> TEOTWAWKI Blog: Surefire E1B, EDC Flashlight - Initial Review

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12/2/10

Surefire E1B, EDC Flashlight - Initial Review

I am not the flashlight junky that some are. I have a few lights, but my go-to lights are a Fenix AAA keychain light and a Night Ops Falcata. The Fenix is great because it rides on my keys, unnoticed until it's needed. I recently upgraded to an LD01, which provides a decent amount of light on turbo mode, especially for such a small light. The Falcata is my nightstand light - more powerful than the LD01, with a great "clickie" tail cap. It's a bit too big to carry around easily most of the time, and the older xenon bulb is getting outdated.

I recently picked up a Surefire E1B to act as an intermediate light - somewhere between the LD01 keychain light and the Falcata on my night stand. I knew all about Surefire's stellar reputation, but haven't joined the owner's club. The E1B has gotten great reviews all over, so I took the plunge.

I've had the light for about 24 hours so far, and have to admit, it's about perfect. Build quality is rugged and well-crafted. Overall, it's a very compact light, while still maintaining an easy-to-hold size. The light is plenty bright, with awesome throw and plenty of useful throw - it blows my Falcata away completely. We're talking about lighting up objects a hundred yards away. The clickie tailcap is the best that I've handled, and the UI is simple and straightforward. The low mode still provides plenty of useful light for most tasks. I think my favorite part of the light, though, is the pocket clip. Sturdy, low-riding and with just-the-right-amount of tension. This is how to do a pocket clip! I generally carry my lights on my front, left-size IWB (about 11 o'clock), and the E1B disappears in this position...I don't notice it's there until needed, which is the point!

Again, I've only had it for a day now, and I'll be giving it a more thorough workout as it gets added into my daily carry. I'll keep you posted if my feeling about the E1B change, but so far, I'm thrilled. Big thumbs-up for EDC  use!