Where did the old BLF go? The bring back budget to BLF thread, LOL.

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

You know, when I first came here, I remember I saw a lot more threads about "Budget lights" and not near as many about "High dollar lights".

Then, the other day, I looked "wayback", (forgive me Mr. Peabody) and looked at some of the first posts. Talk about "Budget",... man, those lights were cheapo!

Well, I think that was the whole point, because the "Snobs" at CPF (Yes, they would have been considered snobs back then), would not allow for "budget lights" to disgrace their website, so this forum was started. SB, correct me if I am way off here.

So... what the heck is the point? The forum has evolved rather quickly into a nicer form of CPF and a couple of other forums, but BLF is basically a memory and Then!... Then, I realized that I helped to kill off the old BLF! Me and a bunch of us here did, with crazy mods and expensive mods and more expensive mods and then the dreaded group buys, etc.! I am NOT saying that was wrong, but it did happen. I was surprised when I finally came to that conclusion, but anyhow, I thought I would start a thread to possibly help bring back some of the "old BLF spirit" by talking about anything flashlight that was under $20 USD, which is of course, probably still too high, but I gotta start somewhere.

What I would like to see, is to have some more budget lights get reviewed and possibly some real budget group buys, like the one for the BLF 348. Am I crazy? Well, ok, I am, but is the idea crazy? Anyone want to chime in? and do some budget light reviews. Here's a small list of some good to very good, to possibly notorious, budget lights.

Pocket 3W LED Flashlight
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10000824/1070300-pocket-3w-led-flashlight
Mini 25-Lumen Waterproof USB Rechargeable LED Flashlight w/Keychain
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10004258/1325400-mini-25-lumen-waterproof-usb-rechargeable-led
MXDL XT-7119
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10002074/1148801-mxdl-xt-7119-3w-80-lumen-white-led-flashlight
MXDL 3W LED Mini Pen
http://www.banggood.com/MXDL-3W-LED-Mini-Pen-LED-Flashlight-Torch-2xAAA-Black-p-932805.html
Singfire 348
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_227504.html?
Hugsby XP - 2 XPE R3
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_197633.html?
UltraFire WF - 502B
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_175454.html?wid=21
UltraFire C8
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_176964.html?wid=21
UltraFire F13
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_5499.html?
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Ultrafire CREE XM - L2 U2
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_345510.html?wid=21
Ultrafire CREE U2 920LM SolarForce lookalikes?
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_349002.html?wid=21
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Ultrafire CREE U2 Convoy Clone?
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_347551.html?wid=21
Tank007 E06 Pen
https://www.fasttech.com/products/1601/10002363/3959707-tank007-e06-mini-led-flashlight
Convoy (S2, S3, S5, S6, F2, C8, M2)
http://www.gearbest.com/convoy-_gear/?odr=low2high&odr_value=1
Eagle Eye X6
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_252532.html?wid=21
Lumintop Tool
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_203080.html?
Olight i3S EOS
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_23213.html?
Gearbest was just the first place I stopped off at and I am not trying to plug them. They just had a bunch of the more original (and newer also) budget stuff there.
So, discuss away everybody...
2

Ya know Justin, I have been lurking here for years because I know that I will not own multi-hundred dollar lights… ever! I am guessing that 50% of my lights, maybe 20 are in the sub $20 class. Many are P60 hosts and I love them, but they have been beaten to death. I think that the problem with some of the truly budget lights today is that they are crap that would take much work to make decent. For me the lack of a really good AA or AAA/10440 or 14500 driver has been an issue. I have considered many times trying to learn to program pics and duplicating one of the better high pwm, decent current drivers. But, there are folks here who would be much better at it than I.

I am very happy with my KaiDomain C8’s, have tried to write up a good review for the host and a couple of dropins. Are they Convoy… no, but they work great on the front of a 22 or 30-30. But, I do see your point and your point is what drew me to become active here and also what influenced many of my first purchases and many good lights. A couple of my favorites from the day would be the BLF A8 and the UF-2200, the latter being a very mean mid range thrower 26650 light!

Short story… I do miss hearing about the real budget lights.

matt

3

Hi OL

That was the exact reason why I joined this forum, to get away from the elitist sort.

Somewhere where owners and would-be owners of budget lights would not be looked down upon.

