Flashlight Fetish

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hueyville

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Jan 5, 2013
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Blue Ridge Mountains
Hi, my name is Michael and I am a flashlight fanatic. Junkie, addict, user, or whatever term you may designate but I have a problem. Not only do I have this problem, now my wife.has become addicted also. Who has the 12 step program to help us end our addiction. I have been like this since my first maglight ~30 years ago. It was a two cell unit but soon I had to buy a three cell. Soon found out there were times where neither was right for the job so acquired a 5 cell D and a 3 cell C. For mountain climbing we used a1.5 volt incandescent headlamp that used a single D size lithium battery. In 1983 I paid 75 bucks for the headlamp and 50.00 for the battery. Soon found out lithium didm't get dim so you knew to order another. On minute it was full on, next it was full off. All was good then those pesky French and Germans started making headlamps that actually worked using a 4.5 volt flat battery.

They were 115.00 each and you always needed a backup. Batteries were special order only and cost 12.95. Then I met the girl of my dreams. She started riding a 1956 Harley Panhead at age 16 and never quit. When we met she had a 1973 flh shovel head and a 1978 Sportster. She already had a concealed carry permit and a Charter Arms 5 shot .38 special Bulldog. A pretty girl with a good job, motorcycles and took to climbing and skiing like had done it all her life. If I said pack for the Alps we will be gone for a month she didn't even have to ask me what to take.

So except.for choosing me she has a penchant for quality equipment. Soon after I.taught her the combinations to the vaults she had parked the Bulldog and had pulled a S&W model 60, AMT .380 backup, 3"ported .44 special with night sights and a cute little Colt preban CAR-15. Soon after she discovered my light fetish. My 2 cell maglight fit in the saddle bags of he shovel head. The Petzl headlights went everywhere. Soon my C cell maglight went in her truck.

I was.running out.of lights but luckily light technology was changing fast. I put one of the original compact.tac lights on my riot shotgun so she demanded one for he CAR-15. So as technology improves, I buy me more lights. I bought at least half a.dozen a year. 50 lumens then 75, 100, 150 etc. Each time.one got smaller and brighter the flashlight fairy confiscated it for her use. Excuse always is that a girl out on a motorcycle after dark needs.a.good light more than a man.

A couple of years ago I purchased a Coast HP7 LED light with 250 lumens. In less than 2 weeks it was gone. I was searching house for it when she said it had found.a.new.home in her 2007 Roadking. So I bought another for me. Within a week it was gone... In her truck. I purchased her a 3 cell LED maglight for her truck and got my coast back. Week later, gone again, in her '73 shovelhead. So I decided to let slide. I found me a Surefire P2X Fury Pro at 500 lumens. Week later one of the HP7's was in its place and was m.i.a. Bought me.another and viola, it disappeared and another of my 250 lumen HP7's had returned. 100 dollar flashlights just getting sniper before I can dim the.batteries is a bummer.

As a Christmas season door buster Lowes had 3 cell LED maglights for 14 bucks. I bought 4 black for me and four red for her. After Christmas they ran a sale in their 212 lumen Coast headlamps. I got six. Three for her and same for me. Now we have a gazillion of flashlights you can cut soda cans in half with their so bright. Today I tripped over a deal on some Surefire Felix PD32 tactical lights. 720 lumens each. I bought the only two the store had. So how do I keep my ol ladies greasy paws off my light sabres? I can't just pop on a couple more as it will get into my toy money. Or do I give her one and demand a P2X back as trade. I have created a monster. Right now having to get my smith to build her a 6mm PPC to fit her frame, low ecoil and run one hole groups. How do you guys keep your toys? And anyone know of a compact light that pushes the 1,000 linen mark yet? Next thing you know she will be taking my motorcycles too.
 
I you REALLY want to depart with a lot of money, go over to candlepowerforums.org [I think it is org]. You can make some severly bright lights, and empty the bank on them, and rechargable lithiums.
 
I've been an on-and-off again member of CPF. It's addictive. Luckily I quit while I was ahead, but not before I racked up a couple dozen lights.
 
What's wrong with me? Would take a.team of psychologists and psychiatrists years to get a.handle on all my disorders. I just need to find a way to keep the wife from confiscatimg my new flash lights before I get a.chance.to kill the first set of batteries. Guess it could be worse. Could have an ol lady like a lot of guys that have to hide new toys to keep from getting fused at. Mine just snipes the good stuff. Guess I need to learn to not buy every new flashlight that hits the market. At least she doesnt know how to use logging scope meters, meggers and oscilliscopes. Hate for her to start smiling those.
 
