Have you purchased a flashlight which you don't want to use?

I received my back up T1A a month or so ago, and although it has the later higher output. I just can't seem to take it out an use it, if only to try it out.

Anyway do you have a light that, for whatever the reason, you don't want to use?



:tinfoil:

Yup.

JetBeam Military model (original one.)

The two-way clip is an absolute joke! Can't even properly grip it without actually feeling pain from the clip. Bought it, held it once, put it away in a drawer with the hopes of finding a one-way bezel-up clip from an older JetBeam model. (But that never happened.) Yup, it's still sitting in that drawer....

That was back when I was far more willing to take a chance on the latest & greatest, flavor of the month, made in China models. Nowadays, I'll either order a similar model to something I already own, online. Or, I'll go down to one of the biggest SureFire ADs still left in NYC. (They sell a few other models from American brands.)

I have a few lights I'd love to use but have no USE for them. My TN31vn comes to mind...can't imagine what I would need see thousands of feet away at night...or ever. But I do love the light!

AZPops said:

I received my back up T1A a month or so ago, and although it has the later higher output. I just can't seem to take it out an use it, if only to try it out.
Anyway do you have a light that, for whatever the reason, you don't want to use?
:tinfoil:

Click to expand...

I actually attached my new T1A to my keyring last night. Haven't used it yet, but it's nice knowing it's there if needed.

The only lights I don't use consistently are some of my "collectable" SureFire lights, or at least collectable to me. For example I have a C2-HA LED and Z2-BK LED that seem to have been made around the same time as they have almost matching serial numbers. (00514 and 00506, respectively.) I also have a few new, unopened 9Ps that I'm saving until I can find a good use for them. That may be a long while, as I'm really enjoying my 9P + A19 + KL3 head with 2x 17670s.

The question appears similar to the question "have you purchased a flashlight you don't like?"

I bought an LRI Proton Pro quite a while ago but hated to use it so I gave it away. It was a nuisance to use. I guess I bought into the pre-sale hype about it on CPF.

The ugly yellow beam had artifacts. It could be powered on at the highest or lowest levels, but took too long to ramp down or up to the level I needed most often. The side mounted pushbutton switch was difficult to find in the dark.

That said, the form factor and pocket clip were great.

Monocrom said:

Yup. JetBeam Military model (original one.) The two-way clip is an absolute joke! Can't even properly grip it without actually feeling pain from the clip. Bought it, held it once, put it away in a drawer with the hopes of finding a one-way bezel-up clip from an older JetBeam model. (But that never happened.) Yup, it's still sitting in that drawer.... That was back when I was far more willing to take a chance on the latest & greatest, flavor of the month, made in China models. Nowadays, I'll either order a similar model to something I already own, online. Or, I'll go down to one of the biggest SureFire ADs still left in NYC. (They sell a few other models from American brands.)

Click to expand...

Send it here, I'll find a use for it.

parnass said:

The question appears similar to the question "have you purchased a flashlight you don't like?"

I bought an LRI Proton Pro quite a while ago but hated to use it so I gave it away. It was a nuisance to use. I guess I bought into the pre-sale hype about it on CPF.

The ugly yellow beam had artifacts. It could be powered on at the highest or lowest levels, but took too long to ramp down or up to the level I needed most often. The side mounted pushbutton switch was difficult to find in the dark.

That said, the form factor and pocket clip were great.

Click to expand...

Nope not one that you don't like, but one that you like, but for some reason don't want to use it. I have a early model T1A that's currently on my key ring ...





Bought this 90 lumen T1A as a back up, but can't seem to get my self to use it, as I mentioned, even to test it out.






:tinfoil:

As far as shelf queens go, I have a Surefire E1W Winelight which I have carried alone in a suit jacket pocket in the past, for evenings out, but which I am loathe to scratch the burgundy non-HA-III finish on.

Regarding users, I don't know quite what to do with my Streamlight Sidewinder. It is a clever design in many ways, but the beam quality of the main led leaves much to be desired (will a Nichia 219 work with the optic?), and the other secondary leds are rather dim (which could be useful, I guess). What to replace the IR led with, a Nichia 119? I'm not in the military. The fact that everything is plastic does not necessarily bode well for heat-sinking, although it is probably well-suited to dropping on hard surfaces on a regular basis. I would love to turn it over to Milkyspit, but the gentleman is busy these days, and I wish him the best in catching up (and I venerate his talents).

An ITP C8T with 6-190 infinite ramping

First quality light I ever bought.

I don't use it because it is in almost mint condition, and ITP lights are virtually impossible to find anymore thanks to Olight buying out ITP and then destroying the product line. :mecry:

Liteflux LF2XT natural - Far more valuable now than when I purchased it. Afraid to use it.

