Budget Vs High end lights

[Tekno_Cowboy]

IMHO, I'll stick by the old saying, which in my experience is true at least 80% of the time:

You get what you pay for.

That said, you still have to take into consideration what your particular needs are. Sure a $1000 custom light will beat the pants off most cheapies, but you wouldn't buy it if you just need a $20 loaner light. :D

 

[Big_Ed]

I think both budget lights and high end lights have their places. It all depends on the individual's needs and budget. But if one opts for the budget light and it fails or there is some other issue with it, well that is part of the gamble. Money was saved on the initial cost, but ther may be additional costs later, either replacement/repair, or if the failure might cause other problems, like if the light fails for a security guard or police officer the cost could be much much higher. On the other end of the spectrum, if the high end light was opted for, there is usually a better record of reliability, and better warranty service, but the initial cost was much higher, so those benefits had better be there, or too much was paid.

 

[sappyg]

well.... since i have started playing with flashlights i have gradually upgraded in quality and price for nearly every purchase. each new light has been a marked improvement over the last one. i think you do eventually reach a point of deminishing returns just like we have all noticed that 30-50 lumins more becomes less noticeable from a light that is already at the top end of the output scale. sometimes more is not that much more.
i gave a friend an LED lenser and he is perfectly content with that light. i used it 2 weeks ago after having moved on to SF and others. it's not that bad but, my tastes have become more refined and i would rather have my SF's etc.... so would he :D

 

[Search]

It is possible to cheaper lights that do about the same thing as expensive lights and work just as long. It all comes down to a little research before buying.

My only problem is that I want to buy everything.

I do however prefer saving for an extra week or two and buy the more expensive one. If I'm going to buy something I want to do it right.

Lights aren't exactly "expensive".

Anyone can save some out of an extra paycheck or two and buying something more expensive.

 

[FLT MEDIC]

Hey Ya'll


I have a question that I've spent some time searching threads for, and I haven't found any thing that really answers the question. What makes a $300 flashlight so much better than a $70 flashlight? Assuming that the lights are using comparable led's and batteries. Leaving out “Super-duper, handmade, solid ti w/ 24k gold accents, 500,000 lumen” custom art pieces.:laughing: What I am talking about are the production lights that are on the market. For example what really makes Wolf Eyes and Shurefire's so much better than say Aurora or Mte. Thanks for letting me open this can of worms.:crackup:

Better quality control, workmanship and a long warranty period.

You'd probably have a hard time claiming warranty from an Aurora or MTE light. The cost difference between buying a new Aurora or MTE compared to sending it back for warranty repair/replacement might not be that much and/or worth the wait/downtime/hassle.

 

[yellow]

high end: 100,-- and more
budget: around 50,--
cheap: around 20,--

lets make it easy: quite some years ago - in the dark incan age ;) - there was nothing than high end lights

now, with ESPECIALLY when Fenix entered the market with extremely good quality and workmanship for its ~50,-- LED-lights, the higher priced lost their superiority.
Now there are a number of other makers for budget lights (Jetbeam, f.e.), even more cutting sales numbers from the high end lights.

Also, there are the cheap makes, the difference here (LED!) is, that they are not this obviously lousy, as they have been in the incan age. But they are, of course


... spend 40-80,-- and there is pretty nothing a higher priced light can do better

 

[captainKrunch]

If you have to ask, you will never understand. Today, I received a new tailcap for the Surefire L1, because the rubber finally wore through after carrying it almost daily for three years. The tailcap was FREE. Normally, tailcaps start at about forty dollars on up. Who do I call if my made in China light breaks? Of course there is an exception for the Fenix lights.

The clip on my new L1 broke last week and they are sending me another clip, for free.

The nylon sheath for my Leatherman Charge TTi became frayed badly after a few weeks. I contacted Leatherman and they informed me there was no warranty on the sheath. I will not do business with Leatherman again, but I will certainly plop down a few hundred dollars for a new SF light.

