Brock's Flashlight review page last update 9-23-01

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09-23-01 Surge from Princeton Tec. I got mine from Brightguy. I am impressed with this light. Now if you want a light that can compare to the Surefire and Streamlight 2 cell lights, this is it. It uses 8 AA batteries, 2 sets of 4 in parallel so it is running the lamp at 6v. This should help the batteries run longer and should also help maintain the voltage while you use the light. The light itself is quite large, but not too large for normal use. It, as all, Princeton Tec lights, is waterproof and can be used as a dive light. The internal part of the light is pretty neat; it comes out with the battery holder and lamp on top all as one unit making it pretty easy to change batteries. I would say this light has the output very close to the Surefire P61 or P90 lamps, or just above 100 lumens. It does have a dimpled reflector so the beam is close to Surefire quality. I used to tell people the brightest light to get using normal cells was the UKE SL6, it is now the Surge. The Surge is much easier to hold, lighter and just about as bright. This light gets a big thumbs up.

09-23-01 Tec 40 from Princeton Tec. I got mine from Brightguy. I already bought a number of other Princeton Tec lights and was happy with them. So in this last order I figured I should get the last of the common ones. I already had the lamp and like it. It is a standard PR base .5 amp lamp for 4 cell lights. The Tec 40 is the big brother of the Tec 20. I wish they had dimpled the reflector as they have done on a number of their other light. The reflector is a mirror finish so you can see the filament in the beam and some rings, the rings aren't as bad as usual due to the shape of the lamp itself. All in all it is a nice bright small light, but for this size light I would still choose the Streamlight 4AA light.

05-31-01 2 AA from Bison. I got mine from The LED light. At first the light seemed to be a let down, I was comparing it to my Surefire E2. I have since compared it to other 2 AA lights and it is the brightest 2 AA light I currently have. The beam has the more common rings, and dark spots. It has a plastic body, with a ruberized coating for a nice grip. You turn the light on my rotating the head, which also changes the focus of the light. In that respect it is similar to a 2 AA Mag, although it is larger than a 2 AA mag. I uses a small bi-pin lamp just a touch larger then a 2 AA mag lamp. The lamp is brighter then the Brinkman Nextstar lamp. It seems quite durable.

05-31-01 2 C from Bison. I got mine from The LED light. For the price these lights are some of the best lights you can get. They make a great glove box light, with more then enough power to light up what any "standard" flashlight would. It has a polymer body. The light is turned on and off by twisting the head. The light is also focusable by turning the very top of the light. This is nice, you can preset the focus you like and turn the light on and off. It does however have the common rings and dark spots found in most flashlight ( I am spoiled by Streamlight and Surefires) This light uses a small bi-pin lamp just a touch larger then a 2 AA mag lamp (same lamps as the 2 AA Bison). A good 2 C light.

02-27-01 TACM III from TACM. This light is very similar in size to the popular Surefire 6P and Streamlight Scorpion. Unlike the other two lights the beam quality is more like a Mag. It has a tight beam about 1 foot at 20 feet and a second dimmer ring about 3 feet at 20 feet. It has a clear reflector, which is what causes the visible rings. It has a thin metal body covered with plastic. To turn it on you screw in the tailcap, which is smooth plastic, hard to do wearing gloves. It claims a 70 minute run time, but with the wattage this lamp pulls I would guess just over 60, or about 3 minutes longer than the Surefire or Streamlight. This light is also more expensive than either of the other two lights, so I would have to suggest one of them first. I have gotten spoiled by the smooth light output of the other lights. It is a good light, but it seems to expensive for the quality or craftsmanship. I would not recommend this light unless you need a really tight beam of light, then I would suggest a Surefire with a turbo head.

02-15-01 E2 from Surefire. Here is the big brother to the E1. This light is smaller than any 2 lithium light, including the 2L from UKE and is just as bright with excellent beam quality. It has a round beam of light, opposed the ever increasing oval beam found on most Surefires. It comes with the 65 lumen lamp that is using slightly less power than the standard P60 lamp, yet produces nearly the same amount of light. It also has a slightly longer run time than the Scorpion and standard P60 lamp. The light comes with a clip that can be removed with a small allen wrench. It has the standard Surefire tail cap. It can be turned on momentary by pushing the tailcap or constant on by turning the tail cap. I beleive this light will become the benchmark for which all 2 lithium lights are made. 03-29-01 I just received a LED replacement for the E2. It makes a great low power option for the E2. It runs over 15 hours on a set of batteries and is brighter than the Photon. You can find more info on them at E2 LED replacement. I also have a shot of it here. As usual I am not affiliated with this manufacture in any way, nor do I get any $ from them (I wish) :)

