What light made you a flashaholic?

[ZMZ67]

It was always in my blood from a child...just financing it became easier as a adult. I think you are either born with it or not...

+2 I was always "looking" for another/better flashlight since I was a child.
My flashoholism went full blown when I discovered Flashlight Reviews and CPF a couple of years ago.

 

[RWT1405]

While I have always liked flashlights, the 2 that probably made me a flashaholic were a Smoke-Cutter (3D cell) I bought in 1982 and then a 2AA Mini-Mag that I received as a present for graduation from Paramedic school in 1984.

I always carried the Mini-mag @ work (as well as the Smoke Cutter w/ my fire gear) for many years, until "finding" the SureFire 6P's (and 9P's) in the 1990's. Thus began my long (and expensive) search for the "perfect" EDC/work flashlight.

My .02 FWIW YMMV

 

[Christoph]

Back in the early 70s

 

[Yoda4561]

Surefire M3, I'd sort of been a flashaholic since I was old enough to move a switch on those sealed emergency lights (you know the ones, the funky L shaped dealies with the "super bright, lasts xx hours!" things). But I think the light that really kickstarted it into high gear was the surefire M3. Before that surefire flashlights were nice and all, but when I saw that M3 ad I was hooked, got one from a dealer friend a month or so later and been a surefire guy ever since. Just wish I hadn't sold it to a friend in new york, I asked to buy it back a couple years ago, but apparently his car was broken into and someone stole it 🙁

 

[ugrey]

I have had several mini mags since about 1983, also,bigger D cell mags. The one that really started it was a SureFire G2. It was the cheap, gateway drug. Now look at my collection below.

 

[Black Rose]

As a child, it was the Ash Flash 2D incan my grandmother gave me.
I recently found it and it's sitting on the floor next to me.

When we did a lot of camping, we only had a Coleman lantern and a couple of Garrity rubberized incans.
They were bought only because we needed durable lights.

It wasn't until a couple of years ago when I bought a couple of $10 Garrity 3xAAA 5-mode 5mm LED lights that I became interested in flashlights again.
Now I have a fair number of lights, but the most expensive one is only about $45 new.

 

[Zatoichi]

I usually say it was Maglites, then got kind of serious with my first Fenix (a P2D), but going right back to childhood, I've always liked torches. Christmas has brought back a memory: I'd have been 5 or 6 years old, and Christmas eve night my parents told me I could open one present if I woke up before them, but I mustn't wake anyone else up.

My presents were in a big bag at the bottom of the bed. I woke up in the early hours and it was pitch dark, so I fumbled my way to the end of the bed, reached into the sack and opened the first thing my hand landed on. It was a pretty decent grey coloured torch - Ever Ready I think. I didn't want to turn any lights on at that time, so the torch equipped with batteries was about the best thing I could have found. It kept me happy 'till everyone else woke up. I kept that light under my pillow until it's eventual demise. I'm 43 now and still remember that quite vividly. Maybe that was my first step to flashaholism. 😀

 

[brighterisbetter]

I may be a bit OT, but wanted to add that there's just something uniquely exciting about getting home from work and having a package waiting for you with a light inside. Sure, other packages are exciting too, but there's just something about it being a flashlight in there that really makes my day. When I get a new knife or other collectible, I'm excited right off the bat, but after a few minutes of playing with the new toy, the excitement wears off. However with a flashlight, the fun can go on for hours, and it usually does too as night can't come soon enough. Perhaps it's the moving parts (clicky, twisty, PD), or the multi-modes, or [insert favorite part here]....I just know that when I head home to open up the new toy after I've tracked it online, it's the highlight of my week/day/whatever.

 

[ktafil]

Not a very special light to most here, but its the Maglite 4D the "old" thick one.

 

[AMRaider]

I have had several mini mags since about 1983...

If you are refering to the AA version, these actually weren't introduced until 1984 😉.

 

[ugrey]

Would you believe I was a beta tester? No. As my uncle with ahlzheimers once said, "Who cares what year it is?". You caught me. I missed it by one lousy year. I said "about 1983". Give me a break. Half this board was not even born in 1983. 🙂 Those young wipper snappers don't know how good they have it now. You might even be one of them. So, GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!

 

[haley1]

1984 I think it was, I found this amazing little light in a knife shop that used this weird battery. It was way brighter than the angle head I was issued and fit in my pocket. Tekna micro lite. I carried that thing around the world till I lost it on a patrol in Germany. That was the start. When is it ever going to end.

 

[munchs]

Jillite DD & Surefire L4!!!

 

[LukeB]

definitely my Streamlight Scorpion (2- cr123) and then my Streamlight Stinger (rechargable)

 

[mesa232323]

niteize 3 led mod for 2aa mini mag. I thought it was so cool that you could mod a maglight into something different than what it was back in 2005

 

[D-Dog]

Hmmm... First off I really think the desire to obtain "enlightenment/flashaholic" status is something you are born with. I, probably like most of my fellow CPF members, have always been interested in lights. I distinctly remember a set of 3 lights I received when I was about 7 of unknown brand. There was a 2AA, a 2C, and a 4d... and boy was that 4D a bright one... a whole 2 watts... Now most of my LED's are more powerful 😛, but back then it was really something. Still, I would have to say the light that did it for me was the Jil Intelli serial #0047 I recieved two years ago from the Christmas Gifts thread, run by ksbman. I have EDC'd that light every day since then, only ocassionally trading it out for my new Olight M20. Over break I hope to upgrade it to a SSC P4, only further clinching its spot as my EDC (as long as I don't kill it...)

 

[american lockpicker]

Sounds like one that I had when I was a kid: Eveready Flashlight - #230 Chrome Penlight - Model No. 230 (c. 1959)

Liked the flashlight, but didn't last very long on batteries. Pre-alkaline days. Dates me huh. :huh:

If anyone wants a new flashlight like that I know where to get some at. They are USA made and come with 2 AA Eveready batteries that barely work.

 

[Xtremespeed]

My great Aunt had a rayovac sportsman when I was young. Mid 70's. When the power went out, she would set it in the middle of the living room and point the head at the ceiling. It lit the whole room nicely. I thought this was the greatest thing at the time. Probably where it all started. It's funny how you still see the batteries in the stores, but nothing modern uses them. I've been looking for a clean one for years.

 

[cree_buyer]

from a bulky two pack flashlight retail package @ COSTCO!
Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA with 7 LEDs - all flood... a revelation on efficiency...
then flashlightreviews.com, then I came across :bow: CPF.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

CMG Infinity (non Ultra) was the light that started it all. :devil:

despite its low low output, its build & robustness really impressed me. the light is still with me despite intermitent output. i'll never throw it away, thatz for sure.

maybe, in future i'll tell my kids about it! 🙄