Am I too conservative in my recommendations?

[BillG]

i see forum members recommending all sorts of lights to newbies here. thats great....but many of these recommendations are for lights that have been out less than a month or two. i only try to recommend lights that have been out for a while. by then we really know if they have issues or not.

one noob wanted recommendation for hiking and camping and people were suggesting lights that have barely gotten to the first users hands.

am i being too pessimistic about all these brand new lights that we haven't had time to test them well?

i'm more comfortable suggesting lights that came out a year or more ago.

what about you?

 

[Monocrom]

I feel the same way. I prefer older models with a bit of a track record. To me, reliability is more important than the latest & greatest technology in the cheapest form factor.

If CR123 cells are not a problem, I'll recommend something from Surefire or Inova.

 

[NoFair]

For most new users I recommend lights that have good track records requiring little skill or knowledge to use.

I usually recommend AA lights unless the person who is going to use it wants to take the time to understand Li-ions or wants cr123s.

I think the same way when giving away lights. Fenix L1T rebels are really nice for people who aren't into Li-ions, UIs or tinkering with their lights.
Some of my friends use Li-ions already, not in flashlights, so they often get lights using 18650s.

I dislike recommending most DX lights since they often break/need some work to function properly. Dislike giving them as gifts for the same reason. There are a couple of lights that have good track records here that are exceptions to these rules.

Sverre

 

[half-watt]

i try to recommend lights that i have some measure of experience with.

if my personal, first-hand experience is limited, i try to remember to state that fact, e.g. "i've only run a couple of sets of cells through the new Binford 9000 PhotonBlaster", or some such statement.

if a light is another "flavor" of, and NOT a drastic departure from, a series of lights that a particular Mfr. has fielded for some time (~1+ yrs), and i have experience with the older, but similar, versions, then i feel better about recommending a newer light.

 

[Rzr800]

i see forum members recommending all sorts of lights to newbies here. thats great....but many of these recommendations are for lights that have been out less than a month or two. i only try to recommend lights that have been out for a while...i'm more comfortable suggesting lights that came out a year or more ago.
what about you?

I'm to much of a newb to recommend anything; yet I'd hate to have somebody hold back on a recommendation for fear of believing that I'm but another "hand-holder" on the scale of what we've witnessed lately in these pre-orders.

If somebody is giving me their recommendation concerning a very fast-moving technology based on a 'year or more' production run...I would appreciate it just as much as the next and hope that the good samaritan explained (briefly) that he or she felt this way.

 

[MikeLip]

I don't recommend anything I have no personal experience with. I don't recommend Fenix because I am not impressed with their electronics quality. The tubes are great though

Yeah, I know - I'm in the minority there. That's fine, I'm a rebel.

I look at new flashlights the same way I do software - never, EVER buy revision X.0 release if you need to count on it! Always wait for X.1 or so. Anyone who buys a brand new model is basically a beta tester. That's fine as long as you understand that.

 

[SEMIJim]

I agree with the others, BillG: I think you're doing the right thing.

I think recommending an unproven light that's a flashaholic's latest wet dream does newbs a disservice. Yeah, the newb may be a budding flashaholic, but let them burn their hard-earned cash on bleeding edge products after they've discovered that.

Likewise: I think recommendations for products from places far, far away, that have had occasional product quality and shipping issues, ought to come with caveats.

Also: I saw one newb recently request recommendations for lights with "lots of throw." My first thought was: "I wonder if this guy really understands what ``throw'' is?"

Jim

 

[LEDninja]

When i give advice for gifts and newbies i recommend the following:

Common batteries - AA, AAA, D.
C is sometimes hard to get, CR123As are 2 for $20 locally. If replacement batteries are not available at the corner store, the light ends up in the junk drawer.

Simplicity of operation - single mode; twist bezel for high low clicky for on off is still fine for gifts to non flashaholics. For newbie flashaholic CPF members additional modes that can be easily ignored at first are acceptable such as the Fenix LxD. MTE 20 modes and programmable Liteflux are still a no no.

Reliability - The light must not arrive DOA or need fixing by the user.
Fenix - if we wait a full year before recommending them we are stuck with the clearance aisle at the Fenix store. Many lights have a long pedigree though L0P>L0P SE>L0D> L0D CE so I have no problem recommending the L0D CE Q4 Christmas special.
DX - I bought 3 brands of lights from them:
HF-1 Cree was intermittent and died within a week.
602c SSC 1/2 my batteries would not fit.
MTE SSC single stage had a QC sticker and it worked. I bought 3 more, they all have QC stickers and they all worked. This is the only light from DX I recommend.

