Asklemmy

Literally carry one every day. 90% of the time, when it gets used it's not a need, but it was really nice to have. If you drop a screw or something small, you can either crawl around looking for it for 5 minutes, or you can shine a flashlight across the floor and see the shadow in 5 seconds.

I watch literal doctors and mechanics try to finagle their phones with the light on into weird places and I have no idea why more people don't carry a flashlight.

Sure, not everyone needs one, but if your job depends on needing extra light on a regular basis...

Flashlight is essential for winter in rural places, for working on cars or lighting up awkward places. I'd rather put in place a torch or flexi torch and have it fall over instead of my mid range phone which may lead to the screen scratching. Generally too, using my phone where I need a torch simply exposes my phone to risks.

I originally got a small, very bright flashlight, as a form of self-defense (the area I live in isn't the greatest, so you have to be a little more aware). I have several different self-defense options, but the palm-sized flashlight has become one of my favorites... and not just because of self-defense

Yeah, it can blind the hell outta someone and stun them from the sheer 'holy fuck, that burns my eyes', but it became most useful simply because I had it on me all the time.

A cellphone light soon became frustratingly clunky and I still couldn't see that great, when I just needed a quick light. It's an S.O.S, it's a defense tool, it's small and way more effective than a cellphone light... I never thought I would use it as much as I do, but it just became that way because it was almost always on me.

Now I have a little keychain light for the things I would normally pull my cellphone out for, and my pocket flashlight for everything else.

Jumping a car battery on a dark highway?... fuck a cellphone, I want to see everything and for everyone to see me as well (from a distance), so I don't get run over by someone not paying attention

You try to approach me with a weapon?...BLAM, blinded by the strobe light as I make a run for it, and you try to see again

Is that an opossum/skunk/racoon rustling from nearby? POW, power beam activates so I can see the bushes down the block. If it's closer to me, it's also temporarily blinded

Long story short: I hardly used a flashlight either, before I started carrying one for defensive purposes. Now I use it for a LOT of little reasons, and hate not being able to see (very well) because a light isn't bright enough.

It also has a bevel to break a window (like if you're trapped in a car)? But I've (thankfully) never had to use it except for, "I need a flashlight quick". It seems weird, but I understood it once I started carrying it

It's pitch black, below 5c, snowy and windy. I'd much rather fondle my testicles when walking the dog, instead of holding my phone out. Head lamp is the way forward.

Phone flashlights are optimized for photos. They don't shine very bright for example. You need to see even a good 30€ flashlight. Super bright compared to that. Also if you are in a situation that means you need to have battery on your phone, using the flashlight drains it a lot. Also on some flashlights you can use as a powerbank. For someone living in a city, it's maybe not it but if you are even a bit remote or like to do hiking or something its super useful. Idk I probably have read too much r/flashlights. It's like collecting knives man.