Look What I Found

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/142839

These were the top lights a year ago and I wonder how many of those lights would still be in the "top five lights you can not live without" today. I wish someone with the know how and time would do another thread like the one above. I bought my SL poly pro 4AA because of that poll and I'm very happy that I did. What's the most popular and must have flashlight today?

I could live without all of them in the old list but I still have a place for me old Fenix L1 Lighthound special. Just for sentimental reasons.

I wonder who will be in the top 5 next year? Keep an eye on Ultrafire I reckon. Especially if they come up with a regulator circuit equal to Fenix. Mechanically the last Ultrafire I bought is extremely good but it just don't run as long as a similar Fenix. That could change overnight.

If you change the title of the thread to what it is about you might get more responses. "look what I found" sounds like a thread about your sofa cusions.

Something like "Top lights of '06, what do you still use?"

PS: still use my HDS EDC and EOS (both SSC P4 modified though). Good flashlights never die they just get reborn!

I still EDC my Arc AAA-P

cave dave said:

If you change the title of the thread to what it is about you might get more responses. "look what I found" sounds like a thread about your sofa cusions.

Something like "Top lights of '06, what do you still use?"

PS: still use my HDS EDC and EOS (both SSC P4 modified though). Good flashlights never die they just get reborn!

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You misunderstood, I do not want everyone to post their "Top 5 Must Have Lights You Could Not Live Without" here, because I do not have the know how and expertise to do the chart that would make sense of it all.

Do you have the know how and expertise to do it?

Since it is in this list,
I still EDC a Surefire U-2.
It has not let me down yet.:twothumbs

I still regularly carry 3 of the top 5. Of course the Photons are on every keychain. I always have an Arc AAA-P loose with the pocket change. And, depending on what I'm doing / where I'm going, I regularly carry my HDS U60XR.

Probably says more of an almost perfect blend of form and function than the latest gee whiz for these lights, IMHO.

It's amazing how lights have improved over the years!
I can remember getting my knickers in a twist over the CMG Luxeon based light when it came out (can't even remember what it was called) I could not afford the Arc Luxeon at the time.
I then bought for about $70 (I think) a drop in for my mini-mag that had a whopping 20 lumens and regulation to boot, it absolutely blew my CMG away.
I guess recently I had a bit of a break from keeping up with the latest offerings in the flashlight world, I would occasionally read a few posts on CPF but noticed the word cree popping up so I ordered a Fenix L2D-CE and since bought a number of other lights utilizing the cree diode.
I then sold all my old lights (and there were a lot!) keeping only my original Arc aaa (sentimental reasons) and my Lion Cub (which I want to get modded with a cree).

Bearcat said:

You misunderstood, I do not want everyone to post their "Top 5 Must Have Lights You Could Not Live Without" here, because I do not have the know how and expertise to do the chart that would make sense of it all.

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I don't think he was suggesting you should have started a poll. What he is getting at is that you have used a pretty annoying title for your thread. It doesn't give any clue or hint to what it is actually about.

DM51 said:

I don't think he was suggesting you should have started a poll. What he is getting at is that you have used a pretty annoying title for your thread. It doesn't give any clue or hint to what it is actually about.

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Sorry about that, I was just trying to share something that I thought was very interesting. It may be a poor descriptive title, but it is good content.

Hopefully, you are as good with charts as you are at being critical and take on the task of doing another poll, because it would be one of the more interesting and helpful threads on this site.

It's actually quite easy to start a poll, if that is what you want to do. When you start a thread, at the bottom of the page under the text box there is a list of "Additional Options", one of which is to post a poll. This just turns a normal thread into a poll. You can choose how many check-box options you want (up to 10, IIRC). You could try it out in the practice forum.

DM51 said:

It's actually quite easy to start a poll, if that is what you want to do. When you start a thread, at the bottom of the page under the text box there is a list of "Additional Options", one of which is to post a poll. This just turns a normal thread into a poll. You can choose how many check-box options you want (up to 10, IIRC). You could try it out in the practice forum.

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What may be simple to you is a mountain to climb for me, besides I'm not knowledgeable enough with all the lights to know what the abbreviations stand for. I would be caught in the dark with no light and make a total mess of it.

Show me how it's done.

Very satisfied with my U2.
Took out the plastic insert to fit rechageables.
This combo makes it my EDC.

Next to that my Magcharger is still excellent although not my EDC for it's too heavy. A lot of light for a non-modded light. (ok, it has a WA bulb)

Bearcat said:

What may be simple to you is a mountain to climb for me, besides I'm not knowledgeable enough with all the lights to know what the abbreviations stand for. I would be caught in the dark with no light and make a total mess of it.

Show me how it's done.

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I promise you it is REALLY easy.
1. Go to the Main Forum index, then go into the "Practice Posting" sub-forum in the "Admin" section right at the bottom
2. Click "Post a new thread"
3. Choose a title, and add your message, just as for starting a normal thread
4. Scroll down, below the emoticons, to "Additional options"
5. Click "Yes" on the "Post a Poll" check-box
6. Enter the voting options you want (4-10)
7. Click on "Preview" or "Submit"
Done! You can always edit or change it afterwards until you have got the hang of it – that is what the practice forum is for.

DM51, have you taken a real close look at dta116's chart? What he did was compile information into a format that was easily understood.

I think what you are suggesting as "Real easy", will not work, because it would be just a limited poll and besides like I said before, I'm not knowledgeable enough about all the lights to be able to group them together correctly.

When I said show me, I meant for you to do the chart, since you are so knowledgeable about lights and such. I think that the good work that dta116 did will be hard to match and I admit that I'm not qualified enough to do it.

OH, I see - the chart itself. I misunderstood - sorry - I thought you just wanted to do a poll.

I don't know how he did that chart. I expect he used Excel or some similar program, and pasted it in. Normally I would suggest you could just PM him and ask, but I've just looked and he hasn't been active for quite a while.

All I can suggest is for you to hunt around on the forum and find another chart someone else has posted, and ask them how they did it. Or you could just try experimenting in the practice forum.

DM51 said:

OH, I see - the chart itself. I misunderstood - sorry - I thought you just wanted to do a poll.

I don't know how he did that chart. I expect he used Excel or some similar program, and pasted it in. Normally I would suggest you could just PM him and ask, but I've just looked and he hasn't been active for quite a while.

All I can suggest is for you to hunt around on the forum and find another chart someone else has posted, and ask them how they did it. Or you could just try experimenting in the practice forum.

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I thought that we were on different pages with this and you keep forgetting that I'm ignorant of all the different type lights that are out. I'm just a novice, not a heavy weight when it comes to flashlight. I was hoping that one of smart knowledgeable members would do it.:sigh:

Bearcat said:

I was hoping that one of smart knowledgeable members would do it.:sigh:

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Well, that rules me out!

A Photon and DIY glowring on every keychain. A CMG UltInf in my workpants knifepocket. MM with one of Photonfanatics killer pills in my briefcase. G2's or Mag2c w/123 mods in every vehicle.

I find myself dropping my Fenix L0Dce in my pocket more and more often. The L1Dce will ultimately replace the CMG. And the P3Dce (I just received yesterday) will probably replace everything else. Awesome light.

The current generation of lights are just kind of unbeliveable.

(the Jetbeam is great, if I ever figure out the UI)

If you still think the CMG was a great one...
http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Infinity-Task-Light-p-16598.html