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Fit and Finish Product Design Product Performance Durability Reliability SF Customer Service Overall Value Guardian is big brother to Sidekick
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This is a great light.
Having two beams--wide and narrow, would be good enough--but add on top of that USB-C charging and a LED indicator...makes it really useful.
Reviewed by ATL (Posted on 8/19/18)
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Fit and Finish Product Design Product Performance Durability Reliability SF Customer Service Overall Value Another Winner From Surefire!
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Though I've only had the Guardian for a couple of days, I've spent several hours using it under a variety of lighting situations. My impression so far is that Surefire has produced yet another highly useful and functional illumination device.
As way of background, I am not a professional reviewer. However, I am a hurricane preparedness instructor, and spend a lot of time looking at various lighting solutions from different manufacturers. My SureFire collection consists of more than 20 lights (including several weapon lights), and I’ve probably evaluated close to 100 lights in the last 13 years.
First and foremost, this light is BRIGHT! Though the ergonomics make it less than ideal for police or military use, I can see where it would be a great backup or off-duty tool for anyone who needs a rugged, high-performance light they can count on in an emergency. The small 12mm reflector light provides a maximum reported 1,000 Lumens of light, and casts a wide-angle pattern that completely illuminates the largest room in my home (20'x20') from wall to wall and floor to ceiling! The average person should be able to easily differentiate between a family member or an intruder with no problem using the Guardian.
The larger 19mm reflector has excellent throw, and with 800 Lumens of light and it easily lit up the four corners of my backyard (55' x 80'). Additionally, I can't help but believe the searing bright light would be more than sufficient to temporarily blind an attacker in a tactical situation.
The light level adjusts easily by depressing one of the two switches located on the side of the Guardian. And speaking of "two switches", having separate switches for the two light sources prevents confusion in a stressful situation and should help ensure you activate the right light for the job at hand.
Each light source can be independently programmed to one of five configurations, so I set my area light up in IntelliBeam mode and left the spot beam on the factory default--High mode on the first push. This way, I can either use the wide-angled beam for a quick sweep of a room, or use the spot to not only see but to disorient an opponent. I was highly impressed with the IntelliBeam (TM) function of the light. The light adjusted quickly and accurately as I moved from one scenario to another, keeping the light consistent at varying distances.
The Guardian charges easily, and in my measurements, drew a maximum of 1.68 amps at 5.11 volts. I also observed that the heavy-duty charging cord supplied with the light provided significantly more charging current than a smaller, lower-quality cord. I’d recommend you always use the SureFire cord and a 2-amp power supply when you need to charge the light in a hurry.
The only issue with this light—and this is a function of physics—is the light really gets warm with extended use at full power. You can hold onto it, but after 10 minutes, it’s really quite toasty! However, anytime you’re producing this much light out of such a small package, heat is going to be a problem.
In summary, this appears to be one of the brightest, most functional, and well-designed lights SureFire has ever produced in this category. I expect it will be a frequency companion for many years to come!
Reviewed by Safety Dude (Posted on 7/24/18)
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