How long did it take before you realized …

[bluepilgrim]

In the experience I had in mind, I was less concerned with missing the bear as the making sure the bear missed me! :laughing:

As it was -- I didn't have any light with me at the time, getting back to camp much later than anticipated, and feeling my way along the trail with a walking stick. It's amazing how one can walk directly away from a large growling animal (maybe a bear -- maybe a cat) through thick woods, in pitch dark.
We didn't have LEDs back then and good bright lights were heavy and bulky -- not something you stuck in your pocket casually. That may be the 'traumatic experience' that set me off on the 'way of the flashlight'.

 

[Foxfyre]

About a year ago when I pulled out my old EDC Basic 42 and started using it again.

Thats when I realized that it wasn't necessary to have 200 lumens of super tight spot light to find your way downstairs during a blackout or navigate to the car at 5 in the morning going to work.

And forget about using a high power light to read by without disturbing my bride sleeping in bed beside me.

Turn on light: sorry, dear. (I deserved that).

 

[Cataract]

when I saw my first LED flashlight, I knew that better beam pattern was the way to go... but also higher lumen output was still a major factor (then again, we're talking about 5 to 10 lumen lights). It took a good 300$ spending to realize that build quality and different power outputs was better yet.

It took another 2000$ to realize that output wasn't the end-all and go back to beam pattern and spectrum. That's about when I started using combos of flood / throw / neutral / low-low. Another 1000$ later, I also carry one incan. Haven't found THE perfect light, but at least I found a combo that does the job right in pretty much any situations. I still like bright lights for fun, but I know those are not going to be a go-to light for outdoor use unless I encounter a grizzly bear.

 

[Jash]

It's horses for courses, apples and oranges.

I use either my EX10 SP or Quark mini AA on low (don't wake the kids) at night around the house, and my TK40 on high when walking the dog (to see what that thing is 50 metres away).

There's a P7 mag (sits right next to my bed) that just comes on fully bright when I hear a noise in the yard and need that guaranteed flood of light, no modes to get messed up with.

Then there's the TK20 in my tool box that gets used everyday and I can know it will survive being knocked around with all that hardened steel.

All in all, any light is better than no light.

You can have your cake and eat it too with this game, it only takes some knowledge and a few dollars.

 

[scout24]

I was here a few months before taking the plunge into McGizmo's, LS20 was the one that did it for me. There is still a place for lots of lumens, as I am still guilty. That said, beam pattern has become far more important to me, and having different lights for different purposes is a good thing. Proper tool for the job, and all...

 

[Light Sabre]

I go for the low brightness, long runtime flashlights. I live in the suburbs in an apartment with good exterior lighting. I'm single, no kids, don't go camping or hkiking. For me most of my flashlight use is 5 ft or less, looking for things under my bed, under desks, tables, in my car, car's trunk, etc. I do have a few bright lights like the fugly Husky 2D 4 watt, a few of the 3 watt mag LED's and a few of the latest model 2D LED. They don't get used much. I have them if I do need some power, but compared to other guys on CPF, even these are not very bright. I like longer runtimes with decent/acceptable brightness and the common battery types that can be found at pretty much any store that sell batteries. I have moded a few lights to make them dimmer so that they last longer. More of an emergency light type of deal. It just all depends on what your needs are. :candle:

 

[Chrontius]

I bought a used Lux3 Lummi Wee with every intention of Creeing it.

You know those emitters that HDS hand-picks for their GT lights? This would be one of them.

Lux3 Groovy, bought with every intention of letting Milky have at. Funds fell through, and I bought batteries for it's peculiar, (one-off?) 3.7v LDO sandwich. It's not the same with-a-hint-of-peach the Lummi is, but I'm coming to like it as well.

Occasionally I get nostalgic for a conventional incan, and I'll throw a MagnumStar 2C into a 2xAA host. Or I'll break out an old-school E2O. But the real odd one is a hankering for a P60 in a G2Z - I could run it guilt-free in a 6R, but there's something about that lamp in that host that makes you want to love it. It's smallish and quite light, but it's not very bright, and for a while it was the NRA's favorite hostile-situation light for armed citizens--but none of that is why I love it (even if normally it's hosting a P91). The lumens bug is still chewing on me, but I'll always have a soft spot for that Wee and that G2Z/P60 configuration. (the Groovy will probably get a custom SST-90 sandvich one day, though... :naughty

In all seriousness, I still like more oomph, 90% of the time, and reserve low beams for preserving night vision. But there is that other 5-10% of the time I can't explain rationally.

 

[SilentK]

It took me untill a few months ago when I reailzed that 90 percent of the tasks I did were done using the moonlight mode on my Quark. :thumbsup:

 

[TKC]

Yup, I am there too, and have been for a long while now.

 

[pounder]

didn't take me very long to realize you only need so much light, but I do prefer white led light to anything else..coming from a 4d maglite my solarforce l2 was an eye opener as to what I was missing out on..got a slf masterpiece for when I am on duty as a search light and it is amazing at the task..hard to think I would ever need anything brighter..I use the low mode quite often as it is enough light for most tasks..but the high mode turns night into day and you really can't beat that..