Are department store lights better?

[reppans]

Are department store light better?

I guess I'm firmly stuck in hobby light land as my flashlight priorities are quite niche-market even among CPF'ers: massive runtime, sub-/low- lumen, single cell, pocket EDC lights. Course I still want the versatility of super bright, powerful Li-ions yet common Alks, and I just don't like PWM after learning how to easily spot it.

 

[braddy]

Re: Are department store light better?

Last time i looked they wore identity badges and looked clueless and in fact are clueless.In the UK i can think of 2 large retailers who employ muppets as staff as they have no idea at all about anything.

I was talking about friends and family, not store employees, I've never tried to educate or persuade stores and their staffs about flashlights.

 

[mcnair55]

Re: Are department store light better?

I think that the discussion between TEEJ and McNair55 is simply a missing definition of exactly, what is a hobby light? Hobby light can be so broadly interpreted that anything might be included. Someone may collect coin cell lights, or only lights that come in various colored bodies. Only 18650 lights? or rechargeable in the light lights? hmmm for example, how about the Q-beam?

Once that is clarified, there may not be a disagreement.

Well Mr Poppy i shall try.

I consider hobby lights to be the types like Fenix Nitecore and other such popular brands we see here on the forum.Lights bought by forum members appear to be used rather than kept in drawers.Led Lenser is a unique case in a way as it is sold in so many different locations and has so many friends and enemies.The enemy element comes from the Anorak wearing armchair scientists with the normal groan of "it is not regulated so therefore it is no good" which in reality is just a silly statement.Ask member Ven?

 

[LEDrock]

Re: Are department store light better?

Thank you for all your replies! I still haven't pulled the trigger on a "hobby light" one would find online. There have been some in department stores that have caught my eye, but there's always something about their specs that disappoint. One example is at Menards where they have a 2AA light that uses a Cree (don't know which version) and puts out 225 lumens on high mode and I think 110 lumens on low. It costs $17.99 at my local store. I'd like to get this one, but only if it had a much lower low mode, such as 30 at most. On the back of the package, it shows run times to be something like 20 minutes on high and 40 minutes on low. Not sure how that could be accurate using a Cree of any type. They don't have this one listed on their site, however.

Anyway, if I could find something at Menards, or Walmart that uses AA batteries and had insane runtimes like the Fenix E12, then I'd get it. I don't have a Lowes or Home Depot in my area

 

[ven]

Re: Are department store light better?

who me :laughing:

Yes i love my t7.2 ,its a great light and serves my uses as one of the best lights i have.This is in regard to the cells,these come free,also a long run time of usable lumens.I dont go diving 2m so water proof is N/A for me,and it will certainly take heavy rain.

The gradual output on the t7.2 is hardly noticeable for a few hours in use,no 5 min step downs,just 250lm from the start,gradually dimming to around 6-8hrs of use,change cells,off i go again.Heat generated is warm,not too warm in any way due to "only "250lm (320 on burst) which is more than sufficient for my work use without dazzling myself.

Its about the right light for the right job,some hate lensers,fair play,me some are too big,over priced,others great.Its about finding the one that suits.T7.2 for TEEJ would be no good on a search/rescue,handy maybe as a back up glove box light for close up work...........maybe.Again what suits the user as the t7.2 has momentary(very useful burst ) 2 modes,high,low off simple as that. Some hate zoomable,me i find it great in work,option of flood for working,spot for looking through machine perspex guards.
I like matte too


I see bonuses of reg and un reg,un reg no sudden loss(some loose a mode though or warn being regulated)get more out of cells.....maybe vampires..........
Reg-You know what your getting for X amount of time,this can be critical in some applications but preparation is still needed with which ever light choice,be it charged cells for long run time avoiding sudden darkness or dim light as cells tired.

Pro/cons of both,dont get me wrong i like my regulated lights a lot,probably 95% of them are,ones used a lot tend to be unregulated............no exact reason,but more to do with re-charging cells is not user friendly in work.They would have to be left unattended for long periods for a start.

So no right or wrongs,just what suits needs:twothumbs

WOW long waffle
:thumbsup:

 

[StarHalo]

Re: Are department store light better?

Anyway, if I could find something at Menards, or Walmart that uses AA batteries

Wal-Mart's Ozark Trail 6xAA 500 lumen model, $30. Not insane runtime, but output makes up for a lot of sins..

 

[Sharrack]

Re: Are department store light better?

The 3.99 amazon shorty flashlight with the 14500 battery is my fave. Runtime is short but i carry back up batteries.
3.99 ???? That sucker shines mountainsides a long ways away and will blind attackers in a pinch!!

Home depot had the coast HL5 headlamp for 9.99 during christmas 2 yrs ago.
Picked up 4 of them.....super bright and cheap!

home depot( coast) lights are pretty good but they are creeping into the 40+ range.

