My flashlight was broken, and a friend of mine lent me his SureFire E1B Backup^® for my girlfriend and I to go out to the local brewery to celebrate our anniversary. When we emerged from the pub, I realized that two drunk guys had followed me. In the dimly lit street where I’d parked, I stopped and I asked them what they wanted. I was insulted by one of them, and then the other tried to punch me. I drew my E1B, fired it into the man’s eyes, blinded and disoriented him with its blinding light, and then punched him in the face. He fell to the ground in pain and then ran off with his friend.

Thank you, SureFire. If it hadn’t been for your E1B, I probably would’ve been on the losing end of that encounter, and my girl may’ve been molested.

Danilo N.
Torino, Italy

See the E1B flashlight:

My newlywed wife and I were canoeing at my parents’ home, in Jamaica, Virginia, in late August. It was dusk when we set out, and a brisk wind picked up after we launched. I always pack my E1B Backup wherever I go, be it day or night. My wife was wearing my grandmother’s engagement ring, which had been passed down to her not three months prior. It was a bit big on her, and I recommended that she leave it home, but she didn’t listen to my advice.

Well, in the middle of grabbing the gunwales to brace herself, over goes the ring into the drink. Rather than dive overboard and disturb the descent of the ring, I immediately throw out the anchor while my wife stared at me in horror, utterly speechless and almost in tears. I took a big breath, grabbed my Backup, and over I went into the river, which was about nine feet deep where we were. The little torch cut right through the murky water.

I searched for about 15 minutes, but to no avail. I made one last effort and was rewarded with a jolt when I saw a sparkling glint on the river bottom and bubbles started to burst out of my mouth from laughing so hard. I surfaced with the ring in hand and a big smile on my face, which immediately grew one on my wife’s face as well. I've never been so relieved.

Any other light would have been extinguished for that amount of time underwater, but not my SureFire. My wife and I both thank you, SureFire.

Andrew L.
Quinton, VA

See the E1B flashlight:

I have had the E1B for about a week now, and let me tell you, it couldn’t have come any sooner. My girlfriend and I went downtown for some night life, and when walking back late at night, its five-lumen lower output served us well. But where my Backup really came in handy was when we got back to the car. To our surprise, someone was trying to break into my car. I tried scaring him off by calling the police, but he didn’t seem to care. When he approached me and got too close for comfort, I used the Backup’s 110 lumens of max output to flash him right in his eyes. He went to his knees, and we ran to the car, started her up, and drove away.

If it wasn’t for my Backup, I don't know what might’ve happened. It may’ve saved our lives that night. Thanks, SureFire. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Chris Z.
Glenshaw, PA

See the E1B flashlight:

While in the "Sand Pit," en route to our RV, unbeknownst to me I lost my SureFire E1B Backup^® out the window of our Humvee. The second and third Humvee both ran it over, and the driver of the last truck saw it get run over and actually turn on, bouncing and spinning on the road surface until it came to rest on the shoulder. He could see a beam of light shining, so he stopped to pick it up. When we arrived at the RV, the driver told his story to us, and I immediately checked my vest pocket to find that my Backup was gone. The driver handed me the light it was dented and the window was broken, BUT IT STILL WORKED! Thanks for making such a great product. I still use it to this day, and I'm saving up for a new Defender®.

Kelvin M.
Bangkok, Thailand

See the E1B flashlight:

I'm contracted at a local nightclub as an I.T. Manager/Surveillance Director, and my best investment has been the E1B^®. I am constantly asked by security guards, bartenders, and police officers that I come in contact with, after they see my little light, what type of flashlight I use. I've dropped it from various heights (accidentally) about thirty times. This light should have been called "The Survivor." It has been submerged in the pool, accidentally run over by my 3,500-pound sedan, even found tumbling in the washer with the pants. Without fail, every time I use it, IT WORKS. I am a very happy customer with the Backup from SureFire.

