Gear Diary » LED Flashlights

Beam N Read Light Giveaway!

Carly Z — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 06:01:55 +0000

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

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Gear Review: Icon’s Solo and Link LED Flashlights

Joel McLaughlin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:49 +0000

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 ...

Gadget Review – The Joby Gorillatorch Flare

Dan Cohen — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:00:04 +0000

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 ...

RadTech I-Sight: Let There Be Light, Review

LarryGreenberg — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:00:53 +0000

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 ...

Icon Releases The Modus Line of LED Flashlights

Joel McLaughlin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:18:05 +0000

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 ...

The Porsche Design mPower Illuminator will shine a light on your financial situation

Judie Stanford — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:30:43 +0000

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 ...

Never Have Awkward Night Videos Again with USBFever’s Flashlight Digital Video Recorder

Jason Reese — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:28:00 +0000

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 ...

Review: Icon Rogue 2 LED Flashlight

Joel McLaughlin — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:35:06 +0000

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 ...

Review: Life+Gear 6IN1DC Flashlight

Joel McLaughlin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:00:24 +0000

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 ...

Review: Life+Gear 200 Hour Glow Sticks

Joel McLaughlin — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 22:00:10 +0000

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 ...

Bullard TrakLight: Integrated Lighting System

LarryGreenberg — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:01:49 +0000

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 ...

Review: AltusLumen PAD-L

Joel McLaughlin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 02:45:57 +0000

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. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Altus Lumen Launched PAD-L

Joel McLaughlin — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:19:33 +0000

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 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

GearDeal: Bundle of 7 LED flashlights – $13 shipped

Wayne Schulz — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:54:56 +0000

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 Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

We Get Mail: Inexpensive LED Flashlight Done Right

Judie Stanford — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:11:26 +0000

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

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Swann’s Flashlight DVR: James Bond Would Approve

Judie Stanford — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 16:52:49 +0000

Have you been looking at your flashlight lately, and thinking about how great it would be if it could only do a little bit more than just shine a light? Maybe you would like it if your flashlight could also record what you were looking at? If so, then the new Swann's Flashlight DVR may be just what you need.

I would love to get my hands on one of these...

This all-in-one portable solution combines a high-powered, working flashlight, color camera and DVR in a durable aluminium alloy case. Easy, one touch operation coupled with a robust feature set makes the portable FlashlightDVR™ an invaluable tool for covert surveillance. The FlashlightDVR™ can record video either internally, via 128MB flash memory, or externally through an SD card (up to 2GB, sold separately). The DVR utilizes the latest MPEG4 technology which allows for increased video storage capacity. Recorded content can easily be viewed or transferred to a computer by using the flashlight’s USB port. The FlashlightDVR™ allows users to record in low light conditions with Night Vision and record audio in any situation via a built-in microphone.

Full press release follows... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Shower Light + Hot Showers: The “you smell good” Review

Kerry Woo — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:51:23 +0000

The hot temperatures outside can cause any good ole boy or gal to turn on the body stink. Even if you don’t stink, after a crazy stressful day at work, there is nothing more pleasing than a nice, long hot shower. Why even shower? Showers can cool down the body temperature, clean the dirt and associated stink off, clean the pores, gives adequate moisture for the skin, and best of all, makes one socially acceptable! A perfect shower is having the water at the right temperature. Here’s a perfect replacement showerhead – a Temperature Controlled LED Shower Light that will make your shower the talk among your friends. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: Coghlan’s LED Clip-On Headlight

Joel McLaughlin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:50:58 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I reviewed the 0.5 Watt Headlight by Coghlan's. This one isn't as powerful, but is still enough to light the night for a whole summer's worth of camp outs. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

Review: Coghlan’s 0.5 W LED Headlight

Joel McLaughlin — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:43:19 +0000

After writing the review for the Coghlan's LED Micro Lantern, Coghlan's offered to send me 2 new LED headlights to review. Today I am going to take a look at the 0.5 Watt LED Headlight from Coghlan's. The wattage of this headlight is serious. If you need to be able to see anywhere you point your head at night, then you should get this light.

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Review: Coghlan’s LED Micro Lantern

Joel McLaughlin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:21:15 +0000

Back in the day, about 20 years ago when I was in Boy Scouts, options for a lightweight lantern were rare; you either took along a big fluorescent lantern or a propane lantern. Lanterns are better than flashlights because they provide a circle of light around your entire work area instead of just one spot. When car camping, this isn't a huge issue, but if you're a backpack-style camper, you've probably had to live with a flashlight only...not any more.

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The Energizer Hard Case Tactical Flashlight Review

Jack Cook — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 01:02:55 +0000

I love gadgets! I have no idea why I am such a gadget person but I have always had this desire for items that were different, unique, functional and fun. There was a time in my life that my friends would say "if it has buttons, Jack will buy it". I used to laugh but upon reflection that sure seems to be fairly accurate. Over the years, I have amassed quite a collection of items that "have buttons". Mobile devices are recent acquisitions to my collections but I have always had a desire for tools and flashlights. Whenever I see a different and unique flashlight, I always grab it and more often than not my wife will say, why do you need that one?

