The Flashaholic's "Must-Have" List -- Cast your vote! PART 2

[ico]

SC50/SC50W especially for those who prefers AA over 123's

 

[FPSRelic]

Surefire LX2. Skinnier than a C2 for pocket carry, yet built just as tough. Throws it's 200 lumens like a tall skinny guy punches - with long reach.

 

[bwcaw]

My choices may date me slightly, but Ive been a member of this forum off and on since 02 and I remember some of the lights that really started this whole "flashaholic" thing and I feel that some of those lights deserve to be on that list.

Shockingly absent from the top ten lights is the Arc AAA. Ten years ago when I first started lurking on this forum and was browsing around for a good light to buy, this was THE flashlight to own as a first LED light. It was one of the first regulated LED lights and one of the first flashlight companies that was started as a result of and with the input from CPF members. It was a truly groundbreaking light. Unfortunately the company didn't really last as a major player, but other companies took some of the Arc designs and ran with them, for instance the Arc 4. Im not going to get into the reasons behind Arc's demise and all the nonsense and things that resulted but it cannot be denied that Arc was the first flashlight company to cater directly to CPF. The Arc AAA may be dim by current standards, but I still have a green one on my keychain and use it occasionally. It is tougher than nails and there used to be threads upon threads of stories of how people had abused their arc AAA's and hadn't been able to break them.

The Arc LS also was a groundbreaking light. The first production Luxeon star flashlight. It ushered in a new wave of flashlights designed with input from CPF members and marketed toward the niche market that CPF at that time offered.

Also not on the list are the old standbys, some of the "best and brightest" available for many years and the proverbial "3 D cell" flashlights that are the yardstick by which many lights are measured: the 3 D cell Maglight.

Lets not forget the Surefire 12PM, which was one of the first, if not THE first 500 Lumen handheld lights mass produced. As I recall, it would run for a grand total of 5 minutes on a set of batteries!

Another of my favorite lights is the Surefire M3. This is one of the best designed lights ever made for use with a handgun (obviously excepting dedicated weapon lights). It has stood the test of time and even now with all the advanced LED lights available, this is still the light that I carry on my duty belt most of the time.

The surefire 6P should also be mentioned. For many many CPFers this was their first "high end" light. It was one of the very first widely available lithium powered compact flashlights and is still viable today with any of the many LED dropins that are available.

The surefire E2 and E2e were for several years the king of EDC lights. There simply were no other lights made that could match their power and compact size.

I cant help but feel nostalgic for the old days when I read about all these different chinese flashlights that have a zillion lumens and cost a fraction of what a surefire costs now. In the old days there were only a couple of choices when it came to quality lights and anyone worth their salt as a flashaholic carried an Arc and or a Surefire.

I personally don't feel that the new chinese lights, or even some of the newer surefires have the same amount of thought put into the design and practical application as they did in years past. I feel that much more thought is put into the cosmetics of lights now (ie crazy amounts of fins and points and weird crap you don't need) than putting features on them that are actually useful. Surefires of the past had the combat rings which were designed for a specific purpose and use with a very specialized technique, but it seems that many of the current lights have a similar ring or some such device machined or otherwise affixed to the body of the light, but most of them are affixed in such a way that the use of the surefire/rogers technique is impossible or impractical therefore making that "feature" useless. Its much like putting show bars on a pickup or flames on a ford fiesta. It just makes it look tough while not really improving the function of the light. I feel that form should follow function and find it impossible to be excited by some of the pimped out lights that are on the market now.

That being said, I will say that the Nitecore D10 is an excellent light and I wish I had never given away the one that I had. It was small and powerful and ran off of commonly available AA batteries and the best part was it was all that and affordable. I would definitely place that on a must have list as an affordable EDC light.

Also on my must have list is the Surefire LX2. Small, bright runs a long time on low setting, bright enough on high for nearly any common task you can think of (even if it has silly useless grooves machined in it instead of knurling).

I know im an old fuddy duddy when it comes to lights but I just love the lights that I loved when I first started being interested in lights!

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Its much like putting show bars on a pickup or flames on a ford fiesta....

I will get your guys' votes totaled in tomorrow. Or the next day. Quite possibly Thursday. But no later than Friday.

 

[baterija]

Re: The Flashaholic's "Must Have" List

Been a while since I really looked. Find it interesting that the first item on the list that I own isn't till #14, the Malkoff M61 module. It's not till we get to #24 and the Photon Freedom that there's a complete light I own. There's 3 in the top ten I bought as present for others though. I always knew that my tastes ran a bit different and I don't buy many lights in comparison to many here. It's still striking for me.

