Designed specifically for users exploring the Great Outdoors, the SureFire Guardian flashlight is a true double duty tool — providing illumination and also serving as a source of emergency power for small electronic devices — in one compact, lightweight package.
For 40 years, SureFire lights have been the go-to illumination tools for military, law enforcement, emergency workers and other extreme-duty applications. One of the company’s latest offerings to feature the convenience of USB-C recharging capability, the SureFire Guardian is equally as capable in the outback.
The Guardian can trace its roots to another revolutionary SureFire product, the 2211 WristLight. SureFire President Dr. John Matthews developed the 2211 WristLight as a compact, hands-free, USB-rechargeable LED light, available with or without an integral quartz watch. Its success spawned a number of SureFire products that share some of the 2211’s technology, such as the SureFire Sidekick keychain light, the SureFire Stiletto pocket light, and the Guardian.
But what really separates the Guardian from other SureFire lights is that it is a dual-beam light. Its rugged, ergonomic polymer body houses two separate precision-focused LED/reflector assemblies, each with different beam characteristics. The larger of the two — 19 mm in diameter — is optimized for maximum reach. The smaller, 12 mm optic utilizes SureFire’s proprietary MaxVision Beam® technology to produce smooth, uniform illumination that’s perfect for close- to medium-range applications.
And both LEDs incorporate SureFire’s groundbreaking IntelliBeam® technology, which gives the Guardian a virtual mind of its own. IntelliBeam automatically adjusts the emitter’s light output based on distance to the nearest object, to prevent an excessive amount of light reflecting back into the user’s eyes.
Each emitter is controlled by a separate, weather-sealed pressure switch on the side of the Guardian’s body, and each can be user-programmed to select the desired switch function from five different factory settings. Options include IntelliBeam, high output only, and multi-level operation e.g., high, medium, and low. Available light levels are 15, 300, and 1000 lumens for the 12 mm Max Vision optic, and 15, 250, and 800 lumens for the more tightly focused 19 mm optic — plus the self-adjusting IntelliBeam setting for either emitter.
The Guardian’s integrated lithium polymer rechargeable battery has a maximum capacity of 2.8 amp hours, which provides a run time of between 2.5 hours and 62 hours, depending on the emitter selected and light level in question. A multi-color LED “fuel gauge” indicates battery level, plus facilitates the aforementioned switch programming. The USB-C charging port on the tail end of the light features a rubber cover to keep out water and debris. Additionally, the Guardian can charge small electronic devices such as smart phones at 5 Volts with a current range of 1.5-2A (0.5A from a USB 2.0 source.)
For a light with so much utility packed into it, the SureFire Guardian is light and compact. It tips the scale at a mere 4.7 ounces, and it measures 4.35 inches long and 2.08 inches wide, with a maximum thickness of 1.17 inches. It’s thin enough to easily slip into a pants pocket, jacket or backpack.
With its technology and its utilitarian features, the SureFire Guardian is the ultimate all-around light for outdoor and camping use. Its size-to-performance ratio is truly impressive, filling an obvious gap between minimalist pocket lights and larger illumination tools such as lanterns. Carried in your jacket or in a backpack, the Guardian will provide the optimal amount and type of light required for a wide variety of tasks, and it can power your cell phone in an emergency. It’s truly two lights in one.
For more information on the Guardian, visit SureFire.com.
