How often do you really NEED a flashlight?

I know a lot of people use them for work. I was an EMT on an ambulance full time for 6 years or so, and I used a 2AA Mini Mag quite often. I know other jobs require them too. What I'm talking about here is people who don't use them for work. I now work a Monday - Friday daytime office job. Other than hunting season and camping, I almost never NEED a flashlight. Oh sure, I can always make a reason.... but do I really need it? I guess that's the main reason I have trouble talking myself into a $urefire. I'd feel kinda silly spending $100 for a flashlight that would sit untouched for months sometimes. I know they are worth their price, I guess I just can't justify it for my own use.

Even through the day, it becomes an extension of your sight in a fashion not too dissimilar to, bifocals or reading glasses. You don't need it all the time. Smoothing the contrast in a poorly lit area for detail, though, becomes second nature.

For my work, I've used a SureFire 5W Luxeon EDC flashlight three times this week. I guess this is typical. I use my EDC all the time because I have it. Kinda like you could go the whole day not looking at your wristwatch by looking at clocks, your mobile, asking etc etc, but you wear it so you may as well use it.

I use my SuperTool 200 Leatherman quite a lot for various things. I guess I don't have to avoid being in situations where I'd need a light or a blade or whatever.

Al

[ QUOTE ]
Size15s said:
... I use my EDC all the time because I have it. Kinda like you could go the whole day not looking at your wristwatch by looking at clocks, your mobile, asking etc etc, but you wear it so you may as well use it.
Al

[/ QUOTE ]That's a great example. I see your point with an EDC type of light. I guess if I had something really small (like an Arc AAA) I might carry it all the time. I already carry my cellphone, so I don't want something else that needs a holster or pouch. I had enough crap on my belt when I was an EMT. In my case, the SL TT 2L that I'm waiting on will sit on my nightstand untill I need it. Like I said, hunting and camping mostly.

If I did not need a flashlight for work I would also have trouble spending so much on a Surefire. I use my Surefire at work M-F everyday and one on the weekends at the lake.

Same with my Supertool 200 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I have more then one tool box full of just about every tool I would ever need well working, but the leatherman on my side is so handy. I could do without the multi-tool and the Surefire but I don't.

gadget nut, NYC Street Knowledge: 101: Lesson 1.

In the rough and tough streets of NY, there is a term referred to as Case *.*
*.*= any monetary amount you choose not to exceed 25¢.

So we could say Case Quarter. Case is used in front of the quarter to mean "a just in CASE quarter" Just in case you need it in a pinch.

For me it is a "case flashlight" Just in case in need it in a pinch. One never knows when one needs one so just as the Boy Scouts of America, I perfer to "Be Prepared". Now with all that has happened to us since 9/11 (not to be the voice of doom) and the recent blackout here in NYC, you never know when one could come in handy and or save your life and others. Now spending upwards of $100.00 may sound a bit exsessive, naturally those cheap !@# flashlights at Radio Shack or the ones in the Gillette Mach III Blister pack or in the Duracell Blister pack may work but Quality is what I seek in everything that I do, see buy and strive for in life. Oh my, here endith the lesson. HAHAHAHAHA /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

We live in an area of about 150 acres with only three houses. Folks, it gets DARK out here.

Flashlights are part of my life; for security, and just finding your way around.

In urban areas, there is so much ambient light, it's a totally different situation. Of course, in most urban environments, that means more druggies/bad guys around. More reason for a tactical light.

How often do I use a flashlight? Well let me put it this way. The 123 lith. battery manufacturers know me by name. "Heay an order for 100 123's, but I thought he just bought some last month. Oh you must be the new guy?"

Well, I use my flashlight once or twice a week - It's an Arc AAA, so it's always on me - as for a BIGGER flashlight, I was finding I was using my Surefire every few months - I no longer EDC that light. I do EDC my ARC LS, but that is because I EDC a LOT of stuff in my backpack (where the LS is) I probably use it once a month or so, when I want more light than the AAA will provide, but it's not REALLY needed

Not really often do I actually NEED one.

I do use my EDC light now and again, today to light up a wall map to find out where we were going.

