Nothing seems to impress me anymore!

Really, I'm bored! I hate my EO1 for the nasty blue tint, but there isn't anything out that matches the quality, size and runtime.
I got my "dream light" an RA high CRI clicky. While I love it, it lacks behind the K2 modded Novatac 120p I had, and the silly switch gets turned on all the time! Half the time I get it out of my pocket the battery is dead because it got turned on! Yes, I went out of my way to get the "flat" tail cap, that really isn't all that flat!
My XM-L modded Solarforce Skyline 1, meh, it's still a lazer beam, it's still a bluish tint, but it's just not the "WOW!!!!! Holy crap that is bright!" I was hoping for!
P-90 drop ins don't even excite me anymore! I'll be selling my 9P soon as I can't find a drop in that gives the wow factor I think a battery eating beast like that should! No, I a not going to spend more on a head upgrade than I did on the light!
I keep thinking an M4 or M6 would be cool, yes, I still have love for the M lights, but as I am getting old, cranky and broke/broken (broke my back last summer), I really don't feel the love trying to explain to the wife why I need $40 in batteries a week!
Am I the only one? Is there any hope for me?

I feel sorry for you... I took an 8 month break from the forum a few years back, and when I returned I was greeted with all kinds of new technology and lights and I was hooked again... Maybe you just need little break...

Hey, why don't You try a tiablo e3a! I say that because u mentioned ur e01. The e3a puts out 200lms from a 10440. Amazing from a single AAA light if u ask me. And u can recharge it instead of constantly buying batteries . It hasn't left my person since I got it. But it's nothing compared to ur RA Me personally am waiting to buy those lights(ra's, novatacs). It's giving me something to still look forward to. So I'm currently getting my fix with trits and titanium right now.

Nick

Knives and multitools are neat. :devil:

As shao.fu.tzer implied, perhaps taking a break from the flashlight scene is in order. There would be new worlds to conquer when you return.

Burnout is pretty common, and breaks do work wonders.

It sounds like you should focus on a good rechargable option instead of primaries.

Also I would say there are lots of lights that are MUCH better than the E01. You won't get the crazy long runtimes, but with rechargables that doesn't really matter.

E05, LD01, Preon Revo are only a few. I personally prefer the stainless steel options for the LD01 and Revo.

I haven't been on the forum for a while...but I agree about tint. The biggest reason I never got a BIG light (Maelstrom or Catapult) was because of the tints. My first light was a neutral white, and I'm hooked on warm lights now. I've seen big HIDs with nasty tints...the output just doesn't matter when all you can see is the beam and not your target!

Ra Clicky + Button Lock activated = all fixed.



Maybe you could start saving for something custom. oo:

From the list of lights, sounds like you've never seen a real bright flashlight, that might be part of the problem.

Military Fort at 0.9 Mile away::devil:

ma sha1 is that a hid beamshot? quite impressive is it a custom light?

I'm another one in a similar situation. I've lost a bit of the WOW factor for some of my lights. My favourite playground is the 2000-4000 lumens mag mods... and there's not a lot going on there at the moment (mostly because Ma discovered short arcs!)

I've recently had the romance rekindled by the 90 CRI XP-G. That little gem had just cost me over $500 in the last month. The challenge keeping me interested at the moment is reconciling my love of Big Mags and High CRI... without resorting to hotwires (been there, love them, but not useable enough).

nbp has hit the nail on the head. Think of your dream light, and each and every feature you want on it. You'll no doubt discover that no production light meets the list. Then find a custom that does, or a modder willing to build it for you. That'll get the spark back!

@ma: that is about what the Skyline 1 with 1400mah driving an XM-L looks like. I built it for coyote hunting, which it's workable for, but...........

I've been in and out for a while, I only bought the RA because I lost my modded Novatac, I cried a lot, then came across a deal on a used high CRI and I'd managed to make the wife happy enough that week she went for it!
I've gone rechargeable on about everything, 17650 in my E2W, 18650's in my two Ultrafire hosts and the Solarforce, RCR 123's in the RA, and the 9P is bored for 18mm cells, but I just can't get excited about buying batteries that will only work in that light.
I run lithiums in the EO1, been on the same battery over four years, I loved the crazy long run times and simplicity of the light! Bought an EO5, gave it to a nephew, nice light, but really too bright for what it was and no real run time, IMHO. If I could get the tint of the EO5 with the brightness and runtime of an EO1, I'd be in tall cotton!
As for tint, yeah, once you go warm, it sucks to go back! I bought an E21 for my BOB a while back, I looked and looked for the warm, but couldn't find one. I wish I'd have looked harder or waited for one to come up! Neat light, needs one more mode, with a LONG runtime, and a warm led!

You already got the 9P is bored for 18mm cells, so get the TorchLAB Triple XPG Drop In.

With regards to the idea that you might like an M6, mdocod and fivemega both make 3x17670 battery holders for the M6, so you could get away from needing to buy $40 of batteries a week. Obviously there is an initial outlay for the holder and the cells, but you should at least be able to use the same cells in your E2W and in the lights that take 18650s, so they won't be dedicated to the M6. In all honesty though, particularly when talking about a multi cell pack, I'd rather dedicate a set of cells to one use, so that the cells have the best chance of remaining balanced.

