I have realized something about this community.

I, too noticed that about the username.

It’s true, this is a hobbyist forum. Most of the posts here concern flashlights as a hobby rather than use of flashlights for some specific task or job. Most people here are not “operators”, though quite a few of us do own and use firearms, and may have lights mounted to them.

If you do ask a question specific to some high-reliability application though, you may still get good answers. If I was going to buy something off the shelf for high-reliability use, there’s a good chance I’d hit up PFlexPro, who is active on this forum, once he’s done filling his big contract order, that is.

It was this forum that got me interested in building lights on a budget for my needs. Some of them go on my boom sticks

I’d say that about sums it up, with a few used for tools and EDC.
This forum has contributed way more to this hobby in the past several years with better UI’s and driver development with higher output and good tint quality than any other single place I know of. There’s so many members here that work hand and hand to improve all things in a flashlight. Most have never meet and help each other without asking for anything in return. It’s a amazing sharing place where everyone wants to try to help other members, even if they just joined and made their first post. :beer:

Yep. Any time I get challenged to an argument over politics or science, I’m’a pulling out my flashlights.
“Guess how many I’m carrying” is a decent conversation-adjuster.

Wrong man. A lot of members here have a different variety of ” high end , mid range and lower range lights. A lot of guys here use these lights in the field regularly.

All lights are built tough. BUT just because they are higher priced MEANS SQUAT in quality. I already had a Surefire FAIL on me with my impact resistance tests.

While other like Powertac, Wuben, Sofrin HAVE stood up to MAJOR impact resistance tests with NO PROBLEM.

Also higher lumen counts WILL DEFINITELY save lives. Sheer power WILL blind anyone unfortunate to be on receiving end. Also WILL HELP aid in any type of situation: Tactical , Search and Rescue situations. 32,000 lumens vs 500 lumens for example

Some of the guys on here use flashlights everyday in field ( law enforcement, security, hobby, search and rescue, outdoors, etc… )

Guys from all walks of life use flashlights. I use my knowledge from Engineering( Structure/Interface, and Electrical ) to give insight on engineering, build quality and materials used to make quality flashlight.

Moral of story is Surefire. Elzetta ARE NOT the best ones out there. Many other companies producing quality lights with MUCH MORE OUTPUT and LESS money.

“Budget” Light Forum… is the “spirit” of the place, but not the rule. There are many people around here who I’m sure would raise their hands when asked “OK, who here has blown their flashlight budget at one time or another? And, who has spent enough on flashlights at this point where they could have put all that money towards buying a single high-end custom flashlight (e.g. McGizmo, Oveready, etc.) and still have plenty of cash left over?”

Yes, some people here are very serious about flashlights as tools of their trade, but from what I see, a majority “appear” to be more into the hobby side of it — buying them for cool features or for modification.

As for what brand is better than another… it’s always very highly subjective. Because different qualities have varying meanings for each person. Some people are seriously into brand loyalty, while others just want the most lumens per $. If there’s any moral to the story, it’s that we can all get along here. I’ve not seen much in the way of snobbery… and I have encountered it on the “other” forum (although that’s a great place too—nice to have variety).

This forum is a playground for flashlights, many hobbyists push the limits in output, throw, lumens and lately even in tint and light quality, and all in an as small as possible package. We even get flashlight manufacturers to join in in our hunger for more.

Inevitably, such playground has spin-offs, without intent it leads the way to new flashlights that do save lives, or are used in other ‘real life’ tasks. The BLF-developed Q8 is a tough light that I have seen used as a work light in many places. A quick driver hack that I posted once was applied as the perfect driver mod for a weapon light that sold many copies (I live in a city and I will never hunt myself). Etc.

It is like NASA, they toyed around in space for decennia while stuff developed there is functionally used all around the globe.

I can’t believe this has to continue to be done for the purpose of educating gun magazine cowboys. A flashlight is not tactical in nature. Neither is any other tool. That is what a flashlight is, a tool.

Definition of tactical
1 : of or relating to combat tactics: such as
a(1) : of or occurring at the battlefront
a tactical defense
a tactical first strike
(2) : using or being weapons or forces employed at the battlefront
tactical missiles
b of an air force : of, relating to, or designed for air attack in close support of friendly ground forces
2a
: of or relating to tactics: such as
(1) : of or relating to small-scale actions serving a larger purpose
(2) : made or carried out with only a limited or immediate end in view
b : adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose

Again, a flashlight is a tool, nothing about it is tactical. If a flashlight was tactical then any device used to service anything you think is tactical would be tactical too. So every die, drill, lathe, screw driver, etc etc etc, would have to be tactical as well. See where this will easily get out of hand?

Now since we know that a flashlight is a tool and performs really no tactical duty. We can now have sub sections of people using flashlights. Ya know, sorta like we have sub sections of people who collect guns or anything else. Hobbyist, copper lovers, titanium lovers, cri lovers, high lumen lovers, looking for crap in the closet folks, police officers, firemen, SAR folks, the list could literally be never ending. Still, not a single example makes that light tactical.

