Short Description:

The Reactor is one of a new breed of lights made by CMG Equipment (Course Made Good). This flashlight utilizes the new Luxeon Star LED as its light source rather than a standard incandescent bulb. The Luxeon Star is capable of brightness equivalent to incandescent bulbs. The flashlight is good for everyday use but is marketed toward the camping/hiking/backpacking audience.

The Reactor's body is a hybrid of polymer and metal. The head of the light is made of polymer with a metal ring on the outer end. The inner end is scalloped to improve grip. Unlike many other flashlights, the head is permanently attached to the body. Since the Luxeon Star LED never needs to be changed, there is no need to open the head. The light body is made of anodized machined aluminum and has a fine pattern knurling in the middle for improved grip. The tailcap is also aluminum and has a beefy tab with a hole for attaching a lanyard. Inside the tailcap is a spring for contact with the battery. The threads and O-ring are lubricated at the factory. The entire flashlight is black in color.

The Reactor is advertised as very water resistant and has O-ring seals. The LED unit is sealed behind a clear plastic lens. It is not designed for use under water, although it will survive submersion.

The light produced by the reactor is a smooth spot with little or no unwanted beam artifacts. The light uses the Luxeon Star collimator optics to produce a very usable beam.

The switching mechanism is fairly unique. Turn the bezel relative to the body of the light in either direction for on/off. The system has detents that lock it in place in the on or off position with a very positive tactile feedback. When turning the head the LED unit can be seen moving forward and backward inside the head. This is part of its normal operation.

The Reactor can run on either alkaline or lithium AA batteries. Very significant improvement is seen in both brightness and runtime using lithium AA batteries. Batteries are not included.

No additional accessories are included in the package.

Reviewer's Impressions:

The Reactor by CMG proves that LED technology can be used to economically replace traditional incandescent flashlights. Intended primarily for the camping, hiking, and backpacking audience, the Reactor fits the bill for those outdoor enthusiasts who need a long life, reliable light with the bonus of having a bulb that will never fail.

Fit and finish of the reactor is quite good. The knurling is uniform and there were no imperfections in the anodize finish on the light reviewed. The tailcap threads were clean and free from burrs. All of the plastic parts of the head of the light seem to fit together well and the lens was free from scratches and imperfections.

The reactor seems durable enough for the tasks it is intended. The sample tested was able to withstand drops/kicks/tosses with out any effect on usability. The lens is recessed in the head which should protect it from anything except direct impact by a protrusion.

There are a couple of important things to mention about light output. When powering the light you have 2 options: You can use traditional Alkaline batteries or you can use Energizer Lithium e2 AA batteries (Energizer is the only company that makes AA Lithium batteries.)

Lithium Energizer e2 batteries are available at WalMart at a cost of $10 for a pack of 4. Look for the blue package. You may find them in electronics with the camera batteries. As an added bonus for the campers and hikers out there, lithium AA batteries weigh a fraction of what their alkaline counterparts weigh and are affected very little by cold temperatures.

Energizer e2 Lithium AA Batteries:

(and no, I received no compensation of any sort from Energizer for recommending their e2 Lithium AA batteries, but I probably should....)

Water resistance of the light is very good and should be considered "dunkable". A quick dip won't hurt this light at all. Just shake it off and keep going. It is not intended for use underwater, so don't intentionally take it swimming with you.

Possible areas of improvement: The only thing I see missing is a step up circuit or regulator circuit to improve the brightness of the light with alkalines. This could make the light run much better on inexpensive alkaline batteries.

UPDATE: In general it appears that it is "luck of the draw" as to if you get a very bright Luxeon Star Reactor or not. My initial Reactor (which had case damage before testing and had to be shipped back) would read 100 lux with alkalines and 200 with lithiums. This was an exceptional Luxeon Star. The second I received reads 85 lux with alkalines and over 200 with lithiums, dropping over about 2 minutes and stabilizing at 100 lux. So please be aware that yours may be brighter or dimmer depending on the "luxeon lottery"!

+ + + Pluses: Watertight, Tough/impact resistant, Long battery life with Lithium batteries, Reasonably Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight

- - - Minuses: No regulation, Cannot stand on end