Gives you some insight into people posting at CPF. You can't keep up with the Joneses when they are spending like that (and in just 12 months!). People who throw money away like that aren't being taxed enough. He'll have a hard time getting rid of all of those once he moves on to his next obsession. I just don't think there is that big a market for really high end flashlights.
That said, he has a pretty amazing collection. I did a total and I've spent about $800 in two years, so I'm sure people would think I've got a serious problem. But as hobbies go, it isn't that expensive or anymore pointless than a lot of other hobbies.
That was pretty much my first thought. Stephen Fry (UK TV personality, writer, technoholic) is manic depressive and when he's having his manic episodes goes on random spending sprees. So he has silly things like 5 iphones, 7 Mac Books Airs and the like.
I guess what I dont understand is why the need to build that collection so quickly. I mean did the guy actuallly have enough time to "get to know" a light before buying the next?
It's all relative. Regular folks might argue that having more than two or three functional flashlights is wasteful or self indulgent or even crazy. When I told someone I work with that I had just spent $40 on a flashlight he looked at me like I should be locked up.
I have a full time job, so I can afford to drive a car and eat at a restaurant once in a while. But my neighbour thinks I'm wasteful. He seems to feel that because he cannot enjoy those things, I should'nt be able to either.
This is the way the world works. Those with less often envy those with more. It's all relative.
I agree. I went to a BBQ last night on the roof of a block of units. It started to rain and the roof lights were faulty and kept tripping the fuse box. So no light at all to cook the bbq. I saved the night with my edc DQG tiny aa. I love it even more now.
Weird... not finding "the light" in all those. Purchasing many copies of the same light seems rather strange too. Looks like he is afraid to lose or damage one.
In the end, if his income can feed such extravagance i really see no point in bashing him. He might well enjoy collecting lights. He might desire something that can't be made as his holy grail...poor soul.
In a discussion elsewhere this has become abundantly clear. There are better and worse approximations to it. I have spent more than most on lights and am not even interested in those 4-figure pieces of jewellery. As I spend a lot of time saying, "Perfection does not exist, so let's get on with it. But we can make it better than it is now."
The much less expensive stuff still squirts photons in the approximately right direction and amount.
There's not one of mine I'd be too upset about if I broke them - most can eventually be fixed and it can be quite a lot of fun along the way.
And I never need to worry about getting them wet or dirty.
I suppose a bit of me is jealous but it sounds like my entire collection cost less than any one of his fancy lights and it also sounds like I get way more fun out of them than the poor guy does.
Oh, and welcome to BLF photon1k and thanks Squidboy for bringing up such an interesting point for discussion.
I agree with Don, I get satisfaction out of knowing that I have spend judiciously on some decent, inexpensive lights that will serve my needs. And since the entire region where I live has an extremely high crime rate, I could easily replace my entire collection in the very probable case that I return home one day to find my entire light shelf neatly swept clean. Add to that the fact that I am more than a little forgetful and clumsy, so I don't need to worry about dropping, breaking, or losing something inordinately expensive.
Yeah i agree with you Don .. I just hate titanium ...lol ..
maybe it is just a wee bit of jealousy .. stainless works pretty well .. lights over 500 make me a little queezy .. but i'd like to see what all the fuss is .. i hate them damn lamborgini's too
I was just about to say, "In a blind test I don't think I could tell the difference between a Jetbeam and an Ultrafire", but then it occurred to me that the analogy of a blind test isn't particularly applicable to flashlights.
Sure I'm massivly jelouse of him having that kind of money to spend on things he obviously dosn't need. I've not bothered to look up prices but I imagine any 6 of his torches have a combines cost of more than my annual income.
The thing that bothers me the most is the wierd spending spree like nature of it, is he actually buying things he likes and wants or is anything expensive desirable.
It seems I saved a photo of the 6 x SPY light guys collection, very nice...but mental c.$8000
I notice the $30k guy has 7 of them on his list, I wonder if it was the same guy.
I have to do a picture one of these days. My collection is small and will never be a great one if based on numbers alone. I buy many but keep few. Currently i have only 1 AA flashlight the C3 and this one will stay for sure.
Atm my collection is around 8-9 flashlights. Bought over 50...
Always thought those Spy lights were a triumph of "I can make it" over, "but will anyone actually need or want such a ludicrously expensive device".
There are 19 lights on the desk in front of me - total cost around $200-250. Take the upper limit and 75 assorted lights would still cost less than one of those - and run for longer and give a lot more output.
This is a most interesting thread and is a great reason I feel much more at home here... we can talk and not get censored by the Thought Police. (Orwell, 1984)
After reading I went from blind jealousy (incompatible with my yoga practice and peace) to feeling sorry for this guy. Many thanks to all of you for the comments! Straightened me out; I really am grateful. Seriously!
Now, I have the makings of a very fine hoarder in me. I also have a lifelong mental health history thankfully under control. Had to finally quit work and go on full disability in 2005, not without a fight...worked as long as I could, dammit!
One misdiagnosis was bipolar when it was the "diagnosis of the month" in the 90's. So I can agree with the other poster here. If you have one XYZ light, what's wrong with having a dozen-or 100-of the same type, LOL!
Case in point: right now I have eight XPG triples I built into Solarforce hosts, mostly different tints. So I could be as bad. But I had a ball building them, it kept me out of trouble, and gave a wonderful sense of accomplishment. And they were cheap to make-all 8 wouldn't come close to one custom light and guaranteed, they'll blow away anything of the same size. If they were just something I went out, bought, and put on the shelf, it would be like "so what?" And they'd get ignored.
Back when I still was working in the CPF early days, I had 5 McLux lights. And you know what? Sold 'em all because I was so afraid of losing, dropping, or scratching. I couldn't enjoy them.
Oh, and as for the SPY's, I'll wait 'till a clone comes from China!!
(Orwell, 1984)