Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

so now, whenever i'm buying something for future preps
i look at price first

exp - Maglite flashlights and Duracell batteries

for years i was a devoted Maglite man
but now with all these dollar flashlights and cheapo batteries
it seems i have these cheapo flashlights everywhere i look
i've put two (plus batteries) in each cache i've made

don't really look at name brands anymore either
now it's just price and durability

the only exeception where price would not be an issue would be firearms/ammo

RE: FOOD / CLOTHING / GENERAL PREPS

what's important to you ?

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

No point to having emergency supplies if they're junk. Top-quality only for me. Adventure Medical Kits, PETT, Baygen/Freeplay wind-up appliances, and, yes, Maglites - in every room. :D

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

Get reasonable quality batteries.....put them in a plastic bag with desecant (mositure absorbers)...place in fridge....will last pretty much forever. I have 10 year old batteries that are still like new....use them all the time.

Mositure absorber only to prevent rust.

Batteries will go bad quickly at room temp.......cold slows down chemical reaction big time.....

Same for expensive chemicals ....Loctite....Special RTV.....Film....

I have a lot of experience with this method....over 25 years.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

I'll argue until I'm blue in the face that you should not go cheap on flashlights. Have at least 2 great flashlights around.

I would recommend the Surefire A2 for its versatility. It has 3 LED's (sufficient for most lighting needs) and an incandescent bulb (good for smokey or hazy conditions). The A2 is very pricey, but an excellent light.
http://www.surefire.com/maxexp/main/.../900/sesent/00
I have purchased 3 of these (brand new) on ebay for around $100 each last year.

The other light I would recommend is the NovaTac 120P. It is a one cell light that easily fits in a pocket or purse and has multiple power levels. It can also stand on its end to act as a candle in an emergency. I carry this light everyday.
http://yourcornerstore.com/programma...dy-p-7879.html

Both of the above mentioned lights are very durable and American made. Both lights also take lithium batteries (cr123A) that have a shelf life of 10 years. These batteries are available online for around $1.50. Buy one of these lights and you will throw the cheap ones away and wonder why you took so long to purchase a great light.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

i haven't thrown my maglites away
my two 2-AA-cell maglites will be with me when it's bug out time
and will be my main flashlights for awhile ( depending on batteries )
sad to say, but my big maglite will be staying behind

other items such as noodles, tuna, clothing

it's " how much can i get for the cheapest price "

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

CG, I hear you about saving money, but the output of a AA Maglite is like a match compared to many lights on the market. It is amazing to hold a 3 or 4 inch flashlight in your hand that blows away the bigger (C and D cell) with its lumen output.

I also used to be a Maglite guy as that was the only flashlight I saw advertised, but that was before I stumbled upon this site.
http://candlepowerforums.com/

That place has been my financial downfall. :D

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

Quality is always better than quantity. As I have 6 kids running around who like to play with flashlights, I have an number of the shake flash lights (don't get the cheapos they break) That way if my kids play with them, I don't find them totally dead when I need them.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

When you need a flashlight you need it good. Get Energizer E2 Lithium batteries for all your emergency equipment. They cost twice as much as alkaline, have seven times the power, and the shelf life is over TEN YEARS!

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

Part of my preps are dynamo powered flashlights, radios, lanterns, etc.

Kids are practically tailor made for winding... LOL.

I'm thinking about hooking up an exercise bike to a small generator. Not for TSHTF, but to power the kids' video games so they get more exercise. They'd do it too. :D

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

i just used flashlights as an example
this is not meant to be a flashlight thread


as Saul Mine said in the dollar store thread
dollar stores are good for " right now " convienence and cheap prices

for someone new to the SHTF prepping mindset
i wonder what they would think is more important

Price vs Quality vs Quantity

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

While I don't get into Maglights, I can say I'd get the LED upgrade and rechargables. The output is good for camping/tasking and the on cycle can be measured in MANY MANY 10's of hours. (like 300+, depending on who you trust or believe).
A typical Surefire G2 will rate at around 60 lumens for about an hour....and the xenon bulbs are expensive as heck.
.................
Back to cost/ benefit.....I have a Surefire G2. A few years ago i got it for just under $30.
I have 2 Cabela's knockoffs of a Surefire 6P that I got for $20 along with a decent little knife in each pack.
Both had batteries included IIRC.
Both lights rated at the same basic specs, same batteries (CR123).
The Cabela's (China) version REALLY surprised my on quality for price-in a good way.
So I looked into it and found a place that offers replacement LED heads for SF lights. I bought the 3 and they went into my G2 and both Cabela's lights. WOW! Strong output and relegation of old xenon units to the spare bin. Then I got rechargable Cr123's and am a pig in poo. On order now is a gob of better (?) batteries for some of my CR123 units and a new flashlight to boot. I boggle at what SF would make me pay for what I'm getting for $25.
SF is a top flight company, no doubt. I would bet my life on their products. I will not get poor providing my family with great lighting. So, SF is out, and China is in.
BTW (imho) don't bother with cr123 lights unless you're pretty serious about self/home defense, or emergency personal lighting. There are rockem' sockem' AA and AAA lights that perform wonderfully, and cells are super common.
I do CR123 lights 'cuz (huh huh) I like flashlights. And I like lithium cells for cold weather.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

Yeah, but flashlights are a really good example for cost benefit analysis.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

For the most part, "you get what you pay for".

I usually will spend more money on higher quality items even on items like foil and paper plates. I prefer heavy duty foil over standard. Stronger paper plates over the cheap, flimsy ones. More important items like knives and the above mentioned flashlights (didn't mean to hijack your thread) are no-brainers to buy the good stuff instead of the cheap shit from China. I'm currently looking to buy a top quality water filter to replace the "cheap" one I bought some time ago.

IMO going cheap on items that can save your ass in a dire situation is not the way to go.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

I should add that I would rather have 1 or 2 excellent products rather than 7 or 8 cheap products.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

I'm quite pleased with Maglite's LED models.

And very importantly, large multi-cell Maglites have a very useful "secondary purpose" besides lighting up your world. They're good for turning the lights out for some thug when aluminum hits cranium.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

First Need by General Ecology.

http://www.generalecology.com/

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

Thanks for the link.

Re: Price vs Quality vs Quantity
 

The thing about cheap flashlights (to use your example) is that the LEDs are more likely to go bad, sooner.

I can order organic heirloom seeds from Territorial Seed that cost 5 times as much as the same seeds at Wal-Mart. Guess which seeds have a better germination rate?

Amsoil oil filter, or Fram paper filter?
Lithium AAs, or Malaysian alkalines?
American tool steel, or Chinese 440 Stainless?
Golden Tiger, or Lapua?

Cheap is fine until you need it, really need it to get you through the next few minutes.

Still, a cheap tool and the knowledge to get everything out of it will always be better than the very best in the hands of an idiot. :wink: