Mag Lite and Streamlight make some nice flashlights, but SureFire lights are in a league of their own. For instance, SureFire reflectors are made from machined aerospace aluminum—NOT from molded plastics. Their light windows are anti-reflective, tempered Pyrex—the same material used in high-end cookware—and the tailcap-mounted switches allow easier handling in tactical situations, such as slicing pie, or when blinding an attacker.
I like the optional crenellated bezels that make it possible to place the light flat against a map and used just a small amount of light to read it—or to give an attacker a memorable mark after temporarily blinding him. Crackled reflectors and frosted bulb tips give a shockingly even (read: perfect) light pattern, and some models have extra red LED’s for map reading or covert night work—red light doesn’t bleach visual purple—the night-vision enabling chemical that your eyes constantly synthesize, but that is destroyed by bright light (it can take 10 minutes for your eyes to synthesize enough visual purple to see in a low-light situation).
SureFire has a flashlight for every situation imaginable, from mountain climbing to combat. Many of their illumination tools use incandescent lights or have cutouts in the reflector that house efficient LEDs (some have both incandescent lights and LEDs), while others use high-temperature HID lights like you see in luxury cars.
SureFire E2D Executive Defender
The pocket-sized E2D Executive Defender is the light I have my eye on—I love the way it looks and feels, though the reviews of it suggest it can be very useful too. It is a rugged, incandescent, tactical-level flashlight with a penchant for self-defense. It has the crenellated Strike Bezel, an extra-thick Pyrex window, and the machined aircraft aluminum body is hard anodized. The E2D also has momentary-on and constant-on modes, has a clip and can fit in a pocket. It costs $110 from SureFire.
Battery size comparison
Most SureFire lights run on non-rechargeable 123A lithium batteries—superior in every way save cost over traditional alkaline disposables—they run at three volts instead of 1.5, maintain nearly constant voltage, provide 2.5 times as much power over a wider range of temperatures, and last longer.
I’d suggest Maglites for heavy household use, Streamlights for hunting and outdoors, and SureFire lights for military or police use. Two of the testimonials on SureFire’s site tell stories of a pilot using SureFire lights to land planes at night after his landing and instrument lights failed, and an ice fisherman pulling himself to safety with a Strike Bezel after falling through ice.
I met Gulf War veteran at a sporting-goods shop who couldn’t say enough about how much he loved his, and how he had “reclaimed his tax dollars” by sneaking his SureFire light out in his bags when he left the service.
More information:
SureFire E2D review - Awesome flashlight reviews from flashlightreviews.com
E2D on Amazon.com - Read Reviews or purchase an E2D
All SureFire Lights on Amazon.com