Loaners and give-aways

So, what do you guys have in the way of loaners and give-aways? For me, I keep lots of the $1 CountyComm lights around, as well as a couple of them on my keychain to give away. I also keep at least half a dozen of them in each of my 2 cars. People really seem to like them. As for "larger" lights, I keep one of those cheapie Eveready plastic 2D lights in each of my cars to give away, in case someone is having car trouble, or something like that. I also have several of them floating around my apartment to hand out. I like those two types of lights to give out because they are cheap, so I don't mind not getting them back, and they get the job done. It may just save the day for someone. I have yet to run into a situation where I need to hand out the 2D lights, but have given away well over 100 of the $1 CountyComm lights, mainly just to be nice and help introduce people to LED's.
So, what about everybody else? Do you have designated "give-aways"?

I have a couple 6V Lanterns, a handful of $.99 2D lights, and a bunch of Dorcy 1AAA LED lights around the house.

Lets see,

Gave away 2 Elektrolumens XM2s (both the people I gave these to loved them--I didn't like them though so it was an easy decision to get rid of them)

Several Maglites, mostly Solitaires (everyone I gave them to likes them, I hated them)

Plastic 2D cheap flashlights (the average person thinks these are good and is greatful)

If I really don't like a light, I'd rather just give it to a friend rather than try to sell it.

For total strangers, I usually have an inventory of cheap plastic 2D lights and Maglite Solitaires that I lone out, or give away depending on the situation.

I'll take everything you don't want! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/takeit.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I've given away at least 50 of the CC $1 keychain lights to family, friends, and co-workers. Also gave away some of the CC blue and red mini-strobes with people I've dealt with on BST recently.

Recently gave away an Arc AAA-P to CPF'er who didn't have one. Also did a free Arc LS mod (reflector, UCL, new Luxeon, etc.) for another member who sent me a non working Arc LS.

Peter

Too nice of you Litfuse /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/happy14.gif

I use the two dollar single AA cell dorcy incadescent
as a loaner as they are easily replaceable.

Last year I gave away 3 Arc-AAA's, 5 Streamlight TT 2L's and extra sets of xenon bulbs and 123 batteries for them, 60-80 CC $1.00 lights.

This year I am somewhat broke, so I can't give as much.

Dorcy AAA. I've handed out at least three dozen of 'em. Recipients are unanimously delighted with the clever switch and surprising brightness. At $6 each they're a great goodwill maker.

Cheers,

Dave

Luckily since I bought good lights I've never been I a situation where someone needed a light. Can anyone imagine having a $160 (or more) light and having some one in a true emergency begging or asking you for it. A while back I looked over the house, got all of the cheap mostly 2aa lights (valued @ about $1) I can find, put a few in my car. If I had to, I'll give them away w/ cheap slightly used alkaline batteries. I guess I'll buy a few dollar store coin cells to have on my person and car, that way if I'm away from vehicle or home, I'll get to keep my edc lights.

I was in the woods last weekend, and since I'm the flashlite guy, I immediately got, "hook me up, I'm going to look for wood for the bonfire." Since I was using my Chop modded KL1, round body E2e and McE2S tailcap, I turned it over. Then I started thinking, "What if he loses it in the woods, or down the latrine? I'll never get my $200 lite back."

Then I put an X5T-HA into my pocket for loaning. As giveaways, I've given a lot of $1 lites, a couple Infinity Ultras, a couple Dorcy AAAs, a couple plastic PT lites, an XM-2, and a couple 24/7s.

daloosh

Went into a Dollar Store last year and they had a bunch of Dorcy Boss rubber covered 4AA lights for $3. I bought 10 or 12 of them and have given most of them away. They are a great deal, with a very fine beam, actually. Make a great trunk light.

[ QUOTE ]
davidra said:
Went into a Dollar Store last year and they had a bunch of Dorcy Boss rubber covered 4AA lights for $3. I bought 10 or 12 of them and have given most of them away. They are a great deal, with a very fine beam, actually. Make a great trunk light.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup! i still have 4 awaiting duty as loaners...

people are impressed...and dont realize the inexpensive nature of this light.

Bob

[ QUOTE ]
LitFuse said:
I've given away at least 50 of the CC $1 keychain lights to family, friends, and co-workers. Also gave away some of the CC blue and red mini-strobes with people I've dealt with on BST recently.

Recently gave away an Arc AAA-P to CPF'er who didn't have one. Also did a free Arc LS mod (reflector, UCL, new Luxeon, etc.) for another member who sent me a non working Arc LS.

Peter

[/ QUOTE ]
best. free. light. ever. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/stupid.gif
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif

I picked up one of those *boss* lights... got it at a dollar store where they sold the boss dorcy for $3 with heavy duty and a generic identical clone for $2 with alkalines. I bought it to do an LED mod I saw once, just haven't got around to ordering a bunch of them budgetwise. I have given away a dorcy AAA and a uke 2AA incan I was given.

This is an interesting thread because I recently had an idea to mod a 4AA rayovac 2x2 format light I saw at walmart to LED resistored drive for giveaway. I figure if I can get it to work for less than 5.00 it will have a decent run time and brightness to be something people will want to use often instead of stick in a drawer for later.

I managed to pick up a couple of keychain AA lights at a local Ace Hardware for like $0.50 each, I think. Those are definitely loaners... Also have given out lots of the CC $1 keychain lights as well, and most ppl loved it!!

another thing about giveaways... it is a good excuse to get rid of your cheapest non used lights and replace them with better ones.

Lynx, there used to be some place (sorry, cant recall where) that you could purchase 1x5mm led potted in a PR base, resistored for a 6v light--cost was $2.

i made my own...might have been easier to just buy one.

i jumped the switch with a 50k ohm resistor, so now it has a dim "constant on" like a palight.

the cool thing, is that with the Boss, they have a lanyard that holds a spare bulb. so, you can have the LED for general use, with a backup KPR113 for really lighting something up.

cost: $5-$7. not bad!

Bob

I am looking for a little more output than 1-3 LEDs can do, I am thinking about 4-8 LEDs and lights that are smaller than the boss. I like the switch on it but find it doesn't fit very well in a pocket or purse which would make it used more by people as a giveaway light. I think there are two types of giveaway lights.... the type other people use in an emergency and the type they use a lot of the time. The big lanterns and 2D plastic lights are probably more suited for emergency use while AA and AAA and coin cell lights would be used every day as they can easily go with people in pockets and purses.

Talking about loaners and give-aways, how come no one seems to want to give out any of the Dorcy Leds (1AAA, 1AA, etc)? How much do they go for anyways? Froogle showed them at around $9 for the 1AAA version. Are there any other places that are cheaper that I could order online from? I think the 1AAAs would be nice give away lights too... Sorry for going slightly OT... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif