Gifting Is Fun!!

Gifting an LED to people who would never buy one, or just don't know about them.

Over a year ago it was a AA and Eneloops to someone who would never buy one for himself. Big smiles just after the first click.

A long time client who hires me constantly received a keychain pair for both of her key sets. A Big Ah Hah and a nice hug for such a practical gift.

Recently My Dad (who's about to turn 80) received a hand me down LD01 for the keys and a new LD20 for around the house - eneloops too. He was like a kid with a new toy. Irritating everyone with the light who'd pay attention. It was a beautiful thing

This week a long time friend is getting Married. We'll celebrate at a planned dinner, so I think a pair of Mini Cr2s fit the bill for the couple. I'll toss in some Fenix Claws - got a couple of extras in stock.

We'll see how the girl like hers, but so far everyone loves a Gifted LED. Perfect Choice :thumbsup:

I agree completely...giving a nice light to someone is fun. Most people really don't know what is available out there. A low cost $20 Romisen just blows people away compared to what they are used to in a flashlight.

The Black Friday Maglites from Lowes are a perfect opportunity for gifting. I've given some of MiniMags and 3D Mags to family. They came in handy for my brother when we had that week of no power! Next up for his birthday he's getting a SureFire C2 Centurion with either an XPG R5 or an XM-L dropin (haven't decided yet). Can't wait for that moment!

By the way, it seems best when you give the light just out of the blue and not for some special occasion. Somehow it makes it better when they're not even remotely expecting it!

I think you definitely have to supply the batteries too though, so many 'non-flashaholics' simply don't get batteries and will buy junk and waste (or ruin) a good flashlight. Often the best you can hope for is that they will promise to buy Duracell or Energizer for it. Forget about insisting on Lithium primaries.

Which actually raises a good point - should you get them an AA-based flashlight then supply them with eneloops and charger, or get them something less common like a 123-based light and a handful of batteries. You could then guide them to (or supply) suitable replacements.

The other trick is resisting the temptation to compare their new light with your latest monster...

I agree, my niece and nephews have all received lights and/or headlamps from me. And I bought my a iTP AA light for my Dad's keychain for his b-day in '10, and a headlamp for his b-day in '11, and to this day he still comments on how much he uses them, esp. the headlamp..."I have light AND both hands free-I love it"!!!!

You know when you're a flashaholic when...you buy a pocket knife for your brother-in-law for his b-day, and your 6-year-old nephew asks, before it's unwrapped, "is it a flashlight"?

Brewer said:

I think you definitely have to supply the batteries too though, so many 'non-flashaholics' simply don't get batteries and will buy junk and waste (or ruin) a good flashlight.

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Good point. My AA gifts included eneloops. I have 6 or 8 CR2s in stock that match the pair in the 4Seven's box. Might have to make a 3rd box with extras & restock my own. No need to burden the recipients with ordering batteries just yet.

just gave my dad another flashlight, gave him a solarforce L2r with 2 eneloop AAs. It will surely gets used instead in being in the shelf.

LED Minimags are great for that. Even people that aren't flashaholics recognize a Mag as a decent tool. Plus, they don't have to hunt for expensive batteries. Plus they don't have to be as paranoid as flashaholics with CR123 and the potential to mix up batteries.

Ha ha We do love to share don't we! It must be fun to gift a light because since December(when my sickness began) I have given:
1x Fenix LD10
2x Quark Mini AA²
2x Fenix LD20
4x Quark Mini CR2

But when my Nana's birthday came around I figured she is always cold and got her a sweatshirt...big mistake! I would have loved to buy her a flashlight I just honestly thought she wouldn't want one. I thought I was doing good by not buying her what I wanted and buying her what I thought she would want. Anyway, a while after her birthday, we were at a family dinner and we got to talking about how I had supplied everyone with flashlights and my Nana interrupted and said with quite a bit of disdain "I got a very nice sweatshirt for my birthday". Who would have thought she expected and wanted a flashlight ha ha. Anyway we are going camping in a few weeks and I plan to give her a special flashlight then. Now that I think about it she may be a natural flashoholic. She has always bought lithium primaries. So just remember, you may be expected to give a light for a gift. You better not disappoint like I did!

I also like the idea of gifting eneloops and chargers. I will likely do this in the future.

I agree with that it's fun to give a flashlight to a non-flashoholic if the person appreciate it. Unfortunately many of my friends are not interested in flashlights, and some of them consider me a bit curious because of my fascination of flashlights. I have several decent flashlights I will get rid of but I don't want to give a good flashlight to anyone who will not appreciate it. Some people are fully satisfied with their $5 cheapy from a dollar store, and will not be impressed by a new modern LED-light.
But there are friends who really appreciate it also, and then it's really fun. I gave a Fenix TK20 to my brother in law for his 40-years birthday, and he loves it, he uses it regularly and it's his best flashlight.

You can gift as many to me as you like!! :laughing:

My dad bought an LD20 after seeing my LD10. He was a little disappointed when it came because it was bigger than he was expecting and doesn't work for his EDC.

To try and make it up to him I got an E05 for his birthday. He loves it and has told me how great it is a couple times He just can't believe that its brighter than the 2 C cell lights they have laying around his work. The E05 is a great light because it runs well on alkaline (which is what most non flashaholics will feed their light when your not looking) and it's inexpensive enough that it's not heart breaking if you lose it. Plus the floody beam is great for EDC stuff.

Swedpat said:

Unfortunately many of my friends are not interested in flashlights, and some of them consider me a bit curious because of my fascination of flashlights.

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With that knowledge in mind, your gift should peak quite a bit of interest or at least curiosity if these friends receive the very thing they question for free. You stand a good chance of converting the nay sayer to this strange new LED thing.

Beats the hell out of a box O socks any day

Swedpat, I know what you are talking about. There was also a thread a while back about people not being impressed by our lights.
It is true, if I show a nice light for a person without flashlight interest it is just a thing. Push the button and it puts out light. Nothing impressive about that, it's a flashlight, it's supposed to put out light.
They are not impressed by good machining, finish, the nice beam or tint, size/output ratio. If it is 30 or 300 lumens doesn't matter, it's just light. They don't have much of a reference.
Push the button on the wall and the lamp in the ceiling also lights up, it's about the same thing.

For these people those $5 lights are OK. Cheap, they put out light when you push the button. A set of alkalines last for years beacuse it's not used much. No critical use so a failure is not big deal. If it happens they probably have a cellphone, candle or whatever to help them.

Well, and then there are those that like good gear and appreciate a light that is well made and is well thought out.

I have given away a couple of Fenix E05 and ITP A3 and they are well recived.
My dad got his A3 about a year ago and he still talks about it when he has had use for it. He is very impressed.

I to have some other lights that I could give away but it must be the correct recipient.