True Stories

As a patrol officer, you respond to numerous alarms and deal with a wide variety of animals while working the beat. Recently, I responded to a home alarm around 2:30 a.m. I entered the fenced backyard to check all the windows and the back door. As I rounded the back corner of the house, without warning, a white pit bull came out of nowhere.

Luckily, I had my SureFire U2 Ultra™, one of my most trusted pieces of equipment, in my hand, because, by the time I noticed the pit bull, it was almost on top of me. The only thing I could do was shine the U2 in the attacking dog's eyes. The intense light stopped the dog in its tracks! This gave me time to transition to my duty weapon, which, thankfully (for me and the dog), I never had to use.

My U2 was my first line of defense, and it performed flawlessly. Another great product from SureFire.

Mike K.
Indianapolis, IN

Just the other night, my wife and I were on our nightly walk with our Springer spaniel, when, suddenly, a huge bull moose popped out onto the trail and made straight for my dog. Luckily, I had my Surefire U2 Ultra™ on me and had it dialed in to its "stun" setting. I yelled at the moose and hit it in the eyes with 100 lumens of light. It stopped in its tracks, and my wife grabbed the dog and slowly backed away, our hearts pounding. The whole while, I kept the light trained on the moose. He stayed put, blinded by my bright U2.

I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't had my U2 on me, but I was darn glad to have it. The situation could have turned out much worse without it.

Mark M.
Anchorage, AK

I was out boar hunting during the rainy season. It had just gotten dark, when it started to rain, hard, with zero visibility.

While walking back, I slipped in a mud hole and fell, dropping my rifle somewhere next to me. To my left I heard growling and movement in the bushes. I reached into my pocket for my E2L Outdoorsman, only to discover that it had fallen out. After panicking and digging around in the mud, I finally found it. I immediately lit up the area where the sound was coming from, revealing a huge wild boar (a very dangerous animal) about 20 feet from me. I quickly used my light to find my rifle, grabbed it, and squeezed off a shot just in time.

Thanks to my SureFire, I was able to make it home alive.

Joseph H.
North Port, FL

I am currently a cadet in the Police Academy. As you can imagine running is now a big part of my life. While practicing my uphill workout in the hills that surround my academy, it got dark on me. I always carry my SureFire U2 on me while running in the evening. I was on a dirt service road, coming down fast, when I heard what sounded like a rattle. I tried to come to a stop, but my momentum carried me further than I would have liked. I finally stopped and swept the area for the source of the noise. My light caught a coiled rattlesnake no more than four feet from my foot. My SureFire lit it up and blinded it, rendering it still. Because of the intensity of the light, I was able to backup and safely move around the coiled snake.

My SureFire U2 saved my hide on that night. Thanks for making the brightest and most reliable lights around. I will take my SureFire with me into my police career.

Edward R.
Westminster, CA

I just got back from an 18-day African safari, hunting dangerous game. Prior to my departure, I purchased another Surefire flashlight-the Backup™-which probably saved my life.

One morning, while walking into a blind, I heard a noise ahead of where my guide and I were walking. I grabbed my light and held it ready in my left hand. Suddenly, from less than 15 yards away, in total darkness, a tusk-less cow elephant charged us. I hit her with the bright light and stopped her in her tracks at about eight yards. My guide yelled, and she turned and walked away with her calf. I am convinced, as was my guide, that the Backup's intense light played a huge part in changing her mind.

Thank you for an awesome product.

Art H.
Montana

I went on a hike with a friend and three of his kids in Belle Smith State Park in Illinois, home of a natural arch. Even though this was only a hike of few hours, I brought along my E1B Backup™, which I take with me pretty much wherever I go.

