Short Description:

CMG (Course Made Good) made a big name for itself with outdoors enthusiasts with the introduction of their original Infinity which runs on a single AA battery and uses a step-up circuit to provide current to its single LED. CMG has now expanded on their success by producing a very small single AAA powered LED light, called the "Sonic".

The CMG Sonic is made of anodized aluminum (black, red, blue or silver in color) with knurled areas on the body of the light and on the tailcap. The tapered bezel protrudes beyond the LED, protecting it. Unscrewing the tailcap completely opens the O-ring sealed battery compartment where a single AAA battery is found inserted (+) first. The tailcap has a lanyard hole drilled through a protruding area. Included in the package is a short length of nylon lanyard with a split ring on either end for attachment to the light and a Duracell AAA battery.

Reviewer's Impressions:

If you like to carry the CMG infinity on a lanyard around your neck, but found it too large to be comfortable, the Sonic is perfect for you. Likewise if you need a small keychain light that puts out a good amount of light for a long period of time, the Sonic is a good option.

The body has nice fit and finish. The knurled portions are raised to improve grip and the LED is recessed for protection. Having the LED recessed also shields the user from the sidespill light coming from the LED. The body is designed with smooth tapers so there are no wide sharp shelves to catch on equipment. The interior of the light is anodized as well to provide corrosion resistance.

The single 5mm white LED in the Sonic appears to be one of the new "improved" LEDs which have a little higher output than the older models. However there is a slight ring to the beam as is found in all of these newer LEDs.

Brightness is similar to the CMG Infinity Ultra, the brighter version of their original Infinity. This is advertised to last for about 10 hours with a total of 40 hours usable light.

The switch is a simple tailcap twist switch. Tighten to turn on, loosen to turn off.

Remove the tailcap to change the single AAA battery. There is an O-ring between the tailcap and the body to give the unit water resistance.

The CMG Sonic is an excellent backup light to throw in your pack or put on your keys. A small AAA powered light like this should be considered essential equipment on any outing as a redundant backup to your primary lights.

What I Liked: Water resistant, tiny size, nice shape that won't get caught on your gear, knurling in all the right places but not too much so as to wear a hole in your pocket, bright output, step-up circuit.

What I Didn't Like: Hard Anodize Type III would be a nice addition (a tougher finish to prevent it from being dinged on your keys) as would a water resistance depth rating (can it be submerged safely?)

UPDATE: CMG has been taken over by Gerber, and the sonic may have different characteristics in its newest form. I have been told that the LED now protrudes from the end of the light body, so be aware that the information in this review is for models before the Gerber purchase of CMG.

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