Sub Menu

SureFire Flashlights

Tektite Flashlights

Nobody knows flashlights like we do! We give you flashlight information and feature the best flashlights around!

Flashlights

Dark hours yield to SureFire

I am a 30 year veteran (retired) of law enforcement. I have worked a lot of dark hours and have used just about every kind of lighting device known to the police service. I just recently purchased a SureFire E2D Executive Defender and find it almost unbelievable as to the amount and quality of light this tiny flashlight puts out.

I am also a commercial pilot/A&P mechanic and use this light constantly in my work. It is my constant companion while flying the backcountry of Idaho and Montana. Thanks for such a great product.

Curtis J.
Lake Havasu City, AZ

Doctor flies from cold to colder places

I use my SureFire 6Z (since replaced in SureFire's lineup by the Z2 CombatLight) on a regular basis. I practice medicine in northern Alaska, but I live in Wyoming. My SureFire 6Z goes with me on every flight between the two. Space and weight are at a premium for my work and my SureFire fits the bill for a bright, dependable light in a tough compact package. I use it for scene safety issues and a variety of patient care needs. Some people may grouse at the price of a flashlight like this, or the batteries and their life vs. cost. I do not—I can't afford NOT to have it.

Jason W.
Casper, WY

Tall tails tamed

My SureFire light worked great out on the flight line! The bright beam easily illuminated the very top of the MD-11s tails, which are 58'10" high! Also the dark recesses we have to check were brightly illuminated.

Brad A.
San Diego, CA

Doctor makes continent calls with SureFire

I wanted to write and tell you what a great product the SureFire A2 Aviator is. I am an American medical student at a university in England that specializes in preparing physicians for practice in underserved areas; as such I undertake as much as 25 percent of my rotations in areas such as Africa, Mexico, South America and the Australian Outback, where both the living and medical facilities leave much to be desired. We are frequently without power, and I have on more than one occasion delivered babies, sutured lacerations, set fractures, and even performed minor surgeries by the light of my A2. Not a day goes by that I do not turn to my SureFire for the best illumination possible in some of the worst situations imaginable!

In addition to this, my wife is a commercially-rated pilot who engages in humanitarian work in many of the areas we visit. She states that her A2, with its ability to provide illumination both close up and far away via the unique combination of LED and incandescent lamps, is the best aviation flashlight she has ever seen, bar none. Just as in my medical work, she receives frequent requests from other pilots as to where we found such an incredible flashlight; one that offers such bright illumination and flexibility of roles in such a small size. Given the variety of equipment she sometimes flies, she states that it is good to know there is always one piece of equipment she can count on—her A2!

We have two children under five years of age that travel with us, and we have never felt more secure than when we have our SureFire A2 Aviators with us to light up the darkest night or most difficult situation. Thanks, SureFire!

Brian & Tami M.
England, Uganda, Mexico, Ecuador, and the Australian Outback

"Gadget Boy" provides landing lights

I'm an international agricultural scientist, and therefore travel weekly to other western hemisphere countries, while having the fortune of returning home most weekends. As a result, I have logged 32 country entries since Nov. 28, 2004.

On March 4, 2005, I was returning to the States on American Airlines flight 938, from San Jose, Costa Rica to Los Angeles, CA, which arrived at 22:06. As the plane was unloading, auxiliary power was lost, and the lights aboard the plane went out. There were audible gasps and statements of concern all over the aircraft. The flight crew was pinned into their service areas by the departing passengers, who had arisen and started unloading. As no lights were immediately turned on, I decided to act.

I carry two SureFire products whenever I travel, an A2 Aviator on my belt, and an E1e Executive Elite in my briefcase. I chuckled to myself, reached for the A2 in my belt holster, turned it on, aimed it at the ceiling, and prayed the batteries would hold out long enough for either the lights to come back on or the plane to unload (the lights came back on just as the last passengers unloaded, and I had plenty of power left). As I was sitting near the wings, those behind me were still in the dark, so I reached in my briefcase, pulled out the E1e, turned it on, aimed it at the ceiling behind me, and lit up the rear of the plane. I was thus occupied with both hands, unable to pack up and leave myself, but nevertheless thoroughly enjoying the fact that "Gadget Boy" was the only one prepared for this unexpected emergency, while assisting over 100 other passengers and crew in their moment of need.

