lightwave1209
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2003
- Messages
- 63
If you see a LED for less than $30, can you not help but buy it? Especially if it promises to be bright and powerful.
Are you addicted to cheap lights?
- Thread starter lightwave1209
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TORCH_BOY
Flashlight Enthusiast
No not anymore, I have bought Cheapies in the past and they just fall apart.
GarageBoy
Flashlight Enthusiast
Only if they're like the Arc AAA camo on closeout
BSCOTT1504
Enlightened
If I see a LED for less than 30 dollars I wouldn't consider buying it! I would rather pass on 3 or 4 or maybe 10 of those lights and buy one high quality light! 
matrixshaman
Flashlight Enthusiast
Let's see - Umm - one, two, uhh, three , four , five, six .... um seven, eight, nine - well - ummm - No not me. Really. There's good reasons you know...
Really. had to do something while I was waiting for the Novatac - does that sound like a good enough excuse? I can come up with more 
Really.
had to do something while I was waiting for the Novatac - does that sound like a good enough excuse? I can come up with more Supernam
Enlightened
Sorry, not me. I actually want to use my lights. I feel like I wasted my money if I have bunch of lights that I don't use. I'd rather pay an outrageous amount of money for high end lights that I use. Like if the power goes out, I'm going to grab some bright, super-efficient, light with a great beam.
FlashKat
Flashlight Enthusiast
I prefer the under $30.00 lights. My favorites that I use is the LILL & GLIMT from Kaidomain that are modified with Edison Opto LED's and part stippled reflectors. They are very bright, 2 stage, and reliable.
Flying Turtle
Flashaholic
I think you nailed me. Although my limit is lower, at least for unknown lights. If I see a light for less than $10 I might take a chance. I'm not as bad as I used to be, but it's always tempting. If it costs more I'll usually wait for some reports. And, just so you don't think I'm a total rube, I do have a few handfuls of acknowledged good lights.
Geoff
Geoff
Pistolero
Enlightened
Guilty as charged.
Especially if they have promises of insane runtime.
I wish those Rayovac cheepies ran on D-cells instead of 3-aaa's.
http://www.rayovac.com/flashlight/brsled3aaa-b.shtml
I am getting to the point where I just have too many. I tend to leave them in my car, the wife's car or at work. They're also super handy as loaner/gift lights for non-flashaholics.
Especially if they have promises of insane runtime.
I wish those Rayovac cheepies ran on D-cells instead of 3-aaa's.
http://www.rayovac.com/flashlight/brsled3aaa-b.shtml
I am getting to the point where I just have too many. I tend to leave them in my car, the wife's car or at work. They're also super handy as loaner/gift lights for non-flashaholics.
mossyoak
Flashlight Enthusiast
i can honestly say that im not into those cheaper lights. im McG all the way. i do however wholeheartedly recommend Fenix lights to friends and family. they are by far the most cost effective light on the market today.
mdocod
Flashaholic
I did for awhile, now I pick and choose cheepos with much more research before pulling the trigger, I only buy cheap if it's actually a good bargain.. I have plenty of PIECES of cheap flashlights laying around that don't work anymore, enough to keep me from going on cheapo buying binges anymore. I've got a few cheapos on my list of thing's to buy, like the new task force 2C cree for about $30. There are plenty of lights out there under or around $30 that are actually extremely nice, there are also many duds, like those shower-head lights, that seems to fall into pieces the first time you drop em or try to yank the batteries out.
Most of the lights on my wishlist now are $100+, many magmods I want to do as well up in that price range. I'll buy about 1 a year for awhile, I'm too poor right now lol.
Most of the lights on my wishlist now are $100+, many magmods I want to do as well up in that price range. I'll buy about 1 a year for awhile, I'm too poor right now lol.
NA8
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2007
- Messages
- 1,565
I picked up one of those Walgreens $5 9x5mm (old low output leds) 3xAAA lights.
http://a1061.g.akamai.net/7/1061/5412/home/www.walgreens.com/dbimagecache/353781.jpg
It's got one LED that goes out now and then and the tailswitch seems intermittently high resistive causing output variations. Nothing you can't fix by banging it
Too bad it didn't have just an ounce more quality to it. It is a nice dedicated low level light with a lot of spill and a big hot spot. I just ripped the switch apart to see what's in there. Surprisingly I was able to put it back together and it still works. Another example of the curse of the cheap flashlight that just won't die.
http://a1061.g.akamai.net/7/1061/5412/home/www.walgreens.com/dbimagecache/353781.jpg
It's got one LED that goes out now and then and the tailswitch seems intermittently high resistive causing output variations. Nothing you can't fix by banging it
Too bad it didn't have just an ounce more quality to it. It is a nice dedicated low level light with a lot of spill and a big hot spot. I just ripped the switch apart to see what's in there. Surprisingly I was able to put it back together and it still works. Another example of the curse of the cheap flashlight that just won't die.
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bestcounsel
Enlightened
I actually like to have both....expensive SF's and the like and cheapies for backup....