I play with them far more than NEED them...

...so why do I have a hundred or more???

I used to live without a single flashlight of any kind. Now, I have boxloads of lights, and yet, I still don't need them, other than for emergencies. Otherwise, dark adapted sight always worked for me.

Go read the thread about the Eastern sea board power outage in the Cafe. Also I once lent my E2e to someone directing traffic in a pitch black intersection after an accident in a power outage. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I only use 2 flashlights most of the time. ARC-AAA and LS.
Rarely do I ever need any other flashlights, though I keep a Legend LX in a B.O.B., 1mcp spot in the trunk, and an assortment of both decent and cheap lights in the house.

I use my ARC-AAA daily. It's around my neck 24/7. It is sufficient 90% of the time I need light. I use it every night to check on a pet inside a small house out back, and to light my path to and from it. Also, to take the trash outside every other night. It lights the path to and from my car at night. I also use it in the house at night and during the day to find something in a closet, or wherever room light or daylight doesn't reach. In addition I often will use the AAA to get around the house at night instead of just flicking the room light switch. It's just as convenient and I feel good about using my light as much as possible. It has come to be second nature.

I'll grab my LS, which I EDC, and use that instead when I need more light.

Away from home, during daylight hours, I use my lights maybe every other day, usually only when inside a building. When the sun goes down early, I find myself using one everyday, to find and collect my stuff from my company car at the end of the workday, and when I get home in my own car for the same reason, or to look under the hood or in the trunk.

They have come in handy during the occasional power failures, side jobs and repair work, at home and away. Sometimes used for hours, other times, just a minute.

And of course I often will also just shine my lights at the wall, reflective road signs, or whatever, when no one's looking /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sssh.gif just because. I wouldn't be a flashaholic if I didn't. It's a symptom of the illness. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Even if you don't really NEED a flashlight most of the time, as we all know, when you NEED one, you NEED one. Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

(It's amazing how many non-flashaholics don't feel the need to carry even the most tiny and rudimentary light on their keychain.)

Well, that's what being a flashaholic is all about isn't it? Having more lights than you really need, and spending more when you don't really have the $$ to spare...

Just as FuriousTiger has put it, its a 'case flashlight' where, its 'good to have' but not a 'must have' for everyone. Some ppl EDC their lights because they've experienced a situation where a light could have been useful, others are just being prepared for something that may or may not happen.

So I guess its not so much of 'How often do you need a flashlight?', but more like 'Do you have a flashlight when its needed?'. Being prepared doesn't hurt, and so long as you're not EDCing a Kumkang or something along those lines, and while we can't be prepared for all situations that may happen, but at least being ready for one of the situations that could happen sounds like a fairly justifiable reason to NEED to have a flashlight at all times.

I don't use a flashlight a lot. I actually play with my flashlights more than I really need them. However, this week I did a job that would have been hard to do without a flashlight. This was a case where a really bright flashlight would not have worked either.

I had to weld a bracket back on my backhoe that broke. When I put on my auto darkling helmet (it is shad 2 before you start to weld) inside the shop I could not see anything because of the shadows. I got a drop light (75 watt bulb)and that was so bright it darken my helmet lens. Then I went a got a 3C flashlight with a regular bulb. Perfect! I could see where to start the weld and it was not too bright as to darken the helmet lens.

You may not need a flashlight often but when you do need one nothing is better.

Would I pay a $100.00 + for a flashlight? Yes. Would I pay a $100.00 + for a Surefire? Probably not. I think Surefires are overpriced.

James

Furious Tiger hit it.

Do you really need a reason beyond 9/11 and the Eastern power outage as justification for flashlights and other tools?

Sure, this doesn't mean that you have to go out and buy a $100+ Surefire or other super high-end light, but I think you'd be positively nuts to venture out in the world without at least an Arc AAA or similar.

Lots of people carry firearms everyday. Have you ever carried one, gadgetnut? It is a big, fat PITA. (Pain in the ***.)

Yet thousands, possibly millions, of people carry them every day. Do you know why? Because all it takes is one time for you to need a gun and not have it and it could mean the difference between your life or death.

I firmly believe that a flashlight and knife are in the same category as a firearm; positively indispensable everyday carry items that no person should be without.

It could take but one time for you to be caught without your knife, flashlight, or firearm for it to mean your life.

On a lighter note, (and keeping it on topic /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) in all but the most extreme cases, a flashlight will simply make your life easier and more convenient. It could mean the difference between stumbling and perhaps falling on a dark walkway, or cruising along smoothly, avoiding bumps and holes, thanks to your flashlight. Again, even a simple Arc AAA is sufficient for most people, myself included. (I choose to carry more than that, but that's just me...)

I personally am a city dweller, and as such, only rarely have use for a flashlight. Well, about once or twice a week. However, I am going to invest money in an ultra-bright Surefire (hopefully the L5 or L6 when they come out!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif ) for use as a blinding weapon and prelude to more serious tools.

It all comes down to your personal situation, preferences, finances, etc.

Some people have no problem spending the money on high-end lights and other things, even if they never get used.
Some people can't and don't or won't.

I'd say if you REALLY want a Surefire, get it as a special treat for yourself. I guarantee it will come in handy at some point in your life. A Surefire is a quality tool, one that will likely outlast your lifetime, and would be nice to have around.

Remember: always be prepared.

Usually no more than 30 minutes a day. I make a 'prowl' of the property each night, inside and out, and run into ample times when a flashlight is necessary.

Just recently it has been a bit more use as we've had four (4) power outages lasting from 15 minutes to 3 hours each in the past week. Very unusual - sub-station glitches.

My apartment's emergency lighting (automatic, provided by me) survived quite well with my apartment staying lit even during the longest outage. I did curtail my computer use as I only have about 65 minutes backup for it.

The building emergency lighting started failing at about 30 minutes and all were dark by just over 90 minutes. This is especially bad in some areas (about 610 feet of second floor hallway and the stairwells, all with no windows). As the longest failure happened during early morning darkness, before sunrise, the windows in the 1st, 3rd, and 4th floor hallways didn't help anyway ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It was rather amazing watching other apartment dwellers who happened to be up, fluttering to my open apartment door with the light pouring out of it (2nd floor). Like a bunch of moths. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Dave and Ben from down the hall brought folding chairs and a six-pack and just sort of 'hung out' in the hall. They had Mags with VERY tired batteries. As the power failure got longer, they had to go back to their apartment and get two more six-pack so they could share. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif Good show, guys!

I did hand out two Mag/Opalec's to others who were willing to help people in stairwells and such (Got all three back, too. Surprised me.)

Me? I just sat around drinking my hot tea from my 2 liter vacuum dispenser and chatting with the moths, uh, neighbors ...

Amazing how many people were up.

99.9 percent of the time I don't need a light. For the 0.1 percent, I'm very glad I had a good one(or rather one of my fellow passengers in a van was glad I brought one). Lets' just say we stopped along a road with NO road lighting, and plantations to either side of us, and this person had to walk into the bushes in the pitch black darkness to relieve herself. Hey, we guys have it easy. We'd pee on the road or into a bottle if we wanted to. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif So the light came in very useful for her to prevent tripping or falling into any holes in the dark. This little incident occured in Malaysia on the way to Mersing, late at night. So never say you never need a light, when you need one, you need one really bad. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

What do you mean by the word NEED?
LOL...

As a flashaholic, where would you place your flashlights in Maslov's hierarchy of needs?

David <><

I've been a flashaholic for a few years now and finally purchased an Arc AAA around 6 months ago. I always thought that they were mainly just hype...That is until I got one. The Arc AAA goes everywhere with me on my keychain. I use it on average 3 times a week or so. It would probably serve all my basic flashlight needs. Anything else is pretty much icing on the cake. My LGI is great at lighting up my yard/neighborhood. It just lost its lumens crown to my Surefire L4 that arrived today. I enjoy taking walks at night and I'd have to say the L4 is pretty much perfect for midnight strolls. A nice wide beam. Could I take my Arc AAA for midnight strolls? Sure, but is it as fun as lighting up the neighborhood with an LGI or L4? NO WAY!