new member.. heres my starter collection

[ballisticmike]

hey all nice forum, first post. Well i sold off 3/4 of my spyderco collection and since i am no longer actively collecting those i switched to LED lights. I got my first decent light about 4yr ago.. a Fenix P1. Then i got a P1D 2 yrs ago.
So this week to jump start my LED collection I picked up about 8 nice lanyards on ebay plus the following from various sources:

Fenix LD01 R2 AAA black
Quark Preon Cree XP-G R5 black/titanium
Fenix PD10 TITAN XPG R5
Quark Mini123 black

Also got ten CR123 batts plus a hot deal on 16 AAA lithiums on ebay.
I'm really pleased with my above selections, especially the Titan which i know are hard to find. I am partial to smaller pocket lites as you can see. I'll post some pics when they all get here, prolly nxt week!

 

[ballisticmike]

any feedback.. on my initial haul?..

what percentage of members use rechargeables? my guess, and it is a wild guess... 25- 30%

 

[guiri]

Let me guess...you like Fenix and Quarks?

I personally use 100% rechargeables. I can't stand the thought of throwing batteries away. Not 'cause I'm cheap, the environment...

There's NO reason to use regular batteries.

 

[kramer5150]

Nice start and welcome to CPF!!

+1 for recharge chemistry for me too. Recharge compatibility (lack there-of) is a deal breaker in my book. Unfortunately this forces some of the GREATEST CPF lights off my list... most notably Fenix:mecry:, Surefire:mecry:, FirstLight:mecry:, Streamlight:mecry:

 

[paulr]

I use rechargeables. You got some nice lights but it seems to me like the Fenixes and Quarks that you chose, kind of duplicate each other.

 

[guiri]

I'm with you Kramer and I've had to give up a few because of this, BUT, bottom line is, there are literally HUNDREDS of great and similar lights out there and if we all do this, they'll stop making them just for primaries.

Can you imagine how many batteries people all over the world throw out every year? I mean, how many people here say they want a light for AA alkalines almost every day.

I actually just sold one light because I didn't like the way it ran on RCR123's

George

 

[SFG2Lman]

i use rechargeables in my EDC lights, but my lights that don't get used very often sit with primaries, and i have a rack of primaries ready in case the power goes out for an extended amount of time, lights MUST be compatible with both, if they aren't, i'll run both in em anyway just to punish them!

edit: your collection and flavors seem to lean towards small cr123 powered light! i love that form factor, i know you already have the mini and the preon, but the best quark imo is the quark123 non-tactical with a clip...i don't think i can imagine a better EDC unless it came with a butane lighter and a buck knife installed somewhere on it.

 

[Gazerbeam]

:welcome: I think all of those lights are good choices, as you can see I,ve got the Fenix LD01 SS & Quark MiNi123. As guiri has stated rechargeables are the way to go, I use AW Li-Ion's in every light that will safely take them.

 

[guiri]

I have primaries as a backup if I need them but they're not in the lights.Just sitting in the battery drawer OR in the bail out bag together with rechargeables.

 

[wingnut86]

Don't let these people fool you, throwing away batteries is just fine...*Edit I don't throw out batteries, I do recycle them, when they are dead at home. I toss them where ever I may be when I'm in the woods or such...End of Edit* The only way rechargeable batteries should be a factor is is you use the light for your job. Such as a person in law enforcement or industrial/trades where it is being used for multiple hours a day.

Most people on this forum, and I quote this from another member, are "Pretend tactical users." So they find ways to use a flashlight that a normal person would never think of. They pimp out their lights with the latest trits and grip rings, worry about how effective the strobe would be at stopping someone, not wanting to ruin their "own" night vision, and how easy it would be to crush someones skull with their assault crowns after they've been blinded with a 400 lumen strobe....Yet they work in accounting for a sales firm. :thinking:

So if you want to use Lithium AA/AAA/CR123A, don't let a bunch of crazies tell you otherwise, besides, throwing away batteries is way easier than recharging them...

Like OMG! I want a new light that I'm going to use 3 times a year, but it wont take rechargeable batteries, so I think I'll pass!!!!! Mom, My Bail-Out-Bag, F**K!!!

 

[guiri]

Great point if you don't give a $hit about the environment or people that are harmed by the environment. THe stuff in the batteries is not exactly good for the planet.

OF course it's easier to use primaries, who the hell argued that?

Great attitude dude and no wonder the word is F'ed!

 

[pilote]

Don't let these people fool you, throwing away batteries is just fine. The only way rechargeable batteries should be a factor is is you use the light for your job. Such as a person in law enforcement or industrial/trades where it is being used for multiple hours a day.

Most people on this forum, and I quote this from another member, are "Pretend tactical users." So they find ways to use a flashlight that a normal person would never think of. They pimp out their lights with the latest trits and grip rings, worry about how effective the strobe would be at stopping someone, not wanting to ruin their "own" night vision, and how easy it would be to crush someones skull with their assault crowns after they've been blinded with a 400 lumen strobe....Yet they work in accounting for a sales firm. :thinking:

...your post speaketh the truth...and the truth hurts, so you're gonna get rocks thrown at you...but not from me...

