Hi guys, my first post!!

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
Hmm, I never would have thought there would be a forum for flashlights! :thinking:

I have never owned a REAL flashlight, and I have the following on order:

Fenix TK11 w/ 18650 batteries
Pila GL4 with the 550 lumen option and using the stock CR123A's
AE 20W Xenide

Thinking about the Wicked Laser "Torch". It's really not much money
considering it's power and reported build quality, plus, the idea of having
the "world's brightest flashlight" is enough to get any true blue tech
nerd (like me) excited! :rolleyes:

So, I guess your scratching your head wondering why I bought all this
stuff!? Well, I dont really have a good answer for that except I guess
I am a little crazy and financially irresponsible :crazy:

I'm sure I will have loads of questions for you guys when I get these
beasts, and I'll probably be taking the bunch out on my late night walks
and scare the crap out of the neighbors and their yappy dogs :nana:

Anyway, does anyone have any opinions or advise on any of this stuff
I just bought?

What do you guys think of the Wicked Laser? Is it a good buy?
 

Gunner12

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
10,063
Location
Bay Area, CA
The Wicked Laser light is actually from Mac's "Torch" which is number 8th in the thread of the most powerful Maglite mods. It's bright but there are many lights brighter.

I think you'll like the lights you bought. I'd suggest adding a smaller EDC type light and/or maybe an AA powered one(AA and EDC can be together).

:welcome:
 

Nyctophiliac

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Feb 22, 2006
Messages
2,427
Location
Buckinghamshire, UK
Welcome to CPF PsychoBunny.

Assuming you are too psycho to run away now, before this place eats your wallet for breakfast, I'd like to add to what Gunner12 said. Try something smaller too. Maybe a Nitecore D10 R2 or a NDIS ( Nitecore Defender Infinity Silver), or even an ORB RAW NS.

Plenty of smaller powerhouses to come to you in the near future I'll be bound!

Have fun, put your other hobbies on hold. :wave:

By the way, The Fenix TK11 is a very nice light. Just got back from my evening cycle ride with it. It always resides on my Bike helmet for optimum visibility and checking out the dark trail ahead!
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
The Wicked Laser light is actually from Mac's "Torch" which is number 8th in the thread of the most powerful Maglite mods. It's bright but there are many lights brighter.

I think you'll like the lights you bought. I'd suggest adding a smaller EDC type light and/or maybe an AA powered one(AA and EDC can be together).

:welcome:

Hi Gunner, and thanks.

But, slow down here, I'm totally new and clueless, so most of what you
said went right over my head! :confused:
What is a EDC? do you think I should add like a high quality medium power
torch to my collection? Do you have any models in particular I should look
at?
Sounds like you dont recommend the wicked laser? What would you recommend instead in the ultra-high lumen catagory? :confused: :confused:
Any recommended reading for a newbie that I should check out?
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
The Wicked Laser light is actually from Mac's "Torch" which is number 8th in the thread of the most powerful Maglite mods. It's bright but there are many lights brighter.

I think you'll like the lights you bought. I'd suggest adding a smaller EDC type light and/or maybe an AA powered one(AA and EDC can be together).

:welcome:

Hi Gunner, and thanks.

Yikes! I tried to post this before, and clicked on "submit post" but it
disappeared!!

Hate to sound stoopid, but I dont understand most of what you said :confused:
What is a EDC?
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
Welcome to CPF PsychoBunny.

Assuming you are too psycho to run away now, before this place eats your wallet for breakfast, I'd like to add to what Gunner12 said. Try something smaller too. Maybe a Nitecore D10 R2 or a NDIS ( Nitecore Defender Infinity Silver), or even an ORB RAW NS.

Plenty of smaller powerhouses to come to you in the near future I'll be bound!

Have fun, put your other hobbies on hold. :wave:

By the way, The Fenix TK11 is a very nice light. Just got back from my evening cycle ride with it. It always resides on my Bike helmet for optimum visibility and checking out the dark trail ahead!

Hello Nyctophiliac :)

Yep, too psycho! I'm just going to jump right into the "deep end", and I
cant even swim :oops:

Thanks for the suggestion, I will Google Nitecore and check it out, in fact,
I will probably Google everything you guys say! LOL!!

I cant wait for my flashlights to arrive!
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
Welcome to CPF. You'll also need the obligatory Arc AAA also. Looks like a piece of military hardware. Waterproof to a depth of 100 meters.


Thanks for the welcome.
Not sure I know what a Arc AAA is!? :confused:
But sounds like everybody need to have one!

I want to learn all this stuff.

I have always loved anything that "lights up"!
I have a house full of lava lamps, plasma balls, colored LED lamps, etc,
etc!
But I never knew there was such a thing as high quality HID flashlights!
I thought the best you could get was Mini Maglite!
 

Gunner12

Flashaholic
Joined
Dec 18, 2006
Messages
10,063
Location
Bay Area, CA
EDC = Evey Day Carry

I think the TK11 is a bit big to have on you all the time, so if you'd like to have a light with you, I'd suggest a smaller light that you can keep in your pocket, on a belt, or on your keys. I'm suggesting AA battery powered lights because AA batteries are easier to find then other batteries.

There are many lights that fit, so if you are looking for a smaller light, post what you would like it to have within reason(1000+ lumen with 2 hour runtime would not be possible in the near future in an AA sized light). Output? Batteries? Size? Price? Beampattern? Mutimode? and so on.

For tons of lumen, what price range are you looking at?