Thank you, SureFire, for being there. Several passengers and crew expressed their gratitude not only for the presence of the light, but the quality of the light as well.

David J. H.
Madera, CA

Falcon cleaned before taking flight

I work on the Lockheed-Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon production line in Fort Worth, Texas. I am an aircraft assembler assigned to the final assembly area, where all the parts come together to make the F-16. Part of my job is to perform FOD (Foreign Object Debris) checks in all parts of the aircraft before soon-to-be-inaccessible areas are permanently sealed prior to the aircraft being powered up for the first time. This requires extensive use of flashlights as inspection illumination tools and I use a SureFire rechargeable as my everyday final inspection light. It absolutely blows away the company-provided three D-cell flashlights in light output, ease of use, size, and weight. I am able to fit the SureFire into places I could never fit a conventional flashlight, and the light output is so superior that I am able to accomplish twice the work in half the time. My confidence in my inspection abilities is better because the light output is greater and the beam's focus is much better, allowing me to more positively and quickly identify potential problems. I would not be able to perform my inspections nearly as well without my SureFire flashlight.

Steven R.
Lewisville, TX

Dragging sunlight on the job

My job as an aircraft structural mechanic is to inspect critical structures on our KC-135 refueler aircraft. This requires me to crawl into the deepest recesses of our birds. We had been using Maglite® in various sizes to do our job, now we use the SureFire E2e Executive Elite. I purchased one for each of our structures mechanics. It was literally like dragging sunlight with us wherever we need it. When you make your living with a light and an inspection mirror you need all the light you can get. It has the same light output as our "jet light" which is the standard corded light we work with. All I can say is INCREDIBLE! Everyone wants to know what this little beast is and where can THEY get one. I think we started a revolution.

Alan S.
Phoenix, AZ

De-Ice Man Cometh

I work for an airline at LaGuardia Airport in New York City. I used to be an agent, doing all the heavy work. My specialty was de-icing though, and I would love when snowstorms came around as I'd be raking in easy overtime. I bought the SureFire A2 Aviator flashlight a few weeks into the winter season after flying with a fellow pilot of mine.

Not too long after that our first de-icing came up and I was pulled to de-ice. Since it was the first of the year no one had bothered to check the trucks, and it turned out that my truck had inoperable bucket lights. We use those lamps to do a final check of the airplane to make sure there is no ice or snow left after de-icing. I ran back to my locker, got my A2 and used it without problems for the duration of the night. Ten hours later, after being soaked in rain, snow and de- icing fluid, it still worked flawlessly.

Now I'm a supervisor and enjoy more freedoms but many more responsibilities. When I conduct safety audits, I do a walk-around of the airplanes to make sure it did not come in damaged. The floodlights on top of the terminals and hangars provide good illumination for the front of the airplane but walk around the back and it's pitch black. Out comes my A2 and I end up impressing pilots who struggle with the cheap company-provided flashlights from inside the airplanes. The two stage light is the most impressive part though. I can go from using just the LEDs to fill out the load forms, to using the regular lamp to light up the tails of even 767s. It's by far the best light I've ever owned. I just have to be careful as all our maintenance people know I have it and keep trying to make me lose it. I just tell them to buy their own!

Matt C.
New York

First choice of first officer

I have had a SureFire for about a year and a half. I fly the Boeing 767 as a first officer. Being the number one means most days I do the exterior preflights, and at night or in bad weather I do ALL of the exterior preflights. The 767 is pretty tall and the other lights I have used really only pay lip service to checking the upper reaches of the tail and rudder surfaces. With my SureFire it's never a problem. I can really light up the inside of those engine inlets too. A greasy wheel well absorbs most of the light and it can get tough to see in there without a very bright light. My old triple D-cell cop light didn't really do it there either. My SureFire is a little too bright for use in the cockpit unless I lose something in the nooks and crannies, so I put a red beam filter on the light and it works great.

The most comforting feeling I get from this light is at layover hotels. If I have to evacuate for a fire or power loss, I know I am going to be able to crawl out of there and/or get a rescuer's attention.

We all know from either experience or the movies that a carrier flight deck is a dangerous place to walk. A commercial airport ramp area is sometimes worse; there are untrained people driving big machinery around the jets with bags, fuel, food, water, mail, and more. My light lets me be seen. I give the drivers a little flash in their rear view mirrors when I walk behind them.

I bought this light for home defense, to put in my gun vault next to my pistol, but I had to get a second one for that. The first one is now in my flight kit 24/7.

Dan K.

Instructor learns valuable lesson

One can never own enough SureFire flashlights. I have owned the practical SureFire 6P Original (my first light), the blinding SureFire 9P Original (for airsoft), a SureFire G2 Nitrolon (to keep in the car), a SureFire E1e Executive Elite (last ditch), and an SureFire E2d Defender (general purpose). I bought the SureFire A2 Aviator because the light was designed for aviators. While somewhat costly compared to the other lights, I knew I had to add it to my SureFire family. This light truly served its purpose at the beginning of the year.

At that time, I reported to the airfield to meet with my flight instructor. We needed to prepare my Cessna 182 for take-off at 1900 hours. This was my first night flight evaluation. My instructor used his Mini Maglite® to inspect the aircraft; I used the SureFire A2 Aviator. One can guess who made a better pre-flight inspection. The Mini Maglite® could barely illuminate the inside of the engine when we lifted the cowling, while the SureFire A2 Aviator detailed every nut and bolt. But light from the A2 was easily manageable, and did not interfere with our slowly developing night vision.

Take off, climb, and cruise went without a hitch. When we turned back towards the field, the in-cabin red light flickered and then burned out. My instructor handed me his Mini Maglite to continue my navigation. I pulled the A2 from my pocket and as I started to twist the tail cap, he shielded his eyes from the blinding blast of light he expected to receive. However, when he moved his hands, he was treated to the gentle glow of red LEDs from the same flashlight that I had used to perform my preflight check. The look on his face was priceless. It was one of admiration, jealousy, and surprise that I don't think I'll ever be able to get again. He reached into the bulb/fuse box at the back of the aircraft and changed out the bad bulb in the cabin. The remainder of the flight went without a hitch.

When we returned to the flight school, my instructor asked me to show the senior instructor my light. As I began to show him my flashlight, he pulled his A2 out of his pocket. My instructor ordered his A2 with red LEDs later that week.

Ryan S.
Fayetteville, GA

SureFire triumphs over communist infrastructure

As an airline pilot flying the 747-200F, I find myself in some desolate and remote areas that never offer much lighting. This was recently the case when I was assigned a military charter to Bishket, Kyrgyzstan. We arrived there as the sun was going down and by the time the offload started it was pitch black; this was an old Soviet military field and almost nothing worked. The only ambient light was from the interior of the plane and the slit lights on the military K-loaders. Luckily, my flight engineer and I both had SureFire flashlights. I have the SureFire G2 Nitrolon and the engineer had the SureFire C2 Centurion. Those lights did a lot of work that night; everything from helping to position the k-loaders and fuel truck to inspecting the aircraft from the gear to the six story high tail. These lights never fail. I know that after that night several people were sold on the SureFire lights and will be owners in the near future. Thanks for a great product.

Anthony B.
Kingwood, TX

Blackout in the sky

While flying one night from Little Rock, Arkansas, all the lights went out in my aircraft, including my landing light. I was about one hour outside of my home base. I used my SureFire C2 Centurion with a red filter—so as not to degrade my night vision—to read my airspeed indicator, directional gyro, tachometer and attitude indicator. During this time the air traffic controller informed me that, while they had me on radar, they were unable to establish visual contact. As I lined up for approach I removed the red filter and began flashing my SureFire at the tower until they saw me. I was also able to use the C2 as my landing light, which was a great help on a moonless night! Thank you for building such reliable and bright lights. From now on I never leave for a flight without making sure I have my SureFire with me.

