admin | 
09 1st, 2008| 
When purchasing a lithium flashlight, one of the very first things one needs to consider is whether he or she would prefer an LED (light-emitting diode) or incandescent flashlight. Both lights have a variety of pros and cons and different attributes one needs to consider before purchasing one.
For the sake of this discussion, a SureFire G2® and a SureFire G2® LED, both excellent, top-notch lithium flashlights that carry lifetime warranties, will be used as a comparison. They are identical with the exception of being LED vs. incandescent, the LED version having an aluminum head, and a slight difference in light output (80 lumens [LED] vs. 65 lumens [incan.]).
Initial Cost
When comparing two lithium flashlights of similar size, make, quality, and brightness, the LED lights will most likely be more expensive.
For example, the LED version of the SureFire G2 is 1.8x the price of the incandescent version. Before writing off LED lithium flashlights based on the steeper price, consider some of the other comparisons below.
Battery Runtime
When it comes to battery runtime, the LED is king over an incandescent. Below are the runtimes of the two example flashlights:
SureFire G2® – 1 hr. (1 full hour of constant brightness with almost no diminished output)
SureFire G2® LED – 12 hr. (~3 hrs. constant brightness with diminishing output to 12 hrs.)
As you can see, the CR123 lithium batteries will need replaced far less frequently in the LED flashlight, thus saving money on battery replacements.
Beam Tint
When it comes to beam tint, neither options really have an advantage over the other one. Beam tint is really more of a personal preference. In general, incandescent flashlights have a much warmer (yellow looking) beam color, whereas LED flashlights have a much cooler beam (white with a hint of blue, purple, or green is common).
Ruggedness and Durability
When it comes to durability and overall ruggedness, LED lithium flashlights tend to be the winner. Because the LED emitter does not have a filament to break or burn out, an LED lithium flashlight is much more resistant to drops, vibration, and physical shock.
Bulb Replacement
Over certain periods of time, both LED and incandescent lamps will need replaced after its useful life as been expended. How long they live for are significantly different though. Surefire states that its LED emitters last for thousands of hours, so, most likely, you won’t need to replace it—ever. On the other hand, an incandescent bulb will likely not last past 50 or 100 hours of use, but it can vary widely.
Good luck in selecting a lithium flaslight. Below you will find links to both of the example flashlights from above–be sure to check them out.
