status of your condition..

nyyankeefen

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 7, 2007
Messages
101
Location
School: Erie PA, Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale FL
I'm Dan, and I'm a closet flashlightaholic. I came across these forums a few months ago and my inital thoughts were that you guys were nuts. I mean who post's on forums about flashlights? Well after a wile I relized I was one of you guys.
I love my lights and have started a nice collection, but I have to say, I keep my hobby a secret. I mean if my friends and family were to know that I have over $500 in flashlights they would say I was nuts. Whenever a flashlight is needed and I "happen" to have one on my person I always get the "why do you have a flashlight???" and usually I make up some excuse... so whats your story?
 

Nitroz

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 29, 2004
Messages
3,258
Location
Monroe
All my family thinks it's silly. But just try to take away their modified lights and listen to them scream and holler. :)

My addiction all started with a plastic Brinkmann rebel 5mm LED flashlight with 3 colored filters.
 

Trashman

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 15, 2005
Messages
3,544
Location
Covina, California
I feel like I'm recovering, somehow. I've sold off most of my expensive lights and probably only have about $1500 worth of lights, now. ($1500, being what I spent, not what they're worth, or what their retail value might be. In other words, my 10X Dominator may cost $400-$450 at most websites, but I only payed $200 (with lots of extra bulbs, too!), so I'm only counting $200) Pretty much, I feel like I've gotten a hold of my crazy spending, although that's partially due to not making as much money as I used to, and partially due to there not being too much that I want. However, I did receive 1 light in the mail today (just a cheapy), and there are two more in transit, and I literally log on to CPF (first, the Marketplace!) the first thing every morning, as soon as I get home from work, and as soon as I get home from swimming or table tennis, and keep refreshing throughout the night to see there are any good deals that I wouldn't want to miss out on!

So.....where does that place me? Recovering, right?
 

Patriot

Flashaholic
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
11,254
Location
Arizona
The guys in the family think I'm pretty cool, plus they usually end up with a neat Christmas present. I'm sure that helps their opinion a bit...haha.

I have quite a bit of money wraped up in lights...probably more that I care to admit. I'd say that I'm on hold right now for new lights unless I sell an old one.
 

Lightdude

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
61
Location
Southeast, PA
When I first found this site I thought how can you have a site devoted soley to flashlights? Now I know and so does my bank account! I love this place!
 

WadeF

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
4,181
Location
Perkasie, PA
The new LED flashlights really sucked me in. I've always enjoyed flashlights and gadgets my whole life. The early LED lights fascinated me, but when I got a Fenix P1D-CE I was really blown away. This little thing was kicking my Surefire E2e's butt!

The nice thing with high output LED's is people think they are neat. Rather than saying "Why do you carry a flashlight" they are usually impressed, and you can inform them of all the break throughs about LED's, and how LED's are the future and how they will light our streets and homes, etc. So I take that angle. :)

If I was carrying around an incan it would be harder to explain.
 

pfccypret

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 13, 2007
Messages
157
My love comes and goes. I always dig lights, but I tend to burn myself out (no pun intended) and not purchase any lights for a few months...Then I will go out and spend a couple hundred on lights. I have a nice collection going.

It's amazing, you don't look up lights for a few months and then go back to research and see how much the technology has changed....very cool.
 

NA8

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jun 4, 2007
Messages
1,565
Not too bad. Stumbled across this forum while googling some info on my battery charger. Was impressed at the tech level and started reading about the flashlights. Upgraded my old Maglites and picked up a couple of Fenix AA lights. Even picked up a couple of Brinkmann Maxfires for a cheap incan reference light and a spare parts kit. I'm backing off the lithium batteries for now, but with the Malkoff dropins for the Maglites and the Fenix AA's, I'm not missing them much.
 

Fallingwater

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 11, 2005
Messages
3,323
Location
Trieste, Italy
I found this forum from Dan's flashlight reviews over at dansdata.com .
I was never interested in flashlights when incandescent bulbs were all that was available, but when white LEDs came out - especially high-power ones - the situation changed.
I'm not a flashaholic, I'll say this out right. I hate buying things that don't get used, so I only ever buy what I need. Spending hundreds, or even thousands of $/€ for a multitude of lights of which only a few ever see any use just seems so wasteful to me.

