I've had good ;uck with Powertac lights which I believe are made in North Carolina.
I've had good ;uck with Powertac lights which I believe are made in North Carolina.
In a blue county, or a red county?Originally Posted by jnc36rcpd
(sarcasm intended)
There's nothing civil about this war.
No kidding. IIRC I paid ~$60 for my FourSevens QTL, and while at 205 lumens it's not quite as bright as the 250-lumen offering from HDS, the price difference is shocking. "Made in America" apparently comes at a very steep premium.
It does and it doesn't.
The aforementioned Malkoffs are 'cheap' compared to many other things in the flashlight world. Including some of the finest Chinesium.
The Malkoff M61 MD2, with the high-low switch, and 450 OTF lumens - is $139 https://malkoffdevices.com/collectio...nt=45426329475
The M61HOT - which has 750 OTF lumens - Is $210. https://malkoffdevices.com/collectio...cts/m61hot-md2
Warning-Mild thread drift
Executive Summary-Spend the extra money if buying today and buy Surefire/Elzetta/Malkoff for your bet your life on handheld flashlight. I would also consider Streamlight as it probably has more product out there than anybody given how well they do the intersection of quality and value. You can ascertain the country of manufacture on their website on the "fact sheet" under the Documentation Tab of each of their products. They assemble in both the USA and the PRC, depends on the product.
Cheapest Price/Intersection of Quality and Value/Best Quality. Usually 3 distinct price points. Often Far East to USA/Europe re point of manufacturing. I suppose it depends on what your application is going to be. 'Mission Drives the Gear" (PR-RIP)
I have posted this before in this and other contexts. I know that anything manufactured in China (PRC) can be made to any QC point. Apple and Arcteryx are two examples of superlative products being made in the PRC.
As I have gotten older, gotten wiser and the events of the last 8+ months, have all led me to the "buy once cry once" end of the consumer spectrum and away from the intersection of quality and value that drove my train, particularly when my children were younger. By definition, this tends to be a migration away from products made in the PRC.
I am making a conscious decision to not buy products from the PRC when an non PRC alternative can be sourced. To date this has manifested itself in:
Flashlights, Boots, Cookie Sheets, Muffin Pans, Pizza Cutters, Measuring Cups, Glass Measuring/Baking Ware, Shoe Trees/Shoe Horns/Shoe Laces, Pens/Pencils/Inks, Batteries, Hand Tools etc.
Have I spent more money-yes. Have I received a quality product that delivers better performance-absolutely.
Would I spend more money again even if the performance of the items were exactly the same (PRC v. NON PRC Products with a solid tilt toward Made in the USA)-Without a Doubt.
YMMV Greatly.
Blessings to you all in this time.
I am not your attorney. I am not giving legal advice. Any and all opinions expressed are personal and my own and are not those of any employer-past, present or future.
Obviously not quite an apples:apples comparison, as the light I referred to (and which is clipped to my pocket right now) has < half the output of the M61 MD2, but you're still kind of making my point. The M61 MD2 is definitely a much better price per lumen than the HDS lights, but is still 2.3x the $ that I paid for my QTL, and especially for people who are not "flashlight nerds" that price difference is going to come into play when making purchasing decisions.
User interface has more value to me than “all the lumens” in an edc flashlight. That seems to be where the HDS system shines. I love my foursevens lights but having to toggle through modes can get annoying if you use your light a lot. I’d love to have an HDS but cannot spend that much money on a light. I’m hoping I found an alternative in the jetbeam rrt01vn but it’s Chinese made. I’d much prefer to find another American made rotary light.
"Shooting is 90% mental. The rest is in your head." -Nils
This Gerber Cortex was Made in USA, one CR123 or AA battery.
Attachment 63582
Darksucks.com is having a 20% off sale on flashlights and accessories. This is where I bought my Quark MKIII that I carry every day. Not USA made, but highly recommended for its size and performance.
"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master"
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