For the kid and wife to use at home, a four dollar, 3 led flashlight that runs on two D batteries. They will never go outside to investigate anything and if the power goes out, which it doesn't, then they have plenty of light. For me I like my small collection of lights, even though some of them are considered high end lights. I consider anything over 100 dollars high end.

 

[Fallingwater]

What really makes a Hummer better than a Ford station wagon?

Unwise choice of examples. I'm fairly sure there are many people for whom a hummer is not, in fact, better than a ford station wagon (I certainly am one of them).

"There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person's lawful prey. It is unwise to pay too much, but it is also unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot... It can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better."
John Ruskin (1819 – 1900) English social reformer

John Ruskin died about a hundred years before the Chinese really let their industry fly. Had he been alive today, he would have probably made this statement with less absolutes in it. It is in fact possible to pay a little and get a lot today, you just have to know what you're getting and avoid the really supercheap options.

 

[HitecDrftr]

I own a Surefire E1B (My EDC) , a Duracell Daylite 160 lumens, and a Husky 2D among others. All my lights cost from $10 to over ten times that. I LOVE THEM ALL, and they all have value to me.

I love the size and feel of the E1B. It clips to my belt, although the overly simple clip design allows it to fall off frequently. Good thing the light is high quality because I can't count the number of times it has fallen off. I also tend to worry about losing it because of that.

My 160 lumens Daylight is a $40 light. If it was just a little smaller and had a clip it would be my EDC because I could buy 3 of them for the price of my E1B and would not worry so much about losing it or breaking it. It has a lifetime Guarantee, not a warranty. I have dropped it ten times from a height of eight feet onto the basement floor of my house. It still works. No, it doesn't have the "quality feel" of the E1B, but it's a great "flooder" and my favorite "around the house" light.

My 2D Husky is just a fun light for me. Any light that throws like it does for $25.00 is worth it in my opinion, but you wouldn't catch me carrying it everywhere I go, or even dropping it once on purpose. Still, it is the light I pull out if I want to point out the stars or planets I am looking at. (amateur astronomer)

Bottom line, the only thing that makes a light worth a given amount of money is if you are willing to pay it. "VALUE" is a very personal thing.

 

[mikekoz]

Quality lights , like any quality tool, will cost more. It has already been mentioned in this thread why.....reliability, component quality, etc. You do get what you pay for up to a certain extent. The law of diminishing returns also comes into play...you only get more up to a certain point, in my humble opinion. I see no reason why any light should be more than $200.00. These devices are not sophisticated pieces of electronics and they are not jewelry. Aluminum in not a precious metal!!:shrug:. That is just my opinion.....your mileage may vary!

Mike

 

[stefanj]

So much of it boils down to what you can afford. I wish I had a couple extra hundred laying around for a high end. But I don't (and probably never will) so I "pretend" to have those super high end lights with my Chinese Knockoffs- they still work, and shock the daylights out of people that have never seen a Cree Led in action- and when someone falls in love with my light- I can let them know how to get one and fell comfortable that they won't get sticker shock. Oh and If I lost a $100 light (or worse had it stolen) well we all know how that story ends.:mecry:

 

[carrot]

I just ran across something someone wrote about something else... on another forum.

The joy of low price is quickly forgotten amidst the disappointment of low quality.

By quality and you'll only cry once.

 

[gsxrac]

The best comparison I can think of for this is to go to somebody that works construction and ask them why they bought a $250 Dewalt Cordless drill instead of the $39.99 special at Northern Hydraulic, Tractor Supply, Etc.
Yes they both work, yes they both do their job but for how long? How many times can you drop the shiny blue "good deal" before it takes a dump? How much torque does it put out? And so on and so forth.
But basically you get what you pay for and some people will be extremely happy with the $10 light they picked up on the discount rack but if you plan on using a light every day doing various activities where your probably going to end up dropping the light getting it wet or using it to defend yourself in a life or death situation do you really want to go for the cheaper light?

