Expensive does not always equal better. For example, I have two of the much-revered ARC AAA lights. Both have stopped working. They were about $25 a piece when I bought them. I also have two Gerber Tempo AAA lights that I paid $6.95 each for. The ARC sure feels heavier-duty and better build quality than the Gerber. However, both ARCs are dead, and the Gerbers just keep on going. The Gerbers have more use logged on them than the ARCs had. I hated to see the ARCs go. It was disappointing. I expected the ARCs to last. I didn't expect that of the Gerbers. But it turned out differently. (Note: the ARCs were regulated, the Gerbers not.)