From what I read the Wicked Laser is decent, but runtime is short(of course you knew that already)
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
EDC = Evey Day Carry

I think the TK11 is a bit big to have on you all the time, so if you'd like to have a light with you, I'd suggest a smaller light that you can keep in your pocket, on a belt, or on your keys. I'm suggesting AA battery powered lights because AA batteries are easier to find then other batteries.

There are many lights that fit, so if you are looking for a smaller light, post what you would like it to have within reason(1000+ lumen with 2 hour runtime would not be possible in the near future in an AA sized light). Output? Batteries? Size? Price? Beampattern? Mutimode? and so on.

For tons of lumen, what price range are you looking at?

From what I read the Wicked Laser is decent, but runtime is short(of course you knew that already)


I agree.
I think I will buy a Nitecore D10, as recommended in the post above.

The YouTube videos helped sell me on this one
 

brucec

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 23, 2008
Messages
683
Location
New York
Yep, too psycho! I'm just going to jump right into the "deep end", and I
cant even swim :oops:

How deep are you prepared to go? If you want the pinnacle of refinement, go to the McGizmo forum. If you want **** in your pants brightness, then go for the mini-HID lights.
 

Cydonia

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
958
Location
Vancouver BC
Welcome to the madness. Nice rabbit picture :D

The bitterness of low quality remains long after low pricing is forgotten.

With this profound truth in mind I beg you to be patient and get a few excellent quality lights, carefully selected to cover a unique lighting capability, instead of rushing about like a decapitated chicken buying anything that looks good. Most of us went through that phase and looking back we wish we had done things better smarter and in a wiser manner.


  • A powerful "thrower" that projects a beam of light a great distance.
  • A powerful "flood" for illuminating open outdoor spaces or dark dank interior garages, basements and other dark walled interiors. Sometimes known as a "room sweeper".
  • A small compact EDC that is on you at all times that has a balanced combination of throw and flood.
  • A dim light with extraordinary long run time for emergencies.
  • A headlamp - the crucial ability to have light with both hands free is essential.
  • And some other categories best left vague...

Unless you are a collector, try not to waste time and money on lights with overlap and similar outputs, instead work on covering the different lighting needs. Save precious time and money too. If you're an absent minded collector, however, then just dawdle along and buy anything that piques your interest. Chances are that years, and thousands later, you'll still not have the bases covered for real world illumination. That seems to be the path that 95% of folks here stumble down without ever thinking about what they are doing. This is a ray of light extended to you, and only you, rabbit... choose wisely... after all... how deep down the rabbit hole do you wish to go? :devil:
 
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AMD64Blondie

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 2, 2007
Messages
1,009
Location
Portland,OR
CPF is the flashlight equivalent of Hotel California.."you can check out any time you like,but you can never leave..".
Oh,and say goodbye to your wallet...
 
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UncleFester

Flashaholic*,
Joined
Apr 28, 2004
Messages
1,271
Location
Desert Hlls,AZ
Thanks for the welcome.
Not sure I know what a Arc AAA is!? :confused:
But sounds like everybody need to have one!

I want to learn all this stuff.

I have always loved anything that "lights up"!
I have a house full of lava lamps, plasma balls, colored LED lamps, etc,
etc!
But I never knew there was such a thing as high quality HID flashlights!
I thought the best you could get was Mini Maglite!

Ummm... click on the link in my original post and you'll find out..
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
Ummm... click on the link in my original post and you'll find out..


Oh! yeah, I see it now, LOL! I'm just slow!

Hey, I think the TH11 is just the right size to carry around but I
guess the Nitecore would be much easier to stick in my pocket or
a small car glove-box.
 

PsychoBunny

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
465
Location
Maryland, USA
Welcome to the madness. Nice rabbit picture :D

The bitterness of low quality remains long after low pricing is forgotten.

With this profound truth in mind I beg you to be patient and get a few excellent quality lights, carefully selected to cover a unique lighting capability, instead of rushing about like a decapitated chicken buying anything that looks good. Most of us went through that phase and looking back we wish we had done things better smarter and in a wiser manner.


  • A powerful "thrower" that projects a beam of light a great distance.
  • A powerful "flood" for illuminating open outdoor spaces or dark dank interior garages, basements and other dark walled interiors. Sometimes known as a "room sweeper".
  • A small compact EDC that is on you at all times that has a balanced combination of throw and flood.
  • A dim light with extraordinary long run time for emergencies.
  • A headlamp - the crucial ability to have light with both hands free is essential.
  • And some other categories best left vague...
Unless you are a collector, try not to waste time and money on lights with overlap and similar outputs, instead work on covering the different lighting needs. Save precious time and money too. If you're an absent minded collector, however, then just dawdle along and buy anything that piques your interest. Chances are that years, and thousands later, you'll still not have the bases covered for real world illumination. That seems to be the path that 95% of folks here stumble down without ever thinking about what they are doing. This is a ray of light extended to you, and only you, rabbit... choose wisely... after all... how deep down the rabbit hole do you wish to go? :devil:

Hi Cydonia, and thanks for that very wise advise.
You are absolutly right, I am going at this in a frenzy buying spree like
the idiot that I am!!

I will deffinetly take your advise to heart.

Dont you think I have made wise sellections so far (and no, I am not
going to by a Wicked Laser, I'm crazy, not stooopid! ;) ):

Fenix TK11
Pila GL4 w/ both lamp ops
AE 20W Xenide for when I'm in the woods of W. VA
NiteCore D10 for small, everyday use
And, the new Fenix TK40 I have on pre-order :thumbsup:
 
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