light collection is shrinking, what's going on?

[keithhr]

light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

I guess I'm getting pickier and picker, and between giving some lights away to the less fortunate, and refining what lights I choose to keep, I'm down 8 or 10 lights in the last 6 weeks. I seem to want to keep only the best representative lights for me at least. I seem to want them super bright (Vector 3 mil cp psotlight, Tigerlight) or very small and bright for the form factor,(L4,firefly, Baby Pin, ARC LSL-P) In the middle I have a Blaster VI and a spaceneedle II and a TNC products Hyper-lux splash anodized 5 watter. Not counting streamlight twin task, cmg Ultra G etc. I seem to be gravitating to ever smaller led lights that I can stick in my pocket. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[BlindedByTheLite]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

hey.. no weaknesses in your arsenal. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

 

[Double_A]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

My collection is starting to shrink also.

I think you've just come down to fun lights(3 mill CP) and very practical lights (tiny LED lights)

GregR

 

[flownosaj]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

I think it's just survival of the fittest. Lean, mean illuminatin' machine

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Jason

 

[this_is_nascar]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

Mine too. I've gone from several dozen down to much less than that. I plan on trimming the collection a bit more this weekend.

 

[Beretta1526]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

[ QUOTE ]
this_is_nascar said:
...I plan on trimming the collection a bit more this weekend.


[/ QUOTE ]

I guess we'd better keep a VERY close eye on B/S/T then!

 

[this_is_nascar]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

Posted a pretty good deal on a SureFire M6.

 

[Heck]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on?

I'm trimming down my collection too. I'm thinking of trimming it down even further to just a L5 and L6 when they come out...or do a L5/M2 + accessories system. Moderation is key?

 

[Kiessling]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

me too. Besides my LedLensers ( I am sentimental, so I keeo them) I only keep those lights I really appreciate and end up using every now and then.
IMHO it would be senseless to stock lights I would never use, even if they are great top-notch lights, unless of course, you're a collector.
So ... we wend up with less lights at a higher quality that get cycled away when even better alternatives come up. There are few "keepers", some lights that have history attached to them.
bernhard

 

[PaulW]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

I'm glad I found this thread. I thought there might be something wrong with me. My batch of lights is shrinking, too. And I find that I have decided that some of the Mag hosts I bought when I first got into the SuperBright mods are no longer needed.

Instead of spending so much energy in buying anything new, I am now husbanding my resources -- assigning tasks or locations for the lights I have. It's all becoming more orderly. I wasn't completely aware of this trend until I read what others have said here.

Are we becoming less-dedicated flashaholics, loosing the excitement of the chase for better lights, or are we becoming more mature and practical? Hmmm. In my case, I really don't know for sure. I'll be watching what I do. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Paul

 

[Ross]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

I was starting to wonder this as well, I'm a relatively new flashaholic and, I think we all do this, went a bit mad when I started - bought loads of lights and accessories.
Now, I find my tastes have matured and I only buy when I think the light will fulfill a need of mine (I am a police officer so I can justify quite alot...) I have sold lights recently and given some away.

I am a big fan of 'users' rather than 'safe queens' - I actually do use all of my lights - my LSH-P and my Babypin live in my pocket. I carry my G2 and Tigerlight FBoP at work - they get used alot. You soon can work out what you are going to use and what you are going to get rid of.

Good thread.

Ross

 

[Kiessling]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

some might become less addicted over time ... this is natural ... we've lost some valuable members due to this over time.

the others, like me, have passed the initial wave of exitement and are reconsiddering their purchases, needs and preferences, and tend to opt for less lights at extremely high quality that suit their needs, at least that is what's going on with me. I am still as addicted as ever, maybe even more.

examples: I have bought a Baby Pin. A great light. But I have no use for tight beams in this calss of lights, so I sold it. Once I had my Eternalight EliteMax I gave away the Ergo ... didn't need it anymore, and I am not a real collector. Sold my McModule set because I use McLuxes for that purpose now. The McModule is still top-notch, but I don't need two ... and the lsit goes on.

bernhard

 

[Xrunner]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

Hmmm... I seem to be leaning toward the side of cleaning out, but only Thanksgiving will tell. My intake on lights is still way about my output though. I was beginning to think there might be something wrong with me too. Maybe this should be added to the list of the progression of flashaholicism, as the step were someone cleans out their own collection of inferior (or otherwise) lights in an attempt to proliferate the condition to others. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-Mike

 

[milkyspit]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

Well, there's always a tendency to gravitate over time toward quality. Once you try the cheap stuff and it breaks, frustrates you with poor beam quality, scratches badly, or just doesn't "feel" right, you subconsciously start reaching for something else. Then one day you realize that flashlight X has been on the shelf for an awfully long time and has even gathered some dust, and you make the entirely rational decision to move it into someone else's hands. In the end you are willing to spend more for less, yet better, than maybe you were at the outset of your flashlight adventure.

I also suspect that like many things, there is a cycle governing this. Like a swinging pendulum, you go through a period of accumulating lights, then through a period of weeding out, followed by another period of accumulation, and so on. Nature (including human) is governed by cycles, after all. It's, well, natural. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[TheFire]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

Well put, milky...

 

[CM]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

It's a matter of practicality I think. I too had so many lights I could not keep track of them all. Now I'm also down to less than a dozen. Most used are Arc LS, Arc AAA, Surefire KL1 and KL4 in various mod configurations. Barely use incandescents anymore but keep a C3 for my "bump in the night" light.

 

[turbodog]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

I realized I had a problem when it took me 5 minutes to pick out a light for a 1 minute outside nighttime job.

 

[PhotonBoy]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

...okay, what did you pick for your "outside nighttime job?"

 

[MR Bulk]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

"In the middle..."? My Space Needle II is only "in the middle"???!!!

Cut-off!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif (of course please note the jokey smiling faces...)

 

[turbodog]

Re: light collection is shrinking, what\'s going on

Don't remember... that's another sign of too many lights.

After that, I archived lights I wanted to keep. Then I posted 7 others for sale here. Managed to sell 3 of them I think. Actually tossed one of the leftovers in the garbage last night.