What does a $150-200 flashlight get you these days?

[mc556]

I have been on a quest for that price range and it seems like the options I like are all sold out.
I've been a lurker for a long time and have always had intrest in nice edc lights. Lately the bug has bitten pretty bad.
I have yet to find " the one" but the Eagtac dc3 ti is on the way and it checks most boxes. It's the xm-l2 which was my last of the three versions, but it's what I found at the time.
The 150-200 has options but definitely not a sweet spot price

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

I would like to simply register disagreement with that statement, as I do not believe it is nearly always the case at all.

Fair enough, you're right. Paying more doesn't always mean getting better quality.

There are a lot of good quality lights in the $50 - $100 range, and even cheaper. Paying more than that, you really have to want something specific. You're probably overpaying, but that might be the only way to get what you want.

A lot of people on this site list "Buy American" as their #1 priority. IMO, they're definitely overpaying, but if that's where they want it made it's something they'll have to pay extra for. Sometimes it might result in better quality, sometimes not.

 

[ateupwithgolf]

If I was ONLY spending $150-200 and I didn't any lights, I'd get Zebralight H600d Mk IV 18650 XHP50.2 5000K High CRI Headlamp and SC700d 21700 XHP70.2 Neutral White High CRI Flashlight.

These have been my two most useful quality ones.

 

[bykfixer]

$150 to $200 got me an Elzetta Bones, a lanyard ring and a wrist strap sent to my home with a few bucks left for batteries.

 

[bigburly912]

I'd buy 35 sofirn c01 and batteries

 

[Jason_Tx]

Same here. Most times I feel it is just a status symbol. So you can show off how much money you spent on a flashlight.

Yeah....
Gonna have to foot stomp that nonsense real quick like.
That statement is insulting anyone who uses their light as a tool rather than a toy.
Your statement is akin to saying someone who buys Snap-On instead of Harbor Freight tools is just trying to show off.

But, I have to ask, how can a flashlight be used as a status symbol?
A yacht, sure.
Mansion, sure.
Gold Plated gun in a Sinaloa Cartel, definitely a status symbol.

A flashlight? Reaaaalllyyyyyyy??
I need an explanation as to why, as a former Marine, the light on the end of my pew pew stick was a status symbol because it wasn't a cheaper Sofirn, Convoy, Zoomie, Olight, Fenix, Nitecore or Ultrafire?


For me, these things boil down rather simply.

Tool or Toy? and Want or Need? to simplify - Need a tool? - or - Want a toy?

Lets be honest, most lights produced today are toys. Even labeled as "EDC" many are simply toys with multiple UI's, blinkies etc..
I mean, if you have to jump on a forum to get help on changing your UI, if you spouse, child or friend can't simply pick it up and operate it, it's a toy not a tool.
While they are fun and many of us enjoy these types of lights they are not purpose built, other than for the purpose of taking your money.
To me a Surefire, Steamlight, Elzetta, Malkoff etc... are tools. (yes there are others that fit here and it's up to you to decide that for yourself)

Then there are the toys, mostly designed to take your hard earned money and generally cause people to spend way more than that single $150 light because they buy more... and more... and more... which do what?
Allow you to see in the dark just like the other 30 you have

Soapbox Warning:
In almost every case, having the self discipline and the habit of delayed gratification will be much more rewarding, get you what you really want and be less expensive than instant.

 

[orbital]

+

Jason, we get your point.
Although, it's spun as everything other than your tools listed are toys.

Test my Acebeam L35 I got for $72 in the door & tell me if it's a toy.

 

[bigburly912]

Ahh I can't say much. I almost become a Malkoff snob until I tried the fraz labs offerings. I really don't see myself buying anything else for a while except for sofirn C01 offerings.

 

[Jason_Tx]

+

Jason, we get your point.
Although, it's spun as everything other than your tools listed are toys.

Test my Acebeam L35 I got for $72 in the door & tell me if it's a toy.

Hi Orbital,

Thank you for the reply.
There was no attempt to spin anything.
The portion where I mention a few brands that I consider tools ends with text in brackets.
The accusation of "spinning" a bias was predicted, hence that portion was added in an attempt to negate such a discussion.
I failed to make it clear

To reiterate I was saying that more than the brands I listed can be added, but it is you to decide what belongs there.
We each have our own use case, decide the specifications and choose accordingly based on our own needs, preferences and pocket book.

