First time you became aware of "high end" flashlights?

[Hugh Johnson]

I'm new to modern lights this year. I was buying a maglite as a gift and another customer was enthusiastically telling me I should buy the Fenix. I looked into it, found this forum, bought a bunch of lights, and now spend far too much time thinking about them.

 

[lnhldyf]

A few years ago, my friend sent me a surefire flashlights. I was attracted by it and became a fanatical surefire fan. One after another was collected today and will continue

 

[Modernflame]

It's a sickness! I don't think it's contagious, though. Seems we are born with it, but it lies dormant until exposed to the drug. I've got a nasty case. Sure, I like knives and other gear, but my relationship to those things is casual. I'd almost be willing to sell body parts for the right flashlight.

 

[BloodLust]

Back as a kid in the 80's and 90's, I had a few Maglites and they were considered high end at that time.
Coming from a 3rd world country and the lack of internet at that time, research and exposure were minimal. Branded or imported items cost 2-3x as much. So as a kid who was given Maglites and Victorinox Swiss Army Knives, they were the coolest.

Then comes the internet and started looking at what was available.
I'm a mountaineer and for long trips, incandescent lights ate through my battery stash fairly quickly.
Also as a diver, we had to lug HID and Halogen lights with motorcycle batteries on night dives and cave dives.

More research led me to Surefire and my mom got me a G2 Nitrolon as a gift.
As a student, CR123s and replacement P60 bulbs were quite expensive plus add the markup on imported products.

I was in a level 3 basement parking when a city wide blackout occurred. Since I hadn't replaced my busted G2 bulb yet due to cost, out comes my Maglite Solitaire. Could barely see a few feet in front of me and it ate through the battery quickly.

Did more research which led me to this forum back in 2004 and was made aware of an up and coming company named Fenix.
Did more digging and ended up with their 1st Cree LED light, the P1D in "brushed natural" finish which I wish they still did today. It was insanely bright then and loved the quality. Then I looked for 1 with easy single hand operation and got a Fenix P2D-CE, their 1st Cree light with tail switch. (I liked the UI so much that I EDC an identical UI Fenix LD10 R5 up to this day). Also ordered Fenix's knife when they still had knives, the KM3.

CR123s were still to expensive to run regularly especially on a student's budget so I got an Inova X1 with reflector. Was spoiled by the output of the Fenix lights so the X1 ended up as backup.
Then found the Fenix LD10 which has the output and UI of the P2D-CE but with a single AA. I lost my 1st LD10 but liked it so much that I got another 1 despite newer and stronger output lights already available.

Sorry for the ramble. 😂

 

[Jash]

When I was a kid, an Eveready Dolphin was high end because I could never afford to buy one. Now they're $16 at a local hardware store. I bought two just to have something easy to find and reasonably bright for general house use.

High end is a relative term. My EDC Quark would be considered high end by most people for the simple fact that it cost more than $50. For me it is at the lower end of my collection as far as investment and value are concerned.

 

[rayman]

My first flashlight was a 2 AA Maglite and that was the reference point until one day my brother came home with a Fenix L1D :-D. That's the first time I had a high end flashlight in my hands, shortly after I bought a Jetbeam...;-)

 

[Crazyeddiethefirst]

I was in my 50's when my father in law gave me a Coast/Led Lenser...I was so impressed! Then a friend who is a LEO told me to check out "Surefire" lights...being an idiot at the time I got on eBay and saw an "Ultrafire" that was so much cheaper...very soon after, threw out the "Ultrafire" and bought a Satin Gray Surefire E2e, and my addiction took off like I was on steroids...within a year I had 28 Surefire's, discovered Four Sevens, Olight, Nitecore and PK...now four hundred & some flashlights later and Firefly, Thetasigma, Sinner and a host of other custom lights and I am amazed how expensive the "high end" is rising to...

 

[scs]

Was looking for a flashlight. Searched for suggestions and reviews online and came across the Fenix LD20 with XR-E. Saw the price tag and scoffed, "What fool would pay that much for a flashlight." Got a cheap Dorcy "tactical" light instead. Later found this forum and discovered that over-spending on flashlights was "a thing." Initially denied and repressed stirrings of interest. Before long, went off in search of a better light. And here I am still today.

 

[bykfixer]

Like crazyeddie, my first "new" light was a Coast. At my work one night my minimag wasn't bright enough and the bulb was blown in my 12 volt spotlight. A coworker lit up the required area with a 2C mag sized "LED" light of some sort. I was blown away that LED's were now brighter than light bulbs as the newest flashlight I owned was a 5LED number that wasn't as bright as my minimag. Well it was if you needed light 6 feet in front of you. The minimag lit a staggering 15 feet. lol.

I needed to see 300 feet away. Next day I bought a Coast HP7. Now my addiction began there. Soon after Lux-Pro's, Energizer Hard Case and Rayovac Indestructables were scattered about my work truck. And an LED 2D Mag was acquired. I used that one on my way to work one evening to light up road signs 1/4 mile away while I drove to work.

