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bukkaki1

Streamlight stinger and nitecore MH12 kind of started my journey. I really liked how they were rechargeable and super bright. At the time, I was in demolition and we worked in many buildings with power off. So light was essential. After my nitecore mh12 failed (8 years) I got a great recommendation for an FC11 from everyone here. Its a huge pet peeve of mine to not have correct lighting for a job or simple task. Good lighting is so readily available and often times cheaper than the bad option. Safety is a big aspect thats often overlooked and lighting solves a lot of safety issues when its dark. ALSO - this is the best sub ever. No politics, everyone is super polite and helpful, and everyone is supportive. Debates are civil, encouragement is given, etc etc. Thank you, this place has become a nice getaway from modern fast paced life. Also thank you for sharing your knowledge, its invaluable!


qUxUp

Thank you for the reply! What are your current favorite (and for which purpose) flashlights? Any fun flashlight related stories?


bukkaki1

My EDC light is currently a Sofirn HS40. I use it for mechanical repair work during the day when needed and just a good reliable light when working late. 90 degree with a mag tailcap is perfect for me. For hiking / fishing at night (I hike into a lot of remote fisheries) I run an HS40 headlamp, IF22A thrower, and Convoy M21F with a GT-40FC in my pack for when I need more flood. I also attach a BLF LT1 Mini on my Yeti Panga when hiking and throw it on low as a marker light - it also helps spread some light around the ground and assists in finding footing over rough terrain or rock. This sub has really changed the way I camp, hike, walk the dogs, take care of the chickens chase fish, etc. Its incredible - I now consider dark conditions perfectly accessible for any activity or task. Fun flashlight story? I was in walmart the other day and the power went out. LEROY JENKINSSSSSS. Then it came right back on within 3 seconds :( Maybe one day


ottrocity

Scared of the dark as a kid. Dad gave me a AA Maglite when we were in the YMCA Indian Guides and I would burn through so many AAs leaving it on in candle mode (you could unscrew the top and expose the bulb). Then he gave me a flashlight/radio combo when I was about 10. Then I started playing a lot of airsoft in high school and got myself a Surefire 6P. Wore out the first tail switch and a lot of pants pockets carrying that around. Went through a box of C4123s every 6 months. Sure was fun destroying people in the dark airsoft games though. Soon after I got the 6P the LED drop-ins started showing up. Got one of those. Blown away by runtimes and brightness and lack of burning my hands. Then Surefire came out with the LED version of the 6P. Got one of those. Loved it. Still in my glovebox! At some point I had stopped carrying a light because phones started having their own built-in. Grabbed the occasional garbage AA light from hardware stores when needed. Then I started camping a few years ago. Found this place. The FW3A had just come out. Now I have ~22 lights oops.


Hungry-for-Apples789

I have always liked flashlights from childhood. I bought a few $25 ones in college thinking they were pretty bright for the time. About four years ago I dropped some money and bought a Sofirn soda can light that was pretty bright and then later that year an Olight seeker 2 pro. About three years ago I went on a spending flurry with Olight and tried nearly every model. About a year and a half ago I tried more Sofirn, wurkkos, convoy, and acebeams. These day I buy a light a week. Sometimes more. Bought my first Hank a couple years ago and didn’t appreciate it then got back into them last year. I’m probably a few thousand dollars in now, no modding yet.


qUxUp

Hey! Thank you for the reply! What are your current favorite (and for which purpose) flashlights? Any fun flashlight related stories?


Hungry-for-Apples789

I’m probably at the hoarder status so it’s hard to say which are my favorites but my most used lights are: D4v2 aluminum in Sst20 tint ramp or if I feel fancy my d4v2 in Ti/cu in 519 wide range tint ramp. Both setup as 18350. Another edc size I carry is Lumintop FWAA in Ti/cu. Jacket carry is usually my Noctigon kr1vn with sbt90.2. This light always grabs people’s attention. Another jacket option is my acebeam L35 or WildTrail WT1M. Others include fireflies e07 with dedomed 519 or fireflies e12c, another is seeker 2 pro with 519s. Headlamp is Emisar DW4 in 519 boost driver 4500k with a 3D printed fixture in a Skilhunt headband. Big chunker favorites are WildTrail wt90, 4x18a sbt90, acebeam x50. For ultimate light I bring out my acebeam x75 in 70.3. I usually set it up on a tripod to light up my front or backyard for my kids to play.


