I've hit critical mass!

Sacrilege I know, but I have my fill of flashlights for this "age". Before re-discovering CPF my ultimate light was my SF A2. And then I popped back on and discovered all the wonderful advancements. So I bought a ton of lights, found what I liked, and sold the rest. And now, like many years ago, I'm content, and will enjoy what I have and come back when stuff has made another major leap again.

I'm at 15 or so lights right now, which is way more than I truly need (I find too many distracts from what I really want to use), but I can't seem to pare down my modest collection any further than that. Highlights include my original A2, and I've added 2 more NIB ones (including a NOS 4-flats!!!!), 4 HDS lights, and 2 ArmyTek Predators. This time I find myself moving away from the 2-cell Surefires and adding the newer 1-cell SFs, like the e1B, E1L, and EB1, which provide more power and runtime than my older 2-cells they replaced.

I've also discovered Malkoff drop-ins and rechargeable eneloops and li-ions, which have made a huge difference. Nearly all my lights now run off rechargeables, including my power hog A2. I'm still trudging through a supply of 80 or so 123 primaries, but will take much longer now. For whatever reason, I haven't loved the 18650 cells and lights. Those go the fastest out of my hands, esp if they are 18650-only. They tend to be too big for daily carry. Only the ArmyTek impressed me enough to stay, and I can run it off a wide range of cell or cell combinations. I have liked the 16670 (or whatever it is) for use in Malkoff hosts, without requiring modification.

While I've purchased my fair share of the newer Chinese lights, few have remained long for one reason or another. ArmyTek has been the most impressive, but I'm also keeping a TK75 (which I hardly ever use - but man is it impressive), and 2 Quark QTAs. I have my SRT3 as well, still, and will likely keep it.

Anyway, this is a great age of flashlights and I truly LOVE the move towards moonlight modes and long runtimes. Those are the most useful to me. It'll be interesting to see what the next great leap will be. I'm going to cherish what I have, and save some money while I wait..... Or more likely spend it on some other hobby .

For reference, here's what I'm keeping:

47s Penlight (forgot about that one!)
47s QTA (x2)
ArmyTek Predator Pro 2.5 (x2)
Elzetta Bravo 2-cell with Hi/Lo
Fenix TK75
HDS EDC (2 clicky 200, 1 clicky hi-CRI, 1 rotary hi-CRI)
Nitecore SRT3 (might sell)
Surefire A2 Aviator (x3)
Surefire A2L (might sell)
Surefire C2 with Malkoff
Surefire EB1T
Surefire E1B (x2)
Surefire E1L-A
Surefire G2 with Malkoff
Surefire T1A Titan
Surefire Minimus Vision

I admire your restraint. My downfall is redundancy, or I may be able to get near your 15 or so. There is just a lot of really good stuff out there right now, to include some great classics...

I've been thinking for a while now of reducing mine to 5 or 6 lights but I can't decide which ones. :shrug:

I can sympathize with the OP.
I had several roles I wanted to fill.

• A head-lamp and a quality/durable emergency hand held light for each automobile.
• A powerful "light up the yard" light by each exit in the house.
• A multi-level "nightstand" light for myself and my wife.
• A couple of "area" lights for power outages
• A good/durable camping lantern
• A good/durable/powerful camping/hiking handlight
• A reliable headlamp for camping/hiking
• A couple of weapons lights (with the special considerations for shock and vibration that they require)

At this point those roles (and a few others) have all been filled, plus a few "just for fun" lights.

Now sure there is more "just for fun" stuff I'd love to have but I simply can not justify things like the Nitecore TM26, especially given that I live in a woody/mountain area where your biggest open space might be 400-500 yards max and your line of sight is more typically about 200 yards.

think2x said:

I've been thinking for a while now of reducing mine to 5 or 6 lights but I can't decide which ones. :shrug:

Click to expand...

Will you still keep the INOVA X5 as in your icon?

I still have mine, but can't justify it in any practical way at all.

