"just buy both!" - a flawed mentality

I've seen it too many times; a user will ask which flashlight suits his or her needs the best, only to be told to buy both! This is not a good practice for the following reasons:

1. It encourages consumerism. That is, purchasing an item that does not fill a need but instead simply because it is affordable. ONE flashlight may fill the need, but two is unnecessary and wasteful.
2. It disregards the original poster who is trying to stay within budget; this can be annoying.
3. It does not add useful dialog, it clogs threads, and slows the server. Didn't your mother teach you that "If you don't have anything helpful to say, don't say anything at all"?


Times when suggesting "just buy both" is OK:

1. The OP has 0 flashlights and will need one for a critical task. In this situation it can be explained that having a backup light is important. However, usually the two lights being weighed against each other are similar, and the OP may need a backup of a different type.
2. The OP seems unable to understand or conceptualize the difference between his options over the internet; he or she needs to "feel" the differences in person. Encourage him/her to buy both, keep the best one and sell the other.


This post is not meant to be a definitive "end-all" guide to when it's appropriate to suggest "just buy both" and there will be plenty of exceptions I didn't mention. My reason for posting this is simply to start a discussion about the consequences of this often encouraged mentality.

Blasphemy! :devil:

Badly needed balance added here in your post, copperfox, but I find it unnecessarily narrow in its exceptions.

For example, knife sharpeners. There are two that get mentioned most often: the EdgePro Apex and the SpyderCo Sharpmaker. I own both, and they are a great combinations, much better than the "sum of their parts". Further, the SM is the same price as the ceramic hone that is an optional add on to the Apex, and much more useful. It does what the hone does, and more, for the same price.

Sometimes, you really do want both. For lights, if someone asked about two lights that clearly complemented each other and were both needed to meet the OP's needs, I would recommend to "buy both."

However . . . that is not usually the case, and I find myself in general agreement with your take here.

I wasn't thinking about products besides flashlights when I wrote the post...

copperfox said:

This post is not meant to be a definitive "end-all" guide to when it's appropriate to suggest "just buy both" and there will be plenty of exceptions I didn't mention. My reason for posting this is simply to start a discussion about the consequences of this often encouraged mentality.

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Obviously you did not earn your flashaholic stripes correctly.

The buy both mentality is a sickness that slowly creeps in and once it has you it is impossible to escape. Many people say that they're done with flashlights, sell most of their collection only to come back and buy more than they had.

I am constantly buying and selling to see what I really like and keep the ones I love the most.

Don't run from the sickness, it will be worse once it catches up to you.:devil:

copperfox said:

I wasn't thinking about products besides flashlights when I wrote the post...

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Ok then, flush my last post.:toilet:

It would be nice to be able to apply the buy both to everything. Your looking at cars. A BMW M3 and a Corvette and decide to just buy both and decide which one you want to keep later.

copperfox said:

1. It encourages consumerism. That is, purchasing an item that does not fill a need but instead simply because it is affordable. ONE flashlight may fill the need, but two is unnecessary and wasteful.

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What? Try to tell this to W. He sent me a big check and told me to go stimulate the economy.

EngrPaul said:

What? Try to tell this to W. He sent me a big check and told me to go stimulate the economy.

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You can thank me and the millions of other taxpayers instead. It wasn't his money that he was giving away so freely.

I'll send you my flashlight wishlist and shipping address.


I think the "Buy both" mantra shouldn't be taken literally, I see it as more of a old joke. It is kinda overused but I don't think anyone really takes it seriously.

LOL @ you stimulus guys.

Yes I think in most instances people mean it as a joke. Since it has become the CPF saying. When in doubt, buy both.

IcantC said:

Yes I think in most instances people mean it as a joke. Since it has become the CPF saying. When in doubt, buy both.

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Having redundant capability is a good thing. If a CPFer can afford to "buy both," then why not. :shrug:

Monocrom said:

If a CPFer can afford to "buy both," then why not. :shrug:

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+1

The "buy both" suggestions I received actually helped me when I was starting off with this hobby - I couldn't decide between an L1 or E2DL and did wind up getting both at once (and another L1 as a gift!).

After the purchase, I realized that these lights are VERY different and each have their own uses - If I just bought one of the two I don't know if I would have ever bought the other out of just not knowing how lights can differ (does that make sense?)...

Monocrom said:

Having redundant capability is a good thing. If a CPFer can afford to "buy both," then why not. :shrug:

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Some of us own over 10 lights and are going broke

IcantC said:

Some of us own over 10 lights and are going broke

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I stopped keeping count of how many lights I own.... I think it's better that way.

i buy both, then return (or sell off) the one i dont like maybe not a good option for everyone all the time, but i can definitely say that sometimes theres no replacement for being able to compare 2 lights in hand, side by side.

Good points. I think it is as much a reflex as a joke.

When the respondent explains why you need two lights to fill the stated need or illuminates the differences between two apparently similar choices it can be useful. Some people new to our disease may not realize they need a headlamp and a long running flashlight for their mission. I wouldn't go camping without several lights now.

For those that actually buy both, the comparisons frequently help those of us with bigger dreams than incomes.

I've decided to accept all the arguments and counters in this thread.

Good points Copperfox.

i usually use it as a kind of running joke...

its a commentry on how inescapable this hobby is, and i never just say "buy both" ill offer my opinion on picking ONE first...

coppperfox is right though, albiet slightly harsh, we shouldnt do it excessively...

Crenshaw

Way back in the early days, the debate might be over ...should I buy a green Photon or a red Photon. Buy both advise...did not seem to extreme.

But now days the question might be...should I buy a Surefire Invictus or a Wolf Eyes R2 Storm. Buy both...doesn`t work so well with higher priced stuff.

Personally, I would go for buy neither and wait a month or two...but noooo I can't post that here cuz it will anger people...so I keep it to myself :shakehead

The way the technology has been changing, opinions dramatically differ every other month. Every year since 2004 there's been much similar threads with nearly identical intents

Despite the varying thread lengths, you'd notice there are the conservative ones [like me who frequently suggests buying whats now considered outdated lights] and those who are more optimistic that will post names of new lights...then there's the adventurous types who will post buy both