Flashlights as international gifts!?

[auxcoastie]

This question is to both international and domestic members. Does anyone else give flashlights as gifts when on trips. When I took a fighting pistol class last year we had a student from the Swiss Nuclear Police(guys who guard reactors). Of course it was a gear show with all the guys in the class(cops, military, etc) but like a lot of the international guys here he complained about how much gear costs back home. So we sent him home with lights etc.

That got me thinking about my next trips, in Ireland lots of people loved my lights. One of my station mates took a bunch of Swag to the Irish Coast Guard on vacation and was treated like a king. Another one is currently in Manila, at my suggestion, with a few presents for the Philapenes coast guard.

Flashlights just seem like the perfect gift for this stuff. Expensive other places, people in the "industry" need them, no legal problems like guns or knives.

What say everyone else?

 

[hyperloop]

I think that is an excellent idea, Surefires are very expensive here in singapore and i believe that they would be very well received. One of my friends is an LEO in Singapore and he is out there now hopefully converting his fellow officers to getting better lights. I showed him the Fenix website and he got himself a P3D and an E01 backup immediately.

 

[yellow]

ppl around here usually are flashlight-dorks (but that will be the same as with Joe Average at any other place, imho)


Problem with lights might be: cost (for You), cost for keeping it run (CR123 vs. rechargeable) and runtime.

I think point 1 and 2 dont need any more detail, but 3:
if someone is not using any good light by now (especially when working in a position a light is used on regular basis), then the runtime of a powerful light can shock. Even when its an actual led model that runs for 2 hours on full.
You should have Your explanation ready to tell why.

imho the best gift uses 2*AA,
these lights give nice output, there are several makers/Models of very good quality, they are small (one can only use, what one keeps on person), the cells are common everywhere and there is a high chance the receiver might have Ni-Mhs and charger already.

 

[bloke-gear.com]

I do occasionally give away lights as gifts. I don't do it as often as I'd like though, simply because I don't like giving people crappy lights and good ones cost a lot. The point Yellow made about lithium batteries is also very true. Whenever I think about giving a flashlight to someone as a present, the thought of it never being used beyond its first set of batteries sometimes makes me change my mind.

 

[american lockpicker]

When I giveaway flashlights I give Maglites because most people think those are the best lights out there and the use commonly available bulbs and batteries.

 

[kelmo]

I did a few years ago when my wife and I wandered around Turkey. I gave a away a few fauxtons and a Pelican M1. I packed way to many lights (plus I made sure my wife had a few in her luggage), an Arc AAA CS, SF E2e, Pelican M1, and 2 fauxtons. One of the stops were the Cave Cities in Cappadoccia. We were traveling with an Aussie couple at the time and they didn't have a torch. So I gave them my Peli M1 and few spare cells. The fauxtons were given away in Istanbul when the power went out.

That is why I travel mostly with a stock E2e. I have a few, OK more than a few, and if I really want to leave an impression I am willing to give it away.

Yellow is right, the best gift does run on AAs.

Building bridges one Torch at a time!!!

 

[Tomcat!]

Sounds like a heck of a good way of making new friends in far flung places.


Oh I so wanted the Swiss Nuclear Police to be the 'Swiss Nuclear Armed Police'! :twothumbs

 

[tx101]

imho the best gift uses 2*AA

+1

Primary 123 cells are EXPENSIVE in the UK

 

[auxcoastie]

+1

Primary 123 cells are EXPENSIVE in the UK

Fiar enough, especially since I plan to return to Ireland for vacation.


SO what is the best AA light the collective would give as a gift. Think G2 expensive, and able to survive Coast Guard type abuse.

Thought I would add, I don't just toss a light to everyone obviously. But a special gift to the right person, like a station CO or boat driver might just get that free ride, etc.

The Swiss guy in class knew all about Surefires etc, and had a list to take stuff back to his buddies. We gave him enough CR123 to light from here to eternity. He did hook us up with a bunch of extra ammo he had bought but was not going to be taking home. So we did return a favor, er, foster better international relations. Ironically the thing he took home as his favorite was BBQ sauce, I guess you can't get good BBQ in Switzerland.

 

[HKJ]

SO what is the best AA light the collective would give as a gift. Think G2 expensive, and able to survive Coast Guard type abuse.

I would look at the Fenix light, either E01, LD01, LD10 or TK20, depending on who and for what use I gave the light away:

E01 Cheap light for keychain use.
LD01 A better light for keychain use.
LD10 A pocket light.
TK20 This is strong light and would be able to survive most abuse.

 

[Federal LG]

This question is to both international and domestic members. Does anyone else give flashlights as gifts when on trips. When I took a fighting pistol class last year we had a student from the Swiss Nuclear Police(guys who guard reactors). Of course it was a gear show with all the guys in the class(cops, military, etc) but like a lot of the international guys here he complained about how much gear costs back home. So we sent him home with lights etc.

That got me thinking about my next trips, in Ireland lots of people loved my lights. One of my station mates took a bunch of Swag to the Irish Coast Guard on vacation and was treated like a king. Another one is currently in Manila, at my suggestion, with a few presents for the Philapenes coast guard.

Flashlights just seem like the perfect gift for this stuff. Expensive other places, people in the "industry" need them, no legal problems like guns or knives.

What say everyone else?

Agreed.

Here in Brasil "premium lights" are those big, heavy incan Maglites. I have some friends who freaked out when they saw my Surefires or Fenix lights. I´ve gave some as gifts, and teach them how to buy from american dealers, cause our dealers charge us with unreasonable prices.

People should give things that they would like to receive, as a gift. Can´t go wrong on that!

 

[Federal LG]

Oh, Fenix TK20 is a perfect gift!

2xAA, solid as hell, good size, awesome construction and throw. It has 2 modes (high and low), with a forward clicky. All my fellows love it!

 

[NonSenCe]

smart idea.
it can be useful. (most gifts people and firms give, are not)
it might be so valuable to someone who has no chance to buy one.
or they never knew of such lights exist.. or dont have a urge or reason to spend that much themselves for "just a light" but now when they get it for free.. whoaa its awesome! hahah

future flashaholics.


AA light to those that dont have "free supply of special batterys from their employer"

TK20 is one of those lights i wish i had money to spend at. (when my primary needs are filled its next in line)

simple is best for most people.

also offtopic:
federal lg: i see huge market opportunity for you to strike rich. start to sell fenix and such in brazil!

 

[325addict]

Here in the Netherlands, you're the MAN when you give someone a Maglite as a gift. Especially a 2AA in the RIGHT color (that means: the favorite color of the receiver).
A friend of mine started to use it that much, he burnt through the 2 lamps within a year. That means, he'll have gone through 8 to 10 sets of batteries! So he is actually using it, which is the best that can happen. Needless to say, I happily provided two new lamps for him


Timmo.

 

[yellow]

he burnt through the 2 lamps within a year.

in my experience one MM bulb equals for 1 and 1/2 sets of batts (but I used Ni-Cads, dunno if rechargeables are harder on the bulb) and I have gone through quite a number of bulbs in the years I used MMs.
Primarily not the output but the cost to get bulbs again made me switch to other lights.
imho MM now just makes sense when modded with MJLed and Lithiums for emergency use


back on topic:
while Fenix and Jetbeam and ... would make perfect gifts, they also are the perfect lights to recommend - and that means good price to quality ratio --> making them too expensive for giveaways.

You might not believe, but I recommend DX offerings
With just a bit of ordering there, one gets a feel of how the model might be machined just by looking at the pics.
Now, ordering a few that look good + having them go through a few sets of cells and surviving that, one has the perfect gift.
Very cost effective and still surprising anyone not knowing the "better" makers.
They can order the good ones, when they feel the need arise.