Newbie question about Key Chain LEDs

Hello all, I've been reading these forums for some time and finally decided to take the plunge and join in the fun. I just made my first order from CountyComm.com and had a few questions about thier bulk keychain LED's. I ordered a pack of 20 white leds with the slide switch. How will these lights compare to say a photon or princton tec pulsar? I almost ordered what they call a super tough pocket led, but it does not have a switch. Can any one who has tried these tell me which one is brighter and how they compare to the more expensive keychain lights. I'm sure I will be buying more than 20 in the future, because I plan to give most of these away at Christmas. Who knows, next time I may try the super tough ones! Thanks for your help. Bob

P.S. All the talk on these forums also caused me to order myself a QIII and a couple of the $5 radios. Now if that UPS guy would just get here!

The 20/$20 lights aren't as bright as say a Photon 2 microlight, and are nowhere near as durable. But they are CHEAP! That is their advantage. I like to give them to people to introduce them to the wonderful world of LED's, and to show them how useful even a low quality keychain light can be. I keep 1 on each of my 2 keyrings just to have on hand to give away. People really appreciate them. But before you give any of them away, be sure to test each one. Sometimes you run into a dud. That's why there's usually a couple extra in the pack of 20.
And welcome to CPF, by the way!

The Super Tough versions are pretty tough, IMO. I've got a pretty big car so I don't know that I'd be running it over or anything, but it'll hold up to most abuse I could put it though. .

Just got a bag of the 20 for $20 slide switch lights. Photons the ain't, but they are pretty darn bright. Very impressive for $1! Go for it. I gave them to the teen coaches I work with (I'm a bowling coach), the UPS guy, the mail-lady, my friends - everyone thinks they're pretty cool /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

Welcome to CPF, robert33usa, and why dontcha stay awhile!

I like $1 ones for little giveaways, too, and the constant on switch is easy on the hands. However, the momentary tough ones might be better on keychains since they are less likely to be on by accident for a long time. Last order from CountyComm, one light was on in each of the three bags I got. But like Big Ed sez, that's why there's a couple extra in da bag!

daloosh

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Big_Ed said:
The 20/$20 lights aren't as bright as say a Photon 2 microlight

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I do realize flashlights can vary - but this is not what I've found - the 20 for $20 lights are very much in the same ballpark as the more expensive Photons and Inova Microlights -

please take a look at this side-by-side comparison with beamshots....
20 for $20 LED Lights

Wow...you guys have done a lot of research on the 20 for $20 lights! I wasn't expecting beamshots...thanks UnknownVT. I'm sure I will be very happy with them when they arrive. I am giving them out at my office Christmas party for all of the staff. It doesn't sound like many of you have bought the super tough squeeze lights from CC. Are they just as bright as the 20 for $20s? I'm suprised no one has done a review comparing all the economy keychain lights at countycomm.com. Sounds like a good topic for a thread to me!

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robert33usa said:It doesn't sound like many of you have bought the super tough squeeze lights from CC. Are they just as bright as the 20 for $20s? I'm suprised no one has done a review comparing all the economy keychain lights at countycomm.com. Sounds like a good topic for a thread to me!

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sure.....

anyone with those super tough squeeze lights (yellow LED) care to send me a couple - I'd be happy to do a comparison with beamshots etc..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The "tough" lights are about 10-15% brighter than the slide switch lights, but the brighter beams are also more blue.

I tried a Pulsar and a Pulsar II, and both were considerably dimmer, but the cells in them are not new and I just don't feel like taking the time to change them out.

Bottom line is that the CC lights are an incredible value. I gave away 3-4 dozen last year and just got more to give away this year. I like the on/off switch, but the weakness on them is the attachment point. At least one person that I gave them to had one break.

The Tough lights won't do that and they force people to be more conservative with the cells. I'll probably get more of both.

i actually prefer the super tough led squeeze lights to the sliding switch lights. the s/t lights are as rugged (or more) than any other coin cell keychain light i've seen. the s/s lights are somewhat fragile, several have already broken off of my keychain during normal handling. even so, they are well worth the money when you buy from countycomm. i found another website selling these exact same keychain lights for $8 & $6 each.

-jim

I gotta quit reading this forum...that's pretty bad considering I just joined. After reading your post about the super tough lights possibly being 10-15% brighter than the switch lights, I placed another order getting a bag of 20 of the super tough ones. Of course I had to pick up some more para cord, a ti spork, and a firesteel... you know, the normal stuff. I haven't even recieved my first order from CC yet and I have already placed another order. At least now I will have lots of little lights to give out around Christmas. (I'm also anxious to see how the QIII turns out!) Thanks for all your help...even if it did lighten my wallet a bit.

I've got the yellow ones, the slider and the tough ones. Heck, for a buck I took one of the sliders apart and put one of the batteries in my old watch, and now it works. That battery would've been like 3.50 at the store. .

Welcome, Robert. A few days ago I posted in the Cafe that I went through four bags of those lights in the past year. Like Big Ed said, they're a great introduction to the world of LED's for our non-flash fanatic friends.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif I just ordered three more bags (red, white & blue) to give away for Christmas. They are well worth the $$.

Have fun here, r33usa.