Oh and since the modules weren't covered in the guidance when I submitted my input long ago... another vote for the Malkoff M61.

 

[bulbman]

Zebralight h60w , h501r

 

[Captain Spaulding]

My choices may date me slightly, but Ive been a member of this forum off and on since 02 and I remember some of the lights that really started this whole "flashaholic" thing and I feel that some of those lights deserve to be on that list.

Shockingly absent from the top ten lights is the Arc AAA. Ten years ago when I first started lurking on this forum and was browsing around for a good light to buy, this was THE flashlight to own as a first LED light. It was one of the first regulated LED lights and one of the first flashlight companies that was started as a result of and with the input from CPF members. It was a truly groundbreaking light. Unfortunately the company didn't really last as a major player, but other companies took some of the Arc designs and ran with them, for instance the Arc 4. Im not going to get into the reasons behind Arc's demise and all the nonsense and things that resulted but it cannot be denied that Arc was the first flashlight company to cater directly to CPF. The Arc AAA may be dim by current standards, but I still have a green one on my keychain and use it occasionally. It is tougher than nails and there used to be threads upon threads of stories of how people had abused their arc AAA's and hadn't been able to break them.

The Arc LS also was a groundbreaking light. The first production Luxeon star flashlight. It ushered in a new wave of flashlights designed with input from CPF members and marketed toward the niche market that CPF at that time offered.

Also not on the list are the old standbys, some of the "best and brightest" available for many years and the proverbial "3 D cell" flashlights that are the yardstick by which many lights are measured: the 3 D cell Maglight.

Lets not forget the Surefire 12PM, which was one of the first, if not THE first 500 Lumen handheld lights mass produced. As I recall, it would run for a grand total of 5 minutes on a set of batteries!

Another of my favorite lights is the Surefire M3. This is one of the best designed lights ever made for use with a handgun (obviously excepting dedicated weapon lights). It has stood the test of time and even now with all the advanced LED lights available, this is still the light that I carry on my duty belt most of the time.

The surefire 6P should also be mentioned. For many many CPFers this was their first "high end" light. It was one of the very first widely available lithium powered compact flashlights and is still viable today with any of the many LED dropins that are available.

The surefire E2 and E2e were for several years the king of EDC lights. There simply were no other lights made that could match their power and compact size.

I cant help but feel nostalgic for the old days when I read about all these different chinese flashlights that have a zillion lumens and cost a fraction of what a surefire costs now. In the old days there were only a couple of choices when it came to quality lights and anyone worth their salt as a flashaholic carried an Arc and or a Surefire.

I personally don't feel that the new chinese lights, or even some of the newer surefires have the same amount of thought put into the design and practical application as they did in years past. I feel that much more thought is put into the cosmetics of lights now (ie crazy amounts of fins and points and weird crap you don't need) than putting features on them that are actually useful. Surefires of the past had the combat rings which were designed for a specific purpose and use with a very specialized technique, but it seems that many of the current lights have a similar ring or some such device machined or otherwise affixed to the body of the light, but most of them are affixed in such a way that the use of the surefire/rogers technique is impossible or impractical therefore making that "feature" useless. Its much like putting show bars on a pickup or flames on a ford fiesta. It just makes it look tough while not really improving the function of the light. I feel that form should follow function and find it impossible to be excited by some of the pimped out lights that are on the market now.

That being said, I will say that the Nitecore D10 is an excellent light and I wish I had never given away the one that I had. It was small and powerful and ran off of commonly available AA batteries and the best part was it was all that and affordable. I would definitely place that on a must have list as an affordable EDC light.

Also on my must have list is the Surefire LX2. Small, bright runs a long time on low setting, bright enough on high for nearly any common task you can think of (even if it has silly useless grooves machined in it instead of knurling).

I know im an old fuddy duddy when it comes to lights but I just love the lights that I loved when I first started being interested in lights!

Hey bwcaw, after reading through your rather nostalgic post, I am not quite sure which ones you are voting for. You can vote for up to 7...

I am assuming these. If I am wrong please correct me and I will fix it:
1. Arc AAA
2. 3D Maglite
3. SF M3
4. SF 6p
5. SF E2
6. Nitecore D10
7. SF LX2


Thanks

 

[Captain Spaulding]

And all is updated now. By the way, this most recent update to the posting interface is MUCH more difficult to update my ordered lists than before...

