mode.

“I was looking for a small flash light to carry on my person daily. I looked into several models, with surefire being the brand I was most interested in. After looking at the offerings from surefire, I decided to purchase the fenix ld10. The surefire g2 led rated at 80 lumens is much larger than the LD10. The LD10 is very small and fits in my hand nicely. It is not bothersome or cumbersome to carry in a pocket. This flash light is very affordable, cheaper than the surefire g2, which is 2-3x it’s size. It is also much cheaper than any surefire light which comes in a comparable size. Overall It’s a great light that is small, affordable, and reliable. I am very pleased, I think it’s tough to beat especially when comparing directly against the offerings from surefire.”

“The Fenix LD10 is similar to the Fenix L1T; both use a single AA battery to produce a stunning amount of light. The main differences are in modes and selecting them. The LD10 starts in either standard mode or turbo mode, depending on whether the front bezel is fully tightened or slightly loosened. In turbo mode you get the highest possible light (120 lumens), in standard mode it always starts in the lowest setting (9 lumens). Other modes have to be toggled by momentarily pressing the on/off switch. The L1T simply has two modes (98 lumens and 16 lumens), chosen by turning the bezel.”

“Basically, if the slightly lower and higher modes and slightly longer promised operation of the LD10 are important, or if the LD10′s ability to stand on its tail is necessary, get the LD10. If none of this is a key, the L1T is simpler to use and a bit smaller and lighter. Both are great flashlights. On high they light up a back yard better than a 5 D-cell traditional flashlight. Pairing either with the Fenix headband is a great way to have versatility and hands-free light when doing projects and such.”

Coming from a E1L review, we’re pretty sure we’d be quite impressed with the E1E, considering we are still at a SureFire bias. This thing is cheaper at only $79 retail—because it only has a maximum rating of 15 lumens and 1.5 hours run time. The olive drab scheme, well, let’s just say we can’t get enough of it. The E1E is a tad bit shorter at 3.4″ and lighter at 2.2 ounces (than the E1L).

The E1E comes in two versions: E1-BK and E1-HA version, which stands for black anodized and hard anodized respectively.

Below is an inspiring review from an expat in the Middle East.

“The Surefire E1E I own probably gets more use than any other flashlight. It is not bright enough for defense, running about 15 lumens, but as a handy go anywhere flashlight it is superb. I have carried mine for hour long patrols in the rain in Japan and all over the middle east and it has never hiccuped. And if it did I know from experience that Surefire’s customer service is second to none. You will pay more for this light then an el cheapo from the local superstore but what you get is a good run time and utter reliability. It won’t fall apart of fail you when you need it most, the only down point this light has is the bulb which like all bulbs burns out eventually. Surefire has remedied this with their new LED version though. You can’t go wrong with this one.”

In olive drab…

The E1L by SureFire, although a little outdated, is still a nifty little light using only 1 CR123A battery. If you’re into that form factor, the E1L is still one worth considering. Settings giving out 3 and 45 lumens, weighing only 2.8 ounces and measuring 1×4 inches, the E1L offers a lot for an everyday carry. It has a regulated output, and can last 8 hours 30 minutes at 48 lumens, and 8 1/2 hours at 45 lumens.

If you are into the whole “Made in U.S.A. mentality, then this little SureFire is the way to go. Made exclusively at Fountain Valley, California, the E1L is tough, made only of top-notch aluminum. These days, $139.00 retail for a 48-lumen flashlight is probably not the way to go if brightness is your primary consideration, but for durability and dependability, you can’t go wrong with the E1L.

It comes in black and olive drab, with the latter becoming a more popular “rarer” choice. It comes with a pen-style clip, and a crowned head usually called “skull crushers” for their tactical possibility.

By the way, being as this is part of SureFires E-series, you can switch the head and body of the E1L from other E-series lights.

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The Led Lenser K3, model #8313, is one tiny flashlight. The primary reason for its minuscule form factor, is its use of four AG 13 “watch batteries,” which most probably will be the same reason people might look elsewhere.

The K3 measures 68 millimeters. That’s 2.6-2.7 inches. Now, look at your current key bunch and tell me there is nothing there that measures the same. Its bezel diameter—the K3′s widest part—is only about .8 of an inch. That said, this is not only the perfect key chain flashlight, it is the perfect key chain.

