What is the first thing you look for in a flashlight?

[Showmethelight]

Voted battery, if it's not something in my repertoire right now, it's just not worth the extra investment in chargers and batteries.

 

[Rexlion]

My answer would have been different before, but my priorities have changed... and may change again in the future. I voted battery type because you didn't have my #1 choice, UI. Lately I've been buying just side switches. I've always preferred them over tailswitches, but not many decent side switch lights were being made just 3 or 4 years ago. Now we have many to choose from.

 

[N_N_R]

Wow...... I've missed so many things, it seems. That's what happens when you use your own views as a basis.. But there are only 10 poll options, anyway

It's interesting to read your opinions.

Some people say they choose the brand which to them equals durability and ruggedness. Some say they choose by ruggedness. Well, to the latter ones, HOW do you know a light is rugged to choose according to this factor? I mean, can you tell just by looking at it, by the specs? You can do that only after you've already bought such a light and you know that if you buy it again, it will be rugged. But you can't tell only by the specs, I think...

Anyway, keep mentioning what I've missed here

 

[Slazmo]

Batteries (love generic easy to source batteries!), reverse polarity protection, IP rating, quality of the button and seals (Unsatisfied with my EA4's button and so many people are also), gold plated contacts (durability of contacts), surface coating of torch & grip, available aftermarket parts (cones, diffusers, anti roll rings etc), pouch (needs to have a good pouch or available to fit one), run time, size, quality of lense and if optic coated, UI ( ease of cycling through and memory if available), beam pattern (couldnt care for tint - prefer neutral over cool if available), tail standing ability and lanyard hole, drop survivability...

Most important - brand image with consumer returns and warranty. So far I havent had any complete nightmares however my EA4 is something that is playing on my mind at the moment with that switch!!! :shakehead

 

[Mikeg23]

I didn't vote but I will answer... My fist thought was there are to many things I look at simultaneously to label one as the first. After a little more thought I would say user interface is the most important to me. I like single mode lights and if a light has multiple modes I like it to work similar to a single mode.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...e-quot-criteria-for-buying-another-flashlight

 

[sgt253]

An on/off switch...LOL...I don't need much of a reason to buy another one. Sorry, couldn't resist. Carry on.


Regards.

 

[TEEJ]

It depends on if you mean, what do I look at first when I first see a particular light, or, what do I look for when looking FOR a light?

The question is so broad and open ended for me either way, that its like asking: "What is the first thing you look for in a tool?"


If I see A tool, I might consider what I might be able to use it for....given its attributes.

If I see that I need a tool, and am starting the search for one, its a search for a SET of criteria...that will result in a tool that does what I need it to.

For example, if I need a tool to screw in a torx bolt...the first thing I look for is if it CAN drive a torx bolt....and then I'd consider how well suited it was for the task, how long it might last, cost, etc.

If I am given a box of lights to use for a disaster recovery operation, I might sort through them and pick some to cover the long range aspects, some for close range, and some for mid range...and if the weather or sea conditions, etc, warrant it, the water resistance/usefulness/survivability in that scenario...the availability of power/spare cells for recharging vs runtime and so forth.

If I am SHOPPING for a light for the above scenario, I would be looking for a SET of criteria that would be analogous to looking for something to drive the torx bolt, etc.



So there is no one thing I look for FIRST really, as the FIRST thing is the niche it has to fit...and that dictates the light's desired attributes.



If I didn't USE the lights, and I just collected, say, throwers, then I'd look at cd first, or if I only liked warm tints, I'd look at it to be sure it had a warm tint first, and so forth.


If I USE the lights, then I might say, OK, the cool white will find the missing person first because its going to put more lux on target than the same form factor warm light...and it does me no good to know if little johnnies shirt was more navy or less navy if he's dead because it took too long to see him, etc.

If the range little johnny is at is adequately reached by a warm light, sure, there's even a chance his shirt will stand out from the rushes he's in better, or, maybe, that it will be even harder to see, depending on the shirt.

