I am begining just to reduce the size of the ones I am purchasing,it took time, but I found out the big ones are normally stauing on a shelf waiting for someone, while the mid and small size are normally coming with me.
I haven't any top brand but a Led Lenser P7 if it is a top brand, and till today I don't feel buying any, but I normally check and compara a lot before getting one making sure at least threads are good enough.
So, the only thing I would like to have are better and more efficient drivers, for the rest the quality I can find on more or less cheap ones is enough for me.
Yea I'm getting to that point, but on a different level, I mean heck, I'm pleased as punch with the Trustfire X9 I got the other day over all of the lower end Ultrafire and knockoffs I've bought, so I decided to just stick with the larger torches of medium quality, and dick around with some solarforce p60 stuff.
Here’s the way it works for me. If it’s something I really have a need/use for and I know that I will like a light I’ll pay more for it.
There’s only going to be so many lights in that category however. Otherwise I’ll buy less expensive lights but still ones that I know something about. I never have bought random lights off eBay.
The biggest problem to me with having too many expensive lights is that in several years you will have a substantial amount of money tired up in something that will more than likely have little value.
Especially if you have a “collection” rather than just one or two that you really use a lot. That collection isn’t going to seem interesting anymore as it will be yesterdays news.
I have a $1,000 hi8 video camera that I used a few times and put it away. Now it’s old technology and has very little value. It’s like buying multiple computers today thinking that you are buying “quality”. They will be worthless in several years.
My main rule for DX and others like it is that I don’t buy cheap big lights. The smaller ones seem to be OK but with the bigger ones it just seems like it’s expecting too much. Once the dollar amount gets beyond $30 or so I’m not going to be spending it anywhere other than the U.S. where I’ll get more service and less hassles.
gcbryan I agree with you, the only thing is, if you like modding them, a decent host can do a lot for future moddings of new leds available, but a really bad one was bad from the first day.
See I don't really care about flashlights. I don't horde them or love them or need them. The only reason I play is for the modding. I need to "do things", occupy my time and my mind. Make myself think more (say stroke). I need to work with my hands and make something. It can be a flashlight, a knife, a model sailboat or any number of things, but it's the constructing and figuring out that is my need. I just about always sell them off after I make them. I did one of the first H.I.D. MagLites and sold it, same with all the other mods. Only with money so tight on a fixed income now, I just do it as cheaply as I can.
There is the thrill when you get a cheap one that is very good. The original (93mm) stainless steel C3 comes to mind and the Aurora SH-034. the Aurora may just be the best quality light I own at any price. I'm not about to stop buying the really cheap stuff. I gave a pal of mine one of the dollar cheapie AA lights from a couple of years back and he was delighted with it. When he broke it, I gave him a $7 MDXL cheapie (I'm sure old4570 reviewed it but I can't find the review) which he likes even more. Next I'll probably give him a Hugsby P32. He is the guy who looks after the assistant if I'm out of town you see.
Again the Hugsby is an extremely well-made light for not a lot. AFAIR it was about $15 and worth every cent.
Below ten dollars there are a few bargains and a lot of junk. But I've had fun finding out which were which.
Same here... I'm on disability for lifelong mental health problems (depression, bipolar) and I do mods to get the rewards of the work, and I've always loved working with my hands. I do love lights though and I keep what I mod, plus my top hate in life is selling. I couldn't sell you a drink of water in a desert, and I know it. So I won't put myself in that headache.
Bummed right now due to left elbow surgery so modding is out now also. Had a pinched funny bone nerve. Ouch.
I find it hard to spend 30-60$ for cheapo multi XM-L or multi 18650 but somehow I find it easier to spend same amount on Zebra...
I could easily purchase another price/quality wise but I just HAVE TO cut down all excess investments for at least half year now.
I have bought tons of cheap stuff, most of them are sold or ordered on request to others wanting power with least possible cost.
For my own use, hardly much less than Solarforce goes anymore as far as P60´s go.
DQG´s have got me also pretty bad...
I still love to look around for best quality / price ratio. If I ever manage to buy multi 18650 light, it will be probably over 100$ but must be good in every way i.e. no drawbacks like PWM or such
I think my last LED light purchase will be a Kai Domain XML C8? I have 20 + led flashlights now from about $2 to $20 mostly in the Ultrafire/Romisen quality range. I may pick up a few more vintage lights to keep my 1920s Eveready company. I am kinda waiting for Cree or the competition to come up with with a single LED that will throw 1000 meters (maybe I will be waiting forever).
And you know Solarforce seems to be a step up above the other budget lights being offered. They do tend to cost a little more but they are priced reasonably well on their cheaper end lights. My only gripe with them on their more expensive top end lights is that they seem to be underdriven. They do make some very nice machined body tubes on some of their lights. I do like my Solarforce Skyline I. But I wished they would have driven it a little harder.
After some 80-100 lights (95% of them budget), I find myself not caring much about the new DX Zuperfire if it isn't something special. Yes, I like quality and I already have enough lights for five lifetimes so I am ok with quantity. Now I think I am more interested in purchasing a premium light or 4-5 quality budget lights every few months, and I think I will have more fun this way because I will have more time to play with each of them and "feel" it as an item of mine. You see, I have many lights for many months that I only tested once if they work and never used them again...
So, yes, I think less flashlights of better quality are what I am most interested on at this point. It doesn't have to be a Catapult or a TK-75 to like it, a nice HAIII solarforce with an XML-U2 dropin, a Crelant 7G5 or a TR-3T6 can do the job. And a couple of high-end lights (Catapult and TK-75 comes to mind again) once or twice a year will complete my happiness
I already have more than enough flashlights. I'm afraid my Junkfires aren't going to fare well on my bike in wet weather commutes. I'll probably bite the bullet and purchase one real bike light. It seems wrong, though, when the price of a good bike light is 20% the price of the bike itself.
I have been rethinking this and I think for 2012 I am going to narrow my scope to only warm tints and 3-mode (or UIs with hidden disco modes) lights. I have a decent flashlight in every closet, cabinet and vehicle that I own and really don't need any more.
Hopefully this strategy can keep me connected without all the money being spent. My golfing buddies will probably be glad to see me again.
What does the title of this thread really mean????????????
I would have thought that no matter the price we are all always looking for better quality flashlights. After all who knowingly in advance purchases junk?
The fact is that price and quality don't always equate. The Ultrafire MCU-C88 is a classic example. Truly superb build quality but low cost. Its a $30 light that's the equal of lights more than twice that price. Equally by all reports the same is true of the Balder SE-1 which is the equal of lights more than twice its price. Even the new Tank-007 E09 (under $15) is being reported as of equal quality to similar sized Fenix's lights costing far, far more.
All in all therefore I fail to understand the title of this thread, unless it assumes, somewhat naively in my opinion, that if you want quality you always to have to always pay big bucks.
A good XM-L flashlight (floody) with a twofish (or similar, $3.00 value) flashlight bike "holder" and an extra pair of 18650 in your pocket (for the long rides) and you 're more than covered!!!
UF-2100, Xeno E03 (with 14500), Zebra SC600 would fit perfectly in this role!
