*BLF LT1 Lantern Project) (updated Nov,17,2020)

I have you down for two presently, numbers 952 and 1052 on the interest list. I will leave it like that unless you tell me you want a third.

It may for the manufacturer, but as for me it’s costing me money to help get it developed, but i don’t care about making money in this case, i just want to develop & bring a good lantern to the market where such a needed good quality & well designed light has been unavailable up until now.

I guess this depends on where you are in the world. Here in the US, Mini-USB is nearly impossible to find anymore. Micro is widespread, and USB-C is quickly taking over. Within a few years C will have taken hold and micro will start to become harder to find.

Wow. Good job Lexel. Some of us have long ago made an offer to help pay for prototype building if needed. As far as myself, the offer still stands. I know you already built the first prototype, and I’m assuming you will build this one too. Let me know where to donate funds when the time comes.

So far i have taken donations towards the costs of the development & have some to send to Lexel to cover his costs too. Maybe i should start a list somewhere?

Why don’t you use kickstarter? there is a lot of successful shitty lantern projects (like here, here and here) i don’t see why a good lantern like this would fail

you just need a cool looking video presentation with nice a music and you’re done :cowboy_hat_face:

Oh not Kickstarter, not for now anyway.

Maybe for the second version of the lantern, but not the first.

The 1st one is the basis for a beast of a lantern.

We may plan to incorporate boost drivers for the 2nd lantern, USB charging/outputs, etc.

Now that would require a large investment, but would work on Kickstarter since we would only need the funds, but we already have acquired the full knowledge to make a good lantern.

Very true, for the first version i would like to keep this a project of BLF for the members of BLF to get it started, then one the first production run is done and sales are rolling for the V1, then we can look at that for a more deluxe model.

If you are not totally naive, there could be good funding available from V1, to put towards V2.

E.g. the Q8 generated quite a lot of funds, simply from the affiliate link used to buy it from BG at the BLF price. Which was entirely reasonable, and Wim shared it out amongst the extended team.

Get V1 built first though, it’s looking good, I may even have to express an interest soon. And forget about Kickstarter, ugh.

Good points on that.

Yeah. Let’s put an affiliate link instantly when we start selling the lantern.

We need to give some thanks to DBSAR, Toykeeper, Lexel, Barry, sbslider, etc.

I just want to get the lantern with 4x18650 included.

On that point, I think we should ask Sofirn to include 4x18650s as a bundle for the lantern.

With USB charging set to 1,5A, it would make for a nice mainstream lantern.

We can do that. (i don’t have experience setting that up when the time comes though.

I can’t wait for this to be done there was so many times this past year that I could have used a good lantern

it is long over due i know, we hope to get this into production as soon as we can.

It’s the wrong sales model. What we’re doing is:

  • BLF designs the light.
  • Thorfire / Sofirn manufactures the light.
  • Thorfire / Sofirn / misc retailers sell and ship the light.
  • BLF members get a special discount.
  • Thorfire / Sofirn continue to sell the light indefinitely at regular retail price.

The Kickstarter model is typically a bit different:

  • BLF designs the light.
  • The lantern project team (LPT) sells the light and collects money. Early backers get a special discount.
  • LPT pays Thorfire / Sofirn to manufacture the light, and then LPT buys the entire production run.
  • LPT ships the light to people, or pays Thorfire / Sofirn to do so.

Basically, we’re not using Kickstarter because we’re not personally trying to make a profit on it. We’re just trying to make something nice for people, and to encourage flashlight companies to be more involved in the community in the future.

Not to mention, Kickstarter would take a big cut into that BLF discount.

I want a BLF Lantern if the price is reasonable. Never bought a BLF light before. How does it work? If there is a list, please put me on it.

Just bought Sofirm AAA twisties but Sofirm/AliExpress would not give me the discount.

If I can get a discounted price on these lanterns, I will buy two. If not, I won’t.

I truly appreciate the work folks are putting on here to bring out a good lantern, but to jump through hoops to pay full price doesn’t seem right. Just my opinion.

Calm down man…… you will get the same price everyone else here gets without jumping through hoops :sushi: …… btw, welcome to BLF

You have already done what you need to do by asking to be put on the list…. sbslider will confirm when he sees your post. Welcome to BLF and as Dale says…. hide your wallet.