Eric R.
Miami, FL

See the E1B flashlight:

After reading about your new E1B Backup^® light in a magazine, my wife and I decided to purchase each other the lights for Christmas of 2008. We ordered them via the web and received them in early December. On December 11, 2008, our region of the Northeast got slammed with the worst ice storm in recent history. Power went out for many days as a result of ice-caked trees taking the electric facilities down. Since I work for the local electric utility, I was called in from vacation to assist with power restoration and was assigned to lead some Tennessee contract line crews. The crews worked tirelessly for 16-hour shifts. I was able to take along and use my early Christmas gift, the SureFire E1B Backup light during the restoration. I used it primarily when I was away from my vehicle, mostly on the low setting, for close-up work, but when I needed to see any distance, the high setting really did the job and seemed like a spotlight.

I was very surprised to discover that, during the six days I was in the field during the restoration, the battery held up and lasted the duration. I'd actually brought along my wife's Backup for a backup, but never needed to use it. Since then, we experienced a severe windstorm in February 2010, and I was again called to duty to run outside contract crews for restoration. One of the first things I grabbed was my Backup-and a spare battery. I would highly recommend the Backup to anyone as a primary light. Keep up the great innovative work, SureFire.

Skip Z.
Exeter, NH

See the E1B flashlight:

The city braced itself as a category-four hurricane headed in our direction. We made preparations and stayed in our home while the storm raged just outside. Three hours into the storm we heard cries for help, so we opened our door to try to help. It was pitch black and only the occasional lightning bolt illuminated the sky, showing us large debris flying around and downed power lines. It was too dangerous to go outside in the dark, so my father handed me the SureFire E1B Backup^® and took out his E2D Defender® for himself. We headed outside, despite the efforts of my wife to keep us inside. Our lights cut through the darkness and showed us the true nature of the storm. We made our way to the neighbor's home, where a little girl had been cut severely by glass from a broken window. Thanks to our SureFire illumination tools, we were able to tend to the child and save her life.Thank you, SureFire, for making such rugged flashlights.

Kevin S.
Houston, TX

See the E1B and E2DL flashlights:

I worked late one evening and was car-jacked in the parking lot. He forced me into the trunk of my car. I was scared and on the verge of panic. Luckily, my Surefire E1B Backup^® was in my purse. I turned my flashlight on with no plan other than to not be in the dark in the trunk of a moving car anymore. With the light of my Backup, I noticed that the taillights could be removed. I couldn't pull the taillight through, so I bashed a hole through the assembly, using the bezel of my E1B. Then I shined my light's tight beam through the hole and at the windshields of any cars driving behind us. Several drivers noticed the light and dialed 911. Moments later, the police boxed the car in at a traffic light, while I screamed from inside of the trunk. The police took the carjacker into custody. I was very grateful to them and just as grateful that I'd had my SureFire flashlight with me that night.

Angela M.
East Syracuse, NY

See the E1B flashlight:

It was my mother's birthday, and the whole family was on our way to a restaurant for a birthday celebration. In the car I had my U2-Ultra, my AZ2 strobe model [Note: strobe version discontinued --Ed.] a new E1B Backup^®, which was a birthday gift for my mother. As we approached a junction, all hell broke loose a motorcyclist got hit by a car, and the car just drove away. My mother and sister started shouting hysterically. I quieted them and then had my father drop my brother and me off, so we could attend to the motorcyclist.

Grabbing the AZ2-S and giving the U2 to my brother, we approached the motorcyclist. I tried to pull him to the side, out of the middle of the road, but his leg was pierced by metal slag of the bike. Concerned he would be hit by oncoming cars, my brother and I set out on either side of him to warn approaching cars that he was there: me with my AZ2-S's strobe flashing; him with the U2 on maximum output. Approaching drivers saw our signals slowed down a good 60 yards away. After about 25 minutes, medical help finally arrived and took the man to the hospital. We went to the restaurant and, once there, I presented my mother with her gift, the E1B. My mom was touched and started to cry, saying, "Thank you, Angel. Thank you for the guardian angel!" Now she has her own SureFire "guardian angel" protecting her.