WilsonCQB1911 said:

For reference, here's what I'm keeping:

47s Penlight (forgot about that one!)
47s QTA (x2)
ArmyTek Predator Pro 2.5 (x2)
Elzetta Bravo 2-cell with Hi/Lo
Fenix TK75
HDS EDC (2 clicky 200, 1 clicky hi-CRI, 1 rotary hi-CRI)
Nitecore SRT3 (might sell)
Surefire A2 Aviator (x3)
Surefire A2L (might sell)
Surefire C2 with Malkoff
Surefire EB1T
Surefire E1B (x2)
Surefire E1L-A
Surefire G2 with Malkoff
Surefire T1A Titan
Surefire Minimus Vision

Click to expand...

Nice collection here
But that's 24 flashlights and not 15

WilsonCQB1911 said:

For reference, here's what I'm keeping ....

Click to expand...

All those ... and no Peak ?!?

No SF LX2?

I used to own about a dozen SFs but I've since sold most of them.
Two that I haven't been able to part with are the LX2 and 6P.

I have a E2L as well but more for sentimental reasons - plus it's too banged up to sell.

I just sold my old LX2

WilsonCQB1911 said:

I just sold my old LX2

Click to expand...

Just sold mine too.

Through ignorance I make the following statement: You must have one of the nicest collections in Jordan?? I like your taste! But, I couldn't stop there. Not in my blood. In fact, I think I have lumens in my blood.

Str8stroke said:

In fact, I think I have lumens in my blood.

Click to expand...

"If you cut me, do I not shine?"

It's refreshing to trim down. Sometimes too many choices distract me from the lights I really enjoy so I try to keep my set to 10 or less. It fluctuates though. I love the LX2, but get bored with it (I think that's a good thing....boringly reliable) and sell it, then a year later, buy another. I'm on my third one now. I will probably always own at least one HDS (have 3 now). It's always fun though.

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."

WilsonCQB1911 said:

Sacrilege I know, but I have my fill of flashlights for this "age". Before re-discovering CPF my ultimate light was my SF A2. And then I popped back on and discovered all the wonderful advancements. So I bought a ton of lights, found what I liked, and sold the rest. And now, like many years ago, I'm content, and will enjoy what I have and come back when stuff has made another major leap again.

I'm at 15 or so lights right now, which is way more than I truly need (I find too many distracts from what I really want to use), but I can't seem to pare down my modest collection any further than that. Highlights include my original A2, and I've added 2 more NIB ones (including a NOS 4-flats!!!!), 4 HDS lights, and 2 ArmyTek Predators. This time I find myself moving away from the 2-cell Surefires and adding the newer 1-cell SFs, like the e1B, E1L, and EB1, which provide more power and runtime than my older 2-cells they replaced.

I've also discovered Malkoff drop-ins and rechargeable eneloops and li-ions, which have made a huge difference. Nearly all my lights now run off rechargeables, including my power hog A2. I'm still trudging through a supply of 80 or so 123 primaries, but will take much longer now. For whatever reason, I haven't loved the 18650 cells and lights. Those go the fastest out of my hands, esp if they are 18650-only. They tend to be too big for daily carry. Only the ArmyTek impressed me enough to stay, and I can run it off a wide range of cell or cell combinations. I have liked the 16670 (or whatever it is) for use in Malkoff hosts, without requiring modification.

While I've purchased my fair share of the newer Chinese lights, few have remained long for one reason or another. ArmyTek has been the most impressive, but I'm also keeping a TK75 (which I hardly ever use - but man is it impressive), and 2 Quark QTAs. I have my SRT3 as well, still, and will likely keep it.

Anyway, this is a great age of flashlights and I truly LOVE the move towards moonlight modes and long runtimes. Those are the most useful to me. It'll be interesting to see what the next great leap will be. I'm going to cherish what I have, and save some money while I wait..... Or more likely spend it on some other hobby .

Click to expand...

I hear you, I am trying to thin out a few, and switch to mostly titanium lights. However, I will keep the some anodized and other materials if they are something special, cool, or rare.

While I do not need to sell them, I don't see my self as a collector as all get used, I just feel I will end up with too many that don't get used, although, Wilson, 15 seems manageable.

