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Graham88
Completely surprised by the lack of blade diversity here on Drop...
I’ve been a collector of Blades since before my teens, and a retailer coming up on 15… or maybe 20 years. Drop has really been kind of an interesting experience for me, because I do occasionally get to see some unusual tech and sometimes EDC items that otherwise I might not have been aware of. And maybe it’s because I have a deep love of cutlery and bladed weapons, but I find myself trolling through the site looking at it what’s available; and it’s just it’s pretty much the same. And the bladed community here is just always confused me.. every single knife is about the same, they’re almost all drop points and although the handle materials change and brands change.. it’s really just the same knife over and over and over again... occasionally you’ll see a tanto or a slight variant; but rarely… and almost never a serrated blade. And I’m just deeply amazed at this diversion of serrated blades. And I’m just surprised there isn’t more of a request for diversity here.... and I...
Mar 12, 2020
JellyDPhoto
Can we get Sony E-Mount or other mirrorless camera options please..
Would be nice to see some Sony E mount full frame cameras on here. I currently shoot with a A99 and they killed the lense path for better or more option lenses and now is all E-Mount. 🤔
Jan 13, 2020
RayF
There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
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My best advice to someone who wants to start carrying a flashlight as part of an EDC is to determine how you will use the flashlight (what tasks and situations) and what you like/dislike (some sporting goods stores let you try different flashlights). Once you know what *you* want and need, look for the most durable flashlights that check those boxes. Choose a good quality flashlight, but one that you can afford to lose. Buy a flashlight based on your lighting needs, which vary depending on your job, living situation, hobbies, etc.
In the glove box of my vehicle are a couple of chemical glow sticks. No flashlights. Temperature changes cause condensation that corrodes batteries. Glow sticks can be hooked under the hood or tossed on the ground or taped/tied down as 'disabled vehicle' markers, and used in rain or snow, without worrying that they might get damaged.
For 'EDC', I like the Massdrop brass cree AAA battery (with USB rechargeable battery). It's bright, and with the addition of a jump ring and small s-clip, attaches to a lanyard or bag handle (or just about anything else). It is durable and bright with good water resistance, can stand on it's tailcap on a flat surface, and lasts a long time on one battery charge. It is too bright to give to a child in a power outage (if you value your retinas), it costs more than I am willing to spend for "emergency" flashlights, and the beam isn't designed for task lighting. Despite those points, it's the best daily use and abuse flashlight I've owned.
The Nextorch UL360 has a diffused light, built-in adjustable angle magnetic stand, elastic wrist lanyard/hanging band, and good water resistance. It is small, lightweight, pretty durable, and runs well on the USB rechargeable AA battery I put in it. It lets me draw and write in places with poor lighting. It's a fantastic task light or tent light, but not so good for night walks or finding the contact lens that you dropped on the floor.
When power lines were down for a week, the dynamo light that seemed like a great idea was impractical. We used solar and battery powered lights, and only went through 3 batteries in a week. I wish I hadn't bought the dynamo light. We used d.light S3 solar desk lights that we liked so much we still use them, even when we have power. They cost about $15 each. They're lightweight and not too bulky, so they're good task lights. Not as compact as the Nextorch UL360, but still great for camping or travel or home.
Anything that sits around, unused, with batteries in it will eventually corrode and become unusable. Don't store batteries in a flashlight. If it will not be used regularly, put it in a zip baggie with a couple sets of batteries. You can buy reliable flashlights for $5 or less that are ideal for tossing in an emergency kit. Save your money for the one(s) you will use all the time. The flashlight in your emergency kit is a back up for your EDC flashlight. It needs to function, but doesn't have to be fabulous. Make sure you test emergency kit contents routinely. Put fresh batteries in the baggies, and use the batteries that have been in your emergency kits. If your batteries are dead when you need them, the flashlight is useless.
IMO, flashlights that take common battery sizes are the best choice. If your USB flashlight doesn't have a full charge when the power goes out, you will need a power brick to charge it. If your flashlight takes an unusual size of battery, stores may only carry a couple at any given time. They may become more expensive or stores may stop carrying them because they don't sell enough to make it profitable. You might have to order them online and wait. If your flashlight takes AA or AAA batteries, you can keep a few on hand, you can use (USB) rechargeable batteries, buy alkalines at most gas stations, 'borrow' them from most people's junk drawer, or take them from your tv remote. It is unlikely that they'll stop producing them any time soon. Sure, if there's ever a shortage, you'll have to compete for them, but in the meantime, you'll have options.
Beware of marketing buzzwords. If you are worried about protecting yourself, you'll get more benefit from a $100 self-defense class than a $100 tactical flashlight.
Nice looking gear is great, but can make you a target for theft, or make you less willing to use the flashlight in a situation where it might get damaged. A flashlight that you don't have because someone took it (or won't use for fear of damage or loss) is useless, no matter how cool it is. If you want a pretty flashlight, get one, but don't EDC something that you're unwilling to use or can't afford to replace.