Best pocket LED light?

[geepondy]

This is my first foray into this forum. I thought LED lights were still pretty much a gadget item and had no idea so many people shared my interests. My three contestants on subject matter are the Photon II, the Infinity and the Pocketbright, being the three pocket sized LED lights I own. This is my personal experience with the three lights. The Photon II although initially shines very bright, dims down a degree rather quickly and it's battery life is less then desirable. And to change the batteries is a real work of art, something of which could never be accomplished in the dark. The infinity has many good qualities. Very rugged, easy to use and easy to change the very common AA battery. But it's light output is disappointingly dimmer then the rest. I see the pocketbright has garned a log of negative reviews but to me, it is the best one of the three. I have not experienced any of the switch problems people have complained about. It's light output although not as bright as the photon II at least initially is much brighter then the infinity and it's battery life is quite satisfactory. Plus it's fairly easy to change the batteries and I think you could accomplish this in the dark if need be. So that is the light that is on my keychain but when I go hiking, I always make sure I throw the infinity in the backpack because you can see your way around in the complete dark with it and it makes a great emergency light.

I'm curious to hear other people's opinions on the subject matter and perhaps compare to other entries as well. I think the Arc light from what I've ready may be the new winner.

P.S. Any word or pre-reviews on the Lightwave 4000? I like my CC Expedition 7 but hate the intermittency of the,
IMO, barbaric twist on/off mechanism to serve as a switch. I read that they've kept the same tradition in the new 14 and 19 LED versions. I hope the Lightwave 4000 has suitable light output because I have read that it has a real push switch.

 

[vcal]

Welcome aboard

My favorite subject: powerful "key" lights. Although so far, my all time favorite is the UKE-2AAA(another forum?), I too, used to have the PocketBright on my keychain until I got tired of fixing the switching and the about 1/3 output of my Photon II
Now on my keyring(s), I'm using a hopped-up version of the Pelican L1-which I think is a great buy @ only $11.
prediction?: April 2002-a small waterproof Luxeon pocket LED light using rechargeable Lithium batteries for less than $50.)

 

[X-CalBR8]

I agree. Push switches are much easier to use, and it only requires one hand to turn on and off. From what I've heard about the Trek 7 you have to put it in a "death grip" just to turn it on and off and I think that's just ridiculous. In fact that is the one reason why I haven't bought one yet. Isn't part of the point of a good flashlight supposed to be ease of use? I guess that's one reason why I like the good ole Turtlelite II so much. It has a very easy to turn on and off push switch (which a child could turn on & off one handedly while blindfolded), but it's recessed to keep it from accidentally turning on when placed in a backpack or other circumstance where it could easily get turned on by accident. Although I think the Double Barrel flashlight line by Energizer has the most excellent switches of any light that I've ever used to date. They are totally silent when pressed and just have a great feel to them. The only mistake that I noticed about the Double Barrel's switches was I would have liked their switches to have been recessed like with the Turtlelite to keep from turning it on accidentally in a backpack or glovebox. What I would like to know is why can't all flashlight's switches be this nice and easy to use? Is it a matter of cost, or a lack of engineering prowess, or just a matter of personal taste?

 

[geepondy]

Yes, the Trek 7 is rather hard to twist the head in it's on and off positions and it is not a smooth transaction. It is a very barbaric design and operation in my opinion, especially for a $60 light. Literally, you're just loosening the lens cap assembly from the batteries. More then once, I thought the unit was "off" only to turn it upside down to rest it on its head and have the light come back on. When it is in its so called off position, the batteries and other innards are allowed to shake around freely.

 

[X-CalBR8]

Yeah, that's what I thought to. Kinda cheap for a $60.00 light not to have a proper switch. That's why I don't have one already. I figure it's only a matter of time before a competitor gets it right and I will buy from them.

 

[X-CalBR8]

I sure hope the upcoming Arc Light doesn't have any switch problems as I'm looking forward to owning one. It has a twist type switch also, but I can kind of understand having that type of switch in a pocket light though because it would be far too easy to accidentally turn on a push switch in one's pocket.

 

[Lux Luthor]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by X-CalBR8:
...I can kind of understand having that type of switch in a pocket light though because it would be far too easy to accidentally turn on a push switch in one's pocket.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

That's one reason for having a screw type switch. The main reason is that it's by far the best way to waterproof a flashlight. Almost all the diving lights use this kind of switch. It's not "barbaric". It's a simple effective design. As far as how easy the ARC light will be to turn, all I can say is that my Infinity is perfectly easy to turn on and off with only one hand, and doesn't require repositioning the light in any way like a rear push button switch does.

 

[geepondy]

The infinity's switch mechanism is very smooth yet solid feeling with a very short turning range between the off and on positions. The Trek 7 turns very hard, is not smooth turning at all and feels like you're just unscrewing the lens assembly because that is exactly what you're doing. There is a wide area of intermittent on/off range. I have to give it an extran half turn when I turn it off because if I don't and set it on it's head, the light is apt to come back on again. Just my two cents but to me, this makes it impractical to use as a daily light that you would be switching on and off several times.