I might be better off with a light so far to the cool side its UV, so his shirt fluoresces and glows like a beacon....and so forth.


IE: What is perfect for some people is awful for others, and visa versa.

 

[JohnnyBravo]

Currently, I look for what country was the light made in. But for your poll, I chose battery type. I like the 16340 or 14500 single cell units...

 

[Robot Mania FU]

I'm mainly looking for edc lights, so first and foremost...how I think it will carry. Next comes durability, brightness, and the fact that I'm not fond of many modes. All I really want is high, strobe, and low.

 

[Bacon]

Defiantly design

1.) Bigger hosts can still use smaller lions
2.) Can always swap the driver for "better" modes
3.) Can always swap the LED for what you need
4.) Can always get the super capacity battery for better run time (thus a lager host)

But the host pretty much is the flashlight. And modifying the host would be ridiculous instead of buying a new [strike]flashlight[/strike], I mean host.

 

[Z-Tab]

When I get interested in a light, it's usually because I have heard positive reviews of them from a number of respected users on this site. When someone that owns a dozens of $$$ lights says something is good, I assume that they aren't just being fanboys.

The two most important things to me are build quality and UI. After that, it kind of depends on if the light fits a clear purpose (functional size/output/runtime for its intended use). Tint/beam quality is important, but there's actually a pretty broad range that is acceptable (especially if you aren't comparing beams side-by-side). For instance, the current stock Surefire T1A is pretty blue when you compare it to a 219, but on its own it is white enough and it does have the best build quality and UI of any of the variable lights out there.

 

[kaichu dento]

An on/off switch...LOL...

:twothumbs

Defiantly design

Yeah, defiantly!

 

[Ishango]

I chose appearance / design, as I think it's the closest to build quality, which is generally what I look for in every light. But actually it depends per purchase. Sometimes I look for a specific battery type. I recently bought a 9V light (PALight) to have multiple options available for instance. Sometimes I look at brightness or runtime depending on a specific task/ purpose.

 

[BillSWPA]

To me, the single most important characteristic is reliability - it has to work when I need it. This it the only totally non-negotiabile characteristic.

Given good reliability, I look for:

1) Size/weight small enough so it will be there when I need it.
2) Good run time - one factor in reliability.
3) Brightness, which is helpful but generally second to run time.
4) Throw. If I need to see a wide area close up, I just move the light. If I need to see at a distance with a floody light, I have no good options.
5) Properly designed user interface/mode selection. I like having a low mode so that I do not have to use blinding, battery draiining light every time I use the light for a mundane task, but single mode beats multi-mode with a poor user interface. I want high (or strobe, if available) instantly accessible, with a low (or hopefully zero) chance of switching out of high mode during a series of quick, intermittent uses. Taking more time/steps to get to low mode is acceptable because I will not generally use low mode if I need it in a hurry. I also prefer that a high state of readiness not cause the light to constantly click on in my pocket or my wife's purse.

 

[PANGES]

I went with battery type just because whenever I see a flashlight, that's the first thing I check for.

 

[Mr Floppy]

There's needs be another option: "credit card balance"

 

[guyg]

i only buy AA or AAA lights. My second would be one beam only, I dont like switching two or three times.

 

[archimedes]

Only two real "deal-breakers" for me are (in order) ... #1) build quality, then #2) beam quality.

If it is not well made, I'm just not interested. If it is, then it needs to have a suitable beam, including tint, within reasonable parameters (which may vary somewhat for different purposes).

For example, a long-range "thrower" might allow more tolerance for artifacts and (somewhat) cooler tint, but a torch to be used up close should have a very smooth beam, neutral-warm tint, and excellent color rendering.

Everything else is flexible.

 

[JacobJones]

For me modes are the real killer, 5 modes can be acceptable with a good UI but I can't handle any more than that. For smaller lights (1AAA, 1AA) 3 is the maximum I find tolerable and definitely no disco modes. I have a tendency to cycle through all the modes available every minute or two (OCD I suspect), with less modes I am not compelled to do this as much.