Ok guys, How do you make it STOP!?

[fabienne]

That's why there's this forum, because this is the place where addiction either become worse or just added with another one, such as knife, watch, bycicle. But last thing I remembered is when I just unpacked my EDC bag, which used to only contain GPS, notepad, banking token, and 1 flash light; now just realized that I carried at least 5 flashlight, which in my subconcious reasoning states each serve each purpose, but nonetheless, I cut back to two flashlights only nowadays and redistributing my lights to either glove compartment, office, main bedroom.

I tried resisting but once I come back to this forum, I always have some excuses to buy another one. Futile resistance yet lovingly and willingly to submit. So if you ask this question in this forum, you're not ready to be cured yet.... :fail: :fail: :fail:

 

[Flying Turtle]

Try to keep in mind that these lights are rapidly evolving. Today's latest and greatest will be eclipsed by another (that's probably cheaper) in six months or a year. This is one reason I do not buy custom lights. Sure, it will be sweet for a while, and folks here will praise it, but before long it will become a beautiful looking but sub-performing light that will sit on a shelf. I've got enough cheap ones sitting on shelves.

Geoff

 

[jacktheclipper]

Explore other forums
You will find other things to spend time researching and purchasing ;
Guns , Knives , Self Defense , and all sorts of Manly Toys and tools to support and enhance other hobbies .


You do have more than one hobby don't you ?

 

[think2x]

I'll tell ya one thing, my flashlight purchasing slowed down majorly when I got into customs. For one, customs are way expensive, so they are no longer an impulse buy, but a heavily weighed decision. Secondly, I find them most satisfying, although I do like a good Surefire now and then.

I use my lights mostly on job sites and they all wind up with a mark or two of some sort on them. I would HATE to buy a high end custom and take it on the job to ruin it.:lolsign:

Don't get me wrong, I WILL have one one day but not for the job site.

 

[glockboy]

Buy all the lights there is, you will stop when there nothing more to buy.
:grin2:

 

[think2x]

I didn't expect quite this much response. Very helpful reading in here and very appreciated too.

I've been trying to narrow down what I "really" want. Here is what I think I have learned in the year I have been on here.

1. I prefer neutral tints
2. 80 to 100 lumens is more than enough for my daily use(job site) EDC
3. I like more flood with medium throw(75-100') for EDC
4. I still need ONE good thrower for latenight yard/animal duty
5. I like the UI of my NovaTac but hate the flicker and tint it has
6. Also need a simple UI for use as "house" light

I have given each of my kids a Quark AA2 for their bedsides. On my wife's side of the bed is a Mag rebel modded with a P7 and a shiningbeam 3-mode driver pushing 3.1A. My side has an Aspheric Mag(had to put it somewhere)

I think the kids are set but the wife and I need something more practical. Ideally I would like to only have 6-12 lights total.

 

[think2x]

I think it just comes down to finding a light that suits you ideally. Once you find a light that you use about 1/2 the time, even though you've got 20 other lights, you'll find that you don't need as many other lights around.

If I didn't know better I'd swear I was being watched:whistle: How did you know how many lights I had?:devil:

Thanks for the support guys.

 

[m3flies]

Great point Illum. I already feel that I'm overloaded with, in order of purchase. A fenix PD30 R2, EagleTacT20C2 MK II Digital, Quark 123 R5 Regular, Quark 123 MiNi, and a HDS Ra clicky 170 Tactical. What I use these lights for really seems to overlap. I think I'm done after buying the clicky. But the twisty does intrigue me. OK. Just one more.

 

[Monocrom]

Try to keep in mind that these lights are rapidly evolving. Today's latest and greatest will be eclipsed by another (that's probably cheaper) in six months or a year. This is one reason I do not buy custom lights. Sure, it will be sweet for a while, and folks here will praise it, but before long it will become a beautiful looking but sub-performing light that will sit on a shelf. I've got enough cheap ones sitting on shelves.

Geoff

If output is the main reason for buying a light, then yes; a custom light isn't going to be best. But to have something of quality that is truly special, that's another story. It's not as though the world is gradually getting darker every night, and more powerful lights are a necessity.

 

[jimbo@stn23]

I'll also endorse the, "save for what you really want, pick a good product and wait for it" method. Although I'm new to the flashlight world, after 2 or 3 years I have a couple of Pelicans (work issue) 2 Streamlights and settled on only buying Surefires. Have 7 SF's now and only want one or two more of the newer SF stuff and maybe some hot rodding of them.

On a barely related note, I would have saved alot of money if I had just stuck to my better knives such as Chris Reeve right off the bat. But I guess you need to "get in the miles first" to know what you really like. Perhaps that's where you're at now.

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

I think one way to stop the madness is to just stop visiting CPF. Look what it's done to me: When I came here two-years ago I would have never dreamed of spending any more than $25 on a flashlight. This past weekend I finally bit the bullet and placed an order for an Ra Clicky. $154 with shipping, and it feels like a totally sensible thing to do!

