Unpopular Flashlight Opinion Thread

[quote=ToyKeeper]

Well good. Thank you for that. I had seen plenty of gripes about unavoidable strobe modes but nothing about next mode memory. I was beginning to think there might be something about it that was practical and I didn't understand. Then I got one of those cheap generic drivers (UltraFire UF-A3). Honest, it was a very inexpensive impulse purchase. I just wanted something to plug the AA/14500 hole in my lineup. This one also has the dreaded high-low-strobe firing order. I now have some better samples coming. Looks like my granddaughter will get another flashlight.

Cheater! Popular opinions don’t count! :smiley:

I don’t like angry-blue tints :innocent:

Doesn’t even need anything said about it, is all. Kinda like whether/not you’d want Hitler for a next-door neighbor… does it really warrant mentioning at all?

I was thinking maybe I should get a Wuben TO50R instead of modding my other lights but I believe it has this “next mode memory”. So, I likely won’t buy this “premium” light because of the UI.

I had a Streamlight flashlight that had a center emitter with 3 mules surrounding the reflector. No matter what it turned on Low flood, then High on the center, then back to low flood on the 3 mules. Not even mode memory, just the same dumb cycle through the emitters with one of the modes twice! The Twin Task I think it was. And it was issued from the military! Let me use this flashlight that I cant momentary on, and everytime I use it Im either blinking away trying to turn it off or stuffing it against clothing and having to peek to see if Im in the right mode or turned off!

It's not my fault. I didn't know.

This is the UI for the TO50R:

The next mode UI. Holy Cow!

I agree the faster UI is nicer. I don’t like dumbing things down by making them slow or replacing interesting modes with boring ones. That’s what the client wanted though, so that’s what I made. I did try to convince him not to bother with SOS though. I mean, has anyone here ever actually used SOS mode for something where another mode wouldn’t work?

It really shouldn’t have much hype. It’s not an exciting flashlight. It doesn’t have fancy aux LEDs or dramatic body styling or massive turbo lumens or throw. It’s not going to win any beauty shelf contests. It’s meant to be utilitarian and somewhat boring. And that’s why I use it so much.

It really shouldn’t be taking so long to produce though. It’s honestly pretty ridiculous.

So do short ones. I don’t like having my computer forcefully shut off. It’s seriously disruptive, and carries a high risk of permanent damage. That’s how my last one died.

OTOH, pro tip: While power outages can be a fun excuse to use flashlights, no excuse is necessary. Enjoying torches only during power outages is like showering only when it rains.

I’m not really familiar with that, but it may be possible. It looks like there are three different HDS clicky UIs. All three sound like they would be simple to implement in FSM. Which one are you referring to?

Aye, I remember you mentioning that in the Biscotti launch thread. Them’s the breaks. [shrug]

Honestly, if I ever needed SOS, I’d put my torch on strobe and wave it around maniacally - guaranteed to call the eye of a passerby very quickly.

Yeah, I can see that happening if you work out of a computer, especially at home. Me, I don’t use my PC much anymore aside from a few short hours of video games to stave off sleep, and I’m so detached from my workplace I really couldn’t care less if my workstation fries up forever. Ain’t like I’m doing more than “face, badge, face, badge” anyway.

When you live with family that gets miffed that you only use your lights instead of the ceiling lamps and complain that it’s too dark, you tend to need excuses :stuck_out_tongue:

EDC lights should not be sold if they don’t have a trit slot.

Now THAT is an unpopular opinion (at least for this forum :smiley: )

I know, so please don’t agree with me :smiley:

You just need some brighter lights. One of my latest projects is BRIGHTER than all the lights in the living room combined by a large margin.

Warm white leds, 3000k, give me the most satisfaction to use, look the brightest outdoors, and are in my go to lights including D4S and GT70. But even knowing this and having tons of CW fingerprint erasers I’m often still tempted by mfg specs on the CW versions, even though after having them they don’t get used. It just shows me that even though I know better, the marketing of more better is still hard to ignore. Yes, I know there are genuine people believe CW is ackchyually much brighter and more efficient. I joke, but to each his own, get whatever you like.

Black bodied lights are ugly.

Patina is code switch for "too lazy to polish".

Surefire is overpriced.

Black is the least practical colour for something that, almost by definition, you need to find in the dark.

My opinion is that black is popular merely because it makes a device appear more serious.

There is a really good reason that an Aircraft “Black box” is NOT black, and that should be applied to flashlights.

Can’t get around market forces though, things are made to market, so popular opinion rules.

Really? Did I do it again? Is this another one of those things that everybody else understands on such a deep level that it is a given? So much so that it is not worth commenting about? Even in a bitch thread?

It's actually not an unpopular opinion?