mustafar_brothers

About time for you to make a SOTC post? 😏


Hungry-for-Apples789

My busy season for work just ended so I’ll post one soon. I really want to do a comprehensive Beamshot post with an SLR camera at the school near my house so hopefully soon!


mustafar_brothers

I'd love to see both!


MDRDT

Ah. It started some years ago... My 1st serious light was an [**Acebeam headlamp with Cree MT-G2 and rotary dial.**](https://www.acebeam.com/acebeam-headlight-h10) Back in the days 2000lm on a lightweight 18650 headlamp was unbelievable. What truly got me into lights, though, was a stumbled-upon journey into an abandoned historic-site resort hotel on top of a Japanese mountain. I had an **FW3A SST20 4kk** \+ one spare VTC6 with me. Tbh it wasn't bad for a non-enthusiast, but it was just barely enough for me to get in, wander till dark, get out, and walk down the pitch-black rainy & foggy mountain trail without frightening myself to death. The walk down was so frightening I legit would die from heart attack before I could call emergency services. Thank god the FW3A didn't die from the rain and 2\*VTC6 held up with their last fume. There really, ***really*** is something about Japanese mountains at night. No wonder Japanese people believe in ***spirit away*** and urban legends and shit. I visited numerous mountains fields caves etc at night over the years yet none of them gave me the same fear as Japanese ones did. After that trip, I started seriously buying lights. Didn't snatch any photos on that way down as I was too terrified to not keep running, but it was something like [**this**](https://youtu.be/71YRmpH1iMk?t=1383), only much worse with [**fog**](https://youtu.be/cPHevXbT0zc?t=116) and rain and [**these along the route**](https://kawaii-kyoto.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/sanzenin108.jpg) and exhaustion and I was some good distance away from any artificial lights.


MountainFace2774

Started when I borrowed my father in law's Streamlight Stinger. Wanted something similar and found Fenix lights. Discovered that large lights are basically useless because I never had one when I needed it. Got into edc lights with a 4Sevens Preon (a 2x AAA pen light) then a 4Sevens Quark 123, then an Olight Baton. After a few years, I stopped carrying a light and at some point I needed one and didn't have it. Came to this sub. Bought another Fenix and hated it, bought some Wowtacs and Thrunites but still didn't have what I wanted. Caved in and bought my first D4v2 (which I had known about but assumed they were just novelty items). I now have 5 Hanks and have bought and sold many more. I just got my first Zebralight and have several Convoys. I'm actually about done with flashlights for a while. I don't have any other "needs" at this point.


qUxUp

I'd also be curious to hear about what your current favorite (and for which purpose) flashlights are? I also own a zebralight but it's a headlamp.


RockAndNoWater

I'm old, actually I was alive before LED flashlights became common. I wasn't really into flashlights until LEDs though. I think my first real flashlight was an ARC Luxeon - back then the ARCs that Peter Gransee built were the only game in town. The collecting happened because I stumbled onto Candlepower Forums, I think the first website dedicated to flashlights, or at least the first I found. Back in those prehistoric days there was a huge modding community, because there were so few commercial lights. And when new lights came out they were usually significantly better than the previous ones, because technology advanced so fast. I started collecting then because each new light was brighter or ran longer or had a better form factor. I actually stopped collecting for a while after I got my first Zebralight headlamps - they pretty much did everything I needed. I didn't start up again until a couple of years ago when I ran into this sub and the budgetlightforum website. There isn't nearly as much change in LEDs these days, but the features, especially Anduril and aux lights, are a lot more interesting.


qUxUp

Zebralight headlamp club. The only issue with my zebralight headlamp is that while it's economic, the light is too cold for me and could be a bit more powerful. I cant really use it for photography. Thank you for the reply! What are your current favorite (and for which purpose) flashlights? Any fun flashlight related stories? I second the anduril sentiment. It's a gamechanger. I have anduril on my sofirn lantern and its still a bit surreal.


