Flashlight rant

[mroberts21 (Mark Roberts)]

I’m a fan of Coast Flashlights. I’ve been buying their lights for years, including a couple head lamps, etc. I used them all over the world in my prior career and they took a beating and kept working.

I’ve finally found one I absolutely am ready to toss off a bridge.

My normal light is a Coast XP14R. I apparently left this somewhere. I have other lights, but it was my most used light. Size, lumens, ticked all the buttons. I have brighter, I have bigger, I have longer life. This one was just right.

So as I am looking at new lights, what the heck, they have the XP40R for like 15 bucks more. $60 or so, 8500 lumens, that’ll work.

I got it over the weekend, charged it up and try to turn it on. LOCKED. WTF? Yes, I know why this does it. How do I unlock it? Press and hold button for like 5 seconds, ok, fair enough. Use it, turn it off…turn it back on 6 minutes later? LOCKED!!! Also, when it comes on IN TURBO, it blows out any night vision my might have and you can’t turn it down to “high” for like 20 seconds. WTF.

It also doesn’t focus/narrow as much as the 14R. The 14R would reach out further, with just over half the lumens. @#$%%!!!

Of course, it was trash this morning, so the box went out and now I can’t return this annoying POS.

I suppose my next buy of a new Spyderco Knife is going to require two hands to open or something equally stupid.

[sfetty (Dave Fetty, CMI)]

I use a Coast HP8R everyday. I love it. I got my first Coast over a decade ago at a realtor association fund raiser auction. I was the only inspector there and bid $75 on the $150(?) flashlight. Been a fan of them ever since.

Return the dud… get one of there good ones.

[ruecker (Ryan Uecker)]

The only thing more controversial than what software and what ladder is best.

What flashlight is best, lol.

[mroberts21 (Mark Roberts)]

@sfetty

get one of there good ones.

I ordered another 14R. Amazon has them right now for $48.12 shipped after taxes.

I left my old one in a crawlspace once, an attic once, left it outside. Now it’s just gone and I’m sad. So I ordered it’s cousin. I’ll keep this retarded XP40R as a backup. I’m sure the battery will be flat next time I try to use this POS.

[sfetty (Dave Fetty, CMI)]

@mroberts21

an attic once, left it outside. Now it’s just gone and I’m sad.

@sfetty

I got my first Coast over a decade ago at a realtor association fund raiser auction

I lost this one in an attic in Naples. I spent about half an hour digging through insulation trying to find it, finally gave up and went to the back up and ordered a new one. Now I have a HP8R.

[jspencer (Jeff Spencer)]

When I started out in 2008, I spent $150.00ish on a rechargeable flashlight. A couple years in, I dropped it and the bulb burned out. Not a big deal as it had happened a couple of times before. I didn’t have an extra bulb this time, so I grabbed my $15.00 backup. Figured out there was not enough difference between the two to justify ever buying another expensive one.

[bnesbitt (Bryce Nesbitt)]

@mroberts21

Of course, it was trash this morning, so the box went out and now I can’t return this annoying POS.

Amazon will take it back anyway.

[kleonard (Kevin Leonard, CPI/CMI)]

I stick with what’s worked for me for years, when I first started I was using the rechargeable MAG light, it was the light to have back in the day, then I went with the Streamlight Stinger, then the Streamlight Stinger LED, now I use the Streamlight 77553 UltraStinger 1100 Lumen LED Flashlight with 120-Volt AC/12-Volt DC Charger, Black, 11.82 Inch - Amazon.com

[mroberts21 (Mark Roberts)]

@bnesbitt

Amazon will take it back anyway.

Yeah, I figure it’ll probably just loop back to the mfr for a re-box.

Ok, back it goes then.

New vs Newest. Arrived about 10 minutes ago. Arthur C Clarke had an axiom: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Amazon has that magic thing going on for shipping.

[bcawhern1 (Brian Cawhern, CMI®)]

I like the one that slips into my pocket.
Has brightness settings
Moon light setting doesn’t flood a small area with glare, such as a furnace interior.
Light is cool white. Does not wash out ceilings and walls with electric white light.

