What is your earliest memory of using a flashlight?

[AvPD]

Hmm there were torches in my Dad's garage but my earliest memory of actually using one was around age 10, when I recieved a 2XD torch from a "$2 store".
Always viewed them as a way to quickly flatten batteries until the advent of white LED torches. The first one I used for any amount of time was a plastic one that had a halogen bulb and ran off 2 D batteries, I used it as a spotlight while I delivered pizzas (shudder) for several months during the winter of '99. It did manage to last on one set of batteries which gave me a lot of respect for halogen bulbs. A few years later I bought a Dolphin Mk 5 torch and put a halogen bulb in it, which I used for occasional household use.

[ozner1991]

some 2aa cheapo flashlight when i was 7 and i decided that i wanted more power so i bought an 2d mag

[Northern Lights]

Cool thread. It was for me in the 1950s, circa 1955 and the light was my grandfathers. I was four YOA. My father inheited it. A few years ago I found it still in a bed room. My mother owns it. I turned it into a ROP Low!
This link:
How Old Eveready? going to be ROP!

[Cataract]

I can’t really say the I remember THE first time I used a flashlight, but thanks to this thread, I can now clearly remember my whole life as a flashaholic.

The first flashlight I remember playing … let me rephrase that… The first sip into flashaholism I had was with one of those chrome 2D things that showed a yellow concentric pattern you had to move around constantly to make out an object in the dark. I killed so many batteries with that hog, before killing it for good (I think the switch fell off). Then my father bought a brand new red metallic flashlight with the white plactic tip to hold the lens in place, and the huge refrigerator magnet on it. Much brighter than the first one. I think I played as much with the magnet than I did with the light. Once I scratched the refrigerator door, so I started playing with the light more.

Some time later, Nestle Quick had this offer that if you sent them so many CUP codes, they sent you a free flashlight. That’s probably how I got fat. 6 to 8 weeks seemed like an eternity. The delivery only took 4 weeks, and they had made a mistake…. They sent TWO! (First real taste of flashaholism) these where MINE, and only MINE and TWO of them! My dad ended up buying a battery charger. At some point I broke one, but still had the other one. I played with it for years, until I wasn’t impressed anymore. Now that I know better, a fresh bulb would have kept me glued to the poor thing longer.

Then so many years passed in a seeming remission, until the store I was working at started giving away free pen lights. Couldn’t change the batteries, so I stashed quite a few. Then we got some white LED squeezables to give away. I had at least 2 on me at all times, but the batteries kept falling out.

A couple of years later, after getting tired of setting up camp in the dark because of my lazy friend who insisted his dad’s chrome flashlight was bright (as old as that first one I rubbed the switch off) I decided it was time I sarted shopping for a real light. Got my very first Krypton AND white LED combo (pre-luxeon). It even had a red LED to keep your night vision. I was totally impressed at the white LED’s spill, no previous flashlight I ever saw had ever been this usable, and dropped to the floor at the Krypton’s throw. I thought I’d never need another flashlight again, so I got a second one and the matching headlamp. (First dive into flashaholism) Coul’ve shot a guy up a telephone pole over a hundred feet away. I thought “this is it!”

A couple of years later, I noticed an attractive package that mentioned something about 45 lumen. I had no idea how many lumen my current lights where rated at, but since it was from the same brand, I decided it must be worth the money and even convinced my cousin to buy one at the same time I did, without even testing it first. When we got to the car, we tore the package like a couple of desperately hungry hoboes and popped the batteries in. We lit the floor and got somewhat impressed. We knew the very fact we could see light was a good sign, but we where not THAT impressed. Then the light hit me “Do you realize it’s high noon??!?!?!!? IT’S NOON AND WE CAN SEE THE BEAM CLEARLY!” We dropped all previous plans and went straight back to my place to make our very first beam comparisons with the good ol’ krypton. Needless to say our jaws dropped to the floor for the first time ever. Got myself another one and two of the matching headlamps. Flashaholism was defenitely taking over.

We started scurrying the net to see what else was out there. 60, 80, 120, 180 lumen!!!! I ended up ordering 2 terralux and 1 fenix L2D each for me and my cousin and a fenix L0D for EDC. I could remember the wait for the Quick flashlight, but this time it was only a few days. I think I was shaking while waiting. I dreamt about it. I cursed and swore never to buy anything through the internet, because the wait made it too painfull. Then it came and my mouth dropped to the floor three times again. No more that 2 weeks later I saw the rayovac 4 watt 150 lumen (excellent thrower and very good spill by the way) and couldn’t resist. I bought one. I was now an openly admitted flashaholic. My cousin tried to get one from the stores in his town, but they only had the old type cut-corner disposable cheapos. He brought one of his new lights to the hardware store and started lecturing the manager (a woman) about how she could actually throw away everything that was on the shelves, including m*gs. He actually convinced her to get some of the new lights (now, THAT’S a flashaholic! Don’t convince friends, convince THE WHOLE STORE!) and finally got a good taste at a real thrower for himself. Meanwhile I had bought myself a second one… 300$ worth of flashlights in a month (without counting the ones I gave away) and no regrets…why fight it? I did look for some therapy I could sing myself up at, but only found this site… look for a doctor and find a pusher…

