For a longtime I have been skeptical about Surefire’s claims of general awesomeness. I have checked them out at Sportsman’s Warehouse and was generally not impressed. My feeling was; why buy a flashlight when my Petzl Myo XP headlamp (topic for another post) was just as good, if not better. As much as I tried my inner gear geek could not resist. So when I spotted one at the GI Joe’s going out of business sale I had to buy it.
I purchased the SureFire 6P LED (6P at REI). Normally its around $80 but because of the sale I got it for about $60. Generally Surefires, like many other name brands, don’t go on sale (sign of the times I guess). To do some comparison, I put fresh batteries in my Petzl Myo XP headlamp and headed outside with a camera. It is hard to get accurate representations of what you actually see when using a camera in the dark. But in comparison you can definitely tell the difference.
| Aprox. Distance | Ambient Light | Petzl Myo XP | Surefire 6P LED |
| 10 yards. |  |
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| 30 yards. |  |
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| 5 Yards |  |
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| 2 Yards | I am 6′ lights healed at head |
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Pros:
- At distance the Surefire is a hand cannon. The beam reaches way further than the headlamp. You could hurt someone with one of these if you were not careful.
- The fact that it’s LED is a big selling point, the expected life of the battery is around 30 hours. Why anyone is still using conventional bulbs is beyond me.
- This thing is rock sold. I am sure you could throw it out your window on the freeway, let a semi run over it and it would still work. From just holding it you can tell why the military loves these.
Cons:
- First of all, it’s not attached to my head, so it occupies a hand. This is a downside for any task that requires both hands.
- At close range it creates a white hot spot that almost blinds the user.
Verdict:
For in and around camp I think I would stick with my headlamp, the usability factor is just too great. However, any time I am messing around outside at night it would be great to have a Surefire. If you have to check something out at distance or you want to see every little detail, the surefire is the right tool. Granted it’s expensive, but if you are a geek for things performing at extreme levels, this is a must have.
Buying Advice:
I was lucky and was able to find one at a going out of business sale. As I stated before its a brand name so they do not normally go on sale. The best bet would be to look online. I like Amazon.com. Although if you are an REI member you might be able to use your next 20% off coupon or sign up for REI Gearmail and save 15%. Happy Hunting.
I love surefire products…great pics for comparison, I must point out that these lights are very tuff and most of the surefire lights are for tactical and defensive use. Try going into a dark room and let your eyes adjust, now shine the light at your face……You wouldn’t want to be that attacker would you lol?…….but yes they are a great light for many other uses…good review =)
Surefire is well worth the money. I’ve got the Outdoorsman and love it; tough, very bright and the thumb switch works great for me when walking to a deer stand or trailing blood in the dark. I dread the day I lose it!