$21 for a flashlight?!!

I was at a friend's houseparty last night and one of my friend's girlfriends told me that she had heard a piece about how LED's are poised to take over lighting as we know it on public radio. It made her think of me (I can't imagine why /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif). Anyway, I figured that was as good a segue as any so I showed her my triple RBG AAA Peak that I got off of revolvergeek for $21- a good deal. While she admittedly thought the light was cool and asked where I got it, as do pretty much anyone I show it to, when I told her the price, she balked. "I just can't see paying $21 for a flashlight," she said incredulously, "I'd rather just not have a flashlight at all." The discussion that followed regarded other things that she spent money on that I am reluctant to- going out to eat for example (I work in a resturant and a banquet hall and food is gone as soon as you eat it). Interesting conversation, but from the look she gave me at the mention of $21, I couldn't help but feel a little insane. I mean after all, $21 is the least a lot of people (myself included) have spent on flashlights around here... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

It's funny how you mentioned the food thing... I was debating this week on whether to get a new flashlight or not, since it cost over $200, but I then I remembered spending $250 on a dinner for two last month and that made it a lot easier to swallow the cost of the flashlight.

Of course thinking like that will lead to bankruptcy sooner rather than later /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

That's why I never tell the non-flashaholics how much the lights actually cost unless I am discussing a particularly inexpensive light (and thus far I can only think of one light which won't set them screaming about the price). Even if they ask, I don't mention it. Usually I brush it off with "you can't get it locally" (you can't, not where I am), "I guess it's not something you'd be interested in". Heck my EDC inspires sticker shock even amongst hardened CPFers!

The RGB lights also are more of a toy, too, and thus may not be appreciated by as many. Not that there is anything wrong with toys - RGB flashers are way cool when you are the flashaholic at a nightspot /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

lol

quite true greymage. Whenever i am buying a new flashlight (or stuff), i always think "ah, this is equal to 2 lunch, or dinner or whathaveyou so i only need to starve for a couple of days"
unfortunately, i cannot stand starving, so i ended up spending the money i am not supposed to, while at the same time, getting the light also. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

Kevin- actually, I think non-flashaholics apreciate the 3RGB more since it actually does something other than make "plain old white light"- you can get a walmart special for that. Obviously, I'd lose them if I mentioned the HAIII or the joys of a single common AAA battery /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif.

I provide maintenance for five buildings, one of them a very old nine floor structure with multiple additions and systems changes and interconnections, so I deal with many trades vendors. On rare occasion I'll see a Mag Charger, Stinger, Stealth, and even one Strion, but mostly these guys have MiniM^gs, and dim D M^gs. When I use any of my lights to assist them, most people are impressed...until the price of the light is revealed. They will spend more money on rarely used tools but cannot bring themselves to buy a decent light they use many times daily.

Although often asked, I will not loan my lights but will let someone use it, for a short time, while I'm standing right there...smiling. I believe that most of the world (outside of the CPF) is conditioned into accepting crappy, cheap, lights.

That girl should check out the average price of maglights - they tend to be over $21 for the 4D - 6D models.

I can't see spendig more than $25,000 for a new car, but I hear there are folks in my tax bracket that will spend twice that. If one of them gives me hell for spending too much on a flashlight when his $0.99 2D Ray-O-Vac works "just as well," I point to my $5000 used truck and say it drives just as well as his $50,000 BMW/Lexus/whatnot.

I have some expensive custom lights and some higher-end production lights, but I'm out less than a single car payment for a high-end automobile. Maybe in a few years I'll approach that level, but I'm not at the point that "flashaholism" is a distinct "lifestyle choice" in the sense that it consumes almost all of my disposable income.

jayflash has it right - people simply won't spend more than the cost of a Maglight. There's an almost-unshakable perception that maglight is "the best" amongst the general public. Flashlights are also seen as more a toy than tool.

I guess everyone has their thing/s that they enjoy that aren't always the most practical of expenses (and yes, I sometimes try to rationalize the lights as practical, but I think practicality stopped some 7 lights ago). I've had the same 2 pairs of shoes for over a year, but I know people with closets of them that have only been worn a few times.