Just this month, amongst others, I got the very last two TK11 R2s in Canada (one for my cousin, I still owe him money) and still want more… I did the same mistake as the first time, though… I popped the batteries in and turned it on in the car (yes, while driving!… for some it’s cellphones, this is my problem) and thought “not so bad… oh, wait it’s true… THE SUN IS UP!!!!!!” and it wasn’t even on turbo… Anyways, I still want more and hesitate between a TK40, M2 or M30…. Sure hope reviews and Lux readings are coming up soon…. I need a fix doc! The paint in my appartment is turnig yellow prematurely … I’m scrounging the rest of my savings to go camping…

-Flashaholic since I’m 4 and until death… I’m considering a flashlight buryal… preferably on a cloudy night a hundred mile away from city lights. Go out with style or burn out like a bulb!

[Onuris]

My earliest memory of using a flashlight was the summer before I went into kindergarten, so I must have been 4 yrs old. My dad had a yellow plastic industrial style light. We were camping and I was using the light around the campsite. I remember him yelling at me to not loose it since it was his work light from his tool box. I brought it to school a few times, and was showing it to some of my friends. One of them noticed that there was a phono-jack style socket on the back, and asked me what it was. I did not know, and had always wondered that myself. I asked my dad about it and he turned the light on and then plugged a jack into it that had a couple of leads with alligator clips on them. The light went out, and he showed me how if the leads were clipped together, or put on a closed circuit, the lamp would light. My first electrical lesson at age 5, curcuit continuity.

My dad was a gadget fanatic, I inherited that from him, and I remember him getting a couple of Maglights when they first came out. The first flashlight I ever bought was a Mini maglight my junior year of high school in '84. My first high-end light was a Laser Products Sure-Fire 6. It must have been in '91, because I was in the Marines and had just come back from fighting in Khafji durring Desert Storm. I bought a few of them, they have a one piece body, without a tailcap. Two of them are still in their original plastic cases. I gave one to my dad for his birthday. I also bought a few 6P's when they first came out, one of them is still new in its box, never been opened. The addiction just continued to grow and grow...

[Fat_Tony]

The earliest flashlight that I remember using a lot was a black plastic 2C or 2D light with a sliding orange switch and an orange plastic lens. Why was the lens orange, you may ask? Well, this was a special Halloween flashlight, made specifically to give to children, I believe. It even had an almost opaque Orange jack-o-lantern type plastic face that you could push onto the front of the flashlight, which would glow slightly when you turned the light on. It looked a lot like this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vintage...7600441919944/

[jzmtl]

I think it was when I was 5 or 6, with those chrome stamped body lights.

[Cosmo7809]

I remember my father buying me one of those coleman tiny lantern lights where you turn the base to switch on and off. Rest is history.

[computernut]

Not really a flashlight story but I think I wound up the computer industry thanks to my love for blinky lights.

When I was a young lad, I stayed at my grandmother's house and I got to sleep in my uncle's old bedroom. Pretty much everything was left alone from when he moved out and on his shelf was a construction light. It had a yellow plastic base with a round orange transparent head and blinked when you hit the switch. I enjoyed playing with it and I asked my dad for one. My dad is an electrician and he ordered one from one of his suppliers and I was surprised to get one for my next birthday. I liked turning off the lights and using the strobing effect. I also liked opening it up and playing with the batteries as it took 2x6v lantern batteries. I used the batteries to hook up to motors and lights for little electrical projects.

I haven't seen the light in years, maybe I should find out where it got packed away.

[ericjohn]

I think I have posted a picture of it on here. In November of 1987 (I was born the previous January) I was sitting on my paw paw's lap and staring into the reflector of his Eveready Commander lantern. I also remember a yellow 6 Volt lantern with a white switch you would turn and a white lens ring you would remove to access the bulb and battery. I remember digging in the cabinet for it and also my parents shining it on the wall while playing with me. This was sometime in 1988 and I was 1 years old back then. Speaking of that, does anyone remember that aforementioned yellow lantern. My parents threw it away when I was 4 because either the battery died or the bulb burned out. About 3 years ago I saw the exact same model at a local hardware store; but it wasn't for sale. I should have asked what was the model and brand names. Is anyone familiar with that description. When I was little my parents also had a blue Eveready Value Lite and a Bright Star 575 (known to them as "the black flashlight."

[Chauncey Gardiner]

My father was also stationed at Naha, Okinawa, from 1962 to 1966. That's where my oldest memory of playing with a flashlight comes from. I was five or six years old, and remember camping-out in the back yard in an Army surplus tent. They were made of green cotton, and were impossible to breath in. My light had a red glass lens. Good times.

~ Chance

[B.B.]

In the early 70's i remember playing with Dad's flashlight that lived in the TOOL/JUNK drawer. Chrome cheap metal 2d. I always got yelled at because batteries were expensive. LOL

[Sub_Umbra]

The earliest flashlights I remember were from the fifties. 2D, chrome and stuck to the fridge with magnets. Probably Ray-O-Vac.

Oh, man, the lights of my youth were crappy.

[Lee1959]

yeah they had the magnet version and the non magnet versions. I used to mess with the one in the glovebox of my dads old chevy. Amazing how fast it went dead, lol.