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Old December 12, 2007, 07:03 PM   #1
rantingredneck
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Confessions of a Flashlight Junkie.......

My name is Rantingredneck and I am addicted to flashlights..........

OK now that we have that first step out of the way, maybe we can move on.

I've always had a thing for guns and related gadgetry, but there is a special place in my heart for flashlights. And I've got a bunch of them. My wife said something the other day along the lines of "You've got more flashlights than I have shoes". I think she's right.

I've got Maglights and Surefires and Brinkmanns and Inovas. I've got Garritys and Gerbers and some that don't even have brand names. They all serve one purpose or another. I've some of them stashed in my truck. Some mounted to walls. Some in toolboxes and tackleboxes and hunting boxes, and well you get the point. I certainly have my favorites though.

There are a few that see more use than others and a few that are just "there" in case they are needed. The ones that see the most use include the Surefire 6P that goes with me to work every day. As I've mentioned before, I am the director of a rehab facility, but I often find myself working with the maintenance people on this or that so a good multitool and flashlight are a must for me. If it's not the Surefire it's the Inova 2AA model that slips easily in my shirt pocket or cargo pocket of my pants. Hell I've even got a Belkin ink pen that has a stylus for my PDA, LED flashlight, and laser pointer all in one. (told ya I was a gadget freak). In my hunting pack is a Gerber Carnivore that sees use when hunting. It really is all it's hyped up to be when you have a thin blood trail to track at night. Blood almost looks 3D under the tracking LED and it has a nice focused Xenon bulb for finding your way back to the truck. Also have a set of Panthervision LED's that clip to my hat for general navigation and "being seen" by other hunters out in the woods.

Among those that are "Just there" in case of need are the 4D cell maglight mounted to the wall outside my bedroom door (along with a fire extinguisher). Mounted it there so that I will always know where a light and extinguisher are in case of fire. Thankfully never had to use either of them. There's also a 2D maglight in my wife's car and a 2D maglight in my truck. Those two have seen some use for flat tires and such, and that is the reason they are there. There is another one I've picked up here recently that is impressive though, and that is an LED model from Brinkmann that is rechargeable both with a wall plug and a solar panel built into the body of the flashlight. This one has just about taken the place of the maglight in my truck. It's got a velcro lanyard that keeps it hanging around the transaxle shifter in my truck and thus always charged by the sun. Never have to worry about the batteries. Then of course there is the Surefire G2 that is mounted to my primary HD Shotgun (a Rem 870 with 20" rifle sighted barrel). Thankfully never had to use it for it's intended purpose either.......

There are various and sundry others scattered hither and yon throughout the house. Thus prompting my wife's statement comparing my flashlight collection to her shoes.

Anyone else wanna step forward and admit they have a "problem" with flashlights???


Last edited by rantingredneck; December 13, 2007 at 01:02 AM.
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Old December 12, 2007, 07:38 PM   #2
Boris Bush
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I just made my wife read that. She has said the same about me for along time. She added that I have a problem with knives also, oh well....
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Old December 12, 2007, 08:19 PM   #3
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Quote:
My name is Rantingredneck and I am addicted to flashlights..........
Hi Rantingredneck

I too could easily qualify as a charter member of this recovery group. I've never been one to leave weapons strategically placed around my home for fear that they'd wind up in the wrong hands, but I've got flashlights stashed everywhere.
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Old December 12, 2007, 09:46 PM   #4
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Wanna know the definition of Irony???

As soon as I posted that my power went out

I got a chance to use part of my collection LOL.
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Old December 12, 2007, 10:09 PM   #5
rantingredneck
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Quote:
She added that I have a problem with knives also, oh well....
Yeah, that's another problem of mine.............

Finally got to be such a problem that I built my own forge and started making my own.
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Old December 12, 2007, 10:10 PM   #6
sholling
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Rantingredneck,

You aren't a true flashlightoholic until you start spending more time on Candle Power Forums than here.
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Old December 12, 2007, 10:13 PM   #7
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Must.........not..........click............that...........link............ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!
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Old December 12, 2007, 11:59 PM   #8
The Tourist
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I'm afraid I'm in the same boat. I have the SureFire website bookmarked. I have their case-of-12 on my end table, and I'm sincerely thinking of getting the 72-pack.

I even have several pens with barrels that light up with LEDs so I can write in the dark.

Naturally, I have both red and blue...
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Old December 13, 2007, 02:40 AM   #9
sholling
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Must.........not..........click............that...........link............ARRRGGGHHHHH!!!!


I have one of these on my key chain, one of these on my belt, and one of these being delivered tomorrow. One of these coming for when I have to wear a suit. And I'm giving these out as stocking stuffers. Am I a sick puppy or what?

BTW: There is an 8% off Fenix-Store (pronounced Phoenix) coupon code on CPF, and a 5% for Battery Junction...
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Old December 13, 2007, 08:02 AM   #10
Omaha-BeenGlockin
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I have a growing collection of Mini-Mag lights in every color I can find--all still in the blister packs. Good thing they're cheap at Walmart.
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Old December 13, 2007, 09:00 AM   #11
ZeSpectre
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And remember, Friday (the 21'st) is NATIONAL FLASHLIGHT DAY!!!

As for addicted... nah, not me, I just helped Mr. ThomasH develop the
"Standard Flashlight Recommendation Checklist"
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Old December 13, 2007, 09:02 AM   #12
Martyn4802
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I don't have any problems with buying flashlights, or knives, or rifles.. I'm single...
That Innova flashlight is about as good as gets, but I do have a bunch of others that are very good too. A good head light is a must too. They leave the hands free to work in the dark.
I'm on a knife buying kick right now. Thank God I don't have a house warden to scream about all the stuff I buy...

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Old December 13, 2007, 11:13 PM   #13
sholling
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The Fenix T1 came today... Wow!!! It's sort of big but it's what I want when I walk in the woods. Even on low it puts out 60 lumens for 10 hours (claimed), and a claimed 225 lumens for 90 minutes on high.
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Old December 14, 2007, 02:20 AM   #14
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Count me in

Quote:
My name is Rantingredneck and I am addicted to flashlights....
I think I have 10, or thereabouts, most of them souped-up with high-wattage LED lamps and rechargeable NiMH batteries. A couple are lanterns that hang in the family room/dining room. If the power goes out here, I might get cold, but it certainly won't be in the dark. If they weren't so expensive, I'd probably have a HID flashlight as well. Maybe someday.
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Old December 14, 2007, 03:11 AM   #15
sholling
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Quote:
I'd probably have a HID flashlight as well. Maybe someday.
Well there is always one of these...

Quote:
R-GR03: Romisen 3 x CREE LED Combat Light [R-GR03]
Features:

* 3 x CREE XR-E LED
* Outputs 500 Lumens
* uses 4 x CR123A
* Includes carrying pouch

Or the Surefire Beast:
Quote:
The Beast is the most powerful flashlight SureFire has ever produced for civilian sale. Utilizing a xenon-fill high-intensity discharge (HID) arc lamp, it puts out 2000 lumens of blinding white light, 120 times the light output of a typical two D-cell alkaline flashlight.
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Old December 14, 2007, 06:50 AM   #16
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$4,800, Unbelievable!!!
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Old December 14, 2007, 06:06 PM   #17
RedneckFur
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I can safely say that is one addiction I dont have. I've got a maglite, 1 AA LED light, a million-candlepower spotlight in the work truck. And i think thats more than enough flashlights.

My question is this. What do you do with those super-ultra-incredible bright $400 flashlights that use the $30 batteries anyway? Seems a solution in search of a problem, if ya ask me :P
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Old December 14, 2007, 07:02 PM   #18
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1991, two guys backpacking, storm rolling in.
Although both valleys would take us back to basecamp we didn't know that one valley was WAY longer than the other and we took the wrong one. Pretty soon it's dark and raining/blowing like hell and suddenly the though occurs... hey, flash flood conditions and WE'RE STUCK IN A DEEP VALLEY!

We had compass, map, and really cheap 2xAA incan lights but it was only by sheer luck that we actually found the trailhead for -the- path that switchbacked out of the valley and up onto the ridgeline. I'd have given a LOT to have a 70-100 Lumen light with some runtime both for finding that trailhead and walking the ridgeline trail when we got there!

What do I carry under the same circumstances now? Night-Ops Gladius! (and usually a Princeton Tec EOS headlamp tucked in another pocket)
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Old December 14, 2007, 07:20 PM   #19
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I chuckle every time i see the ad in gunrags for Surefire:
"This is my flashlight. There are many like it but this one is mine!"
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Old December 15, 2007, 09:15 PM   #20
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Well, let's say the $4800 HID flashlight is "interesting". And to think I thought $300 was too much to pay for one. Silly me! Even that is too much when any more you can get a decent quality Cree or Luxeon LED flashlight, with longer battery life, for <$50.
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Old December 16, 2007, 12:52 AM   #21
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I have a lot of flashlights. About 20, I think...

All but one or two have gotten some use in the last year. One of them (the one I always carry) was used within the last hour.
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Old December 16, 2007, 01:39 AM   #22
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I get old Edwardian-era brass flashlights and upgrade them with Luxeons.

Someone in my office blinded themselves with a 1910 model with a glass lens, brass and black enamel ornamented tube...and probably over 40 lumens. They expected a weak period glow-worm bulb, I think.
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Old December 16, 2007, 04:19 AM   #23
sholling
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In addition to the craziness I've listed above I've been upgrading my old 3xD cell Maglites with the well reviewed regulated Terralux TLE 6EXB bulb replacement modules. They claim ~140 lumens for up to 15 hours on conventional alkaline D batteries. I'll take that with a grain of salt but I have the Maglites and may as well keep them useful with a $25 upgrade and they retain the Maglite focus for a really long throw.

I also keep one of those cheap $8 Home Depot power-failure light in each room and the garage. In the event of a power failure they automatically come on to give you about 15 minutes of light to find your flashlights etc with a minimum of toe breakage. I replace these every 18 months.
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Old December 16, 2007, 08:30 AM   #24
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I thought I had a problem with Maglites....

I've got a 6 cell in the bedroom.
I've got a 4 cell in my truck.
I've got a 2AA in my hunting pack.
I've got a 2AA in my bedroom (goes with the gun if needed in the middle of the night)
I've got a 2AAA in the basement.

As I've read, thankfully my fetish has remained with the inexpensive maglite.
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Old December 16, 2007, 05:11 PM   #25
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I also keep one of those cheap $8 Home Depot power-failure light in each room and the garage. In the event of a power failure they automatically come on to give you about 15 minutes of light to find your flashlights etc with a minimum of toe breakage. I replace these every 18 months.
I don't trust those. Being that they're made in China and are always charging, I'd be worried they'd catch fire.
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