Good luck with your reorganization project.

Best wishes from the California Desert,

RL

This thread got me thinking, so I did a quick inventory, and I counted 64 lights! Plus 3 La Petite Killer necklace lights, and a Surefire headlamp. I have few old Mag lights still around, but don't count them in my "Non collection" as I am not a collector, or....am I? You members be the judge!

Now, I have 20 custom lights from some of the prolific makers we all know and love, and with the rest being production, or semi custom or customized by me with custom switches, cooling bezels, clips,
bezel rings and drop ins. And many are box stock like my Kroma, for example.

Truthfully, I had no idea I had so many, and if you think about that amount it is nothing to wwhat some of the members have here, but I think I will sell and gift some in the future, and go with the best of what I have, and add some of the wonderful creations in the not to distant future.

At the moment, in my knives, I am going to sell all but two of my vintage Benchmade's and quite a few of my vintage Spyderco's. All my Benchmade knives are 16 years old, I bought them over a year or so period, put them the safe, and went with custom knives, so now I have all these boxed unused Benchmade knives - sell them is what I will do.

There are two I want to keep, and sell the rest, also, I will sell the vintage unused Spyderco's, then keep just my working EDC Spyderco's, and my modest collection of customs.

I need to get through the knife thinning, then work on the lights. It is amazing what we wind up with.

Now, about guns...I will keep all of them, I have a nice collection and there are some I bought that are favorites of many, and I just hate them and they never leave the safe except for routine inspection,and oiling, however I will not sell them.

A little drift toward OT, sorry, but these ideas carry over to what others like myself collect (There is that darn word again)!

Maybe it will help people sell of some cool things they don't use, that way they come on the market for others to buy. You could be selling a nice light which you like to buy one you have waited for; and the light you are selling is one someone has been dying for. So, selling, thinning collections I think is a good thing.

Special thanks to Wilson for getting me thinking.

All the best,

RL

PS....Wilson, I was a photographer in the pool covering the meeting between President Obama and King Abdullah II of Jordan here in Palm Springs, California

Something I will toss out as an idea is if you have several dropin's, Malkoff, and other quality makers, you could retain many of the different dropin's in different colors, LED's, 3speeds, throwers, flooders, moon-glowers, long runners, and retina burners.

Then keep a couple of your favorite hosts, and the drop in modules you like, and put them in a Pelican case. That would be a way to thin down without loosing the LEDs, reflectors, output, and color Temp. you really like.

I am certain this has been done before but explaining it here mat help those of us trying to come down on our stock of lights.

Hi RedLed, What Benchmade's and Spyderco's are you Keeping?

Taz80 said:

Hi RedLed, What Benchmade's and Spyderco's are you Keeping?

Click to expand...

Dude PM me and I will tell you tomorrow.

"Now, about guns...I will keep all of them, I have a nice collection and there are some I bought that are favorites of many, and I just hate them and they never leave the safe except for routine inspection,and oiling, however I will not sell them. "
Most interesting statement I have read in a while. I think that is a great quote too. I think that unless you own a bunch of guns, this may be hard to understand. I have about 4 I hate! lol But wouldn't sell: all for various reasons. But still. Funny.
I have too bought a light because I see where some other member just LOVES it and how perfect it is. Then I try to love it, and find out I can't even like it. I keep it for a few months to see if I change my mind, but usually I don't. I gift it or sell it. I usually gift it. I keep all my light packaging for this reason. Now, just about all of my family members have a "cool" light.

Only issue I see with gifting them sometimes is "special" battery requirements. While we probably have more 18650's in our houses than AA's, other more normal people don't have a clue what they are. So I try to remain cognizant of this fact when gifting. I normally give them a cheap single bay charger and old laptop pulls. Then a lesson on safety and care. I have spawned a few Flashaholic Jr's among family and friends. I guess they view me as a flashlight paradigm? LOL

EDIT: In Laws all get over driven LED's with "Fire" branded non protected cells. And lights that run the cells series and a cheap charger! I tell them it likes to run hard like a escaped convict!