Think about this. As Recoil magazine and any other rag that uses the word tactical every other sentence steer you towards Streamlight and Surefire. Know that those two companies alone provide millions of dollars to Gun rags everywhere to make sure they gets lots of pages in ads and lots of pages in reviews. Not a single person ever working for a gun mag has ever had to pay money out of his or her own pocket for a Streamlight or Surefire. Both of which have failed miserably on more than one weapon of mine. Now I buy host lights and build and pot my own.

Now I am sure all the firearms forums will gladly welcome your bias towards your so called tactical flashlights. Most people try and stick with folks who share their same interest. Not walk in the front door and insult them. And that sir, is exactly what you have done.

Todd, Nicely stated man. All of us guys on here come from different backgrounds but lighting encompasses our lives. But for the most part we understand each other. The OP really DOES NOT know meaning of ” Tactical “.

I always wondered what part of a light was the tactical bit. I’m pretty far removed from the US forces so it was just another thing I didn’t understand about the military. Thanks :slight_smile:

Also pretty interesting that you highlight the many subsections of light enthusiasts. It used to be a flashlight was a flashlight (or a torch where I come from), but nowadays it’s a bit more like the car you drive and the clothes you wear, an extension of ones personality (at least for us flashaholics anyway) and it means different things to different people.

I don’t think OP ‘intended’ to insult anyone and the fact that he started this particular thread indicates he’s learning (or at least trying to) about this particular forum. I’m good with that :beer:

There may be some other tools here besides the flashlights. Just maybe.

Love this term you used;

gun magazine cowboys

Classic!

operator - a person who operates a telephone switchboard, especially for a telephone company

I see you’re getting it now. There’s more than one way to skin a cat, and MANY uses for a skinned cat. On BLF you’ll find lights as works of art (looking at you, CRX and pinkpanda), as regular use tools, sometimes as a defense-oriented accessory… the list goes on and on.

Now, if you’re so into what you call “high quality, tough-built” torches, why not mod or build one yourself? Get a decent host, a driver that suits your needs, the emitter of your choice, solder the pieces together, pot the crap out of the result, and Bob’s your uncle. I am legitimately interested on how you would go about it, with your view on what a solid flashlight should be. Will it be different from that one guy that potted a Convoy M1 and it resisted an assload of mechanical resistance tests? We’ll see.

EDIT: For now, just sit back and absorb the world you stepped into, if you will. And get ready to have your horizons expanded way beyond your previous scope. I know, I’m speaking from personal experience. If it wasn’t good, I wouldn’t be sitting here posting my 1500th comment, would I? :smiley:

IMO what you see here is pretty similar to what I’d expect you’d find in any other forum dedicated to a particular “thing”. For example, if you decide to join a generic or mfg (brand) car forum: rather than coming across tons of users/threads dedicated to the practical use and reasons why professional drivers choose Honda over Toyota it’s going to be mostly hobbyists or enthusiasts. I can imagine that gun forums would be very similar: I wouldn’t expect that the vast majority of law enforcement and military personnel are obsessed enough with the particular tools of their trade that they want to also dedicate hours talking about guns on forums. That’s much more in line with enthusiasts who are particularly interested in the subject and have an attachment to it.

I can at least vouch for woodworking forums where there are indeed many professionals but the most active users and the vast majority of users are the ones that have an affinity for DIY building and collecting tools. For them it’s not about practicality but the joy building and collecting another new shiny tool brings them. I find that the more someone uses a $4000 table saw every day for professional reasons the more they desire to talk less about its 300 features and specifications and quickly cut to whether it works or not and the one or two things they like about it compared to their old saw.

Forums dedicated to things are most commonly going to be places where people like the subject from a collector/modifier/fascination point of view rather than professionals who use the tools every day and still manage to have so much love for their tools they willingly dedicate even more non-work hours talking about, reading about and giving advice about their tools.

Yes indeed, some were so good they were even celebrated in song:-

My first thought reading this was that there's another forum that takes itself too seriously...

Anyway, this is mostly a hobby site. I have questions about the validity of "tactical" flashlight application, but that conversation gets political rather quickly for me so I'll avoid it here. You did seem a little condescending in your thread about lights to depend on with your life, which suggests you already had ideas going into the conversation and the answers didn't mesh well with them. I'd recommend that you can probably get the answers you're looking for if you're a lot more specific or technical with your questions. For example, you might post questions about lights with potted electronics, or lifetime warranties, or specifically suitable for weapon (handgun vs. long gun) mounting, or only using lithium primaries, or whatever aspects of flashlight design are already important to you. Such a broad question was bound to find broad interpretations and answers.

Hey! What about my Tactical Sunglasses? “Tactical” is right in the name. And the guy on teevee even said so!

I mean… they’re even polarised! That’s how I can see a blank screen turn into a Murrcan Eagle just by putting ’em on! If that ain’t tactical, I don’t know what is…

The tool of the jester is a toy for the lady.

If you’ve ever seen James Bond then you should know that any tool can quickly become tactical with a few modifications… lol you thought the “modders” on BLF were simple flashlight modders did you?

I would accept that as an axiom.