Flashlight Collecting: Expensive Hobby??

[z_BlahHead]

Hi torch-bearers,



I'm very new to this forum, (registered ten minutes ago) and was wondering how expensive flashlight collecting can be.



I started off with a 3xAA Maglite LED, bought a cheep x2000 LED, and just recently ordered a Aurora AK-P7 5-mode HA-III SSC P7-C from DX, and I just noticed that I spent over $100 in a month for three flashlights!



I was amazed that others have lights that go well over $200, and you all know flashlights can be addicting! 😀



My question is that in general, how much money do you get to spend on your lights? Im just a high school student, so Im quite tight on budget!



Thanks in advance!!

 

[njet212]

I would spend as much as my limit allow.

Let say i want a Mc.Gizmo Haiku that currently offered for $450 + shipping but i could just spent max $200, that would means Haiku currently is not for me at the moment and if i want something Titanium i would look at Sunway V10R Ti instead.



Cheers !!

 

[angelofwar]

Well, based on your experience posted above, I've learned to buy quality over qty. (i.e. one $100 light as opposed to 3 lights that tallied $100). It's cheaper in the long run.

I tend to splurge when I have extra money (i.e. tax season), but the rest of the year I may spend $30-$50 on a part here and there, but any "purchases" are usually funded by selling excess or un-used lights. I don't have any extra money sitting around so to speak.

My Surefire collection took me about 4-5 years to build and is worth about $6000 MSRP, but some of them were acquired thru trades for non-light related items, so I'd say I spend around $750 a year on lights.

 

[sethistruckin]

I think that this can be a very expensive hobby. However, nothing close to Guns, and possibly knives. I tend to buy in spurts, and not on a consistent monthly basis. This month I spent around $200 on lights prepping for an upcoming camping/backpacking trip, but for three months prior to that I did not buy anything. I also tend to sell off some lights to buy new lights.

The main thing is I try to stay within my budget.

 

[jtblue]

$300 AUD is currently my annual limit, this system works well for me because instead of simply buying the latest and greatest products, I have to sit down and think for a good while before I make a purchase. The outcome of this is that I always seem to purchase top quality products that I believe will last longer then I will.

Quality over quantity is something that wasn't taught to me but rather something that I picked up as a result of my self-imposed budget.

Hope this helps in some way.
Jeremy

 

[DimeRazorback]

Not as expensive as watches... but can be if you make it! 😛

 

[fl0t]

I think is a very affordable hobby.
with a $150 monthly budget you are good to go. Sure, sometimes you will find yourself spending more than that, but in my case that is not everyday. Not even every month.

 

[Colonel Sanders]

I came from hot rodding Harleys and drag racing before that, and muscle cars before that, and 4 wheelers before that, and mud trucks before that, and dirtbikes before that, and RC cars/planes/boats before that, etc, etc, etc,....so, no....this is a VERY cheap hobby. It's all a matter of perspective.

 

[fl0t]

I came from hot rodding Harleys and drag racing before that, and muscle cars before that, and 4 wheelers before that, and mud trucks before that, and dirtbikes before that, and RC cars/planes/boats before that, etc, etc, etc,....so, no....this is a VERY cheap hobby. It's all a matter of perspective.

Thats exactly what Im talking about.
I was into dirtbikes for 2 years and it sucked my entire salary. Then I switched back to RC cars hoping to spend less money and I think I ended spending more than with dirtbikes. Fuel burning smells great, you can almost hear the adrenaline pumping, but it is expensive.

If you are not planning to buy 2 polarions and one Tri-V a month you are safe.

 

[computernut]

My other hobbies are computers and R/C cars and flashlights are the cheaper hobby by far. Sure you can go nuts but I only buy a new light every few months.

 

[cw_mi]

Well my experience started out like this. I went crazy and just bought pretty much anything I thought was cool, Fenix, 4Sevens, Peak, Dereelight, etc. Then started using them and doing more research and developed more of a plan on what works for me and what I like. I chose two types. Dedicated users, and high end customs. I sold off a lot of my earlier lights and I ended up with some older Novatacs, 4Sevens and HDS lights for my users and McGizmo and Delghi lights for my high end customs that get carried once in a while.
So basically to answer your question , lights collecting can be as expensive as you make it, or as deep as your pockets allow. It's all up to you.

 

[Echo63]

As everyone has already said, it can be an expensive hobby, if you let it.
Here in Australia lights are very expensive, last price i saw for an M4 (surefire) was around $750 from an Aussie dealer.
I managed to pick mine up on CPFMP for around $150usd (our dollar is around equal the us dollar at the moment)

Last week I ordered a titanium light, total cost (inc shipping) was 350 Australian.
It might seem like a lot, but the last light i bought was a similar price, bought over 6 months ago
50 bucks a month for a hobby isn't too bad I don't think, especially for quality gear, some people buying deal extreme and other budget lights would probably spend more than that a month

 

[BlahHead]

Sigh, thank you for replying....

As you can see from my user name, I've re-created my account. All my posts and comments were deleted! (Not that I had a lot.)

^^ Cheers!

 

[magicmanchris]

I have to admit, when I was your age, I always seemed into the functions / workings of the flashlights. Only until this year did I jump into the whole flashlight collecting. And I jumped deep man. I cant get enough of them. Keep in mind there are many great lights out there with low price points. Start slow and the big expensive torches available that you will crave will be an incentive to work hard, sacrafice so you can have TOYS .

 

[coolcat187]

I got addicted about 2 months ago, and I spent about $600 already. I think I may need help.

 

[motherfletcher]

I started my flashlight 'collecting' when I was in high school also. That was 3 or years ago. On the tight budget I was on, DX was a lifesaver! But, as time goes on i want better quality - it seems to be the natural progression for a lot of people lol.

Well now i have quite a few lights and my budget has increased, but i save my wallet for those MUST HAVE lights

Oh! And I always manage get myself at least one light for my bday hehe 🙂

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

Honestly, the most I've ever spent on a light was about $200. A customized Surefire C2 + Malkoff M61 built from parts. I still have it and it sits... waiting patiently in its holster for the isht to hit the fan. It is as bombproof of a light as I can ask for and I know it will turn on when I need to and keep doing so, even after a fair bit of abuse. That means a lot to me.

 

[greenLED]

lights are cheap compared to guns...

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

lights are cheap compared to guns...

You're my hero! 😀 That's what I would have said if I were clever enough to think about it.

 

[rich297]

I'd say it's a very affordable hobby for so long as you avoid the Custom and Modified Lights Buy/Sell/Trade forum. Your wallet is doomed if you spend time there 😱.