My impressions of being a flashaholic

Bushman5

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 8, 2007
Messages
977
So, after about six months or so of dabbling in this hobby i have the following to say:

- its expensive, especially if your Canadian. I bought a total of 7 lights, at a high cost of approx $800. Plus what I spent over $300 CDN on shipping costs, return shipping costs and duties alone for the various lights i bought.

- batteries, Specifically the Cr123 and RCR123's . :shakehead Pricey, finicky, prone to explode or vent, short lifespan, health hazard, cant get them damp or wet, you have to have a gazzilion chargers for every type, apparently the voltages in the battery are higher than whats marked on the battery (see ** below for more on this), After spending about $60 for RCR123's i discovered they were not good enough and that they were exploders if you had one that was slightly run down with a newly charged one. Apparently only protected batteires are good enough. So off i went, yet again, spent another $100 for protected batteries, and new chargers to match.


- -** LED drop ins and replacement lamps. Uable to find locally, hads to buy online. Spent $200 on veyr bright and white Cree drop ins, only to have them blow out as a result of above mentioned battery issues. Cant afford to replace them. Stuck with useless $200 lights. ended up selling them for 75% less than what i just paid for them, due to market used pricing.

Custom lights. They are nice and all, very bright, no arguement here. except the battery carriers chew the hell out of the battery wrappers, causing shorts circuiting, blown batteries and once again, i have to buy more batteries.

I looked at the enjoyment i got from the lights, it was very minimal compared the cash outlay and subsequent debt as a result. Lights i have'nt even poaid for yet are either dead, needing new expensive drop ins, or have been sold off for 5 cents on the dollar, due to market pricing for said used lights.

I'm done. I'm tired of the hassles. Tired of paying shipping costs, Tired of battery bullcrap and finicky cells that can only be used for ten minutes before you have to recharge them. Tired , broke, pissed off.

Its been a slice. I'm going to stick with my Pelican 2020 LED and common "C" batteries. It has NEVER let me down, and if it ever does i get a free replacement. Same with my Malkoff 4 C - it has never let me down and uses common "C" batteries. Same with my Mag 6D with Terralux 140 lumen drop in and common D cells.

The above has been my experience and my experience only. Your milage might vary, but to be quite honest as i stated above, i'm tired of the hassles. I'm done.

I'll be hanging around, I do enjoy everyones contributions and reviews, but i wont be buying lights anymore.

Have a Safe Merry Christmas everyone.
 

PayBack

Enlightened
Joined
Sep 13, 2004
Messages
554
Well things aren't much better here in New Zealand when it comes to pricing, and I hope you find a better value for money hobby (like money bonfires :D) however...

I don't think you're a flashaholic.... The reason I say that is because you're making comments that are sane and rational.

I think I'm a flashaholic because I buy torches I don't need and can't really explain why I buy them. Maybe I'm part magpie, cos if it's shiny I want it :D

I buy a torch and see another that's no better and depending on what it looks like and how it performs, I might buy it. I have more lights than anyone in my town I'm fairly certain yet I'm still likely to buy more... because I'm sick lol. I'd use my HID maybe once or twice a year... yet I bought two of them. I think that's what makes a flashaholic.. they're not rational.

