papershredder
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- May 31, 2013
- Messages
- 132
I was a flashaholoic as a kid. We had incandescents powered off a few cells, and we liked it! I collected out of the Radio Shack catalog.
Now I've got LED flashlights that are leaps and bounds ahead of what I had growing up. I only recently got back into lights via EDC.
But, between then and now, there were a few situations, chronologically, that stand out where I found myself without a light when I really could have used one (or a good one, for that matter.)
In these situations I've listed, which admittedly are few and far between, the average store-bought flashlight would not do the job. Only the "high end" stuff here discussed on CPF would be suitable. It's not just about being without a light, it's about being without the right light. I EDC mostly single cell lights now, but they would all work wonders for the listed scenarios I've found myself in. My multiple cell lights and a few searchlights would be even better, and I usually carry these when I expect to find myself in more demanding environments.
It's one thing to be outpaced by new technology, but it's entirely another to not be suitably prepared. Just having one good light would have made a world of a difference.
Can anyone relate?
Now I've got LED flashlights that are leaps and bounds ahead of what I had growing up. I only recently got back into lights via EDC.
But, between then and now, there were a few situations, chronologically, that stand out where I found myself without a light when I really could have used one (or a good one, for that matter.)
- Went on a camping trip from Arizona to California. Reserved a spot at a campground, long after dark. There was no moon out. My friend and I could barely find the trail that led to the campground. Once we got there, we did not know it, and almost walked into at least a couple of tents trying to find our numbered spot. When we almost walked into the side of the first tent, we realized we had made it to about the right place.
- Another camping trip, this time to Colorado from Arizona. Another dark night. I had a few cheap Harbor Freight lights with me. They were better than nothing, but I could not determine my surroundings beyond about 10 feet. This made gathering firewood in the dark difficult. When the sun came up, I was able to see things in my surroundings that I was oblivious to at night.
- Searching around 5 acres for a prowler (probably someone running a meth lab) with a standard maglight, and a few other tools.
- Driving around in rural Iowa--trying to back up in a car in unfamiliar surroundings.
In these situations I've listed, which admittedly are few and far between, the average store-bought flashlight would not do the job. Only the "high end" stuff here discussed on CPF would be suitable. It's not just about being without a light, it's about being without the right light. I EDC mostly single cell lights now, but they would all work wonders for the listed scenarios I've found myself in. My multiple cell lights and a few searchlights would be even better, and I usually carry these when I expect to find myself in more demanding environments.
It's one thing to be outpaced by new technology, but it's entirely another to not be suitably prepared. Just having one good light would have made a world of a difference.
Can anyone relate?