Not long after I wrote some initial product evaluations and conceptual material on tactical lights, I started getting complaints. How, readers of The Martialist asked, could I forget SureFire, the company whose name is practically synonymous with tactical lighting?
How, indeed? The fact is, I should not have neglected SureFire, for it is easily the best-known provider of such lights. Its staff has produced real innovation in the tactical lighting field and its lights are of top quality. SureFire products are in use with military and law enforcement personnel around the world, who depend on SureFire lights to help them preserve their lives (and the lives of those whom they protect and serve).
SureFire submitted a total of three lights to The Martialist: A 6P, the light that started it all for the company; a Z2 CombatLight, described as “purpose-built for combat;” and a G2Z Nitrolon CombatLight. The G2Z holds the title of official flashlight of the National Rifle Association – the organization that has done the most, despite constant demonization in the left-leaning media, to defend your right to keep and bear arms as an American citizen.
All these lights are 5.1 inches long with bezel diameters of 1.25 inches and body diameters of 1 inch. All three have burn times, from two lithium SF123A batteries each, of 60 minutes total. The G2Z is made of “Nitrolon,” a synthetic material, so it weighs 3.9 ounces compared to 5 ounces for the Z2 and 6P. The G2Z’s heavier siblings are made from aircraft-grade aluminum.
All three lights produce 65 lumens of illumination. What does that mean? SureFire’s product literature states that the 6P “will light up a street sign at over 50 yards.” My own take on the three lights is slightly less quantifiable: I consider them all freaking bright.
In total darkness, a flash of 65 lumens is enough to be physically painful, at least to my eyes. Associate Editor Lawrence Keeney has described, in The Martialist’s subscriber-only content, at least two incidents in which a shot of light from his G2Z caused momentary disorientation or discomfort in human targets. No, a 1.25-inch flashlight beam won’t drop your enemies where they stand with flash burns on their cheeks and tears streaming from their eyes, but it’s still no fun to be on the receiving end of one.
Before receiving my SureFire I owned a variety of tactical lights, including an Inova X5 and a Streamlight Scorpion (of which I’m quite find). The CombatLights quickly supplanted either of these as my favorites, however. The SureFires just feel solid and work well, inspiring confidence while lighting up dark corners.
The 6P, the design of which predates the CombatLights, is a superb tool. The aircraft-grade aluminum body feels substantial without being too heavy. The knurling is precisely cut and provides nice traction, while the tailcap switch is firm and works consistently and reliably.
The G2Z has a smooth plastic body, but the Nitrolon makes for a pleasant tactile surface even without knurling. Rubber rings behind the flare in the body (which facilitates the SureFire/Rogers shooting technique) provide traction when the light is held across the palm. The G2Z also comes with a wrist lanyard – and a removable lanyard hook that rattles in place on the body.
The Z2’s features mirror that of the G2Z except for its aluminum body. The smooth aluminum provides less traction than the Nitrolon body of the G2Z, but the rubber body rings and knurled tailcap help mitigate this. The heavier weight of the Z2 will be reassuring to some, while the reduced weight of the G2Z will appeal to those who like to travel light.
Twisting the tailcaps of the SureFires produces always-on and always-off lighting, while the switches are used for momentary illumination. If I have a complaint it is that I’d like to be able to switch the lights to always-on with one hand only, though this is a vary minor quibble. Notches in the bodies and tailcaps help the user align both for standard operating mode.
If the best flashlight you’ve ever purchased has been a Mini Maglite from a discount store, the idea of paying 40 to 80 USD (or more) for a single light will come as something of a shock to you. SureFire’s aren’t cheap, no – but their increased illumination and first-rate construction are well worth it. Recently the company angered online customers by restricting their distributorships to only those Internet dealers who also have brick-and-mortar stores. This eliminates the cut-rate Internet-only bargains that made SureFires more accessible to some – but it also means the company will be able to provide the innovation for which it is known. As a small businessman, I understand the margins with which SureFire must deal. Of course, that doesn’t mean my wallet stings any less when I purchase a top-quality light.
There are knockoff Xenon-bulb tactical lights on the market that go for half the price of a SureFire. Are they “just as good?” I own a couple of these and I can tell you with confidence that they are not. To be certain, however, I put one of these no-name Chinese imports to the test next to the SureFire 6P.
The knockoff is the same length as the 6P, though its tailcap switch is wider and sits lower. The switch has a cheap, springy feel not shared by the 6P’s button. Both activate reliably. Square, in-line “knurling” on the knockoff’s body does little to improve traction. The body of the knockoff also has a cheap, insubstantial feel compared to the 6P’s aluminum body. While my three SureFires have reference indents on the body and tailcap for “always-off” mode, the knockoff cannot be twisted to “always off” without almost removing the tailcap entirely.
The real test, however, is in lumens. Even the most unscientific test clearly shows the inferiority of the knockoff. Thought it uses the same batteries, it produces significantly less illumination – a deficit that becomes more apparent as the distances involved become greater.
The reasons for owning a tactical light are many and varied. Reasons for owning a SureFire brand light, however, come down to power and quality. The company is dedicated to making lights for self-defense and survival purposes – the very goals most important to prepared martialists.
Buy a SureFire – and be sure.