02-14-01 8NX from Surefire. Well this is the first rechargable I have used. The light comes with 2 rechargable batteries and a 120vac charger and a 12vdc charger. You have to remove the battery to put it in the charger. I really like the spot of light this light makes, at 20 feet it has a 1 foot really bright center spot, then a 7 foot bright ring, then a wider dimmer area of light. This makes it great for lighting up things at a distance and yet lights up things near them also. The light has a nice feel and easy to hold barrel, textured so it shouldn't slip out of your hands easily. For me this is a heavy light and large, about twice the weight and size of the other 2 lithium lights (6P, D2, M2 and G2), but it is rechargable so it would be much cheaper to opperate in the long run.

12-10-00 M6 from Surefire. This is like holding some of the sun in your hands. It can be seen against a building from over 50 feet in full sun! The light is really a 9v light using 2 pair of 3 batteries in series. The light comes with the MN20 (250 lumen, purple) and the MN21 (500 lumen, gray). Again here the MN20 has an egg shaped beam and is about the same intensity of the MN21, just a smaller beam of light. Even with the MN20 lamp this light is amazing, it is on par with the 12PM. The 6 batteries help keep the beam whiter and should run it for about 1 hour. The MN21 (500 lumen) lamp will eat the 6 batteries in about 20 minutes. The brighter lamp is also round in shape.

12-10-00 M3 from Surefire. This is the newest version of the 3 cell 9v line from Surefire. This light is waterproof and built very well as you would expect from Surefire. It comes with two lamps the MN10 (125 lumen, gold) lamp that should last about 1 hour and the MN11 (225 lumen, pink) lamp that will burn through the 3 batteries in about 20 minutes. The odd thing about the MN10 is it makes an egg shaped beam of light. When using the MN11 it is round. As usual with Surefire lights as you increase the lumen rating the light basically gets bigger, and just a bit brighter. In this case the beam is about 2.5 feet by 4 feet at 20 feet, then when you change over to the 11 you get just over 4 feet of circular light.

12-10-00 spares carrier or SC from Surefire. Ok this isn't a light but it is way to handy not mention. At first I thought it was a gimmick, but now that I have one I want another. I had 4 123's and a spare lamp rolling around in my desk drawer at work so I thought I should get something to put them. It holds 6 lithium batteries and a spare lamp. It comes in two versions SC1, for standard P based lamps and SC2 that holds the newer MN series lamps. The lamps sits in the center and the 6 batteries are around the lamp. It is sealed with an "O" ring and once it is closed is waterproof with the lamp and the batteries held securely in place. Very compact and easily transportable. I consider this a great addition for any Surefire light.

12-08-00 Rage from Princeton Tec. This is the big brother of the blast a 2 AAA light. This light is using 4 AAA cells and this keeps the light small and light for the light output. The light is actually very close in intensity to the blast but it lights up a larger area. It also doesn't have a real tight beam of light. It is a nice light for the $ and size.

11-20-00 Arc White from Energizer. This is an intresting light. It has a nice tight beam of light. It is using 4 AA's and a standard PR 80 lamp. The intresting part here it also has a 1/8 inch by 3 inch fluorescent lamp down the side. This is much smaller than any other fluorescent lamp I have seen. The fluorescent part of the lamp is pulling 320mA or 1.8w The light takes about 30 seconds to come to full brightness. I got this light at Wal Mart for about $20, it would make a nice addition for camping or a emergency light. The issue might be the durability of the light itself. It isn't a streamlight or Surefire, but then again its only $20.

11-20-00 Tec 20 from Princeton Tec. This it a step up from the Blast 2AAA size light. It has a brighter beam, but it has rings and isn't real smooth. It does use a standard PR base lamp and uses 2 AA batteries. The light is turned on by twisting the head of the light. It is waterproof to 2000 feet, but I wouldn't recommend testing that. I would recommend a Blast over this light for size and smoothness of light output.

11-20-00 Mini MityLite from Pelican. Using a single AAA this is one of the smallest flashlights I own. It is also one of the dimmest. However this light would fit on a keychain and could be very useful in a pinch. I would recommend a Photon or other small LED light for this size. The light is well built and waterproof to 500 feet. The light is turned on by twisting the head of the light.

11-20-00 Syclone from Streamlight. This light uses a bright white lamp or an orange LED. It is built very well. It is waterproof to 100 feet. The head of the light swivels to 90 degrees so it can be set on any flat serface and pointed at the object you want lit and it will stay there. It also has a large clip on the side of the light for attaching it to an object. The actual light beam has the look of a more typical mag light output. Not real smooth, but bright. The light can also be focused slightly to a tighter or wider beam output. It has a 2 position switch with off in the middle. This light would make a very nice emergency light.

