Review: Solarforce L2T Stainless Steel - I think I bought a shiny brick.
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 14:09
The Rolls-Royce of P60 Hosts
Summary:
| Brand: | Solarforce |
| Model: | L2T Special Stainless Steel Edition |
| Battery: | 1 x 18650 |
| Switch: | 16mm Forward Tail-Cap Clicky |
| Weight: | A lot. |
| Lens: | AR Coated Glass Lens. |
| Tailstands: | Yes. |
| Accesories: | Spare O-rings. |
| Price Payed: | Oh, bite me. It was on 'sale'. USD$49.99 + $2.00 postage for the whole order. |
| From: | Solarforce Flashlight Sales |
| Date Ordered: | 7 Feb 2013. Shipped on the 11th Feb. Left HK on the 18th Feb. Arrived in metro Australian address on the 26th Feb. |
Ok, if you've gotten this far you're probably, no, definitely wondering why I would spend fifty dollars (a bit less for me because the Australian dollar goes to the gym instead of working during the day, and is hence, stronger than the USD) on a what is essentially a metal tube. Like, seriously, it doesn't even have a driver or bulb.
Then I guess you would like to know that I had one already before this one arrived. This one's meant for a friend and the other one, which I believe is mine, is being held hostage by a girl I see every now and then and claims to be my girlfriend. I guess that one doesn't belong to me any more. Time to buy another...
I guess it's just exotic. The rarity and the price. And only the really cool stuff is impractical, right? I have no idea how my flashlight-kidnapping girlfriend carries this around everywhere, she's not even one of those which makes me carry her bag everywhere.
I called this the Rolls-Royce of P60 hosts because it is. It's big and heavy and by no means a performance monster, but does it's job completely while being showy and shiny. It's only meant for rich people who have all their stuff carried around for them.
You're reading a review by someone who named themselves Ramblings. There's bound to be a lot of rambling on.
Pleasing thoughts:
- OMG SHINY.
- 'It'd be fairly easy to knock someone out with this in hand...'
- Big boot...y.
- It doesn't just look like a chromed L2T, they put a measure (dunno how large) of thought into wondering how the change would affect it's look.
- The tail-cap has a lanyard/key-ring holes. Very handy for...well, lanyards and key-rings.
- Rubber grip ring.
- Flawless machining.
- IPX-8.
- Anti-reflective coating on lens.
- No 'hot surface' warning.
- Stainless steel.
- Subtle, almost flat bezel.
- Cool box with hidden magnets and crappy foam.
Points which bother me:
- Heavy - With drop-in and battery, this thing would kill a small child if dropped on their head.
- Fingerprinty - All those shiny surfaces are worse than the first-gen iPhone screen to keep shiny.
- Squawky screwing of parts on to the body.
- No pre-lube. Very dry.
- Doesn't list a finish. No anodisation, shot-peening, work-hardening, etc.
- What kind of stainless steel is it? There's so many grades and compositions...
- Where has Foy gone? Why do I have to do a review on this? He does this so much better.
- Also, did I mention it's heavy?
Pictures & Unboxing
IPX-8, somehow, in some way, better than IPX-7.
Spot the differences.
AR Coating. Mouse in for L2T SS with AR coating, mouse out for L2T without coating.
There doesn't seem to be much difference in these photos, but it definitely is noticeable.
The threading on the body for the head seems to be just normal threading. Sharp triangular threads. No burrs or poor machining here.
The threading on the body for the tail-cap is also triangular, but flattened out slightly for a smoother attachment. Flawless again.
The end. Oh noes! It's crooked. Must. Return. To. Sender. For. Defective. Item. Replacement.
Criminal line-up of the suspects that may have stolen my money.
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 14:25
#2
Very nice!
Very nice!
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 16:09
#3
Thanks for the review
Thanks for the review Ramblings. The machining on this thing looks like its very well done. Lotta money though.
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 16:22
#4
Thanks for the review, I
Thanks for the review, I enjoyed it!
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 16:26
#5
Being stainless steel, isn’t
Being stainless steel, isn’t it a bit heavy? 
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 16:37
#6
Naw – it’s a lot heavy. And
Naw – it’s a lot heavy. And don’t even think about putting a hard-driven XM-L in one, stainless steel is not a great conductor of heat. Somewhere in the Bag’O‘Lights I have an Ultrafire version of one of those.
Great for smiting the unrighteous, not quite so good for carrying in your hand.
But it is shiny!
__________________
The numbers from my light tests are always to be found here.
Brted has done a good job of cleaning this up here. You can easily sort by any parameter. Good job Ted!
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 17:17
#7
Thanks for the entertaining
Thanks for the entertaining review.
Thu, 02/28/2013 - 17:49
#8
Thanks for the review. It’s
Thanks for the review. It’s purrty. When it comes to tacticoolness, unless it’s H1, I won’t touch stainless. 
