Budget and more expensive lights

The thread started by Trooplewis got me to thinking regarding this thread. How many of you have lights that aren't budget as well as budget lights? I'm assuming most of you probably do.

Usually they do the trick for me, sometimes not. This is not meant to be a debate about budget vs more expensive (or quality lights as they would be called on CPF) :)

I'm just wondering if there are times when most of you end up spending a little more when it's something that matters a little more (to you).

I've had a lot of light from DX and other places. I used the lower price to be able to try out more lights (and in some cases to have more spare parts) than would be the case otherwise. If I had to learn what I like by spending $60-$150 for each light I would never have gotten interested in this subject.

If I was better at soldering I'd probably have even less non-budget lights. Since I don't yet I've purchased some lights and drop-ins just because I didn't want strobes and did want lower, low settings and in some cases because I didn't want crenelated bezels.

There are other cases however where the budget version, while good, just wasn't good enough for me in an area where I really cared about it. In other areas (most areas) they have been more than good enough.

I sense this is probably the way it is for most of us. If anyone has a comment either in agreement or in disagreement please post.

I think it might let newer members and those in the future see that this isn't just a place for budget lights and if you are also interested in other lights you can still post here rather than have to go elsewhere. This is just a place where budget lights will probably always be King (and more interesting as well).

Budget = buying the best light in the FIRST place...

But the learning curve is inevitable, you Must find out what you do and don't like, and reading about it doesn't work.

Like when the NDI was described by selfbuilt as his favourite EDC over the D10, so I bought a NDI at $70!!!, and then when the D10s came on sale, I bought one (later a second one as a gift) only because they were priced the same as a budget light. Once I had received them, they needed a little re-soldering, fixing etc... but they were INSTANTLY my favourite UI. Never gifted the second one... no second thoughts about that at all. Price of an education?

Budget lights have a hard time producing intuitive UIs and this is where I think the more expensive lights come in. Budget lights also play a role in being the basher light, or the modding practice lights, and it was on these lights that many learn how to mod before tackling stuff like the V10R.... *im still yet to safely take my Ti apart for an emitter swap, just got it this week.*

I started with Fenix. Bought four of them - two for me and two for family. I still keep the TK11 (R2, which just came out when I bought it), but I seldom use it (indoors only). The momentary switch comes handy sometimes. I'd love to have the opportunity to handle that great production quality in real use more often.

Instead, for my daily after-dinner walks, a budget XM-L semi-flooder works better, along with a budget R2 hardcore thrower (to spot the eventual brown bear from safe distance). For most brightness at medium range there'is a dedicated hard-driven budget XM-L as well. For the car, my hobby shop and pocketable EDC, all budget flashlights again.

Optimal lighting for every type of use and most enjoyable flashlight quality just don't seem to combine for me. Perhaps I'm not flashaholic enough (contrary to the conviction of quite a few around me Wink ).