Where's the love for flashlights?

Being a both a flashaholic and a gun enthusiast, I don't understand why gun magazines over look flashlight reviews. They review everything else in the shooting industry and then some so why not flashlights? I mean a good light is crucial when facing a night time self defense situation or when trying to get that pesky coon or possum. I know Guns magazine always does an article on a knife company and American Handgunner does a half page review on a knife so why no love for flashlights? The times that magazines do include lights, like Handguns, its a brief one or two page article on why its good to have a light and they may mention a stremlight pen light or a basic surefire and that's it. I think they should do at least a page review on lights that would be handy for the outdoors man, police officers, EDC, and the general night stand light to go with a person's chosen night stand gun. I'd like for fellow flashaholics that also subscribe to gun magazines to consider emailing or writing them and request a review section. Not only would it help out the light companies it would also give us more reviews to read. I just emailed Guns and Ammo and Guns so I'll see if I hear back, I'll be gone this week so it will be friday before I have internet again. I recommended they visit this forum to get ideas and learn the ropes on lights as well as suggested manufactures they could check with for review samples. Let's hear what you guys have to say on this, maybe with enough support we could get a review section in one of em.

I'd like to see this, as I am just learning all there is on this great site and some articles could help me along. I'd love to see flashlight stuff also in knife magazines like Blade.

Valkman try emailing them, never know what you may get back. So far I haven't heard back from either of the emails I sent

Tac Gunner said:

Valkman try emailing them, never know what you may get back. So far I haven't heard back from either of the emails I sent

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After reading your OP I was going to tell you not to hold your breath waiting for a response, as I've emailed companies with what seem like good ideas before, and a response is rare. But they certainly should do more FL reviews and articles. This is exactly why companies like Surefire and Streamlight have such a monopoly in the shooting/hunting industry and throughout police depts and military circles. Most people just don't realize there's anything else out there, short of the cheaper lights found at Radio Shack and home centers.

I might send G and A an email too, but I won't be holding my breath either.

After I posted that I checked my inbox and realized that an email I hadn't opened because it appeared to be spam was actually a conformation email from Guns magazine. Once I opened it I had to click a link to confirm I was a living breathing human (their words not mine), after I did that the email actually went on to their inbox. Wait and see now what happens. I agree that the reason Surefire and Streamlight have such a monopoly is because they were some of the pioneering companies in lights and took top spot first, thereby gaining the following of most LEOs. By the time other companies got well established, regular people didn't care. I feel that if enough of us send emails we may get them to at least visit the forum and get them interested to where they purse our requests.

Heard back from Jeff John today, editor of GUNS magazine. Here is what he has to say:

"HaHa!

We do cover lights. Last January we did a special on lights in the Quartermaster column. Mas Ayoob used a new SureFire weapon light as part of the June issue's cover story on the STI 5.0.

Clint has done stories on tactical use of lights in the past . Probably about time he revisited the topic. I'll see what he says.

You're right about lights. I'll see if Mas wants to revisit the topic, too. TSA always questions him about why he flies with so many flashlights. He always has to tell them, "So I can see in the dark."

Thanks for reading GUNS!

Jeff John, editor"

Maybe it is possible that we will see an increase in reviews or at least brands other than Surefire or Streamlight when they do do reviews. Keep emailing suggestions and it may make an even bigger impact.

So it has been a while since I posted last in this thread, honestly had forgot about it but thought better late than never. The letter I wrote to Guns and Ammo was published in the letter to the editor part in the September 2013 issue and they did an article or two in the following issues, Handguns magazine featured a few light articles around that same time, American Handgunner has done a few articles on lights and the use of them with handguns, and the June issue of Guns magazine has a little write up on the Olight S10-L2. Maybe magazines have caught on to the importance of lights and maybe they will promote brands besides just Surefire and Streamlight.

The last couple of times that I have been at the Dentist's office, waiting for my appointment, I have picked up a few issues of Outdoors magazine, and fanned the pages to see what kind of flashlight ads might be there. There have only been two - one Fenix ad for an AA (or multiple?) flashlight(s), and one ad for Surefire for the E2L-AA light. Outdoorsy people tend to have gear-head tendencies, so I'm always surprised at the lack of ads from other flashlight companies. Where do other flashlight companies advertise? If they don't, how do companies such as Olight, Eagletac, Jetbeam, etc., stay in business, since I don't see much besides junk led lights and m@glites in the few retail stores I make it into. I'm a big fan of the folks at the local Ace Hardware franchise, but they don't have much either.

Shhhhh. Be quiet. I dont want custom P60 dropin's becoming an ammo shortage.

novice said:

Where do other flashlight companies advertise?

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The 'net. Their own site, dealer sites, websites of sports/camping/hiking type stores, etc, etc. And let's not forget about CPF & that other forum 'word-of-mouth'. And/or plain Googling. I found my first CR123A light simply because I got curious about using that as a power source. One thing leads to another, blah, blah...

If they don't, how do companies such as Olight, Eagletac, Jetbeam, etc., stay in business

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Sure advertising helps, but mostly for crap that people wouldn't buy otherwise. Like junkfood, iPhones or the latest Steven Seagal movie. :laughing: Quality gear has a way of finding its customers - advertised or not.

If their flashlight articles are like everything else they do, every review will describe a perfect light that you just can't live without. And it'll be TACTICAL!!111!!

And there's likely to be at least one ad for that product somewhere in the magazine.

Guns and Ammo and Handguns only review particular brands but American Handgunner and Guns seems to review and promote more than just advertisers.

The true test, however, is to see if they've ever met a gun they didn't like. I stopped reading these magazines years ago, for that reason. Just once, I'd love to see them say, "This one is total crap. Don't buy it."

sorry for the off-topic-ness.

dss_777 said:

sorry for the off-topic-ness.

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Off-topic but 100% true!

It maybe a bit off topic but I will agree as it goes for reviews on anything from anywhere, don't just say good things about a product because the manufacture advertises with you or you are sponsored by them, give the honest truth, if it's crap than say so, if it's not than say that. I have dropped all but two magazines because I don't have time to read them, they all cover the same guns, and except for the two I still get, always give great reviews just because that company gives them money. Anyways though, back to the topic at hand.

I think its just that firearm enthusiasts just see it as an un-interesting object that has some overlapping useage in their world but not enough to warrant actual full blown coverage on a regular basis in things like magazine publications which tend to cater to their patrons desire for lots of eye candy photo shoots and articles focused on their true passion which is firearms. I find most articles in magazines regardless of the magazines topic to be very fluffy and very geared towards advertising products and less geared towards in depth specific data . Magazines are really just full color advertising platforms . Though flashlights are a product they just don't hold the attention of most people to that degree.

BriteLite2 said:

I think its just that firearm enthusiasts just see it as an un-interesting object that has some overlapping useage in their world but not enough to warrant actual full blown coverage.

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I've had to pull a gun 4x in ~36 years
I use a flashlight 3x-10x a day.

As a user of Air Weapons and the fact that the UK has a very healthy forum (There are currently 690 users online. 334 members and 356 guestsMost users ever online was 1,808, 30-10-2012 at 10:46 PM.)

I am also shocked at the little talk of flash lights.

Very often the stories on magazines are "sponsored" by the product they mention, and this is EXPENSIVE.
So, the larger manufacturers can afford this, but the smaller guys cannot.
Social media, the Net, etc are much easier for the light companies to target their customers, and cheaper too.