Why budget lights for you?

[shao.fu.tzer]

I keep the good lights nearby in case I need them. I use the cheap lights as beaters, loaners, and work lights.

 

[Brian10962001]

I understand the fundamentals of what makes a light. Back in the day Mag Lite was king of the mid line working class lights. I had the biggest wildest Mag Lights out (the 6 C cell and 6 D cell, this was before Mag Charger or any of that). Plus spot lights and various other things. For me now that I'm grown I know what makes a light, and budget lights have all of the things that make them fun. Plus with technology advancing so fast it's awesome to have something that's older, out dated, but was a bargain when you got it Imagine all the people with big money incans that were top of the line a few years back LOL.

 

[mfm]

solarforcesales.com in China if you wanna wait a month.

More like a week or less.

Can Solarforce "flashlights" be bought, and not just as parts? I checked out a website for them and everything seems to be parts and dropins and hosts. Are there actually assembled lights that are sold? Also, they seem to be pretty much be CR123. I was hoping to find a AA model.

Check these for example:

http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=31&id=150
http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=31&id=151
http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=31&id=114

 

[ronl]

I'm definitely in the same boat as Mike_TX in that I would not be in the modern flashlight game without budget lights. It all started with a Google search for Cree (researching LED aquarium lighting) where I came across a CPF discussion on the Husky 2D 4W Cree on clearance for $14 at Home Depot. At first I thought it was funny that there was a discussion forum on flashlights. Then I found myself searching 4-5 Home Depots for the elusive Husky clearance light before I finally found one. Wife thought I was crazy for spending $14 on a flashlight.

Then I came across the Husky's little brother, 3AAA 3W Cree, on clearance for $6 and just had to get it so I would have a matching set. The smaller Husky was too big for pocket carrying, so next up was an Akoray K-106 3-mode programmable from KD for $15 or so. Wife was really getting worried now.

To ease her mind, I then picked up a River Rock 3AAA Cree mini lantern on clearance at Target for $6 for her Girl Scout troop camping trips. It was such a good price that I just had to pick up a second one for the house in case of power outages.

Finally decided the Akoray was too big for everyday pocket carrying and wanted a 1AAA light. So I picked up an ITP A3 EOS for ~$24 and had to get a second one in purple for the wife's purse so she wouldn't kill me.

Not being a police officer, fire fighter, or in the military, I don't think I will ever buy or need anything more expensive than the ITP A3 EOS. But I sure do love my budget lights and can't imagine I will need anything more than the ones I have. It's even better when you can find nice lights on clearance.

Ron

 

[LEDrock]

More like a week or less.



Check these for example:

http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=31&id=150
http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=31&id=151
http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=LF&s=31&id=114

Whoa! Now those look like REAL bargains! 320 lumens from 2AA batteries for $20-$30! Am I reading that right?

 

[black_ice_pc]

I personally started out buying only budget lights like Ultrafire, Trustfire etc. They were crap and only one of the maybe 15 I bought still works. Total price spent on them was in the hundreds. Then I bought a Quark Turbo 123^2. Works perfect, all the time every time. So I bought a Preon 2. Same story, always works with no problems. Then I was given a neutral Quark 123. Same. Plus all the modes and programing make them very much more usable for different tasks. One light can hit a target 200M away or it can be used to read a book in pitch black 2' from your face.

My point is, a higher quality light will actually save you money in the long run. Not a crazy high end one, they're more for the collectors and serious enthusiasts. Plus they provide additional usability, so you get more light for your $$.

 

[black_ice_pc]

Whoa! Now those look like REAL bargains! 320 lumens from 2AA batteries for $20-$30! Am I reading that right?

There's no way it'll actually hit that lm. Unfortunately Solarforce plays the imaginary lumens game, where they state theoretical maximums instead of the true lumens. Solarforce is definitely known as a good budget/midrange company though. I personally have my eyes on a Skyline 1 and a Masterpiece Pro 1.

 

[LEDrock]

There's no way it'll actually hit that lm. Unfortunately Solarforce plays the imaginary lumens game, where they state theoretical maximums instead of the true lumens. Solarforce is definitely known as a good budget/midrange company though. I personally have my eyes on a Skyline 1 and a Masterpiece Pro 1.

Yeah, the reason I was asking about Solarforce is because there seems to be more posts about it than anything else here in the "budget forum" so I figured people were on to something here. It sounds like it just might be the hottest thing, although their lumens count may not be very honest.

 

[ElectronGuru]

I personally started out buying only budget lights like Ultrafire, Trustfire etc. They were crap and only one of the maybe 15 I bought still works. Total price spent on them was in the hundreds.

Yeah, the reason I was asking about Solarforce is because there seems to be more posts about it than anything else here in the "budget forum" so I figured people were on to something here.

The general goal with budget lights is to get the lowest price, without going so cheap that it fails under normal use. You see this in thread after thread of 'found this great price but worried it will break'.

In the spectrum of prices from free all the way up to installment plan, brands cheap enough to buy without concern but expensive enough to keep running for most customers most of the time (use without concern), strike a balance. The balance of concerns, avoiding the twin regrets of spending to much and spending to little.