10-04-00 E1 from Surefire. It has finally arrived! I am impressed with the size and brightness. The light is slightly brighter than the 3P model and it uses less power! It is also about 1/3 smaller and lighter. I think Surefire is on to something here. If you want a small bright light, this is it. I would recommend this light over all the other 2 AA or 2 AAA lights for its brightness and how nice the beam looks. Of course this light is about 5 to 10 times the price of most of the other lights in this class. It has a typical momentary tail cap switch or a twist of the tail cap for continous light.

09-18-00 Super Pelilite from Pelican. This light is dimmer than I had hoped, but would make a great light for a glove compartment or emergency kit. It is completely waterproof, to 500 feet. It turns on with a twist of the head. This light uses 2 C cells, so it should have a good runtime compared to the 4 AA size lights. I would guess practically it would last about 2 hours. It is a decent light. The light is turned on by twisting the head of the light.

09-18-00 Pro Polymer from Streamlight. This is a nice light, better than I would have guessed. It is a relatively cheap light and has a nice light output. It does have some rings, but not as many as most other 4 AA lights and this is one of the brightest I have seen yet. It is slightly "whiter" in color than the Pelican stealth, and slightly wider beam so it doesn't appear quite as bright. It has a tail cap momentary push on, and the ever common twist the head for constant on. This light uses 4 AA cells and is made out of polymer, hence the name. It is water proof to 200 feet, but says not to use it for SCUBA diving? Maybe just snorkeling? It seems more water tight than most of the other streamlight's I have seen.

07-31-00 12PM from Surefire. I was told this light was bright, they wern't kidding! It is more than 4 times as bright as any other light I own. Now remeber this light uses 123A's and they are $2 each in bulk, and it uses a set in about 12 minutes. So you are using about 60 cents a minute or about 1 penny a second to run this light. It is meant to be used as a "tactical" light, only being on for short times. The batteries will shut down due to thermal heating in about 3 minutes. The light is meant to be used for about 30 seconds at a time. It is quite small for the punch you get. It is smaller and lighter than the 3 C cell Mag. If you want a lightsaber, this is the tool. This will be the light I use to "see where that noise came from" light. 09-24-01 I have found out you can use the lamps from the "M4" in the 12PM. So the MN60 (225 lumen, 60 minute) and MN61 (350 lumen, 20 minute) lamps will work in this light. I have been using the MN61 and it works quite well. I beleive you can also use the N62 (500 lumen, 12 minute) lamp in the M4.

07-31-00 3 cell from Mag. 3 D cell and three C cell Mag lights. I have used them in the past, but I plan to purchase a 3 LED replacement soon and need my own light to put it in. Mags are sturdy and very common. I am also hopefully getting a Carely lamp for the 3 cell lights from "Walt" soon. This should greatly increase the light output of thses common lights. The testing I have done was with the lamps that came with the lights. They are great utility lights with a good runtime for the amout of light you get, but they are some of the heaviest lights I own. They can double as a hammer if nessary :)

07-12-00 Scorpion from Streamlight. I am impressed with this light. It was about $30, about 1/2 the price of a Surefire 6P, and a little more than the price as a UKE 2L. The light is almost identical in size to a 6P. The light output is also very close to the 6P with a standard lamp (P60), just a bit dimmer, but also wider. The Scorpion can't be spotted quite as tightly as the 6P but you can also adjust really wide for lighting a large area that is closer to you, which makes this light more versatile. It has a spare lamp in the light, actually directly under the lamps that is used. I would recommend this light since it is cheaper than a Surefire 6P and has a much nicer light output and better overall construction than a UKE 2L. The light is turned on and off with a push on the tail cap, which can be used momentary also.

07-12-00 Super Mitylite from Pelican. I am disappointed in this light. I had heard it was brighter than the UKE Pen and Princeton Tec Blast, it is not. I also thought it had a tighter beam than the other two, it does not. It is a good little 2 AAA light, but either of the other lights are easier to hold and put out better light than this one. The light is turned on by twisting the head of the light.

07-10-00 3P from Surefire. I was lucky enough to have a web site fan send me a 3P to keep! It is brighter than I would have thought and all the parts (besides the lamp) are interchangeable between the other sizes. It has the usual nice tight beam of light, and a very sturdy light. Since this light is just slightly brighter than the UKE Pen or Princeton Tec Blast I would recommend one of them over this light due to the $, size, and odd battery. I am also waiting on the new E1 from Surefire. It is suppose to be smaller, lighter and even a bit brighter. Thanks Michael!