 

[TEEJ]

Re: Are department store light better?

Well Mr Poppy i shall try.

I consider hobby lights to be the types like Fenix Nitecore and other such popular brands we see here on the forum.Lights bought by forum members appear to be used rather than kept in drawers.Led Lenser is a unique case in a way as it is sold in so many different locations and has so many friends and enemies.The enemy element comes from the Anorak wearing armchair scientists with the normal groan of "it is not regulated so therefore it is no good" which in reality is just a silly statement.Ask member Ven?

Not AS good would be more accurate.

For example, if there are two lights, and you wanted the brightest one, and both say 500 lumens....which is better?

The regulated one is ~ 500 lumens for ~ the entire time you have it on, the unregulated one is 500 lumens for a few seconds or so until the cells can't keep up with the power drain, and the light starts to dim...and continues to slowly dim as you use it.

I think the one that keeps the same brightness is better, and that the one that gets gradually dimmer is not AS good.



I HAVE plenty of both types, and, regulated IS better for most uses.


Ironically, the lights I see that are for JUST for one long range or flood burst, are BRIGHTER when not regulated due to the losses involved, as all they are FOR is an initial punch....so dimming as the cells drain is OK for that use, as the benefit in initial brightness can compensate for it. This is only a plus for lights requiring super high drain applications.



If I had to patrol a large area, etc, I'd want either a regulated light that simply stayed as bright as needed, or, a larger non-regulated light that started out brighter than needed, so that by the end, it was still bright ENOUGH. (Bright enough to find one's Anorak at least...)

 

[Lit Up]

Re: Are department store light better?

For me regulation is a requirement, but explaining that kind of thing to non-flashlight people gets tiresome, it is much easier to know that they can get an adequate light now days, at their beloved Home Depot

Just send them to HD for a Rayovac Indestructible. Totally adequate.

 

[mcnair55]

Re: Are department store light better?

Not AS good would be more accurate.

For example, if there are two lights, and you wanted the brightest one, and both say 500 lumens....which is better?

The regulated one is ~ 500 lumens for ~ the entire time you have it on, the unregulated one is 500 lumens for a few seconds or so until the cells can't keep up with the power drain, and the light starts to dim...and continues to slowly dim as you use it.

I think the one that keeps the same brightness is better, and that the one that gets gradually dimmer is not AS good.



I HAVE plenty of both types, and, regulated IS better for most uses.


Ironically, the lights I see that are for JUST for one long range or flood burst, are BRIGHTER when not regulated due to the losses involved, as all they are FOR is an initial punch....so dimming as the cells drain is OK for that use, as the benefit in initial brightness can compensate for it. This is only a plus for lights requiring super high drain applications.



If I had to patrol a large area, etc, I'd want either a regulated light that simply stayed as bright as needed, or, a larger non-regulated light that started out brighter than needed, so that by the end, it was still bright ENOUGH. (Bright enough to find one's Anorak at least...)

Must admit most of my lights are regulated but for work purposes you get that little extra out of a non regulated light without the sudden dim,very much like my r/c hobby.Battery cars are very quick and clean to use but when the power is used they stop but when using nitro fuel you can usually coax them back to your pits with a few pops and bangs.

Just send them to HD for a Rayovac Indestructible. Totally adequate.

And probably a real money saver.

 

[YBCold]

Re: Are department store light better?

sometimes the features and configurations i see on walmart lights seem to me like flashlights designed by people who dont know about flashlights selling to people who also dont know about flashlights, like their ozark trail 750 Lumen "tactical" recharchable flashlight, walmart thinks that a tail clicky and high output makes a flashlight tactical. IMO Im still finding better quality on Ebay buying higher quality

 

[Monocrom]

Re: Are department store light better?

sometimes the features and configurations i see on walmart lights seem to me like flashlights designed by people who don't know about flashlights selling to people who also dont know about flashlights, like their ozark trail 750 Lumen "tactical" rechargeable flashlight, walmart thinks that a tail clicky and high output makes a flashlight tactical. IMO I'm still finding better quality on Ebay buying higher quality.

Yup. Anyone can do screaming bright and cheap. Easiest trick in the flashlight industry. But to some, "better" means it has to have quality as well.

 

[mcnair55]

Re: Are department store light better?

sometimes the features and configurations i see on walmart lights seem to me like flashlights designed by people who dont know about flashlights selling to people who also dont know about flashlights, like their ozark trail 750 Lumen "tactical" recharchable flashlight, walmart thinks that a tail clicky and high output makes a flashlight tactical. IMO Im still finding better quality on Ebay buying higher quality

Do not even worry about it you are not there target market.Joe Public wanting a torch to sit in the kitchen drawer or where ever will do them,if it gets lost so much the better as Joe will buy another.You can buy what you like on the flea as this thread is about store bought lights.