I had to stop hanging out at cpf. With the new LEDs requiring a fairly significant amount of amps to get the brightness needed, the expense of modding got to be too much. I have learned to be content with moderately bright lights now.

I only have a couple of Maglite mods . . . . and really not true mods, more like dropins. My favorite for home use is a cheap Chinese buy, the Fusion36. All 5mm Nichia style LEDs [36 of them, of course], and it puts out a huge wall of light. Literally lights up the room. I have it in a Copper colored 2D Maglite.
 
Damn you Huey,

I blew coffee out my nose and all over the keyboard reading this!!!!
I'm still laughing!!!!!!
 
There's a discovery channel show in there somewhere...

Illumination Hoarders
Dark Busters
Watt Wars
Most Extreme Illumination Challenge (who remembers MXC?)
 
I'd watch that!

I'm a self-professed flashlight junkie, but I think my wife may be catching it from me. When we got home from our last vacation, I opened the suitcase to find a brand new flashlight I didn't even know about. She swears I told her I wanted it, but I don't remember it at all.

Or maybe my sickness is worse than I thought....

If you find the 12 step program, fill me in.
 
BTW I ordered a couple of Olights , a IR ilumminator and 4 dozen C123's this past week..

It must be catching!!!!!!!
 
It's a guy thing, just like fire, puppy dogs, or a new power tool. No need to be ashamed. Quite frankly, I wouldn't fully trust a man who doesn't love flashlights.
 
My favorite light is Armytek Predator. It's a nice looking light, very slender, black color matte anodized I believe, with a removable pocket clip and a lanyard.

This light is the best for my needs.
 
This post sounds very familiar in a lot of ways only in my case my wife and daughter kind of make fun of my flashlights.... Until they need one that is.
I've had a g2 and g3 go missing from time to time. Not to mention the tk20 my daughter took up with for some several months.
You might try leaving a few around as bait. It has worked for me in the past. There is a c2 and e2 sitting on a shelf that nobody ever touches.... The lamps are broken and I haven't bothered to upgrade them. Most any fenix will work for this :D
 
I am in the same boat. I just created an account on BLF. I am now up to 9 lights. I got one of those cheap XP-E Q5's rail mounted lights on my G19 and I have another smaller one for subcompacts coming for my Ruger SR22. I just ordered a Ultrafire C8 as I have heard really good things about it and it is supposedly a nice thrower. I also have a Tank007 E09 coming as well as I wanted a nice AAA light. I have 2 SK98 Ultrafire clones with XM-L T6's and 2 SK68 Ultrafire clones with XP-E Q5's. The first one I bought was a Ultrafire WF-501B with an XM-L T6. It has decent throw, but I wanted something more. I heard the new XM-L2 U3's and T6's are pretty good too as well as the Jacob A60's. I'm still in the cheap lights, but it is addicting. I also vape so I already had 18650's and other lithium batteries. There are so many lights that it is ridiculous.
 
Gentlemen, when you realize you want to manage, not remove your addiction, then you need to go to:
http://budgetlightforum.com/

I've 5 Uniquefire UF-T20s on order, I'm going to mod three to 850nm, 940nm, red light, keep one as white and one for my nephew who just joined the cubs. Also several 501Bs so I can make the same mods and compare...
 
addicted too

My problem is in addition to ALP (addiction to lumen power) is i can"t decide which one to take with me. So I end up carrying 6 or 7 lights out of 157 lights with me! There is no hope for me! :)
 
I don't know if you want to know this but foursevens is having a clearance sale. Um. Yeah. I bought something.

I have bought no less than 10 flashlights this year. Penlight in each car. Handheld in each car. Headlamp or two in each car. Light in each bedside table. One at the back door. 5 different keychain lights.

The only solice I have is knowing someone out there has it worse than me.
 
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^^^^^ Heh... I do the same thing. I keep a flashlight everywhere I might need one. I do the same thing with reading glasses. I need to because I have a propensity towards losing track of things these days.
 
I have a couple of lights from dealextreme. the cheap asian stuff is the way to go. Lights aren't like optics, you can totally find cheap quality. I"m done with american branded lights.

but about you r problem, wither put on your big boy pants and tell her no, this one is mine. or let her take what she wants and take the other stuff back. there are only so many lights she can fit in her glove box.
 
Good grief... sounds like the lady must always come first. Isn't that always the case? :) Just give up and buy her the best/new stuff and be happy with the hand-me-downs since she's gonna take the best for herself anyway. ;)
 
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