What do you mostly use your flashlight for?

[Sub_Umbra]

"I have a very bright, tight, custom made cyan thrower that goes outside with me for one brief task once every night -- but it only gets turned on for a few seconds every other month. "

Ok, I'm curious......

I mainly have them for special reasons that don't happen...

When my wife is on her way home I go out to meet her. I carry a cell phone, a GMRS radio, the thrower and depending on what kind of events are happening in town that night, sometimes other things. Once in a blue moon I may see something on the block that requires further investigation. That is what the tight, bright, cyan light is for. If I don't like what I see I can use the cell phone or GMRS radio to wave her off into a holding pattern until it is resolved.

The bottom line is that I use the cyan light every night but I rarely turn it on.

Upon reflecting on my experiences during the six week power blackout in New Orleans that followed Hurricane Katrina it occurred to me that that there were perhaps three or four times in that entire period when I really wished that I could put a serious, tight spot of light on something way out there for just a second or two. After it was all over I had a light custom made 'to spec' to do just that. It was worth every penny -- and it hasn't even saved anyone's life yet.

 

[Flashlites R Us]

After I am told to "go to sleep" I use my light for reading comic books under my blanket................

 

[Hack On Wheels]

After I am told to "go to sleep" I use my light for reading comic books under my blanket................

Oh man, I used to do that all the time! Mostly novels, but same idea. I wonder what I used for that, probably my MIA Mini-Maglite. Must have gone through a lot of batteries with it!

 

[Robin24k]

I happened to have my EDC XL100 with me when using the toilet today...the light switch is on the outside, next to the bathroom light switch. As you can probably already imagine, the lights were turned off on me, and the toilet was plunged into complete darkness. 83 lumens (maybe a little less...was a bit dimmer than usual, and it turned out that the AAA's were down to 1.1V each) of ceiling bounce was enough for me to proceed with :toilet:. :thumbsup:

 

[rikvee]

I am a soundman, working in dimly-lit venues, sometimes
during lighting setups that ironically require complete darkness.
This is an excuse for me to walk around like a geek with
a flashlight around my neck at all times
I've been doing this since the MiniMag came out in late 1983.
Consequently I've learned to make good use of little lights
everywhere I go:

- lining up keys in doors & vehicles
- rummaging through purses, bags, boxes
- finding dropped items on floors full of litter
- reading anything anywhere
- going out to the cinema
- checking out what the hell it is I'm eating
(great for not swallowing a mouthful of wasabi by mistake)
- checking out items behind glass displays in stores
- lighting up house numbers and street names at night
- seeing how much dust there is everywhere....

 

[irlmarko]

Identifying leak sources, lighting up labels to confirm naming, lighting a darkened area while someone else is working with their two hands. Basic stuff.

 

[don.gwapo]

I used mostly my light from house to the car and vice versa coz I park on the street. I also used it as a candle at night everyday since they are running on eneloops.

 

[kramer5150]

-Surefires get the most use. General use at home and in the garage. At work inspecting telecommunications equipment. A2-red sees nightstand duty.
-Mags are for incan mods.
-DX junk for LED mods
-Fenix E0 dart on my keyring for finding keyholes in the dark
-Halogen and HID spotlights for cloud cooking

 

[Erasmus]

I mainly use my flashlights for poking dead animals.

 

[Stevie]

I use an old Tikka XP with a red filter for astronomy in the local park (darkest place I can find in our city without having to drive out of town).

I use a Olight T10 (great little thrower) for lighting up any dodgy looking kids who get too close to my car whilst I am observing. They get such a shock ha ha, they must be thinking "why is this car parked here alone in the dark - I'll just take a look see if there is anything worth knicking". Then - "sh*t where's all that light coming from - scarper!"

:devil:

 

[Burgess]

Cute !


_

 

[EvilLithiumMan]

I mostly use my lights to explain why I have no money.

 

[Alex K.]