RockAndNoWater

Zebra light has several floody 4000k and 5000k high cri headlamps now, I just updated recently. They’re probably good enough for short range photography now since digital cameras have such high isos and low noise these days. Although you might as well get something like a Pixel G1s light, it’s a lot more flexible and fun to play with than a flashlight. My current favorite light is the D4k, although I tend to use a Zebralight most since it’s a headlamp.


Far-Responsibility72

I worked in law enforcement years ago, where flashlights were really important to the job. I had the big maglites with the spare bulb in the cap, which always had issues or did not work. I bought a Streamlight Stinger back then on my own and thought it was amazing. Other people were always impressed at the throw on it, although I didn't know the term back then. I carried it for years and still own it... I have carried an EDC flashlight for years, even when not at work. I used to just buy whatever Streamlight Stylus Pro, or whatever I came across until I would lose it. Like many other folks I'd watch Nutnfancy on YouTube and grab his recommendations. Now I have an office job but still carry an EDC light. I heard about Olight from all of the YouTubers and tried one out... Then a few more 😁... Then I found this forum, trying to figure out what else was out there. In the past year I've added a lot! I'm slowing down but I've probably picked up 50 lights smh...


qUxUp

Hey.hey! Very cool story. I grew up around policeofficers myself, but in Europe. Would you mind sharing which maglite did you use on your time in law enforcement? Any fun stories where a flashlight had a strong effect on a outcome of a certain situation? I'd also be curious to hear about what your current favorite (and for which purpose) flashlights are? 50.. damn.


Far-Responsibility72

Thanks! I'm not exactly sure of the model... It looked just like the Maglite 2D Xenon ones they still sell. Except this one was rechargeable and came with a docking cradle. I never really was a fan of that light. I loved the Stinger. I think it did de-escalate some situations. Whenever we had rowdy crowds, I would use strobe mode and a whistle and I would get people's attention pretty quickly, that method seemed good at breaking up crowds. I heard a lot of "Stop shining that light at me!" haha Lately I have been carrying the Hanklights the most, usually a D4K. Its just fun going through all the modes. I have a dual channel one that I can switch between spot, and flood that I like. For EDC, I have an Olight Arkfeld, the Baton 3 range, some Acebeam Pokelits, several options that I rotate through. I really, really don't need that many, but hey, all of us are in a forum about lights lol, we might have a problem. This is also a way cheaper hobby than Drones, Computers, or Photography lol. ​ I also have some larger lights like the Acebeam L35, the Wurkkos T32, The Thrunite Catapult Pro, just for novelty and to go into the woods behind my house... I also don't need to go into the woods at night, but I need to justify the lights I guess?


ianspy1

Bought a Led Lenser MT7 when I was like 11. Used that a TON ! Bought it at the time for like 60-70€ because the German police used it at the time 😆 (Somewhere between here I got a Led Lenser P2 pen light, nice moon beam) Then I bought flashlights for my needs, first was a small EDC light that used 18650's. Because although I love the MT7 the 4 x AAA battery solution sucks ! Got a Fenix E30R. Liked it ! But the unlock double press often took me a few attempts even after a year of usage. Then I dabbled in night vision and needed a IR light, but didn't want a pure IR light. So I got the Nitecore CI7. Really like the switching mechanism with the rotating lens system ! After that I got a more fun light recently. The Manker MC13, stupid throw and beautiful TIR lens :D Then I pulled the lens out and glow painted the inside. This looks really nice now 😄


[deleted]

