Learn from your mistakes in knife buying. Get what you want, don't compromise. All the money you spend on flashlights that do not completely satisfy is money down the drain. I've gone through a ton of flashlights before I ended up with the right combination for my uses. (1) Longbow Micra for small, bright, bombproof EDC. (2)SF C3 with a KT Turbohead for the shear power of it, (3)An L4 with two stage switch for wilderness outings and (4-8) SF G2's and Inova XT5's in both cars. This list, of course, does not include the essential small 5mm LED backups I have stashed in various (numerous) locations. Like knives, you generally get what you pay for with flashlights.
-- Dizos