I know plenty of people that have expensive flashlights in their safes and refuse to use them for they are scared to get them scratched or scuffed. The favorite word is "mint condition".
I usually buy cheapies when they are under 10 bucks and throw them in the truck, car and house as backups or give away lights....
I see you guys talking about cheapies costing 30 bucks....to me thats too expensive. A surefire could be had for 30 bucks...
10 bucks is the price im looking to buy a cheapie for....
recently i bought a Dorcy 1 watt 3AAA for 9.00 at walmart in the clearance section. Not the greatest light or the light i carry daily, but makes a dam good back up and it has a clip on it.
I have bought many Dorcy 1AAA and have given them away and i think i had only had trouble with one.
My favorite brand for cheapies is Dorcy...
I know plenty of people that have expensive flashlights in their safes and refuse to use them for they are scared to get them scratched or scuffed. The favorite word is "mint condition".
I usually buy cheapies when they are under 10 bucks and throw them in the truck, car and house as backups or give away lights....
I see you guys talking about cheapies costing 30 bucks....to me thats too expensive. A surefire could be had for 30 bucks...
10 bucks is the price im looking to buy a cheapie for....
recently i bought a Dorcy 1 watt 3AAA for 9.00 at walmart in the clearance section. Not the greatest light or the light i carry daily, but makes a dam good back up and it has a clip on it.
I have bought many Dorcy 1AAA and have given them away and i think i had only had trouble with one.
My favorite brand for cheapies is Dorcy...
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LEDninja
Flashlight Enthusiast
I am unemployed/retired so do not have the money for lots of good lights. I got a lot of Turtlelites Gelbrites Illuminators 1AAAS. Surprisingly for $15 or less they are very reliable. Assorted LED drop-ins helps.
I bought a 1AAA Cree which was intermittent and died within a week.
I had better luck with MTE 1xAA SSC-P4 42180-U and Mini Ultrafire 602C Seoul SSC 42180-U. The MTE is replacing my gelbrites and the 602C actually replaced one of my Fenix L0D CEs as my main EDC. With the cheap lights one has to be very careful when selecting to avoid getting crap.
I have a few small Elektrolumens lights which are my high end and beyond the scope of this thread.
I bought a 1AAA Cree which was intermittent and died within a week.
I had better luck with MTE 1xAA SSC-P4 42180-U and Mini Ultrafire 602C Seoul SSC 42180-U. The MTE is replacing my gelbrites and the 602C actually replaced one of my Fenix L0D CEs as my main EDC. With the cheap lights one has to be very careful when selecting to avoid getting crap.
I have a few small Elektrolumens lights which are my high end and beyond the scope of this thread.
swxb12
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hi, my name is swxb12...
(long pause)
...and I'm addicted to cheap lights.
I've had fairly good luck with my 'cheapies' so far. My JetBeams are outstanding for the <$30 price. Not everything in this range is crap. Just buy what the trailblazers get...and reveal as gems. Simple. Fun. :twothumbs
(long pause)
...and I'm addicted to cheap lights.
I've had fairly good luck with my 'cheapies' so far. My JetBeams are outstanding for the <$30 price. Not everything in this range is crap. Just buy what the trailblazers get...and reveal as gems. Simple. Fun. :twothumbs
Questionable quality - questionable beam - questionable clickie - questionable ergonomics - questionable construction - questionable value - questionable flashlight.
Some of those new AAs do look tempting, but I just have too many questions about these questionable products to waste my not so questionable money on.
Not that I necessarily want to spend $$$ on high end or, even, esoteric flashies. It's just that I've found myself with quality products that, to me, represent good value too with my Inovas, Gerbers and, yes, even my Maggies.
We would all like to spend less money on our (damn) expensive hobbies and have all been tempted by and have bought high spec, big promise, low quality junk only to, eventually, be replace by the real deal. "Ahhh", as we think to our selves....THIS is what I should of done in the FIRST place.
Yeah - those NovaTacs are looking better all the time....I just have too many (damn) expensive hobbies.....If only I could spend less money.......
73
dim
Some of those new AAs do look tempting, but I just have too many questions about these questionable products to waste my not so questionable money on.
Not that I necessarily want to spend $$$ on high end or, even, esoteric flashies. It's just that I've found myself with quality products that, to me, represent good value too with my Inovas, Gerbers and, yes, even my Maggies.
We would all like to spend less money on our (damn) expensive hobbies and have all been tempted by and have bought high spec, big promise, low quality junk only to, eventually, be replace by the real deal. "Ahhh", as we think to our selves....THIS is what I should of done in the FIRST place.
Yeah - those NovaTacs are looking better all the time....I just have too many (damn) expensive hobbies.....If only I could spend less money.......
73
dim
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GregWormald
Enlightened
Nope, at the same time the 'high-end' light has to outperform (or out-look) the cheaper lights ($50 or so) before I'll look at it. I guess I'm sort of a "value for money" addict.
Greg
Greg
