The best thing about giving a flashlight as a gift

I love giving flashlights as gifts. particularly the E01, and the E05. Rarely are they appreciated initially, but later...

The best thing about giving flashlights as a gift are the stories that you hear later on; after they needed a light and they happen to have one on them.

Within the past week I have two people come up to me and thank me again for the E01s that I gave them a few weeks ago. One was in the basement of her apartment when the power went out, the other ended up in a maze of dark alleys here in the city. Both remembered the lights they had on them and found their way out without a problem.

What are your gift giving stories?

A co-worker that I gifted a TK-701 to was thanking me, not even a week after I gave it to her, saying that while she and her sister were out on the road, they got a flat tire and how the light came in handy.

A rookie cop who joined the local force a little less than a year ago, and got issued a Streamlight Stinger by the department, was telling me about how he managed to subdue a very aggressive individual with the strobe mode on ThruNite Scorpion V2 that I gifted him. Apparently, his initial reaction after the incident was, "Well, that was easy," followed by a "NO FRIGGIN' WONDER" after trying the strobe mode on himself.

I have offered at least 10 flashlights , from E01 to L0D to more expensive ones. I also love when people come later to talk to me and say it was great to have the flashlight in a certain situation.
One of the cases was my dad that wasnt much into flashlights until I gave him a LL P6 and later lend him my M2C4 for some time... he now carries the P6 with him most of the time and struggle to give me the M2C4 back

But , I also hate that some people simply never used the flashlight that I offered.
Now I am very careful with the people I offer flashlights , I hate more the feeling of them not using them then the ones that use...and they are expensive!

That's why I start off giving a fauxton - so cheap I don't really care if they use it or not so I give away heaps (bought 100 more the other day) . Then if they show interest I might give them something a bit more suited to their use. It is surprising how useful some people find them.

You have to understand the recipient to pick the right gift light. If they have a specific use for a light and are likely to carry it, I'll try to find something that fits. This is usually a long shot. Most folks that really need a light for an application have one. You might find someone who needs an upgrade with newer technology. For everyone else it going to be something big and yellow so they can find it in the junk drawer where they dumped it. I like the Streamlight Pro Poly 2AA LED with L91s for these folks. A reliable light that's not too expensive. If they loose it, "Oh well, you might remember where you put it when it gets dark."

i'll be giving some Romisen torches to sons of my dear friend this weekend (hopefully), pre-poned Xmas gift. It's gonna be the highlight of our meeting ( i mean.. gifts are always the highlight of a celebratory meeting arent they lol? ) and i plan to wander thru the dark, xmas markets, alleys, parks, churches, .. with them. i might even take my own torch(es) with me ..

will report how it went..

kreisler said:

i'll be giving some Romisen torches to sons of my dear friend this weekend (hopefully), pre-poned Xmas gift. It's gonna be the highlight of our meeting ( i mean.. gifts are always the highlight of a celebratory meeting arent they lol? ) and i plan to wander thru the dark, xmas markets, alleys, parks, churches, .. with them. i might even take my own torch(es) with me ..

will report how it went..

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This is fantastic!

When I started getting into flashlights, everyone in my family got a White Photon II at the time. The Photon III was brand new and I could not afford to buy that for everyone, being a University student and all that comes with that. But they were great gifts, and my brothers and I went wondering through the dark with them.

I just heard again about some lights that I gave out earlier, an E05 and E01 that have come in handy again. The E05 was given as payment for some pizza (he wouldn't take money, so he got the light instead). The next morning he was in the gym and the lights went out. He pulled out his keys and did his thing hassle free. The E01 has found itself shoes.

Keep the stories coming. It is always good to hear the joy that comes with sharing lights with others.

Flashlights are awesome gifts I'm giving my Dad a preon 2!