The SureFire Minimus isn’t typically the headlamp that most people think of when they are looking for something to do some late-night walking. This job is generally accomplished well enough by less expensive headlamps like those from Petzl and the like.
However, the Surefire Minimus was designed primarily for tasks like camping, tactical use, trail hiking, and work that requires reliable, hands-free lighting and a batch of functions to keep up with the Operators of the world.
After a couple of years with the larger Surefire Maximus, I have used the Minimus as my primary camping, night-shooting, and all-around headlamp, and today I’d like to share some of the reasons why it’s my absolute favorite headlamp, even when compared to other, less expensive but still good headlamps out there.
Offical Product Link: https://www.surefire.com/minimus/
Starting with probably the most important feature, the SureFire Minimus offers a sensible output range from 5 to 300 lumens, adjustable across 13 preset levels via a knurled control knob that can be turned and felt even with thick gloves on. The Minimus, unlike its larger Maximus cousin, uses a single CR123A lithium battery that runs about 1.5 hours on maximum output and up to 50 hours on lower settings. With the headstrap attached, the Minimus weighs just a tick under 5 ounces, including the battery and red lens cover.
The headlamp has an aluminum body and comes standard with an IPX7 rating, which has come in handy up here in the extremely wet and rainy Pacific Northwest. Even if you happen to fully submerge the Maximus, that IPX7 rating also gives you water resistance up to 3 feet for 30 minutes.
The lamp features Surefire’s wide “MaxVision” reflector beam, and while it is not USB rechargeable, the battery is swappable, which I think is far more suitable for field use. Finally, and probably both my least favorite and favorite feature, is the inclusion of a small red filter lens cap that can quickly give you a red light without the need to touch any buttons.
Beam Pattern & Brightness
The Minimus emits a wide, well-focused flood beam that is perfect for checking on stuff in the back of the truck bed or diagnosing more serious firearm malfunctions when you’re shooting under night vision. Near-field navigation is much easier than with any head lamp, and with a maximum throw distance of about 60 meters, the Minimus can be used for just about anything – not just shooting stuff.
The brightness adjustment is smooth, making it easy to find the right amount of light without any flickering or inconsistency across modes. The knob is capable of continuously rotating in either direction, so perhaps a small downside is that it can be hard to tell when you’ve reached maximum or minimum illumination.
Comfort & Overall Fit
Headlamps do add weight to your head rig, but the point of most small headlamps like this is to be as light and unobtrusive as possible. The Minimus is lightweight and features a comfortable and widely adjustable elastic headband with a moisture-wicking neoprene forehead pad that is replaceable if it gets a bit too funky or otherwise destroyed. Mine so far is holding up pretty good, but I typically wear it over a beanie or other ha,t so it doesn’t get subjected to too much sweat.
According to Surefire’s documentation, the headlamp housing can tilt 180 degrees for precise light aiming, but in my case, I’ve found that the lamp body is capable of being turned a full 360 degrees, meaning that you can point the beam almost directly in your eyes. The Minimus fits securely over hats or helmets without slipping, and despite its robust aluminum build, it remains one of the more comfortable heavy-duty headlamps available.
Controls & Ease of Use
The primary control is a knurled knob for one-handed adjustment, designed to be operated even while wearing gloves. The interface is straightforward with 13 output levels, including SOS mode; the knob prevents accidental activation and offers a tactile feel.
The memory function is neat and restores the last brightness setting on power-up. Other headlamps often use push-buttons that can easily break with hard use and are much more difficult to use with gloved hands or when you’re in a hurry to swap illumination modes.
One major gripe I mentioned before is that the red lens that goes over the light body is completely removable and thus requires you to have a good and convenient place to store the thing while it’s not in use. I’ve tried to mount it to the battery compartment side of the light, but I’ve found that if I do too much running around, the lens cover is easily bumped off and could be lost.
For now, I’ve just stuffed it in my pocket until I need it. Most of the time when I am using this headlamp, I will always have the red lens cover on because I’m typically shooting under night vision, and would like to preserve my eyes’ natural adjustment to the dark.
Battery Life & Charging
Running on a single CR123A lithium battery, the Minimus will give you about 1.5 hours of sustained runtime on the highest output level and extends up to about 50 hours on the lowest setting. While it lacks any sort of USB recharging, you can always purchase and use SureFire’s own CR123A rechargeables.
The Minimus’s reliance on swappable batteries means users can always carry spares and avoid downtime during multi-day trips where charging might not be possible or is otherwise inconvenient. I’ve grown to loathe rechargeable batteries since I often find myself away from wall sockets for days at a time.
Durability & Weather Resistance
Everything is sealed up nice and tight on the Minimus, including the battery compartment. I’ve dropped, tossed, thrown, submerged, soacked and otherwise abused the Minimus so much that I’m quite surprised at how well it still performs I’ve read elsewhere online that other users have reported no fogging or mechanical issues after prolonged use in harsh conditions, including cold, wet, and rocky environments, and when I combine that with my single sample expeirence, my experience seems to match. I think this light will definitely outlast and outperform any polymer-bodied headlamp out there.
Value Compared to the (cheaper) Competition
The interested and frugally minded of you in the audience will probably have already looked this thing up and realized its asking price is set at almost three benjamins. The Minimus and the Maximus are both priced significantly higher than common headlamps found on Amazon or even legendary brands Petzl, of which I am still a huge fan. However, I personally think the Minimus justifies its value through its all-metal construction and USA-built quality and durability alone.
The refined beam control is a nice, small added bonus, but cheaper non-SureFire models may be a more practical or fiscally responsible solution for more casual or infrequent users. Like anything else that Surefire sells, the Minimus makes a much stronger appeal to the professionals and serious users out there who want the “buy once, cry once” experience of headlamps, and they definitely have the price point to match that attitude.
My Overall Rating of the SureFire Minimus
All of my old headlamps, before I started using the Surefire Maximus, ended up in the garbage at some point, either because the onboard rechargeables were too worn or because the unit itself was damaged, broken, or otherwise rendered non-functional. To date, the SureFire Minimus has been the most reliable, durable, and capable headlamp I’ve ever used, and it’s still holding up today through my rough handling and the tough conditions I put it through.
While it does offer some very precise and reasonable light output and control, it sort of outclasses virtually every other non-Surefire headlamp out there and, as a result, fetches a very high, often inaccessible price for most people. However, despite the steep price, it’s all of the above that I’ve mentioned, as well as a few intangible features (probably the Surefire brand name) that make it my absolute favorite headlamp for just about anything I’m up to in the dark that requires both hands to be free.
Luke’s Overall Rating: 9 / 10 (loses points for being less accessible)
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