Great, thanks for the timely response and I appreciate this forum. I wanted to get a streamlight or surefire originally for spotting critters at night and blood tracking deer. The advertising seemed ideal with the g700 and it was so much cheaper. I just prefer buying American quality products w good warranties such as a Luepold scope etc. I will keep looking.
My first “not a dollar store piece of junk” light was a Surefire for those exact uses you mentioned. It’s a Surefire G2. I swapped in a 2-mode P60 module from DealExtreme.com and wrapped it in foil/tin for better heatsinking (the nitrolon of the G2 doesn’t conduct heat well, clearly).
I stuck a pair of CR123 primaries into it, along with a spare set, and put it in an emergency bag. It’s a great light overall, but some of my budget lights are more practical, and half to one-third the cost.
Seriously mindblown here… I restore and mod guitars for a living and never once did I consider modding a flashlight! I’m going to google everything you mentioned JasonJ. Thanks. Just for curiosity sake what are comparable budget lights to the G2? Edit: Oh and yes I don’t like the 5 modes either.
Oh I just noticed this one a few posts up Brynt b158
Lots and lots and lots of options for a P60 host (flashlight without the electronics, namely the LED emitter and driver board).
Check out Richard’s awesome site/store here, he has not only P60 drop in modules, but also some common hosts. I also own an Ultrafire 502b that accepts P60 modules. I have a very high lumen module installed in that one that I use as a tactical light in a biometric lock box next to my bed. You can guess what else is in the box. 
Some people like to use that same host for burning lasers as well.
Here is MtnElectronics page on P60’s:
Some good lights and builds here:
And here:
Some may say negative things about this next site, but it’s where most of us started and it still contains a HUGE amount of knowledge.
List of P60 hosts:
CPF in general, has a multi-part, multi-dozens of pages threads on JUST P60 stuff.
Part 1 that started it: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?156748-Dealextreme-drop-in-for-G2-6P-etc
Part 2: Part 2
Part 3: Part 3
Each of those has hundreds of additional links.
P60 hosts and modules is certainly a nice and easy entry into flashlight modding, terminology, and techniques. Good luck and welcome aboard!
Sweet! I really like that Ultrafire host.
Yeah I like my 502b just fine… only thing I don’t care for is the reverse clicky switch. I’d like a forward clicky so that I can do momentary on. But it’s not that critical.
My guess is Seals use Streamlight or Surefire. They probably cost maybe $200 each.
Also, those brands are built for toughness and reliability. They won’t have cutting-edge brightness. They’re probably quite dim compared to today’s state-of-the art flashlights.
Look at surfires they are best host out there and better than sure fire imo here look at this :http://www.solarforceflashlight-sales.com/product.php
A lot of people seem to believe “the more you pay the more it’s worth” and buy these garbage “700” lights — various painted names on a well known cheap junk light — because of the advertising.
This is “budget light forum” —- not “expensive light” and not “cheap crap” forum. If you want “top of the line” you need to decide which line you want to be in.
You can pay a good bit more if you want to. People here won’t point you toward that stuff though.
Reading comments on youtube about these lights is downright depressing. One commenters (likely from BLF) says it is false marketing hype, and someone else counters “I bought the real made-in-USA G700 and it’s the brightest light I’ve ever seen. You just reviewed a cheap Chinese knock-off”.
:weary: :SICK: :-x
I get comments on my channel occasionally that say, “the G700 is the best flashlight.” They are promptly removed. I think I’m in line to do a review of this light, along with the cheap clone.
Thanks for posting the video….and I hope you get your money back!
You mod guitars? That sounds pretty interesting!
I just saw a link to this light while reading the news and wondered how many people had been suckered into buying this light.
I would rather have ANY OTHER LIGHT from Target, Costco or Home Depot.
That’s normally what I’ve been using too, Just cheap LEDs. I had just recently started getting into the idea of getting something better when I saw the adds online. Normally I research my purchases but this time I just bought it first. Hahaha. Hopefully the vid will help steer some people away from the hype.
Edit: still waiting to see if or when I get refunded. I’m sending it back tomorrow (Thursday 2-19-16)
—Yes, I Mod, restore, maintain stringed instruments. I love it. I just started my YouTube page maybe a month ago or so. My profession is called a Luthier but I know that’s not a commonly heard name.
You need evidence of shipping and delivery, i fear they will claim not to have received it.
I was fearing the same… Should I bite it and send it back certified?
I would keep it and file a claim with the credit card company that you paid for it with. They may organize the return shipping.