I notice that essentially all flashlights that are mentioned and discussed on CPF are made by either Americans or Chinese. From keychain lights to blue hand-held lasers. Do others make them too? Europeans and Japanese usually have a strong presence in tool/gadget markets. Where are they?
Nobody else make flashlights?
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DUQ
Flashlight Enthusiast
LED LENZER products are designed by Zweibrüder® Optoelectronics in Germany. Not sure if they actually produce the products in Germany or offshore.
European makes are too expensive (japanese lights? Never heared of)
(and suck in terms of overall performance, which means: interplay (?) of output, price, anodizing, optic/reflector, lens cover)
if interrested, search for Led-Lenser "David" / "V" / "Frogman" / "head Fire", ...
then there are the various Petzl models
Lupine comes to mind for biking
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(and suck in terms of overall performance, which means: interplay (?) of output, price, anodizing, optic/reflector, lens cover)
if interrested, search for Led-Lenser "David" / "V" / "Frogman" / "head Fire", ...
then there are the various Petzl models
Lupine comes to mind for biking
.
.
.
Planterz
Flashlight Enthusiast
Orb is England, but they're more a custom/small shop than a full out manufacturer like Inova or Surefire.
Barbolight, Spain; Led Lenser, Germany (mostly not manufactured locally); Osram, Germany; Petzl, France; Silva, Sweden; etc. Just to name a few. Electronics, leds are almost exclusively manufactured in the Far East.
Most CPF-ers are US based, so the available lights representing te interest.
Most CPF-ers are US based, so the available lights representing te interest.
Concept
Flashlight Enthusiast
The Led Lenser I have has a MADE IN CHINA sticker. But It is genuine with german writing on the packaging and flash case etc.
Most European manufacturers produce specialized lights, e.g. for diving, bikes and such.
Personally, I have two personal theories why there are no more general purpose flashlight manufacturers there:
1) Not many natural disasters, less power outages, therefore less need for emergency preparedness;
2) No gun culture. In Germany, it is even illegal to mount lights on guns. Because of that, there is no driving force for the design of small, bright lights.
Personally, I have two personal theories why there are no more general purpose flashlight manufacturers there:
1) Not many natural disasters, less power outages, therefore less need for emergency preparedness;
2) No gun culture. In Germany, it is even illegal to mount lights on guns. Because of that, there is no driving force for the design of small, bright lights.
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All the Japanese electronics manufacturers do make flashlights but their main target is for household use.
Not many heavy duty or 'tactical' stuff which may be why they are hardly noticed at CPF.
There are some here from Toshiba , but I wouldn't be surprised if they are manufactured elsewhere.
Not many heavy duty or 'tactical' stuff which may be why they are hardly noticed at CPF.
There are some here from Toshiba , but I wouldn't be surprised if they are manufactured elsewhere.
Well that surely does not apply to Japan with all the earthquakeselgarak said:
Well, I'd rather say: Cheaper to import, than manufacture. That's it. Even certain US companies are discovering it and outsourcing production. (My main surprise was Streamlight, and LRI.)
Your theories are kind, but here we have them both, just in different manners. (I'm not really into the German gun law, but I'm almost sure that there are weapon mounted lights over there. At least on long guns.)
Your theories are kind, but here we have them both, just in different manners. (I'm not really into the German gun law, but I'm almost sure that there are weapon mounted lights over there. At least on long guns.)
By the way, the main reasons I see are not really continent specific. A mobile phone will do for the real beginners, enough light for the small tasks. (Most European countries have well over 95% of penetration.) For the average prepared ones there are many chances to get some grocery store, or shopping center small light, probably from China. And the "real" quality seeker will probably get a MagLite. Only the professionals, and the geeks (like us ) would buy more sophisticated lights.
) would buy more sophisticated lights.
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Coop57
Enlightened
The French make a three stager. First stage is dim. Second stage is a SOS signal. Third stage is a little white flag.
Brighteyez
Flashlight Enthusiast
:lolsign:
Coop57 said:
I guess the number of power outages are more important. When I came from Germany to Florida, I was surprised about the number of power outages, surges and general power problems here. I experienced more more power outages in my first year in FL than in my whole life in Germany. Japan is probably similar.nekomane said:Well that surely does not apply to Japan with all the earthquakes
Here a battery operated light is a must. In Germany and Japan it's optional for geeks. Less demand, therefore less incentive for manufacturers. The market is small enough to be satisfied with imports.
InfidelCastro
Banned
There's some good South Korean lights out there.
TigerhawkT3
Flashlight Enthusiast
Coop57 said:
That is extremely funny.
How can there be no gun culture in Europe? H&K, Beretta, Franchi, FN, etc. are all European companies. It seems like such a waste for there to be no gun culture in a place like that...elgarak said:
Brighteyez
Flashlight Enthusiast
They probably found out that they can make more money from selling guns to American gun hobbyists/fanatics than the meager earnings from European military contracts. Or perhaps that's why companies like H&K, Beretta and Glock found it necessary to open production facilities in the U.S.
TigerhawkT3 said:
Brighteyez
Flashlight Enthusiast
That's probably because much of the infrastructure in Germany and Japan that was damaged during WWII was repaired in part with funds from the Marshall plan, and both countries have devoted efforts to efficient power delivery (and usage.)
On the other hand, much of the power grid in the US dates back a century or more, and until a little over 30 years ago, oil was relatively cheap and US oil companies operated oil wells all over the world, so there was a little less concern about how efficiently power plants operated (or how reliably.) Additionally people who bomb US sites do not offer financial relief to help rebuild them.
On the other hand, much of the power grid in the US dates back a century or more, and until a little over 30 years ago, oil was relatively cheap and US oil companies operated oil wells all over the world, so there was a little less concern about how efficiently power plants operated (or how reliably.) Additionally people who bomb US sites do not offer financial relief to help rebuild them.
elgarak said:
I doubt that theory. I believe it's more population density. The USA have a population of ~300 mil. Germany has 80 mil on an area twice as large as Florida. Much higher density. Japan is even higher.Brighteyez said:
In the USA, it's not uncommon that one suburban expansion area is at the end of one branch of the distribution network. If this one power line fails, the whole suburb goes dark.
Doesn't happen in Germany, or all of central Europe. The net is much denser and more branched. Each area is served with double or triple redundancy.
Cities in the US grow faster, and the power grid lags behind. The slower growth in Germany means the services can catch up.
I notice quite often that people on both sides of the Atlantic do not realize such basic things, like how LARGE ConUS is.
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