What kind of Flashaholic are you?

What kinda Flashaholic are you?

  • Gotta get em all!!!

    Votes: 26 23.4%
  • A few will do me just fine.

    Votes: 71 64.0%
  • Im here to pick a good light, nothing more, nothing less

    Votes: 14 12.6%

  • Total voters
    111

Draz

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
111
Location
North Carolina
Recently I have been the type of person one would call a minimalist. I started yard selling or just tossing old junk around the house I didn't need. I sold some guns that I havn't shot in years, gave away a bunch of random stuff in my house to friends and family and at the end of the day, I fell much better with an uncluttered life.

This brings me to my flashlights. I have never been the type of flashaholic that has to "have them all". While I would love to have every surefire made or a drawer full of malkoff drop-ins, my brain just wont let me rationalize it. Basically I sold and traded all my lights in search for a few perfect ones that will be utilized and not shelf queens. I believe you can call this liquidating my collection. ATM this is what I have:

Surefire LX2 (throw and emergency runtimes)
Surefire L1 (EDC and get home bag light)
Surefire C3 with M61WLL (Bump in the night light)
Assorted cheap lights and mags lying around that I won't count.

While I only have 3 lights I tend to buy and sale/trade many in the marketplace because I may realize that my MD2 with hi/low and M61w, while an amazing light, didn't give me the throw I needed out in the country so I traded it for the LX2. If the LX2 doesn't feel "right" I will sale or trade it in search of another light to try.

How many are you there like myself who just wants a few "perfect" lights instead of hoarding them like pokemon? I admit that money does play a role in my collecting style, If I had a huge disposable income then sure why not buy as many as I could but in the mean time I gotta be very tactile over what I chose to own.
 

Moka

Enlightened
Joined
Jun 9, 2008
Messages
518
Location
Down-Under, Third Rock...
I tend to sell the light's I just don't use...
But I am of the mindset that I have a use for every torch I own (even if some of those are just rationalisations so I can own a torch I want)... :devil: :whistle:
 

chanjyj

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Messages
661
Location
Singapore
Recently I have been the type of person one would call a minimalist. I started yard selling or just tossing old junk around the house I didn't need. I sold some guns that I havn't shot in years, gave away a bunch of random stuff in my house to friends and family and at the end of the day, I fell much better with an uncluttered life.

This brings me to my flashlights. I have never been the type of flashaholic that has to "have them all". While I would love to have every surefire made or a drawer full of malkoff drop-ins, my brain just wont let me rationalize it. Basically I sold and traded all my lights in search for a few perfect ones that will be utilized and not shelf queens. I believe you can call this liquidating my collection. ATM this is what I have:

Surefire LX2 (throw and emergency runtimes)
Surefire L1 (EDC and get home bag light)
Surefire C3 with M61WLL (Bump in the night light)
Assorted cheap lights and mags lying around that I won't count.

While I only have 3 lights I tend to buy and sale/trade many in the marketplace because I may realize that my MD2 with hi/low and M61w, while an amazing light, didn't give me the throw I needed out in the country so I traded it for the LX2. If the LX2 doesn't feel "right" I will sale or trade it in search of another light to try.

How many are you there like myself who just wants a few "perfect" lights instead of hoarding them like pokemon? I admit that money does play a role in my collecting style, If I had a huge disposable income then sure why not buy as many as I could but in the mean time I gotta be very tactile over what I chose to own.

I have pretty much the same philosophy as you. HOWEVER, I do give myself allowance for perhaps 2 lights for the same category as I can't bear to throw either one away.

Eg.
Surefire LX2, HDS 170T for EDC.
Fenix LD01, Fenix E01 for keychain.

Most of the time it ends up I carry both, 1 really "on body" and one in bag as backup for the "on body" (nuts, I know).

At the moment I am writing this, I have 1 HDS 170T sitting in my pocket, 1 Surefire LX2 in the bag as a backup for the HDS 170T. 1 Fenix LD01 on keychain, and 1 Fenix E01 on another keychain as a backup for the Fenix LD01. And a TK35 as a mini-monster light here. And a crapload of spare batteries.

Nuts, I know.
 

woodentsick

Enlightened
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
238
Location
Singapore
For me, I purchase flashlights due to their utility while hiking, with maybe 1 or 2 for EDC.

When I buy a flashlight, usually I ask myself, "how useful will this be for trekking?"

That's what I base most of my flashlight purchases on, however I have one exception; my Zebralight SC51w is used for EDC (however, its awesome for hiking too!)

So I guess I look for a few ''perfect" lights...

Woodentsick
 

Obijuan Kenobe

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 19, 2010
Messages
1,059
Location
Pittsburgh, PA, USA, Earth
Definitely came here to find the best, and to get it...or them.

So far, I have a Makai for throwing, and a couple Mules. I use a mule everyday at work. The Makai is on summer holiday now, as the darkness is almost gone for a couple month here.

But yeah, not collecting. Using and upgrading only for me.

obi
 

angelofwar

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
3,336
Location
South Carolina
I have to have every Surefire made...except the rare/non-standard one's. I don't "feel" the need to own a PK Kroma Turbo (although it would be nice), but I have just about every standard model Surefire made. And if the UB3T ends up being $800, that won't be on my list. Or even some of the models that I feel were "fails" (Stratum), I won't try to acquire...I'd rather try to pick up an mint version of an older one. I will soon have 3 M3's, a mint 1st Gen, mint 3rd gen, and a 3rd that is a mix of styles, which, if I see a 4th gen one, may try to sell to acquire a mint 3rd gen (current). So...yeah...gotta have them all. I will even trade/sell my other non-SF lights to acquire that one SF that I have to have...why? Cause I don't have it yet. Good thing I'm only this way about flsahlights...oh, and vide-games. FFVII is a LONG game when you HAVE TO HAVE every special weapon/armour/materia....LOL!
 

Cataract

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
4,095
Location
Montreal
I love hiking, but got stuck in the dark too often due to lazy friends (even had to look for fire wood by feel once! no kidding!), so at one point I decided it would never ever EVER happen again. I bring at least 3 lights even when I start my hike at 10 a.m. and can't possibly come back later than 4 even with a broken leg.

I just always want better, stronger, more practical while being unable to resist the huge monster blasters. I thought of sellinf a few, but couldn't, telling myself that each one has a specific intended application, even if that only comes once a year or hasn't happened yet. Don't get me wrong, I don't go a far as "this one is for looking for socks, this one for dropped pens under the desk, this one for dropped pennies under the fridge and ..... " It's more like one for weapon mounting (don't have a gun) one for front bicycle mount and the other for rear bike mount (my bike is at my dad's) this one for security when Trekking (still getting in shape for that), a few for caving (still looking for my local group), etc. Well, ok, I need flashlights for work and I do go camping and night hiking and use that time to evaluate the use I can get out of each flashlight. I'm still torn as to which one I'm supposed to use for taking beamshots and usually just go for my biggest or most recent light, which seems to please a whole lot of people here.
 

Federal LG

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,606
Location
Brazil
I never had more than 6 lights at the same time.

I tend to sell older lights, while I´m upgrading for newer/better models.

I had:
Fenix Civictor
Fenix P1 (sold 2)
Fenix P1D
Fenix L2D
Fenix L1D
Fenix L1S
Lumapower Incendio
4Sevens Quark AA
Surefire E1L (sold 2 of them...)
Surefire L1
Fenix TK10

I sold them all because or I didn´t like the tint, or didn´t like the design, or the UI...

Right now I have:
Surefire E2L-AA
Fenix TK20
Surefire E1L
Surefire E1B
Zebralight SC51w

I´ll never sell these because they are exactly what I was looking for! :D
 

Flying Turtle

Flashaholic
Joined
Jan 28, 2003
Messages
6,509
Location
Apex, NC
I couldn't possibly need any more, but that's never stopped me. Minor improvements are always welcome now and then.

Geoff
 

think2x

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Messages
1,581
Location
Pulaski, Va.
Last year I had the "have them all" mindset but then reality set in that all that extra cash could be spent on rebuilding my Ducati or bodywork on my Dually.

