Were you always a flashaholic?

I'm just wondering if flashaholism is something that is deep rooted, or something that happened recently.

I was probably a flashaholic since my toddler years. It is only now in my middle ages as an adult that I finally took steps to get a good light. I heard of Surefires being the best but I never thought nor wanted to take the plunge because the price seemed ridiculous to me even though I appreciate high quality tools. It was until my 2C Mag (that I kept around for house duties) leaked its batteries that I decided I wanted to replace it with an LED light...which led me to flashlightreviews. I found a store that sold Streamlight, and wanted something that ran on AA's, so I chose the 3AA Luxeon which got a decent review for a $51 CAD light.

I started carrying a man-purse around, to carry my gadgets and it occured to me that I wanted a great EDC light along with my PDA, cellphone, high end Etymotic in-ear-monitors, headphone amplifier, iPod, and other urban survival gear.

Well, I don't have any real need for throw, I just like a wall of light, so I tend to choose small EDC type lights. The gadgeteer in me makes me like pocket-rockets rather than runtime because I don't really burn through batteries fast, and I already owned a Zipka headlamp for flood tasks. So I jumped into aQ3, then the Fenix which just came out, and cumulation to the L4. Along the way, I bought the Dorcy because it was cheap, and a Photon Freedom just because my other LED key light was too annoying to use (high effort momentary press)

Anyway, enough of my rather unspectular story, I'm happy to have made this journey. Thanks CPF!

I think a lot of boys like gadgets, but I think that there are also harbingers for flasholism.


I know that when I was tearing down old mechanical toys or appliances, I was always very keen on salvaging any led or general lights that I came across, and invariably if there were rechargable batteries involved, in rigging the rechargables and the lights into some sort of light giving device.

Heck, I'm in the process of doing exactly that right now with salvaged parts...

Thank heavens my parents didn't recognize my traits and seek early intervention. :naughty:

I've always loved gadgets of any sort, but a good flashlight has always been up there, but I never got into this sort of thing until I got a job and could afford a mini mag. Never liked the dark much so now its become a sort of personal vendetta against the dark to get something which slices through it.

I'm going to have to say yes. I remember my dad had two flashlights that were particularly bright, or at least by 70's standards, they were. Anyway, I distinctly remember showing these lights to my friends, parents, and grandmother, saying to them, "it's really bright, huh?". I can still remember my enthusiasm and I always felt so unsatisfied with their answer. They always said, "yes", but it was never the kind of "yes" that I wanted to here. I always thought they should have been a little more excited and I remember always trying to get a little better answer out of them. Actually, my Grandmother gave me the most satisfying "yes", but that could be because I was here little "Tu'puhnuh" (Luiseno mission indian for "grandson") and she wanted to make me happy.

These memories were from some time between the ages of 7 and 12

My Dad is to blame for my madness. He gave me a Mini-Mag when I was about 11 years old. At the time I thought it was the best light in the world. :laughing:

I too received a minimag many years ago and thought it was *THE* most awesome light I'd ever handled.

It still is going to be one of the most awesome lights - I just need a pair of 14500 lithium ions to turn it into a 400 lumen FLAMETHROWER.. yes, 400 from a MiniMag, I already have the parts, but the cells aren't here.. :hairpull: :hairpull:

mmmm....this is an interesting question. I suppose the LED thing has come in only recently, but I've always liked interesting torches.....I seem to remember spending hard earned pocket money on weird devices, with batteries that could never be replaced, or making torches out of the flat pack battery from an old Poleroid camera cartridge. Around 6 or 7 years old I remember being 'The Professor' at a school play because I had the unknown technical skills to hook up a bulb to a battery, put it in an old drink can and manually blinked it off stage whilst my schoolmates did some sort of alien invasion play dressed in green tights and face paint.
One of my earliest memories is of the LED actually....those red plastic 5mm things with a dim glow....seemed like magic..no filament, a glowing jewel. Expensive though. I got in trouble when I put two batteries in to make it brighter, first it went bright red, then yellow....then magic smoke came out.
Still making magic smoke come out these days, just in a more technological way.
Phil

I remember when I was in elementary for Halloween I always was excited I got to use my dad's duty light, a Streamlight rechargable or some sort. Then as I got older in Boy scouts I remember going to radio shack to get different bulbs for my flashlight and my Cateye 2C bike light. So I guess I've been overdriving and hotwiring for years.

I must be unusual in that it has only struck me within that past year. Prior to that, I really didn't notice flashlights. I has some cheapos - for emergencies, but that was it.

I was slowly sucked in while researching emergency supplies and home security. I like quality - and if something has the potential to save my life - then I'm willing to pay top dollar for it. You can make more money - but some times only get 1 shot to make it out of an emergency alive. The more I research - the more I kept coming back here - the more I like the people here... etc... the spiral continues.

As far back as I can remember.....I think my mom's OB/GYN got me started.

No.
Not until I started looking for anLED replacement for my Solitaire and discovered CPF in my search.

No,
I had a 2D chrome light as a kid, moved to a 2AA minimag when they came out over 20 years ago. Stuck with minimags or Pelican 2AA lights for work and general use. Discovered white LEDs in 2001 and purchased a Pelican L1 followed shortly by a Streamlight Batonlite in early 2002. The Batonlite set the hook as I looked for something brighter that used 2AA batteries. Researched the net and stumbled across the LED Museum and lurked at CPF in the summer of 2002.
Once I purchased Wayne's BB500 Luxeon sandwich for minimags, the LED was bright enough for a bicycle helmet light. That light created the addiction and CPF was the pusher. More sandwiches followed and mods ruled my flashaholism. The BB500 R2H minimag became an EDC, Lambda MicroIlluminator AAA was the keychain light and Madmax+ R2H 2D Mag was the high power light in 2003. Purchased an Arc AAA in early 2004 for my return to small 5mm LED keychain lights. Missed the luxeon whiteness and went with a Peak Matterhorn in Sept 2004 along with red/UV heads to expand capabilites.
2005 was the year of LuxeonV 8AA Mag variable power modded light, Peak LuxeonIII 2AA / Snow29 AAA lights and the late comer L1P. The 4 main lights were all changed (high power, 2AA work, keychain and helmet light) so I figured my flashaholism cooled.
Wrong! 2006 is the year that resembles 2003. Mag mods, L1P mods and Luxeon AAA keychain lights are charted for this year. Andrewwynn, MillerMods and Peak are the names that catch my attention to fill my needs.
My requirements are almost complete so it is time to give gifts to family members. I'll send my brother a Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA Luxeon with a pack of NiMH Eneloops to make his life easier. He lives out in the country and needs a bright, even output, waterproof light that has a long runtime and is cheap to run.
My name is Benthead and I have been a flashaholic for the last four years...

I also always loved gadgets and took things apart to see how they worked etc. Liking Flashlights and having the right tool for the right job is a natural progression... especially the high tech ones..

Yes
As a kid I can remember Radio Shack put out a flyer about once a month or so and in the back they always put a coupon for a free flashlight. Now it was always cheaply made. Always made out of plastic and never came with batteries but I would wait on Sundays to see if the paper had the flyer so I could walk to Radio Shack to get my new light. I can't even remember if the light would last to the next flyer mailing but it didn't matter. The lights came in different configurations with different types of batteries being needed for each. My favorite which came out a couple times a year was the 3D "mag" looking light made out of plastic with a huge head on it, that one was always the brightest. That was the one my friends and I wanted and when it came out that meant we were going to be playing hide and seek in the dark.

This was probably thirty years ago and was definately the start of my sickness, little did I know how much those free lights were going to cost me in later life.

Matt

Started when I was about 9 or so I passed up the chance during a shopping trip to get a toy of some type I bought a flashlight instead. We lived in the city then I would go out on the front porch and shine it up and down the street,hit the stop sign with the beam and discovered thay reflect light, I was hooked. From then on I always checked out the flashlights in the stores. As I got older and had jobs that required being outdoors at night I found out how a good light was a tool to make your job easier.

Yup, but it started with flashing lights, like on top of a police car or fire truck. They were the coolest. Then my Grandfather used to show me his two flashlights, one was an old 2D plastic black one and the other was an aluminum body with a red head and switch, and the switch had a magnet built in so you could stick it to the fridge for emergencies. I always wanted to play with them but he didn't want me to run out the batteries.

The rest is history.

Now with my involvement in LE I use a flashlight (or three) on duty and they are probably the most used tools I carry.

I loved flashlights for as long as I can remember. My dad had one of those lanterns with a sealed beam lamp up front and a red lamp in the back. This thing used a massive 6v. battery with screw terminals that was itself the base of this rig. I was in awe of that thing.
Later I bought a 7 C cell Kel-Lite that I used as my vehicle carry flashlight/bludgeon for years. After that, the Mag-light for several years. Still carry a LED modded Mag in the truck.
Only very recently have I dived headlong in buying flashlights. Always trying to justify my purchases, I've run out of legitimate reasons to buy something new. I guess I'm now a collector.
As an aside, I used to have a 300 volt battery (not a typo). It was used to power a tube type portable radio in the olden days before transistors made the scene. I tore open the paper to reveal 200 coin sized 1.5V carbon cells stacked and wired in series. I gave it to a college teacher who taught electricity. He was fascinated by it and used it for show-and-tell in class.

I've felt light headed since I was a small child.

Is flashaholism kinda like wallet vampirism?

Once you get "bit" you feel the need to go out and infect others? I mean - just yesterday, I gave a surefire catalog to a neighbors kid...

My Grandpaw did this to me! My Dad and Mom could care less, but Grandpaw had cool bright (by the timeline) stuff. I still have one of his lights, a chrome 3D with a Big Head.

I was doing overdrive and bulb swapping WAY before Internet and CPF!!