Are there any flashlight brands you boycott because of features?

Thread title says it all... basically, are there any flashlight brands that you simply won't buy because they either have "features" that you hate, or a lack of features that you really like or find essential to your needs/uses?

For me:

Fenix - No sub-lumen "moonlight" modes
Jetbeam - No Neutral White emitter options

Those are the only ones that come to mind for me. There are a few other light companies that I don't have any lights from, and haven't bought from, but it isn't because of "features" - it's more a matter of other lights just meeting my needs better, cheaper, or having higher quality. An example is 4-Sevens... nothing wrong with their feature set, they just never made a light that really "rang my bell" and interested me much.

Yes.

Maglite - no glass window option (other than that, some of their lights are pretty good for non-enthusiasts and I don't look down on people who buy them)
Klarus - all of the lights I have seen advertised have silly police strobes and multicoloured lantern modes. Innovation is good, but we don't need lights with silly features.
Imalent - I don't want lights with a fragile touchscreen integrated into the handle. It might be someones cup of tea, but as for me no thank you. What next, voice controlled lights?

I do request we keep this on topic and it does not end up with discussions about quality or manufacturer support. Lets keep it a discussion on features!

Eagletac - Don't like the control ring feature on their larger lights. The threads get dirty and needs to be cleaned to work properly, I prefer buttons for mode changing.

<<Klarus - all of the lights I have seen advertised have silly police strobes and multicoloured lantern modes. Innovation is good, but we don't need lights with silly features.>>


Yes, a bit silly, but I like it. Makes a nice display to show non-flashaholics who are usually intrigued by it since they've usually never seen anything like it in a flashlight.

Eagletac...hate twisty lights, especially large ones, and they require more maintenance in order to work properly.

Most Eagletac lights have a RIDICULOUS number of unnecessary modes that makes scrolling through a giant pain. The T25C2, for example, has two strobes, a high and low flash, a beacon, and two SOS modes. Absolutely absurd! I'm usually a fan of having lots of options, but you can take it too far...

I also don't much care for turbo heads, I prefer that the head be reasonably proportionate to the body. Eagletac has some crazy turbo heads...a single 18650 body and an eighty millimeter diameter head...no thank you!

I will say that I do like my G25C2 Mk II...bought it before I really knew how much I disliked the twisty-type interface. Using it as a single mode, with the awesome diffuser, it works for me...but one is enough.

thedoc007 said:

Eagletac...hate twisty lights, especially large ones, and they require more maintenance in order to work properly.

Most Eagletac lights have a RIDICULOUS number of unnecessary modes that makes scrolling through a giant pain. The T25C2, for example, has two strobes, a high and low flash, a beacon, and two SOS modes. Absolutely absurd! I'm usually a fan of having lots of options, but you can take it too far...

I also don't much care for turbo heads, I prefer that the head be reasonably proportionate to the body. Eagletac has some crazy turbo heads...a single 18650 body and an eighty millimeter diameter head...no thank you!

I will say that I do like my G25C2 Mk II...bought it before I really knew how much I disliked the twisty-type interface. Using it as a single mode, with the awesome diffuser, it works for me...but one is enough.

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Yes, BUT one that seems to be an oddball from them, and which I just love, is the S200C2. Simple forward clicky with 3 modes by twisting head slightly. That's it.

maglite-i have a couple but probably wont buy anymore. i am more into pocket able lights now.
Surefire-don't have any as other lower priced lights meet my needs. Almost bought a used surefire 9P but seller wasn't willing to budge from $90(i believe he was a non flashaholic).

ryukin2000 said:

maglite-i have a couple but probably wont buy anymore. i am more into pocket able lights now.
Surefire-don't have any as other lower priced lights meet my needs. Almost bought a used surefire 9P but seller wasn't willing to budge from $90(i believe he was a non flashaholic).

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The mags are nice and fun to upgrade with after market parts. Some nice lens available. The AA's are pocketable. Especially cut down to a single AA size.

If you are interested, there are plenty of nice used Surefire lights that can be bought for under $100. You just have to shop around and watch the WTS section on the forum.

Any light that doesn't offer a neutral emitter is a no-go for me.

Why would I boycott an entire line?
What if I like something in it but not anything else?
Silly.

Good point.

I pretty much find all the quality makers do a lot of things I like, with the occasional odd thing I don't.

AVService said:

Why would I boycott an entire line?
What if I like something in it but not anything else?
Silly.

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Not silly if the ENTIRE LINE of lights has the same problem - as in my case. Fenix doesn't put moonlight modes in their lights. Unless it's something super-specialized, I don't buy lights without moonlight modes. Thus no Fenix for me. If they start releasing lights with moonlight mode, I'll probably buy - I love Fenix's quality. Jetbeam - many years ago, they sold lights with warm emitters. Now the only lights they sell have cool white emitters. Again, unless it's something super-specialized, I don't buy lights with cool white emitters. Again, if Jetbeam starts selling lights with neutral/warm emitters, I'll probably buy.... actually, maybe not - their quality has really gone downhill the last few years!