I'm afraid I agree, the same has happened to me.

I have seen many different torches which cost far more than I would even pay, thanks to CPF meets, but ultimately I was not that impressed. My own lights have been chosen very carefully and work really well. I even went for a 65W HID and that is ludicrously bright, but now it is old hat, I'm used to it and it is not impressive to me. Not much else is going to beat a 65W HID in an easily portable format. (now if I could get that output in a keychain light I would be impressed ;-)

So for me now it is a matter of working out what I want most and getting the more efficient or better quality versions of what I really use. This is going to be another two or three torches at most (zebralight H502 when it comes out is probably the next purchase). Then.... well I'll probably take a very long break from CPF and just use them.

I think it is quite easy to become saturated with any interest/hobby; my own set of interests do seem to run cyclically being revamped every few years.

Gusso said:

ma sha1 is that a hid beamshot? quite impressive is it a custom light?

Click to expand...

Yes, it's a custom light but not HID, It's a bit more than what HID could achieve due to the significantly higher surface brightness of the bulb, it's a 120W P-VIP mercury short arc, at ~7000 lumens & a true 16.1 million beam candle power, it's the #2 longest throwing custom light on CPF. It blows away Maxa Beam & out throw the helicopter searchlight starburst SX-5 rated 15 million cps.

I am also coming close to losing my motivations for the hobby, having done everything from Incans to led, HIR to HID & now short arcs. But thanks to Ra, there is still one light out there that throws further, his legendary Maxa Blaster. What keeps me going is the process of chasing a dream, which made the hobby so much fun & still is fun for me.

sawlight said:

@ma: that is about what the Skyline 1 with 1400mah driving an XM-L looks like. I built it for coyote hunting, which it's workable for, but...........

Click to expand...

Sorry but it's so far out of the XML reach, there's no comparision, not 1.4A, not 2.8A & not even at 4.2A.
I currently hold the XML flashlight CPF throw record at 127,000 beam candle power(lux@ 1 meter) with this light:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...row-127-000-lux-1-meter&p=3648147#post3648147

But it's not in the league of short arcs...

here's an idea:

Lock all your lights in a cupboard and don't use or even look at them for a couple of months.
Get yourself a pink mini mag AA. Use this everyday and carry it everywhere you go.
Now all your lights will seem brighter and less embarrassing.

I tend to go mad on flashlights for a while and then my attention gets caught by knives or camping gear. Then the process starts all over again.

After attending a get together, I found my interest in flashlights was piqued again - is there one near you?

Try taking up shooting, martials arts, or knife throwing for awhile. Wait until the new CREE "Make your last flashlight obsolete" LED to come out, and then buy one and see how it affects you.

monkeyboy said:

here's an idea:

Lock all your lights in a cupboard and don't use or even look at them for a couple of months.
Get yourself a pink mini mag AA. Use this everyday and carry it everywhere you go.
Now all your lights will seem brighter and less embarrassing.

Click to expand...

That would just **** me off! I remember using a mini mag for years. Turn it on, tap it on the ground, yep, it came on. Nope, gotta change out the bulb again. Tried all the old Terralux drop ins, yadda yadda, nothing seems to improve them!
But an interesting idea for sure!
I've thought about the battery holders for the M6, but finds are tight right now so buying the light, batteries and holder, I think the wife might not let me sleep after that!
I've seen the triples for the drop ins, but next week someone will have quads in one! I've also read some issues with the lights not being able to dissipate the heat they produce.
And no, the Skyline doesn't throw that far, but the beam sure looks identical and it's neat, just really good for a single purpose.

subwoofer said:

So for me now it is a matter of working out what I want most and getting the more efficient or better quality versions of what I really use. This is going to be another two or three torches at most (zebralight H502 when it comes out is probably the next purchase). Then.... well I'll probably take a very long break from CPF and just use them.

I think it is quite easy to become saturated with any interest/hobby; my own set of interests do seem to run cyclically being revamped every few years.

Click to expand...

That is a really good observation. I used to buy all the new lights that were coming out until I realised I would not be using them. So I stopped buying lights and evaluated what I want and made sure I limited my purchases to that.

I have the Surefire E2DL and the Nitecore D11.2 for emergency and general outdoor lighting in urban areas, I use my Quark XP-G R4 Neutral White 123 for quick general use since it hangs from my neck wallet so doesn't need to pulled out of a pocket and keep a Q miniX and a Q mini AA S2 as backup twisty lights to the clickies. The only thing I was feeling like I was missing was High CRI lights and I got the SC51c from Zebralight and have just ordered the H51c and the H51Fc.

For home I wanted a good emergency light and the Fenix TK50 met that requirement. I am currently considering the TK60 or TK70 as additional emergency lights but really that is it. The only other light I might be interested in currently is if 4Sevens do a high CRI light. I already have multiple body types and switch types for the Quark range so could build the high CRI light I want if they release a High CRI quark.

Other than that I think peoples suggestion to take a break is a good one. I have done that on occasion and you come back with a fresh interest.