So tonight I pulled a torch off the shelf I haven’t put into service in quite some time. Many moons ago I was fortunate to have awkwardly been selected in a GAW to receive a VezerLezer ED10, an 18650 tube light with SST-40 6500K, USB-C charging, and an OEM branded 2600 mAh cell. Stellar UI from my POV…excellent mode spacing in stepped mode, optional smooth ramping, and a very useful “moonlight” level. And the thing has some significant horsepower, rivaling my Sofirn SP35 in output.
I kinda forgot how good this light performed and felt in hand with the rounded tailcap. Excellent binning on the SST-40, definitely above BBL, but not ugly green like a lot of the current offerings from most mfgr’s. It’s a powerhouse 18650. No idea what happened to the brand, but IIRC the light retailed north of $50 USD on Amazon…probably not very competitive when the Sofirn SC31PRO was going for a lot less scratch at the time, with Anduril (V1) to boot.
Wondering if anyone else has rediscovered an ‘oldie but goldie’ throwback from their collection that might get a little more attention after going on shelf hiatus?
Every once in a while I bring them out one at a time. Then they go back in the box for another year or so. I’ll take one on a walk along with my everyday light just for comparison. A few had delightful emitters like my white D4. Can’t remember what it was but you know you like it when you see it.
Most of my "oldie but goodie"s are “goodie” enough that I don’t put them away. That includes my ancient SP10B (FLM+H) and '502B with whatever drop-in I was using at the time.
To me it feels like I am on top of a mountain. Started out with buying new lights quite slow, later at greater speed. The last years I’ve bought almost nothing (well, all is relative). Speaking of numbers: it feels a bit like I’m on top of a mountain. There is only one way to go: down. But I still have a secret bucket-list. Of lights I should have bought while I could, and didn’t. But the opposite is also relevant. Wtf was I thinking when i …
While I’m absolutely not inclined selling any of them I almost never expose my “backbenchers” to some fresh air.
Today I use my good old Zanflare F1 with Samsung 35E in it and it get on my mind memories about adventures in nature which I have with this flashlight.
One of my favorite lights that is no longer in production (that I EDC to this day) is the Acebeam TK18 AL 219C. Its a little longer than the ZL SC6x but I like the UI and beam better. I also like the copper/bronze color highlights. I wish they would revive that with 519A.
I had the LH351D (low CRI, boo, but super floody), 219C (best tint of the bunch), and osram (weird light with frosted TIR). I suspect eventually I will have to send them out for 519A mods.
Another one was the EC65, again 519A version would be awesome. I got the 219C of that with frosted TIR.
On that note, I kinda wish Hank would try, among an SC65 like thing, a D4V2 but triple TIR (smaller diameter than quad), lighter (mostly better battery tube, the like D4K, with thinner wall thickness).
I have a ton of out-of-production / obscure lights. A fair amount are even one of a kind. For example, an 18650 “Brass Beauty” from Dale, with triple 219B and Crescendo. Or a custom FW3A w/ thefreeman’s driver. I try to use these oldies-but-goodies when I can, but there are enough that no individual light gets much attention.
A lot of the time though, I just use whatever recent thing showed up that I’m working on or testing. I find that there’s no substitute for actual daily use when testing new code or new hardware. So I often use lights which aren’t really as good, just to make sure they work.
I didn’t start collecting modern flashlights until relatively recently so most of my discontinued/rare models are lights I purposefully seeked out because of getting discontinued, but of those, I would say my favorites are an original BLF Q8, and a Noctigon DM11 with an XHP35HI in 5000k.
The DM11 I bought a while back and is one of my favorite lights to hold (in 26800 mode), got it when the XHP35HI had just been removed from Hank’s regular options.
The BLF Q8 came from ebay, after getting lucky and seeing one for a good price. I was originally planning to swap it to some other emitters like W2s or XP-L HI, but I just liked it too much in its stock configuration to do anything to it other than flashing it to Anduril2
Thats gorgeous
I have a foursevens X10 that was my first li-ion light. Maybe got it in 2014 or so. Kinda goofy in that it’s basically a 26650 twisty. Two mode, sort of medium and high, with mode memory so I never really know what mode it will be at turn on.
I think I now have all the parts to mod it. I need to take measurements but I’m thinking of converting it to xhp 50.3 triple with custom 3-up TIR. I have a Convoy 6V driver I plan to use. It will take some work to get it all to fit correctly though.
Yup, still occasionally use the older lights, there’s not actually much wrong with most of the quality older lights for day to day use. I’ve swapped a bunch of LEDs mostly to get 4000k which was extremely uncommon back 10 years ago.
Fenix LD20 with Nichia 219b- has a nice clicky and form factor, reasonable beam shape.
Peak Eiger and Peak Logan- both “special” lights with that QTC material which is a bit finicky but quite fun as it’s totally different to anything else I have.
Original BLF Q8 with a Led4Power MCPCB and ?4000k ?SST LEDs. If I can verify the driver is putting out lower cirrent, I might reflow some DD 519a’s in.
Zebralight H51C, the ?nichia? Rebel still makes nice light, and of course, the UI is still “zebra”, which I like.
L3 illumination L10, AA twisty with stock 219b. Starts in very low moonlight. Nicely spaced modes.
BLF 345, absolutely brilliant single mode light. Nice and compact for AAA, the single mode is a good brightness.
My old ones include Fenix and LED Lenser, some Nitecore as well.
I couldn’t appreciate your dilemma, albeit a fairly happy one to deal with. We’re all glad you’re taking one (or, one hundred) for the team…so to speak.
I hope somebody is building a museum to house your collection of…flashlights…watches…knives, and God knows what else you’re squirreling away. Your taste is impeccable, and very diverse. I truly enjoy your posts/pics.
Some day you need to share an ‘inside peek’ photo of the lights you’ve amassed. I envision the ending scene of “Indiana Jones - Raiders of the Lost Ark” of someone pushing a crate of indescript treasures through an immense warehouse.
I recently found my old 2 AA incandescent Maglite that was in a box full of old flashlights. I “borrowed” it from my dad back in the 80s and it was my main flashlight for many many years.
I figured it was special enough to put on the shelf that I use for my flashlights. So I cleaned up the threads and O-rings, put on some lube which made a huge improvement. And I was surprised that there was no evidence that alkaleaks caused any damage.
I used it for a couple days and then it went dead. The bulb finally gave up, but luckily there was a spare in the tail.
What a terrible beam it has and it’s not that bright, but strange how it seemed plenty bright back then. 