Understand my point? That's what this thread is about... features of lights sold made by a company that pretty much make you shop elsewhere.

I also don't like lights with non-hidden strobe outputs. I haven't personally found a time when I wanted to use them. In addition, I don't generally like twisty lights, but I do let my single-AAA light slide on that count. The tradeoff is that I get the ability to tailstand and it won't likely turn on by accident. However, I still don't enjoy using it as much as a clicky.

Str8stroke said:

The mags are nice and fun to upgrade with after market parts. Some nice lens available. The AA's are pocketable. Especially cut down to a single AA size.

If you are interested, there are plenty of nice used Surefire lights that can be bought for under $100. You just have to shop around and watch the WTS section on the forum.

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you're right. I totally forgot about the minis! twisty kills it for me though. and I am far from being a modder. I have a 2C with malkoff dropin for my car with L91 lithium in C-AA adapters. upgraded with glass lens and glass break tail cap too. the new 3D gens look enticing with the modes. never say never i guess.

As for the Surefire. i dont want them that bad but i do look in my local on-line ads once in awhile. my wife thinks i am maxed out already. my goal is to go one year without buying another one.

I don't boycott the brand, but I won't buy a light if there is no 5 lumen or less setting. Fenix comes to mind. So many times I wanted a Fenix but...

Amelia said:

Not silly if the ENTIRE LINE of lights has the same problem - as in my case. Fenix doesn't put moonlight modes in their lights. Unless it's something super-specialized, I don't buy lights without moonlight modes. Thus no Fenix for me. If they start releasing lights with moonlight mode, I'll probably buy - I love Fenix's quality. Jetbeam - many years ago, they sold lights with warm emitters. Now the only lights they sell have cool white emitters. Again, unless it's something super-specialized, I don't buy lights with cool white emitters. Again, if Jetbeam starts selling lights with neutral/warm emitters, I'll probably buy.... actually, maybe not - their quality has really gone downhill the last few years!

Understand my point? That's what this thread is about... features of lights sold made by a company that pretty much make you shop elsewhere.

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Oh I got your point entirely the first time I read it.
It seems silly to me,OK?

I feel strongly about moonlight modes as well nut I also love my Fenix lights and will certainly be getting more.

I like all sorts of things and some of them are not my favorites but I still find them useful and worthwhile and often for reasons I can not appreciate until I use them for a while.

You are clearly welcome to buy anything you choose,I prefer to not limit my options by some silly to me rules.

Amelia said:

Thread title says it all... basically, are there any flashlight brands that you simply won't buy because they either have "features" that you hate, or a lack of features that you really like or find essential to your needs/uses?

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Well no, because boycotting an entire brand is just plain bonkers if it's only about spec/features.

I assess each light individually. e.g. a triple LED, 3x 26650 light, I really couldn't care less if it had a moonlight mode or not. It wouldn't get used even it had it. In fact a light such as this is only ever used because high output and good range are needed. So even having lower output modes are tentative.

Amelia said:

Not silly if the ENTIRE LINE of lights has the same problem - as in my case. Fenix doesn't put moonlight modes in their lights.

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Sorry, but I find that rather crazy.

If you are wanting a moonlight mode on something like this:


Then you are simply using the wrong tool for the job.



And it just seems, to me at least, that boycotting an entire brand/company on this basis is rather insane.

Chicken Drumstick said:

Sorry, but I find that rather crazy.

If you are wanting a moonlight mode on something like this:


Then you are simply using the wrong tool for the job.



And it just seems, to me at least, that boycotting an entire brand/company on this basis is rather insane.

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I'm not speaking for Amelia, but I would guess that reference was to models like this and their lowest levels being WAY too bright:

E15 - 11lm
E12 - 8lm
LD09 - 8lm
HP15 - 10lm ("Eco" LOL!)
PD12 - 10lm

All nice SMALL lights, just no small modes to go along with it. "Boycott" seems like a harsh word; I simply don't buy them often for certain reasons.

Yeah, wanting EVERY light you have to have the same features seems like a duplication to me.

So, if I have a wee light, for when I want a dim pool, or, a tightly focused beam to shine through a small hole, etc...I use that. If I am searching for survivors off a boat and need to see both river banks many meters to each side, moonlight mode is not required, as I might have REAL moonlight for example, and/or some wee lights, etc.

As far as "Silly Modes like strobe", yeah, if you're NOT an LEO, and NOT going to USE a strobe, sure, its silly, but, if lights are made for professionals who are trained to use it, and buy it BECAUSE it has those modes, then, its NOT silly to want those modes.

Its the same for if the UI comes on at max or moonlight, etc...for tactical use, we want it on max first...for all else typically, on low first, etc. Its only silly if you are getting the wrong light for your uses.


I really hate twisties for example....but, sometimes, to get a feature combination that fills a niche, I get a twisty anyway. If I am not using a light tactically, I don't GET a tactically oriented UI, as that WOULD be silly...and so forth.

So, I would not say I boycott any line per se, but, I may simply not buy a light if its overall performance and feature set are not going to work for my use.