My impressions of being a flashaholic

[Bushman5]

So, after about six months or so of dabbling in this hobby i have the following to say:

- its expensive, especially if your Canadian. I bought a total of 7 lights, at a high cost of approx $800. Plus what I spent over $300 CDN on shipping costs, return shipping costs and duties alone for the various lights i bought.

- batteries, Specifically the Cr123 and RCR123's . Pricey, finicky, prone to explode or vent, short lifespan, health hazard, cant get them damp or wet, you have to have a gazzilion chargers for every type, apparently the voltages in the battery are higher than whats marked on the battery (see ** below for more on this), After spending about $60 for RCR123's i discovered they were not good enough and that they were exploders if you had one that was slightly run down with a newly charged one. Apparently only protected batteires are good enough. So off i went, yet again, spent another $100 for protected batteries, and new chargers to match.


- -** LED drop ins and replacement lamps. Uable to find locally, hads to buy online. Spent $200 on veyr bright and white Cree drop ins, only to have them blow out as a result of above mentioned battery issues. Cant afford to replace them. Stuck with useless $200 lights. ended up selling them for 75% less than what i just paid for them, due to market used pricing.

Custom lights. They are nice and all, very bright, no arguement here. except the battery carriers chew the hell out of the battery wrappers, causing shorts circuiting, blown batteries and once again, i have to buy more batteries.

I looked at the enjoyment i got from the lights, it was very minimal compared the cash outlay and subsequent debt as a result. Lights i have'nt even poaid for yet are either dead, needing new expensive drop ins, or have been sold off for 5 cents on the dollar, due to market pricing for said used lights.

I'm done. I'm tired of the hassles. Tired of paying shipping costs, Tired of battery bullcrap and finicky cells that can only be used for ten minutes before you have to recharge them. Tired , broke, pissed off.

Its been a slice. I'm going to stick with my Pelican 2020 LED and common "C" batteries. It has NEVER let me down, and if it ever does i get a free replacement. Same with my Malkoff 4 C - it has never let me down and uses common "C" batteries. Same with my Mag 6D with Terralux 140 lumen drop in and common D cells.

The above has been my experience and my experience only. Your milage might vary, but to be quite honest as i stated above, i'm tired of the hassles. I'm done.

I'll be hanging around, I do enjoy everyones contributions and reviews, but i wont be buying lights anymore.

Have a Safe Merry Christmas everyone.

[PayBack]

Well things aren't much better here in New Zealand when it comes to pricing, and I hope you find a better value for money hobby (like money bonfires ) however...

I don't think you're a flashaholic.... The reason I say that is because you're making comments that are sane and rational.

I think I'm a flashaholic because I buy torches I don't need and can't really explain why I buy them. Maybe I'm part magpie, cos if it's shiny I want it

I buy a torch and see another that's no better and depending on what it looks like and how it performs, I might buy it. I have more lights than anyone in my town I'm fairly certain yet I'm still likely to buy more... because I'm sick lol. I'd use my HID maybe once or twice a year... yet I bought two of them. I think that's what makes a flashaholic.. they're not rational.

Or maybe you're cured? :O

[TITAN1833]

I don't think either of you are flashaholics,so both write 1000 lines.."i'll take it" paypal sent

[Bushman5]

I don't think either of you are flashaholics,so both write 1000 lines.."i'll take it" paypal sent

too funny

[sntangerbg]

