New member

[RichardMT]

I have seen this forum mentioned on Bladeforums several times and have checked it out a few times. I have always had several mag-lites but did not have a big interest in flashlights. Naturally after reading here for a while I keep finding myself more interested in them....geez, something else to spend to much money on.

My wife has a sure-fire and I have my mountain of mags. What really got me going is reading about these little pocket sized LED lights. So far I have only been able to find an ASP and Energizer brands.

Until now the only LED I had was a little SAK Classic with a red one. To say that it is worthless as a light is an understatement. My 2 new ones are quite bright and will replace my mini-mag AAA for pocket carry.

Well just thought I would drop a note here, and now on to continue reading more of these forums.

 

[Dreck]

Welcome to the CPF! Here you will find much wisdom, experience and lots of stuff to spend your money on.(like I have)Enjoy!

 

[chamenos]

[ QUOTE ]
RichardMT said:My wife has a sure-fire and I have my mountain of mags.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think that's the first time i've read that on cpf /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[darkgear.com]

Welcome! Nice thing is many people here are into knives as well. I bet you'd be able to trade some of your Knives for Lights here /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Best regards,
Randy

 

[RichardMT]

Yeah, I can see that happening. Since I have more fixed blades than I could ever use, and my tastes lean more towards SAKs.

I have thought of trading for an ARC like you have in the picture. That is the one that is the size of the solitaire??

What can anybody tell me about that light. Is it LED. Will it last longer on a battery than the solitaire? And most importantly is it more reliable. My Solitaires tend to flicker and ya gotta smack them sometimes to steady the beam. All info on the arc will be appreciated.

 

[saunterer]

It's mandatory after your 2nd post to buy an ARC AAA. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

To answer your questions:

Yes it is an LED light and it will last longer; about 6 hours then goes into a less bright "moon mode". Reliable? Some have been dunked in liquid nitrogen and still work.

Just go get one, it's madatory equipment for CPF members.

Welcome to your new addiction.

--Chris

 

[Stingray]

My Arc AAA is infinitely more reliable than my solitaire, which I never use anymore. It puts out much more light, and it's more useful light too. There's really no comparison at all.

Try to pick up a turquoise one as well as a white one.

Try it, you'll like it /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Quickbeam]

RichardMT - Welcome aboard!

Despite the fact that I'm a reviewer, I'm pretty frugal. I tend to look at all of my light purchases from the point of view that "If I spent my money on this, would I be satisfied and would I actually use it."

Having said that, I buy them all anyway... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

If you don't mind having a Mag Solitaire in your pocket or on your keychain, get a white LED Arc AAA instead. As those posting before me have implied, it will be worth every penny.

If you find the Mag Sol. too large, I would recommend the white LED Inova Microlight for a keychain light. It has IMHO the easiest battery change and most convenient constant-on slide switch of all the lithium powered keychin lights. However, lithium coin cells don't last too long (power-wise) and are a little more expensive. This light is good for an "occasional use only" light. Anything more frequent than that and I would go with the Arc AAA, regardless.

Enjoy!

 

[PieThatCorner]

[ QUOTE ]
Quickbeam said:

...

Despite the fact that I'm a reviewer, I'm pretty frugal. I tend to look at all of my light purchases from the point of view that "If I spent my money on this, would I be satisfied and would I actually use it."

Having said that, I buy them all anyway... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

...


[/ QUOTE ]

A true Flashaholic! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif

 

[Rothrandir]

welcome!

please, get the arc aaa.

smaller than a solitare
brighter
ha3 anodyzing
completely waterproof
completely industructable.

people have sent these through the washine machines, up little girls noses, down garbage disposals, over 600feet under water...someone even changed their batter 9 feet under water /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

semi-regulated...it is the light to get. if you like your solitare, you will [colof:red]love</font> your arc. and yes, it is required /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Saaby]

Yup...the AAA is a nice light.

 

[Raven]

I would not call an arc mandatory - sniff. I think the
infinity ultra is an acceptable alternative for those of us who prefer aa.

Raven

 

[Rothrandir]

buy both...

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Then throw them in a new unused toliet, and then wash them in a new unused sink, dry them off with new unused paper towels, and then mail them to me. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

Raven, I see there you are another that prefers AA over AAA, like myself. If it were not for the fact, that I don't like AAAs, I would get one.

Welcome to CPF, RichardMT. You are correct about spending money. The best way to do this and remain in budget, is to make a list of categories, from bright and short runtime to long runtimes. These will serve a whole variety of situations. In these, there will some where incandescant will be perfect, and many more where LEDs will be perfect.

While planning your requirements, don't presume you will be able to get batteries all the time. This is where a good LED light comes in handy, like the Lightwave 4000. It is worth its weight in gold, with batteries installed.

CPFers tend to spend alot of money of lights, but, we spend that money on high quality, high reliability, and sometimes cutting edge lights.

 

[RichardMT]

Well, it seems from reading the replies here, and checking other threads here that the ARC would be a good light to have. Guess im gonna have to get one.

Now, how does a person budget lights AND knives ? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Thanks for the warm welcome.

 

[MR Bulk]

Welcome to your new glittering (literally) hobby world. I was once into knives, and in fact at final count had over 900 (that's nine hundred) of the sharp little things, until I woke up one day and came to the grim realization that they all virtually did only one thing -- cut stuff.

With lights you have so much more variation and different facets to pique your interest and learn about, like electricity (voltage/amperage/wattage), incandescents vs. bleeding edge LEDs, the vast array of light enhancing items such as reflectors, optical collimators, etc., and the wide spectrum of results they create when paired with different light sources, etc.

It's a glittering world, indeed. Your one-way ticket to full fledged Flashoholic dependency is only a few more light purchases around the corner...

Welcome!

 

[SilverFox]

Hello RichardMT,

Welcome.

As far as your concern goes:

"Now, how does a person budget lights AND knives?"

We don't use the "b" word here. The perspective has been shifted to "Spending Plan"...

Tom