how did your addiction start ??

[wicky998]

hi, im wicky and im a flashlight addict..

i would say ten or so years ago when i first got into "tailoring" my everday carry gear due to pocket dumps on instagram. flashlights was of course part of it so called "upgrading" and when i truley realized the importance of a good light esp on everyday simple tasks i always found ways around not having said light. my FIRST true higher end light was a 300 lm ?surefire 6px pro , very solid light and i abused the outta that thing and if i wouldnt have dropped it in the river at work id still have it. ive since been into lights and have always relyed on cpf for reference and learning things but recently made an account to communicate and ask questions, plus ive not long ago got into legs .

of course we wanna know what actual light got you addicted ( i think there may be a thread on it ?) not sure but what got you into buying the actual light that got you hooked. was it needing a good light for work or was it a gift or other reasons ?

 

[Polliwog]

My flashlight addiction started with a Mini Maglight. I have always been interested in preparedness, and at the time I thought Maglight was the best option out there. Now my addiction is starting to expand into more practical edc gear.

 

[spoonrobot]

Hard anodized Inova X5 from CountyComm Summer of 2003 pulled me right it. Paired with a Inova XO for some throw laughing and I had a great intro to EDCing a flashlight. I've had at least one light on my person every day since then.

 

[Lumen83]

I joined the National Rifle Association and received an engraved Surefire G2.

 

[RetroTechie]

A convergence of being an electronics hobbyist, 'fanatic' cyclist, and LED lighting technology maturing. As for the first & last part: at some point I simply wanted to check out "the state of the art" in compact, handheld LED lights. Enter an Olight S10 Baton. That kind of output vs. runtime (and moonlight mode etc) from such a small package got me pulled into this kind of lights I think. As for the cyclist part: both for work & otherwise I'm often on the road early morning or late in the evening. Lighting being important for visibility & seeing where you go on dark roads. So that progressed something like:

In the old days: tire-mounted dynamo + crappy incandescent light front & rear + unreliable wiring in between (especially wiring to the rear :scowl: ).
Then: battery powered rear LED light. Less wiring to worry about.
Next: less crappy LED light also at the front.
Last: batteries in there too, no dynamo or wiring needed any more.

At the front I'm alternating between a fixed light (NiMH powered), and a removable flashlight that sometimes does its job instead. Sometimes 18650 powered, sometimes smaller Li-ion. Rear light is effectively a non-problem these days.

 

[badtziscool]

I specifically remember getting a Fenix L1D from Fry's Electronics and thought to myself, "Wow. This little thing is bright!". Then I went on YouTube to watch some reviews on it and came across this specific video. That's when I discovered the NiteCore D10. Went to buy one of those. And then came across Zeruel's tribute post and it was game over after that.

 

[flatline]

I carried a mini-mag for years, but the addiction didn't start until I got an Energizer Ultimate (or something like that) 2AA light as a gift from my wife in 2007 or 2008. It opened my eyes to what LEDs could do and after some research on CPF, I bought a Quark AA. That was my first "quality" light and it's still one of my favorites.

--flatline

 

[richbuff]

I have so many posts on this theme, I will have to search and edit this post to add the link. Never mind, no time to Edit, I will do it now.

candlepowerforums.om/vb/showthread.php?337959-What-was-the-ONE-light-that-got-you-hooked/page5

candlepowerforums.om/vb/showthread.php?408266-What-was-the-light-that-got-you-hooked-as-a-hobbyist-Still-have-it/page2

candlepowerforums.om/vb/showthread.php?154896-How-did-you-get-started/page2

candlepowerforums.om/vb/showthread.php?168083-What-made-you-interested-in-flashlights/page2

 

[euroken]

Addiction? What addiction?

 

[bykfixer]

The day I joined CPF.

 

[search_and_rescue]

My housecat slipped out of the house and the only way we found him was using my Maglite 2D flashlight which I had purchased from Sportmart for $24.99 plus tax.

It was sometime between 1998 and 2001. At that point my flashlight addiction began!

I recall coming across Brightguy's website and seeing a 500 lumen Surefire M6 Guardian. (I think it was Brightguy). I was instantly captivated! This was around the year 2004 or 2005.

 

[JimIslander]

Started with weapons lights. Then bought a Zebralight headlamp. All downhill from there!

 

[CigarPundit]

Way back in the early 90s a buddy who worked in a gun shop showed me my first Sure Fire (a 9Z). I was so blown away by the performance compared to the MagLites I had at that time that I had to buy it. I've been a fan of Sure Fire ever since, but I didn't pick up another one (excluding weapon lights, of which I have several) until 2013, when I purchased an R1 Lawman. I absolutely love this light. Perfect UI, great size, and best of all, rechargeable. It has been my household and camping light ever since.

Then in my buddy (same guy) started getting into the high end EDC scene, and turned my on to TAD and PDW, etc. I've always had an appreciation for mechanical art (mechanical watches, fine tools, etc.), and this started to pique my interest in the flashlight scene again. I dabbled by acquiring a few Olights (S2R Baton II, X7R, M2R), and that's when I learned of Cool Fall. I had to have a Spy. Then just a couple of days ago, I got crazy lucky and ended up scoring a Barrel M2JN TAD Edition DLC during the 9:00 a.m. TAD drop. Thousands of people were vying for this light and furiously hitting refresh on their browsers in an effort to get this light in their cart and successfully check out. They only had 32, and I ended up getting one of them.

