I haven't been here long, but I've discovered that the same less-is-more aesthetic that I gravitate towards in other areas of connoisseurship (watches, knives, etc), draws me to certain lights.
With a few exceptions (notably my Surefire L1, at which I am a loss to explain my adoration), I like clean cigar shaped lines, with copious knurling and few if any sharp angles. Heat baffles, roll guards, wacky colored Ti, etc, are all out for me. I don't even really like black that much. And certainly not shiny black or polished chrome. To me, a flashlight should be almost entirely dull looking, from a design standpoint, and in terms of the finish. One big exception to this is the jewel like McGizmo Ti Sapphire, which I will be taking delivery of soon.
My ultimate light, strictly from a physical aesthetic POV, is the Knurly EDC. I would own one tomorrow if it didn't have 3 LEDs. It's quite ironic to me that one of, if not the most, simple, elegant, understated lights ever produced, has a totally uncharacteristic and IMO unneccessary plethora of emitters. To me, it's kind of like wearing a plaid tie with a tux.
Don't get me started on logos. I think it's no mistake that the most desirable boutique custom lights are for the most part logo free. Fenix does NOT understand this. Nitecore wins the logo contest for their simple Helvetica-esque branding. Arc comes a close second for their government-issue style etching. One of the coolest logos I've come across was on one of the crappiest lights I bought (and returned) from a company called ASP.
In general, I like a flashlight that looks like it was made for the government during the cold war, when things were still made with love and finished by hand by people who took pride in their work. There are lights like that now, and they seem to be pretty popular. I don't think I'm alone here. Cutting 50 fins and bevels into the housing, just because you can, and because it looks more "tactical" is not good design in my book.
Here, in no particular order, are my favorite light designs.
Clockwise from top left:
McGizmo Sapphire
Novatac 120
Neofab Spartanian (man I want one of these)
Arc AAA
Knurly EDC (one emitter I say! ONE!)
RA Clicky
Nitecore D10 (quite possibly the perfect EDC light from every angle...size, price, UI, and design...and logo!)
Xeno G95 (RIP)
and dead center, the latest entrant in the less-is-more race, the Zebralight SC80. (could be a contender to knock the D10 from the throne for EDC Champ. I have one coming this week.)
mcdj
photo credits to CPF community and some dealers!
With a few exceptions (notably my Surefire L1, at which I am a loss to explain my adoration), I like clean cigar shaped lines, with copious knurling and few if any sharp angles. Heat baffles, roll guards, wacky colored Ti, etc, are all out for me. I don't even really like black that much. And certainly not shiny black or polished chrome. To me, a flashlight should be almost entirely dull looking, from a design standpoint, and in terms of the finish. One big exception to this is the jewel like McGizmo Ti Sapphire, which I will be taking delivery of soon.
My ultimate light, strictly from a physical aesthetic POV, is the Knurly EDC. I would own one tomorrow if it didn't have 3 LEDs. It's quite ironic to me that one of, if not the most, simple, elegant, understated lights ever produced, has a totally uncharacteristic and IMO unneccessary plethora of emitters. To me, it's kind of like wearing a plaid tie with a tux.
Don't get me started on logos. I think it's no mistake that the most desirable boutique custom lights are for the most part logo free. Fenix does NOT understand this. Nitecore wins the logo contest for their simple Helvetica-esque branding. Arc comes a close second for their government-issue style etching. One of the coolest logos I've come across was on one of the crappiest lights I bought (and returned) from a company called ASP.
In general, I like a flashlight that looks like it was made for the government during the cold war, when things were still made with love and finished by hand by people who took pride in their work. There are lights like that now, and they seem to be pretty popular. I don't think I'm alone here. Cutting 50 fins and bevels into the housing, just because you can, and because it looks more "tactical" is not good design in my book.
Here, in no particular order, are my favorite light designs.
Clockwise from top left:
McGizmo Sapphire
Novatac 120
Neofab Spartanian (man I want one of these)
Arc AAA
Knurly EDC (one emitter I say! ONE!)
RA Clicky
Nitecore D10 (quite possibly the perfect EDC light from every angle...size, price, UI, and design...and logo!)
Xeno G95 (RIP)
and dead center, the latest entrant in the less-is-more race, the Zebralight SC80. (could be a contender to knock the D10 from the throne for EDC Champ. I have one coming this week.)
mcdj
photo credits to CPF community and some dealers!
