Does it matter if a flashlight is outdate

[firefly99]

Either a) The power just went off, b) At night out in the field, it is pitch dark and you need a light.

Does it matter whether the light is
a) an incan
b) LED
c) candle (ancient technology)
d) glow from a cell phone
e) from a 5mm LED (outdated technology)
f) from a "made in China"
g) from a "made in US"

Whether a flashlight use latest LED technology or old 5mm LED or incan, the output is still light. So why should a flashlight be outdated just because it is not using the latest technology ?

 

[asdalton]

There are many lights that are well respected on CPF even though they may be technically out of date.

Some examples:

Surefire A2
Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Luxeon
Surefire L4 & L5 (Luxeon versions)
Princeton Tec EOS headlamp (Luxeon)

 

[NonSenCe]

if you can manage to do what you need it to do, better than without it, it serves its purpose.

if you have better option to use, and you know it could do the task better somehow, then it is pretty normal to use it..
or atleast wish to have it with you so you could use it.

settling for outdated weaker option if you have better one with you and no easy explanation for NOT using it makes little sense to me.

any light is better than non if you need more light.

*and candles are cool.

 

[Christoph]

If it emits light when called upon then it can't be out dated :devil: out dated would be dark However in answer to your question imho No.
c

 

[StarHalo]

A 5mm LED light is excellent for dark-adjusted eyes outdoors, especially for astronomy use. Whenever I do night photography, a 5mm LED is just the thing for getting set up and checking camera settings without losing my night vision.

It should be noted that in an "island survival" scenario, the oldest form of light, the torch, is by a huge margin the most useful.

 

[OceanView]

So why should a flashlight be outdated just because it is not using the latest technology ?

From a practical perspective, no light is really ever outdated if it gets the job done. However, from a hobby perspective, sure a light can be outdated. It's no fun if you don't have the latest and greatest, using newer technology, more power, more exotic materials, etc. Is anyone going to be excited about a new Surefire light with a Luxeon III and NiCd batteries? I think not.

 

[Zeruel]

Depends how far back it's outdated, between a candle and a flashlight, I'll pick the flashlight of course, better safety, longer-lasting, brighter, more focused etc....

 

[seaside]

Well... old flashlight is old, outdated technology is outdated. You just can't deny that. But that does'nt really matter when it serves its purpose well. It still is useful, and there's no shame about having one, outdated or not.

 

[Oddjob]

We flashaholics have a different view on things I think otherwise we would still be amazed at a light putting out 40 lumens on high. I have a luxeon Fenix L1T that would be fine for your average person but it is my loaner/not afraid if it get lost or damaged light because I won't let non-flashaholics use my other lights. As it has been said before the best light is the one you have with you when you need it. From that point of view if an old minimag gets you back to your car after dark then it has still proven itself useful.

 

[Owen]

None of my lights came with an expiration date on them

 

[carrot]

Does it matter if a flashlight is outdated?

Short answer: No.
Long answer: Nooooooooooo.

I have learned to enjoy all my lights no matter what technology they're based on. Now would I buy a new flashlight based on a Lux I? Probably not (although I have recently, but I digress). But I have no problems using those that I already have.

 

[Guy's Dropper]

I still use my Surefire E2E and my INOVA X0-3. They may be outdated, but they are such high quality lights, I still enjoy using them. Then there is my Stock Maglite 4D that I use sometimes. Of course, the only reason I do that is to remind myself how great my new lights are. If you only use the newest brightest light you have all the time, you become immune to its awsomeness.

 

[danielo_d]

Short answer: No.
Long answer: Nooooooooooo.

That's classic. Can't agree with you more.

 

[Black Rose]

I could care less if a flashlight uses "outdated" technology.

If I need light NOW and I have a flashlight with me, my needs are met no matter whether it's an incan, 5mm LED, or regular LED light.

When push comes to shove, we need to take off our "flashlight geek" hats and realize that these battery operated devices have one real, simple purpose...produce light.

 

[Lightcrazycanuck]

I could care less if a flashlight uses "outdated" technology.

If I need light NOW and I have a flashlight with me, my needs are met no matter whether it's an incan, 5mm LED, or regular LED light.

When push comes to shove, we need to take off our "flashlight geek" hats and realize that these battery operated devices have one real, simple purpose...produce light.

Could not have said iy better my self.+1:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

The best flashlight for the job is the one you have with you when you need it. Whether it's outdated or not, if you have it with you and it works, it should be good enough. Brightness and runtime are important, but they come in second to a light that is with you and works.

Some lights are classics and I will use them even if they're outdated. I try to make them rechargeable if I can, to justify using some of them though. My Gerber Infinity Ultra is years old, but it makes a great tent and reading light. My Inova XO2 cuts through fog well and also works great in movie theaters when you need to see something without bothering others. My 2007 Inova T1 has awful runtime, but it doubles as a handwarmer on a cold night. I crammed a protected 17670 battery in it and now use it all the time. My Gerber LX 3.0 is my best beater light. It has been smacked against concrete and steel hundreds of times and still works like new. It doesn't matter if a flashlight is outdated as long as it performs it's task. When I help my dad with work (he's an electrical contractor) and he asks for a flashlight, I always hand him an l.e.d. Maglite because I know he's going to drop it after it rolls off a florescent light fixture 8 feet high or off a ladder. Mags are great lights to abuse and are cheap enough to replace if the drop kills the light. This is probably why most people think they're the best. Some applications such as backpacking, caving, and long power outages require long runtimes and sometimes higher brightness to work for the task. In these cases, it helps to have the newest l.e.d. since the duration you need the light for is long enough to warrant having the best you can get. No matter what the situation, if the light is with you, and it works (turns on, is bright enough for the task, and the batteries last long enough to get through the task) it's good enough, outdated or not.

 

[OceanView]

So why should a flashlight be outdated just because it is not using the latest technology ?

Actually, you basically just defined what "outdated" means. I don't really understand the point behind this question, unless you're actually mixing up the meaning of "utility" with "outdated". Any light that meets your needs is useful. But those same lights can certainly be outdated.

However, from a business perspective, if I am trying to sell lights, then selling only outdated lights could very well lead to bankruptcy so it is a very important point. It's one thing for a user to say that I don't mind using this old light that I've had for years versus talking about selling new lights now, with old technology. Try telling Maglite that it's OK if they stick with just making incandescent lights. They're still useful, but they're outdated, and people won't buy as many Maglites if they're only selling outdated technology.

 

[1dash1]

Whether a flashlight use latest LED technology or old 5mm LED or incan, the output is still light. So why should a flashlight be outdated just because it is not using the latest technology ?

The answer depends on the context of the discussion. After all, even an ancient abacus may outperform a contemporary calculator in certain situations.

Nonetheless, the latest technology brings us new choices: higher output levels, longer runtimes, multifunctions, smaller size, new tints, etc. It is up to the individual to decide whether the incremental improvements are worth the purchase price and whether his older inventory should be relegated to obsolescence.

While we'd hope consumers choose selectively, I'd guess that the average buyer tends to purchase on impulse.

 

[greenlight]

My inova x1.v1 will never be out of date. It provides exactly what I need: a clean, precise thin beam of light.

 

[kelmo]

It only matters in your head.

I still have a Minimag with an Opalec Newbeam drop in and an Arc AA that are my I'm gonna be out here for awhile lights. Load'm with lithiums and they run for many hours and you don't have to worry about the batteries bleeding out.

And everybody needs a good incan! For me its a E2x.