Also, I specifically did not reference any make or models as "toys" because it is not for me to say what is a tool or toy for anyone else.

Regarding your Acebeam L35, I would consider it a toy and for a few reason that make sense to me.
5000 lumens is something I, and likely a high percentage of flashlight fans have no real need of, hence a toy for enjoyment.
Further, it's marketed a tactical which to me means "related to combat". I'm of the opinion that no combat light should have 8 modes and a green/red blinky light on the side. Hence, a toy.
But just because I have no tool use for it doesn't mean you don't, (see bracketed area that I referenced above)
Were I inspecting Electric Transmission lines at night or performing search and rescue it would be a damn good tool to have and I would happily use it.

The term "toy" shouldn't be taken as a negative term.
Nor should "tool" be taken as being meant to be superior.

Hell, I just bought a Sofirn SP40 because I often need a headlamp around the house and because I didn't want to spend $90.00 on a Striped African Horse Brand headlamp, although I'd prefer the Zebra.

Also regarding your Acebeam L35, why is it stuck in your door?


To the OP
2.7777777777777778 Acebeam L35's

 

[orbital]

To the OP

2.7777777777777778 Acebeam L35's

or

.11 of a UDR Dominator.

 

[jon_slider]

the question was

What does a $150-200 flashlight [One Light] get you these days?

not, how many lights can you buy with that much money

the answers seem to include:

One aluminium 18650 Malkoff or Elzetta, with two modes
or
One 16340 Titanium Rotary, with variable modes
or
One AAA Titanium twisty, with one mode
or
a debate about whether your choice is a tool, a toy, a political statement, or a status symbol…

 

[Lou Minescence]

$159 gets you 1300 meters of throw
Ladies and gentlemen, the Acebeam T28 ultra long range led flashlight !
So a 150 - 200 dollar flashlight gets 1300 meters throw

 

[bigburly912]

The real answer to the question here is that it depends on what you are looking for to begin with. You can get so much more of some things and so much less of others. What you can get varies.

 

[Jason_Tx]

or

.11 of a UDR Dominator.

Pfft, that's barely more than half a cent per candela (.006¢ each)

 

[Jason_Tx]

a debate about whether your choice is a tool, a toy, a political statement, or a status symbol…

You sir.....

WIN!

Wonderful quote!!! HAHA

 

[jon_slider]

good to share a laugh with you

this is my $200 light, it serves all those roles and more
including pocket jewelry, and bragging rights

Jetbeam TCR-1 Titanium Rotary w High CRI LED

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

An empty bank account, a feeling of regret, and a dropped jaw from anyone you tell the price of your new light. I can get a 4000+ lumen light for under $100. Any brighter and you may need binoculars to take full advantage of your light's throw (that amount of light isn't needed for 99.9% of situations and you'll only get bright light for seconds).

 

[SYZYGY]

and you, say What does a $150-200 flashlight get you these days?

i don't know!

after having various petzl headlamps for almost 20 years, i wanted something new and got some zebralights (h600w, sc64w hi, sc700d).
that was a year or two ago.

i'd happily drop 200 or more on a light, but i can't find something i like better.

those rotary lights look pretty cool though. i wonder if i'd like something like that more than the ZL UI.
can't seem to find what to 'upgrade' to.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Tool or Toy? and Want or Need? to simplify - Need a tool? - or - Want a toy?

99.9% of the lights that people on this forum buy aren't required for their job or life & death hobbies. You can pretend you need a $200 light for your job, but in almost every case, a $20 department store light would be almost as good. And that's what the vast majority of the population buys.

We're elitists, when it comes to lights. You can scoff at someone who buys a "toy", but it's no different than buying an expensive light to do what a cheap light will do. There hasn't been some change in jobs or environment in the last 10 years that suddenly requires the kind of lights we can buy today, they didn't exist 10 years ago. Cops did their job just fine with cheap junk maglites 10 years ago, and they could do it just as well with a cheap junk maglite today.

I'm just fine with being an elitist. All my lights are "toys", or overpriced tools. Take your pick. I don't try to pretend they're necessary.

 

[bykfixer]

Where's that Fenix guy? lol

At a forum of thousands where you won't see 10 people agree on what the favorite time of day for the best tint from the sunshine you're going to get a lot of opinions about the best way to spent 150-200 dollars. But what can you get here in 2020? In some cases a lot more output than 10 years ago. More runtime in some cases. And more value in most cases.