 

[think2x]

I guess you need to "get in the miles first" to know what you really like. Perhaps that's where you're at now.

I think you nailed it 100% right there. The problem I now see is how expensive those "miles" are getting, buying lights that are not keepers.

At least all my purchases to date are with actual funds instead of credit :clap:
and have not cut into my living expenses.

 

[kaichu dento]

I've still got about 40 lights and have been thinning things out for a while but what allowed me to slow down was when I finally realized what my priorities in lights were.

To tell the truth, there is very little more that I actually want to purchase and I'm now on the path of hoping to perfect a couple of the lights that I use on a regular basis through emitter and reflector changes.

 

[ninemm]

I've still got about 40 lights and have been thinning things out for a while but what allowed me to slow down was when I finally realized what my priorities in lights were.

To tell the truth, there is very little more that I actually want to purchase and I'm now on the path of hoping to perfect a couple of the lights that I use on a regular basis through emitter and reflector changes.

This is what I am trying to do now too and would encourage the OP to do. But like many have said it takes time to get to this point. My problem with being able to disregard other lights and only pursue those that I truly want/need is twofold: A) I have a hard time resisting "deals" and B) I am impulsive (especially if it is shiny and/or has tritium :p)

The answer to both of those problems is:

I think one way to stop the madness is to just stop visiting CPF.

But I just can't do that. You guys are too entertaining. lovecpf

 

[Taipan]

Explore other forums...you will find other things to spend time researching and purchasing; Guns, Knives, Self Defense, and all sorts of Manly Toys and tools to support and enhance other hobbies. You do have more than one hobby don't you ?

As a budding flashaholic, I gotta admit the growing fetish for such EDC gadgets as more "affordable" man-toys. A cure could be the "customs" perhaps. Rem gold/diamond semi-autos found in Columbian drug raids? I heard of platinum/diamond studded flashlights made for Saudis. Apart from flashlights, some guys are even into watches, cameras and even solid gold flash/thumb-drives. At the end of the day (that's when my flashlights appear), I rem a bumper sticker: "He who dies with the most toys wins." Maybe what would make it stop should be "He who dies with the most lights dies anyway." :sick2:

 

[Point Source]

1. I prefer neutral tints
2. 80 to 100 lumens is more than enough for my daily use(job site) EDC
3. I like more flood with medium throw(75-100') for EDC
4. I still need ONE good thrower for latenight yard/animal duty
5. I like the UI of my NovaTac but hate the flicker and tint it has
6. Also need a simple UI for use as "house" light

Wow, it sounds like you're headed down the same track that I'm on. If that's the case, I'll tell you how I did it:

1) Purchase only neutral tinted lights, since you prefer them anyway. That will cut down the available selection considerably, and you'll be more satisfied with the ones you end up purchasing.

2) Get a high CRI RA Clicky and realize that further purchases of lights in this class are close to unnecessary.

Since I've done those things, I'm down from 1 or more lights per month to about 2-3 per year and don't feel that I'm missing out on all that much. If it wasn't for the Warm Quark run, I would not have purchased a new light since I got my RA about a year ago.

 

[Foxfyre]

But, but, but,....Why would I want it to stop? :duh2: :sick2: :faint:
:crackup:


What works for me is finding the hunt more fun than the capture; lots of looking, saving, dreaming and drooling.

Oh, yes. Buying only what fits into an empty niche in the collection.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[Paul_in_Maryland]

You know when you'll really get a knot in your stomach? When you've spent 2 years, and hundreds of dollars, to standardize on a battery chemistry (lithium-ion), size (18500 / 150A), and configuration (2x18500), then change your mind. Been there.

 

[Monocrom]

Why standardize? Lights are like women . . . You should enjoy the variety that exists out there.

Lights might be better, since they don't ever say "no" when you're in the mood to pick them up. :whistle:

 

[think2x]

Wow, it sounds like you're headed down the same track that I'm on. If that's the case, I'll tell you how I did it:

1) Purchase only neutral tinted lights, since you prefer them anyway. That will cut down the available selection considerably, and you'll be more satisfied with the ones you end up purchasing.

2) Get a high CRI RA Clicky and realize that further purchases of lights in this class are close to unnecessary.

Since I've done those things, I'm down from 1 or more lights per month to about 2-3 per year and don't feel that I'm missing out on all that much. If it wasn't for the Warm Quark run, I would not have purchased a new light since I got my RA about a year ago.

This sounds like the plan for me. I've started to search for neutral tinted lights lately. As far as the High CRI RA, I have been thinking of that for months now and can't decide on the clicky or twisty. I also noticed that the twisty seems to only be an 18650 now and I'm unsure if it's too big (my thoughts of twisties are to be smaller lights)

My only neutral lights so far are Quark123 Q3 regular and today in the mail I got my EagleTac PN20a.