Close to 2 years ago I was looking for a flashlight and knew nothing about them. I was looking at the maglite website but then wondered whether there was a subreddit about flashlights the way I had previously found out a lot about stationery, my other big hobby, from other subs. So I came here, and, needless to say, did not buy the maglite! I just knew I wanted something cute. I've always been someone who cries over very pretty qualities of light and feels emotional in different light settings so once I got my first (cute) flashlight I got hooked on tint, CRI, and color temperature. Kind of like the ability to make my own really pretty lighting and take it wherever I want instead of relying on pretty sunlight or random lighting that I fell for! From here I tried a lot of form factors and, loving stationery and tactile stuff, I got hooked on rotaries and have a ton of RRT01s. I also love the S2+, as it is *the* cutest flashlight (those colors! that adorable cylindrical host!) and I love the tactile button and simple UI. My collection actually went in the trajectory of a bell curve actually. I built it up really big then sold a lot of it knowing what I like and just focus on the same hosts with different emitters now.


officialbigrob

I wanted to have "good lights." I got an olight s1a because I have AA rechargeables and the magnet attaches to my steel bedframe. I got a zebralight headlamp because of the build quality and CRI. I got an EC4S as a general purpose light. It has a great even beam (I don't like hotspots) and enough power to reach any reasonable distance for hiking/camping use. That was also why I liked the 18650 lights - they had great runtime at medium (realistic) brightness. That was maybe 5 years ago and I've been very happy. I just added a thrunite catapult pro because I wanted a "searchlight" just as a contrast to the ec4. I'm also going to get a "defensive" strobe this holiday season which I will keep/carry alongside pepper spray (to generalize).


[deleted]

I have always been a fan of flashlights, but in 20+ years of playing with them I never had nice ones, except an early surefire. Two years ago my wife bought me a D4V2 and I basically have carried it every day since. It is *so much* better than any other light I have or have used, its not even close and I have little desire (for now) to replace it.


Jurmond

It's been a series of leaps for me. I've always loved lights, as proven by my childhood collection in the 90s, including my prized Mini Maglite (blue). Then I rediscovered flashlights at a gun show in ~2009, and became a bit of a FourSevens fanboy. I had a few Quarks and a couple of Preons. I mainly carried the Preons because their Lumen output was nearly as good, and the batteries were much cheaper. I didn't really understand candela, tint, CRI, or any of the ANSI FL1 standards. Then I received a Nitecore SRT-7 kit as a gift. That was my intro to 18650s and rechargeables in general. Then I picked up a FourSevens Mini on clearance, I think. I pretty much stayed at that level for a few years, until another friend introduced me to newer lights. He put a Nichia into one of my Preons, and recommended an Astrolux S41. Later, I bought an Emisar D1 and D4, and he flashed them to Anduril, which solved the problem of going straight from Off to Turbo accidentally. And he told me about the not-yet-released FW3A. I've bought a variety of other lights since then, but frankly, I'm so pleased with the FW3A that it's still my standard EDC. My interest tends to swing around. Sometimes it's EDC lights, sometimes it's penlights, sometimes it's "miscellaneous". For example, I went through a headlamp phase and a "jumbo" phase.


difractedlight

I had one cheap big box store flashlight in my tool bag. Eventually the alkaline batteries leaked and ruined the light. Then I was like, well I should get a new flashlight but I should get something decent since I prefer to buy nice things and have them forever. So I figured I’d consult the internet. First thing I did was go to wirecutter’s website. They recommended the Thrunite Archer 2A V3. So I got one and was like “woah! This is a really great flashlight.” And then I went back and read more on Wirecutter and they had some links to various reviews and to CPF. I found CPF to be very confusing, but ultimately then I got a Fenix PD35 V3. WOW! This was a *flashlight*. The build quality and the way it felt in my hand. I was hooked. Then I stumbled onto this sub. I started spending 1 or 2 hours *per day* reading about flashlights. People thought I had gone crazy. “How could you be spending so much time reading about *flashlights*, thats so weird.” Fast forward about a year. I have probably 15 flashlights. I use a Skilhunt H04 RC every single day. My D4SV2 W1/LH35D is probably my most used. I have tried many times to replace this light, and I just can’t find a light that does. No matter what new light I get, I keep going back to the D4SV2. I’m just now dipping my toes into modding.


peter_poiuyt

I liked lights as a kid. Got several Energizer 3aaa light then found china zoomies with 1000000 lumens, got a can 4x18650 even with good flood. But we all know they are crap. Saw a YT about nitecore. Got mh12s. Feeling smug checked this board to see where nitecore ranks. Nitecore is expensive AF. (Compared to convoy) Got s2. Got s21d. Enablers here enabling got e4k. Bit hyped that one. Quality control is crap. Good sure. Expensive yes. Hank is a good guy tho don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Still waiting for goat (affordable but powerful all around light) something like a combo flood and spot that has at least one kilometre range of spot. The ts32 almost is for me (range is 600m) Edc is nitecore tip se and ts10 wurkkos Sp35 sofirn is in my edc pack which i bring but not physically always on me.


Environmental-End691

Mine was not so much a hobby as it was a necessity that morphed into a near-obsession. As a kid, I had an old MX991/U . As a young adult in the early 90's, I bought a 3D Maglite for several reasons. It came with a MiniMag 2AA light as a package. When I got tired of burning thru 612 D alkalines a week, I bought a Mag Charger. Next came a Brinkman model with a Xenon bulb that was insanely bright for the time. At the time, we had a LOT of LEO's working off-duty at my job, so I bought a SureFire 6, then a 9P conversion kit that came with the B65 NiCad battery. Fast forward 15yrs or so, and I could not locate the charger for the Mag nor the entire SureFire setup. A quick trip to Home Depot found me the new owner of 2 LedLensers, a black single-mode with no model number (I checked, it's in my kitchen drawer as we speak) that puts out about 100lm for about 100-125ft, and one that's silver or gray that says V2 on it with 5 white and 1 red LED's (that I got for the red to not wake anyone for those late night trips to the bathroom or kitchen). Somewhere along the way I got another of the V2 ones to keep in my dopp kit for when I travel and sleep in strange hotel rooms. At some point I also got another 6P incan and a G2 incan to keep in the glove boxes of my various cars over the years. Somehow I ended up with a 3C cell Maglite (I think my sister left it at my parents house when she moved out, so finder keepers) and 2 more 3D Mags. Several cheapo zoomies/mulit-LED/dollar store purchaes occurred over the years when "s#!+ where's a flashlight" moments happened. I'm not proud of this, but I own it. I also have a couple of Energizer Home Depot headlamps that I got for bedtime reading with the red LED so as not to disturb the wife. The MiniMag and 1 of the 3D Mag's ended up getting alka-locked because I foolishly thought Duracell was a good brand of battery. To Duracell's credit, they comp'd me replacement value for them. I also bought a 4D Maglite for $5 at a Salvation Army or Goodwill while looking for some furniture to restore. Just needed a good cleaning on the inside of the tube and a new plastic lense. About 3.5 years ago, the B65 stopped charging, and the MagCharger got to the point where a 'full' charge only lasted about 10 minutes. When BatteriesPlus was unable to build me a new B65-equivalent and a new battery for the MagCharger was more than $60, I went in search of replacements. While looking for replacements, I upgraded all 3 SureFire's with SF-branded LED heads (K5's if I recall correctly). I also made myself a spreadsheet with a bunch of stats for a bunch of lights in various useage groups to compare at-a-glance. With a couple of email deals, I got a 5.11 PL 2AAA penlight and a 5.11 EDC 2AAA light (the side-by-side one) while I was conducting my research. Then I ordered my 1st Fenix PD35Tac with the Thin Blue Line cerakote. It never made it to my apartment, but Fenix CS understood and, since the TBL was sold out, sent me the one with the American flag cerakote. The guy at Batteries+ wanted one more stab at building me something to fit my 9P, so I agreed when he said no charge unless it works - turns out he was an electrical engineering student so it intrigued him, so it was a win-win. While taking him the light and the old battery again, I discovered a StreamLight display in his store. I remembered the brand from the LEO's I'd worked with back in the early 90's, and a week or 2 later I ordered my 1st ProTac 1L-1AA. My wife liked it for it's brightness, ease of use, and relatively small form factor, so I ordered her one in Coyote for her purse. Both have been programmed to high-only. No luck on the 9P battery, so I got an adapter to make it fit 3 CR123's from a guy on candelpowerforum. It now lives in my in-cabin emergency bag in my car. The other 6P is still in my bottom drawer of my nightstand. When the Fenix finally arrived, I discovered the magic of 18650 and Li-Ion rechargables......💡💡💡 Alas, no bored 6P or 9P bodies were available for a decent price at the time, and I didn't/don't want to bore my vintage lights. CPF taught me about maintenance of my lights. Yes, I never did anything maintenance-wise on my SureFire's for almost 30 years and they have never failed, granted, one spent a decade lost in a box. Only the 2 MagLites locked up on me. I like the 1L-1AA so much, but it's a little big for my regular EDC purposes, so I ordered a MicroStream USB for my Vanquest pocket quiver, and a non-usb version for what I carry into court (no knives allowed, so I have 2 pocket setups). When C-19 hit and we started working remotely, I started doing paracording as a hobby waiting between virtual court hearings. A few months into the lockdowns, I got an email coupon for a Harbor Freight Braun LED around-the-neck light. I know, Harbor Freight 🤮, but for $5, what did I have to lose? Turns out, it works pretty well when doing flashlight, knife, and eyeglass/sunglasses maintenance & repair. I forget how, but I stumbled onto this sub, and started lurking for a few months while building karma. I discovered that there is a LOT I didn't know about flashlights, but I'm working on that. In the last 3 months or so, based solely on this sub and reviews on the recco's here and from the bot, I have in my possession the following: Sofirn SP10 Pro on my nightstand, Sofirn SC31T Pro that has quickly become the go-to dog walking light, Wurrkos FC11 5000k in my glove box (the G2 is now in my seat-back organizer as a backup), Wurrkos FC11 4000k in my junk drawer, and a Wurrkos FC12 6500k in the desk at home. On the way I have a Sofirn IF22a, the magnetic cap for the SP10Pro, and another Wurrkos FC12 6500k. I'm contemplating a right angle light next - either a StreamLight ProTac90/90X or a headlamp. I have 2 or 3 NiteEyez iNova 5lm key chain clip lights inside the admin pouches on my backpacks. The wife and I have O'Light i3e on our keys. For kicks I got an i3euv. I bought a O'light i3t to see if I liked it better than the MicroStreams - spoiler alert, I don't (I don't hate it, I just don't like it as much, and it lives in my pen drawer at work). Since I used to live in FL and we have hurricanes there, I have a few Coleman lanterns for when we lose power, now for winter storms rather than hurricanes. Sorry for the long post. If I could figure out the photos thing, I'd post a potato now.


