Would you use a modern flashlight in a reasonably rough job or not? CONCRETE BELOW!!!

[Oztorchfreak]

Would you use a fairly pricey LED flashlight in a rough job or not? CONCRETE BELOW!

Hi Guys.



I was looking at my collection of "modern" flashlights recently and a thought suddenly came into my head.

Where in the "REAL WORLD" could most of these lights be used seriously?

I look after all of my lights WITH KID GLOVES ON when they are at home in my study and also when transporting any of them to a friend's place in a cushioned basket.

Maglites have proved how tough they are over decades of being on the market!

If something broke on a Maglite the part can be ordered and replaced reasonably easy.

If a Maglite gets completely beyond repair then it is fairly cheap nowadays to replace it with a brand new one and throw the other one away or gut it for spare parts.

In our quest to achieve higher light output than anybody would have dreamed of decades ago when the Maglite first came onto the market we seem to have forgotten or at very least pushed aside the DURABILITY FACTOR!!!

I started to wonder how I would REACT if a friend or onlooker dropped one of my "prized lights" onto a hard surface like concrete.

I imagine that I would be HORRIFIED and feel like I had lost one of my babies.

As collectors of flashlights us FLASHAHOLICS don't usually put these lights to any heavy duty use and care for them very well indeed.

I look in a awe at my Fenix TK75 and can't stop praising how wonderful this light is to other people whether or not they are FLASHAHOLICS.

I am using my Fenix TK75 as an "EXAMPLE ONLY" here as it could be any other fairly expensive flashlight.

It is just that I would nearly cry even if I accidentally dropped one of my lights onto any hard surface.

Most of our lights have passed the industry standard ANSI drop test of 1 metre.

I would not like to be around when anyone dropped any of the modern sleek but fragile looking flashlights onto a hard surface like concrete.

It is all very well to rate a flashlight like this to the ANSI standard but just how would this supposedly comforting rating be of any comfort by most of us in an serious accidental fall of one of our precious lights.

That begs the question of just where there is a place to use these powerful and full featured but fragile looking lights in any "REAL WORLD" scenario.


Would you use one of your own "MODERN" flashlights in a reasonably rough job or not?

"WARNING"

CONCRETE BELOW!!!





​

CHEERS :mecry:

 

[kj2]

Why DO you always use BIG A$$ letters??

 

[twl]

Well, some flashlights are built to see rough duty by some very rough people in rough jobs.
Like Police, Military, etc.
And they can take it, while performing the tasks needed.

Anything can be broken, and anything can be replaced, but some lights are intended for rough duty and are built to keep working in conditions that would cause others to fail, and have reputations to suit.
Malkoff and SureFire come to mind, with Elzetta now challenging for it's spot in the Mil/LE world.

It's not that they can't be damaged. It's that they are built to that standard which will provide the best insurance against failure when the chips are down.

 

[Ny0ng1]

My surefire l1 sure has gone through many abuse without fail

Once you have passed through that first ding/scratch/drop, its all good

 

[shane45_1911]

I have been LEO for 20 years. My Surefire C2 (with Malkoff M60W) has been with me for half that time, travelled all over the world, been abused more than any tool I own - and has never missed a beat. I like (love?) that light so much, I have half a dozen more on standby in various places throughout my house.

 

[biglights]

Why DO you always use BIG A$$ letters??

I was wondering the same thing. It is really annoying. You have some good post with interesting topics, but I find it so annoying trying to read it. A lot of times I have a head ache when I am done, not knowing what I even just read. All the colors are a bummer also. Just something to think about.

 

[AaronG]

You Obviously haven't seen the torture tests. A lot of lights stand up just fine. I've seen quite a few tortured Fenix lights that stand up well. The Malkoff Elzetta has been through a couple torture tests of being used as a hammer and being shot by a shotgun. The Armytec predator seemed to do well too.

