+Ltljon Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Anyone have any experience with this flashlight? Quote Link to comment
+wildearth2001 Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Wow thats sounds nice, but does it work? Quote Link to comment
Hogarth Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Looks pretty cool. What will they think of next? Quote Link to comment
screwedcork Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I've wanted to buy one of those for a while. They work, I've seen one. Quote Link to comment
+leatherman Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I'm concerned what a muggle will think if they see one of us standing in the bushes charging one of those up. Quote Link to comment
+Ltljon Posted February 16, 2004 Author Share Posted February 16, 2004 I'm concerned what a muggle will think if they see one of us standing in the bushes charging one of those up. Well, you've got a point! Quote Link to comment
+CYBret Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 My nephew got one for Christmas....it had a warning that if you have a pacemaker you shouldn't use one. Also, you shouldn't use it around any electonic equipment. Sounds ...umm....handy? Bret Quote Link to comment
+OzGuff Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I received a similar item for Christmas and it is a little on the plastic-side. It works, but only just. The "beam" of light is weak and does not last 20 minutes on 30 seconds of shaking. However, not a bad thing to have in the cache bag as back-up. (Especially for the price!) Quote Link to comment
+Dan-oh Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I'd be worried about the rare earth magnet anywhere near the compass in my pack. I have a handful of RE magnets and they're mighty powerful! Sounds like a great light though. Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 My mom got me and the rest of the guys in the family one of those for Christmas a year ago....it's amazingly bright, and still works very well. I now keep it in our "Emergency Kit" under the stairs. It has come in handy several times. I don't know about keeping one near your compasses, but since I don't carry a compass, I don't worry about it. Would be quite the ticket for caching...no need to lug around those extra batteries for the flashlight! Quote Link to comment
+SamLowrey Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 I'd be worried about the rare earth magnet anywhere near the compass in my pack. I have a handful of RE magnets and they're mighty powerful! Sounds like a great light though. Perhaps....perhaps they thought of that. Opening up a hard drive reveals mighty strong magnets and they pretty close to the platters. They must not erase the information there. I've noticed there is little magnetic "flux" outside of the magnets while they are paired (I can kind of imagine them consuming each other, but that may not be a good model to think of). Pull them apart , however, and there is no mistaking their power. Maybe that is the case here? I went to REI today and meant to look at it, but forgot since I got there right as they were closing. Next time I will borrow one of their compasses and see if this is an issue. Quote Link to comment
+OneOfEm Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 My wife picked up one for my son a few months ago. It works about as well as micro mag-light (the AAA one) while it's at full charge. We haven't timed how long the charge lasts. It does require a little more vigorous shaking to charge than I thought it would. While not heavy - it weighs about as much as a 2-C flashlight, it's not something I'd want to rely on as my primary lightsource. I use a Petzl headlamp and a Photon as a backup for backpacking, and I carry an X5 primary and Photon backup while day-hiking/caching. This light would realistically replace none of the three. It's nice to have in the house as a dependable flashlight. Quote Link to comment
+9Key Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Be careful where you "Shake this flashlight for 30 seconds". It might make you go blind. Quote Link to comment
+NightPilot Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) These things are sold rather widely. Sporty's Pilot Shop sells them to pilots, who want a reliable emergency flashlight for night flying. You don't have to worry about the batteries dying, or leaking and ruining the flashlight. They're good for when you really need a light right now, and haven't been checking your batteries lately. I just keep some lithium batteries in my flight bag just in case, and keep my lights (yes, I have many more than one) well-maintained. I've been using LED lights for some time, and far prefer them to any incandescent I've tried. I don't need to see a long distance away, so a focused beam that goes out 100' isn't a priority for me. Edited February 16, 2004 by NightPilot Quote Link to comment
+LukeH Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Cool that they need no batteries, but the energy has to come from somewhere. I guess if you run out of food, this flashlight will die... Quote Link to comment
+NightPilot Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Grass has lots of energy. Cows live on it for years. Quote Link to comment
