flashlights, flashlights, flashlights

[blw2]

I'm a flashlight junky too.  DW makes fun of me an my flashlight collecton.  I think it was all those years of those sorry old fashioned ones that threw out little light and you often had to jiggle and slap to get them to work.  I value a good quality light and can't stand the cheapy ones....

I had a little nebco LED, single AA battery that was the best little light bought several years ago.  Lost it and bought identical replacemnts (yes plural), but the new ones don't make good contact between the bulb head and the body.  Work well, then without warning stop.   Then you have to twist and jiggle to get it back on.

My pet peeve are those battery lanterns.  They have their place I guess, but more often than not they are blinding.  We took the cub scouts on a night hike near our church a few weeks back.  One of the boys had one, and with it, you couldn't see anything from the glare.  At one point, I tried to give the boys a lesson about turning the lights off to let the eyes adjust and see better at a distance.

[scoutermom]

I, too have a LARGE collection of flashlights - most of which do NOT have working batteries!  Batteries are a pain, because, whether they are being used, or not, they all eventually loose power. If they sit long enough, they can corrode and wreak stuff. Because of this, I try to NOT keep batteries in the plastic  drawer of 'spare' flashlights kept in the closet.

Years ago I tried to eliminate acquiring any more flashlights unless they where something really useful (the previously mentioned tripod light) or free.  The 'free' ones were usually passed on to someone else, unless they used AA batteries.  I've tried to have all of our flashlights be AA ones, that way we don't have to keep on hand many different types of batteries.  When I started this habit - it helped that most of my son's electronic toys used AA's also, so we always had a large pack of them on hand, or, if one flashlight or toy was dead, we could swap out the batteries from another.

One handy flashlight deserves a mention here - those hand- crank ones.  They aren't really bright, but they can stay stored for months or years in a bedside table,  camper, or  cold car in a winter climate, and ALWAYS be dependably ready when you need one.  Living in a cold weather climate, I can't tell you how many times the flashlight in the car was dead when I needed one.  I keep a crank-light in each vehicle now.    Young kids also like them - and if a child wants to go to sleep with their flashlight on, or forgets to turn it off - no harm done - they just crank it up when they need it again.

For the guy who can't get his wife to use the headlamp - as a long-time scout and scouter, I really like the head lamps specifically FOR those late-night latrine trips.  As a kid at Girl-scout camp, I remember a number of lit flashlights that ended up dropped in the pit latrines, or that rolled into a spidery corner just when you needed them elsewhere.  In most pit toilets, there's no place to PUT a flashlight, except the floor (gross!) - and that doesn't help you see what you're doing.  As an adult camping with the Boy Scouts - the latrines were even worse. I love my headlamps because they direct the light where I want to see, I don't have to set it down, and my hands are free.   

 I'm guessing that you usually camp at  places with real bathrooms and lights, but you might try getting her one of those clip on lights for a baseball cap instead.  I also find the headlamp/ cap lights handy for any night cooking, making s'mores, etc. anything you need your hands for.

[3OnTheGo]

My hubby spotted a 3-pack of LED flashlights at Costco the other day. I was standing there rolling my eyes with a grin on my face. A lady walking by gave me a knowing look and said, "They always need another flashlight, don't they?" We both laughed. A minute or so later a guy walked by, leaned in to my husband and said, "You can never have too many flashlights!" Then he ran to catch up with his wife—the lady who had been rolling her eyes and laughing with me.

[blw2]

My hubby spotted a 3-pack of LED flashlights at Costco the other day. I was standing there rolling my eyes with a grin on my face. A lady walking by gave me a knowing look and said, "They always need another flashlight, don't they?" We both laughed. A minute or so later a guy walked by, leaned in to my husband and said, "You can never have too many flashlights!" Then he ran to catch up with his wife—the lady who had been rolling her eyes and laughing with me.

Funny!

Scoutyermom, you mentioned the crank flashlights.  DW bought as a gift for me once, one of those induction lights that you shake instead of crank.  My opinion is stay away from them.  I have never had one, but my bet is that the crank style is much better.

[Conrad]

Same "flashlight addiction" here also!  Every year, the default christmas present from the kids is another flashlight for Dad.  I think I have passed this on to my son also.  Every time we go into the hardware store, we both head for the flashlight section, to see if there are any "cool" new ones that we haven't seen before.  Unless the price is too good to pass up, I have to fight the urge to purchase another. 
I haven't seen one yet, but I'm waiting for the small LED lights to have a rechargeable battery, that uses a USB plug to charge.  Since we all have the chargers for our phones/mp3s etc. it would make sense.

[3OnTheGo]

It's a sickness, I tell you.
A sickness.

[teejaywhy]

I love flashlights! One can never have too many.  Funny, for many years my younger son's tradition would give flashlights to his uncles for Christmas.  Each year it was a challenge to find something a little different or more innovative than the previous year.  I was jealous when my brothers-in-law got those tripod flashlights.  I wish he would extend the tradition to me!

[kfriceman]

Flashlights are no doubt a hobby, I like these Surefire Flashlights.


-Kevin

[Camping Coxes]

I used to buy the cheapest flashlights I could find for the PU because the kids were likely to A) lose them, B) drop them in the toilet, C) take them apart, or D) they didn't work once you got them to the campground.  Now that we are all older, I use those small aluminum ones that come in a 9 packs from Home Depot or Big 5.  They are really bright and small enough you can put it in your pocket while you're in the bathroom.  They're not expensive, so no big deal if they disappear.  Great investment.  If you turn one on and aim it at the ceiling, it provides the right amount of light to see during the nightly rituals without burning the battery up.  Best investment we've made recently.

[ependydad]

I haven't seen one yet, but I'm waiting for the small LED lights to have a rechargeable battery, that uses a USB plug to charge.  Since we all have the chargers for our phones/mp3s etc. it would make sense.

Look at some of the fancy-pants bicycle lights. I know there are a few that meet that criteria, I just don't know if they'll only red/flashing or what.