 

[Coherence]

I posted this to another thread but maybe it has relevance here -


Another alternative switch is the magnetic reed switch. I just took apart a sensor that is used for home security (attaches to a window). Inside is a magnetic reed switch with both normally open and normally closed contacts. If you bring a magnet within an inch or two of it the switch flips.

I want a light that is truly waterproof and easy to turn on/off. What I have found is that the weak point in being waterproof seems to be the switch. The switches that really are waterproof require two hands to use (twist the O-ringed head down until it lights).

My thought is to build a flashlight where the light is 'on' by default. Also make a holster with a magnet in the appropriate place.

Now you have a light which:
1. Is always on when you use it.
2. Lights up if you drop it or are separated from the light.
3. You are 'reminded' to return it to its holster (the only way to turn it off). Now you can find it later, it is on your belt.
4. *Nothing* protrudes through the case to allow water leakage.

Anyway, just a thought.

Incidently the magnetic switch is a cylinder about 1/2" long and 1/8" diameter.

Update: it will work through the wall of a 3D cell Maglight, i.e. sensor on one side and magnet on the other. So aluminum flashlight is certainly possible w/magnetic switch...

also a simple deactivator switch would be a rubber band with a magnet glued to it to fit around the body of light.

 

[Brock]

Ok, since I just got the Arc light today I am going to have to say that it is the best pocket light.

I did a review on my site, but to sum up it is great! The knurling (rough steel) is better, and it is brighter than the Infinity. It stays bright for a long time, over 3 hours now constant on and now just ever so slightly dimmer then my Photon, still way brighter then the Infinity. It is small, easily held in your teeth to do up close work, and won't take up much space in your pocket. Hopefully I will get around to taking some shots tonight when I get home. This is a nice light. I wish I had invested some $ in this company because they have done it right!

Brock

 

[X-CalBR8]

Coherence: That's a pretty cool idea. I just happened to think of another possible variation on it to. What if you epoxy a slide switch on the outside of the light that would slide a magnet into an "on" position or an "off" position? You would have the same waterproofness but also have a switch so you would not always need to use a holster to turn it off. This sounds just like the perfect mod for a Trek 7 to me. LOL, who knows I might even get a Trek 7 now that we've figured out a neat way of getting around the "grip of death" switch.

 

[Badbeams3]

When I ordered my Expedition I asked them (CCrane Co.) to send me one that was easy to turn on/off and they did. It has only one "O" ring (and it maybe smaller than standard) so it does not have the deep dive capabitity but is safe in my bathtub...it is smooth and easy to turn. I also am wondering about the Lightwave 4000 sounds nice.

 

[Coherence]

to X-CalBR8 :


I own a Trek 7, and can concur that the switch is too difficult to activate.

(This light no longer works. Why? because it is the first one I took apart to put the LED's into other projects!)

I think you are on the right track thinking of a moveable but attached magnet with the flashlight for on/off. Perhaps could even be attached to the lanyard.

Or have the light normally off and wear gloves w/magnets hidden in them. Light comes on when you (only you) pick it up! Great for messing with your friends.

 

[Brock]

X-CalBR8 I have a dive light that does that, completly sealed and the external magnetic switch turns it on and off, but it is in a 6v lantern battery light, I can't remember which one.

KenB, I am running the Arc constantly and just comparing it to the Photon every 1/2 hour. If the Photon were on that long it would be WAY dimmer, it gets to about 2/3 brightness after about 1 hour. At 4 hours it is now very close to the Infinity with a lithium (Arc still a tab bit brighter). I am running a standard Duracell alkaline in the Arc, not the Ultra style.

Brock

 

[X-CalBR8]

Coherence: Cool idea about the lanyard. That way you would always have the magnet with you and you wouldn't have to find it in the dark. Some very interesting ideas. Hehe. It would be funny if we see this stuff showing up in the next generation of diving lights after we've posted it here.

 

[X-CalBR8]

Brock: I posted at the same time as you did. It looks like some of these ideas have already surfaced.

 

[Badbeams3]

Thanks Brock, lets see what happens as it crosses the 5 hour mark and approches its death dive. Wonder how bright it is after the drop.

 

[Badbeams3]

I wonder why the magnet idea never caught on, it seems like a great idea to me.

 

[Brock]

It just took the dive! 4:15 Of course running the light constant for the whole time lowers the total run time. I have found I get about 5% to 10% longer battery life if used even in 20 minute segments. Now it is dimmer then the Infinity lithium, about the same as the Infinity alkaline. It is now pulling 130 mA, it was still at 220 mA at 4 hours. It is still quite useful as far as light output, I wonder if this is the next holding point until it is dead or if it just keeps fadeing from now on. I wonder how long it will hold out? Stay Tuned...

Brock

 

[Badbeams3]

Ok, if it holds at this brightness for a while it would be great. Did you measure the voltage?