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This 32 LED light is like many new LED lights coming
out recently. By using a number of 5mm LEDs for producing
light, these LED lights are now competing well with
traditional incandescent flashlights in terms of output.
Some of these lights use boost circuits or resistors
depending on the power source.
The body of the light is made of anodized aluminum.
The body has little plateaus machined into the sides
for grip. The tailcap has a checkered ring around its
circumference, while there are decorative rings machined
into the head. The body wall is quite thick - well built.
The finish is a slightly gray polished silver. At the
very front of the light is a polished silver ring which
contains the LEDs, recessed in holes. Both the head
and tailcap are removable. The tailcap is flat so that
it can stand on end. The rubber covered push button
click switch for operating the light is on the body
just below the head.
At the front of the light you will see the polished
silver disk where the LEDs reside in recessed holes.
By recessing the LEDs into the front of the unit, the
flashlight produces a more concentrated beam while at
the same time the LEDs are protected from impacts. There
were a few dings in the metal plate upon arrival, but
it is only cosmetic, and the dings are polished so it
must have happened at the factory before the plate was
polished/coated.
Output is in the form of a very slightly purplish
tinted white spot of light. The spot is fairly wide
and tapers off around the edges. A nice soft spillbeam
surrounds the main spot.
Beam at one meter at target center
Runtime Plot: No real surprises - 32 LEDs really suck
those little AAA cells dry quickly! About 40 min to
50%, 2½ hours to 25%.
Runtime
completed with Eveready batteries. More information
on runtime plots is available HERE.
The switch is on the side of the light, sits in a slight
recess, and is covered by a domed rubber cap. This cap
protrudes above the surface of the light and so could
be subject to accidental activation. The head of the
light is larger than the body, so resting the light
on its side on a flat surface will not cause the switch
to touch anything. The clickie switch is a "reverse
clickie", turning the light on after it clicks
and is released.
The light is sealed from the environment by O-rings.
I'd give it a splashable at the minimum. If water gets
inside just disassemble as much as possible without
tools and let it dry before using again.
Ergonomics: A pretty normal sized small light. Not
too large, not too small. A too large to be carried
comfortably inside the front pants pocket. This is more
of a "carry it in your car or dufflebag" light
than a "carry it on your person" light.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
Use 3 AAA cell alkaline batteries for powering this
light. Batteries need to be inserted into the special
carrier inside the body tube. Simply remove the tailcap,
drop out the carrier, put in 3 AAA cells with the negative
(flat) side against the springs (2 point up, one points
down) and drop the whole carrier in. Reattach the tailcap
and you're ready to go.
Accessories: None
What I Liked: Water resistant,
Generally tough/impact resistant, Good battery life,
Bright output, Fairly easy battery change, Lightweight,
Stands up
What I Didn't Like: I really don't
like the use of battery carriers - one more thing to
lose or break.
Other Things I Noticed: Unlike
many other mulit-LED lights appearing in huge quantities
on the market today, this light actually appears to
be of better quality than most.
Conclusions: Good quality light
with very good output. Output drops off quickly but
continues at diminshed levels for a long time. I had
no problems with the light at all, and I would recommend
it for normal tasks. The price is very good for the
output, quality, and number of LEDs.
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