Most of you know that I have had the unique opportunity to spend half my time in Maine and enjoy the wonders of the Maine Coast. It has been an extraordinary experience and with that has come a myriad of opportunities to not only discover the coast but to garner new friends and experience new and different facets of life. Becoming involved in community and giving back has always been part of my being and living in Maine is no different. I have become an active member in our fire department and have gone through the required training each year to maintain my status. I would never have imagined that I would have done this with such fervor but then I thought about it for a while and realized that there are a heck of a lot of "buttons" on the fire engine. Maybe my friends were right about me so many years ago….

Each month we have mandatory training and last month was no exception. With the end of winter approaching and the breakup of ice on so many lakes, it was time for our cold water rescue training. This year we tried several different scenarios and training at night was part of this year’s agenda. Part of the gear we all carry in our turnout gear is a spare flashlight but I have never been happy with what we carry. It’s a spare, it’s small and does the trick in special situations and even though its size is a major factor, its inability to survive rough treatment is a major disadvantage. We carry a great light that is fixed to our Helmut but having a spare to use in that special circumstance is more important than you can imagine.

Energizer has a light that is the toughest flashlight that you will ever need. It’s weatherproof, will survive abuse, and has a 125 degree rotating head and 5 different light modes. It definitely looks "rugged" and has some unique features that will serve me well.

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Review: USB AAA Battery Charger with Torch from USB Fever

Joel McLaughlin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:45:47 +0000

Have you ever needed to give your cell phone a little bit of juice to get through a call? Were you near a socket when you needed to do it? If not, then you might wish that you had carried the USB AAA Battery Charger with Torch from USB Fever with you. It's now become something I never leave home without.

The charger holds 4 AAA NiMH batteries and is very compact. It will fit in your khaki pocket, purse or gear bag very easily.

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Crank It Up: XC-253 Flashlight Review

Kerry Woo — Sat, 14 Apr 2007 03:47:05 +0000

Here in the states with the change of seasons, there is always the possibility of inclement weather, power outages at home or being lost in the campgrounds with nightfall approaching. The Boy Scouts have a motto: Be Prepared. "Be prepared for what?" someone once asked Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the World Scout Movement. "Why, for any old thing." he replied. While I don�t doubt that any Boy Scout can start a fire with two sticks, for guys like me, I need a little technology to give me a head start. Courtesy of Vavolo, here�s a very cool looking Handle Shaking Flashlight XC-253. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Biggest Gear Diary Give-Away Yet…Starts NOW!

Judie Stanford — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 00:12:54 +0000

This contest is now closed. No entries past this one by ideascome will be considered. Winners will be announced ASAP - thank you for participating. :-) One of the hazards of reviewing so many fabulous items is that after a while...you have way more items than you can ever possibly use. So, I'm making good on my New Year's Eve promise to have even more give-aways and contests this year... I liked the way Chris Leckness did his recent "yard sale", so I decided to do something similar. You'll note that there are numbers on all of the items in the following eight pictures. There are 22 items in all, and if there is something that you want, you should leave a comment after this post with the item number and state why you would like to win the item. Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Multi-Color LED Flashlight Review

Allen Hong — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 17:04:11 +0000

What a long way�we have come, fire, torches, oil lanterns, and then the common everyday flashlights we all use. The flashlight to me is a neat human invention, a battery source running a bulb all mounted inside a portable casing so that you would never have to be stuck in the dark. The 21st century sure has brought us lots of cool new flashlights which no longer use ordinary filament bulbs, but now use low powered light-emitting diodes (LED's) and one of the coolest newest flashlights is the Multi-color LED Flashlight sold by ThinkGeek.

Sure there are other LED flashlights, maybe some with the ability to change to one other color but I have seen no other flashlight like this one. What really sets this flashlight apart is the multi-color part, which makes it capable of producing 10 different colors. Yep, that's right 10 different colors!�More about the colors in a bit, here are�the specifications of the flashlight... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Spyker USB Light Review

Larry Liaw — Thu, 11 Jan 2007 04:19:12 +0000

[Ed. note: Larry originally wrote this review for the Palm Is Life forum, but he has also translated it for Gear Diary. To see this review in the original Chinese, click here.] If you are like me, used to bringing your laptop PC to your bed and typing all night long in a dark room, you may need to work with a PC companion like the "Spyker USB Light".

This is a French product, the official site link is here for reference. "Spyker USB Light" is USB 1.1/2.0 supported. (Nonsense, isn't it? Who cares it will work on USB 1.1 or 2.0 as long as it got the +5V power supplied?)