 

[kj2]

1) Because I can.

and

2) Because it helps me to get

I don't say you are breaking rules, but like biglight says; it's annoying. (and unnecessary- if your topic is good people will read everything)

 

[Oztorchfreak]

I was wondering the same thing. It is really annoying. You have some good post with interesting topics, but I find it so annoying trying to read it. A lot of times I have a head ache when I am done, not knowing what I even just read. All the colors are a bummer also. Just something to think about.

hi biglights

I will try and mend my ways

cheers

 

[dougie]

Generally the use of LED's and other more modern technology have improved the performance, runtime and durability of flashlights and greatly reduced their size from even a short time ago. Unfortunately, the trade off is usually higher prices with the use of things like glass lenses instead of plastic to ensure that the clarity of the LED beam is maximised and to prevent scratching degrading a plastic lens in a relatively short period of time but still being potentially more breakable than a plastic counterpart. Some manufacturers have tried to ensure that their products meet the challenges of the environment in which they are intended to be used and devoted a lot of time and trouble in R&D to make the flashlight as reliable and resistant to damage as possible. Being resistant to damage though doesn't necessarily mean resistant to cosmetic damage which in some cases can be quite severe but still allow the product to function as intended. As twl has said almost any flashlight can be repaired given enough money and easy access to a manufacturers support. I guess ultimately it depends on a simple equation of does the flashlight meet the needs you require of it and is the risk of it being lost or broken too great to risk? If a simple Maglite can do what you want for a few bucks then why would you need or use something infinitely more expensive which if lost or damaged you would regret? The best analogy is you need to wear clothes to go to work but would you use your Sunday best at a building site when you have clothes which are cheaply replaceable for that purpose? YMMV

 

[välineurheilija]

I use whatever light is suitable for the job at hand regardless of the price or condition of the light.but desbite that i am still a collector

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Well, some flashlights are built to see rough duty by some very rough people in rough jobs.
Like Police, Military, etc.
And they can take it, while performing the tasks needed.

Anything can be broken, and anything can be replaced, but some lights are intended for rough duty and are built to keep working in conditions that would cause others to fail, and have reputations to suit.
Malkoff and SureFire come to mind, with Elzetta now challenging for it's spot in the Mil/LE world.

It's not that they can't be damaged. It's that they are built to that standard which will provide the best insurance against failure when the chips are down.

You are talking about a brand that has a very good reputation in standing up to taking a beating.

I am quite sure that I could drop most of my Surefire, Maloff or HDS lights heavily but not the others that are out in the marketplace that look fragile.

I put my new Fenix TK75 in that category as well as many other brands of flashlights.

It also depends on what point of the flashlight hits the concrete first I would think.

I would not be offering my TK75 to do a test like that.

All the same I don't want to drop any of my other lights that look fragile to me.

I would love to see any videos of Drop Tests being performed by any Company.

Does the Flashlight Industry ever release any of these tests on video to the public?



Cheers

 

[justanotherguy]

I don't say you are breaking rules, but like biglight says; it's annoying. (and unnecessary- if your topic is good people will read everything)

ultimately I ignore smarta$$ posters like "that":ironic:. they dont go away, but my annoyance with their smarmy snippy attitude does!
problem solved!
I myself buy lights to use, not obsess over.

 

[twl]

Does the Flashlight Industry ever release any of these tests on video to the public?



Cheers

Have a look at this Elzetta torture test video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ozstdsnHNs

It ain't afraid of no silly little drop.

 

[Mikeg23]

As I read the op I can't help but think you are in the minority. Pretty much any light that I have carried has dings an scratches an I don't generally buy a light that I can't carry... Sure I have some lights that are still in new condition but that's probably because I didn't like them enough to carry them.

I do not own an LED light I would be afraid to drop. I feel the same way about most of my incandescent lights however I do treat my ROP lights gently. I think if I dropped the ROP with a hot filiment it would probably kill the bulb.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Generally the use of LED's and other more modern technology have improved the performance, runtime and durability of flashlights and greatly reduced their size from even a short time ago. Unfortunately, the trade off is usually higher prices with the use of things like glass lenses instead of plastic to ensure that the clarity of the LED beam is maximised and to prevent scratching degrading a plastic lens in a relatively short period of time but still being potentially more breakable than a plastic counterpart. Some manufacturers have tried to ensure that their products meet the challenges of the environment in which they are intended to be used and devoted a lot of time and trouble in R&D to make the flashlight as reliable and resistant to damage as possible. Being resistant to damage though doesn't necessarily mean resistant to cosmetic damage which in some cases can be quite severe but still allow the product to function as intended. As twl has said almost any flashlight can be repaired given enough money and easy access to a manufacturers support. I guess ultimately it depends on a simple equation of does the flashlight meet the needs you require of it and is the risk of it being lost or broken too great to risk? If a simple Maglite can do what you want for a few bucks then why would you need or use something infinitely more expensive which if lost or damaged you would regret? The best analogy is you need to wear clothes to go to work but would you use your Sunday best at a building site when you have clothes which are cheaply replaceable for that purpose? YMMV

That sounds pretty sensible to me.

