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Reviewer's
Impressions:
The new generation of Nightstar displays some very welcome
changes to the original design. Most importantly these changes
improve its usability.
Fit and finish are very good. It appears that the outer body
is molded as one piece. The internals are then inserted from
the bezel end and the lens is sealed with adhesive, making
the entire unit effectively one piece. The switch is the only
external piece added to the light. It contains a magnet that
activates a reed switch, thereby operating the light without
compromising the sealed case.
The Nightstar is one tough light. The repulsing magnets at
either end of the traveling magnet chamber prevent damage
to the primary magnet from minor drops, and bumpers have been
placed on the primary magnet as well in case the force of
impact does result in contact with either end of the tube.
The switch hardly protrudes at all, effectively eliminating
any chance that it would be broken off. As a result of the
switch's low profile, a wiping motion is used to slide the
switch from on to off.
The light output by the new generation unit is where you
will see the most improvement. The lens is not as round as
the original Nightstar, resulting in a broader beam. This
is a very welcome change. The original Nightstar beam was
so narrow it was sometimes difficult to use in close range
situations.
Also, the new NightStar (as of January 2005) is using a new
LED called the StarCore LED. This LED produces about 2.5x
the amount of light of the second generation Nightstar. The
color temperature is warmer (more yellow than blue) and the
output is significantly brighter.
If you are new to LED lights, let me remind you that LEDs
do not put out the brilliant beam of your standard flashlight.
The Nightstar is appropriately named. The light is more like
starlight - a soft white beam that is adequate for most tasks
in the darkness or very near darkness. This light will not
light up the side of a city building, but in the dark it efficiently
produces enough light for you to work effectively.
Beam quality has also improved over the original, with a
smoother spot. The original lens produced a near-perfect image
of the LED's die (the light producing part of the LED). The
die is square and not evenly lit, and that was reflected in
the beam produced. The Nightstar gen 3 also uses a silver
reflector to direct more light out through the lens.
Water resistance is exceptional. Operational to 430-ft. with
a crush point equivalent to 180psi. Basically the light is
completely sealed.
Important things to note: The runtime statements by the manufacturer
have changed dramatically since the original Nightstar came
out. Originally they said you would get 5 minutes of runtime
on 30 seconds of shaking. Now the instructions say you will
get 20 minutes of usable light on 30 seconds of shaking. Has
the storage capacity of the capacitor changed that much? Actually,
no. The longer usability can be attributed almost entirely
to the smoother, broader beam of the light and the upgraded
LED. Side-by-side the Nightstar gen1 and Nightstar gen2&3 Start at slightly different brightness levels but appear to
dim at exactly the same rate. The wider beam makes all the
difference.
If you need to store a flashlight in an isolated, dark area
where it will be ignored for long periods of time and is needed
at a moment's notice, or if you just want to do your part
in preserving the environment by reducing depleted battery
waste, the Nightstar is an excellent choice. The Nightstar
is well adapted for use in industrial facilities, boats, basements,
anywhere that you could be trapped in a power outage without
light, or where batteries would corrode due to environment
or lack of use.
+ + + Pluses: Waterproof, Tough/impact
resistant, No batteries needed, Bright, Lightweight, Stands
up on end.
- - - Minuses: Strong magnetic field.
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