Thomas L.
Ipoh, Malaysia

See the U2, E1B, and AZ2 flashlights:

I work on a drilling rig in Northern Canada, and I experience some pretty harsh weather sometimes. I started off my last rotation at work with a rig move in -40° C weather. At that temperature pretty much everything freezes and starts acting up. My watch and cell phone were the first items to freeze up and stop working. The next item to fall victim to the cold was my folding knife, which froze shut and proved extremely difficult to open. But, when it came time for my SureFire E1B Backup^® to perform, I was pleasantly surprised. After I cleared the frost from the lens and pressed the tailcap, the light came right on, which made me very happy. I used my E1B a fair amount that day, and, even in the extreme cold, every time I needed light, it fired right up. I've tried many different pieces of gear at work, and nearly everything fails in these extreme conditions—but not SureFire. Thanks for making such a great light, one that can stand up to extreme, real-world conditions.

Cody H.
Ladysmith, BC
Canada

See the E1B flashlight:

In NYC we've had a pretty brutal winter so far. Snow, negative wind chills for weeks at a time, pretty bad. I have a SureFire E1B Backup^®, which I bought in October. After about a month of using it I became very accustomed to having it with me all the time. One day, I reached for my handy-dandy, bright-as-hell little friend and it wasn't there. A strange feeling, since I carried it religiously. I felt lost without it. The very next day, after searching high and low, I went out and purchased a new Backup. I started using my new flashlight without a though of the old one, figuring I'd never see it again. Two days ago, three months later, I'm walking my dog and there, lying in a puddle of mud and ice, is my original Backup! I couldn't believe it. I hit the button, and it was a bright as the day I bought it. For over three months in subzero temps, wind, snow, rain, dirt, and water, this little flashlight laid there patiently, covered under a pile of snow and ice, just waiting to be found and used by its owner. I put the newer one in a drawer, and now I carry my original, and amazing, little Backup.

Paul C.
Yonkers, NY

See the E1B flashlight:

Two weeks ago, I was out for a night ride on some local mountain bike trails with a buddy. The trails were in great shape, and we were climbing a big hill about halfway through our ride when my cycling headlamp's rechargeable battery failed. We were about five miles from the car, and the only way out was by single track far too narrow for a vehicle. Lucky for me, I had my SureFire E1B Backup^® in my pack. I strapped it to my helmet and had more than enough light to finish the ride in style as ”something an average flashlight wouldn't have been able to muster. My E1B is always close at hand when I venture into the woods, and that night it lived up to its name.Thanks, SureFire.

Carl H.
Knoxville, TN

See the E1B flashlight:

I've been using SureFire flashlights for several years now and have several. I recently upgraded my everyday carry light to your SureFire 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 SureFire 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

See the E1B flashlight:

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 SureFire 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

See the E1B flashlight:

I just got back from an 18-day African safari, hunting dangerous game. Prior to my departure, I purchased another Surefire flashlight--the SureFire E1B 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

See the E1B flashlight:

I was with my best friend of 31 years, at a restaurant, enjoying a post-softball-game dinner and beer at about 10 p.m. He received a disturbing text message from a neighbor that two suspicious-looking men were at the front door of his house. His family was away, and the house was empty, so he jumped into his truck and took off. I hopped into my vehicle to follow him, but I missed a lengthy traffic light at the only major intersection between the restaurant and his house. I was concerned for his safety, and the only self-defense hardware I had on me was my trusty Surefire E1B Backup®, which I carry with me everywhere.

I reached his house and noticed his panicked body language as I pulled into the side yard. He was on his cell phone with 911 dispatch, and he yelled at me that there were perpetrators in his house. I ran around to the front of the house, noticed the front door ajar, and continued on to the side yard. I heard the screen door slam and hit the area with my E1B's beam. The two guys were shocked, probably thinking I was an officer with such a bright light. They dumped all of the stuff they'd stolen and took off around the back. I reversed my route back around the front and accosted the two, both of whom hesitated momentarily because my vehicle was blocking their escape route. Once again, I hit them with the beam.

One of them jumped under my truck, and the other made a break for it in the other direction. With nothing but my Backup and my voice, the guy under the truck crawled out and surrendered. The police arrived moments later and arrested the thief. The other perpetrator was apprehended later that night. The story made the local news. They didn't give credit to my SureFire, but they should've.

