Guide's Jumbo Light Humbled by SureFire

Good Thing I Had My SureFire
Something tells you it's a good idea to take it along. Read how having a SureFire helped save the day for others who listened to their guts.

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I was on a boat, paddling on an underground river, exploring a network of caves. The expedition guide had a 12-volt car battery powering a halogen lamp with a six-inch-wide head. I had a Surefire 6P® Defender® (six volts, with a 1.25-inch head). Now, if you do the math, a 12-volt battery is twice the power of six volts, and a 6-inch head should produce a better beam than a 1.25-inch head. But I guess the folks at SureFire use a different kind of math, because my Surefire 6P Defender was easily twice as bright as the 12-volt halogen light the guides were using.

With my SureFire, things we couldn't see with the guides' light all of a sudden became very visible, making their light seem like some kind of kids' toy. I think the guide was discouraged that a little handheld beat his car-battery-powered biggie. In fact, after we got out of the caves, one guide said to another, "I think I need to change my battery." The other guide replied, "But your battery is brand new." If I'd had the chance, I would have told him, "Nothing wrong with your battery-what you need to change is your light...to a SureFire!"

Noel I.
Las Pinas, Philippines