I’ve head multiple generic plastic flashlights for years. My first “real” light was the Maglite solitaire. Then got some WF 501 and WF 502 P60 hosts and later moved to the Convoy C8 (the v1 design - with the screwable head selve).
I’ve had one or two generic 2D 1$ plastic flashlights. Never lasted long, mostly because my dad knew where to source as-good-as-new batteries. Those started leaking the moment they went into the light.
Bought this lady in 1978 in a tool store. A 4D National BF 757. Still have it. Still use it around the house. Excellent tail standing capability. The plastic housing is a bit faded, but she is still my first love.
My whole life, from childhood until age 54, I struggled with the usual sub-junk flashlights that were a constant source of irritation. When I reached the early 50's, I embarked on a journey to discover where decent flashlights live.
I had (and still have) a few "first" flashlights. 3 x D cell Maglight, Brinkmann 2 x AA led, Mini-Mag 2 x AA, True Value Rayz 1,000 lumen 9 x AA, Coleman C-Tac60 600 lumen XM-L2 18650, Snap-On BCF.950BL 5 x blue led 2 x CR123, etc.
Brinkmann 2 x AA led rear clicky is easily actuated with tongue tip in mouth hold. I bought it in 2001 and used it to do 15 minute beadchecks when on overnite shift when I was night staff supervisor at the local secure facility for extreme at risk teenage girls. Topics such as this topic bring back memories fairly regularly when such topics come up.
None of these lights satisfied my flashlight urges; they only stimulated them further. Finally, I discovered the existence of my first real flashlight:
1) Four-Sevens MMU-X3. Oct. 2014, 1,600 lumens, 26650, 3 x XM-L2. I purchased from Sears Marketplace/Overstock. Nice beam profile. There is no way that I could have picked a better item at that time.
Link to the rest: My lights: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/9150/287
Like this one, that’s how old I am. Given to me by an uncle, who had already used and abused it for a couple of years. It was black, not olive drab and I remember the glass was severely scratched and cracked but still in place. It used a large, square and flat 4.5 volt battery that, of course, was always empty too quickly.
The tiny sliders to get a corresponding color plastic filter in front of the lens were also beaten up and difficult to operate. But that didn’t matter; as a child it was just wonderful to be able to signal your playmates after dark or to have a light in tree- or underground huts.
I don’t remember mine, i think it was a mini maglite 2AA
But i know my two sons their first flash light.
The cars & Paw patrol touch sensitive GoGlo,
Modded with high cri 3400k 5mm leds from rngwn.
They are perfect for small kids (once you get rid of the horrible 7000k leds)
No buttons or anything to fiddle with at night,
They just need to touch it, it turns on and acts like a bedside table lantarn.
Or pick it up, and its a flashlight. The 5-10ish lumens are perfect for at night.
another early one was a 2-C cell led light from home depot, that cost about $25, which i used briefly as a bike headlight
it did work but the pattern is too narrow, and it was hard to mount, and i discovered the 4x18650 cheap chinese bike headlights
i still have the 2-C light, as a basement backup
My first cool flashlight was a free Radio Shack 5 D flashlight. I think the gimmick was to buy the batteries from them. It was the brightest of the flashlights by far in the house, but not worth the cost of the batteries to run it vs the regular 2 D flashlights.