I’m proud to be the first one to concur!
I only hope this works! This thread is another of those “Good Ideas” BLF is famous for!
Of course our needs don’t match 100%, but the “differences” would be easy to provide with point-of-sale options. (I apologize for just ripping into your typing)
For me, EDC…
MUST have:
ADD BRIGHTNESS!! Look what that philosophy did for Lotus. Keep telling yourself “It’s not bright enough.” But you’re measuring “brightness” wrong! “Bright Blue” is idiotic, for EDC.
Pocket clip. I don’t understand why this even needs to be said, but apparently (UF-2100 clones!!) some designers think a smooth cylinder of Al will somehow magically not-fall out/off of pockets, pouches, hands, tables, car hoods, rocks, whatever?? What if I am using this “EDC” torch over a co-worker’s head???
Corollary to the clip, a Secure Way to attach a Lanyard! Not the lewd paracord monstrosities of Youtube, nor the break-a-matic “wrist straps”, but a reasonable ‘grab handle’, preferably attached to the “crook” of the clip so it can be used to extract the torch without getting in everyone’s way. (And so the torch can be SAFELY carried with me wherever I go!!)
Forward clicky. AMEN AND HOW!!! I assume you mean what I call “Momentary-ON”, meaning it will Make the Contacts BEFORE the Click. The ability to just “peek” without clicking is more useful than any “mode” arrangement I’ve yet seen. (Dear ’flashlight engineers’, can you please explain what you are smoking that makes you think that “Momentary-OFF” is a good idea?? I know it’s the only way you can think of to control your silly ’modes’! So we have to lose good Switchgear operation just so you can stick us with the stupid ’modes’ we don’t need?? How’s that working for you? Melted how many tons of “no-sale” parts last year? Speedsix is trying to explain WHY…)
FLOOD, SPILL, whatever you call the part of the the beam that illuminates things close by, where I’m working “every day”. If we need to signal spacecraft, that light can stay in the truck. I respect peoples’ desire for Throw, I just can’t find any use for it Every Day, and when I do, no EDC-class pocket light can reach where I need to go (say, up a 160-ft. tower, or across a building).
TINT IS IMPORTANT, CREE!!!
Please-please-please-PLEASE may we have something WHITE someday??? No weird color rings, no “xW” (“x” being “Cool”, “Warm”, whatever — it’s all “OFF-WHITE” to me.) Just WHITE. Like the Light we all evolved with. We carry EDC so we can LOOK at things. So (e.g.) when I look at two wires, one “Orange/White” and one “Brown/White”, I can actually SEE the difference. Likewise for most of what Humans want to See. Weird off-white shades don’t help anyone who has to own your work product!!! My suggestion: Truth In Advertising. If you can’t make it white, don’t call it “white”. Leave the “d*mn the color rendition, full lumens ahead” BS for the gimmick lights. We KNOW we’re not going to get “17000 lumens”, so don’t waste your time. Just make it WHITE. And “It’s not bright enough.”
NICE to have:
WaterPROOF — to whatever depth a normal human can reach unaided. That seems quite reasonable, but I’ve yet to see it in the EDC LEDs I can afford.
Dimming like an Audio Potentiometer. Fully, infinitely, obviously variable from On to Off without interrupting the Light. However, I couldn’t stand this if it came on in any other ‘mode’ than “Full-ON”, nor if it meant losing the ability to go to “Full-OFF” with a click. Maybe Fenix’s head trick could be adapted. Don’t know. Don’t care. “Nice to have”… “It’s not bright enough, and will be plenty dim, soon enough, as the wee battery pours its heart out through the LED.”
Colors other than Black, Blue, Red and Gold!!! Maybe a nice camouflage or some fade shade, or brightly polished Al color, but ALL with a HARDER COATING that will take the kind of “normal” wear & tear a “normal human” will experience. No less than HAIII anodizing!!!
Must NOT have:
From your keyboard to God’s Own Ears!!! AMEN!!!
Maybe we Customers could insist that the engineer who designed it post a Youtube video of him/her actually EDC-ing one before we’d commit to buy…? However…
Must NOT have a switch mech. that can’t be operated by a normal human in a normal dark moment. E.g. with wet or cold hands. No twisties, no deep-sunk or extra-stiff buttons, thank you! And no protruding switches unless that’s to prevent rolling, nor “magic” switches that require some extra part (magic ring, e.g.) be carried with.
Here’s a “nice-to-have” “Magic Switch” option: Make it come on when we merely pick it up!
Must NOT have oddball batteries that can’t be found wherever we are EDC-ing! Sorry (very!), but that means D, C, AA or AAA (They may have different names where you live). Also must not require multiple batteries; although having that option for more light or runtime would be nice.
…
But hey. This is all just dream-time stuff anyway, isn’t it? I really do like your idea, especially if any of it (any contributor, any post, anywhere on the BLF WWWeb site!!) manages to “take” and become part of the “standard”!!
For my EDC, a BIG puddle of bright, pure-white light from 1*AA battery, wherever I can go, from an easy-to-use, Intrinsically Safe torch that doesn’t need a pouch to be carried every day is a Dream Come True. I’m a member here by trying to build one myself. I don’t mind being able to Dim, as you might expect, but not if it means blinking.
Here’s hoping you’re right, Speedsix!
Dimbo.