I have realized something about this community.

I would accept that as an axiom.

I don’t think the jester should be waving that around in polite company.

I know of a few carp that think my sunglasses were pretty “tactical” :sunglasses: :wink:

CREEXHP70LED said:

Some of us also “operate” differently and in different environments.

Watch out everyone, we got a badass in here!

Maybe Gecko45 was already taken.

Oh man now there’s a throwback Thursday.

You are totally wrong and you probably need more time to realize that there are a lot of different people with different concerns about life in general and flashlights in particular.
All I see here is a lot of diffrent people with their own opinions and tastes…and budget.

A few are machinists, electronicians, programmers, etc, and all this people can help you to turn your most crappy flashlight into a gem of reliabilty because the more reliable and durable flashlight in the world is not made by a happy few over-rated USA manufacturers but it’s the flashlight you can flash, reflash, improve, repair, swap/replace parts, etc.
If you are fine with sealed products from brands that will never share their knowledges, patented design, electronic scheme drivers, etc, again it’s fine but you are totally dependant of reputation that won’t avoid failures with time. With every brand there are models that are more reliable than others. Everything should be judged on a particular basis, case by case. Taking things for granted, for example a reputation, is just a way to reassure ourself, to be convinced that we have made the right choices.

You have a preconceived idea about this community and what a flashlight should look like and should be, it’s fine, but personnaly I don’t need a community to have the same ideas than me about life and flashlights. I don’t need people to validate my own tastes, opinions and concerns about life and flashlights.

Anyway…you appreciate flashlights from brands that I do not appreciate for my own particular reasons but who cares, you are welcome here.

Exactly. The beauty of BLF is that when/if someone has a question about something, whether it's a P60 drop-in or a MagLite conversion or potted weapon lights, even in-depth driver design or firmware programming, others help. Also, most at BLF are critical of the more expensive flashlights out there, and skeptical that something equal or better can't be made for cheaper.

As it’s been proven numerous times by our designers/programmers and the manufacturers willing to take up the designs. The Lumintop BLF GT (affordable ultra-thrower), Convoy L6 (budget-friendly XHP70 monster), Thorfire BLF Q8 (great cheap coke can blaster) and several others are excellent examples.

I think this about sums it up.

The feeling I get from this forum is that most of us are hobbyists. We enjoy playing with our lights, getting new lights, seeing what can be done with lights, and modding lights. There is a free-wheeling spirit of creativity here not present on any other flashlight forum. :sunglasses:

Most of us here on BLF don’t rely on our lights as tools for life or death situations. Our lights are toys, and we probably don’t even need them.

That said, the knowledge base on this forum is quite high. If you are seeking info on tank-like super-reliable, but possibly low-output professional lights, chances are someone here will know the answer to your question. But at the same time you might find more info on other forums that focus more on people who use their lights professionally in their jobs.

Yeah I’m more worried about not tripping on something while walking the dog or being able to find the breaker box in the dark than having a light that can survive an EMP. You could give me all the prepper gear in the world and I’d probably be screwed anyway in SHTF scenario.

Enablers; I only had a few until this forum; now, well, I’d have to go count them.
I don’t remember how I found this forum but I’m here now; never met a flashlight I didn’t like; be it $2 or $40.
I would never spend over $40 on a flashlight. :innocent:

When people make the statement above accompanied with the gif below it makes me very happy… every time!

lol first thing I realized when I joined was damn… I’ve got good lights but MAN have I been overspending on BRAND names!! :person_facepalming:

Quoted, preserved!”

“I have realized this forum is not for people who need high quality (*1), tough built (*2), lower lumen (*3), lights to save their lives (*4), but lights that are fun and that are non tactical (*5).”

My comments:
*1: large numbers of popular flashlights discussed in BLF are of high quality
*2: Intelligent people don’t smack nails with flashlight, they usually use a hammer for the job
*3: If we can make brighter and more efficient flashlight why should we stays dim and inefficient?
*4: Sounds very much like a marketing slogan to me. Your flashlight don’t save lives, it’s the people who knows how to use their light properly do.
*5: Have fun while you can, life is short. What’s is this tactical term refers to? Most are just tacticool than tactical.

[Clemence]

I do sincerely hope that this forum does not become another quarrelsome, contentious place with people coming along looking to start stupid arguments or strut their self imagined superiority. That’s already starting to show itself in the FW3A thread.

There’s a flashlight board elsewhere on the ’net that supports members with that kind of attitude; lets keep this one as a place where people help each other out with technical advice, unbiased opinions and helpful tips for newcomers.

there are many motivations here
mine is to optimize good UI, decent light levels, small size, and expense
if it fails .01% of the time, i can use another one, that isn;t my main thing
i carry a light ALL THE TIME, and use it about 100 times a day
most of those are not life threatening
but i do want to enjoy the UI, have a range of light levels, easily accessible, and be small enough for ME to like carrying

wle

Tellarites Humans do not argue for a reason. They simply argue.

I’m from the area around Ft. Bragg. If you meet a real “operator” it will likely not be on any forum. The few I have the privelege of meeting never identified themselves as such. They were family men who spent as much time as they could with their family and friends. It was telling though when two of the guys in our neighborhood would be home and then be gone ,as in right now, and not return for 10 or more days. One fellow even left in the middle of the day and left tools in the yard as he was building a picnic table at the time. Putting one together with the other led me to ask a retired E-8 about it. We are close friends and he said those two were part of a special outfit that was kept on a short leash until they were needed to make “a special point”. I am not sure if that phrase has a special significance to it or no. Maybe a vet can elaborate.
Most of the preppers and survival cowboys “would shoot your eye out kid” even with all the neat attachments that gun shops are happy to sell them.