Are LED flashlights getting to be too mainstream?

I remember when the very few LED lights at the store were limited to the cheapo multi-LED types, but nowadays the LED flashlights seem to outnumber the incans on the shelves and I'm even seeing a number of half-decent cree or luxeon type lights. Here in Sweden, LED flashlights (as well as LEDs for household illumination) are being promoted as the greener and more energy efficient alternative to incandescent lights. I'm seeing more and more people buying them as well. This increased awareness is great, of course, but CPFers and the vendors we usually buy from have always been ahead of the curb when it comes to LED technology. I know some CPF'ers have said in the past that they enjoy the hobby even more because it's not mainstream. Granted, very few people will turn it into a hobby, but how do you feel about LED flashlights becoming so mainstream? Personally, I find it a little amusing to be lectured by flashlight novices about how amazingly efficient LEDs are, and how much greener it is than the evil incandescents.

Maybe a silly topic, but just something that's crossed my mind a couple of times.

Re: Too mainstream?

I'm amused now by how many people think they know alot about LED lights.

Yesterday i had a customer wanting to upfit 11 trucks. He said if I could make it happen fast, he would give me a "$200.00" LED flashlight, "it has Cree technology and 180 lumens!". After checking a truck he wants duplicated, he proceeded to show me a 2xAA terralux, at which point I reached in my jacket and produced an Energizer 1 watt with a neutral XP-G at 1.4amps, 3 mode. He turned it on and shined it in his own face to see if it was brighter! I tried to warn him....

With "new" tech, you'll always get this. It was the same when music came out on CD. But there are people who listen, and true audiophiles.

We flashaholics will always be ahead of the curve.

Re: Too mainstream?

Haha, talk about rude awaking. Great story. I've been around this forum since '04 and I'm still learning new stuff. Oh, and I found it amusing when I got a pamphlet from the power company promoting LED technology, and they also had a competition you could enter to win some crappy LED light that they presented like it was state-of-the-art.

Re: Too mainstream?

Yeah, he was trying to be the expert (he's a commercial lighting electrician).

Our local power provider did the same a short while ago. They wanted to charge some outrageous ammount for a mediocre bulb.

Re: Too mainstream?

I'll gladly let the newb compare his Harbor Freight multi-LED wonder to my 1x14500 XM-L..

Some guy was on the Jimmy Fallon show a couple nights ago showing off a "30 year light bulb", which was clearly an LED bulb with oversized heat sink, and he went on and on talking about how the heat sink wicked away all the heat and made the bulb last so long; not one mention of the term "LED", or how your local hardware store has an entire section of these bulbs now. This is going to be one remarkably slow lighting revolution if people aren't even informed of what an LED is..

Re: Too mainstream?

Definately seeing LEDs dominate the flashlight sections of all the big box stores and any retailer that sells flashlights carries LED lights now.With all the LED lights available I still don't see much that I actually want in B&M stores even though some of them are are using CREEs or other quality LEDs.Target seems to be eliminating INOVA flashlights in favor of well known brands like Energizer and Maglite so I don't really see much if any improvement in flashlight selection either but I suppose it won't matter to the non-enthusiast.Actually I am kinda bummed out,not because there are so many LED lights available but because some favorite incandescent lights are no longer available or may be on thier way out permanently.Right now I doubt the reliability of most LED lights that are on the shelves and of course the tints are almost always cool.I would rather have a cheap incan host and a Dorcy or other PR base drop-in than a dedicated LED light with poor construction.Fortunately there are some good brands available online and we have a wealth of information here to keep us informed

Re: Too mainstream?

For the most part, I'm glad to see LED technology become mainstream enough for average people to afford it, because that's what needs to happen to reduce our energy usage. I haven't had anyone "lecture" me about the advantages of LED technology -- well, okay, one friend I have who's kind of a hippie, but I promptly shut him up by telling him I spent $700 on LED bulbs for my apartment. When someone wants to show me their cool new flashlight, I just agree with them that it's a lot better than the old Maglite they used to have.

I don't have hobbies so I can be better than other people at one thing or another. I have hobbies because they entertain me. I could care less what anyone else thinks, positive or negative.

The more they sell the faster technology will evolve, then we all benefit. It doesn't bother me one bit of someone thinks they got the best $20 LED light. Ignorance is bliss so let them enjoy it.

Re: Too mainstream?

Yes, led's are a bit mainstream, with all that energizer, coleman, garrity and chinese led flashlights scattered around in most malls and hardware chains in my country(philippines).

But lights found here at cpf will never be mainstream, once my wife asked me if ever there will come a time If the lights i buy/collect will be available over the counter or from some big stores. I told her that we can count 15yr's and we'll never see something like the one's built/available for true flashaholics and the techno literate online consumer. I'd be surprised to see a flashlight bought over the counter using a copper heatsink with an over driven emitter lol.

