Disappointments

I bought a few lights that have been a big let down!!
Tell us about your MAJOR bummers.

I’m not sure that any light I’ve bought has resulted in a bout of the major bummers, but I will say that there are 2 lights in my collection that I’ll probably never bother to actually use. One is the Sipik SK96, and the other is the TrustFire Z6.

Why don’t you start off with your own?

Not much for me. Except I have too many P60 hosts/modules and probably should’ve spend the money on lights with better design/integration/cooling.

Trustfire Z8. Low output with purple tint. nice build with crap output! One for the shelf.

Whats wrong with the TrustFire Z6?

That’s a good question, because it looks nice, is well made, and has a nice finish. I mean, when I hold it in my hand, I want to like it. But it just loses too much output in in throw mode (more so than my other XM-L FTTs ), so I’ll never use it for that. That leaves flood, and all my other floody XM-L lights do that much better.

TR-J12! not sure if mine is genuine, but weak springs both sides, unable to use flat top 26650 without using magnets/solder. My Trustfire X6, was so praised on other threads only to find out it’s around 1300 lumens instead of 2300. My 3T6 that it’s under-driven and I may not have a genuine so modding is off. My 4 AAA UltraOk, took awhile to re-solder spring and fix light ring. Just can’t wait for my HID ebay light to arrive!

“Disappointment” might be too strong of a word for this, but the three Solarforce P1s I have don’t really impress. I’m a big fan of Solarforce products generally. MaybenotasmuchasFoy, but… There really isn’t anything wrong with them, they just don’t thrill. Which is too bad because I really like the colors (I have the brown, green, & yellow).

I also had a Solerforce drop in take a crap out on me after mere minutes of use. That was a bit of a bummer. E1320 is fixing it, so it isn’t a total disappointment.

Finally, I have an incan Surefire E2D that has a lens up clip that cannot be removed or flipped for lens down carry. Now that’s a true disappointment. Lens up light carry is as ridiculous as tip down knife carry if you ask me.

Other than that, I’d say I’m pretty happy with most of my lights.

Disappointments. Hmm...

*some nondescript 1xAA smallsun FTT - horrible in every way imaginable. Been known to cause hair loss and halitosis after only a few uses.

*Naigthawk MA1 (magnetic control ring) - This one could have been a contender, but is hamstrung by pisspoor output (880ma on max).

* ITP A3 - I know it's a favorite to a lot here, so maybe I was expecting too much. Extremely cold tint coupled with a body that was so slippery I though it was dipped in 40weight. Instantly gifted to an unliked child.

* Zebralight SC60 - Love/Hate relationship here. Loved everything about it EXCEPT the switch which was so sensitive that accidental activation could be caused by a large fart (and I don't do tailcap lockouts..). The only light that actually caused me physical pain from a hot-pocket. If zebra used the stiffer switch off of the SC600 it would be instant love again.

There's been others, but they've usually regained a scrap of virtue by simply acting as the base of a great mod.

-Match

Probably my first major purchase, a Uniquefire 3900 triple XM-L. It's not that it's a dissapointment, more that I just don't have too much use for it, so it's a shelf queen. Very attractive looking light and I fixed the heat sinking issues, but it's too heavy for general use. It does look nice on the shelf, though.

I tried to like the Uniquefire HS-802 but I just didn’t. All flood-to-throw lights even though the Smallsun Z-C10-S was a pretty good version of that type of light.

It goes without saying (almost) that any light with flashing modes (unless hidden) and crenelation is on my “get rid of” list.

OK, an ultraok I bought on recommendation, just a run of the mill XML not as good as some I already had, the A60, good throw but not as bright as I expected, and a couple of 2AA’s that were absolute crap.

TrueLite Micro 0.5W. Nice machining, sloppy threads, bloody horrible operation. I tried to love it, but I can’t.

the latest batch of unbranded Sippy SK68 clones I got from ebay. At half the price of an original Manafont Sipik, they were fairly cheap. Build quality was less than sub standard, more’s the pity. The pills are at fault, having been turned offset; causing the lens slider to tilt. A couple were worth the effort to lap the pill to the emitter and glue them in place with a tiny dab of Arctic Alumina epoxy, to be given away as gifts - all the others were good for spare parts, only. Quite a disappointment.

Other than those, I am fairly happy with all my torches. Even the angle-head FULTON US-army light with its sorry output has its own honoured place, next to my little collection of $ureFires (those are all show, no go. Not budget, though, not the least - and surely not worth the retail price. Still like them… standing still, on the shelf… gathering dust in all their glory of a useless, useless chunk of aluminium fitted with cheap momentary switches and far-outdated incandescent light bulbs - but still, they are looking good!)

50mW 16340 laser from Lazerpoint. Output drastically dropped after few hours of use, now it’s not any brighter than typical 5mW “pen-style” pointers.

My first xm-l. First disappointment, it was flood to throw (should have read the description better, I was drunk, I don’t really like flood to throw), second, it was not all that bright to me (probably due me expecting more than it could possibly give).

It did a months duty as a night light on low, it’s not had batteries in it since I got another light. It just sits on a shelf as a reminder to be more shrewd with purchases.

I may get a decent charger and cells and gift it to my mum or dad tbh.

All i can say is change the driver in that trj12 and x6. Then you wont be disappointed anymore.

Thats a shame to hear. Mine should be coming in next week. I guess it would be a good flashlight for a non flashoholic who doesnt have much to compare it to. I guess mine will either be a shelf queen, or a Christmas present. :slight_smile:

I tried to buy a Uranusfire and they sent me a Ultrafire :frowning:

Tecmo, go eat at taco bell two nights in a row…I guarantee you’ll get your UranusFire!The light I have been disappointed the most with is a Romisen RC-C8 R2.Output is poor with both 3aaa’s and 18650, and the zoom just dosen’t…leaves a lot of spill around a dim/fuzzy image of the emmiter.I would gift it to someone but is embaresses my other Romisens that have been great!

If we all had the same likes and dislikes, there wouldn’t be anywhere near the variety of lights on the market that we have now. So you might as well just ignore what I’ve said and reserve judgment until you’ve seen it for yourself. You may really like it. I know that there are others that do.