3AA River Rock Lantern CREE from Target

[1Bean1]

Picked up a 3AA River Rock Lantern from Target today. It says CREE under the LED, but reading old threads I thought these were supposed to be K2? I threw the package away already, but I recall it saying it had 85 lumens, which is what the older posts said the K2 version had. It cost $22.79 before tax, compared to 19.99 K2 one.

I don't know the differences between CREEs, maybe somone here knows:

I didn't realize how small these things are:

 

[darknessemitter]

Picked up a 3AA River Rock Lantern from Target today. It says CREE under the LED, but reading old threads I thought these were supposed to be K2? I threw the package away already, but I recall it saying it had 85 lumens, which is what the older posts said the K2 version had. It cost $22.79 before tax, compared to 19.99 K2 one.

Yeah, it's funny, the packages I've seen still say "K2 Lantern" even though you see the Cree inside if you look carefully. They may have ended up making the switch because Lumileds hasn't been producing enough TFFC's.

 

[Donald]

How many brightness levels?

This looks like ones I am starting to see under other names such as BULB and Grenade. I think the latter name is probably not a good idea.

They have 2 brightness levels and strobe, allegedly up to 136 lumens with 16 hour runtime on high!, 35 on low.

Even Coleman is going to use Cree.

 

[dexter49]

How many brightness levels?

This looks like ones I am starting to see under other names such as BULB and Grenade. I think the latter name is probably not a good idea.

They have 2 brightness levels and strobe, allegedly up to 136 lumens with 16 hour runtime on high!, 35 on low.

Even Coleman is going to use Cree.

I have both the K2 ( qty 6) and Cree (qty 2) versions from Target. The Cree version still had the K2 packaging with the same light output and run times listed, but the Cree version is visibly brighter. Not sure if there is any consistency to this, but the Cree version had a light green lantern base whereas my K2 versions have black bases.

I did quick current measurement and found the Cree version was 440mA (high), 180mA (low) whereas the K2 was 340mA (high), 130mA (low) using recently charged NiMh. (I had originally expected the Cree version might be same light output with less current, but not so.) They both have the same modes - high, low, strobe. They are also currently on a "temporary price reduction" from $22.## to $20.##, but are not on clearance like several of the Brinkman lights.

 

[Donald]

Thanks for the info. So the Cree is brighter, but it doesn't sound like it improved the runtime, at least not from the current draw. Overall though, it sounds like I would prefer the Cree version.

 

[s.c.]

damn this corner of cpf!

Had no interest in lanterns until I noticed this subforum...and now I have purchased the RR lantern, the 300 lumen 3D ray-o-vac, the $5 walmart lantern, and some of those keychain RR lanterns...all within the past 24 hours!

Just a head's up, my target has the lantern at a temporary price reduction of $15. It is a green base with a cree. I cut the bottom off of a 35mm film canister and placed it over the bulb to diffuse the light...I like it much better.

Also, the keychain RR lanterns are on clearance and fit perfectly into a film canister, making it a poor man's glo-toob. My nephews love them.

 

[Donald]

Thank you for the temporary price reduction info. They are $15.99 here also and with the local Florida/Miami-Dade tax of 7% that equals $17.11. The receipt for Hardware Automotive 092080744 Lantern says, saved $6.80 off $22.79.

Nice light! On low it is about equivalent to regular on my old RiverRock lantern, and probably just a bit brighter. I do have Glad Press'n Seal on my old lantern though. It makes a nice diffused beam. The regular Glad Press'n Seal is white translucent, the Freezer Press'n Seal is blue translucent, so get the regular for most diffusion needs on cool lanterns, not ones that would melt it.

On high it is much brighter. It is also smaller than the original model.

