When is enough, enough?

[mickb]

My hobby shifted too. My new hobby is watching bills get smaller and collecting $20 bills instead of toys.
True, the lighting world does seem platued (sp?) right now.

Good hobby to have bykfixer, you are ahead of the 8 ball with that. Especially with the response to the virus. People dont realise the financial bill that has to be paid from all the shutdowns and stimulus handouts. it hasnt hit yet, but we might even get a taste of luxury spending or lack thereof our brethren in the 2nd world have. Hobbies which became accumulation go back to having just 3-4 treasured items.

[Katherine Alicia]

"When is enough, enough?" isn`t the sort of question I give any conscious thought to, I try avoid limiting thoughts and beleifs around abundance (in whatever form it takes). I just follow my heart and listen to what she says, I`m completely confident I`ll know when the time is right to move on, it`s never let me down before

[bykfixer]

Good hobby to have bykfixer, you are ahead of the 8 ball with that. Especially with the response to the virus. People dont realise the financial bill that has to be paid from all the shutdowns and stimulus handouts. it hasnt hit yet, but we might even get a taste of luxury spending or lack thereof our brethren in the 2nd world have. Hobbies which became accumulation go back to having just 3-4 treasured items.

Then there was the Maglite 25Days 'til Christmas sale……I added more lights in a month than I had in a couple of years combined.

[dmattaponi]

In 2016 I made a transition to all rechargeable AA lights, selecting the Thrunite TN4A as my around the house, backyard, and vehicle lights. Thrunite Archer and T10 series for my edc and a few tossed is various desk drawers. I’m quite content having settled on these, and not looking for the next “improved” light. They satisfy my needs and wants as good today as they did in 2016.


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[Timothybil]

When you can't afford any more?

[MX421]

Once you realize you only have so many hands (or heads in the case of headlamps) and all the areas you'd like to have a light hang out in case you aren't carrying the required light at that area, then adding more just doesn't make that much more sense. It helps that i tend to go High CRI lights only and that most of the lights i have are already upgraded to that capability. Further, the choices of high CRI lights hasn't changed much recently to tempt me.

[peter yetman]

Yes that worked for me.
I decided that I was only now buying lights with Nichias in. It's made everything else so less tempting.
P

[KITROBASKIN]

Perhaps this goes out to long term fans, or minimalists? Recovered flashaholics?

Is enough, enough because nothing strikes your fancy? Perhaps you yawn at the latest offerings from SHOT Show? Is it because you just aint got anymore room? Maybe because you are out of money? To keep the peace in the home perhaps? Tired of dusting them all?

For me it was just losing interest in adding more lights to my collection. Simply put, I had all I wanted. Yeah, one gets added here and there but the frenzy buy, buy, buy is no longer present.

If enough is enough for you, how long did it take?
3 years in my case.

Thoughts please.

Maybe fixer will provide an update regarding his illumination purchases since this first post arose.

Enough for us was when we had different options (thrower, flood, warm, good color rendering, tiny, user interface, style, nostalgia) fulfilled and iterations of favorites. But turns out now that we live a lifestyle that all family members benefit from decent flashlight capabilities, we are starting to use up more flashlights because son loses (OK one of them may have been lost by yours truly) or breaks them and wife mysteriously incites electronic disfunction on occasion. Right now she is missing the last (refurbished) of the Zebralight SC62d trio and the son chose to pay $30 for a protected 18650 battery purchased 2015 in a Nitecore P12 (2016? with its cold, yet white, emitter) after suffering awhile with comparatively underpowered, small capacity, cheap little flashlights following the disappearance of an off brand composite P60 host that sported a nice PFlex Pro engine. Point being, it just might come to pass that your flashlights will yet get actively used. Given possible craziness on into the future, your surplus illuminators may end up being bartered for items you need, right? Just remember to have batteries for barter as well.

[The Hawk]

I enjoy flashlights, knives and guns. I find myself concentrating on one of these and letting the other two sort of be on stand by mode. There are never enough of any of them, so to answer your question, NEVER.

[joshk]

Enough was enough when I moved up to COB Leds. Now everything else is just an 18650 and an LED.

[zoulas]

There is no doubt the growth rate of flash light technology is tapering off. We are approaching the point at which battery technology cannot keep up with LED technology. This is where the entire process slows down and redundancy kicks in. This is why manufacturers started making lights in different colors because the new technology could not be topped. I expect things to slow down considerably in the coming years unless some technology supersedes lithium ion. The other issue is heat. These 10,000 lumen hot rods cant even run for 30 seconds without ramping down. Some water type cooling may be needed to sustain or exceed those power ratings.

[Timothybil]

When the significant other says it is!

[wayben]

The real question is "is enough ever enough?".

[Katherine Alicia]

I`m sure some are already questioning if they have enough now that the Official 2021 Flashlight Challenge has started!

[bykfixer]

I started this thread when I had reached a saturation point in my flashlight acquisition(s) and had actually stopped buying anything online. I still mostly buy from a physical store when I do, but even that is few and far between these days.

I added several Maglite products at the close of 2020 but gave away a sizeable portion of my collection too.

[parang]

I have three Energizer Hardcase worklights (4xAA) for the workshop and the deck.

A Nichia Armytek Wizard pro for EDC and as a heavy duty headlamp.

An Armytek A2 Prime Pro, for EDC and as a bike mounted light.

A Manker MK41 4xAA CW thrower.

3C and 2D LED Maglites, throwers, solely because I have the NiMh batteries for them. It is kinda my prepper gear.

A few i3E Olights, for the keychains and EDC, one of them UV.

An i5T Cu Olight to go with my brass Zippo and brass Space Pen.

A few Petzl e+lites stashed away in emergency kits.

A Black Diamond Ion lightweight headlamp.