What do you think a light like my TK75 would be mainly purchased for then?

I just like buy flashlights that appeal to me as a collector.

As an Electrician of over 40 years in the trade I would love to use my TK75 or similar light of that calibre and price in carrying out my tasks that needed a bright and versatile flashlight but I would cringe if any real damage was sustained by it.

I am retired as an Electrician now but I would have loved to be able to have had a choice of the vast range of efficient, high output, versatile and heavy duty flashlights that are now available.

It would be very interesting to know why most buyers of these reasonably up-market lights do so and what the their intended use was going to be.

I just collect lights as a lot of us flashaholics do.

I have been very involved with a kinds of lighting during the last 40 years of being an Electrician/Technician in the Stage Lighting area and also the maintenance of General Lighting in many large Entertainment venues.

I think I have used just about every flashlight in performing those tasks and I still have my little Maglites sitting in their well-worn holsters as they were replaced by newer and brighter flashlights that looked heaps better than the candle-like beams that we had to use in the old days as that was all that was available and we thought they were wonderful back then.



CHEERS

 

[scout24]

I got past the worrying part a while ago- I buy them to use and enjoy regardless of cost. Yes, the first ding or two may hurt, but that's the price to pay for using them. Inevitable, even if you're careful.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

Well, some flashlights are built to see rough duty by some very rough people in rough jobs.
Like Police, Military, etc.
And they can take it, while performing the tasks needed.

Anything can be broken, and anything can be replaced, but some lights are intended for rough duty and are built to keep working in conditions that would cause others to fail, and have reputations to suit.
Malkoff and SureFire come to mind, with Elzetta now challenging for it's spot in the Mil/LE world.

It's not that they can't be damaged. It's that they are built to that standard which will provide the best insurance against failure when the chips are down.

Well said TWL!


I still have my Olight M20 flashlight and it did stand up to a lot of heavy duty use in the past.

There is a video of a Torture Test that some guys did with one of these lights that is very interesting to watch as it only confirms to me just what I have always thought of this flashlight.


[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6WSPKuunCI[/URL]


Some will say that this test was not very well scientifically controlled and that it could be faked somehow.

I will leave that one up to the viewers of that particular video to judge for themselves.

Things included in this video are water, shotguns and being dragged behind a fast moving vehicle etc.

I am not sure just how many flashlights could handle this sort of abuse.

Maybe this could become an ANSI standard in the future.

AS IF!!




CHEERS

 

[Vortus]

I enjoy looking at pictures of some lights. Ill never buy them, but I do appreciate the art some of them are. Bigger lights like a tk70 are not meant to be dropped. Though I have used my E-bng as a tire thumper often enough. By its shear mass I wouldnt expect it to survive a long fall. But scratches, dings and dents are part of being used. And all the reputable manufacturers back them accordingly.

 

[naiter]

off topic, i do like the first post. pointers highlighted. but i think it is a CPF rule not to make people needlessly scroll down... like in the response to people bugging you about it.:shakehead

NEWAYS - i abuse my lights as much as can. Dropped my Olsight S10 first day i had it on accident. uphill from there. my ZL is banged up and been through a couple bike crashes getting smashed on the ground hard. If these things cost 3x as much as the Chinese equivalent, and if we don't thoroughly test em. we paid too much. but i do the same thing to my knifes. if it looks new, i shouldn't have bought it.
Ny0ng1 was right:"Once you have passed through that first ding/scratch/drop, its all good" sounds like you need to pick a few of those 'precious babies' and take em out and throw em in the mud, and maybe kick em around. get it done with already! they be just as good as before you abused em, better in fact. now you'll know they're worth it.

edit: u mentioned Fenix. my Fenix LD20 was my first high end light. its is sooo abused looking, missing lost of anodizing and some nice gouges. had to dis-assemble reassemble the clicky once, otherwise works perfect.