Why I hate (most) modern torches

[British Red]

In honour of the in depth discussion of my rant about modern torches from which in part Tony made the EDC forum, I thought I owed BCUK a video.

In our latest video I demonstrate the issues I have with most modern "tacticool" torches and introduce one that I actually like. It's not my favourite E15 but the larger torch that I take for working livestock, night walks etc. It's nice to see that some people make torches that have all the advantages of super brightness & rechargeable batteries but combine it with user friendliness & the capacity to use common batteries.

 

[bobnewboy]

Watched & liked. It’s good to get it off your chest sometimes

 

[Jared]

Yeah, USB lion battery and the ability to use regular AAs makes so much sense.

Nitecore started a Kickstarter yesterday for a version of that model that takes CR123/RCR123s.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sysmax/mt1cpro/

 

[British Red]

Watched & liked. It’s good to get it off your chest sometimes

It needed saying!

 

[British Red]

Yeah, USB lion battery and the ability to use regular AAs makes so much sense.

Nitecore started a Kickstarter yesterday for a version that model that takes CR123/RCR123s.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sysmax/mt1cpro/

That looks to be a great light

 

[Muddypaws]

Some good points made in the video. Olight are perhaps trying to be a bit like Apple in guarding their own proprietary ecosystem. That said, I have quite a few Olights now, but I am by no means a demanding user ( and I live in a well lit city)

Regarding the magnetic tail caps though, I keep my torch in a different pocket to my keys and coins.

 

[British Red]

Some good points made in the video. Olight are perhaps trying to be a bit like Apple in guarding their own proprietary ecosystem. That said, I have quite a few Olights now, but I am by no means a demanding user ( and I live in a well lit city)

Regarding the magnetic tail caps though, I keep my torch in a different pocket to my keys and coins.

Hi mate!

I don't object to Olight per se. Their Perun II headlight is awesome. Although it's magnetically charged I don't keep coins in my hair! Their little tiny rechargeable keyring torches are very good for the bulk. I just struggle with a premium pocket torch that isn't pocket friendly!

 

[Woody girl]

I don't like rechargeable torches. I had one that gave up suddenly on me on a nighttime ramble, it was a pitch dark area, and made things a bit dicy, untill I remembered I had a cheap led torch in my pocket too, which saved the day..or night!
I couldn't get it to recharge, so took it back, thinking it was a problem with that particular torch, and suffered exactly the same problem, sudden discharge of the battery and refusal to recharge again.
I'll stick to my good quality battery headlamp, a cheap pocket led torch which lasts forever, and my maglites, (pocket and 2xD cell) that I have converted from the old bulb to an led one. They are still going strong, after 30 yrs, and never let me down.

 

[Laurentius]

I think it should be against the law for torches to be made with a black casing. Guaranteed to be unfindable in low light when you most need it. I keep a big old fashioned D cell hand torch in the car. I can remember the day when you would use a pifco or ever ready bicycle lantern for camping, the brightness of today's torches being undreamed of then. I do think that there is too much emphasis on the super bright and not enough on longevity with modern offerings, I certainly hate things that have run out of juice because they have spent the better part of the day being accidentally switched on by something in your pocket.

 

[demographic]

I have a Black Diamond headtorch, its got two control buttons so the on off button doesn't have to cycle through a myriad of colours and powers everytime I knock it on.
There is a bit of a learning curve to it as it does a few colours and settings but most of thats done via the other button, really not rocket science.
It runs on AAA cells and again thats just not hard to sort. I have rechargable cells in it.

Being a headtorch it goes on my head (Really?!?!?!) So leaves both hands free to walk dog/pickup dog eggs in placky bag/open gates/throw frisbee for dog yada yada yada.

Can't be trashed with hand torches, just seems like a bad idea on top of a failed plan to me.
And as for the headtorches putting light in peoples eyes argument? Err... if people can't cope with not doing that then perhaps they need to go back to basics and get their mother to give em a Tommy Tippy cup as well.

 

[Woody girl]

As long as a torch provides enough light to see where I'm going and what I'm doing, I'm happy. These super bright lights that turn half a mile into daylight are ridiculous! As soon as you turn them off, you are completely night blind, whereas something with less brightness allows your night vision to come back a lot quicker.
I've had someone walking towards me down the path that leads to town in the evenings nearly blinding me, whereas before they shone the flipping thing at me, I was able to see perfectly well without a torch, suddenly, I'm completely night blind, and have to stop for several minutes before I can see again.
Why are some people so afraid of the dark, and using natural night vision?

 

[British Red]

I do find the very bright torches have a place - hunting for livestock in the dark being one. That said, as I mentioned in the video, that level of brightness isn't needed for walking around. It is good to have the option though!

 

[demographic]

As long as a torch provides enough light to see where I'm going and what I'm doing, I'm happy. These super bright lights that turn half a mile into daylight are ridiculous! As soon as you turn them off, you are completely night blind, whereas something with less brightness allows your night vision to come back a lot quicker.
I've had someone walking towards me down the path that leads to town in the evenings nearly blinding me, whereas before they shone the flipping thing at me, I was able to see perfectly well without a torch, suddenly, I'm completely night blind, and have to stop for several minutes before I can see again.
Why are some people so afraid of the dark, and using natural night vision?

