I was a very early adopter of the elzetta bravo. I had had previous problems with lights in the $50 range that had impressive specs, but wouldn't last a month, and wanted better.
At that time I got extremely lucky to arrive on this forum at just about the exact moment the Elzetta Bravo was being released to the public. My fourth post was over six years ago, 8/25/13, in the "Industry's Best Kept Secret" thread.
At this time I would like to extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to the owners and administrators of this magnificent Candle Power Forum! You put me and Elzetta together..
Initially there was some resistance to the price point, $200 seemed sky-high. But I figured if it lasts longer than three of the cheaper lights... go for it. I got a Bravo engraved with my name, Hi/Lo switch, smooth bezel, and 50 batteries, the flood lens was not yet available.
I have carried that thing every day ever since, feel naked without it. Two or three times a year I leave the house forgetting my phone, but NEVER leave without Elzie.
At first I was still scared by my earlier experiences, and babied the light a little, but it didn't take long before it was a hammer in my eyes. Over the years I have actually used it for some light hammering a few times. (into drywall)
One idiot dropped it off a ladder into a five gallon bucket of latex paint. I didn't even think about it possibly being damaged. I made him fish it out, then hosed it off and put it back in my pocket. Only later did I think to check the threads, and the paint had just barely penetrated between the lens and bezel which cleaned off in seconds with a toothpick, and there was zero paint on the threads. Elzetta's rubber switch boot also performed flawlessly in this situation.
Then one day some cabinet installer was under a sink, with his 18Volt DeWalt gooseneck light, and I tossed in my Bravo (now with flood lens). He said "It's so bright you don't even have to point it at what you're working on!" And I said, "That's not all" and went on and on about it's other features. Now I became something of a braggart and for a few months I was telling everybody about how tough my light is. I used to tell people "Go ahead, throw it down the street as far as you can." And they did! ( I really did that) Six times it was launched, landing on concrete or asphalt. On the first five throws the only damage was small chips out of the anodizing and pushed in buttons on the batteries. After the sixth throw I noticed a tiny chip in the lens when I took off the bezel, and then when putting the bezel back on, it was slightly out of round. I think the bezel is the weakest part of an elzetta, but it's also the cheapest part to replace. I have never owned a crenelated bezel, those might be stronger. That chipped lens is still in service years later. It was worth ten bucks plus shipping to BRAG THAT HARD about my light six times.
Moral of the story: If your Elzetta takes a tumble, check the batteries for damage. The light will most likely be fine.
That was five years ago. I stopped throwing Elzie down the street but i still carry her with me every day. I believe in my line of work, the constant exposure to dust and chemical vapors can be just as dangerous to electronics as mechanical abuse, and Elzetta is missing an opportunity by not marketing to the construction industry.
A couple years ago it fell about ten feet onto the corner of a piece of half-inch steel, hitting near the switch. I had to file off a tiny burr of aluminum.
Today I have two Bravos and a Charlie, they were all bored for rechargeable cells by oveready's boring service. Three years ago I started carrying a Charlie with the throw lens in addition to my Bravo with flood. One for close-up work, the other for throw. I use a Brass Peak Eiger when in dress clothes. Those three are all I ever needed.
... though I just counted 11 other lights that are shelf queens or toys.