 

[thedukeoftank]

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've purchased cheap knives or flashlights and have come to regret it.

When I was little, I went to various gun and knife shows with my grandfather. He has always been an avid outdoorsman and shooter (and flashaholic come to think about it) and so naturally I followed in that path as well. Now, as a young boy, I had to have every. gadget I could find. I purchased numerous pocket knives & trinkets at those shows. Almost every single time I would get ready to spend the little money I had on some random Chinese knife or multi tool, my grandfather would pull me aside and say, "don't you wanna save your money to get something better? That thing will just break on you in a few weeks".But being the impatient little boy I was, I couldn't wait.

Now, a few years later, we were in the situation that I had aways found myself in. I wanted something cheap but my Grandfather advised against it. That time I took his advice and waited until the next show when I bought a Buck 110 folder. Funny thing is that I remember breaking or loosing all of those Chinese made cheapos, but now at 25, that Buck knife is sitting next to my other knives in my collection at home.

Same happened to me in regards to flashlights, I always have had flashlights. I rely heavily on flashlights for work so they see a bit of abuse. I got sick and tired of buying a $20 flashlight every few months. I never knew about these other brands until I watched a video review of the 4sevens Quark AA2 tactical by Nutnfancy. I am pleased to say that I have had this light for a year or so now and its still kicking. (It looks like it is 5+ years old now because of the work time it sees though)

Now, it's kind of a long story just to say that you get what you pay for, but it is too true to be ignored.

I hope to pass many of these tools down to my children some day and with a little regular maintenance, I'll be able to.

Just ask the Victorinox Swiss Champ that I received for my 7th birthday... he's right here next to me

 

[black_ice_pc]

The general goal with budget lights is to get the lowest price, without going so cheap that it fails under normal use. You see this in thread after thread of 'found this great price but worried it will break'.

In the spectrum of prices from free all the way up to installment plan, brands cheap enough to buy without concern but expensive enough to keep running for most customers most of the time (use without concern), strike a balance. The balance of concerns, avoiding the twin regrets of spending to much and spending to little.

Well said. It should also be noted that a person's definition of "budget" lights may differ widely. Some may see $20 as alot when you can buy a neon plastic thingy from walmart for $4. Others spend $1000+ on a light, and things like 4Sevens would be considered budget. I'd say Solarforce is a good balance for the budget minded between quality and price. They're cheap, but decent quality.

If you're looking at super low budget, Tank007 makes decent lights (including the one budget light I still own that works!), and there's some Ultrafire that's ok. But most anything that's ---fire = crap, excluding Surefire of course!

 

[jondotcom]

I fell in love with the surefire 6p but realized it was a hot chick with a bad attitude and no libido. I'm now married to solarforce lights, but I am a polygamist and have several. My favorite is the L2i so I can use multiple battery options and I like the thicker body.

 

[gcbryan]

I'm still trying to like my Surefire 6P but it's hard. It's not bright, it only has a momentary switch, can't take 18650's and if you keep the light in a drawer and the momentary switch touches anything...the light turns on and depletes the battery.

To keep the light on you have to use two hands to screw the tail cap down.

Why is it I'm supposed to like this thing?

 

[richpalm]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Solarforce... I have ~15 hosts with dropins that I built. The L2P is a great looking host; all but two of mine are L2P's and I love 'em. The trick is to have a good dropin because these hosts are more than up to the task. A couple are set up for 4.2A and everything works fine, including the stock clickie.

With a triple XPG dropin, I built the whole light and dropin for less than $75.00, battery included, and I love doing it... why spend big bucks that I don't have anyway when I can get the satisfaction of rolling my own? (and pimpin' 'em out?)

Rich

 

[trooplewis]

I find it ironic that Solarforce (the original P60 Clone) is so good that now other Chinese mfg's are making fake Solarforce lights.
Solarforce is good stuff, if you don't want to have a hundred bucks (or more) invested in every light you own. Even Ultrafire 502, 503, 504's are decent stuff for everyday play. They run about 10 bucks per host.

I do love the "you get what you pay for" argument. Yeah, to a point. But not everyone on the freeway drives a BMW or Cadillac, but they all seem to be keeping up just fine, with half the maintenance of the expensive boys. I know my Pelican is the funkiest looking light I own, because Pelican stopped making silver tailcaps, so mine has a black replacement tailcap on it now. Along with a Thrunite XM-L drop-in, which is sooooo much brighter than the Luxeon that was in it.

 

[Kindle]

I'm still trying to like my Surefire 6P but it's hard. It's not bright, it only has a momentary switch, can't take 18650's and if you keep the light in a drawer and the momentary switch touches anything...the light turns on and depletes the battery.

If only Surefire could come up with something like...oh I don't know...a patented lock out tailcap perhaps. :shakehead

 

[mccririck]

I have 4 budget lights, I use them for work every day and none are "crap" and none have failed. And I'm glad they're budget as it means if I lose one and can replace it easily.

It would be nice to have a £50 flashlight but I cannot justify the cost when the lights I have just now are perfectly good.

 

[jbrett14]

I have to wonder just how much better they are and if they're worth the extra money.

What's your experience?

Although you do tend to get what you pay for, that is not always true. E.g. it's quit possible that a $5 flashlight COULD outlast a $100 flashlight. I've read enough posts in the other forum to know that many fellows have had failures with their higher end lights. Of course, this is not normally the case, but it's possible.

There is also a threshold in which folks start throwing their money away. E.g. I seriously doubt that a $300 light is twice as good as a $150 light, in most cases. Likewise, possibly, for a $50 light compared to a $25 light. Depends on the light.

Now, to compare "budget" lights (under $20 ?) with perceived higher end lights. Most of my purchases had been on budget lights until about 7 years ago when I bought my first Streamlight for around $30. Was it worth it. Absolutley. I found it to be far superior than any of the common brands found on store shelves, AT THE TIME. But since that time I have gone from Streamlights to Zebralight, Fenix, etc. My very first higher end light, say, over $50, was my Fenix TK30 which I purchased about a year ago. Was it worth the $120? At the time I thought so. But since then, plenty of other equally good flashlights have come out, some of which are half the cost. The point: it's not worth it to buy the latest and greatest. It's better to wait until less expensive models come out, if one is on a budget.

Is the quality that much better? yes, but not always, and it's probably not a needed difference. Given the fact that most of us are wanting to replace our brightest lights with the newest brightest lights, usually every couple years, does it really matter. We often get caught up in wanting the brightest flashlight of the "best" quality and yet the light really only needs to last until technology comes out with something "better" (a year or two). This is true at any price level. E.g. today you can get a $5 light the size of your hand that far outshines an old D-sized Mag for $30. And even if it only lasts a year, so what, you can buy another one and it will likely be even brighter and better than the one you had before, for the same price.

Now, having said this, from my experience there IS a difference in the quality of beams, but I'm not sure it's worth the extra money for the average homeowner, camper, hiker, etc. Let's face it, most of the real life times when we need light, it's not gonna matter whether we had a $5 source for light or a $150 source for light, we just need it to lighten up what is otherwise too dark to see. This can be accomplished with just about any budget light.

For me, I wish I hadn't ever bought the Fenix. Oh, not because it wasn't worth it, but because I became addicted to the higher end light. It is an addiction you know. It's not about NEEDING those extra lumens or the near perfect beam of light, it's about satisfying our perception of perfection. It never ends. And for those of us who are "perfectionists", it's a "need".

Stick with the budget lights unless you have money to burn. It's a costly addiction. I sometimes find myself wanting to go back to "budget" lights but can't, due to my addiction to have a better quality light, even though I KNOW that light will only need to last 2 or 3 years. It's the "perfectionist" in me. A curse?

Here is a perfect example of how it can be a waste of money to buy higher end lights: Several years ago, while shopping at Cabela's, I bought three 1-watt Luxeon flashlights on sale in their Bargain Cave for around $25 each. They were normally like $50 lights, so of course I wanted to take advantage of these very high quality lights. Today, they are a joke compared to even my little 1 x AAA keychain flashlight (iTP A3 EOS). The point is, like I said, whether we buy budget lights or higher end lights, we DON'T need them to last forever. Therefore all the hype about any higher end light that can stand up to years and years of abuse is pointless since it will be surpassed by technology. I now have those 3 Cabela's lights and do not even use them. They are in MINT condition and of excellent quality (construction) yet I probably couldn't get $10 for them because of how far technology has come. I've seen $5 lights outshine them.

Sorry I wrote so much, but wanted to help.

Jonny

 

[Mike_TX]

Totally agree with jbrett - there is definitely a point of diminishing returns on flashlights, just like with anything else. Few will argue with the notion that a Mercedes is higher-quality than a Toyota ... but few will ever wear out a Mercedes, either. And you still see one in the shop every now and then, so they DO still break down just like Toyotas.

The point is that Mercedes cars are generally over-engineered, just as some high-end lights are. Is a higher-gauge aluminum in the barrel, or a thicker anodizing going to really make a difference to most of us? I doubt it. Do some of the higher-end lights have better QC and maybe more careful assembly? Probably. But how much difference is that going to make to most of us? More importantly, is it worth paying 5 or 10 times the price for the big-name lights? For most of us, the answer is no.

I don't drive a Mercedes and I don't run $150 flashlights. And you know what? I'm doing fine. :thumbsup:

.
.

 

[LEDrock]

Well, my current favorite is my Ray O Vac 1 watt 2AA. It has a luxeon. Not the greatest, by any means, but it's my first and only Luxeon. Super deal at $5 after a rebate at Menards. Normally was around $13. I love the momentary switch and pretty much everything else about it. It's 45 lumens, which of course makes me wonder what the 185 lumens of something like a Quark 2AA would be like. I have reservations about a multi-level light though. Seems so much more complicated to use than my momentary swithced ROV. I know the Tactical version is more like what I have, but I suspect that I'd feel "cheated" out of all but 2 levels since it can only be programmed for 2 at once.