Soon after joining here I tried the SureFire G2x Pro and crossed that $50 line. Uh-oh!! Then I crossed the $100 line with a Malkoff light. I have yet to cross the $200 line and likely won't. But shortly after my 3rd post here didn't require that "fill in the box" thing I began geeking out on all of those "high end" lights. But to this day they just never floated my boat.

I'm more of a high end Honda guy than a Porsche guy. I understand all of the appeal behind it though. But I have incan lights in my blood. And over time I have acquired some what used to be high end incans along the way. To my friends, family and co-workers a Streamlight Stinger or anything SureFire would be considered high end. So when I show them my PK edc numbers they think I've flipped my lid.

The other night at work I whipped out my SureFire EB1c to show a fellow what a pencil beam is. He looked it over and handed it back like it was made out of wet paper. Then I showed him the beam from my Mag XL 50 to which he replied "that's a Maglite?" He was impressed until heard heard it was $35. lol.

 

[irongate]

Trouble is Mr. Fixer is how many people will go out and spend a easy $35-to $50 for a nice evening out meal. I guess it is all how you value something and what is in your hand to use for a long time or feed a mouth for a evening. And then drinks can be even more.
Me I will take the flashlight
I've had flashlights for many of years but way back in 98 I think it was got my first Mag blue 2D for during security for a church concert and collecting ever since. Then came here and Surefire and Fenix took on a whole new way of flashlights.

 

[bykfixer]

^^ Yup. The wife n I go out to dinner sometimes and when we get the bill we say "$50? For that?" lol.

I have a neighbor who'll pay $36 for a pair of (runners) socks but says "$35 for a flashlight is too much". Priorities.

My pop raised us not to chase brand names but seek value instead. He knew sometimes paying an extra $3 gets you $5 worth of value.
Now he absolutely freaked when he found out my mom had paid $19 for his Maglite in about 1980. Not because she had bought an item that would likely outlive him. Nope he was upset that she didn't haggle the price. lol.

When he found out she had paid $11 for my first ever pair of leather Nike's (when Nike was a "who's Nike?" company) he stayed mad for days. Not unsual for my pop back then... but anyway when I was still wearing them 6 months later he insisted his kids wear those "$11 shoes"... which were $19 by the time I needed a new pair.

He was the sort who would have gladly paid $200 these days for a flashlight if it were for hunting/fishing or other activities involving a very durable and dependable flashlight that could withstand rolling down a mountan side in Montana somewhere, or floated after it bounced out of his boat at 45mph... but I'm pretty sure he would've at least tried to haggle on the price.

He'd probably like my Elzetta Bones or my yellow SureFire G2x Pro. lol

 

[MidnightDistortions]

I prefer quality over quantity. If spending $70 on a flashlight that will light up the entire back yard or half the forest i'd say that's a good light. While cheap lights are bright enough there's always lights that work better and brighter than candles in a blackout.

Anyway Maglites were the first iteration of high end lights for me. It was until i joined this site is when i picked up a Fenix LD41.

 

[10ring]

First high end was a streamlight scorpion with the xenon bulb, when I was working as a bouncer at a bar ca. 2004.

Next was a Fenix TK10, never looked back.

 

[OldSage]

Depends on what is defined as a "high end" flashlight? Sort of define "high end" as the latest in design and efficiency. So I guess a few days ago. Purchased a NiteCore SRT9. Personally look at hand and head lamps to be semi-disposable tools. As in when I misplace or drop a unit overboard or trash it due to a bump. Curious to see if the new "high end" lights are durable. Still have functional 5 to +35y/o incandescent/halogen/early gen LED Maglites, Primus& Petzel headlamp. Lamps and old gen NiMH, NiCad chargers heading to the thrift shop today or tomorrow.

 

[FPV]

My first light was a Maglite and that was in the early '00s. Left it unused for a decade and, due to ebay voucher, bought a 1 $US Sipik SK68 clone. That was my first LED light, it was approx. 2010. Found several light forums afterwards and finally got to know high-end flashlights here at CPF!

 

[hemix360]

Re: First time you became aware of "high end" flashlights?

I used mini mags when I was a young lad. Then in 07 I found Surefire and I had an L4 and a few years later a G2 LED 80 lumens. During this time I had some Coast flashlights from the hardware store. Had a Maglite xl50 in 2010 I used for some along with some 2D and 3D LED Maglites. But in 2011 it all came clear and I was aware after I searched for light made in USA and there was was a thread on CPF and bam, I found HDS( when one could be brought for $100) then I got a Malkoff and Peak, then I got into the Chinese lights, Fenix, Olight, Foursevens. Now I carry either my HDS HCRI 200 or my Streamlight Protac 1L-1AA. As most of my Chinese brands have bit the dust or just don't suit my needs.