The arch forms a sort of a tunnel 10 or 15 feet long, strewn with boulders and smaller rocks. As we approached it, my friend's youngest went scrambling toward the entrance. I took out my Backup and scanned the rubble in the "tunnel" (although it was broad daylight, it was still quite dark inside), when my light's beam revealed a copperhead emerging from behind a boulder. The child was less than a yard from the snake and was heading right for it. The minute my Backup's beam hit the snake, my friend called out for his son to stop, and he halted in his tracks. I kept the beam on the snake, which quickly retreated back behind the rubble. My friend then said, "That light saved my son's life."

As we resumed our hike, my friend asked me several questions about my flashlight...he's since bought one for himself.

Alan B.
Urbana, IL

While conducting line-watch operations on the U.S./Mexican border, several smugglers were observed making an illegal incursion into the United States. I was able to dig into the high brush and blend in to interdict said incursion. Little did I realize that there was a diamondback rattlesnake coiled up around the mesquite tree I was hiding behind. The snake struck me at waist level, actually biting down on my SureFire Speed Holster holding my 6P® LED.

Not only did my flashlight help me do my job and apprehend the smugglers that night, the holster took one for the team. Thanks, SureFire.

Samuel C.
McAllen, TX

I'm an avid outdoorsman, and I go on extended trips into the wilderness quite a bit. I have both a SureFire G3® LED and G2® LED flashlight, and they are the best lights I've ever owned.

I was in the deep woods recently, and I was making a fire at about ten o'clock. I was gathering wood when I heard something very large moving near me. I dropped my wood, pulled out my G3L, and turned it on. There, about fifteen yards away, was a large brown bear. It let out a growl, stood up on its hind legs, and began sniffing at the air. It then dropped back down on all fours, and I aimed the light right at its eyes. It tried to block the light, but could not, so it turned and ambled away.

My SureFire probably saved my life that night. I am forever grateful to those at SureFire for designing such powerful, compact lights. Thank you.

Henry K.
East Liverpool, OH

I took my sea kayak and my SureFire E2D LED Defender® out on the Florida Gulf late one night. The moon barely lit the way, but it provided just enough light to notice movement about fifteen feet from my small kayak. I immediately took out my E2DL and blasted the 120 lumens towards movement, but I saw nothing. The same thing happened two more times, but I still couldn't see what was causing the water to stir.

The splashing grew more intense and closer to the side of my kayak, so I submerged the E2DL in the salt water, clicked the tailcap, and saw the silhouette of a big crocodile. As soon as the blinding light lit up a 20-foot radius around the kayak, the croc quickly turned and swam away. Thanks to the power of the E2DL's blast, I thankfully didn't have to use its strike bezel that night.

Josh S.
Charlotte, NC

One night, our neighbor's dog dug his way under the fence and into our yard. Seeing this, I grabbed my Surefire E2D LED and went around the side gate to take him back to the neighbor's house. Unfortunately, his collar slipped, and, as he playfully bounded away from me and across the yard, I noticed a car careening around the corner, going maybe 30 mph.

I called to the dog, but that accomplished nothing. The dog is a dark color and, in the shadows, is practically impossible to see. To make matters worse, a car parked on the side of the street shielded him from the driver's view. It was clear that neither would see each other in time, and the only thing I could do was light up the dog with 120 lumens of light from my SureFire. As soon as I turned the light on, the driver saw what was happening and swerved to avoid the dog. I definitely wouldn't have gotten that reaction with a MagLite.

Thanks to my SureFire, the little kid next door still has her mutt, and I saved myself from having to scrape him off the pavement.

Thomas D.
San Antonio, TX

I have used my SureFire E2D Defender® many, many times as a law enforcement agent and have given one to my wife as a tool, in case of auto breakdowns or trouble, God forbid. Recently, I have learned a new trick. My 15-year-old dachshund, Fred, is nearly blind and deaf. When I walk him, I used to have to pick him up and carry him inside, which was not always desirable (in rain or snow and in a clean uniform).

One day I noticed that Fred was following the light on ground as I used it. Well, I cultivated this into having him follow the light right into the house, or wherever else I want Fred to go. It's nice to have such power in such a small light. And even nicer to find such an easy way to get dog where I want him.

