POLL: Do you buy spare lights?

[RetroTechie]

If a light has good performance / features at reasonable cost, it'll be popular enough that should you break one, replacement specimens (or parts!) are still on sale, or easy to find for a good length of time. If it needs to last, I prefer buying a host where I know parts like emitter, driver etc. can be replaced individually if they fail.

If not (expensive custom light with non-standard parts): too bad, something else will take its place. As tech moves on, probably something better. Unless you're actually using them, buying 2, 3 or more copies of the same is wasteful. Especially if each specimen is expensive to begin with.

 

[aginthelaw]

why? do you have any for sale?

 

[Amelia]

why? do you have any for sale?

Nope. When it comes to lights, I'm a buyer - not a seller.

 

[SVT-ROY]

Actually no, but many similar models in the same category. For example 4 or 5 sigle cell throwers (SF Backups mainly) some fenix and olight. Multi 18650 500-1000 lumen beasts, dual 123 or 16650/17670 lights. Then the 14500/AA and AAA category. I only buy exact duplicates of firearms. I need 2 of everything it seems. 2AKs,2Ars,4 Beretta 92's ect...

 

[R.W.D.]

At one point I use to but it seems like every time I buy a surefire they upgrade it with higher lumens. I know its not by much but when I'm like oh yea I've got several SF fury's its like oh the 600 lumen light? No the 500.. -.- isn't much of a diff but its enough to annoy the crap out of me so now I just buy a light built like a tank that's reasonably bright like a P3X fury and wait for technology to advance aenough that I can justify the upgrade.

 

[ronniepudding]

There are still so many lights that I want and don't have... if I'm going to buy a light this month, it will be something I don't already own.

 

[saypat]

after some 3 years of madness I own close to 60 lights. All but (1) in my opinion are spares oo:

 

[cland72]

Are you asking if I buy duplicates of my lights, in case I lose one? For example, I buy two Surefire 6Ps, and put one in storage in case I lose the one I carry?

Or are you asking if we buy more than one light that will serve the same purpose? For example a 6P and a PD35?

 

[markr6]

I thought I liked the PD32UE so much I got a second just to have. Turns out I started to hate the UI, so now I have two of them just sitting around without use. And I can't really sell them since the price wouldn't really be worth messing with. Oh well, one makes a nice emergency car light and the other is in my house.

 

[Amelia]

Are you asking if I buy duplicates of my lights, in case I lose one? For example, I buy two Surefire 6Ps, and put one in storage in case I lose the one I carry?

Or are you asking if we buy more than one light that will serve the same purpose? For example a 6P and a PD35?

Whatever you consider to be a "spare" (extra) of a light you already have.
Could be an identical duplicate, or maybe a light with minor differences like tint or anodizing, but still acts as a "spare" if you lose or break the primary light.

 

[Fireclaw18]

I'm thinking of ordering a 3rd DQG 18650 Tiny III for use as a spare.

Of my first two, one is sitting as a partially complete scratched up host with no LED, platform or optic. The other is a completely pristine and fully functional modded light with a 10x7135 driver and triple XPG2.

It might be nice to have a spare unmodded Tiny III to use as a baseline for comparing to the modded light, or possibly for further spare parts in case I decided to make a second modded one and don't want to use up the scratched up host.

 

[D6859]

I'm considering buying a warm version of my EDC and headlamp, but I'm afraid it would mean I soon had a spare of every light I own.

Well, not so soon as I don't have so much money.

 

[ZMZ67]

I like to have spares if at all possible. There are always new lights and new versions of older lights but they don't always meet my needs and often they are not as good as the originals IMO.Some companies only do limited runs of neutral or warm lights so if you don't buy extras they are not available later.As a case in point for the originals consider the CMG Infinity Ultra or the Inova X1.Gerber changed the Infinity to a tail twisty and ruined a great design, I know from other threads there are CPFers who still want the originals.Same with the X1,I have various versions with better LEDs but the original optic model is the one I value and is probably the most sought after.The other reason for spares is that when a serious crisis occurs you usually can't get a replacement if you lose or break your light and that is when you need it the most.

 

[RWT1405]

Sure do!

 

[Snipe315]

I didn't have spare flashlights for the longest time. If I lost my primary EDC light or it stopped working, I'd switch back to an older light until a replacement one arrived.

That all changed once I started carrying the Eagletac D25a Clicky.

I misplaced my D25a Clicky once and had to temporarily carry one of my older lights (a Quark AA or Fenix LD10). But I hated switching back to either of those after carrying the D25a Clicky. The Eagletac is so small & efficient that everything else feels huge and obsolete by comparison. So I now have a spare Eagletac D25a Clicky.

 

[derfyled]

No, not at all. I need and use those 80 flashlights...

 

[Vortus]

I voted yes, but there are a couple addendum's to that yes. First, only if they are on sale or dirt cheap. IE bought a T20MK2 ET as our first "good" light when joining here, full price. Later, some of that same light were clearanced out by another seller over the holidays and were very very cheap, roughly 70% off, so picked up a couple. Same applies to other lights that we have multiples of the same type. Second if a light fulfills a specific purpose and does it very well. Malkoff Mags and Surefire/Malkoff's. Rock solid, simple and efficient. Might there be better out there, maybe. But, none that I am aware of that are as time tested and proven. So multiples are a safe bet in those types as well.

 

[Lou Minescence]

I have a few duplicate lights. Almost duplicate. I have different tints like warm and cool in the same model light. That way if I have a failure I can swap batteries, lanyards, diffusers, etc. I guess you could call them " spare ".
Vote is YES

 

[andrew2]

Yes,I now own 8 flashlights,but usually I only use one or two often,but I still think I need more lights.

 

[KevinL]

Closest I've come to it are my U2s, which are the only lights I've loved enough to do that with. Even then they're not identical, one is a classic LuxV, the other one has an MC-E. The classic is getting upgraded in the near future, but that still means they're not identical...

That having been said, I've got multiple lights that can do the same job, even though they're different, so it's all good