Flashlight you didn't buy (and later found it was a wrong decision)

black shadow terminator

This was also a bit in the back of my mind as well. One of the few soda can lights that throws fairly well. Nice looks and finish. The most notorious competitor with comparable beam profile was the Nitecore TM26 costing a whopping $400. The Terminator was something like $140? So much more affordable but still not cheap though. Nice how prices of really good quality lights have dropped significantly. :smiley:

I wish I have bought a fenix tk20 ten years ago.

I will not buy a MF01 because it is quite some money to spend, it has a meager UI and there is some incidence of faulty lights, and in performance it is too close to a well-modded Q8, with the Q8 being cheaper, smaller and having better throw.

But it still is one of those lights that if Astrolux had done a bit more thorough job on it (and had used a nice TK firmware), the form factor, led+optics lay-out and use of high CRI Nichia’s had made it a must-have for a good price. I’m still tempted and may once regret not having bought one.

djozz,
you just described most of the Astrolux line.

You can have mine, v.2, for what I paid, but that is no sort of deal. The LEDs are superb in Nichia. Otherwise it is a disappointment to the discerning, all down to driver and UI. It could have been so good, and still is, in a limited way. You might I suppose regret not owning one, if that’s what floats (or sinks) your boat, but time moves on, and better things keep coming still, though I think we might be reaching “peak flashlight” soon.

Ah yes, DITO SS, that was awesome offer back then, I would slap myself for not buying it then even for full price (I think it was something around 10$ or so), Instead I bought a bunch of whistles and carabiners (stuff I don’t actually use) :person_facepalming:

But there was one light that was popular back when I joined this forum. It was a big and heavy light with 3 emitters (back then that was a WOW), used, I think, 3 18650 cells, simple design, no fancy cnurling like this days lights are (I would say something between ThruNite TN40 and TN42, a bit taller than TN40, not that wide head like TN42). Man, this is going to bother me until I find it…
Edit: found it, :smiley: I was googling for Fenix TK61 (one of those I really wanted but was disappointed when I found that is has a plastic reflector and led shelf) and found then so popular BTU Shocker :smiley:

It is still there. UltraFire WF-504B LED Flashlight at Fasttech :partying_face:

Fenix E35UE. It sounds weird but when they were on clearance I put together some group buys for my team at work. They were down to about $27 each and I had one earmarked for myself but a last minute request came in so I let it go. I must have spent 3 or 4 times that amount chasing those features when I found out there were none left.

Just curious, why five? Do you use them all at the same time or for multiple people?

I still remember i disliked it bcoz certain people who bought it kind of disrespect Fenix TK70 but it is a copy of TK70. I owned a TK70 at that time.

Too bad Black Shadow didn’t survive. Luckily we have other good brands now.

Thank you very much TBone :beer: . But it’s a silver one, and the one that was on my wishlist before Roche F12 :heart_eyes: went out was black.

The irony is that DITO did supply 100% stainless steel carabiners, key rings and other outdoor extras for free with each flashlight they sold. Those extras alone were worth 3-4 bucks. The packaging was outstanding (light came in a reusable, expensive plastic box) and the insured/tracked shipping was at least a couple dollars.

I suppose that is also the reason why the are no longer in business (or re-launched with a different brand?) - their deals were simply too good to be true and they went under.

Sorry, here is a black one. Same look but way better quality is the Solarforce L2P host.

My new hobby: Oldtimer flashlight hunting. :slight_smile:

.
Glossy golden Roche F12 clone anyone?

Thanks again, TBone.

Ultrafire 504 is a clone of Solarforce L2 and Solarforce L2 is probably a clone of Surefire 6P.
And I must resist, cause I can’t clone my wallet .

There are clones of Roche F12 too : one by Yupard and one called E-Smart, reviewed here at BLF, but they’re not as good :frowning: .

So I’ll wait till Convoy (or Olight, or some other) sells a good looking black 18650 pocket rocket with a nice knurling and a silver steel bezel…. or till I forget it (usual Oldtimer’s problem :wink: ).

Yep… the E35UE is a great 18650 light. Kind of a strange UI for most, but I never found it a problem. Still use mine all the time.

Fortunately I don’t have too many of those “one that got away” scenarios. The original Fenix T1 comes to mind though. Not sure exactly what they did on this lights type III finish but it was stunning and very silky smooth feeling.

Reliability is one thing, the light output performance of these “average lights” are catching up so fast that they will make the $2000 custom light fade away in no time lol.

Ya, price is getting very competitive per lumens or kcd.
I am eyeing MF02, that’s a 1 mile thrower.