Oof.
Double oof.
I don’t particularly like Surefire (too expensive for the quality), but for life and death, kill or be killed, Surefire (and Streamlight) are really the only games in town especially if you work under NVDs. I have played with cheap IR lights, they ALL SUCK SO BAD. Add in holster compatibility and need for level 2 or 3 retention and there are no choices other than Surefire or Streamlight for pistols, you can at least use Steiner illuminators on rifles, not that that saves you any cash. So basically, X400v IRcs and M600vs (paired with a CQBL laser) for me. My wallet cries, but my wife would cry more if I die because I was a cheapass.
Hmmm, I must be the only person that has ever had an issue with a Zebralight. I had an SC6330 have one of the 3 LEDs go dead, and I have an SC600 that the switch has given out. I probably own 10 or so Zebralights that see regular use, so I think that’s a pretty good track record. Definitely not going to bet my life on one though.
I also have a few Fenix lights around the house with failed or failing switches. Out of my 5 Fenix lights one has a failed switch (TK45), and two have switches that work intermittently (TK75 and TK41). Great lights that are generally pretty rugged, but I wouldn’t bet my life on one of these either.
Can’t say I’ve found a perfectly reliable light yet, and reliability seems to be going doing as lights get more bells and whistles (just more stuff to go wrong). I agree that Maglites are among the worst lights for reliability in my experience, despite having no bells and whistles!
Price definitely does not equal reliability. Some of the brands that have given me the best track record have been the “cheaper” ones. And because of their price I generally use them more and in rougher conditions. Solarforce, Emisar, and more recently Fireflies, have all been pretty good for me. Everything has its expiration date thought.
The most reliable brand I own is Solarforce. Not one problem even after years of service.
Same here. For many years I used them nightly at work as an aircraft mechanic. All outdoors, 10 hours a night, on my belt getting banged around the whole time, and many drops from height to the tarmac.
I’ve never had reliability issues with Olight, I ran over my S1 baton last spring and that was after it laid in a puddle of water all day. It doesn’t look new any more but it still works perfectly. I do question what they were thinking with the designs/features of some of their lights like the (not very “tactical”) M2R, but that is more of a marketing issue than anything else.
I don’t agree with the premise. Human low light vision is good enough for most situations I’d use a flashlight. Flashlights make poor weapons. If any tool is going to save my life, it’s a real weapon. Sure, I can “see” an attacker better with proper lighting, but if I’ve identified someone as an attacker in the first place, then what more is there to deliberate?
Exactly, if you are going to use a firearm at night, a white light is a 100% must have. You have to ID the target 100% before you neutralize it.
I haven’t had any fail either, except on purpose. I think that their tints have some to be desired, but Olight is the Chinese manufacturer, that is my favorite for build quality.
koziy
That’s the attitude that will get someone killed. The point is the flashlight isn’t the weapon(though it could be used as an impact weapon), primarily they are tools that can help make weapons more effective, in life or death struggles. Shooting at sounds and shadows is a recipe for disaster.
Human low light vision does not see color, or detail, for example. Shooting your 15 year old child thinking he/she is an intruder is the very point we’re discussing. Your family depends on your ability to assess the threat.
This. Very much this. Friendly fire is not something you should even entertain the risk of. You’re defending yourself and your own, not playing Doom on an HTC Vive.
Solarforce at the ready … trusty L2 equipped with a forward / momentary McClicky switch and Malkoff M61 1000 lumen P60 drop in attached to my 870 flashlight holder … 
I’m surprised and saddened to hear they would sacrifice quality like that. It makes sense when they need a sales boost and to get their products moving but they charge A lot for the Olight brand and without quality to back it up they go nothin. Out of curiosity did you ever have it repaired/exchanged? I recently read that Olight is supposed to have a 7-year return policy?
I’m glad my S1R hasn’t crapped out on me like that. Been a solid and reliable EDC (not delicately) for the last 2+ years. It does have a flawed design with it’s two turbo modes (turbo=600 lumen turbo S=900 lumens) and the turbo S setting has never lasted longer than 5-10 seconds when it’s supposed to last 90 seconds but other than that It’s always worked well.
If you don’t know what that’s from and you like memes…. BEST MEME BOMB EVER!:
Me likey 
What don’t you like about the M2R? the only “tacticool” feature I can see it missing is the strike bezel?
Resized those for ya. Images of this size are a pain on mobile.
Also what’s the name of this color scheme? Looks kinda garish, but if I cared about weapon looks, the PPS43 wouldn’t be my favourite historical weapon 