Just like what jabe1 said, a lot of flashaholics are like true audiophiles. They know how to listen and what differentiates the mediocre to the best built things that are available.

Re: Too mainstream?

I have yet to see any flashlights sold outside the flashoholic market containing SST90/SST50/XP-G/XM-L/MC-E, all of which we flashoholics have enjoyed for years. It's mostly older Luxeon K2 LEDs or XR-Es belonging to the P bin (cheaper) that you find sold outside.

Just look at the P60 sized format, flashoholics have enjoyed 1000+ lumens incans (in the form of 1185/1794 etc since what 2004? and that type of output is STILL not available outside in that form factor due to lack of Li-on batteries) and recently that P60 format has peaked out at around 1700 OTF or 1900 LED lumens with the Quad S2 drop-ins that Kenji or VanIsleDSM are offering in the markerplace. Similar sized P60 sized lights available the public are like what? 120 lumens? Doubt that's even out the front lumens.

Re: Too mainstream?

The (non-flashlight enthusiast) public seems content with led lights that are currently readily available to them in the mainstream market. I personally prefer it that way as those nichia lights and cheap 5mm led showerhead lights are good enough for them, adequate for whatever task at hand.

Therefore, even my 'cheapest' light could inspire awe to these average joes and janes.

Re: Too mainstream?

I agree that it will probably be a long time before the LEDs we are used to become mainstream in flashlights - if ever. Flashlights geared towards the average consumer tend to focus more on runtime than brightness. Even 60 out the front lumens will be more than enough for Joe Average. High output flashlights will in all likelihood remain a niche mainly geared towards law enforcement, military or enthusiasts.

LEDs becoming more mainstream and affordable is of course a great thing for both people's economy and the environment. Only real con I can see is what ZMZ67 mentioned, that it gets harder to find incandescent flashlights to use as hosts. Over here, you you can't even find incan. Mags anymore, they're all LED – except the MiniMag which still sells side by side with the LED version.

As for indoor illumination, regular household incan. bulbs are in the process of being completely banned in the EU (and in other parts of the world). Stores here are no longer allowed to sell clear (non-frosted) bulbs at all, and the frosted ones are gradually being phased out as well – the high watters being the first to go. I actually don't think you can get a 60 Watt bulb anymore.

I don't like how long it takes for the fluorescent low watt bulbs to warm up and put out useful light, the regular incan bulbs give you instant illumination without leaving you fumbling in very dim light. I also don't like the toxic mercury spills if you accidentally break a fluorescent. The future of indoor lighting is obviously LEDs, but fitting an entire house with LED lighting can be very expensive – at least the upfront cost, not counting long term savings. For now I use fluorescent bulbs in most parts of the house. They offer good savings on the power bill, but I would appreciate the continued option of putting incandescent bulbs in parts of the house that don't remain on for very long or very often – i.e. basement, attic, some outdoor areas etc.

Re: Too mainstream?

I agree that the more mainstream it is, the more money gets dumped into R&D :thumbsup: The only downside I see is that the average consumer seems to prize low cost over all else. This drives low quality to the forefront and gives the new tech a bad name.

One thing to consider is that CFLs and LED A19 lights aren't rated for enclosed spaces. If you keep them enclosed they will prematurely fail. For that reason I don't think we're in a place yet to completely ban incans.

Eventually I'd like to see things move away from the A19 format and towards a wider, shorter format that works better for LED heat sinking and light distribution. Or better yet an integrated design that allows better heat sinking while still being able to replace LEDs.

Re: Too mainstream?

(eh, you know what, nevermind, I left my flame suit at the dry cleaners)

Re: Too mainstream?

fyrstormer said:

(eh, you know what, nevermind, I left my flame suit at the dry cleaners)

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Ah, come on frystormer. Get that suit on.

Keith

Re: Too mainstream?

It was off-topic anyway, better-suited for discussion in the Fixed Lighting forum, wherein that topic has already been beaten to death.

I have moved this thread to the /LED Flashlights/ discussion subforum and renamed the thread title somewhat for descriptive purposes. Best regards,

I've had a streamlight stinger led ever since they came out, and at least once a week I hear someone say "Jesus that thing is bright" and its only 180 or 200 lumens. Ill be excited to see what the malkoff drop in shows up for my p6 compares to. But it'll never come to work with me.. Just too rough of an environment for an expensive light.

dingo1799 said:

Ill be excited to see what the malkoff drop in shows up for my p6 compares to. But it'll never come to work with me.. Just too rough of an environment

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But the Malkoff is tougher than the Stinger..

theres one hell of a big difference though, the stinger is rechargeable, on top of it theres no fiddling with pulling batteries and replacing them... with the nimh battery thats in it, the stinger will run on full power for 8 hours. i'd have went through god knows how many cr123s with the other

StarHalo said:

But the Malkoff is tougher than the Stinger..

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