"Free" Flashlights?

Hi all,

This is vid I’ve been planning a while. Would love to hear your thoughts.

Good and honest video, many thanks for sharing! At least with these kind of products there is some data what the reviewer gets and how everything came together.

It is very difficult to understand videos or channels where people review very expensive products, like cars. they obviously don’t get the car for free (but likely some other compensation) and most are “press cars” anyway, which are specially prepared vehicles in some cases.

Forget videos, I have a hard time trying to find a big enough, dark enough, spot here in NYC to take decent beamshots. At least not without having an unexpected run-in with the local militsiya. :smiling_imp:

Streetlights everywhere… Even parks have lampposts turned on all night long.

Even what used to be a nice concrete overpass maybe 5’ high, looking down a looooooong below-ground set of RR tracks surrounded by shrubbery, now has a 10’-high dense small-hole chainlink fence behind it. Can’t even fit a C8 head through the hole, let alone a ⌀77mm camera lens.

Ceiling/Wall shots aren’t very interesting. :confounded:

So a lot of times, I defaulted to just doing a write-up without any pix. And I hate when people just rehash “reviews” with what’s on the mfr’s webpage for the light, so I’m not going to do that.

Ultimately, it costs me big bux to get “free” lights, ’cause if I like ’em, I go and buy 3-4 more on my own. :smiley:

Those I’m not crazy about, yeah, I’ll gift to others rather than to keep ’em but not use ’em.

Nice video.
I’m in the same boat with the “Real World Reviews”.

The vast majority of lights are ones I’ve purchased with my own money, or were gifted by friends.

Every now and then a company will send me a “pre-production” model or even a prototype, if I do a full review I will make it clear that those lights are special cases.

When a company does offer me a “free” light, it is usually a case of me ordering the light (so I don’t get cherry picked units) and then the company re-reimburses me for the cost of the light, but not usually for the shipping.

NOBODY gets special consideration and I make that clear. Some manufacturers will continue to contact me, some vanish into the mists of time.

Occasionally I will find something that is so obviously a horrible mistake that I do contact the manufacturer, advise them I’m declining to review that sample, and offer them a chance to “try again” with another sample. The vast majority of the time I’ve been sent another light. A few times I’ve received some really nasty replies (Night-Ops before Blackhawk bought them is the crowning example).

Admittedly _most of my reviews try to find positive aspects _even if I ultimately cannot recommend the light but I have actually been threatened with a lawsuit over a couple of reviews. Interestingly those reviews still exist while the companies in question are years gone now (out of business or sold to someone else).

Some benefit from reading reviews, some video, many both. I’m of the latter. Any and all source of information is good when something is about to consume you.
No matter the interest the consumer is responsible of reading, watching and talking to those already consumed, the like and dislikes, Pros and Cons, recalls and etc.
Reviews are a source of valuable information given out everyone, it should not matter how the item being reviewed was acquired. Moot point.
I feel if reviews bother fellow enthusiasts to a point of jealousy, perhaps they need to seek a different hobby.

Nice addendum, Matt :+1:

Note:
I just bought your M2R Warrior on the other forum. :+1:

Awesome vid Matt, thanks for sharing.
I wish all YT reviewers were as honest as you… keep it up.

I’ve been sub’d to your channel long enough to see that you don’t over-hype or shill up products on your channel. There have been many times you review something negatively or positively… good and the bad.

Not all reviewers are that honest though. Furthermore few have sufficient experience with the technology, features and materials to even recognize the design/quality control flaws. There are consumers out there who have gotten “burned” with a bad purchase or two, based on product reviews. Understandably those consumers will no doubt have some level of apprehension and bias towards the product reviewer (and therefore the product being reviewed)…. one way or another.

Its in your best interest as a reviewer and www retailer to just be honest. If it stinks / sucks… say it, the enthusiast consumers will appreciate it and will be more compelled to do business with you.

keep it up and have a great 2018

:+1: Honest reviews.

Thanks for this information.

And you are “Special” :slight_smile:

I’ve been offered a few lights for review but not one of the companies doing so has ever followed through.

Thank you everyone for your feedback and support. It’s much appreciated.

I believe you are required to always say if the product was “free”. And, I do think that most big channels that are the sole or primary means of income for the channel owner tend to be less than honest when reviewing gear. That said, I don’t think the mere presence of a “free” flashlight negates what the YTer is saying.

As someone with a very small YT channel that has never made a penny, I too on rare occasion get a “free” light to test. It is always a treat for me because it doesn’t happen very often. And, yes, sometimes it feels like a company is giving lights out like candy on halloween. When this happens, unless you rush a review out as soon as you get the light, a video will be lost in the sauce.

And this is a problem because that means that the review has spent no time whatsoever getting to know the light. Personally, I always EDC the light for a few weeks.

I will say that you are absolutely correct in that even the most expensive light you are likely to receive for “free” could easily be purchased by the reviewer with actual income from a job in far, far less time than it takes to create even a mediocre video. Third grade math ought to tell you that getting paid $25 in the form of a “free” flashlight for a days pay is not a good deal.

No one I hope, disputes that receiving a “free” flashlight is “compensation”. I agree that is most cases it is not sufficient or good compensation but strictly speaking it is an offer of a good in return for a service.

The name change from VOB was a good commercial move (except for maybe around Halloween?) you make a difference and your integrity shows.

Keep up the good fight

I am always told;

There is no such thing as ‘free’
If it looks to be good to be true, it probably is.

I really like your videos. Very much info and perfect editing.(and funny up sweeping music)

I applaud your integrity,
keep up the good work that you are doing.