Surefire 9N

The products from the 1990s used the B92 rechargeable battery, which is three Sub-C cells totaling 3.6V. The designer of this light was a genius, as they managed to put a high-power 140 lumen bulb and a low-power 20 lumen bulb in the same lamp assembly in such a compact flashlight, without relying on electronic components. This allows freely switching between high and low brightness, which is very rare among incandescent flashlights.

Similar flashlights, like the Surefire high-end 10X Dominator, have a similar design, but use two separate reflector cups and lamp assemblies. Decades later, the second-generation Maglite Magcharger incorporated an electronic dimming system, allowing two-stage dimming and even strobe/SOS functions from a single halogen bulb. However, with dimming bulbs, the color tends to be more yellowish at lower brightness levels.

The Surefire 9N's bulb is called the N90. By rotating the head, you can instantly select which bulb to use - the high-output bulb draws around 2.5A, while the low-output bulb draws around 0.7A. The tailcap is bigger but similar to the 6P and others, with a momentary-on switch and a twist-on constant-on switch. The bezel (including the reflector) and the lamp assembly appear to be separate, potentially allowing them to be purchased individually. The lens is a shatterproof plastic lens.

The Turbohead version has a T3 bezel - it's very lightweight, using a plastic lens, with a 3-inch diameter that provides significantly increased throw and a more concentrated beam. The bulb used is the N3, with similar power but not interchangeable with N90 due to the different length.

This light was succeeded by the 9AN model. The B92 battery can be replaced with three rechargeable Sub-C cells, or a single 18650 lithium-ion battery with a dummy cell or spacer.