Michael M.
Boca Raton, FL

See the E1B flashlight:

A friend and I were driving along route 1A one night when, suddenly, a large SUV pulled up behind us, only five feet from my rear bumper. With his high-beams on and horn blaring, he attempted to run us off the road. This continued for the next couple of miles before he pulled alongside of us and tried to push us into the breakdown lane. I rolled down my window and, with the full 110 lumens of my SureFire E1B Backup^®, shined the light directly into his eyes. He immediately covered his eyes and sped off. With the long-range beam from its TIR lens, I was able to illuminate the car's license plate and report him to the police. That E1B probably saved our lives that night. I'm so glad I decided to pick up this awesome little light a few days before that night.

Evan S.
Boston, MA

See the E1B flashlight:

As a college student majoring in criminal justice, I became a loyal customer of SureFire several years ago and continue to purchase products as I progress closer to becoming a police officer. I recently moved into a new apartment complex, and my unit faces an alley on the first floor. I knew this could pose a security threat, so I sleep with my E1B Backup^® next to my bed. About a month after moving in, I woke up one night to sounds coming from my living room. I quickly realized it was someone trying to break through my sliding glass door facing the alley. I grabbed my light and ran into the living room, threw the blinds open, and blasted the would-be intruder with my light. The look on the guy's face was priceless as he tripped backwards he gave a pathetic yelp. This incident moved me to purchase the E2D LED Defender^®, which has now replaced my Backup as my primary light. Thank you, SureFire, for providing truly great products that will continue to serve me in my sworn career.

Kevin R.
Milwaukee, WI

See the E1B and E2DL flashlight:

I'm a property manager in a low-income part of town. My wife gave me grief when I purchased my SureFire E1B Backup^®because she thinks flashlights should only cost five dollars. I mainly wanted the light, which has a high and low setting, to use the low setting to see my receipt book, because tenants have a bad habit of leaving their porch lights off when I come to collect the rent. But I quickly realized that the Backup's two settings allowed me to not only see my receipts, but also in the bushes and all around the house. I was out collecting rent, when a man approached me and said that I owed him money for work he'd done for me, but I'd never even met him before. I took my Backup and shined it in the opposite direction, where I discovered his friend sneaking up on me from the other side of the house. I then turned and shined the light directly in the first guy's eyes. He actually let out a yelp, declaring that he'd been blinded. This bought me a few precious seconds to get back in my truck and the hell out of there. Thanks, SureFire.

Daniel C.
Knoxville, TN

See the E1B flashlight:

It had only been three days since I got my new SureFire E1B Backup. I was sitting down to watch the evening news when my wife called down from upstairs, saying there were people in our backyard. By itself, this would have been mildly alarming, but the fact that, a few minutes earlier, I heard our backyard neighbor's burglar alarm go off escalated the situation.I grabbed my E1B and shined it out the back window. Eighty lumens lit up the entire backyard and, with it, three guys. They froze for a moment, then all bolted in different directions. Still not sure of the severity of the situation, I armed myself and went outside to sweep the property. The intruders were nowhere to be seen, but I noticed two sneakers in my driveway. One of the guys had taken off in such a hurry that he ran right out of his shoes. Fifteen minutes later, I noticed patrol cars in my neighbor's driveway. I walked out to speak with the officers and noticed one of them was escorting a teenager. My light lit him up, head to socks. He was not wearing shoes. I told the officer that I had a pair of sneakers in my driveway. She asked him if they were his, to which he replied, "Uh, no." Right, pal. Turns out it was just a high school party a few houses down, and a few drunken punks decided to run through backyards for a bit of light vandalism. I don't think they'll be running through mine again anytime soon. Thanks for a great piece of gear that performs flawlessly.