Thanks, SureFire.

Vincent H.
Linden, NJ

I volunteer at the National Parks Board, here in Singapore, and every now and then I get involved in nighttime surveys in one of our nature reserves. Once the sun went down, on a hot, humid evening in June, our five-man team began our hour-long survey, looking for the secretive mammals that make the reserve their home. The task was simple, follow a designated trail, keep noise to a minimum, and engage in "spotlighting." All you need is good eyesight and a good flashlight. Just shine the light everywhere, and hope to catch "eye shine" from some animals. Easier said than done.

I had the benefit of drawing upon my arsenal of SureFire flashlights and selected my Z2-S and T1A Titan^® for the mission. The throw and run time of the Z2-S was unrivaled, and my T1A on a lanyard provided a variable light for close-up work and served as an excellent backup. After two hours of searching, two bright eyes up in a tree were reflecting light back at me. Four other searchers, who weren't using SureFires, walked right pass the tree and missed the eyes altogether. I, however, lit up an Asian Palm Civet Cat and took a few photographs before it scampered off. That, by the way, was the most significant sighting of the evening.

Wunson K.
Singapore

This winter, my girlfriend and I decided to take a walk on the trails behind our house to see if we could see the northern lights. It was negative seven degrees (F). While on our walk, we heard a big rustle in the brush next to the trail. I immediately pulled out my E2D LED Defender^® and lit up the area from where the noise was coming. Out walked a big bull moose that just froze in its tracks.

I began to look for some kind of cover, but all that was around us was brush that the bull could easily run through. I turned the light on to its 200-lumen maximum output, hoping it would scare off the moose. It did. The moose shook its head a little and trotted off back through the brush. We decided that was enough excitement for one night and went back home for some hot chocolate—the best hot chocolate I've ever tasted!

Thanks, SureFire. Your light saved us from a potential world of hurt. It's most definitely a necessity for any true Alaskan.

Nicholas S.
Anchorage, AK

I've carried an E2D LED Defender^® with me for about a year now, and before that I used to carry a regular E2D Defender, which my girlfriend has since confiscated for her own use. On a recent camping trip, I was returning to my cabin one night when I heard a terrible animal scream coming from the tree line. It sounded like a cat fighting for its life.

I pulled out my trusty E2DL and lit up the area where the sound was coming from. The powerful beam lit up two coyotes that had just emerged from the tree line, and they froze in place, startled by the light. A third coyote popped out of the nearby grass, and then all three took off for the safety of the woods. I tried looking for the cat but couldn't find it anywhere. I hoped it managed to get away, but from the sounds it made I didn't think it had much of a chance.

The next afternoon I ran into the campground groundskeeper and told her about the noises I'd heard. She got a startled look on her face and exclaimed how she had just returned from the vet with her cat because his leg was torn up and he needed stitches. She gave me a big hug and thanked me for scaring away the coyotes and saving her cat's life. I showed her my light, and she couldn't believe the little E2D was powerful enough to light up the woods from so far away and scare off the coyote pack. This event has reassured my faith in my SureFire. I won't go anywhere without my Defender.

Jacob F.
Denver, NC

I decided to test the ability of a SureFire light to stop a trained attack dog. We set up an experienced decoy in a dark warehouse and sent the dog on a bite command. At the last minute, the decoy switched on the light and kept it in the eyes of the dog. It stopped the dog in its tracks. The dog tried to get around the light, but the decoy was able to keep the beam centered in the dog's eyes, stopping these efforts. We did this with multiple breeds and used both the E2D LED and the 6PD lights with equal success.

I always thought a SureFire would stop an untrained dog, but never a fully trained protection dog. I was wrong.