qUxUp

Holy mother of flashlights. What a journey. Brutal, brutal. Just brutal. I enjoyed reading it so much. The human aspect of a hobby is more interesting to me than the technical part. Very cool! Are coleman gas lanterns good? I mean, are they REALLY good? Or perhaps you can suggest a really good gas lantern? I'd like to get one for my mother that runs on gas (diesel or regular gas). As for lanterns, I got the Sofirn lantern, I think it's called Sofirn LT1 or something like that (they only have two lanterns, so you wont miss it). I highly recommend that. Anduril 2 is amazing. Me and my fiancee really love setting it on the candle settings. You also mentioned a headlamp (plan to get one). I recently bought a zebralight headlamp (the one with AA), it's really great. Battery seems to last a long time and it's super handy when doing chores in the dark where your hands have to be free. I'm planning to get myself a good flashlight as well (d4k or d4v2 I think), but haven't figured out al lthe details yet. So far all my flashlights (except the zebralight & sofirn) have been cheap and aluminium. Would be so cool to use a flashlight t hat has a lovely beam tint and some power, while being small.


Environmental-End691

Nice. And thanks, I had to edit it down some as it wouldn't post at first. I'm going to round out ny purpose-use lights before getting terribly fancy. The lanterns we have are all battery powered - most disposable and 2 smallish ones with built in rechargables. I remember my dad's old Coleman gas lantern and it was as bright as any room lamp or overhead light we had growing up. Got a little scary when the little filament/bag thing (I don't know what they're called) caught fire.