 

[whiteoakjoe]

1. Zebralight H51
2. Quark AA
3. Olight I3 EOS

 

[DuncanHynes]

"I just love the lights that I loved when I first started being interested in lights!"
I agree...Back in the day I researched and read and sifted through every review online that I could and bought a...JetBeam MKII!...God awful PWM on low mode but the first 'high-end' light for me. Something that no store carried and it was (IS, still have it) VERY versatile (runs with a AAA too!). I since bought the last type, MK II X that takes 3.7 volts. And I also fancy your comment on the too many bells of the newer lights coming out. Fins and flare can be nice but it has to be subtle to be effective in most cases there is little function to it (flare).

The HDS Systems RAClicky (Excecutive carry) is my everyday pocket, travel, end-of-the-world light. I love it. I was hesitant as it's 3 volt only by design and who wants those? :nana: And all those clicks and presses and holds. But it's truely a great UI, mastered it in 5 minutes. Love it! Custom trit slots of course!

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I have a Jetbeam of some sort and the PWM drives me crazy! Sure my P2D hasn't a really low Low, but it has NO PWM either!

 

[Captain Spaulding]

Im all for discussion, but it would make my life much easier if you guys can specify exactly what lights you are voting for. Im not saying no discussion, reminiscing, or B.S.ing in this thread, but if you are voting, can you guys do me a favor and post below your discussing/reminiscing/B.S.ing a nice orderly list of the votes? Purely for tallying purposes, it makes it way easier if I can just add them up without reading through the extraneous stuff. That way I can determine quickly if it is a "vote" post or a general "conversation" post.

Thank you kindly!

"I just love the lights that I loved when I first started being interested in lights!"
I agree...Back in the day I researched and read and sifted through every review online that I could and bought a...JetBeam MKII!...God awful PWM on low mode but the first 'high-end' light for me. Something that no store carried and it was (IS, still have it) VERY versatile (runs with a AAA too!). I since bought the last type, MK II X that takes 3.7 volts. And I also fancy your comment on the too many bells of the newer lights coming out. Fins and flare can be nice but it has to be subtle to be effective in most cases there is little function to it (flare).

The HDS Systems RAClicky (Excecutive carry) is my everyday pocket, travel, end-of-the-world light. I love it. I was hesitant as it's 3 volt only by design and who wants those? :nana: And all those clicks and presses and holds. But it's truely a great UI, mastered it in 5 minutes. Love it! Custom trit slots of course!

So... You are voting for the Jebeam MKII and the RA Clicky?

1. Zebralight H51
2. Quark AA
3. Olight I3 EOS

Perfect! Thanks! :thumbsup:



EDIT: I just realized, what are the odds everyone that posts from here on will read this post... I guess just carry on and I will do my best to read through, sort what I think are votes, and quit whining so much!

 

[DuncanHynes]

My number one vote, HDS RA Clicky EDC. 140 Lumen (they all have same UI, Excecutive).

 

[Quest4fire]

Another vote for the ITP A3 EOS.

 

[DREW297]

Surefire l1, with aw cell.
SF e1e, with l1 head and aw cell
Zebralight sc600.
Mac's. Edc xm-l
SF 6P
SF e2e/l....for added runtime when needed
Olight m31
Cool fall Tri- V. This light might be at the top of the list if cost
was a non issue.

 

[wildweed]

#1 Quark mini123..really can't be without it
#2 Zebra light SC600.. Only had it a few days but WOW! It will probably be my #1 light ..just haven't had it long enough yet.
All my other lights i could part with..I guess

 

[davyro]

1....HDS edc R1S-200
2....HDS edc 170T
3....McGizmo Haiku
4....McGizmo Makai
5....SF Fury
6....Jetbeam BC10
7....Thrunite TN11

 

[Glock27]

Re: The Flashaholic's "Must Have" List

ZebraLight SC60w
ZebraLight H501w

 

[Burgess]

Re: The Flashaholic's "Must Have" List

I wish to add the ITP A3 EOS to my list.


This is a very nice little flashlight.


As somebody here on CPF said recently:

" For most normal people, this is the LAST flashlight they will ever need to buy ! "


:thumbsup:
_

 

[bwcaw]

Captain Spaulding,

Sorry for the rambling post,
1. Arc AAA
2. 3D Maglite
3. SF M3
4. SF 6p
5. SF E2
6. Nitecore D10
7. SF LX2

Works for me. I wish i could vote for more. There are so many lights that I feel are of historic significance to Flashaholics.