The Shadow Requests Your Input -- See Update

When not fighting crime or enjoying his flashlights, The Shadow is busy planning his next giveaway on BLF and that's the purpose of this thread: to get your input for the next event only, not ones beyond that. It occurred to The Shadow that while giveaways may be fun, not all fellow flashlight fans benefit equally. And even among winners, some may have flashlight envy of another's prize. So for the next time only, The Shadow proposes something different that would equally benefit all and needs your feedback. The idea is a flashlight torture test. Why? Because while some of you may own a Zebralight for example and many aspire to, wouldn't it be interesting to know how much abuse one can stand up to? But who is willing to destroy theirs to find out? Here are a few ideas: Freeze in a block of ice Boil Bake in an oven Microwave Run over with a car Drag behind a car Drop repeatedly on concrete Strap to the bottom of a boot and go for a one mile walk Etc., etc. The Shadow therefore humbly requests your input. Which would you prefer, torture test or regular giveaway and why? Also welcome are any thoughts or ideas you have on either that would make them more interesting and enjoyable. Thank you!

Update:

Based on your input, here's what will happen. This will be more like reality TV than a giveaway LOL, but still a giveaway because the RESTORED lights will be given away in the end. So although flashlights will be hurt and even killed in this, they'll be resurrected.

Once the final details are ironed out I'll start the giveaway thread listing the torture tests. BLF members can participate by guessing which light will last longest: a Zebralight SC600 or its budget counterpart, an Ultrafire UF-T50.

Torture tests will be documented and performed by The Shadow, then scaru, then mkett39. Lights will then go to Old-Lumens for restoration, however he sees fit so these will become one-of-a-kind collectors items. I will randomly select a winner for the restored winning light from those who guessed correctly and randomly select a winner for the restored losing light from those who guessed wrong.

Special thanks to scaru, mkett39, and Old-Lumens for graciously agreeing to play active roles and thanks to everyone else for your input.

Torture test sounds good, but not the Microwave.
A friend of mine had an everything proof Nokia phone about 10 years ago. After a few too many drinks one night, it was decided to torture the Nokia. It survived everything, except the Microwave, which burnt the sim card and all the other metal electronic parts of the light.

i’ve used and abused mine in caves, mines and even in a swimming pool :slight_smile: but i wouldn’t drag mine behind a car just for fun knowledge… but if you need a crazy enough person you can send me one and i’ll record everything :stuck_out_tongue:

I personally love that idea, or do a giveaway where you send a person the light so they can torture it themselves. :evil: That sounds like a ton of fun, or maybe a passaround where each person does one test, getting progressively worse.

Why destroy if some other person can enjoy that flashlight?

There are some torture tests on youtube, that's enough for me :)

How about you do the torture test first than give the light away? :smiley:

+1 Or… Maybe a pass around instead of a giveaway.

i do like the idea of a torture test. I saw the one on you tube for the olight and that was good….however I would not want to do it to my own. I do use my lights and nicks, scratches and dings do not bother me as it adds character to tools but at the same time total abuse of one that cost me good money I can not bring myself to do.

So if one was given to me for the sole purpose of what can it handle I am in. Wonder if it would survive my tractor-trailer running over it?

If you ever make test about water proof, don´t just dunk the light….
First:
Run it hot on table, THEN dunk it… Makes a lot of difference.

Pass around + mini reviews would work, though shipping cost may limit that option to nearby/local members.

I don’t really like torture test. There’s no real need for that, especially for budget lights. It is such a waste.

So my vote will be either giveaway or pass-around.

I got a Niwalker because of the torture tests I’d seen, but I couldn’t bring myself to do anything horrible myself to it just to check. I even got one of the free Varta indestructible lights specifically to video being tortured - but gave it away (intact) instead.

I didn’t think it was sensible to put metal in a microwave, but about 20 years ago I visited a microwave manufacturer, who gave me the grand tour (yawn). Then he showed me the party trick. Take an incandescent light bulb, put it into the microwave in a plastic tub with water covering the metal bit. Switch on. Voila! The bulb lights! Impressed me enough to try at home, where my wife thought I’d taken leave of my senses.

So, torture test, sounds good (I won’t win anyway, so not a problem. :smiley:

I kind of liked the topgear Toyota hilux torture tests……

I see the need to abuse a poor torch so much though.

I say give away, but stipulate the recipient carries out a review of the light, I’d like to know if the person who recieved the light liked it as much as I did personally.

is better than abusing a light to the point of failure. anything can be broken by doing unrealistic things to it.

I actually liked the pass around idea. I hadn’t heard of that until a few days ago(RIP absent members). Maybe a sort of combination that limits the pass around to 10 with #10 getting to keep it.

I am already working on my 1000th post give away

A flamed BTU? Just kidding :stuck_out_tongue:

Freeze it in a block of ice with a remote switch sticking out then see how long/if it will melt itself out.

Prolly not… That didnt turn out too good for me… Note to self, write flashlight man off giveaway… :stuck_out_tongue: LOL

I’m already planning my 1k giveaway. I’m going to do my giveaway a little different then usual around here.

I like a giveaway of course,because I like to expand my collection but I think some torture testing is over the top.If a torture test is done,there are realistic scenarios that should be done instead of running it over,freezing in a block of ice.I think a few tests that should be done are: drop from 20 feet on to concrete,100 rounds from a 12 gauge while mounted on the gun,drop and dunk in a stream or river for an extended period of a few hours and drop into a snow bank and left to outside elements for a week or two.I think these are likely to happen and from a testing aspect thinking about things that could happen when you're at work or hunting would be resonable criteria.I think some manufacturers do this to show their lights are "above and beyond"normal circumstances.I'm leaning towards the giveaway idea