 

[treek13]

Re: Are department store light better?

You can buy what you like on the flea as this thread is about store bought lights.

Actually, he is the one speaking directly to the point of the thread if you read the original post.

...so here's my actual question: Are flashlights found in department stores now reaching the quality of some of the "budget" lights found online?...

 

[TEEJ]

Re: Are department store light better?

The worst of the eBay crap is worse than the worst of the dept store crap. The eBay stuff tends to be geared to the lumen output at all costs (NO cost to seller, etc...) so a dept store might be worried about selling stuff as FLIMSY as some of the eBay stuff, as the eBay stuff is more likely to set someone's house on fire, and the dept store stuff is generally safer, if dimmer.

So, lights like the "Indestructible" (Which has in parenthesis the word "Virtually"....proceeding the word Indestructible.....) ARE reasonably well made, and, which do produce light of various quality beam characteristics, likely to be quite satisfactory to the great unwashed....who tend to be overwhelmed with joy at a flashlight not rattling and needing to be banged on periodically to get it to go on again, producing white light instead of a dim yellow donut, etc.

I bought some to check them out, and I can't use them for work because of the beam characteristics and the massive size/weight to output ratios, making them extraordinarily inefficient to USE compared to other choices...but, they work in a reliable if overall lackluster fashion.

Lowes has had Coast and their Cobalt lights for example, and, now, they carry Surefire. Home Depot has their "Defiant" line, which is analogous to the "Indestructible" line of lights....and who ALSO now carry Surefire.

 

[mcnair55]

Re: Are department store light better?

Actually, he is the one speaking directly to the point of the thread if you read the original post.

Actually chappy you can look at it two ways buying on-line from vendors such as on cpf etc or taking a huge risk with all the fakes and dodgy scammers on the flea.

 

[TEEJ]

Re: Are department store light better?

Actually chappy you can look at it two ways buying on-line from vendors such as on cpf etc or taking a huge risk with all the fakes and dodgy scammers on the flea.

I think its just the two sources have different strategies in selecting products.

The flea bay stuff CAN include super cheap and potentially dangerous crap, that MIGHT produce high light out out for a bit before it breaks....and the stores are now selling some decent quality lights, that tend to be working, and, which tend to be less likely to burn your house down or provide high quality lighting...

...so the trade off is build quality vs light quantity, on the cheap end of both sources.'

 

[mcnair55]

Re: Are department store light better?

I think its just the two sources have different strategies in selecting products.

The flea bay stuff CAN include super cheap and potentially dangerous crap, that MIGHT produce high light out out for a bit before it breaks....and the stores are now selling some decent quality lights, that tend to be working, and, which tend to be less likely to burn your house down or provide high quality lighting...

...so the trade off is build quality vs light quantity, on the cheap end of both sources.'

And as you know i advocate to always have a look in a store,once the likes of Fenix etc can get there stuff in the sheds we will all benefit big time.

 

[TEEJ]

Re: Are department store light better?

And as you know i advocate to always have a look in a store,once the likes of Fenix etc can get there stuff in the sheds we will all benefit big time.

I always have looked local first...and then end up going online, but not eBay.

 

[ven]

Re: Are department store light better?

I use ebay for certain items(usually not lights) and touch wood ,right research etc proves well when dealing on there no matter what the purchase.

I believe that surefire is available at walmart now..............sure this can only be a good thing ,getting better made lights to the public and probably cheaper too.

One thing with stores is the ease to return any goods,getting a proper look or even feel for the light before buying.Given the choice and if i had a local store that sold lights at reasonable prices(not ridiculous mark ups) then it would be store for me every day of the week.

No where local sell surefire/nitecore/sunwayman/eagletac............ok ok i could go on :laughing: but many shops in the UK do.Problem for me is then the cost......

Will give one example,in UK i can buy a tk35ue for $186 ............yep thats correct.

I can knock an easy $50 or more off that by importing..........so after 10 lights an easy $500 saving(works out a lot more than that as i chose a cheaper light as an example)

Thats my method in the madness .

Lensers here seem to be popular in certain shops,again quite expensive depending on shop and where it is in the country.

On cheaper makes in easier to get to shops(for me) my choice is limited,yes have screwfix etc in trafford park but tesco etc and the one near me i only have to look at the packets and most are open,lights look past their best before buying. The ones i have seen are fine for a kid,camping etc,if it gets lost or broke no issue.......

So for me personally and here in the UK where i live,if i want a decent light i have to order on line and import(or pay 50%+ more from an on line UK shop).

Luckily i have vinh=win win :twothumbs

Not seen any indestructible lights..............if i did i would try their AA and D lights for sure:thumbsup: