UranusFire
not trying to go off topic too much lol but I do have some real life experience in this area and when it comes to HDMI/RCA/ wiring in general, you do get what you pay for unless your overpaying for cheap stuff. You have to watch the market even big box stores will sell cheap stuff claiming it's good when it's not. On the same toKen the good stuff can be had for cheap if you know where to look. Good wires will be gold or copper plated leads with GOOD insulation, and the type of metal also comes into play, cheap metal will pit and corrode easily when heat is applied. Cheap insulation seems like has a lower melting point and if you try to pull more power through them than they can handle the insulation will get hard and brittle, chip and crack off, and eventually could cause a fire whereas good wiring will last well over 50 years in the same scenario. In a perfect world, no never mind it's not just accept that things will get overloaded eventually somehow some way... I'm not trying to give any specifics but I have done a little bit of tinkering wiring up car stereos, installing stand alone engine management systems, fixing electrical issues that would have cost my friends and family thousands for a 'real' mechanic to fix, and I do a lot of troubleshooting at work with everything from 12v-110v-3phase 208/220 and that's just my 2 pennies.
my iPhone and I prefer Tim Hortons lol
I have 3 Surefire lights; 6P, 2 G2 Nitrolon. They were all purchased in the mid 2000s (actually found 1 email receipt dated May 31, 2005 for the black Nitrolon). They are located around the house and are used in case of emergencies or for any utility flashlight use. Batteries last forever, as they are rarely used. All but one of the G2s were recently upgraded with a Malkoff M61LL.
They do remain relevant to the tactical community (military, LE), and obviously not so much with budget collectors. I still keep up with their models, and have looked at their Fury line on many occasions, which lead me to Elzetta, and ultimately I'm close to getting the Elzetta. I do like my Surefires and hope they do continue to try and keep up with the latest technology.
One of the areas where they could truly gain market share is WML (weapon mounted lights) - handguns and longguns. I have seen one modder comment on a Surefire WML (handgun) mod that he said he did as a one time deal for a friend. I would like to see gains and more innovation in this area.
I have several modded Surefire’s. My favorite is the 961/962 rifle light!(951/952’s too) I have one on my AR10 pushing 1580lms at turn on and 1400lms at 5 minutes (my own designed D36 drop in) single mode. My favorite handgun flashlight is a bored out Z2 (4 tours in the sand box)with a (Special made) PFlexPRO drop in with 1300+ lumens, in a quick draw polymer Surefire holster. Never seen or heard of a Z41 switch fail ever. They have 961’s on Evil Bay with A.R.M.s quick throw mount for $59.00 right now. You CAN find budget deals IF you look for them? I have tried several of the so called china weapon lights, they never lasted more than 5 to 10 rounds thru my Model 11 Remington (My test base).
Count me in that list. But they will ship out parts to you no questions asked at no additional cost.
Now, is that worth the premium price? That is the question.
The opportunity came along quicker then i expected:
I admit that I am cheap. Even if Surefire is the best light on the planet, since I am not LEO or Firefighter or S&R I would not even consider their price. The budget lights I have are everything I need and I don’t think I ever paid over $45 for a light except for the Surefire lights I bought my Son, SIL, and Daughter years ago when they were the brightest I knew of.
Even the new Ti3 is too expensive for me, but I bit the bullet and ordered one.
I have never had alight fail, but if one did it would not be a catastrophe.
Jerry
I’m not sure if you’re being sarcastic, but the light bulb is the most important component of a light and it’s with the bulb where light technology advancement is concentrated. It’s like the CPU for computers, it’s the heart and everything is based on it. Without the bulbs from the likes of Cree and Nichia, I doubt the Chinese flashlights would be that desirable.
264…. Not sure if your still lookin for a E2L AA but there is one that’s on CPF Marketplace for just under 100 bucks. It looks like it’s in good condition. Just thought I’d give you a heads up…. 
Just so you know it’s the older 3/80 lumen version not the updated one.
Thats a great price. Thanks for the heads up. But for now I am just going to stick with my Chinese brand flashlights.
No problem man…it actually just sold anyway 
Cree never made bulbs for flashlights. Their bulbs are for stationary fixtures and too big for flashlights.
I discussed this in a similar thread. I have a Streamlight Stinger (issued). It’s heavy duty and very nice, but I find myself using my no-name Sipik SK98 clone about 20-1 over the SS. I paid IIRC $8.50 for the SK98. My first was a Sipik SK68 that is still one of my EDC lights (for about 3 years). Neither has failed to do what I’ve needed it to do, whether as an EDC or in the woods. I just purchased 10 Sipik SK68 clones on Amazon for $3.33 each. My example on the other thread was that if these only last for several years then I’ve got flashlights for the next several decades for less than $35. And if one breaks or gets lost then I’m out $4 and I grab the next one out of the pack/drawer.
Would I pay $250 for a 115 lumen light? No. Not when I’m getting around a 1000 lumen for less than $20 (I’ve got two Trustfire A8’s that are like a spot light and I paid about $18 for each). As I discussed in my thread, I had a hard time talking myself into a $70 flashlight…and ended up talking myself out of it. To date the most expensive flashlight I’ve purchased is $19.95. I see no reason to change at this point. For less than the price of the SF you’ve referenced I have a plethora of lights to choose from depending upon my needs.
It just would make my day if a U.S. company could create a brand to compete with Nitecore/Fenix/Olight, and yes even Sipik brand. This does not mean I think Surefire is a low quality brand. They just target a different consumer base. The ideal American flashlight company would compete with the premium Chinese brands. They would create a better product at the same price point or less.
They would have to make it in China (these likely exist already), or US workers need to work for peanuts.
We live in a period of transition, over time, all these cheap places will have cost of living rises, wage rises and it will equalise. Sadly, we will be long dead by then.
There is also the loss of jobs to automation and robot assembly. The USA auto industry includes manufacturing plants for most overseas makers who sell in the USA but all auto plants are incredibly automated so the actual man hours to build a car are minimized compared to what they used to be. The same for most manufacturers who still successfully manufacture in the USA.
That depends on how much of the construction is automated and how much is done by humans.
As more things become more automated the human capital needed diminishes, traditionally it meant humans had to do more specialized jobs, but as current economic events shows we don’t need nearly as many humans to keep the world running. Of course profit margins are expected to increase by higher percentages each year, so reduced production cost does not usually lower retail cost.
Beat me by two minutes and a better explanation :bigsmile:
I use my torches for work and need them to be reliable. That being said If I paid Surefire kinds of money for a torch I would be to anxious to use it. As it stands I tend to carry three torches on me as a matter of course anyway. I have a small one on my key chain. A Fenix AAA on a lanyard around my neck with my ID badge and a larger Thrunite which I use as a workhorse. To the average person those would be considered luxury expensive torches. Once you get into a hobby the price of things seems to take on a different perspective.
Some more expensive lights just look better... and feel better ;)
oh.. you are talking about Surefire?.. dont know. never had one