How do you keep from losing your flashlights?!

I've lost 2 in the past 6 months. A $100 one & a $50 one. Can't imagine the paranoia I'd have if I ever bought a high dollar one. I'm looking at a single cr123a light. I have a key fob size keyringer on each of our sets of keys. Might put one of those on it. But that could be a bit of a pain. So what do YOU do?

I haven't lost any yet. Well, at least permanently, occasionally one or two vanish for a while and turn up somewhere dumb. Currently waiting to see when my Nitecore HC50 shows up....

Loosing your lights at least means you use them! I think the only way I haven't lost any, or maybe I should say many.... is just good karma. I use all sorts of lights all the time and have them stashed all over. Maybe it's because I'm always fidgeting with them?

Well, I do consider a 100 dollar lights high dollar, but yeah a several hundred dollar light would be a real disaster to lose lol. The only light I've ever lost (I think) is my original Fenix LD20. I'm half convinced I lost it myself and half think somebody took it. At home I have enough lights that I have a dedicated flashlight shelf where I have to corral all my lights back to every once in a while haha.

After "loosing" an expensive HDS at work, I started the habit of immediately returning my flashlight to my pocket after use; whether the light was clean or dirty. I have not lost my superior replacement flashlight.

LedTed said:

After "loosing" an expensive HDS at work, I started the habit of immediately returning my flashlight to my pocket after use; whether the light was clean or dirty. I have not lost my superior replacement flashlight.

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This and all my lights have a homemade lanyard which brings peace
of mind when I see it hanging out of my pocket. It did take me two years of not losing a cheaper(of course it broke twice in the two years)light before I started carrying a high dollar one. Just curious, what is you "superior" replacement flashlight?

Same as pens, sunglasses, watches, rings...I spend enough money on them that my brain won't let me lose them. I heard NDT express this same concept...good enough for him, good enough for me.

Keitho said:

Same as pens, sunglasses, watches, rings...I spend enough money on them that my brain won't let me lose them. I heard NDT express this same concept...good enough for him, good enough for me.

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Somewhere in the universe there is a pile of expensive sunglasses that I've bought. I have no idea where that pile is because I can't seem to keep a pair of expensive sunglasses for more than a week. On the other hand, I know exactly where the pile of cheap sunglasses is. I have no problem not losing those. In fact, I own many more pairs of cheap sunglasses than I've actually purchased. They gravitate towards me.

I've only lost one light permanently. It was a quark mini II I left in a hotel room in Las Vegas. I really liked that light too. All of my expensive lights are larger format and I've never lost one permanently. They've all come back. But many times I've had to pull apart the couch or sort through the laundry pile, to find them. I dropped a surefire kroma in the snow not knowing it and didn't find it until the spring. That was extremely lucky. And, it worked flawlessly.

If I knew how I lost my mk34 then I could probably figure out how to prevent it from happening again

Compulsive pocket checking and always putting the light back or at least attach it to my clothes somehow, the Tactician i use now is pretty easy to clip to things compared to the Emisar D4 and D4S i EDCd before this.

The wildcard in this equation is having kids. When I was the sole resident, I knew I was the last to touch anything. Now with 2 boys, I imagine remembering them asking for a flashlight, car keys (they're not old enough to drive), booze, guns etc. Kidding. I've thought about taping my name and number around the battery. Then I'd have a chance, at least. But I've thought of many a thing to do then that was the end of the story.

Clips.... Lots and lots of carry clips. (I'm not even joking.)

Gear check. I literally frisk myself every time I move from one location to another. Lights, knife, keys, phone, wallet. If anything is missing, panic is followed by a desperate search of my surroundings. Nothing is ever missing, though, because I always check. I also use holsters. For me, they are better for retaining gear than clips.

Modernflame said:

Gear check. I literally frisk myself every time I move from one location to another. Lights, knife, keys, phone, wallet. If anything is missing, panic is followed by a desperate search of my surroundings.

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You are not alone!! It's literally like a mental checklist.
Lately I've been getting more and more into keeping most of my gear I want with me everyday in a GoRuck bullet ruck.

I temporarily lost a HDS 120. The seat belt caught the clip and pulled it out of my pocket unbeknownst to me. I later found it laying on the driveway where I got out of the truck. It happened a second time and this time I heard it hit the door sill.
Now they must be loose in my pocket or in Hogo's holster.

I just don't lose stuff...

Unless it's a Microstream, a 3.5" Buck knife or an O'Neil tide watch...those things just disappear on me. Replace 'em and within 90 days they vanish. Everytime.

I have a favorite one of each stashed in a safe place just to know I can have one without losing it.