Folks,
I've visited Technology Associates' web pages for the Eternalight (http://www.techass.com/el/el1.htm) and think I really, really want one of these Ergo or Ergo Marine models. The problem, quite frankly, is paying that much for what seems to be, essentially, a toy. Granted, it's a way cool toy, but I can't see where it's really going to be all that useful as a flashlight.
I "invested" (hubby-speak for "spent money on a toy") about $20 on a 3-LED replacement "bulb assembly" for my 3-D cell MagLight, and I'm very much un-impressed with the reach of beam it casts (this is the ML-3 from NDS, which has only the 3 LEDs, not the one from LEDCorp, which apparently focuses the output from the LEDs), but it does make my MagLight into an excellent dog-walking light. (I can see more than well enough to pick up his "recycling deposits," and there's _no_ question that oncoming traffic can see the light if I wave it at them. Also, the fact that it's an LED assembly assures me that I won't have to buy another bulb for this flashlight for years. (I was encouraged to buy an LED assembly for this light exactly because the bulb burnt out on me while I was using it, and the spare bulb in the tailcap was also black and useless.) Plus, since the light is in a 3-D cell MagLight body, it's a little extra security {although, if they get past my Chow-Shepherd mix, I'm in deep dog-doo anyway}.) I have been carrying a StreamLight SL-20X for my dog walks, which is a 30,000-CP rechargeable with a very tightly-focused beam, so I realize I'm comparing apples to raisins, here.
Having said all that, while the modified MagLight does rate rather low on the usefulness scale, it rates quite high on the coolness scale. The light that it casts is even and white, and colors of the objects it hits are quite sharp and easy to distinguish. When shone on highly-reflective objects such as traffic signs and license plates, it reflects brilliantly even from distances of half a block, and this is over the irritating orange glare of the sodium streetlights.
How useful is the EternaLight as a flashlight in a suburban situation, where you have the streetlights, garage lights, security lights, etc.?
I've visited Technology Associates' web pages for the Eternalight (http://www.techass.com/el/el1.htm) and think I really, really want one of these Ergo or Ergo Marine models. The problem, quite frankly, is paying that much for what seems to be, essentially, a toy. Granted, it's a way cool toy, but I can't see where it's really going to be all that useful as a flashlight.
I "invested" (hubby-speak for "spent money on a toy") about $20 on a 3-LED replacement "bulb assembly" for my 3-D cell MagLight, and I'm very much un-impressed with the reach of beam it casts (this is the ML-3 from NDS, which has only the 3 LEDs, not the one from LEDCorp, which apparently focuses the output from the LEDs), but it does make my MagLight into an excellent dog-walking light. (I can see more than well enough to pick up his "recycling deposits," and there's _no_ question that oncoming traffic can see the light if I wave it at them. Also, the fact that it's an LED assembly assures me that I won't have to buy another bulb for this flashlight for years. (I was encouraged to buy an LED assembly for this light exactly because the bulb burnt out on me while I was using it, and the spare bulb in the tailcap was also black and useless.) Plus, since the light is in a 3-D cell MagLight body, it's a little extra security {although, if they get past my Chow-Shepherd mix, I'm in deep dog-doo anyway}.) I have been carrying a StreamLight SL-20X for my dog walks, which is a 30,000-CP rechargeable with a very tightly-focused beam, so I realize I'm comparing apples to raisins, here.
Having said all that, while the modified MagLight does rate rather low on the usefulness scale, it rates quite high on the coolness scale. The light that it casts is even and white, and colors of the objects it hits are quite sharp and easy to distinguish. When shone on highly-reflective objects such as traffic signs and license plates, it reflects brilliantly even from distances of half a block, and this is over the irritating orange glare of the sodium streetlights.
How useful is the EternaLight as a flashlight in a suburban situation, where you have the streetlights, garage lights, security lights, etc.?
