Someone help me...

[Outofit]

Hi everyone! Ok here goes my first post...

I am out of control. a couple years ago, I bought a Coast flashlight that had an additional red LED. I thought that was the greatest thing going, since my experience with flashlights before that of were dim, unreliable monstrosities.

A short while later, I picked up an Atec something-or-other that produced a whopping 90 lumens--or so I thought that was whopping at the time.

Next was a Luma-ray with glow-in-the-dark LEDs in the head. That was pretty cool. Then I bought a couple Mag lites--a 2D and a 3D with LEDS. I experimented with various crank and shake lights. They mostly were not good. :thumbsdow I bought all kinds of cheap LED flashlights that mostly were not very impressive but would run for a long time.

Then for Christmas I got a stainless Coast LED Lenser LL7732 V6. I was astonished. I had no idea that LEDs could be that bright, especially in a flashlight so small.

Since then I have bought a Fenix L2D, Fenix P3D, Fenix P2D (which is my favorite so far), Fenix TK40 (man that thing's bright), Nitecore EZAA, Fenix L1D (I think), and I just ordered a Nitecore Extreme R2 for myself and another one for a Christmas gift. I'm sure I forgot to mention a few, but my point is: I'm out of control. I don't know why I find LED flashlights so fascinating, or why I can't stop collecting them. I know some of you guys must have had this bug way longer than me. I shudder to think what your collections look like. Any advice on how to chill out?

Oh yeah, recently I've developed a similar problem with Knives.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

You'll hit a limit sometime when you slow down for a couple months... then you'll make up for it and blow a whole bunch of cash another month, then settle down, and flare up... It's a natural cycle. Some escape from it earlier than others. Some of us will never be free. Welcome to the life of a flashaholic.
:welcome:

 

[Kestrel]

LOL, :welcome: +1
My advice, try now to minimize the purchases of inexpensive lights, figure out what really works for you (form factor, user interface, etc), and read a lot. Eventually you'll gravitate to the nice stuff that really fits your needs - SureFire, McGizmo, Milky, etc. I'd rather have a few NICE lights I use a lot than lots of 'em that aren't exactly what works best for me. My two lumens,
K

 

[Zeruel]

Well, if it's any comfort, click my sig link for the ones I bought this year.
Chill out? This IS chilling out...
Bwahahaha :devil:
:welcome:

 

[Dances with Flashlight]

You sound normal to me. But then again, and thinking back to "A Clockwork Orange", what's normal for a Flashaholic?

 

[DimeRazorback]

You will slow down once you are happy with the knowledge that you have gained from your purchases, as then you can make more informed or educated choices as to what you need or want in a light

It is all fun!

:twothumbs

 

[Rod911]

Since joining the website in September of this year, I think I'm actually done and dusted when it comes to purchasing any more new lights.

In three months, I have spent my fair share, but I've managed to tick all the boxes for my reasons for my purchases:

• At least two emergency lights in each car
  
• At least one thrower
  
• At least two emergency lights in the home
  
• A small AA or AAA EDC
  
• A back up to my EDC
  

I think the only possible excuses I have to purchase one more light are either:

• Much more lumens than what I've got in a 2*18650 setup and at a reasonable price (ie. ThruNite Catapult - just got it today, and loving this thing! :twothumbs)
• I lose a light

 

[boostax]

Hi guys,

I´m also new here.
I have the same "problem" you have considering flashlights.
But I think its a great opportunity to share ideas with other guys who are also fascinated by flaslights.
For me this forum is great.

br

 

[jhc37013]

You'll hit a limit sometime when you slow down for a couple months... then you'll make up for it and blow a whole bunch of cash another month, then settle down, and flare up... It's a natural cycle. Some escape from it earlier than others. Some of us will never be free. Welcome to the life of a flashaholic.
:welcome:

You said it best with the up and down cycle every coupe months I thought it was just me. When I first started years ago I bought everything all the time but now I buy in cycles it could have something to do with learning to really research what I am about to buy and I may be pickier because I have settled on a form factor everything from size, battery setup, UI.

I'm still a sucker for brighter even if just a few lumens I want the latest greatest and I bet I'm not alone their either.

 

[AMD64Blondie]

It's perfectly normal. I'm sitting here,having just ordered a Fenix TK40 from Brightguy.com and a Titanium M8800 8-bay charger + 8 Sanyo Eneloop AAs from Batteryjunction.com..to the tune of $225 total.Didn't even blink at the cost when I ordered.(I think I'll regret saying that..)

 

[strinq]

I've only been a flashaholic for about half a year and if it wasn't due to financial problems i think i would have purchased way more lights.
But in a way, it's a good thing cuz now i actually sit and consider what i really want instead of just buying compulsively.

Anyways :welcome:

 

[Point Source]

Since it sounds like lights and knives are consuming an increasing percentage of your disposable income, my advice is as follows:

Stay as far away from GUNS as you possibly can. :nana:

This masculine trilogy has produced financial ruin for countless gentlemen since the very inception of these hypnotizing works of art.

Stay away... I'm tellin' ya!

 

[Outofit]

Thanks for all the replies. You guys are a riot! Point Source, I think you are wise to warn me away from guns. I have several hunting rifles and an old military issue .45--all of which I inherited. In the back of my mind I've been thinking about a new, shiny pistol...

My favorite response (and I can't recall who wrote this): "It's perfectly normal." I must be in the right place!

 

[Rod911]

Since joining the website in September of this year, I think I'm actually done and dusted when it comes to purchasing any more new lights.

In three months, I have spent my fair share, but I've managed to tick all the boxes for my reasons for my purchases:

• At least two emergency lights in each car
  
• At least one thrower
  
• At least two emergency lights in the home
  
• A small AA or AAA EDC
  
• A back up to my EDC
  

I think the only possible excuses I have to purchase one more light are either:

• Much more lumens than what I've got in a 2*18650 setup and at a reasonable price (ie. ThruNite Catapult - just got it today, and loving this thing! :twothumbs)
• I lose a light

Bumping an old thread only because I was going through my old posts.

I was naive when I wrote the post above. I have bought more lights since, but I think I have moved onto the next stage - I am now thinking about modding my existing lights and or purchasing hosts/parts for the purpose of building a new light that fits my purpose if a retail product is not available. Having said that though, I will also rethink which lights I actually need and look at possibly selling them if it becomes too difficult to mod them.