Price - Flashaholic members of CPF would pay $gulp for a premium flashlight. Non flashaholics consider a flashlight a $10 thing. A $20-$30 Maglight is a quality light. So do not scare the newbies away by recommending too expensive a light.
When I first came across CPF looking for a pocketable LED light the recommended light was an Arc AAA. $40+courier charge+customs clearance charge+customs duties and I was getting close to $100 compared to $10 for a Solitaire. I still have not bought anything from Peter.

So my recommendations usually are:
AA:
MTE SSC single stage for people on a tight budget.
Fenix LxT v2.0 RB80 (as these are discontinued I may have to upgrade to LxD series).
---
AAA:
L0D CE.
---
D:
Dorcy area light with a Tectite LPR-113 or Terralux TLE-1F drop in.
Elektrolumens Anglelux P4.

 

[Flic]

BillG, LEDninja, and others, I have to agree. I usually recommend lights with common batteries. I won't even give a CR123 light as a gift as most people do not know how to source cheap cells. When the recipient of my gift goes to get a replacement cell and sees they are $10+ each, he'll never use that light again.

For most folks I usually recommend (now don't get upset) M@g incans as they are idiot proof. Too many LED lights lack reverse polarity protection. One mistake and poof! The same goes for gifts, I'll only give a quality LED light to someone who I know capable of feeding it properly.

I also prefer to recommend lights with a track record and with decent customer service in case of a problem (another reason for M@g). Fenix gets my vote most often. And as for UI, the simpler the better, so the LXT is tops.

 

[SEMIJim]

Re: CR123 cells. Depends on the recipient. For a friend's birthday present, another friend and I gave him an OLight T20. But we're all geeks, so our friend could appreciate the modes and the advantages of the CR123 cells. We also threw in a half-dozen CR123 primaries. I figure that two new CR123 primaries in the light and a half-dozen in reserve ought to hold him for a while .

For a non-geek friend of mine's Christmas present, tho, I'm getting a LumaPower LM31. Simple two-mode reverse clicky. He'll get it with LIon AA in it, but he'll be able to feed it w/alkalines, if he wants.

Jim

 

[Akita]

Nope...I don't see it that way.

I own a dozen different lights DX sells that have zero reviews here at CPF or the DX website. Some of them probably will never be reviewed anywhere.

Doesn't bother me in the least to explore what's out there on the market dead cold.
So far the worst lights I have bought from a value vs hype standpoint have been Pelican,Surefire,StreamLight,and Fenix.

The best value lights overall have all been Romisen.

So shoot me :>) ....I don't follow the crowd.

Brand loyalty doesn't mean squat to me...a light either lives up to hype and performance in the real world or it doesn't.

I do draw the line on recommending any expensive light to a friend or relative unless I own it and know it's reliable.
I don't call that conservative...I call it common sense.
A $50.00 flashlight is quite an embarrassment when it fails and your friend wants to know if you have a flashlight related mental disorder.

Don't go there...unless your friend can well afford to throw it in the trash can and buy a replacement.

Only recommend what you personally own or have used.
Just my $.02 worth.

:thumbsup:

 

[jumpstat]

I only recommend those I have experience with whether its a budget light or a custom light. IMO it is important for the newbie to fully understand whats on offer to him/her and thus combined with what its intended use will thus lead to a correct purchase first time. I always believe to get the light to suit the need rather than the other way around.

 

[evh]

Hi guys. I think what you guys do when you recommend a flashlight is simply giving the person who asked some directions/options. At least after perusing the forum threads he/she can carry on and make a decision on a purchase.

I think it's very noble of you guys to share your good or bad experience with your lights here. I've made some purchases both good and bad ones after reading the forum threads myself.

Sometimes I get carried away trying to defend my purchases, brand preference and specifications. I've seen it happen here in CPF too. I think it makes for a healthy discussion (and a sick wallet).

So I hope you guys don't stop recommending lights here. Be it the flavour of the month, an old workhorse or even a shelf queen. I like them all.

