georget98
Enlightened
BT Flashlight Reviews
The Arc4+, Part 2
In last month's installment, Burglar Times published Louie the Light's initial tests and comments on the Arc4. In this month's report, Louie takes the light out on an actual job.
Here's Louie's report: I wanted to try the light under familiar conditions so I went to a house in the Birchwood Pines development – the houses are all pretty much the same and I've worked there before. I chose a house that looked dark and promising.
I triple-clicked into low mode and checked the windows. Just like the last time I worked here, they've got $100 locks on all the windows and not one is latched. A quick look through one of the front windows revealed the steady green glow of the "system off" LED of an alarm system so I climbed in and took a look around.
I switched to level 9, my pre-programmed secondary level. It's bright enough to spot valuables easily but not so bright as to be noticeable through the windows.
Once in the master bedroom I triple clicked back to dim – the occupants were quietly sleeping but I didn't want to take any chances. Then I heard someone rolling around in bed – I quickly switched off the Arc and ducked down and froze. I heard someone groping around on the bedside table. A gun?
A sleepy voice called out "Who's there?" and a splotchy dim yellow spot swept around the room. The light swept right over me but was so uneven the half-asleep homeowner didn't even see me. Saying a silent prayer of thanks to the supermarket flashlight god, I quietly headed back downstairs.
I had just gotten out of the window when a not too bright yellowish light hit me right in the face. Just as startled as I, the lone policeman started to stutter out "police, freeze!" Before he could even finish I jammed down the button on the Arc4 and shined the Level 1 maximum output right in his face.
He sputtered out "What the heck?!" and dropped his flashlight in an attempt to cover his eyes with his hand. His light went out when it hit the ground but he somehow managed to grab me by the arm.
He was having a hard time holding on to me while fumbling at his belt in the dark to find his handcuffs. With my free hand I switched the light on to level 3 primary and said, "I see the department is still issuing those crummy 2-D cell flashlights? Look at this." Then I shined the light on a shed about 60 feet away and started clicking through all the brightness settings.
The policeman said "What kind of flashlight is that? How does it work?" so I showed him how to use it.
While he was trying for the third time to get the knack of 10-clicking into the options menu I quietly faded into the darkness and headed for my car. As I was driving away I looked in my mirror and could see a slow 'SOS' flashing on the tree tops behind the house.
Happy to be home, I took stock of the evening. I lost the Arc4, all I got out of the house was a two-pack of lithium batteries, and I learned a lesson about thermostats with green LED indicator lights. Not the best haul, but better than the 5 to 10 I could have gotten if I was carrying an ordinary flashlight.
I'm going to get another one even if I have to buy it -- so should you. My rating? A nearly perfect 4 ½ pillow cases!
The Arc4+, Part 2
In last month's installment, Burglar Times published Louie the Light's initial tests and comments on the Arc4. In this month's report, Louie takes the light out on an actual job.
Here's Louie's report: I wanted to try the light under familiar conditions so I went to a house in the Birchwood Pines development – the houses are all pretty much the same and I've worked there before. I chose a house that looked dark and promising.
I triple-clicked into low mode and checked the windows. Just like the last time I worked here, they've got $100 locks on all the windows and not one is latched. A quick look through one of the front windows revealed the steady green glow of the "system off" LED of an alarm system so I climbed in and took a look around.
I switched to level 9, my pre-programmed secondary level. It's bright enough to spot valuables easily but not so bright as to be noticeable through the windows.
Once in the master bedroom I triple clicked back to dim – the occupants were quietly sleeping but I didn't want to take any chances. Then I heard someone rolling around in bed – I quickly switched off the Arc and ducked down and froze. I heard someone groping around on the bedside table. A gun?
A sleepy voice called out "Who's there?" and a splotchy dim yellow spot swept around the room. The light swept right over me but was so uneven the half-asleep homeowner didn't even see me. Saying a silent prayer of thanks to the supermarket flashlight god, I quietly headed back downstairs.
I had just gotten out of the window when a not too bright yellowish light hit me right in the face. Just as startled as I, the lone policeman started to stutter out "police, freeze!" Before he could even finish I jammed down the button on the Arc4 and shined the Level 1 maximum output right in his face.
He sputtered out "What the heck?!" and dropped his flashlight in an attempt to cover his eyes with his hand. His light went out when it hit the ground but he somehow managed to grab me by the arm.
He was having a hard time holding on to me while fumbling at his belt in the dark to find his handcuffs. With my free hand I switched the light on to level 3 primary and said, "I see the department is still issuing those crummy 2-D cell flashlights? Look at this." Then I shined the light on a shed about 60 feet away and started clicking through all the brightness settings.
The policeman said "What kind of flashlight is that? How does it work?" so I showed him how to use it.
While he was trying for the third time to get the knack of 10-clicking into the options menu I quietly faded into the darkness and headed for my car. As I was driving away I looked in my mirror and could see a slow 'SOS' flashing on the tree tops behind the house.
Happy to be home, I took stock of the evening. I lost the Arc4, all I got out of the house was a two-pack of lithium batteries, and I learned a lesson about thermostats with green LED indicator lights. Not the best haul, but better than the 5 to 10 I could have gotten if I was carrying an ordinary flashlight.
I'm going to get another one even if I have to buy it -- so should you. My rating? A nearly perfect 4 ½ pillow cases!