Reading the cometa thread, and owning the A6 I started thinking to myself.
I cant believe the Garbage we buy. What good is a light on a shelf?? If a light cannot withstand real world use, I do not want that light.
I am sick of these lights that promise quality, and don’t deliver. why is it I see a co-worker with an old mini mag that is beat to death all ano is missing on head, and the things keeps working…. we buy something that says its drop proof, water proof, and all this and we put it in out back pocket or back pack for a day and its no good. how many A6s were sold? Mine was terrible. that is no good.
+1
I don’t own any Cometa’s so can’t comment on their quality. I do have a ton of old mag lights that still work. The AA mini mags can be a pain to keep running. They tend to have grounding issues. All my lights are working lights. Most of my lights quickly become cosmetically unfit for resale.
I agree that some of the things that have happened in the recent group buys is unacceptable, but I think its important to step back and look at the whole picture here. The organizers of these projects, I believe, are doing a very good job. But the manufacturers we’re “contracting” with for production are way too fickle and unreliable. Specs are consistently ignored and changed without warning, and construction quality is all over the place. I personally own all the BLF lights, at least any made in the last 2ish years. I’ve had my share of minor issues too, but then I’m quite capable of fixing things that need it. I know others aren’t and I’m not saying its okay in any case, but my BLF lights are very usable after I spend some time with them.
So I think there’s really only two solutions:
1. Find better partners for production, which probably means raising prices. I’m okay with this, and have said as much in the build threads if anyone wants to check me on it. But the recurring theme around here seems to be “give me all the features and performance and I want it for pennies”. That’s not a good combination.
2. Make it abundantly clear to buyers that these lights are hotrods (which most of them are) and that hotrods sometimes require extra work and/or attention to operate. So maybe inexperienced folks shouldn’t be flocking to these lights by the hundreds like they have been. This kinda goes back to the pricing issue though. People see these lights as a way to get something awesome for cheap. Again, that’s not a good combination, but I think its easy to see how that’s appealing to a lot of people, especially inexperienced people who are exactly the wrong folks to be buying these things.
I would like to state that I do see one exception — selling a downright dangerous light, like the Cometa appears to be, is going too far. Nobody should be hurt by one of these lights.
Well lol I bough so many cheap a$$ lights that are only at the back of the shelves
Yes agree specials should be good and not dangerous (who wouldn’t lol)
Please input solutions.
We as Q-team are really trying very hard to do it right and take all input very seriously!
Nope. I don’t buy shelf queens. If I buy a light, it’s to be used. If it’s not used, it’s tossed in a parts box.
I have a bad habit of buying shelf queens and then selling them when I find better shelf queens. I’ve been trying to stop this but then again what is a hobby for if you don’t have shelf queens.
+1,000 
My BLF A6 lights had many issues, but Banggood replaced the faulty lights & parts. And I have been using a BLF A6 as one of my EDCs since then. Great flashlight with ground breaking capabilities,
in particular TK's awesome firmware. It is not perfect, but then none of my $600+ lights are. Nothing is perfect.
The BLF X5/X6 are an improvement on the BLF A6, particularly due to the more capable driver MCU, TK's superb Bistro firmware, improved QA/QC, & the use of Copper, Stainless Steel, & Al.
Note that I am not a modder. My flashlight repair capabilities are Very limited due to lack of knowledge, time, & experience.
And in my experience in about 3 years, Neal & Banggood have always taken care of any issues & problems till now.
It just requires time, patience, being civil, & remembering that english is not their primary language. But that is the case when dealing with any supplier, person or organisation overseas (or locally).
Best Regards,
George
BLF - Better Like Fixing
As for the rest… piffle.
In all honesty, I have very few lights that sit on a shelf. I constantly rotate through my collection on a daily basis. Most every light I have has dents and dings and scratches. Each mark is like a trophy of a light that has served its purpose. I have the philosophy that if I’m gonna buy a tool, I am going to use it as a tool. And as tools go, there are cheaper ones and better quality ones. The cheaper ones I modify and make better. This fuels my hobby and makes something previously useless into something useful.
I haven’t gotten quite that far yet but I mostly agree. My only modern SQ is my BLF M24 since it’s planned purpose isn’t ready yet. My crappy SK68 clone is in the truck toolbox were it still needs a magnet mod but it hardly gets used. I do have some ‘vintage’ lights that are now SQ’s and somewhat collectible. But if I don’t have a planned use for a light I won’t buy it.
I like the way you ‘euphemised’ beat to death, my preferred phrase for my preferred lights which either take a beating without trouble or get replaced by something which will. If I can’t kill it with my normal use, l it will take a concerted effort to kill it. Guaranteed reliability with my lights!
If you like to collect lights then fine- fill all the shelves you have and be happy. I’ll use and enjoy my few lights and gift or otherwise make use of those I have no purpose for anymore. I was a collector once and I lost interest and money on that deal, so it’s not going to happen again with lights or anything else (except cash :money_mouth_face: .
Phil
All my lights, except those waiting to be gifted, are deployed on duty.
They are in different rooms in the house, and in the car. And since the backpack I use everyday is mostly empty, I EDC 5 lights. One on my keychain, and 4 clipped to, attached with lobster clasp, and sit inside my backpack.
The issue is I buy lights with intent to use and rely on them, I look at a flashlight in the same way I look at my side arm and, my leatherman. They need to work every time, no matter the weather, or situation.
I can’t stand getting a light and finding out I can’t use it as an edc. I’m slightly rough on my equipment. It gets used. I need to start only getting gear that can be relied on at the very least in a camping situation.
I’m all for a great shelf queen like one of the copper lights or an old lumens light , those lights preform but deserve a place of respect. I’m just tired of lights that should be durable as edc or search rescue, hunting, camping etc that just are not durable or trustworthy
I honestly think the BLF design teams do all they can, and have the right intentions all along. But we as a whole tell you we want too much bang for buck hahaha (cometa) and you tell a company you have 500 buyers and all they see is $$$ and they know they can’t make a profit on the design you made, but to sell they need to make it close and corners get cut….
Hey Ford I want a 4x4 jacked up on mudders stainless exhaust, diesel engine 6 speed standard short throw shift. All electric and leather seats, tow package, and lightbar… I have 10k buyers. You just need to sell it to us for $20k
Well your not gonna get what you asked for…… but it’s a Ford so it won’t work anyway bad analogy 
My point is like a few others lets start setting realistic prices for these lights. I would rather have payed $5 more for an a6 without greenish tint, and with a good solid spring.
Our designers have one thing in mind manufacturer has another thing.
Last thing no more just accepting these lights with issues because we can fix. It needs to be out of the box in good working condition…. this is not Ford were talkin about hahaha we expect it to run.
I agree with you on the GB lights having to work, but to put a self defined “budget” item into use, I spend more than what these go for. Time is the biggest expense, I do not mind pulling a light apart and putting it back together before use. I can do this, others cannot, I understand this and am not saying everyone should. Where you cannot spend time, spend money. I could buy a $25 BLF A6 and spend a couple of hours testing and potting drivers and such. Or I could value my time at $10 hour, take that two hours and the $25 from the A6, throw in $5 more (peace of mind tax) and buy a Convoy S2 with my choice of emitter, reflector and multiple mode groups… Less lumen for sure, but bulletproof…
Budget has many definitions, I think here it is the group of parts we get for the right price. I expect to have to do something to a light like the A6 if it needs it. The reason, the freaking thing put out more actual lumen than 95% of the LED lights out there when it came out. Especially for its size, in single battery, single emitter lights, it beat more than 99.9999% of the lights out there, and it beat ALL at its price point. Plus it had clicky REVERSING firmware, another first, and a top of the line (though easily dedomed accidentally) V6 XPL LED. So if I had to do something like check the wires, etc. No problem. I got what I wanted.
Find a tube light like the BLF A6 for twice the price with 75% of the output, and proven ruggedness. I do not know that you can, I have looked and cannot find one…
The Cometa is a great light in stock form (Jax Z1) and this one was supposed to best that. Well it has a serious safety issue, so that is a crap sandwich, but other than that, it is a heck of a light IF you can do some fixes to it. The Glass lens alone is $14, the regular light this is based on is $60, heck the host alone was $34 from M4D M4X at one time. The thing is, we got a great pile of parts in these group buys, at least recognize this.
As far as putting my life on the line with a budget light, not until I have gone through it of course, but for peace of mind, I will buy a PflexPro light or the equivalent to beat up on duty or wherever. I cannot build a light as good as his with what he does for anywhere near the money I spend on his lights. Just adding my opinion here, not taking away from yours…
I am a weird one.
I like to keep my lights looking 100% all the time. I use the 4 I have all the time. One is currently weapon-mounted - which will be replaced by the Shooter when it arrives. Although in saying that, the C8 is a brilliant light for my application, and it’s attached to a 30mm reflex / red dot sight. The Shooter may look gangly hanging off it.
Point being, I use them all, but like keeping them looking new. I’m like that with all my possessions - without being OCD about it.
Pretty much all of my lights get used and work as they should, however I don’t own any group buy lights.
The only light that cost more than $5 that I have had a problem with is a Maratac AAA (V1 I think). The tube needed a light sanding to improve contact and took longer to get the paper out than to fix it.
You have a great point, a group buy may be a good way to get a “kit” of sorts full of parts, that can then be put together to be reliable. In that aspect it is a good deal. Just like with a new gun, the first thing you should do is a tear down, inspect, clean and lube. before going to test it out.
I feel any tool that will be carried, and relied on should go through a bit of a test, used when it does not matter if it malfunctions, then if it lasts through that it may be carried daily. If someone is going to hike a mountain, I doubt they are going to do it with brand new boots, or gear that they have not tested, and made sure is going to suit them.
I will have to look at pflexpro, Right now I am carrying a convoy m1 that I pieced together, it has been great to me . it has the mtn fet, and an xpl, ( accidently de domed) so far it seems as durable as my s2+. It does not change modes with impact, and did not cost a huge sum of money. throws plenty far
I do not agree with the OP.
*my Maglites fail in the most important task of a flashlight: they do not put out light. And then comes the ground problems.
*even premium flashlights like Nitecore or Sunwayman sometimes have reliability problems, and you can’t open therm up to fix that.
*the BLF-A6 I disassembled, checked all the parts, replaced and tweaked what I did not like, assembled in my best possible way, and now it is more reliable than any light I have owned before.
*same story for the Convoy lights, rock solid lights but they need some work to get the performance to BLF-A6 stock level.
I have to admit I do own a couple of shelf queens but they do get used. I can’t wait to get OL’s #4.
But all of my other lights get dropped, lost, found, submerged, beaten up in every way and I have learned lessons in that.
I have learned what is durable and what is not. These lights are used in an industrial workplace. There are some lights I will not use anymore because I have seen firsthand how they have failed.