How many of you (assuming everyone here is a flashlight enthusiast) rarely use your flashlights (let’s say other than single aaa or button style keychain lights)?
I’m not asking if you own lights and never use them but do you rarely use them (or most of them). Again, I understand if you have a large collection you will not be frequently using most of them.
I know that many of you use them at work or daily for some task such as walking the dog. I’m just wondering how many enjoy this hobby but don’t actually use or need to use them all that often?
Really, I’m just curious as to whether it’s most people, only a few people and something closer to 50/50.
I find uses for my single AAA mainly because it’s handy. If it wasn’t I’d still be OK. I had no problem with my P60 lights but I rarely used them. I got an Ultrafire T-50 which is smaller and I think it’s great but I still rarely use it either.
If I had more actual uses for flashlights everything would get used more obviously. I seem to either use a single AAA or a headlamp but most of the time I don’t actually need anything.
I Work 2PM til 11PM in an office building and rarely have the need to use my lights, They just collect dust and my EDC’s rarely gets action, mostly I just play with them shinning at objects on our backyard.
I Usually use them during
Blackouts(twice a year)
Island vacation(5days a year)
Mountain hiking/climbing/Camping (3-4 times a year)
MeetUps (5 times a year)
I use my c8 daily at work, with a q5, head strap attached, its ideal for hands free use under vehicles in dark workshops.
I use my 2 x 18650 zoomy most nights, its my night light for baby feeding duties. The others are toys really and I have 3 more on the way…. I think part of it is succumbing to the shiny pictures tbh. But if I find one I like, I find uses for it. I’ve also got a couple of camping holidays coming up so I expect to get more use out of my lights then.
I use all of the lights that I’ve got, and the ones that don’t get used are sold.
I use my E01 pretty much every day, my LD01 R4 gets used a couple of times per week, and my TK41 gets used a couple of times per month doing night hikes.
I also have two Sipik SK68 clones that get 4-5 nights a week on my bike.
Rarely use most if ever. My edc pocket lights get some use, but it's really me thinking of excuses to use them. Now during night riding season, I have 8 or so that get used twice a week, either by me or by cycling buddies that don't have lights. I have lot's of AA lights scattered about the house and cars for emergency use, so far haven't had to use them.
I think most people find uses for them that are not nesessary .I use a flashlight in places where most people would flip on a light switch ..It's not like one is better or worse ..if I use a flashlight to walk thru a dark room to the kitchen to grab a drink or a snack it makes perfect sense , but once I tailstand it and start something more involved like making something to eat I realize it's just a stupid idea and flip the light switch on and save my batteries.
Most good flashlight uses are for spotting something and for very short periods of time ..that's why I've never been very worried about runtimes or even huge lumen outputs .A small amount of light when you need it/where you need it... is plenty .
With so many lights I think one good idea is to leave them attached to a hook on the door of those really dark places that you repeatedlyfind yourself reaching for a light to help .///// under the sink ,a dark closet ,one in the glovebox etc .. lots of times they are just handy tools. the closest one usually being the best . good uses for junk lights that you probably never should have bought .
I think we all find ones that we truly enjoy on a deeper level and we carry it or use it more than any other because we really appreciate it and just love to use it....So we find creative ways to use them
99.99% of my lights never get used, I have even boxed some of them up, because of the little space in my room. I only use my light just to play with then.
Sometimes I need the lights when working on my car.
I rarely use most of them. My pocket lights get used the most of course. I try to switch it up at night when we sit outside for a drink or a smoke in the summer evenings. Once you hit more than 20 it’s tough to keep them from getting dusty.
The fast evolving technology attracted me and kept me going, but I am always trying to find an excuse to use the many lights I’ve accumulated. They are very little used, but as my eyes have gotten older I really do need an EDC now and then just around the house and yard, daylight or dark, so I try to rotate them, at least somewhat.
Very true. I have a shelf full of flashlights and they hardly ever get used. I always take my DRY and my STL-V2 out walking at night. A saik-305 sits on my nightstand, a Trustfire z8 in one pocket and my E2100 in another, and that's it. The rest just end up sitting around even if I do really like them.
I got into lights because I had need of them at work and for activities like bike riding and camping.
I went from the 4AA Streamlight incans that our company gave us (which were total garbage) to buying my own. I bought a Rominsen RC-G2 and that changed my outlook on flashlights. A $12 LED light that could out throw a 4 D cell maglite and fit in any pocket. Everything beyond that was just a variation. I would buy some 2AA lights, then a AAA light then a 2AAA, then a 18650 etc. Fact is, a good 1AA modern led light like the Klarus P1A or Jetbeam BA10 or will knock the socks off most non-flashaholics.
I have three roommates, so I leave the lights that don’t get much use on the counter by the front door. People use them all. I know because I’m always having to recharge them!
I actually try to rotate through a good portion of my lights but there are a few that simply never get touched. Funny I saw this thread when I did. I stumbled across my old Masterpiece Pro 2 review and realized I go months sometimes without touching that light. Like many have said, the newest gets most the attention.
Now I have more than 10 lights. I feel what I bought was lights I wanted to see how good it could be in one way, saying small and bright, or really throwy, or pretty, or having a perfect mode arrangement. There is no necessity for me to use more than 1-2 lights at all.
Recently I start to feel a little guilty of buying so many lights and don’t have a use of them. They are all cute and lovely lights. Actually I was thinking about having more use of them just now, then searched the forum for ideas, and found this post.
So I am not alone.
I don’t have all that many lights, but I actually use most of what I have pretty regularly. Between biking, hiking, hunting, bowfishing, simply navigating the house after the family is in bed, and other miscellaneous uses in the home/auto, I keep a fair number in use.
I rotate my EDC light with the outfit, trying to spread the love around, as it were. I use my lights every day, even if it’s just to walk the dogs. Granted, there a couple that get less use than others, but I try to make sure I use them all occasionally, just so my wife can’t complain.
Well, she’ll complain all she wants, I just don’t want to give her ammunition.
