I just bought a "loaner"

Prompted by the recent discussion about "loaners" and how flashaholics are not inclined to lend a US$100 (plus) flashlight to a non-flashaholic who would see it no differently than a $2 light, I decided to buy such a beast.

Whilst shopping at the supermarket I saw a 0.5W LED "Varta" light powered by a 6V lantern battery (ANSI No. 908*) that was also "waterproof" and floated and was described as having 45 lumens of output. As the price was reasonable I bought it and took it home.

As soon as I got home I inserted a battery and turned it on. It had a reasonable output but I kept thinking this is not quite good enough....then I realised that this is not a flashaholic light but a non-flashaholic would be blown away by the output, therefore I am keeping this as my loaner.

As I type this I am doing a run-time test with a rechargeable 6V lantern lead acid gel-cell.

David

It should be enough to look at a blown fuse box. Even 20lm lights look impressive given a blackout.

I haven't seen any of those Rayovac, plastic, 2D 3LED lights locally lately, which is a shame. They make great loaners (having a couple on hand for yourself isn't so bad, either) can take a good lick and have good runtime. I've tossed a couple onto concrete floors with no ill effects. I hope they haven't discontinued them.

I do not have a loaner light yet. But I need one. I have a co-worker who always borrows my lights and doesn't return them unless I go on a search and recovery mission. I don't have a problem with lending out lights as long as they are returned in a reasonable amount of thime. It is MY light after all. I don't take a $150+ light to work for someone else to use the whole day.

So I'm thinking a solarforce or G2 host with perhaps a deere light drop in would work great as a loaner or my sole work light-- no worries if it does find a new home.

My current loaner is an Akoray-K109! I dont mind if they damage the light just as long as the battery stays intact because that very same Akoray is also my spare-holder :twothumbs

Buying a 'non-flashaholic light' as a loaner is nice and all, but giving non-believers a light with unholy light output, multiple modes and all in such a small package is just way more fun..... A mate of mine has been a Maglite fan for years but about a month ago his 3D died (broken bulb) while we were working on his car so in handed him my little Akoray backup light. First he laughed because of its size but turning it on sure shut him up He was blown away by the output and also found out how much easier such a small light is to maneuver under a vehicle (*sigh*).

Well, THIS is a good loaner, buy three and get a sub-three-Dollar price:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.33543

It works for around 8 hours at least on a single AA (alkaline or NiMH), has just one mode, has a reverse clicky tailcap-switch, it can tailstand and is made fully from aluminium... this is an awful package for nearly nothing...

The light is awfully, painstakingly blue, but... there's light in the darkness :thumbsup:


Timmo. (who just ordered three more of these el-cheapo's)

I purchased a $5 AA 1w generic flashlight as a loaner but grew attached to it so I stowed it away


Those single 5mm LED keychain fobs make excellent give-away lights IMHO :thumbsup:

I have a couple of Streamlight ProPolymer 4AA LED lights that I use as loners. At $26 I can afford to lose one now and then. Actually, two haven't been returned so far, but that's the price of being the flashaholic in the neighborhood!

I don't understand the practice of buying something for someone else to use. Shouldn't that someone else just buy their own?

carrot said:

I don't understand the practice of buying something for someone else to use. Shouldn't that someone else just buy their own?

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You can't convert people who refuse to see flashlights as a tool.

carrot said:

I don't understand the practice of buying something for someone else to use. Shouldn't that someone else just buy their own?

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In situations where in a friend of yours needs a light and he goes to you asking If he/she could borrow a light. The loaner light will do its Job on those cases without worrying too much.