My criterion for a BLF Special AA or 2AA light would be —- a wonderfully designed and made HOST — good grip, good thermal mass, good heat handling, all with an easily changeable pill.
Flashlight manufacturers don’t get this yet.
They should make their money once on the excellent light people will keep forever.
They could make that and glue the dagnabbed thing for muggles, but then it would seem way overpriced for people at BLF
They should work with us to design the host, and offer it while they are still in design mode —- not glued, and really well made so we could keep improving the driver and emitter.
Seriously. Wait for design to finish before starting to sell the darned thing.
And commit to actually continuing to meet specifications through the whole process, not nibble the design to death saving a penny at a time.
Yeah, that might mean a private forum and signed nondisclosures, so their competition doesn’t hover here and hoover up the ideas.
Why?
Because: many BLF people will offer ideas the manufacturer needs to consider BEFORE freezing their design.
Look at OrcATorch’s AA — could have been a contender, but the driver has to be replaced, easy to do — but it’s glued shut.
Oops. HOW do they miss this sort of thing?
Why else to offer a good host?
Because: Moore’s Law.
LEDs and drivers are going to keep improving FAST.
They need to be swapped out every year.
Nobody is going to succeed selling a $40 flashlight glued shut every year to people who want the best and the brightest flashlight.
(“and yeah, I do know that ”the best and the brightest” originally referred to the smart fools who led the US into Vietnam, d’oh”:"best and the brightest" got us into vietnam - Google Search)
So — manufacturers need to make that $40 sale once with a stupendously designed and well made host.
Then come back every year or three with a $20 replacement pill for it.
$$PROFIT$$
Just my opinion. Wiser heads will prevail.