Gifting Lights.

Having been very active with lights since joining this forum I have enjoyed buying a wide variety of lights as well as having several light projects underway. During my pursuit I have on several occasions have gifted various lights to friends and relatives.
Of all the things I have supplied to people for some reason, lights have been the most appreciated, well recieved and rememberd of ANY gifts I have ever given. I found this to be somewhat curious as most of these people are fairly well light deprived/ ignorant in my opinion and seem to be oblivious to needing good lights untill they get a good one. Then it seems like they did not realize how they ever got along without one.
In addtion it doesn't matter if I give a mag solitaire with a led upgrade for a keychain light to an eagle tac or a wolfeyes or a 6P upgrade the effect is universally the same.
So my question is have any of you expierianced the same thing on such a broad scale?

Nope. Not even close. Gifted good lights to a few folks. Ironically, the only one who ever appreciated it was my best friend's fiance.

I haven't had good luck with gifting lights. The problem is the mismatch in perceived value. I tend to think there are lights that range in value from worthless to over $100, while most normal people think a flashlight is a $5-10 item....even if I spent considerably more than that. So they feel like they got a cheap gift, I feel like they don't appreciate what I gave them, and resentments abound. The only exception is I have given my mom a few lights and she is glad to have lights she can count on, and I feel better knowing she has them as well. She will spend 20 minutes describing what she wants a light for, and in a few days I'll give her one that is exactly what she's looking for. Other than her, I don't give lights to people, and I don't lend out good ones either. I'm sick of the look I get when I say, please make sure I get this back, it would cost me $75 bucks to replace it. If I don't have a cheapo light to lend, I just say no.

I've had mixed results. Some people love the lights I gave them and mention them years after I gave them. Some people never say anything about them. The hard part is you can't tell who will react positively, or which light(s) they might like. I gave an inexpensive 0.5w Nuwai w very blue tint and a Streamlight 4AA Lux [white and bright] to someone who lives in Vermont and didn't have a good walk the dog/outside light. He's thanked me many times for the Nuwai which he "uses all the time", but doesn't think much of the 4AA Lux !?
On the plus side, when someone likes a light you give, it's a great feeling.

I have only gifted when someone has asked for one, hinted that they could use a good flashlight, or I thought someone could really use one. They have (3) all been well received. Two are proud of the lights they've been given.

My manager at work has told me a couple stories about his. He even EDC's. "So then, I pulled out my flashlight." It makes me smile every time.

I have totally TOTALLY experienced the same thing. I gave my brother a Luxeon-I 2AA light from Costco several years ago. WAAAY before CPF and he still uses the thing, its not very bright by todays standards (35 Lumens approx), but he likes it a lot.

I gave my mom a pair of River Rock AA (the black Nuwai ones) lights and she uses them all the time.

I think its the psychological mind set of being in the dark... the sense of isolation and loneliness. Having a light provides a sense of security and comfort, so its almost a personal thing. Giving someone a flashlight as a gift provides that security and comfort... almost as if you were there comforting the person.

Mostly good results here. Good meaning the recipient uses or at least appreciates the potential usefulness of the light. But I mostly have given Maglites, sometimes with LED drop-ins, sometimes not. Just watch for those sales. There is better stuff, but this is a well known brand and I think these will probably be kept longer.

I have only given a couple as gifts, a couple G2s, with good response. I am giving a bunch of G2Ls for Christmas this year, hopefully they will be appreciated.

Most ignorant people will appreciate when they come to a point in which they have to rely on a light. I've only given my dad and wife as gift even that I still need to check the batteries now and again...

I gifted a bunch of G2's a number of years ago. The recipients were generally appreciative, but none of the lights were used after the batteries I supplied were exhausted.

I don't think I'll gift another light that can't run on alkalines.

GPB said:

I haven't had good luck with gifting lights. The problem is the mismatch in perceived value. I tend to think there are lights that range in value from worthless to over $100, while most normal people think a flashlight is a $5-10 item....even if I spent considerably more than that. .

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you aint kidding. most people think that lights are all about 10-20 bucks.
they know nothing about lumens, throw, regulation, durability, cool factor, etc... so I guess I would not be inclined to gift an SF Titan, Novatac, Gladius, or other high end light anytime soon to a non-lighter.
then again, if you can score a good $20 cree off of DX, most folks would find it useful.

I have given away about a dozen lights as gifts, mainly Fenix. I have only given them to people who I know will use them. It would have been a waste to give a light to someone who would just toss it aside.

My brother, who worked night shift for 16 years, really appreciated the L0P SE I gave him. Everyone who saw him use it told him they would steal it. Eventually it was stolen. He appreciated it even more when he found fenix-store online and thought it was worth it to replace.

My mother saw the Dorcy AAA lights I got my brothers as stocking stuffers a few years ago and bought one for herself. I didn't expect that. She has always had half a dozen cheapies in her kitchen for looking in cabinets. I got her a Costco 2 AA Luxeon a few years ago and she loves it.

I've given Dad several lights but I never see them again and he doesn't seem to appreciate them. Strange since he gave me flashlights as a kid.

You can never tell who will appreciate a light so don't gift them unless you see some interest first.

gswitter said:

I gifted a bunch of G2's a number of years ago. The recipients were generally appreciative, but none of the lights were used after the batteries I supplied were exhausted.

I don't think I'll gift another light that can't run on alkalines.

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Gift all of those people a pack of CR123A's this year.

It will be cheaper than the G2's, and probably worth more to them.

You could probably get them all a low lumen dropin and batteries and it would last them all year.

I've gifted:

2 x 6PLs
1 x E1B
Numerous 123 batteries.


All were received well and are in use to this day. Just make sure it's something the person actually will need / use. Otherwise, it'll end up in a drawer somewhere.

I know that this Christmas I'm going to be gifting at least 3 Maglites. I know there not the best flashlight anymore but nonflashaholics equate them with quality, there durable, use commonly availible bulbs and batteries, come in a variety of colours and, there manufactured in the USA.

I'll be giving away 5 Fenix E01's to family and friends this year. I also made keyring lanyards to give away with each light.

I need a recommendation: my wife wants a key chain light. she saw my Fenix P1D-CE, and wishes it came in a more girly color (like "plum", referring to the Surefire Winelights I just got).
Any ideas on something the size of a Fenix P1 , but for the ladies?
:thinking:

Purple Fenix E01?

Photon Freedom Micros are perfect the also come in a variety of colours such as pink, etc.