I know this is probably heresy to say so, but $21 is pretty close to the most I would spend on a flashlight simply because my uses don't require an expensive, hard anodized, military grade light that costs $150. If I had a genuine need then I would spend the money of course, and it's always interesting keeping up with the latest and greatest even if I'll never buy it. However, I'm an eminently practical person (i.e. cheap) who will never spend more than I have but will spend at least what I need to. Sure, I understand a person having a hobby. That's fine. LEDs are one of my hobbies, and I've probably spend over $400 on discrete LEDs in the last year and a half. However, those LEDs will give my many more hours of pleasure than just buying two or three expensive flashlights for the same amount of money. I guess with me it's a matter getting the most bang for the buck, so to speak. And as for the price of a good light being just the price of a good dinner, I wouldn't spend $200 on a dinner, either. Heck, I can probably feed myself for two months on that if pressed to.

All that being said, as hobbies and indulgences go, I don't consider that most of the people here spend an exorbitant amount of their hobby. Other vices are far worse. Solstice mentioned shoes. I never understood the reasons for having a closet full of shoes at all. Ditto for more than a few changes of clothing. And like idleprocess said, autos seem to be the biggest and most universal indulgences of all. Every time I've gone through the math of owning a car, I came to the conclusion it costs way more than it's worth, and I don't understand why so many choose to own their own transportation, and to live in places where it's almost a necessity. First at least a few thousand dollars to buy, and then insurance payments of over a thousand dollars a year whether you use it or not, and fuel and repairs on top of that. I think of all the subway trips I can take just on what the insurance costs. Yep, when it comes to their cars, people are as illogical as ever. I spent less than $100 on transportation last year. That's the beauty of the subway-if you don't use it you don't pay for it.

Interestingly, since I've been visiting this site I've noticed contradictions even among flashaholics when it comes to spending money on lights. For example, the same person who will buy a U2 for $249 will balk if I suggest putting in a linear T-8 fixture costing $50 instead of replacing the incandescents in their existing fixture with CFLs. This is despite the fact the the new fixture will pay for itself in terms of bulb replacement and electricity costs within a few years, and will also be something they'll use more hours per day than the U2. Go figure. Or perhaps the biggest inconsistency of all-getting anal over tint. I see people here who will go on a holy grail quest to get the perfect white tinted LED flashlight but who will light their home with yellow incandescents or warm white CFLs. Either you like white or you don't. Sure, I wouldn't light my home with even perfect tinted Luxeons either, but that has more to do with color rendering. I still like a similar shade of white to light where I live. And then there's this whole obsession with throw. I find for most of my uses an area light like my 4W fluorescent camping lanterns is better. I really don't care if I have a light which can focus on something 200 years away. For most people throw is practically immaterial. Anyway, my point in all this is that while it may annoy many here if the general public considers $21 too much to spend on a flashlight but not on a Britney Spears CD, I've found loads of interesting similar illogical behavoir amongst the flashlight-loving crowd, and no offense intended to anyone here. We all have our idiosyncrasies, including myself.

Yet she no doubt would spend 40 bucks on eye cream.

This is what i always say "Some people do and some people dont" enough said.

LOL, Solstice. When I tell people about my growing flashaholism and get the "reactions", I start to feel a little insane myself. Not sure why because I don't feel that way about my other hobbies or collections... probably worried about spending a bunch of money to play with flashlights, in effect paying to ensure I'm seen as an "ultra-geek". Not a big problem though... I can always shove those feelings aside as I whip out the credit card to buy something else.
To put in my 1/50 of a buck, I say life is too short to not sometimes indulge in something impractical that you enjoy. Makes life that much more fun and interesting.
I do too, find it strange that many will skimp on the quality of tools they use every day, or at least come in handy in an emergency.

jtr1962- while I'll admit that a car is a huge expense, for most people, its necessary. I don't think people should have to uproot their entire lives so that they can live somewhere with good public transportation. Personally, I love public transportation when its done well (I think the best place I've ever seen personally is Berlin, Germany), but for those millions in the 'burbs, there's no way around a car if you plan on getting much done. That said, I have a '92 Camry that I've driven East to West coast and back, she aint pretty, but she does the job. Of course, I'm not nearly as practically minded about flashlights, but generally speaking, they're a whole lot cheaper to indulge in.
OnThe1stDay:
To put in my 1/50 of a buck, I say life is too short to not sometimes indulge in something impractical that you enjoy. Makes life that much more fun and interesting.

Well said.