 

[Flying Turtle]

Most people on this forum, and I quote this from another member, are "Pretend tactical users." So they find ways to use a flashlight that a normal person would never think of. They pimp out their lights with the latest trits and grip rings, worry about how effective the strobe would be at stopping someone, not wanting to ruin their "own" night vision, and how easy it would be to crush someones skull with their assault crowns after they've been blinded with a 400 lumen strobe....Yet they work in accounting for a sales firm. :thinking:

This gave me a chuckle. Guilty on almost all counts, though I've never been concerned about my lights being defensive weapons. Maybe a bit of minor pimping (I've called it tarting). And, I think I prefer the title "Armchair Commando". :laughing:

In some ways I'm envious of the folks that actually need good lights for their jobs. I never really have, except for those occasional uses that everyone has. Of course, need is irrelevant.

Geoff

Edit: Please pardon my manners, ballisticmike. This is your thread and we shouldn't have gone off on this other tangent. Welcome to CPF. It looks to me like you have a very well thought out starter collection. Great choices. Just don't move too fast or you'll burn through your money and interest.

 

[guiri]

I don't pimp my lights as I'm too damn stupid to be able to and frankly, what's out there is more than good enough for me. If I could though, I might but I can't.

I use my lights at home or if I go somewhere so all my use is practical and needed. If I don't need to use them, they sit and wait but they are ALWAYS powered by rechargeables with a few primaries as stand by IF ever needed.

 

[ballisticmike]

Let me guess...you like Fenix and Quarks?

I personally use 100% rechargeables. I can't stand the thought of throwing batteries away. Not 'cause I'm cheap, the environment...

There's NO reason to use regular batteries.

haha.. ya so far i really do like the looks of them. Well my main thing is i like small pocket lights. I imagine i will collect mostly small lights and perhaps a couple bigger mega lights. I'm undecided on rechargables, they seem like a hassle if there is so many issues with compatibility. I think a better test is how much daily usage do your lights see: if you burn thru tons of batteries then u better look at rechargables. Me, i carry my lite daily but ration its use.. not cause i'm cheap but its just the way it is. In fact, i only burn thru maybe 2 or 3 batteries per year:shrug:

 

[guiri]

Trust me, you'll get the bug and then you'll go through more lights in the long run. You will save money on rechargeables and the environment AND with a battery like that, if you run out and the stores are closed, you can always wait a couple of hours and get it charged.

NO hassles at all for me. A lot of the problems are exaggerated and many lights take rechargeables. Again, with so many hundreds of lights that are SIMILAR, just pick a model that will take them.

Your next light should be the original Nitecore D10 that runs beautifully on one Eneloop AA. Rechargeable, cheap, works great, they are precharged from the factory and the light is SUPERB!

Trust me, unless you're SUPER picky like some of these guys are and so far you're not, you can find just about any light in a similar version that will take a rechargeable light.

George

 

[ballisticmike]

Trust me, unless you're SUPER picky like some of these guys are and so far you're not,
George

I am deeply offended at this statement, to insinuate i am not discriminating or knowledg-amable . jus kidding. Its true i'm not that picky although my wife would differ on this. I see theres some good natured banter here and so on. Armchair commandos huh? funny. Thanks to all for the welcomes.

 

[traderdell]

Don't let these people fool you, throwing away batteries is just fine...*Edit I don't throw out batteries, I do recycle them, when they are dead at home. I toss them where ever I may be when I'm in the woods or such...End of Edit* The only way rechargeable batteries should be a factor is is you use the light for your job. Such as a person in law enforcement or industrial/trades where it is being used for multiple hours a day.

Most people on this forum, and I quote this from another member, are "Pretend tactical users." So they find ways to use a flashlight that a normal person would never think of. They pimp out their lights with the latest trits and grip rings, worry about how effective the strobe would be at stopping someone, not wanting to ruin their "own" night vision, and how easy it would be to crush someones skull with their assault crowns after they've been blinded with a 400 lumen strobe....Yet they work in accounting for a sales firm. :thinking:

So if you want to use Lithium AA/AAA/CR123A, don't let a bunch of crazies tell you otherwise, besides, throwing away batteries is way easier than recharging them...

Like OMG! I want a new light that I'm going to use 3 times a year, but it wont take rechargeable batteries, so I think I'll pass!!!!! Mom, My Bail-Out-Bag, F**K!!!

REALLY? :shakehead Hope I never find you wandering around in my woods.

 

[guiri]

I am deeply offended at this statement, to insinuate i am not discriminating or knowledg-amable . jus kidding. Its true i'm not that picky although my wife would differ on this. I see theres some good natured banter here and so on. Armchair commandos huh? funny. Thanks to all for the welcomes.

Dude, you have no idea. There are some crazy dudes in here. Have you not seen the thread about what the craziest thing you've done with your flashlight?

 

[guiri]

REALLY? :shakehead Hope I never find you wandering around in my woods.

Yep, screw the environment and let's just think of my self