The most you have spent on one flashlight?

The tiny light in my Avatar, The Texas Poker. $800 custom light by Photon Fanatic.

I was talking with a friend on CPF a few years ago and mentioned that I had a wide diameter but short length of surgical grade Titanium with no clue what to do with it. He suggested I give it to Fred, he’d find a use for it, I was told. And so I did. Fred being Photon Fanatic. When I discovered that he makes custom lights, I remembered another piece of surgical grade Ti (grade 23) about 5.2” long and 1” diameter that I’ve been sitting on for 13 years at the time. So I asked Fred if he could make me a light out of it. He suggested I sketch a design, said he’d do a 3D rendering, and we’d be off to the races. Well, I like a Leupold rife scope, so I hobbled a sketch together in Photoshop from a Leupold 2X Gold (or something like that) and sent it to Fred, with the question how much is this gonna cost me? Not too much, I was told, since your’e supplying the raw materials and all.

Several months later, I had my gorgeous little Titanium and Copper Texas Poker (named by Fred) It’s a 10440 cell and it was doing 135 lumens when I got it. Horrible UI. The bill? $500 on top of the materials! And he was being nice! I got a receipt from him so I could put it on my Photography Insurance as a tool that I use for work, true enough. $800 on the receipt. Replacement cost. Legit, as I don’t have another bar of that ti.

I have since learned how to build drivers, my TP is sporting a single sided 10mm driver that Richard drew up for me in Eagle, and it’s now doing right at 800 lumens on a Nichia 219C . (I’ve redone it numerous times)

This little index finger sized light has been around my neck on a Titanium curb chain for 3 years now. I take it off to bathe, and little else.

The next closest expensive light I have is the Titanium X6 from Rey, with all it’s Tritium vials and quad 219C, it cost me right about $320 to build. Didn’t see that coming! And for all that, I just realized I have one small light that trumps both of those put together. :wink: Almost, are you sitting down? $1200. Whole nuther story…

Yes i am retiring from this game hahaha… I am guessing you also have a massive collection?

where do you store them? I am thinking of making a perspex case for my x5 and x6

Also we should rename this notsobudgetlightforum lol!!!

I have something over 135 lights. Not exactly sure.

I AM sure that I have 7 Sinners. :wink:

Olight S10, custom by Everett. 5 emitters, MELD firmware. Could not say no. $150

TM16gt is my most expensive, so far.

my most expensive was my coast… what is it? the 1000 lumen coast zoomy, with like 9xAA ?? hp550? THAT sucker… for me it was expensive… had to be in the 60 to 70 dollar range.

spent about that on a reflectored light, before i learned to buy from china. but it was cool… 2x18650 pack included, recharges from the light, usb charging port, and, its a powerbank too… machining and anodizing SEEM really nice to me? but, i am no expert on the matter.

to get me to spend THAT much on a light again? the prospective light better eat an apple and sh!t a fruit salad, i mean, this is budget lights after all, lol…

My most expensive is a Supfire M6 (stock model because i wanted to mod it myself, but never have yet). When i can ever afford to my most expensive will be the Lumintop SD75.

how about this one: https://shop.muyshondt.net/collections/aeon-mk-iii/products/aeon-mk-iii-opus

Is it meant to be good? looks expensive for the specs you get?

Spent close to $300 on an HID light, seven or eight years ago.

More recently, the most expensive flashlight that I bought was the Nitecore TM16GT (price not disclosed because of MAP).

However, the individual purchases quickly add up. From August, when I re-started this hobby, until now; flashlight purchases have run $1600 - about half of which I’ve recouped by selling or trading them. Flashlight related items (batteries, chargers, holsters, hosts, drivers, filters, lenses, LED’s, reflectors, springs, soldering tools, supplies and accessories) have run an additional $800.

About as much as I used to spend on golf.

Much less than I used to spend on collecting watches or antiquarian books. }:slight_smile:

The Unique fire 1401 cost me $49,99 but did arrive DOA, Gearbest send me a new one (not in :() for $20 so $69,99 for a working and a host is most expensive.

I think my most expensive, IIRC, was a Meteor plus batteries. Not sure if it counts as over $200 because of the batteries.

I’d love to get some of (or even just one of) the four-digit custom premium lights like one made of mokune gane, but they’re just too expensive.

Yup, that was my most expensive purchase too.

I’m looking forward to buying a Noctigon Meteor soon.

For me $50 is my reasonable limit for the light. It gives good output and quality, while it does not ruin the home budget.

I spent in the past something like $60 on two lights, but now I would rather not do that. Unless it’s really extraordinary…but noing above $60 for sure.

I have a Surefire (BLF what?) 6p led that I bored out meself for 18650, then bought a EDC+ X60L3 Nichia 219 triple P60 drop in when they were available. Then a McClicky switch and brass retaining ring. Grand total around $160ish. Kind of cool but so outclassed by other less expensive lights.

If I knew then what I know now kind of a thing I suppose. Idk if this should count here anyway because it’s made up of different parts, but the Surefire alone is more than I’ve ever spent on an individual light IIRC.

That light wouldn’t be one made from Mokume would it? :wink:

I have numerous lights in the $300 range but I still haven’t brought myself to drop enough money to buy a Tain Hyperlux or even a Tain Nova.

Why yes, yes it would! :slight_smile:

Sometimes the original purchase price is only part of it, start adding tritium vials and listen to the bling bling add up… I even bought an exotic piece of leather to make a carry holster for the Mokume light, should be here today…

haha I thought it might be!

I got a quote for one but with everything added to it I just couldn’t justify it at the moment. Would love to get one in the future.