Joe B.
Temecula, CA

At about 11:30 p.m. I took the dog out the back door to do his business one last time before bed. The dog immediately jumped off the back deck, and as my eyes adjusted, I noticed some very tall legs literally 15 feet from the door—it was a cow moose and a calf right alongside her. I yelled for the dog to get back into the house, but he decided he needed to be the protector and went at the cow moose. But the moose also needed to protect her calf, so she made a charge at the dog. And the dog wasn't going to come out on the winning end of that equation.

After some excitement and a lot of yelling, the dog finally came back into the house, but he was not ready to settle down because he knew there was still an intruder on the property. So I grabbed my new 6PX™ Pro and headed out the backdoor. The moose, already annoyed and on high alert, headed straight in my direction as soon as I stepped outside. I clicked the tailcap twice, for the 200-lumen maximum output, and lit up the angry moose. She immediately changed direction from heading straight for me and veered around to the other side of the house. A few minutes later, the faithful dog had a look around the property to be sure all was safe, and we both headed back inside.

Thanks to the 6PX Pro, we resolved a dangerous situation without lethal force to the moose or any injuries to man or his best friend.

Ryan B.
Fairbanks, AK

On a late night in July, I was walking my dog at midnight in Telluride, Colorado. Our house is at 10,500 feet, on the side of the ski mountain, so it is pretty secluded. I had my SureFire LX2 LumaMax® on me, as I always do when I go for a walk.

As we were walking up the mountain, my dog, who is 12 years old, starts running up the trail at a pretty brisk pace. I thought nothing of it, but then I turned on the 200 lumens of my flashlight and saw three porcupines waddling up the ski run, right where my dog was headed. I called for him, and he came back to me, but just as he arrived, I pointed my flashlight up to the right to reveal a giant grizzly bear no more than 20 yards away, walking straight toward us. I grabbed my dog by the skin on the back of his neck, and we very slowly and quietly turned around and headed back down the mountain to the house.

Moral of the story: I was super stoked that I had my SureFire on me, because if I didn't, my dog and I would've walked right into that bear.

Cooper M.
Boulder, CO

I've been using SureFire flashlights for several years now and have several. I recently upgraded my everyday carry light to your E1B Backup, and this is the flashlight I've been waiting for! Ultra powerful and ultra compact—the best of both worlds.

As a firefighter, I rely on a powerful flashlight in pretty much any rescue situation. Recently, my E1B Backup saved the day on the scene of a call. Our engine was out, doing training in one of the local neighborhoods, when we were approached by two animal control officers who asked for our assistance. A dog was barking from the storm drain of the sewer. We helped them pry the lid off the manhole cover, and the animal control officers tried to light the area with their off-brand, standard-issue flashlights, which only lit up a tiny area inside the vault of the sewer. We tried one of our big, bulky flashlights that we carry on the engine, but its size made it too awkward to hold and look down the manhole at the same time.

So I pulled out my Backup. The whole vault area instantly lit up from the 80 lumens coming out of the tiny light in my hand. It even out-performed our big, bulky, box-style flashlight. Once we could see the area, we noticed a pipe in the back corner of the vault that led to another vault about 150 feet away. We pulled the cover off the other manhole, and when I shined my light down there, I discovered a very frightened Labrador puppy cowering in the darkness. While I lit the way with my E1B, one of the animal control officers climbed down and coaxed the dog into her arms. We pulled the officer and the puppy up to safety and returned the dog to its grateful owner.

Thanks, Surefire, for making excellent gear that aids so many firefighters and rescue workers and other public safety agencies across the country. I look forward to seeing what new and innovative products you come up with next. You definitely have a customer for life!

Davis S.
Springfield, VA

I carry an E2D LED in my hunting backpack. I use the lower five-lumen setting for practically all hunting situations. This setting is perfect for entering/exiting the field and in the deer blind. Well, one late afternoon, as I was hunting in my blind, I saw a wild hog eating at my feeder. I got a good shot on the hog. Or so I thought.

