Flashaholism is spreading!

Disclaimer: I do actually have a life once in a while and get to go out. Don't even need a note from the wife or anything!

So last night I went to see The Reverend Horton Heat and two other bands and was watching the roadies set up and break down the sets. So I think to myself,

"Hmmm, self, that certainly looks like a SureFire holster on that guy's belt."
"Yep, there's a 6P."
"Hmmm, I'll be dipped if that isn't another SureFire holster on one of the other roadies' belt."
"Yep, self, and that there's a gunmetal 6P, too."
And so on...
Plus, I saw at least two additional 2x123's incans as well. They used them to signal the sound and light boards by flashing over the crowd. Lots of "Whoa, what's that?" from the crowd. My buddy turns to me and, since he knows my addiction, gives me that look. So does his wife.

Earlier in the day while running errands I saw a few more SureFire holsters and a few one cell lights on keychains or necklaces.

SureFires, Photons, and Nuwais... Oh, My!

I am not sure how I should feel. Is it acceptance, are there more addicts out there, or am I becoming "average" now? I know I ain't what my wife would call normal, but the being "average" concept is scary.

Are there more of us serious light users out there than we think or are we becoming... average? Will SureFires become the next BMW or iPod?

I hope not. I like the fact that this hobby is not that widely spread out. I dunno why, its just that way. Being unique is fun! And if everyone carried a flashlight, and used one everyday, I wouldnt want this to be my hobby. So I hope that this becomes popular AFTER I die /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif (which is a looong time away....)

I am also just making an inference or wild guess, but I think that there are 2 flashaholics in each city at the least.

Don't forget the closet flashaholics, those who have a little Surefire display set up in the basement. .

I walked into the work place today to find a customer showing off his new Shake Light with the "brightest LED ever made." He handed the light to me to play with. "Eh? That's nice. Would you like to see mine?" I handed him a Fire~Fly 2 with a Wiz 650 and a UX1J emitter. He jumped when he saw the little light putting out 10 times the beam of the flick light. He was not to be undone so he pulled out his big gun light.

I calmly said, "OH, Inova X1." He matched the lights and the FF2 was still brighter. While he was trying the lights out I pulled out my MicroMag with a Madmax WO with a IMS 20 reflector and Li-ion cell then added the beam to the pair. While he was looking at the shamelessly brighter beams I pulled out of my pocket a Surefire L4 and added that beam in the comparisons. The Shake light beam had disappeared in the crowd of lights.

For some unknown reason he was mesmerized with the Micromag. He added that, "I thought my LED was suppose to be the brightest?" We had fun playing with the lights as the other employees watched. They told him my hobby was flashlights so don't expect these hot-rod lights at the store.

I added with a smile, "You should see the big guns I have at home." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

But it is interesting that more people are learning about LED lights. We are not unique anymore as people learn about LED lights but we are still ahead of the curve.

I'll show him my 'big gun' tomorrow! The other employess know what I'm talking about. He'll be happy he wears 'shades.' /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

LED seems to just about be mainstream now, but CPFers certainly have the edge over what is available in stores. As flashlights get more hi-tech, they may be as popular as cell phones, who knows? Like Mags, I enjoy being in a relative minority with this hobby. It still almost qualifies me as being a little eccentric. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

I like this hobby being small too. It's cool having a hobby that's so unique. Some kids at my high school simply know me as the flashlight kid. lol.

Hey I could of had a new car by now but got a bunch of flashlights instead. When people ask me why? I just tell'm "I don't see good at night."

What leukos said. I went camping over the weekend and I had to chuckle as I heard other people in camp discussing "these new LEDs that can be as bright as regular bulbs..."

I was *this* close to whipping out my LS, but somehow I managed to control myself. I should be /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banned2.gif or /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/whoopin.gif

I did see quite a lot of people with keychain LED's, several 5mm LED headlamps, and one person that had what seemed to be an Inova X0 (or X1, whichever one has the tight focus).

I am a professional musician, I tour a good bit and do studio work. I have seen more high end light's of late.

I first started seeing mini mag's go away to be replaced by photon's, and many long time tech crew's have been usig streamlight and all the crew for clare bros PA system's seem to have SF light's. Yes it is changing and the day's of all roadies' using mag is starting to dwindle.

For the same reason i use amps and guitar's that sell for no less then $3500.00 as so it is with music tech's.
the tool's have to be reliable and not have to be babied

Still 90% are still using mag's,, hopefully that will change.VDG

[ QUOTE ]
TrueBlue said:
I walked into the work place today to find a customer showing off his new Shake Light with the "brightest LED ever made." He handed the light to me to play with. "Eh? That's nice. Would you like to see mine?" I handed him a Fire~Fly 2 with a Wiz 650 and a UX1J emitter. He jumped when he saw the little light putting out 10 times the beam of the flick light. He was not to be undone so he pulled out his big gun light.

I calmly said, "OH, Inova X1." He matched the lights and the FF2 was still brighter. While he was trying the lights out I pulled out my MicroMag with a Madmax WO with a IMS 20 reflector and Li-ion cell then added the beam to the pair. While he was looking at the shamelessly brighter beams I pulled out of my pocket a Surefire L4 and added that beam in the comparisons. The Shake light beam had disappeared in the crowd of lights.

For some unknown reason he was mesmerized with the Micromag. He added that, "I thought my LED was suppose to be the brightest?" We had fun playing with the lights as the other employees watched. They told him my hobby was flashlights so don't expect these hot-rod lights at the store.

I added with a smile, "You should see the big guns I have at home." /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

But it is interesting that more people are learning about LED lights. We are not unique anymore as people learn about LED lights but we are still ahead of the curve.

I'll show him my 'big gun' tomorrow! The other employess know what I'm talking about. He'll be happy he wears 'shades.' /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Nice story. I wore a SF shirt while visiting someone recently, and one of the participants recognized the logo so I pulled out my E1e+KL1 and showed it around. Later, one of the children at the place had gotten hold of an incandescent light and was playing with us by flashing it at us, so they asked if they could show him my KL1. The KL1's a beater so I'm not worried about drops and so on, but the lil lad's 'tactical' grip is great - the small size of the 1x123 power pack fits his hands perfectly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif - and nobody had to teach him, I only mentioned that you pressed the button on the rear to turn it on, and he grabs it from me with fingers all in the right place (overhand grip). Soon-to-be-flashaholic? I wonder.........

They were telling him to be careful not to point it at his face (a point I fully agree with, despite it 'only' being a 1W), and that they'd never seen such a bright 'bulb' before, and I was thinking.. I'm glad I didn't draw the 5W X-bin U2 from my other pocket /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hahaha.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/str.gif

I love it when they always say "the brightest LED ever"... the brightest are right here on CPF and nowhere else! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Of course we are now putting in serious effort to convert the uninitiated.. I'm 'seeding' the keychain lights with people who least expect them.

I don't think that Flashaholism is spreading......

I believe that it has always been there but people are soo over M*glite/minim*gs and the **** yellow weak light that comes from them that they don't think that there is any better.

I have been buying keylights and 26K LEDs from KevinL (shameless plug) and upgrading them to give away. I am constantly hearling !! Ouch they are bright !! as they look directly into the LED and blind themselves. and many of them have been asking me about newer and better lights that should buy for work and play. which just empahisis that it's always been there just "suppressed" by m*gs

that's my $0.02 worth
doug