Flashlights Are Basically Toys

[Longdraw]

I have many flashlights. Most of them are for certain uses like work only or home only. My wife calls them toys. Never really thought of it that way. She gets agitated when I bring a new one home.

 

[cland72]

I have many flashlights. Most of them are for certain uses like work only or home only. My wife calls them toys. Never really thought of it that way. She gets agitated when I bring a new one home.

My wife says that about other women. I don't know why she gets so upset...

 

[Grmnracing]

My lights are toys and most importantly they are tools. Everyone thinks its funny I carry flashlights all the time. UNTILL, the power goes out, someone loses something under bed, desk, cabinet, couch, dresser, fridge, between car seats. That's when my so called toys come in handy!

I found a new way to get custom flashlights. I tell my wife I want the pretty titanium one for a present. And I want it engraved. It's man jewelry! 🔦

I love flashlights because I can eliminate darkness at will.

 

[Monocrom]

Call me a weirdo, but I actually use my lights. I also wear my watches to tell the time, and carry my knives because they're useful. I collect all three. If it was just for playing around, I'd spend my money on good booze and cheap women.

 

[BIGLOU]

My toy chest

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[P_A_S_1]

Wow, SF should make you customer of the year! What models don't you have??

 

[StarHalo]

There should be more purely toy lights; once you've got all your serious-use duty lights covered, there has to be more. A flashlight that flickers just like a candle, a flashlight where the control ring cycles through the color spectrum, a flashlight that strobes just like a police cruiser light bar, etc..

I'm still enjoying my Peak McKinley RGB, where all seven LEDs cycle through colors randomly and asynchronously:

 

[argleargle]

Speaking of toy lights and RGB lights, like the ARC AAA RGB and the above light mentioned by SH, has anyone found a decent non-5mm RGB light where you can select a specific color? Something with a bit more zap than, say... the Gerber Recon. Close, but not quite.

There are power leds with multiple colors in the package. I'm just not finding the right toy!

If it has a weirdo host body, I consider that a plus.

 

[EZO]

Thinking this through a little further, maybe flashlights are toys...or should be! Maybe there are some really cool designs we are missing out on that we flashaholics might consider for purchase and modification!

 

[1nterceptor]

I use my flashlight in traffic, so for me it's a matter of life and death.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGpBHbEYqeo

 

[StarHalo]

I miss flashlights in cereal boxes..

 

[YAK-28]

"peace of mind" is a productive use to me...

 

[OsheasTorch]

They are toys until the power goes out. Then they become lifesavers.

Amen brother! My family members always make fun of me when I show off my lights, but when the power went out the other day... It was like me changing from nerdy reporter Clark Kent to world saving Superman!

 

[Badbeams3]

Most my flashlights are for play...toys to me...for sure I don`t need so many. But I enjoy playing with them so...an older man needs a hobby. Cant`t afford the cars I would like...boats either. But I can afford nice lights...

 

[M@elstrom]

Anything that you don't use for a productive purpose can be considered a toy. So yes, most flashlights are toys.

I disagree... I have lots of lights but I don't use them all the time, I am fascinated by big high output lights but would class them as either collectibles OR tools, I have 6+ hammers which I don't use all the time (mallets, clubs, engineering etc.) does that then make them toys? I think not simply surplus tools.

The Tax Office would not permit me an income deduction for toys, it will however for industry specific tools...

 

[Showmethelight]

Total troll topic that gains replies no? Everyone here understands the usefulness of lights, calling them toys, to simply seek thread clicks seems obvious.

 

[ledmitter_nli]

Oh c'mon. Don't be so critical. It's not a troll but a valid topic idea. We have 1 or 2 self righteous people here passing these sort of judgements on others already. And I'm not inferring the moderators.

That said, I'd say any hobby by its meaning is entertaining. To that extent, yes, a majority of us here can admit our lights are more "fun" than useful.

 

[EZO]

Total troll topic that gains replies no? Everyone here understands the usefulness of lights, calling them toys, to simply seek thread clicks seems obvious.

I had the same thought when I first saw this thread but what the heck? It makes for a fun and interesting discussion. "Trolling" for a discussion isn't quite the same as trolling to provoke other forum members into arguments.
Posters to this thread have been stating their opinions and sharing their experiences rather than arguing over whether flashlights are really toys or not. And any machines one enjoys using can be a "toy". A guy I know in the excavation business refers to his collection of heavy equipment as his "toys".

 

[easilyled]

Surely it depends on who buys them and the reasons therefore.

There are three categories of buyers:-

1) Those whose use is primarily functional
2) Those whose use is primaily for collection purposes
3) Those who fit into both the above two categories.

Why not start up a poll and see what the relative proportions are?

 

[EZO]

It's not just tools vs toys. There's "fashion". I've noticed that many people, especially some female flashaholics I know who treat flashlights as if they were a form of jewelry and consider them "accessories". This takes various forms, especially in smaller lights of stylish, fancy design with special neck chains, beads, lanyards and key fobs, very fancy tritium treatments, etc. While functionality is always a factor in the designs, the "jewelry" nature and appearance is often part of the mix as well.