I am currently in search of the "perfect variety" of lights.
Emergency light-----------MD2 with M61WLL :thumbsup:
Floody light---------------L2P with Nailbender "Linger Special High CRI" :thumbsup:
Medium/Long range light---Jetbeam BC40......so far it seems great :shrug:
A nice "shiny" light for dressing up----Quark 123x2 Ti (would love a Mac's custom in copper but can't seem to hold on to my money long enough:ohgeez:)
Shotgun mounted light------Quark Turbo :thumbsup:

And a few general purpose EDC sized lights (to keep from getting bored)
RA Clicky High CRI 17670
Fenix PD31
Surefire L1
MD2 M61W high/low
Surefire C2 (18650) with M61

And for the keys.....
Fenix E01
Nitecore EZ CR2w

EDIT: Almost forgot Headlamp
Zebralight H501w

I know that's not really a minimalist approach but it's WAY LESS than last year!
 

gcbryan

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
2,473
Location
Seattle,WA
I'm definitely the minimalist type and not just where flashlights are concerned. I like to kept things simple just as a philosophy I guess.

With flashlights I've gone though a few just to find a few good lights that work for me and I give away the rest. Maybe another light will appeal to me and I'll get rid of an older light.

I don't even think in terms of brands but rather "small AAA light", P60 XP-G, P60 XM-L, throw light, headlamp, cheap light for the car, plastic keychain light, etc.
 

Draz

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jul 8, 2007
Messages
111
Location
North Carolina
omg...FF7 was insane. I still have my memory card with my 99:99 game with knights of the round mastered and just about everything done, im sure I missed something. I know I missed the materia when I let the space ship launch because I couldn't get the code fast enough....
 

Russ Prechtl

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
123
I'm the same way as well. I don't need to hoard them. I just use the few that work the best for me.
 

hoongern

Enlightened
Joined
Apr 19, 2009
Messages
435
Location
Cambridge, MA & Malaysia
I think that one problem enough of us have is that we say "A few will do me just fine" but in reality our definition of "few" could mean pretty much all of them :D You know... only a few categories - "Backup tiny keychain light", "multimode keychain light", "simple AAA keychain light", "CR123 flooder", "CR123 thrower", "neutral white CR123".... etc. etc.
 

wilsonlhf

Newly Enlightened
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
2
Recently I have been the type of person one would call a minimalist. I started yard selling or just tossing old junk around the house I didn't need. I sold some guns that I havn't shot in years, gave away a bunch of random stuff in my house to friends and family and at the end of the day, I fell much better with an uncluttered life.

This brings me to my flashlights. I have never been the type of flashaholic that has to "have them all". While I would love to have every surefire made or a drawer full of malkoff drop-ins, my brain just wont let me rationalize it. Basically I sold and traded all my lights in search for a few perfect ones that will be utilized and not shelf queens. I believe you can call this liquidating my collection. ATM this is what I have:

Surefire LX2 (throw and emergency runtimes)
Surefire L1 (EDC and get home bag light)
Surefire C3 with M61WLL (Bump in the night light)
Assorted cheap lights and mags lying around that I won't count.

While I only have 3 lights I tend to buy and sale/trade many in the marketplace because I may realize that my MD2 with hi/low and M61w, while an amazing light, didn't give me the throw I needed out in the country so I traded it for the LX2. If the LX2 doesn't feel "right" I will sale or trade it in search of another light to try.

How many are you there like myself who just wants a few "perfect" lights instead of hoarding them like pokemon? I admit that money does play a role in my collecting style, If I had a huge disposable income then sure why not buy as many as I could but in the mean time I gotta be very tactile over what I chose to own.

I have bought 5 lights in a month:sick2:
 

fisk-king

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 24, 2009
Messages
1,104
Location
close to U.N.A.
Starting out I wanted everything but no dinero to fund these desires. Over time I started to realise which lights fit my needs on a day to day basis. The only area that I want to improve , if possible, would be my keychain light: Modamag Draco.

Work: HDS 200CN
Edc: ti pd-s mizer
Minimalist: Quark mini AA neut.
Truck: Malkoff EMS MD2
B.O.B. :hi-cri Twisty HDS & #0 Peak El Capitan

Besides looking for a LF2XT I've been pretty much content for awhile. :)
 

Burgess

Flashaholic
Joined
Apr 10, 2006
Messages
6,545
Location
USA
I am quite selective.

Also, my needs are (usually) quite modest.

Having found some flashlights which i really LIKE,
my quest now is to obtain 'em in the TINTS / HighCRI
which are just now starting to become available.
 

jdboy

Enlightened
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
634
Location
east TN
I picked the "here to pick a good light" option but if that means I may pick up a few good lights that's ok as well!!!
 

flashflood

Enlightened
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
608
I'm the kind of flashaholic that often wakes up in a pool of his own photons, and insists that he has it under control.
 
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