So here's another question to add to the discussion... What do you think is the biggest reason you have cut back on new purchases and/or getting involved in discussions here on CPF (or any other place you may frequent)?
For me, four reasons:
1) Realized awhile back that I truly do have enough lights to last me four lifetimes. (Used to joke about that on CPF. But it turns out it's true!) I know, I know.... No such thing as
too many lights. But on a personal note, I found it very hard to justify to myself buying
more lights in addition to the ones I have. (Hell, I enjoy giving away lights but that still has not put a dent in my large collection.)
2) And another contributing factor regarding buying more lights is that all of my bases are already covered with the ones I already have. And then some. While output numbers are going through the roof, I already have a handful of output monsters. Yes, in terms of sheer lumens number out the front, there are quite a few new offerings that look impressive as Hell. But you get to a point where you realize it's not as though "Darkness" gets exponentially darker every year. Thus requiring brighter and brighter and even brighter flashlights as the years go by. I'm honestly satisfied with my custom Leef-bodied SureFire M4, my SureFire M6, my 35watt Sam's Club HID, and my Fenix TK35. I don't have this feeling of lusting after a 1,000 lumen LED light about the same size or slightly smaller than my older incandescent M6. That M6 puts out closer to 650 lumens on a fresh set of CR123s, and then settles down to around 500. Chasing lumens is a losing game.
Along with that, other than lumens numbers; I'm just not seeing anything remotely impressive from ANY flashlight company in recent years. (I'd say about the past three years or so.) Just no "Wow" factor. Plus, a couple of companies seem to be taking steps backwards. Streamlight and SureFire are both getting rid of even their more popular incandescent models. (As much as I like inca. lights, I can understand streamlining a company's offerings with regards to slow-moving models, but even the ones that seem to sell well? Why do that?) And I'm sorry, but ever since Paul Kim left SureFire; we're seeming more and more of these slippery (literally), kinder and gentler SureFires. Whatever happened to the days when the checkering on aluminum SureFire models could literally saw through the bodies of lesser aluminum lights made by other companies? When I pick up a SureFire, it should feel as though I'm holding a cheese-grater in my fist. It should not be as smooth as a baby's bottom. And about as slippery as a damp bar of soap. Who decided to take SureFire in the kinder and gentler direction? And why? I have no clue. I'm just glad I bought every SureFire model that I wanted back when SureFire was known for its lights having aggressive, cheese-grater style, checkering. And I feel sorry for those who recently came into this hobby and missed out on the Golden Age of SureFire.
3) I got into watches. While being a flashaholic is actually a rather cheap addiction, being a WIS (Watch Idiot Savant) is easily one of the most expensive hobbies out there (without getting into car collecting). I have a ton of truly excellent lights. Can't say that about my small and humble collection of watches. Plus, I'll get this out of the way. While our hobby has real, practical, purposes to it. Getting into watches.... The exact opposite! That's where the "I" in WIS actually comes from. That hobby makes no sense, and has no practical purpose to it at all. In fact, those addicted to watches end up paying thousands even hundreds of thousands for watches that are less accurate and sometimes substantially less durable than a $12 No-name, cheap, Made in China, quartz watch.
Doesn't change the fact that I've been bitten by the watch bug. (Though from what I've seen of my fellow WIS, that little guy wasn't very hungry when he bit down on me because it's blatantly obvious that he bit down a whole helluva lot harder on nearly every other WIS I've ever met or encountered.) Still, there's just something so special and beautiful regarding a finely made mechanical watch. Open up a quartz model, and no clue exactly how it works. Not so with an old-fashioned mechanical model. You literally see all the gears and springs. You can see just how it works. Shake up a mechanical watch with a self-winding rotor (an automatic watch), and you can hold it up to your ear; then you can hear its little "Heart" beating. Technically you can do the same thing with a baby. (Though obviously don't shake it up first.) But it's just a smile-inducing experience doing that with a watch.
Unfortunately an IWC Mark XVII isn't what you'd call "inexpensive." Neither is a Breitling Super Ocean Heritage in 42mm, or a Tudor GrandTour, or an Omega Planet Ocean. While a Mido Multifort is far less expensive than those other watch models but has restrained good-looks that make it worth owning, and
any Damasko is going to be a sign of an absolute true WIS that only other like-minded individuals will notice; even those watches are significantly more expensive than some of the flashlight models available today as the "Latest & Greatest."
A new, more expensive, hobby combined with nothing exciting coming from companies that make products for an old hobby.... Though not entirely gone, just another reason why interest is waning in that old hobby.
4) Like many flashaholics, although I'm not days away from moving into a cardboard box and begging for spare change, yes; unfortunately in recent years with the economy in the toilet, I'm not doing as well as I should be. Perhaps I'm putting that just a bit mildly. So, even though this hobby of ours' isn't an expensive one; with the combination of already owning tons of lights, nothing new that truly grabs my desire and holds onto it from various flashlight companies, a new hobby that has grabbed my desire and refuses to let go, and the economy still in the toilet thus necessitating a general reduction in all of my hobbies.... All have combined to be the biggest reasons why I've personally cut back on new flashlight purchases.
As for general involment on CPF or discussions on CPF.... Awhile back I noticed I was pretty much posting the very same thing over and over and over again. Basically, warning new members of the potential dangers of using CR123 cells, and how to greatly reduce those dangers. And that was pretty much ALL that I was posting.
Also, some of the old regulars either left or their personalities did a 180. Leaving I can somewhat understand. I miss those guys. The LED Museum, DHart (who now only stops by once in a rare while), 65535, Goatee (whose user-name was literally keyboard characters that spelled out a face wearing a goatee and winking at us). And the rest of the guys. And DM51 too. (And it saddens me that new members will not ever get to know him or what he's done for CPF.) But the personality changes really threw me. Honestly, so different that in a couple of cases I could have sworn that the individual retired from CPF.... And that someone else took over their account. And in every case of a 180, their personality did not change for the better. In one case, a member whom I'm not going to mention who he is. Years ago, I posted something on CPF that made him worried enough to sincerely inquire about my health. Looking back at how he's changed. I ask myself if he'd do the same thing today under the same circumstances. And when I'm forced to admit to myself that the answer is "No," I'm bothered by that realization.
I don't like the new members. They don't seem to have a desire to stick around at all after getting the answers to their "Recommend me a flashlight" question. I'm sure a few stick around. The vast majority seem to vanish afterwards. It's no fun having a discussion with a total stranger. I like seeing the same guys. I like conversing with the other regulars whom I've gotten to know. I don't like it when they leave. Even though I know it happens constantly on internet forums. I like it even less when their personalities do a complete 180. So now I'm back to interacting with a total stranger. Might as well be. Actually, it's even worse than interacting with a total stranger who is completely new. At least the new members might honestly be posting as who they are in real life. Their real personalities. A regular who does a 180?.... What are we supposed to think then? I don't like that either.
Another issue is that flashlight technology really does seem to have plateaued. (With the exception of going brighter.) Seems like it has already been done. Same with interesting topics on CPF. All already been done. The fun, spontaneous topics.... done. Though in fairness, perhaps it just
seems that way; to me. (Funny what you can do with a couple of lights designed by a guy named "Henry," a bit of modeling clay, and some free time. And none of the new members have a damn clue what I'm talking about.
) A plateau in flashlight technology will naturally bring a plateau in topics discussing that technology.
All of the above is just naturally going to at least somewhat reduce an individual's desire to come back to CPF as frequently as he used to in the past. One odd thrill for me now is scrolling through a recent topic and finding a post made by a member with a pair of red shoes next to his user-name. Just brings a smile to my face. Once again, new members have no clue what I'm talking about. None.