I am sorry to hear about your bad experience dude. I see a reason in what you said, and a solid reasoning behind your decision. If it does not bring you joy-do not practice it.
With the above said in mind, I still think you qualify as a flashaholic--your lights (except the Pelican) all use drop-ins and are solid choices. Maybe you should just "tweak" your hobby a litle--not happy with 123's--get AA and AAA lights. Not happy with custom ones--stick with proven manifacturers
I am a prime example of a guy that does not throw cash around, but is happy with his hobbies. I am into watches, and every watch I have serves a purpose. I do not have 30 watches, I have 4, but am happy with them. Do I qualify as a watchaholic--hell yea I hang on the Watchuseek forum a LOT, and know a lot about watches, I just have not achieved (yet, am working on it) the financial means to have a large collection.
Am I a flashaholic? I do not know.... (I am a lurker, do not post a lot, mostly read and soak up knowledge...quite parasitic I know, but I have to katch up in the flashlight department...) I have only one light , a SF L1 Cree, am EXTREMELY HAPPY with it, and after spending countless hours on this forum (thank you all for the priceless knowledge) I am about to order a couple of Peaks. Again--a modest number of lights I will have, but I am a USER not a collector, and they are lights from reputable, high quality companies.
And one last word--do not get in debt for a hobby. ANY HOBBY. not worth it. all my hobbies are fun, and if I cannot afford it, it will not be fun any more, so I buy or do fun stuff only with money I have put aside. Period.
Cheer up dude, pay your debts, and when you have some dough on the side that you can spare-TREAT YOURSELF, a light, a watch, a drink, anytthing
And Happy Holidays to all of you.

[woodrow]

Bushman5,
Dude, sorry about the bad luck and battery problems. I sometimes wonder if it is just better to buy a bunch of 123a primaries than to mess with rechargables (at least the rcr123a's)

I like what PayBack said: I don't think you're a flashaholic.... The reason I say that is because you're making comments that are sane and rational."

It sucks to have problems. My luck is that I always just order something, and then two days later...the SE Q5 edition comes out. Oh well.

I hope you still hang around and keep posting. Afterall, you have bought enough new lights...you are due...just by luck to have your next one be trouble free!

[Federal LG]

I´m sorry about your bad experience man...

Well, I don´t know if I am a "flashaholic".
I just like lights a lot. I love to go camping and love to have a good light on hand. Sometimes, when I have money, I buy one new flashlight, here or there... I just have 3 Fenix Lights, and right now I bought my first Surefire ever!

I don´t make modifications on my lights. I don´t know how, and sincerely, don´t even want to learn. They´re all fine to me just the way they came from the stores. Original and brand new.

I guess you can control your "flashaholism"... like I do with mine.
I mean, there is a lot of degrees of flashaholism... Maybe I am one of the lowest degrees... hehe.

I love to read about lights. I love to know about the new LEDs, the brand names, the flashlight models, the photos, etc... but it doesn´t mean that I have to BUY all of them...

Well, that´s my point of view...

[Cydonia]

When the world wallows in complexity the only defense you have is to return to simplicity.

[kramer5150]

Noob perspective....

I am purposely avoiding over-complex designs. Stick with the simple first and gradually scale up. So for now, its Multi-AA designs and durable non-finicky bulbs/LEDs. I dont even want to mess with DIY DC-DC regulation and heat sinking, at least not yet. So... standard cell-types and Nichia LEDs for starters. So far my wallet is feeling good

[Bushman5]

When the world wallows in complexity the only defense you have is to return to simplicity.

I love that saying. Thank you.

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I'm sorry you had so much trouble.

I have several 123 lights. But I basically USE only LED 123 lights, and mostly LED lights in which I can use one Li-Ion battery.

I mostly USE AA lights because they run Low Self Discharge NimH PEACHY!

I haven't yet acquired the perfect EDC light, so I carry two or three!

I have over 120 lights, so you bet your booty I'm a flashaholic!

[Big_Ed]

Just because you don't want to spend lots of money on more lights, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ones you have, or maybe find ways to mod cheaper ones you have available in your area. I don't do much modding myself, but one I found fun to play with was taking a 3D Mag, sleeving the barrell with a piece of pvc pipe, and putting 4C's in it. Yeah, the bulb is being over driven, but it's brighter. Also try using a couple AA to D converters so you can stuff 6 AA's in a 2D light. Put in a bulb designed for a 5 or 6 cell flashlight and you have another sleeper.

Just keep having fun!