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The Lumaray FL12-RX LED Flashlight Review

Judie Stanford — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 23:19:04 +0000

It's hard to believe that this will be my fourth Lumaray LED flashlight review, but it's true. Every time Lumaray releases a new light, I have to wonder what they could possibly do to improve upon their past version, but each time they manage to surprise and impress me. Let's take a trip down memory lane, shall we? First there was the FL6, an intensely bright six LED flashlight that borrowed its good looks from a science fiction movie's prop department. Next came the FL12, which I described as an "FL6 on steroids" due to the addition of a cluster of six additional LEDs bringing its total LEDs to 12, and its total brightness from ~320,000 mcd to 720,000mcd. A new and improved six LED design was introduced as the FL6 2006, which delivered much longer battery life, improved brightness (from ~320,000 mcd to ~700,000 mcd), deeper waterproof ratings (from 15' to 50'), and an improved warranty (from one year to two). Now it's the FL12's turn to get a makeover, which brings us to the FL12-RX. Immediately evident are the differences between the waterproof ratings - 15' to 50', a difference in max brightness (~720,000 mcd to ~820,000 mcd), and the upped warranty. But there is also a new feature that caught me by surprise...modes; we'll cover them further in this review. Before I get ahead of myself, let's take a look at the FL12-RX...

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The Datexx SuperBattery Rechargeable USB Power Bank Review

Judie Stanford — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 23:44:53 +0000

Datexx seems to have a power generator for just about every situation�in which�a user might find his or herself. Today I am going to take a look at their SuperBattery, which is billed as a rechargeable USB power bank that can be used to extend a device's battery power or give a one-hour fast charge when a device's battery gets low. It also includes a built-in LED flashlight, and it can be powered either by connecting to a wall charger or by using the built-in hand crank.

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The Cobra StunLight Review

Judie Stanford — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 23:22:33 +0000

According to Universal Guardian, the perfect weapon does not kill, it is safe to use in any environment, and it will not harm innocent bystanders. They say that the perfect weapon is accurate, effective, and will never let you down. According to them the perfect weapon already exists, and they call it the Cobra StunLight. Is it? Let's take a look... At first glance the Cobra StunLight appears to be similar to most classic aluminum bodied flashlights, doesn't it? Well, that's pretty much where the similarities end.

Click the picture below to watch a video of the StunLight in action, then tell me if the scenarios presented aren't pretty wild.

Admit it...you're thinking "what the heck?!" Stay with me here... Continue reading on Gear Diary ...

The MyLight Marklight Review

Judie Stanford — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 21:04:52 +0000

For as long as I can remember, I have been an avid reader. Even with repeated warnings from my mother to "use a better light or you'll be sorry; you're ruining your eyes", I was never very particular about the light in the room; as long as I could make out the letters on a page, the light was "good enough for reading." As a child I would tell my parents goodnight, and ask them to shut my door when they were done with the evening tuck-in. The minute they did I would not only have a book whipped out from under my pillow, I would have a flashlight pulled from under my bed. Come to think of it, I've always had a thing for good flashlights, too...but I digress. Of course mom's warnings came true: At twelve I was fitted with my first pair of glasses, a few years later came my first set of contacts, and until I had Lasix surgery in 1999, my eyes only continued to grow progressively worse...partially because I would not stop reading in poor light. I always did have a stubborn streak. :oops: For me, one of the biggest benefits of reading from a PDA has been that I am never without an adequate lighting source; I can read just about anywhere and at any time. While I'll admit that there are moments when I might miss the sensation of turning a paper page, the benefits of eBook reading have erased my desire to continue filling the shelves of my living room's overflowing built-in book cases; I now do the same thing virtually on an external hard drive. Perhaps because she grew up watching me constantly read, whether from a bound book or from a PDA, my daughter Sarah is also an avid reader. Unlike me she does not want to read from a PDA, she prefers "old-school" paper books. I now find myself in the unenviable position of repeating the same words my mother would say to me, "use a better light or you'll be sorry, you're ruining your eyes." So far, at 17 Sarah has good vision; but that doesn't mean that I won't worry. I've told her from the beginning that if she is going to read in bed to turn on the overhead light in her room, or at least use the light I put on her bedside table. But she'll still sit on the couch in a darker room and pull out her latest tome; what's a mother to do? Keep an eye out for a book light that she will use, obviously. That's why I was so interested when I received notice that MyLight has just released the marklight. A book mark that also functions as a book light? Sounds like it might just be the thing I have been looking for. Is it? Let's take a look... The marklight is available in four different versions: genuine leather, faux leather, woven nylon and plush print. I was sent samples of the black leather and the leopard print plush. Each book mark measures 9" long x 1.75" wide x 0.5" thick on the fat end which holds three bright white LEDs. The leather bookmark is 0.13" thick and the plush bookmark is 0.14" thick. One side is completely devoid of branding, with the exception of a small fabric "mylight.com" tag on the left side.

Continue reading on Gear Diary ...