I have a few generic unremarkable honeycomb lights I never use (I got them in the beginning), one honeycomb light that actually sees some use (the DX high brightness model), a honeycomb headlamp that I occasionally use when I have to crawl somewhere dark and a Luxeon L1S that's become obsolete.
And, of course, my main lights: an EDC CR123 Cree and a 18650 general-purpose Cree.
Oh, and a few dynamo lights that I keep scattered around the house in case there's a blackout or something.
I'm pretty sure the whole lot didn't cost me more than €100.

I never make any attempt to keep my lights hidden, though. They are useful, cheap and handy to have around, so why should I?

My main interest as far as flashlight matters are concerned, however, are batteries. I am definitely a batteryholic. :p
 

Dr.K

Enlightened
Joined
Aug 31, 2007
Messages
261
Location
Webster Parish Louisiana
I was a proud nerd in college, always on a quest to learn all that I can.

Right now it's flashlights. ( really it's always been an addiction) I just never had access to the high quality cutting edge stuff.

But I do now :D

thanks CPF,
 

z96Cobra

Enlightened
Joined
Jan 7, 2006
Messages
308
Location
IN
...I keep my hobby a secret. I mean if my friends and family were to know that I have over $500 in flashlights they would say I was nuts.

If it makes you feel any better, I usually have over $500 worth of flashlights on me! :twothumbs At a minimum I have my SureFire U2 and L4, and a Fenix P2D with me 24x7. Between my job and hobbies, they get used many times a day.

Roger
 

donn_

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 10, 2007
Messages
8,067
Location
Great South Bay, LINY
I've always been a toolaholic, fishing tackleaholic, knifeaholic what have you. While I've had Mags as long as I can remember, I'm just starting to get geared up with LED stuff. In fact, there are 3 lights, 2 drop-ins and a variety of accessories enroute as I type. I think I'm nearing enlightenment.
 

Manzerick

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 3, 2004
Messages
2,793
Location
Boston, Massachusetts
Uggg... not good!!! LOL


i can't sell any of my torches.. i try.. but can never pull the trigger.


But buying.. I've been WAY better. No more impulses (ok..just a few)


If i ever get rid of my L4... you'll know i'm cured :)
 

stansbrew

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 1, 2007
Messages
99
Location
Great Northwest
Uggg, I don't want to think what Ive spent on flashlights, but they are so shiney, bright , pretty, usefull, you get the point, I love my lights, all 20 or so of them!
 

MikeSalt

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
1,948
Location
Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire, UK
It's funny, at first CPF was a useful tool in finding high-powered LEDs to replace my incandescents. But, somehow, it has ended up igniting a real passion for incandescents again. Weird!
 

Steve-11

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 22, 2007
Messages
15
I would say my condition is: yellow.

I'm passionate about flashlights, but not quite nuts... yet...

I use my edc flashlight at work VERY often. When I first got my Fenix L2T, the guys said i was nuts for spending my own money. They all had the "industry standard" 2xAA minim*g. :hahaha:

Didn't take too long before folks would ask to 'borrow' my torch.

Now, the boss is considering buying everyone a L2T! :grin2:

Meanwhile, I just ordered a Dereelight, am hankering after some more Fenix's as well...
 

gunga

Flashaholic
Joined
Nov 29, 2006
Messages
8,081
Location
Vancouver, BC, Canada
I seem to be a sick but recovering flashaholic.

I don't think I've hit the upper limit yet so things can still get worse.

Also it seems, I'm trolling B/S/T far too much for comfort.

It is a lot of fun seeing all these new models and the rapidly advancing technology.

I'm even getting into a little modding.

The best part tho, is that I get to try out a ton of lights. They get a little in home testing for fun, and often just go straight back to B/S/T after some night wandering. I carry a couple lights, but the rest are mostly for gee Wiz factor.

Hmmm, I guess it's almost like being married with a ton of dating on the side...

:eek:

Oh, that could be a very bad analogy...

:devil:
 
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