Lastly, I want a 3-4000lm NW/WW full flat flood light and I think I will be happy.

So no more than 20 in total is enough for me.

After that, I will want higher CRI - I will gradually replace everything with high CRI lights as time goes on, while maintaining NiMh/alkaline compatibility the best I can.

Then it will be truly enough.

[bykfixer]

Well rounded platform karang. Nicely done.
But there will always be room for one more.
Always.

Especially now that you are a CPF member……

[flashy bazook]

I think it depends on needs.

You may have enough and then decide you want to go on a special vacation which might include diving, caving, other activities.

Then you find your available flashlights do not cover these needs.

Or you decide you want to take up (or return to) biking. Well that's a whole new world of flashlight needs there.

Or you may decide you want to use red colored LEDs in certain nights or activities (eg., star watching).

Or you remember you still do not have a good UV flashlight (or infra-red, or laser). Or a big throwing light.

Or you may just look at what is available out there today and find amazing things you had no idea existed. This happened to me when looking through the 2021 Fenix catalog, link provided in the Fenix sub-forum.

I already had a Fenix headlamp, the HM23. This is amazing and served me well during a trip to Africa.

But I was completely floored by what is now available, and already think I like several others.

I also own several Malkoffs, in several different hosts (Five Mega, Oveready, Surefire, Malkoff's own MD line of hosts, the list goes on and on, even a Maglite).

Yet I see the new 18650 Wildcat and want it, too, in neutral.

So it goes. Between technology, clever and creative flashlight makers, and ever changing needs, there is never "enough." It is possible to find some kind of balance, but it will still be the case of getting rid of some and replacing them with others.

PS -- And I forgot to mention the batteries. The 18650 used to be rare, then it caught on, and then it became a flood. And what about the 26650? If you find a good light for it (I found the Emisar D4) you may add that to the collection. Now the 21700 is coming out, which for a long time was simply not available. It may make possible different host-drop-in combinations. Are you really going to stick with the AA's when you can get amazing runtime and lumens with a 21700 in a not-too-big host?

PS2 -- And I also forgot to mention the solar powered flashlights that can be used to recharge your smart-phone. They may now be good enough to consider. Shouldn't every bug-out kit have one of those in it?

PS3 -- And another thing, you can find Fenix headlamp with a 21700 battery! Now if they make one that can also charge the smartphone...

[LeanBurn]

When I have a light I am considering and ask myself "what would I use it for, exactly?"

[BigusLightus]

Enough is never enough. Too much is just right.

[dmattaponi]

I thought I had enough until this past week when I ordered three Thrunite 2A V3 flashlights. I convinced myself that I should have a nightstand light with a momentary on/off capability, and figured that the two AA flashlight was a good balance of capability and economy between my 4AA TN4A’ utility lights and my 1AA T10II EDC light. At the same time I saw these lights on sale for less than $25 and in a moment of weakness...three Thrunite 2A V3 soon arrived in a big brown truck. :-). Now my wife and I both have one bedside and I have another spare left unopened in the box :-(

Well at least I’m consistent...AA and Thrunite.

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[LeanBurn]

Great minds think alike dmattaponi

[dmattaponi]

Great minds think alike dmattaponi

[emoji106]


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[Megalamuffin]

I have about 20 or so handheld lights, that’s certainly more than enough but I have 5 more on my list that I would really like to add. I also have a few that I plan to get rid of. After I’m done with those on my list I might buy a couple more to play around with if I come across the right thing, (like maybe a fun maglite build) but I’m pretty much done otherwise.

Weapon lights don’t count, more of those will only be added if necessary. I might get a lantern for camping eventually.

[Hooked on Fenix]

When is enough, enough? I'll let you know when I can ceiling bounce my light off the moon. Seriously, I'm pretty satisfied with some of the lights I have today. Brightness and runtime I'm good with. L.e.d. lights could use more throw though.

[parang]

Soon we will collect high CRI LEP lights. LED made incandescent bulbs obsolete and now LEP is making LED obsolete. Everyone will upgrade to the new tech and the cycle will repeat itself.

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Enough is enough when ya got a drawer full of bang-zoom 4-digit lumen lights then come to the realization that yer G3 with a Malkoff M61LL is your favorite.

[jabe1]

I’m always looking for “better”. But honestly, what I carry the most are lights that I have owned for 5-10 years. Peak Eiger nichia, modded Quark ti, bored C2, and a few modded Mag C sized.
I have enough, just maybe something will come along that bumps one of my favorites down a notch or two; and I’ll never know unless I try them.

[bykfixer]

Enough is enough when ya got a drawer full of bang-zoom 4-digit lumen lights then come to the realization that yer G3 with a Malkoff M61LL is your favorite.

I used to think like that too.
That was until the day I realized the more I log onto CPF the less likely enough will ever be enough.

[idleprocess]

Soon we will collect high CRI LEP lights. LED made incandescent bulbs obsolete and now LEP is making LED obsolete. Everyone will upgrade to the new tech and the cycle will repeat itself.

LEP has a strong advantage in long-throw applications where its greater ease of collimation than LED makes for more compact designs. Not sure if it's in a position to edge out arc lamps (HID, XSA) but its general similarity to LED (DC operation, relatively low operating temperatures) could be an advantage relative to arc lamps' somewhat violent startup physics necessitating high-voltage ballasts.

But where it shines in the niche of long throw it seems like it stumbles in general usage where all-around performance is desired at a low cost. Its efficiency relative to LED is poor: cutting-edge blue laser diodes are hitting ~40% component efficiency, more typical efficiencies look to be around 8% while blue LED diodes are around 80% now. LEP is appreciably more expensive than LED - which could partially be due to the lack of economy of scale, but also looks to be related to the greater inherent complexity of the technology.