Initial Report

Initial Report - SureFire L1 Lumamax

Name: David Sowards-Emmerd
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8'' (1.73 m)
Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
Email Address: drunken_marmotATyahooDOTcom
Los Altos, California, USA
April 18, 2006

Backpacking Background:

I generally take weekend (1 night) trips, and occasionally take 3-4 day trips. Most of my backpacking is at moderate altitude, 6,000'-12,000' (1,800-3,650 m), in conditions ranging from dry desert to hail/heavy snow in the mountains. In winter and spring I split time between Southern California (SoCal) deserts and snowshoeing/skiing/snowcamping in the Sierra/Cascades. Summer and fall I tend to stick to the high country.

Photo of the L1.

Manufacturer's Website: www.surefire.com
MSRP: $135 US

Manufacturer's Specifications: (from website)
Weight: 2.9 oz (82 g)
Length: 4.6'' (11.7 cm)

Specifications (as measured by tester):
Lanyard Weight: 0.5 oz (14 g)
Flashlight Weight (without battery): 2.7 oz (77 g)
Tailcap Weight: 0.5 oz (13 g)
LED Head Weight: 1.0 oz (28 g)
Central Body Weight: 1.3 oz (36 g)
Battery Weight: 0.6 oz (16 g)
Flashlight Length: 5.0'' (12.7 cm)
Lanyard Length (end-to-end): 18'' (46 cm)

What's Included:

Flashlight
Battery
Lanyard
Instruction manual for the previous version of the flashlight

Photo of the parts.

Product Description:

The SureFire L1 is a compact, single-cell LED flashlight with an anodized aluminum body. The flashlight can be disassembled, by unscrewing, into three sections: tailcap, LED head, and body. The connecting regions of these are sealed off with o-rings. The LED head contains a white Luxeon III, which is focused into a tight beam by a Pyrex lens. The body of the L1 has a clip which is oriented so that the LED head faces up when the flashlight is clipped to a pocket. The tailcap has a rubbery push button on the end and a plastic lanyard attachment point. The flashlight can be turned on in two ways: pushing the button on the end or screwing the tailcap on further. Most noteworthy of the machining details is that the tailcap has a small, smooth ''dot'' machined into it. This dot lines up with the clip right when the light is turned on to low beam (by twisting obviously). Another half turn clockwise (flashlight pointed away from me, and twisting the tailcap), so the dot is opposite the clip, and the flashlight is now in high beam mode. The L1 incorporates a lockout mechanism to avoid accidental activation. This lockout is achieved by unscrewing the tailcap one and a half turns beyond the off position (dot opposite the clip). When in this position, I can push the button in all the way and the light won't turn on.

Another photo of the parts.

And another photo of the parts.

Initial Impressions

So far, I'm a big fan of this light. It's compact, bright, and has a tightly focused and very uniform beam when held a short distance from the 'target', but exhibits a bull's-eye pattern when held about 0.4'' (1 cm) away. I will include photos of this in my Field Report. The L1 appears to be very well constructed and seems very sturdy. My initial concern is that the beam, which is not focusable, is too narrow for hiking on a trail in the dark. I intend to purchase the diffuser lens in the near future. I will include photos of the narrow and diffused beams in my Field Report.

Specific Things To Test:

How does the flashlight behave when the batteries are low? I may also try using some rechargeable (Li Ion) batteries with the L1.
How hot does the flashlight get? Is this only noticeable on high beam?
Are the two power settings sufficient to cover most of my lighting needs?
How useful is the lanyard? Can it be used to convert to a headlamp? This seems to be the case so far and appears to be useful for reading, but I will if it will work for hiking, cooking, and tasks around camp.
The machined grip on the flashlight is comfortable and grippy, but will this wear noticeably on pants pockets or contents of my pockets (e.g. cell phone, knife)?
How useful is the clip as an attachment point? I'll try carrying the L1 clipped to pants pockets, pack straps, etc.
Beam size/shape: I plan to purchase the diffuser bezel in the near future and will comment on its usefulness and whether it is a necessity.
Will the lockout cap twist in my pack? I will probably carry the L1 in the top of my pack during dayhikes and during the day on backpacking trips.
Durability: Will the rubber push button stiffen or crack during the test period? Will the finish wear away? Will the Pyrex lens get scratched during testing ?
Is there a noticeable decrease in performance in cold temperatures?
Will it function properly underwater?

Testing Plan and Locations:

During the next four months, I plan to carry the L1 on all my backpacking trips and nearly all my dayhikes. During this time, I anticipate a handful of snowcamping trips in the Sierra Nevada, a multi-day trip to Joshua Tree National Park, and a two-night trip to Santa Cruz island in Channel Islands National Park. In addition to backpacking, the L1 will see plenty of use around the apartment, geocaching, and during the remaining nights of the observational astronomy course I'm teaching.

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Reviews > Lighting > Flashlights - LED > SureFire L1 LumaMax > David Sowards-Emmerd > Initial Report

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