$30 Ra clicky. ;)

[KBobAries]

You must be using USPS with one of those "stimulus" jobs created as postal carrier...

A good guess but I'm actually trying to pay for health insurance. ;)

 

[carrot]

Someone asked about my Sundrop xp once... I told him the weather has sure been nice this week. Lol

I say something similar, usually.

 

[Stress_Test]

I've felt a bit embarrassed about the ~140 bucks I spent on a TK30 recently...

but today there were coworkers in my office having a big discussion about cell phones, and one person was talking about a new phone they got on a big sale for something like 150 dollars (plus a 2-year contract!! :sick2: ) then my light expenditure didn't seem so bad after all!

Things got even crazier when some started to talk about I-phones or Blackberries or equivalent and I heard prices from 400 to 750!!


For the record I have an old $15 Motorola phone with Tracfone service, because I'm usually happier when people DON'T call me :crackup:

 

[stallion2]

i don't offer my cost unless asked...never have, whether i'm talking about lights, performance parts for my car, fishing rods/reels/tackle, knives........

when i get that deer in the headlights look i know there is no point in trying to rationalize my purchases to them. a few people at work have taken notice of my obsession w/ typical reactions. they try to ostracize me about it but then sure enough, after a few weeks, they start asking me about whats out there that might work for them.

i actually found about a year ago that one of our engineers is a flashoholic, though not on the same level as most of us. he's still struggling w/ the idea of spending $40+ on a light but i'm sure he'll come around. he's constantly asking me for advice inspite of the fact that i do sales and marketing and he's an ELECTRICAL engineer.

 

[kaichu dento]

Sounds good. Be sure to add $170 for shipping and handling.

That made me laugh out loud!

i don't offer my cost unless asked...never have, whether i'm talking about lights, performance parts for my car, fishing rods/reels/tackle, knives........

when i get that deer in the headlights look i know there is no point in trying to rationalize my purchases to them. a few people at work have taken notice of my obsession w/ typical reactions. they try to ostracize me about it but then sure enough, after a few weeks, they start asking me about whats out there that might work for them.

That's a really good way of handling when, as you put it, they get the deer in the headlights look!

Most of the time I just tell them and can usually calm them down by pointing out that everyone spends more on the finer things that they grow an appreciation for, and I can resell my hobby, while it's the beer drinkers who are really pissing their money away! :thumbsup:

 

[leukos]

My wife thinks all of my lights cost $20 for some reason.;)

That's what I usually tell non-flashaholics: $20 bucks!

As for my wife though, lately I jokingly tell her some nice person from my forum just sent this new light to me....:whistle:

 

[GarageBoy]

Try fountain pens...

 

[Launch Mini]

Try fountain pens...

Or watches.:wave:

I was at a watch GTG a while back. My wife, daughter & daughters friends were there for the dinner part. I let my daughters friends wear one of my watches . She was "wow nice, thanks for letting me wear this, it must be worth at least $300"
Yeah, something like that:nana:. Didn't dare tell her the strap was worth more than that.:whistle:

 

[Monocrom]

Well, look on the bright side; at least he didn't ask you which model Maglite it was.

 

[KBobAries]

Well, look on the bright side; at least he didn't ask you which model Maglite it was.

I could have understood that. Both brands have considerable heft for their size and feel quite solid.

As for my OP, this thread has taken a different direction than what I expected. I was more amused than offended by my friend's price guess. I would venture that the vast majority of people have no idea that one can spend more than $30 or $40 for a flashlight. The same principle could be applied to any hobby. Most are unaware of Panerai, Korth, and Omas.

I was merely curious to see what others here have experienced in regards to the difference between the actual cost of one of their lights and a price guess from the uninitiated. I'm guessing somebody here can beat $160.

Dan

 

[Monocrom]

. . . Most are unaware of Panerai, Korth, and Omas.

I was merely curious to see what others here have experienced in regards to the difference between the actual cost of one of their lights and a price guess from the uninitiated. I'm guessing somebody here can beat $160.