For any missing the operation instructions they say:
Press switch for High > Low > Off
Press and hold switch for 3 seconds for Flasshing mode
After 4 seconds, press switch for off from any mode.
When Off, Green LED indicator Flashes every 5 seconds

Perhaps when they change the packaging or someone buys an equivalent model with different brand name they can weigh in with the specs. Speaking of weight, it is 7.3 oz with 3 x AA batteries dated good through 20015 and the clip with caribiner.

 

[LEDAdd1ct]

Correct me if I am mistaken, but that UI sounds identical to the Favourlight Lantern (Rayovac Lantern)...

 

[Illum]

occasionally they like to use CREE XR-Cs...whats the logic in that I dunno

XR-C versus XR-E [XRC source: Coleman 3AA Cree XR-C MicroPacker™ Lantern]

XR-C

The Cree XR-C impress me. While being less efficient than the XR-E, it's still very bright with its smaller die. It has only two bond wires and the pattern on the die is also different. It has four squares while the XR-E has three lines.

XR-E
EDIT: imageshack crossref'd my pic with something else

can you get us a closer pic for your lantern?

 

[Donald]

Will this help you tell us what we have in our Target River Rock lantern?

 

[Illum]

its an XR-E
silver backed might indicate a china fabricated cree
4 bond wires = P4~Q4

 

[Donald]

Thanks Illum.
Here is alternate pic with the round or bubble appearing artifact caused by the tiny hole in the top of the shroud, in a different position (over to the top right of the LED).

If you see my BULB link above, which I just repeated anyway, these must be one and the same lantern.

The XR-E CREE LED GRENADE looks the same too, and what a price difference, $45 at essential gear versus less than $20 at Target. Further, here is a review of the eGear K2 Grenade LED Lantern when it was a K2 version. :lolsign:

 

[Donald]

Here is a size comparison of the new RiverRock LED lantern on the left and the old on the right. 1Bean1's use of the dollar for size comparison made sense, so I repeated it using just about the cost of the light.

 

[tritan]

Here is a size comparison of the new RiverRock LED lantern on the left and and the new on the right. 1Bean1's use of the dollar for size comparison made sense, so I repeated it using just about the cost of the light.

New left and new right?

 

[Donald]

Tritan, if you read Post #7 you could figure it out. I had added to the sentence to make it clearer and made it worse, including having a duplicate "and". Got interrupted in the edit. It is corrected now. Thanks.

 

[2jzpower]

anyone have a link to a place that sells them online?

i'm kinda far away from a target

 

[tritan]

How does this light compare to the black diamond 3watt version or the smaller rayovac version?

 

[Donald]

Tritan, which Black Diamond is that?

The River Rock (Cree XR-E) is brighter than the Black Diamond Apollo, but the Apollo is more glare free.

 

[tritan]

Tritan, which Black Diamond is that?

The River Rock (Cree XR-E) is brighter than the Black Diamond Apollo, but the Apollo is more glare free.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018J76VS/?tag=cpf0b6-20

They have the apollo 3watt and 1watt Orbit that will be on the bottom right in the suggested box.

This light is great rave reviews in the backpacking community but I can't find any reviews around here.

I also can't find the riverrock on the target site there search box sucks.

 

[Donald]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018J76VS/?tag=cpf0b6-20

They have the apollo 3watt and 1watt opollo that will be on the bottom right in the suggested box.

This light is great rave reviews in the backpacking community but I can't find any reviews around here.

I also can't find the riverrock on the target site there search box sucks.

I see a one watt BD Orbit. I do not see a one watt Apollo. Is it the Orbit that you meant (the far right choice in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" box?

I was talking about the 3 watt Apollo as far as I know, at this link. I don't have that light, but I'll see if I can get the person who compared them to post here. I did not find any reviews here either, just some mentions. The River Rock Cree XR-E is also rather new as far as I know, Target has not even updated the packaging.

I also did not find the River Rock on the Target web site. IIRC a review or mention of the earliest version said that one was not on the web site. Perhaps an email or call to Target might get some information. I did link what appear to be some alternate equivalents, and there may be others, but they were not as inexpensive as the RR.