4x4luv Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 My Parent live Where there is no Electricty, They have all the comforts of a "grid" home. I bought them a light like this one about 4 years ago. They have had no Problems with it. They also have some Fire fighting quality 12volt Search Lanterns that are on solar chargers. We use them most, But if we need a smaller light we use the "shaker" lights. Just some of my learnin Quote Link to comment
+Geo Ho Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 A cool concept. I wonder how well it works? I doubt if it's something I would buy for myself . . . anyone wanna get me one?? Happy caching and stuff! Quote Link to comment
+GeoCraig Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Tie a string around the middle, suspend it, and it will point north. Quote Link to comment
+Sparky-Watts Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Tie a string around the middle, suspend it, and it will point north. A compass and a flashlight and a source of forearm exercise!! What a remarkable invention!! Quote Link to comment
The Old Goat Patrol Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 The OGP uses $1 flashlights. You can buy a lot of batteries for the price of a shake-n-bake. Quote Link to comment
+SamLowrey Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Reminds me of that joke from Steven Wright where he said he had a house that ran on static electricity..... Quote Link to comment
+MissJenn Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 (edited) Be careful where you "Shake this flashlight for 30 seconds". It might make you go blind. I wish programmer64 would bring his avatar to this thread, then I could make some sort of sequitor. (Oh, wait, I just sorta did.) Edited February 17, 2004 by MissJenn Quote Link to comment
+bigredmed Posted February 16, 2004 Share Posted February 16, 2004 Anyone have any experience with this flashlight? Yes, we use one along with our wind up radio for our disaster kit. Light is not very bright, but oddly it does seem to penetrate quite a ways. The light comes out kind of blue, and is enough to see around and find candles and other flashlights/the wind up radio. If I remember correctly, we got ours at Cabelas. Quote Link to comment
+GeckoGeek Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 Anyone have any experience with this flashlight? Yes, I got one for Christmas. As mentioned, the light is rather dim. It seems to be just a white LED, not a super bright LED, but it's surprisingly effective when it gets dark enough that you really need it. I think the key is that it has a larger much more even "bright spot" that doesn't mess up your night vision like most flashlights. It does have some powerful magnets, so I'd be careful what you put it near. Yes, disk drives have powerful magnets, but they are constructed in a way that contains and concentrates the magnetic field into the working area rather then let it "escape" the unit. That center "slug" is a magnet, but there are two others at each end to act as a spring to bounce the slug back when you recharge it. No wimpy magnets here! Quote Link to comment
+Ltljon Posted February 17, 2004 Author Share Posted February 17, 2004 Many Thanks for all the useful info! Quote Link to comment
+geobaby Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 I was given a flashlight like that. JUNK! Quote Link to comment
+bitbrain Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 CWL carries one in his pack. I still remember the event cache where he was showing it to us and then started 'charging' it. Ever seen a dozen people have the same thought all at once? Quote Link to comment
+ChrisCindy Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 CWL carries one in his pack. I still remember the event cache where he was showing it to us and then started 'charging' it. Ever seen a dozen people have the same thought all at once? I bet he is well practiced at that. Quote Link to comment
+rover-r-us Posted February 17, 2004 Share Posted February 17, 2004 my next buy Quote Link to comment
+Jamie Z Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 (edited) the event cache where he was showing it to us and then started 'charging' it. Man, you know, not that I wanted to see that or anything, but, where the heck was I? [added] And so this isn't just drivel, this thread reminds me of a flashlight my friend had. It was just some cheapo plastic job that had a squeeze handle, and when you "revved" it up, the light would light. He got it as a novelty gift from his dad, but I'll tell you what. That thing got more use than any other flashlight in the house. It always worked... until it broke. I expect this thing is the same way. Jamie Edited February 18, 2004 by Jamie Z Quote Link to comment
+Wulfster Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 I'm concerned what a muggle will think if they see one of us standing in the bushes charging one of those up. I've heard it called lots of things, but not "charging the flashlight." Quote Link to comment
+Spoo Posted February 18, 2004 Share Posted February 18, 2004 I have had one of these flashlights for over a year now and use it almost daily !!!! They really, really work well. Mine is a "NIGHTSTAR". Good beam, fairly long lasting. BUT......WARNING !!!!!!!!!!!!! The magnets in these are POWERFUL. They will screw-up a TV at 24 inches distance and WORSE YET, they will upset a compass needle at 6-10 feet. NOT an ideal item to throw in your knapsack if you are carrying a compass. Not only will you get faulty readings but with time, it will destroy your compass. Quote Link to comment
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