Dan

I know Korth and Omas. But Panerai isn't in reference to the expensive coffee shops, is it? :thinking:

I can beat $160 with some of my EDC lights. My best friend once tried to show how foolish I was when I showed him my then newly purchased Novatac 120P, and he went to grab his .99 multi-cluster LED light. I had to tell him about all the problems he could look forward to in the near future if he relied on it. He said he'd just buy a new one. Bless his heart, he just doesn't get it. :cool:

 

[pjandyho]

Here in Singapore, I paid Singapore dollars $300 for a Surefire LX2 after the exchange rates and shipping. When I made them folks guess how much my lights costs, they usually said "S$30".

To OP, so now you tell me, how do I justify the difference of S$270 for the LX2? :whistle:

 

[was.lost.but.now.found]

But Panerai isn't in reference to the expensive coffee shops, is it? :thinking:

Hint: http://timezone.com/

 

[f22shift]

Happens to me all the time. I was showing my 9p to a friend at church, and he drops it. He quickly responds with " If its broken I'll pay you back." I proceed to tell him the price and his jaw drops and he awkwardly walks away. It still works, fyi.

this is why i tell a person the price when i lend a flashlight or i say i dont care if you lose it if it's cheap/old. just to set up an expectation and they can decide to take a risk or not etc.

speaking of watches. i think it's worst to wear a rolex because ppl assume it's automatically fake or at least question the authenticity.

 

[carrot]

I was merely curious to see what others here have experienced in regards to the difference between the actual cost of one of their lights and a price guess from the uninitiated. I'm guessing somebody here can beat $160.

I certainly have. A $500 Ti McLux has gotten price guesses well under $100.

 

[ptolemy]

Lol:)

my friend and I driving back from NYC and we get a flat somewhere around New Haven. he comes outside to change the flat, grabs his 20lbs acid battery light and starts cursing. I went out and he said, well, i hope my keychain light will work...(one of those freebies I gave him from lighthound).

I am like hold on...I went to my backpack and brought out nailbenders sst50 from fm d36 body... turned the sucker on and he was like, wtf is that??

I said, it's a light i bring just in case...he is like wow, thts 10 of my acid battery lights...

So we getting closer to home and he says, I am thinking of dumping my acid battery, if i give ya the cash, can you get me one? I said, sure, shouldnt be an issue, so he hands me $40...

I look at him and say, i dont think that'll get u the light and then sell him the cost...he says... I'll keep my acid light, lol

 

[KBobAries]

...To OP, so now you tell me, how do I justify the difference of S$270 for the LX2? :whistle:

1. Because you wanted to.

2. Because you could.

:)

edit to add: I have an LX2 as well.

 

[KBobAries]

It looks like Carrot's in the lead at $400+.

Dan

 

[pjandyho]

1. Because you wanted to.

2. Because you could.

:)

edit to add: I have an LX2 as well.

Yes, because I wanted to. But no, not because I could. I gotta give up some other purchases just to afford it. On average, most Singaporeans earn about half the amount of what an American would earn doing the same job, on a dollar to dollar comparison, and that is without taking the exchange rate of US$1 to S$1.5 into consideration. Add in the exchange rates and things get rather drastic. Buying a Surefire here in Singapore is really a big thing I would say.

 

[Monocrom]

Yes, because I wanted to. But no, not because I could. I gotta give up some other purchases just to afford it. On average, most Singaporeans earn about half the amount of what an American would earn doing the same job, on a dollar to dollar comparison, and that is without taking the exchange rate of US$1 to S$1.5 into consideration. Add in the exchange rates and things get rather drastic. Buying a Surefire here in Singapore is really a big thing I would say.

Just out of curiosity, how bad are the taxes there.

In America, once you factor in Federal, State, Local taxes; and then all of the various other mandatory deductions (especially the ones for lazy jerks who are fit but refuse to work), it comes out to half your check that you get to keep.

Divide your hourly rate or salary by half. That's all you get to keep here in America.