Peter M.
Glen Rock, NJ

See the E1B flashlight:

I'm a property manager in a low-income part of town. My wife gave me grief when I purchased my SureFireSureFire E1B Backup^® because she thinks flashlights should only cost five dollars. I mainly wanted the light, which has a high and low setting, to use the low setting to see my receipt book, because tenants have a bad habit of leaving their porch lights off when I come to collect the rent. But I quickly realized that the Backup's two settings allowed me to not only see my receipts, but also in the bushes and all around the house. I was out collecting rent, when a man approached me and said that I owed him money for work he'd done for me, but I'd never even met him before. I took my Backup and shined it in the opposite direction, where I discovered his friend sneaking up on me from the other side of the house. I then turned and shined the light directly in the first guy's eyes. He actually let out a yelp, declaring that he'd been blinded. This bought me a few precious seconds to get back in my truck and get the hell out of there. Thanks, SureFire.

Daniel C.
Knoxville, TN

See the E1B flashlight:

It was a dark, moonless winter evening in Yosemite Valley as my wife, daughter, and I finished our meal at the Yosemite Lodge Cafeteria. Suddenly, we were plunged into pitch-black darkness. No power, no emergency lights, no generators. No problem. I just reached for the SureFire E1B Backup^® that's always tucked into my pocket and shined it off the ceiling €”plenty of light for dining to continue. While other lesser lights flickered on here and there, it was the little E1B that really lit up the room. When we finally had to leave, I found myself peppered with questions about my "lantern" and met with stunned looks when the questioners realized that the "spotlight" was hidden in my palm. The next day we learned that the outage was caused by a ringtail cat that explored the wrong part of a substation, knocking out power throughout the valley until the wee hours of the morning. Good thing I had my SureFire so the only effect of the overnight outage was a little added adventure.

See the E1B flashlight:

I work as a bouncer, bodyguard, and security guard and have been an avid user of SureFire products since I started out, and just this week I got an E1B Backup for backup at work. Well, on its second night on the job, my E1B Backup lived up to its name. I was called to a local bar, where an alcohol-affected male who had jumped up on a table in a confined corner had gone from dancing humorously and generally being a laughable character to throwing glasses at staff and patrons.

I verbally challenged the belligerent male as I approached. Said male, seeing my baton on my belt, jumped off the table and pulled me into the confined corner, grappling with me over the table he had been standing on and pulling me onto the floor. At the same time, the offender grabbed the baton on my belt and attempted to draw it, screaming in no uncertain terms his intent to seriously injure me. With my strong hand tied up attempting to keep the baton in its holster, I could neither draw my baton or my 6PL, so I unclipped my Backup from my pocket with my weak hand and gave the offender a flash of 80 lumens square between the eyes, momentarily stunning him and causing him to release the baton, giving me time to break away from the entanglement. As I got up, I let him have another blast with the Backup while I drew my baton, telling him in no uncertain terms to comply with my instructions or else. End result: the male ''saw the light,'' so to speak, and left the bar in cuffs. What could have been a brawl ending with me being seriously assaulted with my own equipment ended well with a little bit of ''backup'' from SureFire.

Stewart O.
Toorak, Australia

See the E1B flashlight:

Last Friday night, my fiance and I were walking our dogs in Ventura, CA, on Main Street. It was about 9 p.m., and the area is loaded with bars and people drinking, especially on weekend nights. We were crossing Main Street, at a stop light, with a green light when a drunk driver was making a left turn toward us. When I noticed he wasn't slowing down, I pulled out my SureFire E1B and first shined it on the ground. When that didn't work, I shined it directly in his eyes, at which point he slammed on his brakes, skidding to within a few feet from us. Thank God I had my E1B on me.

Kent A.
Camarillo, CA

See the E1B flashlight:

The operating rooms at the rural hospital where I work were recently remodeled. Late one night, I was doing an appendectomy on a young patient when we suffered a power interruption, and there was a delay in the emergency backup power, which interrupted our lighting. My circulating nurse, who does search-and-rescue work in his free time, took out his astonishingly small but bright SureFire E1B Backup^® and provided light for me to operate by until power was eventually restored. His E1B was significantly brighter than the wall-mounted emergency light in the OR. I was duly impressed and will be putting more than one of these lights in my home and vehicles. Nice product.

Dr. David M.
Hood River, OR

See the E1B flashlight: