Long-time forum lurker saying hi!

[elnorberto]

Hello all you flashaholics! :wave:

I've decided to pop my head above the metaphorical parapet, having registered 18 months ago and spent a number of quiet hours browsing the forums without actually posting anything.

I'm interested in the "budget" end of the LED torch spectrum. I picked up an Akoray K-106 last year having read much to recommend it on CPF (and have subsequently solved some flicker issues thanks to information found on here :thumbsup: ), and more recently I took a step in a more upmarket direction and bought the multi-mode "upgrade" version of the iTP A3 EOS. The K-106's output from a small single-cell torch had seriously impressed me, but the little iTP is just astounding for it's tiny size!

I'm now trying to resist the temptation to spend more money on LED torches: problem is that there are lots and lots of very impressive and interesting little torches available from the "usual suspect" Chinese mail order companies, and many more from the more established and upmarket brands that are frequently discussed here - in particular, Nitecore's D10 stands out as a potential successor to the K-106 albeit for 6 times the cost(!).

(I don't actually need any more lights, but I'm so impressed with the little Akoray and iTP that i'm now quite eager to see what their more expensive competitors can do! Is this the early stage of flashaholism? Will I be attending support groups in a few years' time? )

Anyway, that's enough of my ramblings, hello to one and all and hopefully I'll be able to contribute something useful at some point in the future :candle:

(To the guys in charge: I'm not certain this is in the correct forum section, but since I couldn't find an "introduce yourself" type section and with my primary interest being in LED lights, this seemed appropriate. Sorry if it's not! )
ETA: Apparently it wasn't - d'oh!

 

[Gazerbeam]

Hi elnorberto :welcome:. Trying to resist temptation is futile.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Welcome to CPF, elnorberto. It's good of you to finally expose yourself after all this time. I suppose the General, LED, or Cafe sections might have been a better spot for your introduction, but no matter. We frugalists need to stick together.

Your future comments and opinions in whatever section are most welcome.

Geoff

 

[FlashPilot]

Luckily, I've been mentored through my upbringing of other self proclaimed gadget freaks. If there's one thing that I've learned, its that you can never have to many flashlights.

Enjoy!

 

[boomhauer]

:welcome:

 

[elnorberto]

Thanks to one and all for your words of welcome! It's great to know that I'm not the only "torch geek" (must train myself to use the word "flashlight" or "light" where I currently use "torch" - the term seems to be something of a British peculiarity) who finds these simple gadgets unusually fascinating.

I think I'm already being led astray; I keep reading good things about Nitecore's D10, and also BessieBenny's "Budget light roundup" thread which has me comtemplating whether I can justify the purchase of another two AAA lights. The Nitecore looks to have everything I could ever want in a small flashlight but is relatively expensive at around £50 for my preferred XP-E R2 variable-brightness variant.

On the other hand, for a mere $28 (about £17) I could have a pair of interesting torches from a certain Chinese supplier. The Trustfire XP-EF23 seems to have the Magpie Effect on me (i.e. it's shiny and pretty so I want it) and the Tank007 E07 has an intriguingly rugged appearance as well as being just about the smallest AA light on offer.

(Of course, as long as my existing torches continue to function, there's no good reason for me to buy any more, but my self-restraint will probably only last so long...

 

[kramer5150]

welcome!! Nothing wrong with budget lights, some of my brightest (notice I didn't say "best") lights are sub ~$20 mod hosts.

Buy low mod high!!

 

[Flying Turtle]

(Of course, as long as my existing torches continue to function, there's no good reason for me to buy any more, but my self-restraint will probably only last so long...

Around here good reasons for buying a light are completely optional.

Geoff

 

[FlashPilot]

:welcome:

Like you, I was beginning to wonder how many others had contracted the irrepressible torch disease. I've had it since I was 3 years old, and possibly even before then. Imagine how relieved I was when I discovered this forum. I am not alone, and to the contrary, there are many here that have it FAR worse than I!!

"Flashlights: tearing apart marriages and relationships worldwide because most of us cant help ourselves". Wouldn't that make a great marketing slogan for one of the big torch manufacturers?

My cousin in London has a favorite saying: "God save the Queen... give her a torch."

Also, I think your choices for your first two Chinese lights are fair ones. The Tank E07, while having a huge coolness factor to all that view it, has had its problems. Mainly with the bottom switch, so be prepared to mod it. While not quite as compact as the tank, please check out sku 30986 and 26122. Anyone who has all four lights will tell you that these would do a better job at keeping your grin plastered to your face than the E07.

26122 also compliments the XP-EF23 very nicely. For the price, if you lose one, just buy more! :thumbsup:

Have fun... and God save the Queen... give her...
well, you get the picture.