 

[Cydonia]

For new flashlight junkies I'd always suggest something cheap, simple, reliable, yet powerful and upgradeable. Something familiar. You know... like a Mag with a drop in. And if they want to take it to the next level, get some good NiMh batteries and a maha charger. Beyond that, it's ROP or hotwire all the way For reliable LED it's the X5, used, for under $20 IMHO :ironic: How's that for conservative?

 

[Gaffle]

I tend to recommend lights that have good track records. I read the reviews. There are a lot of people here who review the product and give really good details. Now reviewing a product and using it in "real life" is totally different.

I was up on a ladder using my ProPoly recently. I dropped it. That was about 7+ feet to the ground. My father made the comment, "lets see if it turns on now", and it did. I would recommend that light to everyone. I compare that light to these cheep Romisen lights I purchased for gifts. I just wanted a cheap $10 light. Found it! Now, would this light survive a drop? I wouldn't bet on it. I would recommend the Romisen if someone wanted some BS light just for the hell of it, but I would not recommend it to someone who would like a bit more longevity.

I can recommend lights that are reviewed by people like Selfbuilt, and I can recommend lights that I own. That is about it. I don't feel like buying a ton of DX lights to play with, we have bessiebenny for that (good thread BTW).

 

[Akita]

:devil: Hmmm...my cheapo,BS Romisen RC-F4 survived a 16 foot drop off a ladder last week onto a concrete floor at work without a scratch...works just fine.
My boss said any flashlight that could survive that and keep working was definitely impressive.
He ordered a dozen RC-F4's from DX the next day for the rest of the shop guys on the maintenance crew.

My American made Pelican M6 rolled off a work bench 36" high onto a wooden oak floor...yep...cracked the lense and 100% dead.

My Surefire G2 ?
I could continue,but that's another story for another day.

I work in plant maintenance ( Chemical company )...flashlights either survive under harsh,abusive conditions or die very quickly.

Brands names mean nothing...ask my boss how many Pelican and Surefire lights failures he has experienced as a certified scuba instructor.

A lot of CPF members here wouldn't like his answer...it would contain profuse amounts of profanity.

My son is a full time LEO...ask him why they don't use StreamLight as official issue duty lights anymore...hint...it's not price.

I keep an open mind...whatever brand of light that holds up best under my requirements without failure is what I'll be spending my money on.
Price and brand is no guarantee of value or longevity from my experience.
I use these things every day as a necessary part of my job...they don't sit in a glove box in my truck or in a drawer waiting for an emergency to occur.

Yep...that makes me flashlight politically incorrect to the extreme.

:devil::devil:

Every new flashlight I buy I drop test it 4 feet onto concrete before I take it to work...if it survives multiple drops it's a keeper.
If it doesn't...it goes to the landfill.

We all have different flashlight requirements :>)
No wars here...

 

[jeffb]

I only recommend lights that I have owned and had experience. Also I ask questions, pertaining to, perhaps, size, battery preference, beam characteristic (if important), potential use for and of course, cost.

I like to show pictures and "comparison pictures" and recommend a reliable source for light.

If I recommend another light that I haven't touched.........refer to the appropriate thread and resource for the OP.

It SEEMS to me that many refer a light based on the SOLE fact that they have one..............that's surely OK, if it fits..............however I believe that the interested party deserves good information and choices, as has been mentioned, one size does not fit all.....

just my 2 pennies.....

jeffb

 

[Katdaddy]

You have to remember the average guy on the street has no idea about high end lights. For most of them and for me too when I first arrived here for that matter a Mag light is top of the heap. Any Fenix AA light is going to blow away anything they have ever seen. I know, it was that way for me. This is a whole nother world. I joined the fraternity after I discovered what was out there. Many will think, Oh nice light and never give it another thought.

 

[NA8]

i see forum members recommending all sorts of lights to newbies here. thats great....but many of these recommendations are for lights that have been out less than a month or two. i only try to recommend lights that have been out for a while. by then we really know if they have issues or not.

I think forum members are fair game. I'd only recommend a Maglight MagLED off the forum. I think the assumption is the person should do some research here on the recommendations given and sort for his own needs.

 

[Rzr800]

I think forum members are fair game...I think the assumption is the person should do some research here on the recommendations given and sort for his own needs.

Agreed; there were very few suggesting that a look be taken at some of the hottest lights (by post views) on this forum right now and I'd hate to think that there weren't a few more members out there with a "you're a big boy/girl now!" attitude.