It it has been a very brisk run from zero to 100 for me in the high end game. I think I'm done, but I also just picked up a Mechtorch and a bunch of tritium for it and my Spy....so who knows. I feel like I now have more flashlights than I want, honestly.

 

[ampdude]

Way back in the early 90s a buddy who worked in a gun shop showed me my first Sure Fire (a 9Z). I was so blown away by the performance compared to the MagLites I had at that time that I had to buy it. I've been a fan of Sure Fire ever since, but I didn't pick up another one (excluding weapon lights, of which I have several) until 2013, when I purchased an R1 Lawman. I absolutely love this light. Perfect UI, great size, and best of all, rechargeable. It has been my household and camping light ever since.

I've never heard of a 9Z before 1996 when they were available. Was this a pre-production model or something?

 

[CigarPundit]

I've never heard of a 9Z before 1996 when they were available. Was this a pre-production model or something?

No. My memory must be off by a few years. I thought it was 1994, but I certainly have no record of it. Probably 1996. In the case at his shop.

 

[ampdude]

Alright, was wondering because I'd never heard of anything like that before. I'd never heard of any Z models being produced before the mid-90's and they didn't appear in the SF catalog until 1996. I always assumed they didn't ship the first Z's until 1995 at the earliest.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

Three stages of life.
1. Grandpa let little Hugh use his plastic angle lights.
2. I got a '2 million candlepower' spotlight with a 6v lantern battery in 2007. Impulse buy just for fun.
3. I gifted a Minimag Pro+ 3 years ago for a gift exchange. I again realized I was into lights and didn't really have any. I joined the forum and the rest is history. It's one of my favourite hobbies.

 

[Burgess]

True Story --


62 years ago this evening,
I was 4 years old.
Living at our old house.


Our Lionel train was set up around our (real) tree,
which was decorated with colored lights.

I was enjoying the train lights, and ESPECIALLY
the Rotating Searchlight Car (# 6520),
which was my FAVORITE !

I mentioned to my dear sweet mother
(now long gone) that she should unplug the
Christmas tree lights, so that I could see
the searchlight car more easily.

But she replied:

" No, not tonight. Cuz' this is Chrismas Eve ! "


This event happened JUST as I've described here,
exactly 62 years ago this evening !


Yes, I've been a Flashaholic for a LONNNNG time !




Here is a LINK to an identical Lionel car --


https://www.ebay.com/p/1101639513?i...MIpdm_geXP5gIVEvDACh03cQIWEAQYAyABEgKT2_D_BwE

 

[Nichia!]

Am very very sorry about your mom

We humans are nothing but memories..

Merry Christmas To U my friend and to all CPF family

I wish you and every single person on this planet


Happiness

So can everyone live their life in peace full of smiles


Love

So can everyone feel the true human inside him and make us better


Long life

So that we can value these moments we spend with our beloved one's

True Story --


62 years ago this evening,
I was 4 years old.
Living at our old house.


Our Lionel train was set up around our (real) tree,
which was decorated with colored lights.

I was enjoying the train lights, and ESPECIALLY
the Rotating Searchlight Car (# 6520),
which was my FAVORITE !

I mentioned to my dear sweet mother
(now long gone) that she should unplug the
Christmas tree lights, so that I could see
the searchlight car more easily.

But she replied:

" No, not tonight. Cuz' this is Chrismas Eve ! "


This event happened JUST as I've described here,
exactly 62 years ago this evening !


Yes, I've been a Flashaholic for a LONNNNG time !




Here is a LINK to an identical Lionel car --


https://www.ebay.com/p/1101639513?i...MIpdm_geXP5gIVEvDACh03cQIWEAQYAyABEgKT2_D_BwE

 

[ven]

As with probably most of you guys(and gals) when young, using torches was something i have always done from a kid. Eveready, duracell types and plastic C and D bodies with bulbs. Types that worked when they decided they wanted to, several taps for light!. Then as i got a little older and started a HGV mechanic apprenticeship, mr snap on decided not only all that chrome vanadium, but maglite as well to eat away at my meagre salary. Maybe my 1st expensive light at £40 ish in 1991 in traditional maglite black!. Skip a few decades of other odd mags and bits. I started researching, CPF did pop up a lot in these searches. Before i joined in 2013, i already had several 18650 lights.......and a few dodgy batteries! I then back in 13, got into nitecore and fenix as the brands to invest a little in. My most expensive purchase then was just crazy, who the heck would spend £120+ on a torch.....wow nut house calling . The tiny monster TM15, what a beast and chunk. The quality difference was night and day, the 2000lm was just ground breaking. Built in charging of the 4 cells made ease of topping off. The journey was now under way..........where it ends is anyones guess.

These days i dont even think i have many nitecores left, odd TUBEvn maybe .

Now what has kept my interest is surefire and the p60's......so flexible and love the old lights. C2/Z2/M2/6P and the E's etc i really love. The history, the real ano! and an almost endless amount of p60 choices.
Some of

USA made are my main focus at present

At last this year i managed to find a nice M6

So although i have slowed down a good bit of late, i am easily tempted for the right light. I will admit to not having a clue what that is haha
Enjoy the ride, make it fun and collect everything!
Merry Christmas

But i like many more than just surefires, little aaa 219b's

Smaller?

Too small? little bigger then

EDC size which are the ones that get reached for or carried