As the sun set, I exited my blind with my E2D on its five-lumen setting to inspect the fallen hog. To my surprise the hog sprung to its feet and came at me full steam. It knocked me over, backpack, rifle and all. As it charged again, I was able to click on the light to the blinding 200-lumen setting. My flashlight disoriented the charging boar, which was enough to stop the boar dead in his tracks. I was able to squeeze off a couple shots and finish him off.

Fortunately for me, my SureFire was able to save me from a potentially hazardous situation. Unfortunately for the hog, the blazing 200 lumens were too much for him to handle. Thanks, SureFire.

Guillermo R.
North Richland Hills, TX

The Yosemite Valley in summertime is a wonderful place to be. My wife and I decided to go for a walk one evening when the sun was just setting. A few minutes into our stroll, we heard the faint sound of a wounded animal coming from the bushes. I got closer and shined the high beam of my SureFire 6PX™ Pro in the direction of the noise to discover a baby deer entangled in some rope meant to serve as a boundary for hikers.

With no help close by and no cell phone reception, I took matters into my own hands. I pulled out my SureFire Dart folding utility knife and cut the poor deer loose. It scampered into the woods, and my wife and I were both incredibly relieved to see the deer live another day.

I will always be a SureFire customer. Thanks for making such great flashlights and knives.

Mr. & Mrs. Jose J.
Selma, CA

First and foremost, I would like to say that I have been a loyal user of SureFire flashlights for many years and consider them the very best flashlights money could buy. While I am not a rich man, I have over the years purchased and owned several of your models and have always said that if I had to trust my life to a flashlight, bar none, it would be a SureFire! Well, sure enough, one of your flashlights actually DID save my life–and the life of my son–a couple of weekends ago!

I live in the beautiful state of Idaho, and my family and I were on our last camping trip of the season in an area known as Island Park. We were camping in our 26-foot trailer,and it was a cold, dark night–one of the coldest of the year. My wife and youngest son had already retired into our trailer, but my six-year-old son and I decided to sit around the campfire until it died out. There we were, sitting in our chairs and enjoying the fire, when my yellow lab, tied up behind us, starting getting really fidgety and began to bark. I told him to stop, so he wouldn't wake up all the other campers, but he continued. I went over to him, grabbed him, and pointed my SureFire M3 CombatLight® into the direction of the woods he was barking at and said, "See, there's nothing there to be barking at." Boy was I wrong. Instead of the beam of light penetrating the woods, it illuminated the face of a grizzly bear standing less than five feet away from us!

The bright light from my M3 seemed to stun the bear as I stared in shock at his face, having never been so close to a grizzly before, marveling at how big he was. My son was still sitting by the fire, frozen in fear, and my dog had broken free from his harness and was barking frantically at the bear from behind me. As soon as the bear lowered his head to avoid the piercing beam of light, I screamed at my son to run and get inside the trailer while I scooped up the dog and bolted for the trailer, practically throwing my son and dog inside and slamming the door behind us. The scariest part was that, as soon as the light was off of the bear, it was so dark that I had no idea where he was. Did he run off? Was he right behind us?

The next morning, rangers came by to ask questions and let us know how lucky we were. They told us that, that same day, a father and son hunting in Montana, about 60 miles away, had an encounter with a grizzly, and the grizzly mauled the father to death. When the ranger saw my M3 holstered to my belt, he asked if that was the flashlight I'd used and asked to see it. He was blown away at how bright it was and told me he was convinced the flashlight was responsible for saving our lives. "That beam is insane," he said. "It must have disorientated the bear enough to allow you to get away."

Just thought I'd let you know that it's not always military and law enforcement guys that your products save–us civilians have stories of our own. Afterwards, I half-jokingly told my wife that we were going to buy a new M6LT, and when I showed her how bright it was, even compared to our M3, she said, "We have got to get that for camping, because I am not going back out there without something like that!" Thank you for making such a great light. This could've ended a lot different–as in worse–if I'd been carrying another brand of flashlight.

Ernesto M.
Ammon, ID