Earlier this year I reviewed the “Beam N Read” light. It’s a great light for reading in the dark, knitting, camping, or tracking the dust bunnies under your couch. Overall, a very handy device.

Over the summer they updated their 6-LED light with several enhancements. From their announcement of the refreshed device:

The extra wide beam is designed for crafts, especially needlework such as quilting, knitting, and crochet. It lights up personal space anywhere including in a chair, car, plane, or even in bed without disturbing others. The extra bright light is also helpful for aging baby boomers, seniors, and others who benefit from brighter light for reading and other activities.

“Beam N Read’s

I loved Icon’s Rogue 2 Flashlight.  It was the most durable flashlight I have ever had the opportunity to use. It was bright and well designed and will last many years. Paul Kim, the designer of the Icon line of flashlights is a genius at designing flashlights that are not only very good-looking, but very functional. That’s why I jumped at the chance to review flashlights of another shape and size. Icon sent me a Link and a Solo LED Flashlight and they are the smallest lights that Icon makes.

First up is the rugged and handy Link. The Link is made… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The other day I needed to make some adjustments behind my television. I needed both hands but I also need a light illuminating the right spot where the cable connections we. So I grabbed a small flashlight, stuck it between my teeth, and did what I needed to do. It dropped on the ground three times and… well you know what they say about the “right tool for the right job”?? This wasn’t it.

Obviously there’s a better, more dentally-respectful way to do this and that comes in the form of… the Joby Gorillatorch Flare. I’ve been evaluating one of their units for the past week and a half, and… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

If you have significant other and you sleep in the same bed chances are it’s happened to you at least once. It’s nearing bedtime but one of you just isn’t ready to go to sleep yet. Do you like to read in bed? A lot of us do, it’s probably where I do most of my reading. But does your partner get frustrated when your bedtime reading because it means leaving lights on so you can see?

Enter the RadTech I-Sight. When I do early morning running in the winter/fall it’s sometimes still dark outside. What do I do to make sure not only I can see where I’m going but that others can see… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

I liked the Rogue 2 flashlight I reviewed a while back.  Well, Icon has brought out 2 more LED flashlights that are along the same lines, but have polymer bodies versus the milled aluminum bodies of the Rouge 1 and 2.  They have the 1 cell version called the Modus 1 and the 2 cell is the Modus 2.  They are also waterproof like the Rouge line as well.   The Modus 2 is on Amazon.com for $36.99.  The Modus 1 is $29.99 plus shipping from Radio Shack.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Do you have more money than sense? If you do, then the new mPower Emergency Illuminator will likely be your flashlight of choice. What does $289 get you — other than an LED flashlight that vaguely resembles the SS Enterprise?

The mPower Emergency Illuminator™ is a personal illumination tool that offers Power On Command™. In addition to primary standard lithium batteries, the illuminator also features a groundbreaking reserve lithium battery with a shelf life of at least 20 years. Upon activation, via the simple twist of a knob, the reserve battery will provide power to light a high intensity LED lamp for approximately two hours of continuous use. The illuminator is also able to charge electronic devices – including cellular phones – through an accessory USB connection.

I know that I am being a tad bit facetious here, but to wait 20 years to activate a battery and then only get two hours of continuous use from it seems like a bit of a letdown, doesn’t it? I guess if you were stuck in a cave with this flashlight and the main battery died, two hours from the reserve might be enough to get you out. Right? … Right?… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Have you ever needed to take a video, but had your hands full — literally —  trying to record while  shining a separate light?  Ever taken some video at night only to find out you can’t make heads or tails out of what you actually recorded earlier?  USBFever has finally solved this conundrum and launched a new product that marries an LED flashlight with a digital video recorder.   This Flashlight DVR uses 1 large LED for long distance recording, plus 2 smaller LEDs for short distance recording.  You’ll be able to record both audio and video in any type of environment.  Use it as a torch light, video recorder, or even for personal safety  –  in case you need to whop someone upside the head with its precision tooled aluminum housing — which Gear Diary does not condone, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.  And sometimes what you gotta do just has to be recorded on video.

Now you can get all the action right on video in this inconspicuous flashlight form. Perfect for the handy-claim-adjusting-neighborhood-watching-law-enforcer in your life.  Full Specs, Sample Video, and wide array of uses after the jump!… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Not all flashlights are created equal.  Back in 1979, Anthony Maglica created Maglite.   Maglite is the bar where all flashlights are measured, for me.  Almost nothing could top it back then.  Well, Paul Kim, the designer of the Icon Rogue series of flashlights may be the new Anthony Maglica.  The Icon Rogue 2 is the best flashlight I have come across in all of my LED flashlight reviews I have done.   It is that good.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

It never fails.  The power goes out in the middle of the night and your flash light is out of batteries.  Now that we are getting to the heart of the hurricane season, before the next storm hits maybe you should  get your family a Life+Gear 6IN1DC.

The 6IN1DC is touted as a quad power device. The device can run on 3 AAA Batteries,  a DC Adapter (not included), an AC Adapter (also not included) and backup power.  … Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

We have all seen the cyalume glow sticks that you snap and then shake to get a chemiluminescent glow.  Kids love them, but there is one downside: You can’t turn them off.  Imagine having a glowstick that you can not only turn off, but at the press of a button you could make that glow stick into a regular flashlight.  That is essentially what we have with the Lifegear 200 Hour Glow Sticks.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Just in case you thought fast changing technology only exists in cell phones and Mp3 players I bring you this Gear Diary entry.

This one hits especially close to home for me because, well you know, I’m a firefighter.… Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Need a durable LED Light that has multiple uses?  Need a light that is good for the environment?  Then the AltusLumen‘s PAD-L may be the light for you.

LED lights are all the rage now, and every company that can make one has made one.  So now you have to find something unique about them to make it worth buying a particular one.  With that said, Altus Lumen’s new PAD-L light is the world’s first sustainable LED light.  At the end of its life, it is over 75 percent recyclable.  Plus this one also has a optional solar cell so you can put it on top of your pack to recharge during the day.

The PAD-L is now available and it retails for $39.90 on the Altus Lumen website

Here’s a deal for those of you who’ve recently uttered the words “Why can’t I ever find a flashlight in this house?“. DealExtreme has this bundle of 7 flashlights for only $13.02 shipped. Each light is water and rain resistant with a full aluminum body. The lighting is powered by 3 AAA batteries and uses 9 bright LEDS. The manufacturer claims a life of 100,000 hours. Great stocking stuffer material too.

Multicolored pack of White LED Flashlights (7) – $13.02

L e x just sent in a tip which may come as really good news to anyone who wants a good LED but isn’t willing to shell out the dough for one of the more pricey versions. Take a look…

A well made LED flashlight has finally come to the common person without requiring a huge bank withdrawal. (I’ve never understood $100+ mini flashlights anyway.)

Energizer is making two versions of a 1 watt LED light available now at Target. One is about 5″ long and requires two AAAs, the other uses a single AA and is 4″ long. I bought the AA model. Has a tail-cap intermittent or full-time-on pushbutton switch. Black aluminum, very