Flashlights that are great but you hate them

I like the S41, but I don’t use it much because I want shortcuts on an EDC light. The S42 has an almost universally negative reputation due to efficiency issues and the crappy UI.

The S43, on the other hand… that runs NarsilM.

I donated my S42 to a charity effort hosted here. I just recently bought the S42S when it dropped below $30, too bling to fling.

Emisar D4 . Loved the light. Right size for edc, side switch, beam shape, and output were also fine. I didn’t like the UI. Sold it along with a headlamp that had the same UI. 2 nights ago I ordered another D4. This one is gonna get a new UI (in the distant future).

Meteor M43. So much hype when it first came out - everyone had to have one. I waited a while and then hoped on the bandwagon. Think I spent something like $170 with cells. Sure, it’s a nice light, but the UI is horrible. My light just sits. My worst purchase in over 100 lights. Rant over.

Agree. For me it’s hard to justify the 25-40 price on their S line. For the money I would go e and d.

With Raccoon here. S41.
Hot Hot… with ext tube and 18650 cell.
Bought it. Great light. used a while.
BUT always gets too hot too soon, With any of the top coupla settings where it does it’s work.

There’s an awful lot of torches in Bedroom cupboard, but what would I get for them?. Zilch.
I just put them down to the “I wonder if…. ?” syndrome.
and experience, or lack of.

BEST value for money?.
I’ve yet to see anything that gives much more for it’s size as a walkabout light.
than my 8 yr old, (around $8.50AUD). SkyRay S-R5 with XP-Lhi, P60 with foil. in there.
It’s third update so far.
Never missed a beat. dropped a dozen or more times.
Been for a swim twice.
I bought another as spare recently $14ish.
but it’s a shit, shiny light silver grey. Yuk. I might heat treat it yet.

@Adam706, that was the case until the S43. That one looks great, and I can just swap in the bezel from the S42.

If I did not have a Thorfire TK15 modded with an LH351D, I would think about getting it.

I wouldn’t still get it. I’m personally waiting for the F3WA :smiley:

Umm, doesn’t this thread already exist? :smiley:

Anyway, I don’t “hate” it, as it’s physically a fantastic light (great quality, great ano, great thermal path, great everything, all details dotted and crossed), but the Folomov Camp D4 has a UI I’m definitely not a fan of.

High→low, and has strobes in the main cycle, right there that’s a killer for me. When I was using it as a “Wotnahell’s making that noise in the backyard??” light, I just kept it on high and didn’t change modes at all. Didn’t want to remind myself of the ghastly UI.

Same with lights that have up/down/up/down steps.

In fact, a lot of otherwise great lights can be killed by a horrible UI.

The Klarus XT1A I bought a month ago is great except for the horrible step from medium to high. 80 lumens to 1000. At least give me a 500 lumen output level. Geez.

This post makes me feel good I didn’t jump with the rest on the M43. I did wait for user’s feedback and started to read about the horrible UI, I even suggested for the version 2 to just give me the classic L-M-H-(T).

I can’t imagine how many clicks just to remember for THIS light alone, how much more with my other lights, aaargghh.

Most of us have multiple lights, could you all remember how the UI for each of them?

The Lumintop Tool AAA Cu is a great light, I have 4 of them in service in various hoodies. They have served well for over 4 years now using 10440 batteries exclusively. I hate twisties and goosies equally, there is no longer a need for these. I might reconsider my favorite AAA iffn Lumintop would put a side switch on the Tool. The Ant ain’t the answer.

You got it! I received an S42 in a gaw and later bought an S41 that I prefer due to the Bistro UI. Out of town right now, but happy to ship it con-us on the house next week.

As to the OP, I feel similar pain on the Astrolux models, though I like the S41 enough to keep it around.

The Maratac AA copper is another one that let me down. Love the host and emitter, dat pwm tho… :frowning:

I’ll seriously take it. :sunglasses: :+1:

good thread, some of these lights are ones that I had been interested in, now I’m glad I stayed away.

As far as the D4 goes on the list, I don’t understand, except I know chadvone is looking for his perfect UI. D4 with Anduril has been in my pocket nonstop since June.

As far as mine, Zebralight SC5. Nothing inherently wrong with it, I had fun playing with it the first few days I had it, but the UI is so much different than my other lights, that I just don’t find it that useful. I suspect my D4 has a lot to do with that.

— Olight S1. Leaving aside my first experience with a defective one that had very bad parasitic drain, I don’t love it (though it’s very cute). It’s not really it, but 16340 torches in general — the battery holds so little power, I don’t feel like I can rely on them, and being fatter than AA actually matters to my carry method. Luckily my mother loves having it on her bedside.

— Convoy S2, 3/5 firmware. The irritating blink on low mode and on-time memory (that behaves like NMM if you keep it on for less than 5 seconds) are atrocious for an EDC format light that I don’t make serious use of for more than a scant few seconds at a time. I later got one with Biscotti and that one is tied for most used and loved torch in my collection. Now there’s a red driver on the mail with the old S2’s name on it.

— Mini Maglite, 2xAAA. No regulation and one single mode equals a burst of light that dims like a match after the first big flare. Outdated and obsolete POS, sits catching dust in my flashlight misc drawer; not gonna put that with my darling collection.

— Mini Maglite 2xAA. Dented the negative ends of my Eneloops due to the stiff spring, visible PWM on low mode, almost blue tint. Feels good in the hand but it’s overpriced junk, not worth importing at all.I have had cheap flea market plastic lights with better value than this. My brother has it now, and it works fine for him with alkaleaks inserted.

— Fenix E11. Beam is too concentrated for my taste, tail switch is too stiff, and it disappears inside my fist. Much prefer the Thrunite T10, greenish-yellow beam tint and all.

good call, I was just thinking about this light earlier today, but forgot about it in my post above. I bought one at Home Depot earlier in my recent flashlight craze and it still sits in the package. A few folks on the CPF were raving about it, so I thought it would be worth a try. Not for me, too many other nice lights around.

Same here. I didn’t like the UI either, and never used it because of that. Sold it to someone who liked it more than me. I will say, it had one beautiful wall of light though.

S42 vote coming in.

Good light, quality is excellent, just the UI is horrible.

Even trying out the other ui’s wont help? I love all 6 of my meteors!

I’m going to add almost every niwalker I own. Parasitic drain. Can’t just load it and leave it in the car or bag. Tailcap doesn’t lock out. Same with the Olight x7, and my s6330 which has parasitic drain in ONE slot! I can’t win…

I love my Nitecore Tini and hate it at the same time.
I love the format. I love the low weight. I love the beam. I love the output. I love the battery capacity. I love the rechargeability.
I don’t like the looks. I don’t like the cheap plastic lining with silvery finish that peels off.
I hate the UI. The slow turn-on is bad. The demo mode drives me nuts.

It’s on my neck. Largely because it has no real competition in its size/performance class. But sometimes when I can’t stand the Tini I switch to DQG Hobi.