I usually use my 4C Kel-Lite for locking up the house at night. It is also nice to have the heft of that guy with me when I take walks in the middle of the night if I can't sleep. It's wierd but my go-to light is twice as old as me!

 

[McAllan]

Besides the usual things such as doing small necessary repair jobs at night on car or bicycle I use them in the summer time when riding my bicycle at very dark roads with no street lights. I have dynamo lights on the bike but they're just about enough for me to see enough of the road ahead but they don't point in the direction I want to if I spot something else or just want to shine over the fields for animals etc.
So for me to better see I typically bring abound a light. Since I'm typically not riding for more than 5 km I've no problem in holding it in my hands so I can point in any direction I want fast. I really enjoy to get a glimpse of the animal life as I passes by or even stop to watch. Hares (jackrabbits) are my favorites because I have a soft point for long eared fellas and have a bunny at home :kiss:
Unfortunately many drivers don't see a need to turn down the headlights for a bicycle since they usually can't blind them as revenge - but I'm different they quickly understand :laughing:

And this winter my lights got some other use they aren't accustomed to. Hiking into abandoned industrial buildings* as a friend of mine and me discovered some in our near by neighborhood (someone else had already broken the doors and windows for us). Quite spooky experience - especially in a previously flooded but now dry basement :candle:

*Please check your local laws about that one - and of course it's on your own risk - I can't be responsible of what you people out there are doing. Where I live it's very small crime just to be there so if it was not you breaking the doors and windows and it's obviously abandoned you'll most likely just be asked to leave the place and if the owner or police want to pursue the case (which they most likely wont) you're just given a small fine.

 

[jankj]

Mcallan: If you bike with a helmet then you could try strapping a flashlight on top of that. Hands free really rocks for biking! I also use a twofish lock block for mounting lights on the handle bars. That works really great untill you want to spot something that is not in your direction of travel.

If you don't use a helmet then you have these options:
- The niteize headband (besides strapping on a bike helmet this is the best solution I've found for putting a handheld on your head)

- A regular headlamp (which typically are weak and boring compared to handhelds)

- A high powered headlamp (which are either absurdely expensive, of questionable quality or something you have to make yourself).


I mostly use my quark mini for all small lights tasks and my regular quarks for biking, skiing and running.

 

[McAllan]

Mcallan: If you bike with a helmet then you could try strapping a flashlight on top of that. Hands free really rocks for biking!

Yes. Have thought about that. But my laziness combined with my riding style - I'm not one of those extreme speed maniacs on racing bikes or off-road guys.... An LD20 or LD10 is actually quite easy holding in your hands like a cigar. I've really no problem with that. Optimal no but again my laziness I'll probably buy a headband next time I come near one.

I'd also really like to bring my TK40 when summer comes around but holding that one in hands is not an option. Don't want to mount it on the handle bars as it then will receive a bit more chocks than I'd like for such an expensive light. And an oversize headband is perhaps also a bit too much but probably doable. Wonder if someone has made a mount to it can sit on the shoulder like a parrot? That would be nice. One thing for sure. Don't want to mount any lithium or LiIon lights near my head even though similar output to the TK40 can be had in a little lighter/smaller package.

 

[Zeruel]

:hahaha: I know Flying Turtle uses LF3XT to scratch his scalp.

 

[Jeffa]

I always carry a flashlight and have needed them for various reasons from lights going out in a resaturant to finding a cat up a tree at night. You just never know.

I have them all over the house and in every vehicle. I got several of those that fit in the cigarette lighter of the vehicle. They are especially handy.

 

[wingnut86]

To see things in the dark. Mostly outside.

 

[SmurfTacular]

I always carry a flashlight and have needed them for various reasons from lights going out in a resaturant to finding a cat up a tree at night. You just never know.

I have them all over the house and in every vehicle. I got several of those that fit in the cigarette lighter of the vehicle. They are especially handy.

Can you reccomend any LED ones?

I had an incandecent one for the longest time that was pathetic as far as brightness