I'm not afraid of the dark but am often walking the dog a few mins before six in the morning along by the river and in the local park.
My dog is great in the dark and can catch the frisbee that I can't see a second after its out of my hand. However, he's a lazy slacker McFly and sometimes catches it then drops it when he finds something more interesting (often Foxcrap to roll in) and I have to find the Frisbee.
Well, I could just leave it but they're two quid a pop and Id rather find it instead.
My headtorch is capable of being pretty bright, in various colours. But if I knock it off and back on again its still on the setting it was on before I knocked it off.

That's the issue I have with some torches and I have to cycle through several modes in sequence be use they only have one control button and have the memory capabilities of a senile goldfish.

 

[The Frightful]

Personally i have a Sofirn SP10 pro, similar spec to your nightcore probably less runtime tho due to battery size, but hey, who doesn't have a pack of AA 's in the drawer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sofirn-SP10-Pro-Pocket-Sized-Lightweight/dp/B0BBSZ9MBJ

 

[British Red]

Personally i have a Sofirn SP10 pro, similar spec to your nightcore probably less runtime tho due to battery size, but hey, who doesn't have a pack of AA 's in the drawer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sofirn-SP10-Pro-Pocket-Sized-Lightweight/dp/B0BBSZ9MBJ

That looks like a very pocket friendly option

 

[Ozmundo]

As long as a torch provides enough light to see where I'm going and what I'm doing, I'm happy. These super bright lights that turn half a mile into daylight are ridiculous! As soon as you turn them off, you are completely night blind, whereas something with less brightness allows your night vision to come back a lot quicker.
I've had someone walking towards me down the path that leads to town in the evenings nearly blinding me, whereas before they shone the flipping thing at me, I was able to see perfectly well without a torch, suddenly, I'm completely night blind, and have to stop for several minutes before I can see again.
Why are some people so afraid of the dark, and using natural night vision?

You’d think light discipline would be common-sense.

Now I’m reminded of driving on single track roads at night, letting people pass and then having them flash their already super bright white white lights to say “Thanks” and blinding me.

 

[Stew]

You’d think light discipline would be common-sense.

Now I’m reminded of driving on single track roads at night, letting people pass and then having them flash their already super bright white white lights to say “Thanks” and blinding me.

Yep, it’s such an idiot move. I don’t understand why it’s a thing.

 

[The Frightful]

You’d think light discipline would be common-sense.

Now I’m reminded of driving on single track roads at night, letting people pass and then having them flash their already super bright white white lights to say “Thanks” and blinding me.

When walking unlit lanes i always point the light down about 10ft infront of me much the same as dipping from main beam when cars approach. It defeats the object blinding the driver so he hits you anyway! As you say, common sense is unfortunately getting scarcer

 

[stonepark]

Personally i have a Sofirn SP10 pro, similar spec to your nightcore probably less runtime tho due to battery size, but hey, who doesn't have a pack of AA 's in the drawer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sofirn-SP10-Pro-Pocket-Sized-Lightweight/dp/B0BBSZ9MBJ

I have the Lumintop 14500 AA 3.0 equivalent, though tail switch instead of up the side switch.... https://a.aliexpress.com/_ExjKBa5

 

[g4ghb]

I completely agree - i just want a torch that stays off till i actually want it on, you dont have to plug it in to charge and just has a simple switch.

I have a number of torches like these - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Torches-LETMY-Flashlight-Adjustable-Camping/dp/B07MHX3TJL/ref=sr_1_5?crid=YM58RXZ40GMJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LwffSw-6w1gwwS3xTSSQmjLpCCLOIzGpgSpz1ayXmwadGSLZJfGsdJGdch1pw5mAUufUtISCGF0RErdZJezKitL1UHrLMayhqnc3aMxeSFUP2fk75zmKaXWnI5jgbYJfTJOQc2j7-K-GbGVU6b2-VU8tdMfK-Uexjv0Hj7OVuIL3RjD0QLQImuIsXMxGjbt5uQltYbcUl7eFNiw-awjVPB789DouVC6K75wF9AEUFQOz5qE3-qUc9Zf4pk0216CZtTjzZYNcUONEaxQQwgZGTjirgnkIGhiKfe2nuynIW0Y.IKTRNFP8cIbvZwzqMH734UMWDZqYdpaRtFEcKh1Sgk4&dib_tag=se&keywords=aa+led+torch&qid=1709208273&sprefix=aa+led+torch,aps,81&sr=8-5

however mine are a simpler version even that, just are on or off - I can power it happily from a rechargable battery (can chare 4 at once and leave 3 ready to go) or just bung a good ol alkaline if necessary. They are supprisingly bright for 1.5v and the simple (manual) push pull focus works great and is robust.

If i were to be picky and complain it bugs me that the 'castleations are not a mm longer so when you stand it up it holds the torch off from the lens 'bulb' that potrudes. It is exactly the same height so it rests on the lens at the same time as the 'legs' having said that i havn't noticed any damage / scratches so the lens is made of some tuff stuff