Kristopher A.
Norman, OK

No need to wing it with a SureFire onboard

After Christmas I got a SureFire E2e Executive Elite flashlight. I love it! It is brighter than any other light I have and small enough to put in my pocket. One time my father and I were flying when the control tower reported icing at 6000 ft. We were flying at 5000 ft. We got a little worried, but with my SureFire I was able to look out on the wing and watch for ice.

I don't know what I would have done without it. We ended up getting to our destination and landing safely. My dad was so impressed that he is going to get one himself. Thanks SureFire!

Kenneth S.

Frequent flyer miles to Afghanistan and Iraq

I cannot say enough good things about my SureFire E2e Executive Elite! As a C-130 pilot on active duty I used an Air Force issued 2 D-cell Maglite® for over eight years. Not only was it cumbersome to carry in my helmet bag, but between dead batteries and bad bulbs it was notoriously unreliable. During Operation ENDURING FREEDOM we flew most of our missions into Afghanistan at night and the lack of a good flashlight was a big hindrance to my job. It was at that point I knew I needed to find something better.

During my transition from active duty in the Air National Guard a pilot friend recommend SureFire. After seeing his SureFire 6P I went out and got my E2e. One month later my new SureFire was put to the test after my squadron deployed to the Persian Gulf for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. During 40+ combat missions into Iraq my E2e never failed. It was significantly brighter than my old flashlight so I was able to shine it through my window onto the wings to check for icing during flight, yet still small enough to carry comfortably in the pocket of my flight suit. Throughout numerous pre- and post-flight aircraft inspections the E2e worked every time, even after I dropped it down the flight deck stairs, out the crew entrance door and onto the ramp. The E2e is so light weight I was able to hold it with my teeth while my flight engineer and I made a hostile environment engine repair. Since my return stateside I have replaced all of my home and vehicle flashlights with various models of SureFires and I never fly with out my E2e. Several of my squadron mates have even gone out and bought SureFires after seeing mine in action. A SureFire flashlight is definitely one tool no aircrew member should be without.

Wrong clothes, right light

Over the last couple of years, I have purchased a few SureFire flashlights for personal and work use. I work in law enforcement, and have been taught to use only the best equipment. That includes the things I use away from the job.

My father and I decided to fly to Iowa to visit family in our Cessna 182. We took off at sunrise on the day of the Rose Bowl parade. The weather report said that heavy rains were heading east, the way we were going. After about 13 hours of flying, it got dark fast and weather was moving in. We were near Iowa and getting low on fuel, so we decided to put it down for the night. We searched our GPS and found the nearest air field, in the middle of no-where Kansas!

After we landed, I got out of the plane and realized that the t-shirt I was wearing, while fine in Pasadena, wasn't going to be warm enough here. It was about 30 degrees with a 15 mph wind, which made it freezing outside. The airport had no lights and only one hanger and an outhouse. I brought my SureFire E2O Outdoorsman with me and lit up the area. After searching the hanger, we moved our plane and spent the night.

The next day, we flew into Iowa and that night, the same storm that had followed us from California dumped two feet of snow and ice over a three day period. We were now snowed in and had to wait out the storm.

I used my light almost every day and night during our week long trip and it never let me down. It was the perfect size to keep in my pocket and worked great in the 20 degree weather for long periods of time. In fact, I even used it as a hand warmer. The 25 lumens of light were perfect for the requirements of the trip and the longer runtime made it a reasonable choice. Thanks for making such a great light!

After returning, I placed the E2O in my emergency kit and purchased the upgraded E2L Outdoorsman. The light is brighter and the run time is longer. Thanks for making it even better SureFire! I also just got an A2 Aviator for our future flying adventures!

Shawn S.
Pasadena, CA