Customer Reviews

Surefire G2-LED G2 80 Lumens Runtime: 2 Hours Nitrolon® body LED flashlight

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before I tell you why I rated a Surefire with only 3 Stars and before you automatically skip reading my review let me tell you the good things about this light.

PROs:

- It is $20 cheaper based on MSRP than the Surefire 6P Led. They are practically the same light, since both run on Surefire's P60L LED Lamp. The lamp is rated at 80 lumens. The G2L is slightly longer (0.05 inches) than the 6PL, but it weighs less, it runs for 1 more hour, and its bezel is made of aluminum to dissipate heat.

- It is good for every-day carry and for most close up or moderate distance applications.

- Furthermore, for those of you who own other Surefire lights, and were disappointed by the performance of this light, good news: The G2L is highly modifiable.



Now for the bad stuff:

- The P60L LED Module found in this light is poor compared to other Surefire Lights. It is not as bright. Usually, when Surefire says 80 lumens, the lamp emits light that looks more like 100 lumens. Most LED lamps in Surefire lights are overachievers. The P60L is not. It does not even look like 80 lumens. And the throw is not that good either.

-The P60L LED lamp is protected by the Surefire Label. That means that a sticker is the only thing separating the circuits from being exposed. Of course it has O-rings, but for a $67-70 light, I would expect better craftsmanship, especially if it has Surefire's name on it.

So the reason why I gave it such a poor rating is because I expected a lot more from the actual LED lamp it has. It is a somewhat expensive light, and after seeing the performance of the Surefire E1b, Lumamax, and E2DL, the output of this light was very disappointing.

Unfortunately Surefire never released the new LED Lamp Drop in P61L, which would have made this a much better light. However, there are alternatives for those of you who wish to make your G2 light brighter. [....]offers LED modules that can raise the output of this light to over 235 lumens. And these are not the cheap Asian imported LED Modules that claim to have multiple functions and output levels. They are American made, and they are perhaps the best upgrade you could get for this model of Surefire.

Overall for the average person this is an average flashlight. But the average person does not spend $70 on a light unless they love collecting flashlights. So if you want to improve this light, Malkoff is the answer at least until Surefire releases its new LED Lamp.

This is a great flashlight and even better than the more expensive Surefire 6P LED model. It has the same brightness and performance yet has slightly longer run time and is lighter (hard plastic casing rather than metal in the 6P). I actually prefer the G2 because it's easier on your clothes if you like to keep the light in your pocket (the knurled grip on the metal 6P model can tear at your clothing).

Furthermore, the G2 is a lot less expensive so you get more bang for your buck with it yet you get the identical performance.

For super long run time and brightness for a given size, and for the price value, the Surefire G2 cannot be beat!

The G2 LED is a modern update of what quickly became a classic, the G2. This is an inexpensive (for a Surefire) hard working light that will serve a myriad of uses. The new LED bulb give you more output than the G2 (80 lumens vs 60) and a much longer run time. Eventually as you use your powerful 80 lumen beam the batteries will run down, but instead of a dead flashlight you will still have several hours of useable light from the LED. The increased price over the G2 is quickly recouped in the money you will save in batteries.

I've had this flashlight for a little over 3 months now (upgraded from a Streamlight Scorpion). The Streamlight can't hold a candle to this Surefire. Beam quality, focus, run time (they both run on two 123a batteries)and build quality far surpass the Streamlight product. This is definitely a case of getting what you paid for.

It might seem expensive at first, but, remember, you'll go through 12x as many batteries (at lower output) with a "traditional" incandescent 123a-powered light----1 hour runtime vs. 12 hours. The LED technology that Surefire has in this light is first class. You won't be dissappointed. PS Get your batteries from Surefire too---About $20 for a box of 12.

Surefire makes great flashlights and the E2D and E1B models I already own are the BEST pocket-portable flashlights I have ever used. I recently added one of these LED G2s to my collection with the thought that it was a (comparatively) cheaper model that I could use in non-critical situations, and one that I wouldn't cry over for weeks after losing (^_^). My conclusion after trials: the G2 is indeed a very good flashlight, but I find that if I had to go back and buy only one light to use all the time, a G2 is not the one I would choose. This is because of the single light level available combined with its (relatively) hard-to-use switch: it's just too nice to be able to quintuple usable battery life with a lower level light (as can be done with the other two I own), and in actual use the always-on alternative on their button switches beats the twist-for-always-on switch on the G2 hands down.

That said, the G2 is just over half the price of the other two Surefires I name and I got it for even less, no small advantage that, and I have to say that the G2 would still be the third choice out of the other hundred or so better-quality lights I've used or looked at over the years. Whatever you buy in this line, just make sure you get an LED model and not one of the older models with the high demand burn-out bulbs!

[MY original review as above was for the metal body model G2; I am editing in 03/2010 to specify that I have no experience with the nitrolon body one as now sold here- nor have I heard anything against it]

While the G2 LED is a sturdy, reliable light source there is a major failing (at least with the claimed specifications) that need to be noted before one decides to purchase this light. The implication of the description(on Amazon at least) implies that this light will run at 80 lumen's for 12 hours. This clam is FALSE! At best, you will get around 3 hours, before it drops down to around ~30 and below, as the batteries are depleted. Even Surefire's site ([...]) now states this (even though it previously had the false 12 hour claim).

If you are looking for a light that has a sustained level of "tactical" lighting for 10+ hours, go elsewhere. If you need a small durable light with a minimal amount of tactile lighting time (< 3 hours), then the G2 LED is your light...

I have a 6P and was looking for a spare and decied to try the G2. The G2 is lighter than the 6P and has a different grip surface. The G2 does not get has hot as the 6P when in use for more than 15 minutes, otherwise funtion and fit are the same as the 6P

If your looking for a lighter alternative to the 6P, the G2 is a good choice.

The flashlight is much brighter than any I have used before. Battery life appears to be good as well. It is very small and fits in the palm of your hand or coat pocket without being noticeable. I am pleased with the performance

There are 2 versions of this light. One has clear lens with textured reflector and the other has a frosted lens and clear reflector. I rec'd the later. Not as powerful as I expected...it is bright but not as bright as my Cree P4 flashlight I paid $20 for but does not have 12 burn time... If battery life is important this is your best bet...if brightness is more important...there are better choices out there.

I gave this to my son as a gift. He is a true outdoorsman, and he said it was exactly what he needed. He couldn't be happier . . . which makes me happy!