What was your first and last "real" flashlight purchase?

In 2009 I was determined to buy a "real light" and spent a whopping $12 .

3AAA's . I'd seen someone selling $25 Fenix AA lights and wondered why someone would spend so much on such a little light .

last light purchased was a >>> Sofirn SP10 Pro (AA/14500/Andúril 2) - now available! | BudgetLightForum.com

Yeah, when I first started doing research on flashlights over a decade ago, I was looking at terrible ones for like $5 or $10

Now, spending $40 or more for one flashlight is no big deal for me.

After a lengthy afternoon power-outage extended itself toward evening, I spent a hectic couple of hours trying to piece together a working flashlight. All my old ones had been ruined by alkaleaks. Fortunately, by the time I finally got one sort-of working, the lights came back on.

That experience sent me to interwebs to search out a decent replacement, where I landed at CPF. There I found a great review by a fellow called selfbuilt for a flashlight called the Nitecore P36. Although it has been discontinued, I still like it today. 2000 lumens, 10 output levels, perfectly neutral tint, and an artifact-free beam from it's Cree MT-G2 emitter are a few of the reasons why.

So that was my first.

Can't remember my last, but it's been a while.

First was a right angle, brass AAA from Maratac. “Personal spot light” they call it. Most recent is a D4V2 in the new Nichia E17a Azure led. Its a really beautiful ocean blue-green color.

First : ITP A3

Last : One of the Kaidomain S2 clones with one mode and a high CRI emitter

( I’ve only bought one mode lights for years now other than the BLF-designed lights )

Back in the day, when plastic-body 2-D-cell hotwire-bulb flashlights ruled the earth, Mags of all sizes were The Shiite.

So, yeah, a Minimag in my denim jacket’s pocket made me envied by men, and pursued by women.

The multicell Cs and Ds were just stoopit-expensive, and usually relegated to professionals like cops and security-dewds who wanted a club as well as light, and who could afford it (or at least write it off as an expense).

First some maglite c cell
First Led light Ultrafire wf-501b
Last fwaa copper

First - Ultrafire XML-T6 with 2 26650's

Latest - GT Nano Pro, if you can call it a "real" flashlight. It at least looks like one.

I don't think anyone here has purchased their "last" flashlight.

I have bought my last flashlight many many times.

There is no point in sugar coating it, but
from this moment on, every flashlight you buy will be the last one.

First - Some cheap ultrafire from dealextreme if i remember correct.

Latest - Wurkkos FC1 purple…

First real flashlight was a Mini Mag Light many moons ago.

Last was a BLF LT1 Mini.

first =- maybe a XTAR WK-42
great tiny CR123A light
it broke

last - not sure, maybe cyansky rectangular tiny keychain type thing, though it was free except for reviewing time

i will still get oddities like a ‘doctors inspection’ 1xAAA light for $2 or maybe i got that at a yard sale

or a copper AAA tool clone from wish.com for $10

pretty happy with FW3A though, i have one of the originals been going since 2018 or whenever they came out
so i don;t really look for the ultimate light any more
just cheap things that may fill a single purpose

like the cyansky has a UV and a red led in addition to the white one
AND it was free

First mini maglight
Last Zebralight SC64c LE

1st LED light, 2009 Fenix P3D CE olive green.

What I consider my first Real light is 2009 Fenix TK11 R2. (which I still own)

Most recent (certainly not my last), today - Convoy S21E 519A 5000k.

The first normal flashlight was Tank 007 tk566, I think it was bought in 2010. Well, the newest Skilhunt m150. It is interesting that both are on 14500 / AA, although I have very few flashlights in this format.

Jetbeam PA40

latest - sofirn sc21 pro
because anduril[like], very tiny small size[like], $21 on sale[cheap enough], and can use CR123A [ i have dozens of them and no good place to use them]

supposed to be arriving today!

EDIT
arrived
like it

at first i was annoyed b/c i thought it would have anduril 2 - it doesn;t - only 1
but that is ok too b/c now i don;t have to learn new tricks, already have a light w anduril 1 - FW3A

wle

My first real flashlight purchase was a multi-function wurkkso wk30
My last real flashlight purchase was a sofirn Q8, real like this.

My “last” purchase (for July 2022!), Astrolux EC06, came in yesterday.

Cannot use button-top 21700 cells. Using the regular Astrolux or Wurkkos 21700 flat-top cells is OK. Very, very bright.

Don’t want to invest in three expensive Samsung T30 or T40 21700 cells just yet.