Never sell lights: what you actually use and what you just keep

[ma tumba]

I have been on this forum for about 3 years and I think that I understand my personal attitude towards flashlights much better now than before. I still have most of the lights that I have bought but there is a small group of grails that I like so much that I dont think I'd ever sell any of them.

But then I noticed that only part of these grails belong to my EDC rotation. The others are admired, played with couple times a week, but then just go back to sit in the drawer. I wonder if you guys may have similar divide in your lights?

Here is my list:

1. Grails in EDC rotation
- McGizmo LS20, unmodded except for a warming lee filter I installed behind the lens (my all time favorite light)
- Mac's Tri-EDC modded by Tana, LuciDrvFT, wide flood optics (home EDC)
- ZL SC600 Mk I modded by DatiLED to a triple, based on OSRAM high cri LEDs (outdoor EDC)
- DQG Spy, 2900K high cri (always on my keychain)
- i-beam watch, Eddie Bauer version, with integrated LED light (amazingly useful thing, always on my wrist)

2. Grails in the drawer
- DEFT edc-X
- SF M6, w/ PHD-M6 regulator, FM 2x18650 holder, FM bi-pin G4 adapter and many superbulbs from Fivemega
- Muyshondt Aeon mk II
- McGizmo Sundrop/083B (best tint ever, use it at home when need ultimate color rendering)
- 1000 Lumens E2 Fire by FiveMega, with AW softstart tail switch and FM34 beam shaper (most versatile incand ever)
- Fivemega G4 D26 Sunlight head legoed with Solarforce. lots of superbulbs fit here
- HDS rotary, 140lm (original and diffused reflectors)
- SF Titan T1A
- SF A2 with Calipsoii multimode ring, warm white and FM Strion kit
- Vinh's Z1vn aspheric zoomie

 

[nfetterly]

My 5 McGizmo PDs (updated by DatiLED) don't get out to play much. Other than that it's use it or sell it...

 

[Imon]

I suspect like many of the flashaholics here I only use a small percentage of my lights.

My primary EDC has been for about 8 years a HDS/Ra Clicky in one form or another. My backup is a old 4Sevens Mini (twisty). These are basically the two lights that get the most hands-on time. Other lights I use with some frequency or regularly:
ZL H600w
Fenix CL25r
One of my various Surefire/Solarforce P60 hosts.
Fenix E21 (beater light)

As for lights that get almost no hands-on time ... too many to name so I'll list a few notable ones that come to mind.
-I love the look and feel of the Haiku. It really should get out more but with the HDS being the same form factor and more versatile it just never accompanies me.
-SPY 007 - an incredible light. I also love the look and the UI is unmatched in the flashlight world, if not a little byzantine, but mine doesn't have a pocket clip so it never comes with me.
-4Sevens RGB (neutral white). I got this interesting light shortly before 4Sevens announced they would discontinue it. The UI is a bit cumbersome but playing with the different colors and modes is fun. I just can't find a use for this light. It's also almost a pure flood light which I understand since all the color LEDs are slightly offset from one another it would be challenging to design a workable reflector for it.
-A lot of my old Surefires. I used to love my E2L and LX2 (and E1B and E2D). The quality of SF lights and the TIR optics made me a Surefire fan but ... Surefire used to be, and they're less like this now, very indifferent about LED tints. I would see some SFs with a nice white tint, like my E2L, but most were a very unpleasant cool white. In the case of the old P60L drop-ins that IIRC used the SSC P4 - they were angry blue. I think SF has been better in recent years about tint but I've become very spoiled on the issue of tint and color rendering so my SFs now gather dust.

 

[AndyF]

My Surefire E2E with Tana's TripLED XP-E2 mod.

 

[richbuff]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?418753-Which-of-your-lights-don-t-get-used

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...r-use-out-of-most-or-all-of-your-nicer-lights

What I actually use daily: Olight S2 Baton, Acebeam EC50vn, Thrunite TN36UTvn, Eagletac MX25L4CvnT.

What I just keep in my collection, today, until I rotate them out of Collection status to Use status for a few days: Eagletac SX25L3 MT-G2, Foursevens MMU-X3. Niwalker MM15, and MM15MBvn. Noctigon Meteor M43vn XP-L pdtc.

 

[tops2]

Pocket EDC: Olight S1
Most used light (daily): Zebralight H600Fd

If I really had to choose to keep between the lights I have, I'd pick the Zebralight H600Fd hands down for the flood, tint and high CRI.
If I can pick 2, I'll keep the Olight S1 because its so pocketable.
If I can pick 3, I'll keep the Zebralight SC5w because its the first "real" higher end flashlight I got (sentimental reason I suppose).

 

[Light Bringer]

EDC is a '502 host with NW XP-L emitter and 1-mode 1A driver, in a JetBeam nylon belt-holster which fits perfectly.

Used to carry a SK98 clone (went mental, now starts in low), Quark Pro 2AA-X, blue Match-mod MiniMag (XM-L2, 800mA boost driver, 5deg TIR lens), 1-AA River Rock (quite nice and bright, actually), 3buk 1-AA side-clicky LED from MicroCenter, a variety of others.

Now with a 1-AA tube, I might revive the Quark with a single 14500 instead of 2 AA alkies. Love the UI, hate the green tint.

Might later go for a '502, same emitter, but OP reflector and 105C driver set for 5%/30%/100%. Pretty good compromise...