My primary torch is a Surefire Aviator. It was one of the first to use the low power LED (red) and a Xenon lamp for full power. People are always amazed that a little torch like that can pump out 50 lumens. I have illuminated the underside of clouds more than once with a flashlight I could easily conceal in one hand.

I willl shortly be buying this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Surefire-G2-LED-Black-Lumens-Runtime/dp/B000YZ5QZA/ref=pdbbssr_4?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1201374922&sr=8-4
The basic LED G2 doesn’t have the variable output but screams out 80 lumens and lasts a long time.

RE: 123a’s. The previous comment stands. The 123a battery has unbelievable shelf life which is vital when you’ve put the torch in your bag or night table. You always want to know that when you push the button it’s going to work, regardless if it’s been 10 months since you last pushed that button.

There is plenty of room in the world for consumer flashlights, but if you want something you can rely on, you can’t beat a surefire.

I disagree. Your particular example that you quote is actually made by a company called Coast Cutlery – which in turn gets it from a Chinese manufacturer which relabels the same products to people like Home Depot, Lowes, Winchester, Leatherman, and others.

Also – basic electronics tell people that something that produces that level of light requires a goodly amount of current and voltage to produce. Three AAA batteries doesn’t give you a lot of current. A single AA battery can give 1.5 times the current of a single AAA.

SureFire produces flashlights that are designed to work every time you push the tail cap button. Period. I challenge someone to find a police officer or soldier who would stake their life on using a Coast Cutlery LED flashlight.

Also – the commentary by reviewer Dave Rees with regards to these flashlights not using a standard battery is somewhat disingenuous.

The CR123A series batteries are VERY common. Used by cameras for over 20 years (that I remember personally), it provides a high density of power combined with a long stable shelf life and can handle large amounts of power draw. You can purchase them anywhere from Target to CVS to Radio Shack.

With regards to the run time on the SureFire U2 on high – SureFire states in various marketing documentation that you will get at least 1 hour on high power. This has been tested and verified in various Flashlight review forums.

And for the “Money is no object” comment. You can purchase a SureFire flashlight for as low as $38 USD. It’s as durable and as strong as the most expensive ones. You pay for the features you want – you want multi-LED colors or multi-levels, you pay for that feature.

There are a lot of people who need multi-color or multi-level LED flashlights. Pilots, mechanics, and others utilize colors at various brightness levels to look at fluids, maps, and other things to help preserve night vision or do quick identification of items. Variable levels on both flashlights help preserve battery life and maximize their use, but you still have full power if needed.

Disclaimer – Yes, I own SureFire flashlights, from the plebian G2 that you can purchase for $38 to the Kroma at a list price of $299. I would be more than happy to say that I trust my life to every single one of their lights that I own. They turn on and work every time I pull one out to use it. Who else (other than SureFire, Pelican, and Streamlight) can guarantee that level of durability and dependability? My oldest SureFires power up and still work as advertised – 18 years later.

Regards,
Steve