$12 for a flashlight is too much!!!!!

[Macaw]

I stopped trying to talk with people I work with about flashlights. I rarely mentioned prices before because, frankly, I'd be thought of as a fool by most. if I were to tell these people how much I've payed for my higher end lights I'd be laughed out of the plant!
It's like my dirty little secret.

So I come here, to this brightly lit little niche, where hordes of fellow flashaholics come to seek shelter from the slings and arrows cast from the unwashed masses who grope in the darkness for their $1.99 lighting tools when the lights go out.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers :lolsign:

Oh, and sisters too!:wave:

 

[ScottyJ]

That was funny Macaw...I actually have my first "convert"....my brother in law loves my HDS and says he will get one soon, when the 85's are available. I am so proud of myself. He is the first person EVER to consider paying more than 10 bucks for a flashlight that I have come across.

 

[magic79]

Should have whipped out something really expensive... give her a heart attack. That... FLASHLIGHT cost $200!?

I don't understand why people aren't willing to pay for quality... $12 isn't a lot. It'll only get you 2 or 3 footlongs at Subway...

3 cups of coffee at Starbucks!

 

[gbaker]

Then I pointed out to her that if she purchased LED lights, she would not ever have to replace her bulbs again. She asked which ones were LED. I showed her one. It was $12. A look of horror came over her face. Then she said:

"For that price I might as well keep buying bulbs!"

So you wonder why it's taken Mag so long to go LED?

I wonder how much she spends on shoes?

 

[Numbers]

People who dont need a flashlight as a work tool (the vast majority of people on this planet) think expensive lights are crazy because, as has been noted, it is in fact true that they will almost never need one, and if they do it will only be to make sure they dont stumble over the coffee table while the lights are not working. A wax candle can do that job for them, and it costs less than the cheapest flashlight.

Obviously this does not apply to those who need a light for work, or collectors, or those who appreciate a fine piece of lighting machinery. But that does not make us crazy.

 

[Handlobraesing]

And just how often does the average consumer need to replace their flashlight bulbs?

 

[Coop]

... And when she got back to her car she gave the bulbs to some kids to play with, while she looked at the Surefire U2 in her purse thinking what kind of idiot would try to get her to spend $12 on a crappy walmart led light...

 

[ACMarina]

3 cups of coffee at Starbucks!

What kind of coffee are you buying there that's only costing $4 a cup?? Maybe I'm overordering...

 

[Mini-Moder]

I am a Freshman in highschool, and many of my friends find it hard to believe the amount I spend on flashlights, they just dont understand the difference between my $150 EDC light, and the $3 for 2 flashlights ones that are sold at rite aid. I think that for people, who have never experienced a real need for flashlights, dont apreciate it. That woman probably doesnt understand the difference between that and here 2D plastic POS and an LED light, niether do my friends. People are impressed when I show them beamshots though. Just my $0.02.

 

[bruddamoke]

eebowler: thanks, but paying $12 is too much for her to consider...matters not a bit if I'm paying! She was quite happy to get my Dorcy Metal Gear ($20) and made me promise to get her an L0P after she saw mine ($48). :huh: Never asked how much it cost. Please please please don't ever let her see a Surefire :mecry:

 

[yellow]

remember, these ppl know the difference between

their 40,-- perfumes and 4,-- ones,
their 30,-- screwdriver and the .5 one,
the 2000,-- stereo and the one that goes for 20,--
that I-Pod and the the usb-stick (I prefer 2nd)
that astrology-aunt and You (now these amounts really hurt)
.
.
.
never try to discuss any "hobby" with someone spending money to another one.

 

[carrot]

I am a Freshman in highschool, and many of my friends find it hard to believe the amount I spend on flashlights, they just dont understand the difference between my $150 EDC light, and the $3 for 2 flashlights ones that are sold at rite aid. I think that for people, who have never experienced a real need for flashlights, dont apreciate it. That woman probably doesnt understand the difference between that and here 2D plastic POS and an LED light, niether do my friends. People are impressed when I show them beamshots though. Just my $0.02.

Funny, I'm a senior in highschool and all my friends think my lights are awesome... even after hearing the price, but they're not willing to spend that same money themselves. I think this means a few of them have potential... :devil: One says, "I can understand why you have one nice light... but six?!"

I have only been in three situations where I really needed a light, and two out of those three, a stock Minimag was fine. The other time I was in the countryside and really needed something like a Surefire to penetrate the darkness.

 

[Brighteyez]

In 1972, $23 for a 3 cell Kel Lite was a hefty (though not outrageous) price.
Today, $15-18 for a similar Mag light doesn't seem so bad.

 

[AtomSphere]

well $12 bucks for an LED is better off then getting bulbs after bulbs. LED save tons of money in long run. More runtime, never replace bulb policy etc etc...

 

[GarageBoy]

That WAS wal mart you were shopping at..

 

[BuddTX]

Hey, I own many 1.99 flashlights (they even come with a set of D batteries!)

Sometimes you NEED a 1.99 light, like for fishing, or when someone else asks you for a light.

You think I am going to let someone borrow one of my 100-300$ lights?

Heck, I would be upset if someone did not return or lost or broke one of my 30 dollar lights.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Serveral years ago we were visiting a citry in the southwest. It was late, dark and we were in a parking lot full of loose gravel and dirt. My ring fell off and disappeared into the darkness.

Mind you, this was long before my days in CPF. Anyway we trudged down to a nearby drugstore and bought a couple of really cheap $1.99 2-C plastic flashlights to search for the missing ring.

We eventually found it thanks to our $4.00 flashlight expenditure.

Sometimes even a $1.99 flashlight can be priceless.

 

[Handlobraesing]

well $12 bucks for an LED is better off then getting bulbs after bulbs. LED save tons of money in long run. More runtime, never replace bulb policy etc etc...

It depends. It's like installing a high initial cost, high efficiency air conditioning system. If its your primary residence and you live in Arizona, the payback is well worth it. If its your vacation home in northern California and you use it a few weeks out of the year, then it isn't.

I can't remember the last time I had to replace the light bulb in a flash light. She said $2 for a pair. How likely is it that she's going to go through six pairs in less than 10 years?

 

[edakoppo]

It's a given such people would never understand the quest for brightness over runtime in higher-end lights, either, or of our predilection for lithium batteries, CR123s, and so forth.

Spoke to a plumber recently about this when he dug out a worn MM with stock bulb to examine where a leak was coming from. Showed him my TLE-5 MM, my Stryker, and my T3 (before selling it), and told him about the Nite-Ize LED kits for MMs (also told him about M*g85 feats I've read here). He said from a cost perspective MMs with Nite-Izes made more sense as he was the boss and had to outfit his people, who were apt to lose/break/misuse their lights, but he found the others interesting, so the conversation wasn't a total loss.

 

[voodoogreg]

I seen worse. Often has someone that uses a mini mag all the time blew the
lamp, and instead of replacing it with the one in the tailcap or go and buy a new bulb go to wal fart and just buy a new light :ironic:

I have seen them also change batteries after batteries once the (at least older mini bulb's) go black, thinking it's that. I did that the first couple of times i used a mini mag way back.

Someone mentioned how often bulb's go bad, I know mini mag's seem to blow more often then many cheapo PR base lamp's, esp if you lay it down hard, or drop it.

So an LED to us lumen gentium is a far better choice,for those
that have more of a need for real work horse light's that don't fail, brighter,
built like tanks, seem to elude those that don't share such a need (or want)

and yes there is always someone with a 800K house, a hummer, and drink's Milwaukee's best :nana: VDG