[Culhain]

I'm done. I'm tired of the hassles. Tired of paying shipping costs, Tired of battery bullcrap and finicky cells that can only be used for ten minutes before you have to recharge them. Tired , broke, pissed off.

Have a Safe Merry Christmas everyone.

Thank you and a Safe and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Please note for future reference that there is often a huge chasm between cutting edge and bleeding edge technology. Caveat emptor prevails, but manufacturer's warranty/service rules.

[TORCH_BOY]

Its a great hobby, I enjoy being a flashaholic, I used to buy my lights overseas as there was not much available here in Australia, I was constantly getting ripped of with shipping costs, warranty exchanges ect. The only lights I buy now are the New Fenix lights and the Terralux M@G drop in Modules as they are now available here in Australia at the same cost as in the US, also we get same day shipment. I now have more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to spend on my coin collecting

[fieldops]

I don't think either of you are flashaholics,so both write 1000 lines.."i'll take it" paypal sent

Isn't it the truth . some of us spend hours of time browsing the cpf marketplace waiting for the new "pre-order" . Some of us have to build our light shelves from 2 inch wood so they don't sag. Maybe I should enter rehab like everyone else who's addicted to things

New Marketplace motto: If you build it, they will buy

[mossyoak]

buy one last light, a surefire e2l cree, and a dozen surefire batteries. then you will find true happiness.

[hopkins]

That 'ice storm' that wiped out power to 100,000's of homes in the central
USA last week and some are still without. You can bet the real hero's are the folks with flashlights! ie the local flashaholics.

Certain to have lots of Flashlights and batteries to help the 'Girl next door"
and her friends.
C'mom Bushman. At least get a few more Pelican's. When the super storm hits
your town who are you going to be?

[cat]

I now have more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to spend on my coin collecting

Well. "How many torches do you need?", or can you use, pales in comparison to coins.

Noob perspective....
I am purposely avoiding over-complex designs. Stick with the simple first and gradually scale up. So for now, its Multi-AA designs and durable non-finicky bulbs/LEDs. I dont even want to mess with DIY DC-DC regulation and heat sinking, at least not yet. So... standard cell-types and Nichia LEDs for starters. So far my wallet is feeling good

I've heard that before. Come tell us two or three months for now.

Dude, sorry about the bad luck and battery problems. I sometimes wonder if it is just better to buy a bunch of 123a primaries than to mess with rechargables (at least the rcr123a's)

Yes. It's the RCR123's that are a problem. Get AW C's and 18650's, and Emolis and A123's, and no problem.

I'll be hanging around, I do enjoy everyones contributions and reviews, but i wont be buying lights anymore.

You're in remission. Check back in about February. ..And tell us you haven't bought another torch.

[LED-holic]

I don't think you have to spend a lot of money to be a flashaholic.

I've got mostly cheap LED and regular flashlights, ranging from $6 - $19.99. My most expensive purchase so far is my Fenix L2D Q5, and it's less than $60 after the CPF discount.

I did purchase about 8 cases of the Sanyo Eneloop packs from CostCo (8AA, 4AAA with C & D adapters) as emergency power for my lights should I need them, so I may have sunk over all $250 in the last 4 years into this hobby.

But the joy and feeling of being prepared is far greater than the feeble sum of $250.

Now I'm ready to buy another L2D Q5 and L0D Q4, so that'll add another $100 to the total, but money well spent, imho, should another power outage or emergency occur.

Being a flashaholic is more about the spirit than money, imho.

Enjoy.

[pipspeak]

I'll be hanging around, I do enjoy everyones contributions and reviews, but i wont be buying lights anymore.

Yeah, right!

I'm not sure it is possible to hang around here and NOT buy new lights. But good luck.

[leukos]

Yeah, right!

I'm not sure it is possible to hang around here and NOT buy new lights. But good luck.

+1

These threads pop up every now and then where someone says they are done buying lights. The only one fooled is the OP. If you were really done with this hobby, you wouldn't bother posting about it.

[Nyctophiliac]

Hey Bushman5 ( Is Logan your brother??) - sorry to hear about your bad fortune with torches all and sundry.

