I don't have all that many lights but I just realized that I have 5 one mode lights with a 6th on the way. I have multi-mode lights of course. Some are dedicated throwers where high is all I need but some are small lights where simplicity is the dominate feature. Some are single mode just because that was the only way I could avoid strobe or other annoying "features".
Do many of you still have one mode lights or do you always prefer multi-modes?
I like the simplicity of on-off .
It's just that since so many new lights are overdriven on high , you need to have lower modes available , both for runtime and for heat control .
I'd say half of my lights are single mode .
That's why I still like some of the single AA less than XM-L type of emitters (and single AAA). The one mode is high enough but as long as you don't use it non-stop it's not so high that the runtime is useless.
A single mode XM-L if driven hard might be useless although I do have a 1.4A XM-L single mode but I have that one for a particular purpose.
There is a certain "thrill" :) to just picking up a light and turning it on with nothing else required!
It also eliminates that annoying feeling of needing a high beam right now and grabbing the nearest flashlight only to have it come on in a mode so low that you can't tell it's even on :)
If it's got less than 80 or so lumens, I like one modes. Like in my ITP A3 one mode.
If I need less light, I'll use the "fist clench" method. 
Ditto, I love single modes but not über bright lights. On-off is refreshing in its simplicity.
I have a single-mode Solarforce XM-L in my 6P. I don't like multi-mode drop-ins in a twist/momentary. Also, the SST-50 I just got is single mode - perfect for an L2X.
Foy
low powered with no chance of heat overload then yes I like 1 mode..otherwise (which is 90% of my collection) then no 1 mode isn't cutting it..
Surefire 6P 1 mode XM-L 1.4 A Emergency light by the nightstand
Ultrafire 602c one AAA one mode twisty XR-E approx. 65 lumens
Ultrafire BJ08A one AA one mode clicky XR-E 120 lumens (little more with 14500)
(I have two of these in different configurations:TIR and aspheric)
Tank007 TK-701 one AAA one mode clicky 85 lumens (?)
I think that's all for the single mode lights.
Edit: Uniquefire HS-802 (mine is single mode now) and an Aurora (modified) 18650 single mode (aspheric) thrower.
I have a couple one mode drop ins I made for weapon mount lights there much easier to operate with a pressure switch. I also prefer anything with a twisty switch in one mode.
U guys got it all wrong. Best thing about 1-mode lights is that the cheap ones are often stupidly overdriven. Or, as we flashaholics call it - properly driven. Hard driven 1-mode is not the best light to take on a camping trip, but at or near home where we have unlimited access to a battery charger... Bright 1- mode is the thing to have. I still love ultra low lows in my multimode lights, but as all-arounder in the house I like my lights with one high mode. For example my FandyFire 2100 pulls 1,85 amps from tailcap from fresh 18650, and it's using R5 XP-G. On 2xCR123 primary it still pulls 1,7A, giving over 10 watts (minus losses) to that poor emitter. Not very long lasting perhaps, but it is the brightest XP-G I've seen.
My other 1-modes include L2X extended with XML (can't remember if it's T6 or U2). It gives huge amount of light for over three hours. Heats, but non excessively. Can the 4Sevens Quark tactical be passed a 1-mode? It's like 2-mode 1-mode, I suppose. Well, whatever you call it, it's my favorite UI in flashlights. Have one, and my second is coming in any day now.
I'm the only one so far who doesn't like one mode. I like to have a choice on whether I want long runtime or more brightness. Or not too bright, just enough to do the task. Two modes at the least.
2 modes minimum and 3 in most cases .. stobes or flashy junk in maybe 2% of my lights or 100% hidden works ......as long as i never have to see it.
I don't like one mode lights either ...they force me to want to shut them off too quickly .
I want the option of longer runtime ....higher or lower .
I agree moonlight mode on all lights isn't nessesary .
but 3 lumens /35 lumens and / 300lumens is hard to beat
2 modes i almost never need .......1000 lumens and flash.
I am a big fan for 1 mode but variable out put like the sunwayman V10A. I love to be able to have the perfect amount of light whenever i want it , or the ability to conserve energy in a emergency situation, preserve night vision....or just for showing off :)
I think most of us probably have mainly multi-mode lights by the way this thread was just to see if that was all people wanted these days of it there was still an appreciation for the occasional one mode light.
I'm not addressing this post to anyone in particular. Just making the point that even though I started this thread about 1 mode lights I (like most everyone else) mainly use multi-mode lights for all of the obvious reasons.
I especially agree with Boaz's choice of 3/30/300.
Just reading about our group who like single mode lights, (and to a large degree, bright lights in general), and it leaves me wondering what your experiences are like.
I personally think many of those guys are blind or going blind.
My eyes are extremely unhappy being blasted with the bounce from several hundred lumens of a modern light at full power.
What do you all do with these bright lights after a couple of hours of sleep?
I find the experience of a bright light, with night adapted eye-balls VERY unpleasant.
I know, I must be in the minority, but I keep my night-stand light in low mode, (forward clicky), and I'm just a double-tap away from high.
As a NOOB I only have 2, p60 based lights, (Solarforce), and their XP-G based 320, 128, 32 lumen set-up works until I get a drop-in that sports something closer to 10 lumens on low.
My argument is if you subject your eyes to bright light in the dark, you are "night-blind", and are at that point at a disadvantage in many instances.
Eg. pulling your car over to read a map, in poorly lit areas, all you can see from then on is what's exactly in front of you.
Having to look for a possible intruder. If you have bounced several hundred lumens about, you'd better hope you find them in a well lit room.
I kinda come from the "less is more" camp here. I actually don't want any more light than I need to do the task at hand.
I might go to a single mode one day for a weapon light, but right now even that light is a 3-mode.
I'm open to your thoughts, maybe I missed something in my thought process.
Where do you think I'm wrong?
So, you can't understand why other people want "more light than they need?"
neithercaniFoy
You're not "wrong". I'm not a big fan of bright lights either. However, we don't all use lights for the same purposes.
Some people just like bright lights, clearly. Others however use bright lights because they do things like mountain biking at night so speed and a steep slope mean more light than if you are hiking .
I hike and therefore don't like bright lights but I can understand how others who engage in different activities might have other needs. Night skiing or snowboarding would be another example.
When I read about people just going camping and pulling out 1000 lumen lights I'm sure that's not someone I want to go camping with however :)
And I should mention, that other than bryans 1 mode drop in and FOys one mode SST50, I don't see how you would come to the conclusion that we're all going blind? In fact, most of the posts state that really bright lights need modes. And just because we have 1 mode lights, doesn't mean we use them in all situations. Baaah, you're just trying to pick a fight..lol
+1 fishmaniac
I have several dozen flashlights, three of which are single mode. Yes, fer cryin' out loud; modes are important and no, us power addicted flashaholics don't EDC an SR90 and use it on high to clip our nails while camping.
Cavalier owner: I don't need a fast car.
ZR-1 owner: Neither do I. Looks like we have a lot in common.
youguyshavebeengreatFoy
Exactly....lmao.
Eye to eye buddy...eye to eye. ;)