Amazon.com: ThruNite TN12 V6 Tactical LED Flashlight, High 1950 Lumens Dual...

[mroberts21 (Mark Roberts)]

@bcawhern1

I like the one that slips into my pocket.

I have a built-in in-efficiency that I’ve found I have to stick to. I’ve got some sort of an ADHD, Autism spectrum thing going on where I focus intently on whatever I’m working on. Everything else evaporates.

To combat this, I use a tool, I put it back in my van. I do anything else, I end up leaving stuff laying around and I end up losing it.

I don’t really need my light except for attics and crawls. Sometimes closets, but the phone can work for that in a pinch.

Pockets are good, except then things end up going through the wash. I literally had that happen yesterday. Fortunately it was just a carpenter’s pencil. You’d think I’d just run my pockets, but I don’t. I have a water logged outlet tester that shows otherwise ;).

[lkage (Larry Kage, CMI)]

@kleonard

I stick with what’s worked for me for years, when I first started I was using the rechargeable MAG light, it was the light to have back in the day, then I went with the Streamlight Stinger, then the Streamlight Stinger LED

I went the same path as Kevin:

120×120 15.8 KB

Originally Posted By: lkage This post was automatically imported from our archived forum. Does anybody remember the vendor at the Orlando Convention that was selling Ultra Stinger (75,000 candle power) flashlights for around $109 or $129, somewhere in there. I remember it was a really good price and they were toward the rear on the left going in the right isle. I need another! My backup Mag Light pulls my pants down...and it's not very bright. ![icon_cry.gif](upload://r83gSGUzNOacIqpjV…

Also, look at the ^^^ 6th ^^^post back in 2004. (The back up Mag light was getting old and hanging heavy on my belt loop.) So, I said it was not very bright and pulls my pants down.

Someone else then said “That sounds like the perfect date.” lol

[ruecker (Ryan Uecker)]

@bcawhern1

like the one….

I’m using an almost identical ThruNite currently. Nice light at a reasonable price.

[bcawhern1 (Brian Cawhern, CMI®)]

Add this battery and it is hard to beat. I have had mine for 6-7 years now.

Fenix USB-Rechargeable 18650 Li-ion Battery

Tip: Win Nachi questions of the week and use the gift certificate to buy 2 batteries

[mwilles (Martin Willes, CMI)]

This thread reminds me of an oil thread on an automotive Facebook group.

Everyone is very passionate about the 20 different brands of oil that get mentioned but ultimately at the end of the day, they all work.

[bcawhern1 (Brian Cawhern, CMI®)]

[mroberts21 (Mark Roberts)]

@mwilles

Everyone is very passionate about the 20 different brands of oil that get mentioned but ultimately at the end of the day, they all work.

Very true. All I will say about that is that I have put my Coast flashlights through harsh use. 100,000s of miles in the air, in the rainy season in Thailand, packed in a container in Honduras sitting at a port for weeks. When the time comes, they work. Shrug.

Maybe the Hop-sing brands will work just as well, but I found one that works for me. Your experience may differ.

[bcawhern1 (Brian Cawhern, CMI®)]

@mroberts21

but I found one that works for me

Reminds me of hand guns.

[mwilles (Martin Willes, CMI)]

@bcawhern1

Reminds me of hand guns.

Or inspection software

[mroberts21 (Mark Roberts)]

@bcawhern1

Reminds me of hand guns.

Sorta.

Any of the main manufacturers are pretty decent. I’m an H&K snob with the rounds to back up my snobbery. My P30 has run 10s of thousands of rounds and I’ve cleaned it maybe 8 times. It just works. HK, Glock, Sig, SW, Beretta, Colt, etc. All good.

Some of the junky stuff though? Stove-pipe, misfeeds, misfires.

I had this CZ-52(7.62x25) that would literally drop the firing pin into the primer when you de-cocked it. I figured maybe it was a stealth move or something. Movie scene: “Ok, ok, my finger is off the trigger, lowering gun now”, then fire it with the decocker under your thumb.