07-10-00 Nexstar bulbs from Brinkmann. These lamps are made to replace the lamps in the standard AA or AAA mini Mag lights. They are the small bi pin style also know as wheat lamps. These little bulbs are really bright. They will almost double the light output from a standard replacement lamp. Thanks Walt!

06-09-00 D2 from Surefire, this light is very similar to the common 6P. The D2 adds the lockout tailcap (which you can add to the 6P) and a clip that is on the body of the light. The clip can be removed by taking the lens end off then sliding the clip right out of the light, then put the lens back on. The 6P line can use the following lamps. The R60, meant for the rechargeable version and shouldn't be used with lithiums, it is rated at 50 lumens. The P60, the standard lamp that comes with the light, is rated at 65 lumens. And finally the P61, an upgrade, that burns at a blazing 120 lumens, but at a cost of a 15 minute burn time on the batteries. The big advantage of Surefire to me is the quality of the light itself. The lamps are made into the reflector, making it focused just right. Unlike the UKE lamp/reflector it is right on every time. Using the P61 lamps makes this the brightest, smallest light I know of. This light is water-resistant, I would feel comfortable using the light in the rain or snow, but I wouldn't think of intentionally running it underwater.

06-09-00 SL6 by UKE. This light is very similar to the 4 AA or Q40 except larger in size. It is using 6 C cells and is quite heavy for that reason. The advantage of this light is the life of the batteries for the light output. It is slightly brighter than the D2 with the P61 installed, but will burn 12 times longer. It has a nice tight beam, extremely bright, probably too bright to be used for most "flashlight" needs. This light would make a good primary dive light, or a search light. The light is turned on by flipping a small switch near the head of the light.

06-09-00 4 AA UKE has made this light for several years now. It is also called the Q 40. I believe one version has a switch and one you twist the head to turn on and off. I have some that are more than 10 years old. I originally purchased these lights as backups to my main dive lights. They are bright for their size and use standard AA batteries. Being made for divers they are very waterproof, so they can be used in any weather without being affected. The big drawback I am seeing in this light and the 2L is the quality of lamp/reflector. They seem to be different every time I get one, some are 6 feet at 20 feet, some are 1 foot at 20 feet, some have rings, some have egg shaped beams. I guess they are more like typical flashlights output, but I am getting spoiled by the output of the Surefires.

06-09-00 2L UKE has made a lithium version of the 4 AA. It uses the same 123A's as the D2. The batteries have a shelf life of over 10 years. This light has an identical light output to the 4 AA, but it is 1/2 the weight and 2/3 the size. They use the same lamp/reflector and lens head. The disadvantage of this light is the price of the batteries, but the advantage is its size. This is a great light for the tool box or glove compartment. It will always be ready when you need it. It is also quite small, easy to carry in a pocket. The light is turned on by twisting the head of the light.

06-09-00 blast Princeton Tec has made a very small little light that uses 2 AAA's side by side. This is the smallest alkaline light I have. The light is as bright as a 2 AA mag. It is turned on and off by twisting the head of the light. A very nice little light. Nice smooth beam without rings.

06-10-09 Pen by UKE. This light is also using 2 AAA batteries and is very similar to the blast above. The only real differnce is the batteries are end to end. The light is about the size of a standard pen, hence the name. The light is about the same diameter as an AA cell battery. This is a rugged little light and can replace most household flashlights in use. Again it is as bright as a 2 AA mag.

06-09-00 5D by Mag. This is one of my older light. It uses 5 D cell batteries in a row making it almost 18 inches long. I bought this back when it was the brightest light I could find. I have since replaced the lamp (standard PR base) with a radio shack 272-1189, also know as a HPR 50. I have been told there are brighter lamps available at this voltage and style and I am looking into it. This is a durable light, mine has been through it all. It has room for a spare lamp in the tail, and can double as a hammer if necessary. You can remove the lens/reflector and stand the light up on it's tail and use it as a room light. The beam size is variable, letting you choose a tight narrow beam or a wide flood. This light is slightly brighter then the UKE 4 AA or 2L, however due to its size and weight it is not convenient to use as a regular flashlight.

a shot most of my lights togeather
a shot of the lights themselves to compare for size
a shot of some of the brighter lights to compare for light output
a shot of the Streamlight Scorpion vs Surefire D2, with a P60 lamp
a shot of the Surefire E2 and some other lights
Surefire lamps - P91 vs P90 vs P61 vs P60

comments & suggestions welcome : nevermab@uwgb.edu
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