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 03:29
#9
One hot mama.
...stainless steel is not a great conductor of heat...
Wait 'til you grab this one after 15 mins on a 8*7135 Nanjg105c driven P60. All that heat, straight to your hand.
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 04:35
#10
Ramblings wrote:Doesn’t list
Doesn’t list a finish. No anodisation, shot-peening, work-hardening, etc
The reason for this is that there isn’t much you can do to ‘finish’ stainless. You can’t anodize it. Aluminum and Titanium can be anodized – stainless can not be. You can perform a type of ‘blackening’ on it, but that would ruin the look for this purpose..
PPtk
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 05:22
#11
I think it’s a beauty.
I think it’s a beauty.
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 07:21
#12
Handy Weights
Bling bling kubotan!
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 22:04
#13
Very nice
Great review thanks.
These look fantastic! Even better with the price drop. Man jewellery? Why not!?
Looks like one for the collection. Not all of your lights have to be practical.
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 23:42
#14
I mean no offense no anyone
I mean no offense no anyone that owns one of these but I simply could never get past how ugly it is. I would be all over it if it were simply a stainless version of an L2T, but it is not. They changed the gorgeous knurling on the original to large, ostentatious diamond squares. The lathe work on the center tube and base of the head are cut different too, making the flashlight body appear proportionately smaller.
The L2T is a highly regarded design so, it's a perfect candidate for upgraded versions with different finishes. They just got carried away making it more "fancy."
When first seeing the SS L2T (a year or two ago?) I was inspired to make this . . .
Not quite as shiny as stainless steel but, you get the idea . . .
/rantFoy
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 23:55
#15
Welcome back Foy!
Welcome back Foy!
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 00:00
#16
Thank you
Thank you everyone.
humbledFoy
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 00:17
#17
Welcome back, Foy!
omgit'sFoy!
But I think its ostentatious diamond squares make it what it is.
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 09:16
#18
Welcome back Foy ! That
Welcome back Foy !
Thanks Ramblings.
That thing (the L2T Special Stainless Steel Edition)
looks like someone unbolted it from a Harley.
HD footpeg light ?
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 02:20
#19
It actually is pretty cool.
It actually is pretty cool. Seems like maybe the model ought to be the L2Kardashian, though. That’s some serious bling for a light!
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 09:08
#20
Ramblings
But I think its ostentatious diamond squares make it what it is.
Yes, it’s not my cup of tea but I like it for being so unashamedly bold. How heavy is it? Is the rubber grip thing easy to remove?
__________________
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 08:40
#21
I love Solarforce but it’s a
I love Solarforce but it’s a little pimpish for me. I never like the look of SS lights. Looks solid and well built however.
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 08:46
#22
Thanks for the nice review.
Thanks for the nice review.
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 10:43
#23
Chloe wrote:How heavy is
- How heavy is it?
- Is the rubber grip thing easy to remove?
- Very. Haha, the website states 300g body only, so, with P60 and batteries can easily amount to 375g. In contrast, a standard L2T is only 100g. That's three times the weight of a standard L2T. I'm scared of killing someone's pet by dropping it on their heads. Accidentally of course.
- Yup, I've actually altered the order of the rubber rings so it's flat, wedge, flat. They're thick, but still relatively soft.
Seems like maybe the model ought to be the L2Kardashian, though. That's some serious bling for a light!
+1. Why aren't you the guy who names these things? That's spot on.
HD footpeg light ?
Yeah, gotta wear dem steelcaps when walking around with this baby. Don't want no broken foot.
Sat, 03/02/2013 - 10:52
#24
There exist a solarforce that
There exist a solarforce that Foy does not like? Wow!
Thanks for the pics ramblings, I think this is a good looking light.
Mon, 03/11/2013 - 11:25
#25
Thanks very much for the
Thanks very much for the review! Frontpage’d and Sticky’d.
Mon, 03/11/2013 - 11:57
#26
Wow.
Thanks very much for the review! Frontpage'd and Sticky'd.
What an honour! 
Mon, 03/11/2013 - 19:22
#27
Congrats!
Thanks very much for the review! Frontpage’d and Sticky’d.
What an honour!
Good onya, mate!
Tue, 03/12/2013 - 08:33
#28
SS L2T
I agree the SS L2T is a bit gaudy. The cross-hatch reminds me of the Peu Pineapple body. I much prefer Foy’s polished L2T. I will mention that while SS doesn’t anodize you can color it using heat. Think “flame finished”. There was a thread on CPF several years back showing SS hosts “flame finished”. The one that comes to mind was the Aurora 032 and an Arkoray SS clone.
Quite the entertaining read .
Good job , Ramblings .
Foy would will be proud .
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