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Available from PeakLEDSolutions.com
This light incorporates a Luxeon LED and uses a regulator
circuit in tandem with a single 123A lithium cell to
produce steady output for about 2 hours. Three body
materials are also available - Type III anodized aluminum
(reviewed), Solid Brass, and Solid Stainless Steel.
(packaging example - unit shown is not the same as unit
reviewed)
The body of the unit is machined aluminum with a Type
III anodize finish - very tough stuff. Three bands of
checkering surround the body. There are 6 flat facets
machined into the side of the head that serve as anti-roll
stops when the light is placed on its side. At the tail
end of the light is a removable keyring/lanyard attachment
post. It can be unscrewed from the body to provide a
flat bottom for tailcap standing. An O-ring provides
resistance to prevent the tail post from unscrewing
by itself, but the body is sealed regardless of whether
the post is in place or not.
The bezel contains a reflector, Luxeon III LED, and
a current regulating circuit (the best kind of regulator)
to provide constant energy to the LED over the usable
life of the battery. The smooth silvered reflector provides
a surprisingly nice beam.
Output? Two words: Kicks butt! Overall output is greater
than a 3-D Mag, yet it's smaller than a 2-AA Mag! The
beam itself is in the form of a smooth spot with a wide
corona. The color temperature of the LED is high, but
it does provide for good color rendition across the
spectrum.
Beam at one meter at target center.
(there is NO green in the beam - camera color balance
was off.)
Runtime Plot: This is spectacular! I set the scale
on this chart so that it is the same as a couple
of other popular 1x123A
lights I have tested, and I was stunned - over 30% more
light for a much longer period of time! One interesting
fact that I noticed is that as the battery is very depleted,
the LED strobes very rapidly as the regulator tries
like heck to get more juice from the cell. This keeps
that long "tail" going, providing emergency
light.
Runtime
completed with included "Sanyo/GE" 123A battery.
More information on runtime plots is available HERE.
To turn the light on and off, simply twist the bezel.
Tighten for on, loosen for off. Turning resistance is
provided by a single O-ring in a groove which is quite
sufficient to prevent accidental turning.
The light is completely sealed with O-rings and other
rubber seals for water resistance. I'd classify it as
dunkable. Shake it off and keep going.
Ergonomics: It's a tiny little light but easy to use. Easy to grip, easy to operate.
Size compared to a common 2AA aluminum light
A single 123A lithium cell powers the light (included).
As always, I'd recommend getting them from an online
retailer such as BatteryStation.com where they can be
had for 1.25 each. If you want to pick them up at a
retail store, go ahead, but be ready to pay $10 for
a pair! To change the battery just unscrew the head,
drop out the old cell, and place a new one in negative
first.
What I Liked: Water resistant,
Tough/impact resistant, Semi-Regulated, Good battery
life, Bright, Easy battery change, Lightweight, Removable
lanyard lug
What I Didn't Like: Nothing
Other Things I Noticed: Nothing
Conclusions: Great little pocket
light. Bright, long lasting good output, and built pretty
tough. Extremely lightweight, very compact. A solid
pocket light with sufficient light and runtime for almost
any common tasks, and even some uncommon ones! The overall
output for this light actually exceeds that of a 3-D
Mag by my numbers (!), yet it fits in the palm of your
hand.
UPDATE: July 28, 2005: Originally
this review was posted as a "Glacier Bay".
I had been informed by Peak that this was NOT a Glacier
Bay as I was originally told by Peak - There was a shipping
mix-up. This was the "Caribbean" model. If
you had purchased this light between July 21 and July
28, 2005 based on this review and thinking it was a
Glacier Bay, Peak wants to set things right. Contact:
and let MJ know that you purchased the light based on
the FlashlightReviews.com review. NOTE!!! This offer
only applies to lights purchased in the time frame above.
EDITORIAL NOTE: Aug, 09, 2005:
This weekend I used the Caribbean a LOT. Let me tell
you something - I LOVE THIS LIGHT!!! I think we have
a top candidate for the "best light on the site"
here. Seriously! I honestly don't think the size/output/runtime
combination found here can be beat, especially when
used with a "pocket" style Peak body which
makes it absolutely tiny. Obviously it won't meet every
person's need, but for a pocket light you can have with
you all the time, phenomenal output for its size, and
darn good runtime for its output and power source, this
is a total winner in my book.
UPDATE: March 2007: Obviously,
times and technology have changed and I really can't
consider this to be a candidate for the "best on
the site" anymore, but it's still a darn good light
and one of the best of the now, slightly older, generation.
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