Do aesthetics matter?

Having seen loads of new lights hit the market recently it is apparent from many of the comments made that people judge a flashlight as much on its appearance as its ability. Things like bezel shape, design and colour do seem to influence potential buyers. I know that some really ugly lights turn me off buying them so I assume I'm not alone in thinking that a good design and great aesthetics really can influence whether or not people buy a particular light! What do you guys think?

I absolutely make that part of the equation before I buy. I would not buy an inferior light regardless of how good it looks, the stats have to impress me before I even look at aesthetics. But if a light is ugly, then I might not buy it even if the stats are good. After all, if I am going to be carrying and using it a lot, shouldn't it look good too? There are more than enough lights on the market that you can pick and choose carefully to get the ones that are not only functionally sound but also aesthetically pleasing.

I certainly have a "type" when it comes to lights...

For instance I am a big Fenix fan and have several but the LD41 looks to industrial to me,so i would pass on buying one.

You got a good point right there. Indeed aesthetics matter in my opinion, for one more for another maybe less.

For me it is a matters quite alot. If I'm looking for a new light if search for lights with fit my requirements but then at the end I decide by the looks if there are similar lights.

rayman

You're usually using a light at night, and it's not about the light itself being seen but the beam... which then illuminates something of course. Are looks all that important? Isn't it more about performance and cost? I'd venture to say that for the average person on the street, the price is going to weigh much more heavily on their minds than the appearance of the light. With folks like us... who frequent a forum dedicated for flashlights and other things that illuminate (can you imagine?), I think it's a different story.

Most custom lights I've seen here are very expensive and also coincidentally very attractive looking (with only one or two exceptions... I can't stand the knurling on the Dragon Heart, sorry). So appearance seems to have an important role to play there.

Actually, I personally find a good majority of lights made over the past few years to go from decent looking to even... sexy, dare I say it. But yeah, there are some that look a bit dumpy, enough that I'd avoid them even with the allure of great performance and attractive pricing. I'm just glad that a lot of nice looking lights are available... and increasing!

It shouldn't matter, but for me, it does. I really appreciate good designs.

From the posts I've seen so far the majority of opinion seems to indicate that the appearance of a flashlight DOES matter. I know from having spent a lot of time viewing threads over the years that colour also seems to make a flashlight more desirable. Whether that is because they feel that the colour makes a flashlight more usable for a particular task or role or whether it's due to personal preference is interesting. Perhaps manufacturers have potentially lost a hidden market for a product due to a lack of good design aesthetics AND different colours for the more common offerings?

And aren't all of us guilty of admiring our flashlights in the light of day? Unsheathing it from a pocket or holster and looking it over, marveling in its design and capabilities? I know if I had a $500+ custom light like a Haiku, I'd be admiring it frequently... at least daily until the newness wears off a bit.

When I got my Surefire U2, I was so enamored with how it looks that I wouldn't even let it leave the house. :laughing:

I really don't care much about the appearance, albeit if I needed to show up at work with an iridescent pink bedazzled flashlight, I would have second thoughts. IE: It would have to be pretty awful looking to keep me from buying it - if it were otherwise perfect.

I don't really buy lights to put on a shelf and admire. I use them as tools. I might admire one in my hand, in use, etc...but I'm more about function than form.

I have exactly one light I don't use much, and I do sort of protect it...a souped up Copper S12 I essentially bought just to help a bud pay his bills. I am sort of thinking I might give it back to him one day, so, I didn't want to mess it up.

Other than that, if its too pretty to use, I don't need it.



So, it doesn't HURT if its cool looking, etc...but, its not really a buying criteria.

Call me shallow but looks do indeed matter!

To me the look matters at least as much as function. I buy what I like. Fortunately, there are times when great design and great function come together to make a truly beautiful, functional tool. HDS Clicky, Surefire A2, Surefire M6, Malkoff MDC...

While I do deem functionality to be of higher priority than aesthetics...



C'mon, LOOK AT THAT THING. That thing just reeks of badassery.

Even my SSgt was, like, "Damn, that thing is crazy."
And that was even before he shined the 1,300 lumen beam onto his palm and blinded himself.

I believe that there are two types of beauty;

A graceful beauty where everything is matched perfectly, from colors to patterns to the looks of the individual parts. A Lambo or Ferrari, for example.

And then there is the ugly beauty where something is so damned ugly to the point where it defies rules of logic and does a complete 180°. Like an AH-64 or A-10.

Ugly or oversized lights for their performance turn me off. I like a nice looking light, but shape, beam and runtimes are most important.

Aesthetics don't matter much to me unless it was hideous, i used to think spyderco knives were very ugly, never gave them a second look until i bought one, have had a few since then, they are more ergonomic than pretty.

Seems like you could generalize that question to encompass any product: car, blender, phone, power drill, gun, whatever. I also think it depends on the person and the intended use case. My inclination is to say, on average, yes it matters I'd wager the person that doesn't care at all is the exception, not the rule. In many cases the appearance is also tied to functionality. I don't think most military hardware is designed to look cool...but doesn't it ?

1 - Function: Does it have the functions I need for a particular purpose, and is it easy to use.

2 - Reliability: Will the light serve me as I expect, and if not, does the company have a good reputation for dealing with warranties.

3 - Comfort: Is the light comfortable to hold. I hate sharp bits of anything protruding and causing discomfort while using.

4 - Cost: Does the cost justify it's function, reliability and comfort. Cheaper is usually not better, regardless of what the manufacturer may claim.

5 - Appearance: This is of almost nil consequence to me. It's going to be dark when I'm using the light. Look how popular the MD2 is, and it's an ugly light.

They do matter for me though they are not the first factor I look at:
What I find important for me now is:
1. Runtimes
2. UI
3. Reliability
4. Brightness - in relation to runtimes
I listed them in a certain order but it's not necessarily in order of importance as these criteria are directly or indirectly interconncted.

Than there are somewhat aesthetic features that have a functional or practical value, for example crenelation, shape considered in terms of ergonomics.
Then there is the purely aesthetic factor not related to any practical aspect and it still matters much to me. Obviously not to the point of buying a crap light just because it looks better than a more suitable one but if I find two similar lights of same quality and similar price, with features that equally fit my needs, I'll definitely buy the one that I like better in terms of aesthetics. No reason why not to please the eye too if I have the choice.

I agree with archer6917j that there is a certain perverse pleasure to be gained from loving and admiring weapons and military hardware as well as anything else which has been designed for specific purpose. When it comes to lights I've always preferred a design which highlights functionality and purpose. A great example for me is the Hellfighter. That thing has very little obvious aesthetic appeal but actually the design is very appealing because of it's inherent functionality. I guess it's true to say that beauty really does lie with the eye of the beholder?

I agree 100% with it being subjective, and, personal, as to what's aesthetically pleasing, and what's ugly.

We all have a self image...and, we want our stuff to reflect that.


The above mentions of military hardware, and cars, trucks, etc...are good to illustrate that.


Take the boxy Jeep Wrangler or old Land Rover...many LOVE the rugged boxy styling...and, many HATE the styling.


Take the polar opposite SUV-ish stuff, the rounded giant hatchbacks that they call SUV's now-a-days...no right angles, very teardrop shaped, etc....the people who LOVE the Jeeps, etc, HATE the new rounded stuff, and, the people who HATED the jeeps, etc, LOVE the new rounded more aerodynamic sleek look, etc.


Both can look at the other and think how UGLY the other is....and, they'd both be right, for them.


If your self image is more associated with rugged form over function, an A-10 Warthog CAN be beautiful....Because it embodies what is beautiful to YOU.