I think the average person balks over any price of about $10 for a *normal* flashlight, and about $20 for a *large* light of sorts, lantern etc. Most people do not think of flashlights as even a usuable tool, but rather like a semi disposable instrument. If you go to a cheap department store you will find the most area setup is for the cheap 2 cell plastic lights and 6v lanterns. I have seen more and more people interested in *fancy* expensive lights, but most do not even research what they are getting and end up spending outrageous amounts of money on overpriced xenon 123 cell lights or name brand overpriced LED lights, one such example is a garrity 4 nichia LED lantern for $28 at a hardware store, or a 6x5mm LED light for $29 at a sporting good store. Apparently both buyers and sellers of lights are not well educated because all the *good* lights we talk about here (pricewise and performancewise) that are easily affordable are the ones hardest to find.

There are some places bucking the trend, but sadly most places are seemingly more interested in either wow factor or profit instead of offering the most useful and best perfomance bang for the buck. This leaves a lot of potential flashaholics spending too much money on poorer performing lights and ending up dissapointed somewhat. There is a fair amount of decent lights for around $20 but finding them is sometimes akin to a huge easter egg hunt, which sadly most non flashaholics don't go for, they tend to decide to buy a light, try 2-3 places and pick something that is *advertised* or hyped on a label to be the super light they think they desire.

Most people do not often use a flashlight, don't even carry one on them in pocket or purse, and even those that do carry one on/near them mostly forget to use it often. It is because of this most people figure a flashlight is only an occasional emergency item, not really a very useful tool so them end up thinking along the price of a cheap pair of throwaway pliers or screwdrivers for their expenditure.

Living in Singapore, i have to say that i get weird looks whenever i tell anyone the cost of lights. The latest is my E01 (purple and its NOT pink), when i tell them that it's SGD$20 (or USD$15 on DX) they are like "What?!?! No way i would pay $20 for something like that!!"

Some of them whip out tiny coin cell fauxtons that they got from somewhere and say its just as good (which it is, to a certain extent) till i tighten the head of the E01 and plunk it into a glass of water. Then i have to tell them about the limited lifetime warranty and ease of battery replacement.

But, it's strange, these fellas wouldnt balk at spending SGD$200 on a bottle of liquor in a club but $20 on tiny light that is useful??

Ah well, different priorities i guess

As mentioned before,I think people in the U.S. are conditioned to the idea that flashlights should be cheap.The concept of spending even modest amounts to get a decent light is foriegn to most.A couple co-workers of mine actually bought LOD-CEs.The other workers that know the price are shocked that anyone would spend that much money on such a small light.I would almost guarantee that none of them have a light at home that will equal it in performance let alone one you can carry all the time.It's just the way people think.I'm sure most of those same people will spend $40 or more eating out and think nothing of it.

idleprocess said:

That girl should check out the average price of maglights - they tend to be over $21 for the 4D - 6D models.

Click to expand...

Well, obviously, that's different, you can't compare.
Fair enough she won't pay $21 for the light she was shown, but for a Maglite that's different of course. They are after all the best ones you can get, everyone knows that, don't they?"

Now where is that 'scathing sarcasm' smilie?

I'll just use this one instead :sick2:

Niconical said:

Now where is that 'scathing sarcasm' smilie?

Click to expand...

If there's one thing I've learned by living it's that most people are irrational, and the degree of rationality (which is not necessarily directly proportional to that of intelligence) is what differentiates dumb and smart actions.

Someone who tells me they think spending €30 for a good flashlight is insanity, but then goes and spends €100 for a carefully designed piece of wood to plop on a desk for purely aesthetical reasons, is not being rational.

In time, I'm learning to dismiss most irrational behaviours that don't concern me directly, and not argue anymore (though I always mentally do a facepalm). If someone is happier with their expensive piece of wood then more power to them, but when the lights go out it's rationality that will prevail, and that's how I know that I'm stronger.

I don't even particularly wish that most of this behaviour were any different: it'd be boring to be a rational person in a world of rational people. What I would very much like to see would be people learning to be more rational as they realized their mistakes - but that is, alas, a wish that seems destined to forever go unfulfilled.



Man, do I get philosophical when I'm in a rotten mood...

Fallingwater - How many flashlights do you have? Is that rational?

I am just trying to make a point. We are all (whole world) insane. Just in different areas.