Not everyone has deep pockets to buy so-called high end brands.

Most newbies would want to try out a budget light first to get a feel of the hobby.

I still use this platform to get info on budget lights before purchasing.

Here’s wishing for the return of more truly budget lights.

Cheers

Kel

4

It probably doesn’t help that the dirt cheap flashlights nowadays most likely come with a Lattice Bright LED, which can range from crappy to decent. Also, now that I’ve experienced neutral, warm and high CRI tints, dirt cheap cool white flashlights don’t do anything for me anymore.

5

Hey mate I am a tight arse so I review cheap lights only time I review expensive lights is when they are given to me. Most I’ve spent on a light is about 50-60 USD.

I have a review of the C8 on my YouTube. I wrote up a modded review of the C8 on here.

I done a review on the Singfire 348

6

My last 3 purchases averaged under $10. Have no fear, the budget is still here. Even the group buys are still way below what even moderately expensive lights go for.

7

This place is a gateway to better things.... I have found my limits here with flashing and SMD soldering, and honed my regular building skills. Looking in awe and wonder at others skills, like yours OL.

I own more expensive lights than I ever thought I would, but they are still budget as they are better than lights costing even more than what I spent on them. Budget is also maximizing value. I am begrudgingly liking certain lights in "name" brands as I recognize their value after what I learned here. I found a brand, built by an individual that I will put up against any stock Surefire, and have recommended to police and military friends with no hesitation. PflexPro makes an awesome light that is so much better in UI and affordability, I wish I had found his lights years ago....

My favorite personal build is a Ultrafire 602F host that I turned into a triple with lots of elbow grease and a file. Spent more on the guts than the host, but still have less than $20 in parts in the light. That is my BLF special... This place is also a great community, learn and share, do and fail or succeed, BLF is here to share in whatever happens.

What we are getting stock for $20 now, far exceeds what was available five years ago for $50. Take a good C8 for instance, Convoy or Thorfire, amazing lights in stock form....

Manufacturers are listening to this forum and incorporating what is wanted by our community, this is getting out to the general public, making better lights for all.

If the only thing permanent is change itself, I am glad BLF is still a great place, change will happen...

8

Monday I received an MXDL pen light. Fairly well built…decent CW output…one mode clicky. I showed it to an old timer and he “kind of” didn’t want to let it go. So I gave it to him. Three bucks and two AA cells. There are some budget lights still available!

9

Just an observation of this forum and any other that I’ve even been on… It’s composed of it’s members and the members are the contributors that keep it going. If someone wanted to review the lights listed they would, and that person could be anyone, even you. If others don’t want to review them… well no one here is paid are they? All volunteers? If people want reviews roll up the sleeves and get busy. Trying to push volunteers to do something is like herding cats. But if you do it yourself you know it’ll be done to your satisfaction. Leading from the front garners respect; leading from the rear, not so much.

10

Hmm don’t know if I fully agree here Justin…
Just look at the COB flashlights topic that started recently and is mainly about $2-$3 lights
Astrolux A01 a fully copper light for just under $20

Most groupbuys offer great value even when a light is more then $20.
I mean X5 gives 1300 lumens and a amazing UI in a small 14500 light.

Special deals/coupons/high value lights
The high quality XHP70 monsters S70/L6 might be over $20 but for $50 can play with the big brands that cost at least double.

And most if not all expensive lights that get reviews here are provided by manufacturers or vendors and still do not get recommend a lot if at all.

I know of just three members doing reviews for more expensive lights and writing the reviews as if they really want us to buy them and there are so much more BLFers doing reviews this doesn’t seem like a problem

When people ask for recommendations most lights mentioned are budget.

11

Its funny how we dont all drive around in T model fords anymore. :slight_smile:
BLF may have moved forward like it should but one thing hasn’t changed and thats one or two of the old buggers from way back still haunting the joint. Yeah you may just be one of them Justin. :stuck_out_tongue:

12

Well. for me, if I could still do them, I would do them, but that’s not the case, so my thought was to see if others might spark interest from the thread, that’s all. My days of leading are over. I didn’t mean to cause a problem. I will ask that the thread be removed.

13

Please don’t remove the thread.
Reminders like this are useful and coming from a source like yourself even more!

Edit: really useful since this is a forum where the pitfalls of spending money not yours also can occur (OP asks for $25 light after few posts “if you just spend $5 more you can get this….” After a few posts “well yes for $30 that is possible but look at this $35 light that is just perfect for you”) so reminders for Budget are nice!

14

Justin, everyone has an opinion. And that’s okay. But not everyone is Old-Lumens. Please leave the thread here. :wink:

15

The lights i own are only expensive after i mod them :stuck_out_tongue: .
I really have only 2-3 lights that i count as expensive , based on my budget , not even close to the cost of the expensive lights out there.

16

Since lurking/joining here, I’ve discovered so many budget but equally good alternatives for my requirements that I can assure you the “budget” in BLF is very much alive. The BLF 348, Astrolux A01, Convoy C8, the Hugsby XPs, have all found homes with me now, and with the stuff coming out, the reviews and discussions happening here, it’s gonna take quite something for me to buy Fenix/Nitecore ever again. :smiley:

Dilly-dallying on the Astrolux MH10 right now. :stuck_out_tongue:

17

The first part of your list are flashlights that are a real pain to mod. I know that a few years ago there were many threads about modding such lights with press-fit parts and plastic where metal should be. Lots of effort to improve them for a mediocre result. (this is my opinion, others may see that different).

Now there are Convoys, Supfires and other easy hosts, and standard parts that fit them: DTP-boards, blf developed drivers and so on, so with the basics taken care of, the modding can be focussed at another level: higher performance, improved user interface, higher currents, fancy tail-lighting, triple and quad optics, and there’s a high CRI movement.

And completely BLF-designed/modified hosts that allow for even better performing lights

I see the same spirit at BLF as a few years ago, just the type of modding has evolved into something different.

What still distinguishes us from the other forum is that the typical BLF-er, apart from still buying cheapies, perhaps buys more high end lights, but is not afraid to mod them anyway, and risk ruining them in the process.

I think that a great thing that you intiated, that maintained an existing spirit and created a new BLF-spirit, is the DIY scratch build contest. After three years it is still very alive and makes me not afraid that the modding and budget part of the forum will die out.

18

I think part of it is simple progression. A lot of people here have been into lights long enough, use lights as part of a daily routine, that it’s only natural to want improvements based on what they found in the cheap budget lights. Justin, your perspective comes from someone that doesn’t use flashlights, so you still see it as the overall initial expense instead of how a cheap light lets a guy down when the going get’s tough. (maybe this is so, just a theory)

I have a heck of a lot more cheap budget lights than I do expensive ones. The expensive one’s I have were either given to me for review or by a fellow member moving away from the light. I sure can’t afford to buy the big boys and I won’t, not when I can turn a much cheaper light into a big boy destroyer! :slight_smile:

We still have folks posting about a modified $3 light they love, still happening every day pretty much… the forum is larger and it’s possibly more difficult to see it all but it’s still going on.

Richard sells a very nice Convoy C8 host for stupid cheap monies, it still only costs about $20 or so to build one from scratch. And yeah, the X6 is still a fantastic bargain. Use em AND lose em, not a big deal to trash a cheap light, leave it somewhere, or simply gift it spontaneously, and with some $3 chargers now available from Liitto (spelling?) it’s also easy to gift a light with a simple charger and the cell for a complete package without breaking the bank. :wink:

19

As a non native speaker I have to ask: does “budget” mean just “cheap” or does it mean “worth the price”?
Anyway, although I could afford a more expensive light once in a while I rather buy cheap lights as hosts (like the F13 e.g.), pimp them up and beat expensive lights with them. That’s real fun! The L6 was my most expensive light for half a year and I have some ideas for it.

20

I think this place still has it correct.

There are a couple of Thorfire threads with lights as cheap as $2.45 and the other about $10.00, which I ordered. That’s this week.

While over at CPF I’ve seen a custom pocket light/meter/reader thingy for $650, a search light for $360 and a post asking if a person can buy a worthwhile general purpose light for $100.00

So the balance still seems to be the same IMO.

I admit there are probably more group buys of better lights on BLF these days. But as a rule they are still highly affordable and certainly rank as budget alternatives to many lights mentioned on other forums. But I think that’s just progress.