Or maybe you're cured? :O
 
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sntangerbg

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Messages
4
I am sorry to hear about your bad experience dude. I see a reason in what you said, and a solid reasoning behind your decision. If it does not bring you joy-do not practice it.:thumbsdow
With the above said in mind, I still think you qualify as a flashaholic--your lights (except the Pelican) all use drop-ins and are solid choices. Maybe you should just "tweak" your hobby a litle--not happy with 123's--get AA and AAA lights. Not happy with custom ones--stick with proven manifacturers:twothumbs
I am a prime example of a guy that does not throw cash around, but is happy with his hobbies. I am into watches, and every watch I have serves a purpose. I do not have 30 watches, I have 4, but am happy with them. Do I qualify as a watchaholic--hell yea:crackup: I hang on the Watchuseek forum a LOT, and know a lot about watches, I just have not achieved (yet, am working on it) the financial means to have a large collection.
Am I a flashaholic? I do not know.... (I am a lurker, do not post a lot, mostly read and soak up knowledge...quite parasitic I know:mecry:, but I have to katch up in the flashlight department...) I have only one light , a SF L1 Cree, am EXTREMELY HAPPY with it, and after spending countless hours on this forum (thank you all for the priceless knowledge) I am about to order a couple of Peaks. Again--a modest number of lights I will have, but I am a USER not a collector, and they are lights from reputable, high quality companies.
And one last word--do not get in debt for a hobby. ANY HOBBY. not worth it. all my hobbies are fun, and if I cannot afford it, it will not be fun any more, so I buy or do fun stuff only with money I have put aside. Period.
Cheer up dude, pay your debts, and when you have some dough on the side that you can spare-TREAT YOURSELF, a light, a watch, a drink, anytthing:twothumbs
And Happy Holidays to all of you.
 

woodrow

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 7, 2006
Messages
2,027
Location
New Mexico
Bushman5,
Dude, sorry about the bad luck and battery problems. I sometimes wonder if it is just better to buy a bunch of 123a primaries than to mess with rechargables (at least the rcr123a's)

I like what PayBack said: I don't think you're a flashaholic.... The reason I say that is because you're making comments that are sane and rational."

It sucks to have problems. My luck is that I always just order something, and then two days later...the SE Q5 edition comes out. Oh well.

I hope you still hang around and keep posting. Afterall, you have bought enough new lights...you are due...just by luck to have your next one be trouble free!
 

Federal LG

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,605
Location
Demiplane of Dread - Ravenloft
I´m sorry about your bad experience man...

Well, I don´t know if I am a "flashaholic".
I just like lights a lot. I love to go camping and love to have a good light on hand. Sometimes, when I have money, I buy one new flashlight, here or there... I just have 3 Fenix Lights, and right now I bought my first Surefire ever!

I don´t make modifications on my lights. I don´t know how, and sincerely, don´t even want to learn. They´re all fine to me just the way they came from the stores. Original and brand new.

I guess you can control your "flashaholism"... like I do with mine.
I mean, there is a lot of degrees of flashaholism... Maybe I am one of the lowest degrees... hehe.

I love to read about lights. I love to know about the new LEDs, the brand names, the flashlight models, the photos, etc... but it doesn´t mean that I have to BUY all of them...

Well, that´s my point of view... :thumbsup:
 

kramer5150

Flashaholic
Joined
Sep 6, 2005
Messages
6,328
Location
Palo Alto, CA
Noob perspective....

I am purposely avoiding over-complex designs. Stick with the simple first and gradually scale up. So for now, its Multi-AA designs and durable non-finicky bulbs/LEDs. I dont even want to mess with DIY DC-DC regulation and heat sinking, at least not yet. So... standard cell-types and Nichia LEDs for starters. So far my wallet is feeling good:twothumbs
 

PlayboyJoeShmoe

Flashaholic
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Messages
11,041
Location
Shepherd, TX (where dat?)
I'm sorry you had so much trouble.

I have several 123 lights. But I basically USE only LED 123 lights, and mostly LED lights in which I can use one Li-Ion battery.

I mostly USE AA lights because they run Low Self Discharge NimH PEACHY!

I haven't yet acquired the perfect EDC light, so I carry two or three!

I have over 120 lights, so you bet your booty I'm a flashaholic!
 

Big_Ed

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 28, 2003
Messages
1,768
Location
Sycamore, Illinois
Just because you don't want to spend lots of money on more lights, that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the ones you have, or maybe find ways to mod cheaper ones you have available in your area. I don't do much modding myself, but one I found fun to play with was taking a 3D Mag, sleeving the barrell with a piece of pvc pipe, and putting 4C's in it. Yeah, the bulb is being over driven, but it's brighter. Also try using a couple AA to D converters so you can stuff 6 AA's in a 2D light. Put in a bulb designed for a 5 or 6 cell flashlight and you have another sleeper.

Just keep having fun!
 

Culhain

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 12, 2006
Messages
254
Location
Ohio
I'm done. I'm tired of the hassles. Tired of paying shipping costs, Tired of battery bullcrap and finicky cells that can only be used for ten minutes before you have to recharge them. Tired , broke, pissed off.

Have a Safe Merry Christmas everyone.

Thank you and a Safe and Merry Christmas to you and yours.

Please note for future reference that there is often a huge chasm between cutting edge and bleeding edge technology. Caveat emptor prevails, but manufacturer's warranty/service rules.
 

TORCH_BOY

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 25, 2004
Messages
4,242
Location
Australia, Vic
Its a great hobby, I enjoy being a flashaholic, I used to buy my lights overseas as there was not much available here in Australia, I was constantly getting ripped of with shipping costs, warranty exchanges ect. The only lights I buy now are the New Fenix lights and the Terralux M@G drop in Modules as they are now available here in Australia at the same cost as in the US, also we get same day shipment. I now have more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to spend on my coin collecting
 

fieldops

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,100
Location
Cape Cod MA
I don't think either of you are flashaholics,so both write 1000 lines.."i'll take it" paypal sent :D

Isn't it the truth :naughty:. some of us spend hours of time browsing the cpf marketplace waiting for the new "pre-order" :grin2:. Some of us have to build our light shelves from 2 inch wood so they don't sag:thinking:. Maybe I should enter rehab like everyone else who's addicted to things :sick:

New Marketplace motto: If you build it, they will buy
 

hopkins

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
906
Location
California
That 'ice storm' that wiped out power to 100,000's of homes in the central
USA last week and some are still without. You can bet the real hero's are the folks with flashlights! ie the local flashaholics.

Certain to have lots of Flashlights and batteries to help the 'Girl next door"
and her friends.
C'mom Bushman. At least get a few more Pelican's. When the super storm hits
your town who are you going to be?:scowl::thinking::naughty:
 

cat

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 24, 2007
Messages
558
Location
South Africa
I now have more $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ to spend on my coin collecting

Well. "How many torches do you need?", or can you use, pales in comparison to coins. :ironic:


Noob perspective....
I am purposely avoiding over-complex designs. Stick with the simple first and gradually scale up. So for now, its Multi-AA designs and durable non-finicky bulbs/LEDs. I dont even want to mess with DIY DC-DC regulation and heat sinking, at least not yet. So... standard cell-types and Nichia LEDs for starters. So far my wallet is feeling good:twothumbs

I've heard that before. Come tell us two or three months for now. :naughty:


Dude, sorry about the bad luck and battery problems. I sometimes wonder if it is just better to buy a bunch of 123a primaries than to mess with rechargables (at least the rcr123a's)

Yes. It's the RCR123's that are a problem. :naughty: Get AW C's and 18650's, and Emolis and A123's, and no problem. :devil:


I'll be hanging around, I do enjoy everyones contributions and reviews, but i wont be buying lights anymore.

You're in remission. Check back in about February. :thumbsup: ..And tell us you haven't bought another torch.
:party:
 

LED-holic

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 18, 2007
Messages
1,682
Location
Terminal 4
I don't think you have to spend a lot of money to be a flashaholic.

I've got mostly cheap LED and regular flashlights, ranging from $6 - $19.99. My most expensive purchase so far is my Fenix L2D Q5, and it's less than $60 after the CPF discount.

I did purchase about 8 cases of the Sanyo Eneloop packs from CostCo (8AA, 4AAA with C & D adapters) as emergency power for my lights should I need them, so I may have sunk over all $250 in the last 4 years into this hobby.

But the joy and feeling of being prepared is far greater than the feeble sum of $250.

Now I'm ready to buy another L2D Q5 and L0D Q4, so that'll add another $100 to the total, but money well spent, imho, should another power outage or emergency occur.

Being a flashaholic is more about the spirit than money, imho.

Enjoy.
 

pipspeak

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
569
Location
NYC
I'll be hanging around, I do enjoy everyones contributions and reviews, but i wont be buying lights anymore.

Yeah, right! :crackup:

I'm not sure it is possible to hang around here and NOT buy new lights. But good luck.
 
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