What we like

The K3 has an adjustable focus system which can be used for spot or flood light patterns. On spot mode, you can’t help but notice how perfectly circular its beam spot is. It gives out a maximum of 14.7 lumens, which is plenty, considering its intended use (key chain), and has a range of 113 feet. It sells for only $24.99, yes we placed that in the “What we like” portion because from its looks and build alone, you’d think it was twice-thrice more that.

What we don’t like

The batteries. The AG 13 format is not that accessible and is expensive. Today, a handful of one AAA-powered flashlight are available, buying those would make more sense.

Video Reviews

A number of people have already reviewed the K3, check out their videos to have a more up-close feel of what the K3 is about.

The SureFire G2 Nirtolon is an incandescent powered flashlight capable of producing up to 120 lumens. It has a tough, corrosion-proof Nitrolon body, and a micro-textured reflector. Its incandescent lamp produces a smooth beam bright enough to temporarily disorient an aggressor.

The G2 is small and light to carry. It is only 5.1 inches long and weighs 4.1 ounces. the widest portion of the flashlight, the bezel has a diameter of 1.25 inches. The G2 Nitrolon is powered by two CR123A batteries.

The G2 is the lowest priced SureFire flashlight available—retailed price, $39.00. You can compare it with the 6P model, except it is made of plastic. A special plastic called “Nitrolon,” which supposedly is tough, lightweight and can withstand high impact.

As per SureFire’s claims, this light should be waterproof up to 10 meters. It also has a lock out tail cap, which is quite impressive because this feature can be found on their more expensive lights. With a lock out tail cap, you eliminate the risk of accidental turning your flashlight on while in a bag or compartment.

The G2 Nitrolon is available is black, yellow, tan and olive green. The body tube has a sort of waffle pattern, which provides excellent grip.The bezel has some positive (embossed) ridges, which can also stop it from rolling, while the tail cap, negative (carved).  The inside of the body is lined with thin metal, just so for conducting electricity and completing the circuit.

The switch is a push type rubber switch, which you push for momentary on-off. Add a short twist of the tail cap and you get constant on. The tail cap is lined with an o-ring seal for waterproofing.

What we like

The plastic Nitrolon is something you need not worry about scratching or dinging. You can toss it around in your toolbox, glove compartment or wherever to your heart’s desire. It is very light and easy to carry. Be careful though as it uses CR123A batteries, which are not cheap. It has a very bright and useful light, comparable to that of D-celled lights, but has a relatively short battery life compared to that of something LED-powered. You can also upgrade the lamp assembly which can make it brighter.

By the way, it can’t stand on the switch end which is probably the only thing we didn’t like.

If  you are looking for a SureFire adapter/mount for your bicycle’s handle bar, you have a number of generic options to chose from, depending on which SureFire flashlight you are going to mount. SureFire does not have an official handlebar mount like that of Fenix’s (but even that you can use with your SureFire light), so we looked for some good mounts/adapters which you can use with your SureFire.

Below are some good options we’ve found.

Fenix Bike Mount with Swivel Base

The one from Fenix is actually a good choice—it can fit a number of flashlights because it has an adjustable diameter of up to 2.28″ and sells for $14.00 retail. But, if you don’t feel like using a Fenix product for your SureFire…

TwoFish Flashlite Holder

From TwoFish, a cheaper solution at only $7.00. It uses a hook and loop type fastener which makes it lighter. But, it can only fit small flashlights of up to 1.5″ in diameter.

Generic flashlight mount sold @ Amazon.com

Here’s something we saw at Amazon.com. It sells for $9.99 and can hold flashlights up to 2 centimeters in diameter.

Wald #40 Flashlight Holder

From Wald, something that can accommodate the bigger flashlights. A word of warning though, this thing is made of bent metal, you might need to add some sort of padding between the flashlight and the mount to avoid scratches. Sells for only $2.99.

Generic flashlight mount #2

Here’s another generic flashlight mount—it  can fit flashlights from 2 cm up to 3 cm, and handlebar diameters from 1.9 cm up to 2.5 cm. Sells for $9.99.

The 7736UV (HP7736UV) from Led Lenser, is a special order UV flashlight which uses Led Lenser’s prism reflector system, making it the most powerful UV flashlight available. It has a brightness rating of 0.3 Lumens and a power rating of 1.31 watts maximum. The HP7736UV uses 3 AAA batteries and can last up to 120 hours. It measures 3.9 inches long with a diameter of 1 inch. Its effective range is rated up to 88 feet.