 

[wacbzz]

"There is hardly anything in the world that someone cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price alone are that person's lawful prey. It is unwise to pay too much, but it is also unwise to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money, that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything because the thing you bought is incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot... It can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better."

John Ruskin (1819 – 1900) English social reformer

When I was selling cars, this was the only thing I had hanging on the wall in my office - in big enough letters so that the customers would be sure to read it when I wasn't in the office.

One is hard pressed to find truer words that have ever been written when dealing with the spending of money...

 

[Mjolnir]

I would not say that Lights in the $50- $100 range (like fenixes) are "budget lights." They have all the features (if not more) than what you call "true high end" (which really means "overpriced" most of the time), but are not exorbitantly priced. This is why I have not bought a surefire. For $80 dollars I could get an 80 lumen 6PL without type 3 anodizing, or a fenix TK11 or Eagletac T10L (or others) that will put out 200+ lumens on high, has type III anodiing, and is of comparable quality.

I would equate fenix level brands to somethign along the lines of an Infiniti. They have a lot of power, are well built, and cost less than their competitors. Sure, you could get a mercedes for twice as much if you wanted, but the inifiniti would work very well with similar (if not better) quality.

 

[TECENG]

IMHO the difference is down to (in order of importance):

1. Marketing
2. Reputation
3. Engineering
4. Performance

Let's not forget:
5. Distribution costs (i.e. resellers)
6. Higher overhead
7. Higher profit margin

 

[sappyg]

The best comparison I can think of for this is to go to somebody that works construction and ask them why they bought a $250 Dewalt Cordless drill instead of the $39.99 special at Northern Hydraulic, Tractor Supply, Etc.

well.... i'm in construction and i do spend money on quality tools. i have switched to hitachi for several reasons. the biggest reason is that they feel and work better than dewalt in every way. the batteries hold up better than DeWalt and they are very competively priced. (ok.. they are green and look like a star wars fazer)
if this seems off topic it is not.... you can use a better product and pay less. when you look and see what the trades are using you will see that some of their equipement is a fashion or a click thing but hardcore equipemant just plain works and has to work day in and day out. if it costs less is a bonus but the key is it has to work when needed... every time.
a "budget" light will probably work most of the time and sometimes i have been let down by a higher end light. if we are discussing price alone then the point is misguided and driven by fashion or click. if the point is reliability and function then price becomes secondary to task.
could we really be discussing value here? i think so.
i use to have 2 brick masons. 1 had a hummer and 1 had a work truck. what they drove had no value to me. i only have 1 brick mason now and that 1 is the one that returned my calls. guess which vehicle my mason drives.

 

[sweetlight]

I don't agree with "you get what you pay for". In my younger years it was all about image. I would routinely pay $200 or more for a pair of Versace jeans and other high end merchandise. The reality is I was mostly paying for the label. The jeans were no better than a twenty dollar pair of Wranglers.

As I've gotten older and I hope wiser those things matter less. I don't want crap, but I don't want to pay for hype either. I agree that if you are a cop or similar profession you want to make sure you have the best. But for the typical user it more about status, flash, thinking that it makes you cool; rather than what you really need and quality.

 

[gsxrac]

i have switched to hitachi for several reasons. the biggest reason is that they feel and work better than dewalt in every way. the batteries hold up better than DeWalt and they are very competively priced.

I was refering more to the no name brands that every time you walk in the store they change colors and change the name brand on the drill but its still essentially the same POS. I dont mind Hitachi Ryobi etc. I just hate watching my dad bring home another new "power pro" or "drill master" or whatever they decide to call the company that week.
COMPLETLY off topic but I just saw some custom colored anodizing or w/e on Snap-On impact wrenchs on How things are made tonight!!!!!:huh:

 

[wacbzz]

i use to have 2 brick masons. 1 had a hummer and 1 had a work truck. what they drove had no value to me. i only have 1 brick mason now and that 1 is the one that returned my calls. guess which vehicle my mason drives.

Obviously, you didn't offer the guy driving the Hummer enough money!:laughing: