I very much appreciate this place not only for the members and their knowledge but their diligence in keeping this marketplace honest.
Example: It is nice to participate in a BLF group buy possessing a better than average chance that you will receive what was described due to the former and latter above.
For the old goats among us, this is what both domestic and foreign markets (largely) consisted of not too many decades ago sans instant communication. Low or unacceptable quality was still rampant yet being in the know or spreading the word (thank you BLF) was just as valuable then as it is now.
If I remember right, the very first (or near) explosion of these ‘budget’ lights on the forum scene began with a deep bezeled thrower offered by Nitecore with a Q5 emitter and somewhat fancy (for then) machining for $60-$80 (depending on when you signed up).
Boy oh boy what a ruckus that caused…with the notion of a ‘forum’ created around that very concept (heaven forbid) being born or even promoted certainly “out of the question” at that moment in this industry’s development.
A lot of those same people with their noses in the air at that time have saved a whole boatload of money on this hobby (ever since) thanks to this forum alone.