Which is more fun, upgrading your lights, or buying new?

I am going against my will to not make a poll, so I am making a text poll instead.

Which is more fun, upgrading your lights, or buying new?:

* Upgrading is more fun. It's cool getting more power out of an old friend.:buddies:
* Buying new is more fun. Sometimes you just get tired of the oldies.
* I like to buy new THEN upgrade.
* He tricked us into taking another poll - Let's get him! ...:help:

<goes into hiding>

Upgrading all the way. I have no money to spend on high end lights. By taking time to mod stuff I reduce the overall amount I spend as it takes me so long to get round to finishing things off. Even though most of my mods end up costing me a fortune!

the_beast said:

By taking time to mod stuff I reduce the overall amount I spend as it takes me so long to get round to finishing things off.

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Great point. I'm 2 months into this "hobby" and $1k+ down. My least expensive time was waiting for my MillerMods L1P to get done. As far as high-tech hobbies go, even the better lights are not too expensive. But then again, it's a lot of $ for just a flashlight!
:buddies:

upgrading! i love to show off a new light and when someone asks where they can get one... well, not EXACTLY...

buying, once in a blue moon, i only get lights that i know will last for a long time, and do not have the time,knowledge,equipment, or funds for meaningful upgrades, nor do i want to ruin any warranty, i just send it back to the factory,lol

I don't think the Mag warranty would cover half the things I have done (or plan to do) to some of my lights...

I think that upgrading is more fun. Not only you are (hopefully!) improving the original light somehow, but you algo get to learn more about it and you get the satisfaction of doing something with your own dirty hands

Will

Where's the beef...er...BUTTON to get him? :grouphug:

tron3 said:

He tricked us into taking another poll - Let's get him!

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We'll find you. You're too busy starting new threads to hide forever.

tron3 said:

<goes into hiding>

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Upgrading is more fun, even though more expensive and the results often not as expected.

Buying. I don't have the skills to upgrade. I do have nun-chuck skills. Plus, a lot of people want me in their gangs.

The most fun is upgrading my lights,
It took me 10 months to get the parts for my nFlex WX1S LuxeonV 8AA to 2D Mag and the results were amazing. The regulator is programmable in case I want to push say... a W or X bin K2 (2007??) at an amp for a nice little upgrade. Some thermal epoxy and a soldering iron to radically change the lights output and beam characteristics. It's ultimate design is a throw monster with that large Mag head/reflector when the LuxV is replaced.
My original 2002 minimag went through a N bin, Q bin and R bin sandwich that varied between 416mA and 500mA of drive. NX-05 optics, Fraen LP optics and IMS 20mm reflector with custom bezel ring. Glass replaced the plastic stock lens and other various things have been done in the last several years before it retired to shelf queen.
The replacement for the LuxV Mag is a much easier (although more expen$ive) BAM! four K2 S bin Mag drop-in mod. HA-III bored Mag, UCL lens, McR20 reflectors and 8AA to 2D battery adapters with (I hope) Sanyo Eneloop NiMH Batteries. 400 lumens of fun and it will be easily modified with different reflectors, batteries, Mag bodies, K2 LEDs, tail switches, bezel rings and other things. Have a 2C Mag laying around waiting to be loaded with three CR123A lithium batteries for a quick and smaller 400 lumen blast.
My MillerMods L1P is waiting for a T bin (late 2006 or 2007?) K2 for 100 lumens of output in a single AA NiMH light. It always costs less when waiting up to a year for the ultimate bin so I am saving money. Sort of...
Add another vote for mods...

* Upgrading is more fun. It's cool getting more power out of an old friend.:buddies:
* Buying new is more fun. Sometimes you just get tired of the oldies.
* I like to buy new THEN upgrade.
* He tricked us into taking another poll - Let's get him! ...:help:

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there is a line missing
* Upgrading is more fun. It's cool getting less power out of an old friend.

modding to have at least 2 settings is fun to impove usefulness of the light.
As long as there are very few lights with several settings around, this will stay No.1 reason to mod lights
(at least for lights with the price tag I am willing to pay)

LEDninja said:

Where's the beef...er...BUTTON to get him? :grouphug:

We'll find you. You're too busy starting new threads to hide forever. ....

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Ahh, I knew a text poll would cause some of the zealots to expose themselves.

<Takes canned food and bottled water into shelter to hide from the zealots.>