Liteflux LF2XT black with XPG R5 emitter upgrade by KuKu. Includes aspheric lens. Far more valuable now than when I purchased it. Afraid to use it.

Lenslight Mini - not very bright, huge for the amount of light it emits, and expensive. Not fond of it and afraid to use it.

Modded Sunwayman C20C - I modded it a month ago with an MTG2. runs at 3 amps on 2 IMR 18350 cells. This is my first high-powered light that runs on 2 li-ion cells in series. At around 1700 lumens out the front, it's a great light and small enough to EDC... but the 2 cells make me nervous. I can't help thinking that if it accidentally turned on in my pocket, eventually one cell would deplete first, get reverse charged by the other cell, and then explode. When I do carry it I make sure to use tailcap lockout, but that hurts the convenience of having the sideswitch.

Of course the risk of accidental battery explosion might be minimal, because long before the batteries depleted my pants would probably catch on fire. This light heats up fast on max power. And unlike most my other lights, there's enough light coming off the front to cook anything directly in front of the lens.

I have a maglite with a cree conversion. It's nice, but after some of the new lights I got it's just used a emergency backup

My MBI HF....

I use pretty much all of my lights except for two. The first is my V11R Mirage (limited to 800 lights) with a unique paint job. I wouldn't like it to get damaged or worse lost, so it is my only real shelf queen. The other is my Alpha Ready-Made. The latter is just weird, since it is one of the best made lights I own. I've only used it once or twice since I got it.

In May of 2012, I bought a tan V10R. A year later, it stopped working on primaries and I sent it in to BJ for 'service'. It couldn't be replaced, or repaired, so in June of '13, they sent me the V11R XM-L U2. Around Thankgiving time last year, I bought the M11R, thinking that it would be nice and because it came in tan and I really like the SMW tan finish, which the V11R doesn't come in.

I like the M11R as a light, but when you've had the V10R and the V11R, ehhhh...1-450-500LM on a Li-Ion is pretty impressive especially for a small form factor.

I carry it sometimes because it works well and because I like the finish, but it sits a bit.

Chris

My TK75 just sits there looking pretty. I am most certainly looking forward to camping season though...

Ishango said:

I use pretty much all of my lights except for two. The first is my V11R Mirage (limited to 800 lights) with a unique paint job. I wouldn't like it to get damaged or worse lost, so it is my only real shelf queen. The other is my Alpha Ready-Made. The latter is just weird, since it is one of the best made lights I own. I've only used it once or twice since I got it.

Click to expand...

I was being so careful with my Ready-Made, I dropped it on the ceramic tiled floor in the Eagle. Small dent on the leading edge of the bezel .... bummer

But on the bright side, I'm going to use it more often! ... LOL

I'm using my EA4 and EA4w less and less. While it's a nice thrower, you have to keep it on lockout as to not kill the batteries. It's annoying to press and hold to unlock, use it, then press and hold to lock back out. Waste of time for a quick use. I usually just grab another light even if it doesn't throw as far.

I know a lot of lights are bought exactly that way, to collect and have, rather than to use. So that makes a certain amount of sense. Let people list the lights they bought for their collections.

If you didn't buy the light as a collectible, I'm not sure how this is even possible.

I have quite a few lights i dont use,but not because i dont like them.I bought originally to use in work,then decided too nice for getting scraped and dusty/oily etc.

So just to name 1 light out of many i will go for the ea8,it is actually a great size/feel light,runs on AA eneloops(or alkis if preferred as supplied by work hence why i got it).But the size although it does kick out a nice beam of flood/throw i am all for BIG power so the tk75vn or tk61vn will be used before,if i want a small wall of light then tm15,very small wall of light x3vn..........so its just left.

They are now piling up,so will get use at some point,might have as truck edc and just rotate say 10 or 15 lights.......decisions decisions......

My ea4(named 2 now) is another that does not get used,another great little light,problem is i have been spoiled by vinh

GregY said:

I know a lot of lights are bought exactly that way, to collect and have, rather than to use. So that makes a certain amount of sense. Let people list the lights they bought for their collections.

If you didn't buy the light as a collectible, I'm not sure how this is even possible.

Click to expand...

I got all the lights i will ever need. But keeps buying out of curiosety. New look, new led, new ui.. There are lots of reasons for a flasoholic to keep buying
Im not collecting. The lights i dont like ends up as gift. I only keep the ones i like. Modding lights is also a fun hobby. So thats another reason why i keep buying.
Having "too many" lights means most of them wont see mutch use. Even the ones you love, and wants to use, see little use in the end.