Flashlights that are great but you hate them

So, you got yourself a new flashlight… It’s great! It does exactly what you expected it to do, great quality, a winner. But, you hate it…

Which and why?

My story goes like this… The lives of a Nitecore LA10 CRI and an LR12. I first got the LA10, what a nice little light. Mine does not go to turbo, ever, and I’d wanted a much lower low, but still, it’s nice. Haven’t used it ever, don’t like it! I didn’t like it so much that I ordered its bigger brother, LR12. Got it, what a nice little light, but… I hate that too.

You?

The Astrolux S42.

The build quality is great, the button is very clicky.

However, its efficiency is bad on all modes, and atrocious on mid modes, and the UI leaves a lot to be desired, especially in terms of response time.

If your flashlight has been broken (doesn’t go to turbo) as long as you’ve had it, I wouldn’t describe it as “great”.

Funny, I didn’t know anything like the Nitecore LA10 ever existed until just now. I looked it up, curious to see what it was and try to guess why you don’t like it. But here’s the actual funny part: I’ve MADE lights like that out of regular 1xAA lights that I had. They’re fairly good for what they’re good for, but I just don’t know what they’re good for! :stuck_out_tongue:

I have a friend who said he uses Larry lights at work, but they’re kinda pricey and he breaks them a little too often. So I made lights like those LA10 for him. He didn’t find them very useful (comparatively), so they’re lying around in my shop and never get used by anybody. I guess he’s still using Larry lights to this day.

For me it's the Astrolux S41.

It overheats quickly, and is too heavy.

Another vote for the Astrolux S42 (mine’s the stainless version). Worst UI. Ever. I love the light, my girls love the light, but ugh… atrocious UI… thus I hate it.

Any of you guys with these “horrible” Astrolux lights want to re-home them… I can pay for shipping! (I can’t afford to buy those lights.)

Yeah, I totally loathe flashing myself with turbo while trying to turn off my S42S from moonlite.
Butt it is so friggin’ buff in the hand.

I can imagine Mike Tyson carrying this in his fist to add some heft to his uppercut.
Or it surviving being clipped to the pocket of a crash dummy.

I like the S41, but I don’t use it much because I want shortcuts on an EDC light. The S42 has an almost universally negative reputation due to efficiency issues and the crappy UI.

The S43, on the other hand… that runs NarsilM.

I donated my S42 to a charity effort hosted here. I just recently bought the S42S when it dropped below $30, too bling to fling.

Emisar D4 . Loved the light. Right size for edc, side switch, beam shape, and output were also fine. I didn’t like the UI. Sold it along with a headlamp that had the same UI. 2 nights ago I ordered another D4. This one is gonna get a new UI (in the distant future).

Meteor M43. So much hype when it first came out - everyone had to have one. I waited a while and then hoped on the bandwagon. Think I spent something like $170 with cells. Sure, it’s a nice light, but the UI is horrible. My light just sits. My worst purchase in over 100 lights. Rant over.

Agree. For me it’s hard to justify the 25-40 price on their S line. For the money I would go e and d.

With Raccoon here. S41.
Hot Hot… with ext tube and 18650 cell.
Bought it. Great light. used a while.
BUT always gets too hot too soon, With any of the top coupla settings where it does it’s work.

There’s an awful lot of torches in Bedroom cupboard, but what would I get for them?. Zilch.
I just put them down to the “I wonder if…. ?” syndrome.
and experience, or lack of.

BEST value for money?.
I’ve yet to see anything that gives much more for it’s size as a walkabout light.
than my 8 yr old, (around $8.50AUD). SkyRay S-R5 with XP-Lhi, P60 with foil. in there.
It’s third update so far.
Never missed a beat. dropped a dozen or more times.
Been for a swim twice.
I bought another as spare recently $14ish.
but it’s a shit, shiny light silver grey. Yuk. I might heat treat it yet.

@Adam706, that was the case until the S43. That one looks great, and I can just swap in the bezel from the S42.

If I did not have a Thorfire TK15 modded with an LH351D, I would think about getting it.

I wouldn’t still get it. I’m personally waiting for the F3WA :smiley:

Umm, doesn’t this thread already exist? :smiley:

Anyway, I don’t “hate” it, as it’s physically a fantastic light (great quality, great ano, great thermal path, great everything, all details dotted and crossed), but the Folomov Camp D4 has a UI I’m definitely not a fan of.

High→low, and has strobes in the main cycle, right there that’s a killer for me. When I was using it as a “Wotnahell’s making that noise in the backyard??” light, I just kept it on high and didn’t change modes at all. Didn’t want to remind myself of the ghastly UI.

Same with lights that have up/down/up/down steps.

In fact, a lot of otherwise great lights can be killed by a horrible UI.

The Klarus XT1A I bought a month ago is great except for the horrible step from medium to high. 80 lumens to 1000. At least give me a 500 lumen output level. Geez.

This post makes me feel good I didn’t jump with the rest on the M43. I did wait for user’s feedback and started to read about the horrible UI, I even suggested for the version 2 to just give me the classic L-M-H-(T).

I can’t imagine how many clicks just to remember for THIS light alone, how much more with my other lights, aaargghh.

Most of us have multiple lights, could you all remember how the UI for each of them?

The Lumintop Tool AAA Cu is a great light, I have 4 of them in service in various hoodies. They have served well for over 4 years now using 10440 batteries exclusively. I hate twisties and goosies equally, there is no longer a need for these. I might reconsider my favorite AAA iffn Lumintop would put a side switch on the Tool. The Ant ain’t the answer.

You got it! I received an S42 in a gaw and later bought an S41 that I prefer due to the Bistro UI. Out of town right now, but happy to ship it con-us on the house next week.

As to the OP, I feel similar pain on the Astrolux models, though I like the S41 enough to keep it around.

The Maratac AA copper is another one that let me down. Love the host and emitter, dat pwm tho… :frowning: