non flashaholics just dont understand

After work today i went with my friend a non flashaholic to some stores, one of which was home depot, I said remember that light you said was pretty bright "my 2C with LED upgrade, well since we are here you are going to buy a M@G 2C and an LED drop in, he said how much is the M@G i said $14.97, he said "Thats nuts" i could not get him to buy it, i did manage to get him to buy the drop in though, I also said to him after he said "thats nuts", about the price of the M@G "oh i guess your used to some piece of s**t plastic light as i pointed to one on the shelf"

My most expensive light that i actually use is my Jetbeam mk2...Which, isn't really even that expensive, in reality. I just stopped telling my friends how much it costs. I get that shocked look full of horror and distain. Yet, the same friends will turn around and spend close to $100 on a fish for their 'neat-o' tank. Which, produces the exact same shocked look full of horror and distain from me.

I'm not sure this applies to merely lighting tools in "their" lives. I'd be interested in the selection and quality of the tools, gadgets, and other items they own as well. I think our interest as "Flashaholics" carries over to high tech/quality gadgets, tools, & such as well - not "just" flashlights.

So if you go into a store looking for an updated ergonomic hammer - "they" would probably say one hammer is good for all tasks as well?! :thinking:

I love the people that say its crazy spending that much on a flashlight but yet they have the $250 dollar ipods and the $500 dollar or more sounds systems. I usually dont tell people how much my lights cost.

Aren't these the same people who carry, rather have, a $5.00 multi-tool with most of the bits and blades broken and damaged?
Yep. Same people.
I've been given the nickname "Mr. Gadget" at work as I do tend to have a lot "stuff". The thing I've learned though is this: It is better to pay more once, than pay much more 20 times.

I'm somewhere in between the "that's nuts" non flashaholic and the "nothing but the best" gadget freak. The most I've ever spent for a light was the $60 Arc LSL clearance special. I used to think I might go as high as $100, but with all the recent offerings of good values for less than $50 that might never happen. It's tough to resist something new of decent quality in the $10-$40 range, and I've got dozens of lights to prove it. :shakehead

Geoff

Flying Turtle said:

I'm somewhere in between the "that's nuts" non flashaholic and the "nothing but the best" gadget freak. The most I've ever spent for a light was the $60 Arc LSL clearance special. I used to think I might go as high as $100, but with all the recent offerings of good values for less than $50 that might never happen. It's tough to resist something new of decent quality in the $10-$40 range, and I've got dozens of lights to prove it. :shakehead

Geoff

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If you follow the logic above, you should have bought only a few $200 lights and not dozens of $40 lights.

I think differently about this. Some things i am completely willing to pay for the quality I more or less demand. Others? Not so much. I tend to be the guy that buys from the intersectin of value and performance. Yes, most of my things work very well. No, they're not THE BEST. But, they're not crap either.

It just goes to show, most people don't like paying for anything unless they see value in their return, its the same with lights, us flashaholics see things diferently, we would
pay big bucks for a good illumination tool, its the same with Guitars

I will take a few favourite flashlights into my grave .

I never used to spend too much on torches, until I met you guys (and gals).

I used to think $50.00 AUS was enough for a good torch, now my current highest single spend is about $350.00 AUS.
I don't seem to have to much of a problem with this either?

I will not tell people how much I pay for some of my flashlights because it would invite ridicule. I would be thought of as nothing less than a complete fool.
I once told my brother only that I paid over $100 US for a Mclux III PD. He held it to his crotch and asked (in a more vilgar fashion) if it also performed fellatio.

If you follow the logic above, you should have bought only a few $200 lights and not dozens of $40 lights.

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I also agree with your logic. Many people I know buy a bunch of cheap stuff. I would rather just buy a higher quality item and feel confident that it will last. They always buy cheap flashlights and after a while they just quit working and they buy another. Sometimes they use bulbs that are hard to find and they just end up buying another flashlight when the bulb burns out. They laugh at me when I tell them how much I spent for some of my flashlights. My response, they still work and I don't have to buy another flashlight when the bulb burns out. Lets see would I rather have a half dozen lights that are just sitting around gathering dust or one really nice flashlight that works every time I need it. :candle:

My wife is starting to understand my logic not only for having flashlights but for having high quality flashlights. I've also convinced her that if you are going to buy things, buy things that are actually going to work. She is starting to see that although we live in a modern world with lots of technology there are still a lot of dark corners and spaces. She appreciates the difference between a nice Surefire beam and a Maglite. I showed her the difference between the beautiful round white sun that comes out of my Surefire 9N and the yellow blotchy beam that comes out of a 2D Maglite. Needless to say she was impressed. Just this morning I forgot to bring a flashlight with me when I went to start my car. There was some black ice that the 200W Halogen light in front of my house didn't illuminate. I slipped and wound up on my back. If I had a flashlight that probably wouldn't have happened.

Aren't these the same people who carry, rather have, a $5.00 multi-tool with most of the bits and blades broken and damaged?
Yep. Same people.

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Aye, thats them. I know a few people who have those "dodgy" leatherman clone type thingies and they look aghast when I tell them how much I paid for my original "wave".

One or two people I know do have proper Victorinox S.A.K's though...so they do have some redeeming features.

Each to his own I suppose...


CFU

neve mind

I don't feel I have made much compromise in quality or wasted my money in buying such lights as the Arc AAA and AA, UKeLED 4AA, CMG Infinity and Sonic, Eternalight Derringer, Inova X1, Fenix Civictor, E0, E1, and L0PSE, River Rock 2AAA and Headlamp, Task Force 1W 1AA, Energizer Folding Lanterns and Accent Lights, etc. All were less than $40. Sure, there are probably at least as many others purchased on a whim that are junk, but, I'm a flashaholic, and I like them all, especially little ones. Buying three or four high priced lights instead wouldn't be half as much fun and I'd still want to get the cheaper ones I mentioned. So, to maximize my enjoyment and preserve funds for future use I've tried to limit big ticket items. Also, with the fairly rapid recent advancements in lights it would be kind of depressing to see that $200 light shown up by a $50 one a few months down the road. And that does seem to be happening.

It's just a hobby. If you get more pleasure from having a few of the best that's great. For me, I guess the bottom lines are "bang for the buck" and diversity. Like I've said before, it's a whole different story if you really need bulletproof, powerful lights for life or job. I can certainly appreciate them, but like probably most of us here, I just don't need them.

By the way, Big Lots has 2AA LED flickering candles with an 8hr. "on" 16hr. "off" timer made by Sylvania for $4.

Geoff

yesterday, my uncle was like eating with 'us'(as in my family not you guy )

and he had an AA minimag incan in his chest pocket. of course, i took out my EDC L2p for him to see. after which, he reply with" can your light change in focus?" i replied no and then he was like after some blabbering, decided to like make sure his minimag owns my l2p. so after few mins he then say about focus is good as he works with printing machine(not our puny printers;those industry's supersize ones) and he can see furthur inside the machine... and that the colour white isn't good and was too floody...

just wait...i with get the hotwire for the minimag during dec then i will own him...

Flying Turtle said:

I don't feel I have made much compromise in quality or wasted my money in buying such lights as the Arc AAA and AA, UKeLED 4AA, CMG Infinity and Sonic, Eternalight Derringer, Inova X1, Fenix Civictor, E0, E1, and L0PSE, River Rock 2AAA and Headlamp, Task Force 1W 1AA, Energizer Folding Lanterns and Accent Lights, etc. All were less than $40...

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Exactly right Flying Turtle. IMHO, some of the lights you list are world class - and all for less than $40. By world class I mean that a light is the best, or at least among the best, light in its particular specialized niche.

Arc AAA - best keychain light
UK eLED 4AA - best industrial, hazardous environment light
CMG Infinity - best pocket survival light
etc.

Some of these lights may have been surpassed by later models, but they were the best a few years ago.

Flying Turtle said:

Also, with the fairly rapid recent advancements in lights it would be kind of depressing to see that $200 light shown up by a $50 one a few months down the road. And that does seem to be happening...

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I have the feeling that buying a U2, quality issues aside, is equivalent to buying the latest and greatest home PC for $5000. Right after you get it, everyone is amazed by its performance. But, two years later its performance will be matched by $2000 PCs. And two years after that it will be beaten by cheap bargain PCs.

Flying Turtle said:

It's just a hobby. If you get more pleasure from having a few of the best that's great. For me, I guess the bottom lines are "bang for the buck" and diversity. Like I've said before, it's a whole different story if you really need bulletproof, powerful lights for life or job. I can certainly appreciate them, but like probably most of us here, I just don't need them.

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I'd go further than that regarding "bang for the buck."

I view lights primarily as tools. If a light works as intended, and keeps working after being banged around and dropped, then I couldn't care less about the glossy finish and how cool it looks.

In a situation where life depends on lights working, I'd much prefer to have two or three "decent quality" lights than one "highest quality" light.

I find alot of non-flashaholics understand.

Backpackers, Cavers, Rock Climbers. Many people.

JonSidneyB said:

I find alot of non-flashaholics understand.

Backpackers, Cavers, Rock Climbers. Many people.

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I believe what you're pointing out is that people who have absolutely had to depend on their equipment understand the point of spending good money to get good equipment. I'm sure you could have kept going with different categories of people who understand, had you wanted to, and I believe that each of those categories of people would fall into the category of people I listed.