But I do think you have had an uncommon deal with your lights. Six months of collecting/fetishising torches of many types ( presumeably ), yet you cite battery blowouts, drop in failiures and all.

I must confess, I've been collecting all sorts of torches my whole life since I can remember and I have yet to have any kind of battery blow out. I should think any proprietary type of alkaline wouldn't have even leaked in that time!
Also I can't think of too many faults with the drop ins or emitters or bulbs either.

But I suspect your acquisition of all things luminous has been fast, frenetic and fuelled by sheer chutzpa and should be celebrated as such.

I hope you'll continue to be rewarded by CPF and hope one day you'll see something that catches your eye .


Expecting to see your wares on BST soon!


Be lucky...

Happy Flashlight Day...

[Flymo]

$300 CDN on shipping costs, Woh, that is a lot of money !
What not buying from Dealextreme ? There prices is including shippingcost and they have very good flashlights and there service is excellent.

[Spence]

Wow, if you think flashlight enthusiasm is expensive, try a $200 a day heroin habit, now that gets costly! Ha, just kidding. But really, I've been at it as long as you, Bushman, and I've had disappointments and frustrations here and there. But I've had alot of fun and enjoyment anticipating my next acquisition. I quit buying the cheap thrills lights and now I'm only interested in SureFires, primarily, and the high quality and practical, reliable performance they provide. I have some lights on rechargeables and others strictly using primaries. As for the cost of the CR123's, it's just an incidental expenditure for my enjoyment, like the tankfulls of gas $$$ I put into my 13 year old Mazda Miata (my other passion). Everything is relative and if you look around or glance at a magazine rack, you'll get an idea of some really expensive pastimes and hobbies others have. Motorhomes, ski boats, hunting trips, bass boats and fishing tournaments, traveling and on and on, thinking about the tremendous incidental expenses they have. Payments, storage, $35K tow vehicles, insurance, trips, lodging, repairs and maintenance. Man o man, my little interest in high performance flashlights is pretty harmless and nothing I can't control. After all, I quit drinking after thirty years as an alcoholic...now there's a costly, out of contol, problematic habit! So you see you could always do worse than plunking down $135 for a new SureFire L1 CREE that you'll cherish 'till the day you die, like me!
Good luck to you, friend...don't forget to write.
Spence

[spoonrobot]

*SNIP*

Next time do some more research before throwing such a huge chunk of cash at the hobby and you'll have a much more enjoyable time. Seems like all your problems could have been avoided if you spent a few hours using the search function before buying anything.

[da.gee]

I jumped into the hobby fast and furious and made some missteps along the way. Those missteps went to the Marketplace. I almost think you have to do that. As a newbie you can't fully imagine the actual size of a light, the way the modes switch, how it feels in your hand or pocket, how it functions in actual application, 75 lumens vs 175, etc. Now that I've run through quite a few lights I have a better idea of what I like and how they can be used. When people compare X light to Y light I now have some frame of reference. I have also separated in my mind those lights that I simply desire and those that fill gaps in my expected uses. Some are both. Anyway, it can be an expensive pasttime but very rewarding on many levels.

[ltiu]

Been a holic for 7 months now and still going strong. Just spent my whole Christmas bonus on lights and batteries.

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Got several items inbound from DX. Sure, it's a crap shoot.

I made some mistakes back several thousand posts ago. Some really crappy cheap LED lights and one or two incandescents that did not live up to snuff.

That said, of the over 120 lights I have now, I'd never consider ditching more than say 80 of them.

Various reasons too. Lights I've had a long time before CPF including Grandpaw lights. A few Elektrolumens creations, a Milkyspit creation, A Lambda LUXIII minim*g pill and a Chop modded KL3 are among the NEVER leaving.

[pipspeak]

That said, of the over 120 lights I have now, I'd never consider ditching more than say 80 of them.

What does one do with 120 lights?!

[ltiu]

What does one do with 120 lights?!

Flashlight party!