The Phial of Galadriel

I recently changed my sig and avatar to reflect what is perhaps driving my flashlight obsession: since a young age, I have been very into the Lord of the Rings and have always loved the gifts that the fellowship received and their gear.

We have the amazing sword Sting that glows when orcs are around and is basically unbreakable and ultra-sharp; the awesome Elvish cloaks that keep them warm and dry and help them blend in immediately; the mithril armor that protected Frodo, and, my favorite, the phial of Galadriel, "...a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."

Sooooooo... My question to the group here is:
What is your veritable phial of Galadriel?

I am looking to find the closest light to this mythical item, irrespective of price.

(For those who aren't familiar with it, check it out here at about 3:20 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA0ffVBw584)

Some general thoughts to get us started:
1. I think it should be an EDC light, as the phial--while larger than a AA battery-type light--was carried easily.
2. It needs to be pretty bright, I think, as the phial was able to blind Shelob the spider.
3. Durability is key.

Now, there are many threads on keychain lights out there, but this one is special since it is about our interpretation of a mythical item.

Some of you may be :thinking:.

A few lights to start us off as contenders:

-NiteCore PD10: small, powerful, with a "magical" piston drive.
-Lummi Wee: Tiny, powerful beyond expectations for such a small light
-Glo-toob: Invincible, sort of looks like a phial of liquid...
-A fauxton or photon keychain light: always there when needed, pretty bright, have saved me many times...

What do you guys think?

Also: apologies in advance if this is WAAAY too nerdy for CPF!:naughty:

Glo-Toob was the first thing that came to mind, though I don't have any first hand experience with one, only what I've read.

The mythical item you seek is but a tritium vial, for it is obvious what you seek only when you do not wish to seek it, this aura of magic, the tritium vial, will never fail to cast light when needed and may beat back your proverbial shelob with its radioactive properties.

in all seriousness tho a D10 with a trit eather in the piston of dangling from the lanyard hole would be perfect

Thanks for this little game you have brought to cpf, i liked it

Regards,
Nemo

It can't be a "reflectored" kind of beam since the Phial was more a lantern type beam... something in the vicinity of a Mule typebeam, or one of those Osram led lanterns modded with P7 or Cree MC-E :naughty:

Thanks Cuso, Nemo, and Stress_Test--this is awesome!

Yes, I am going to have to read up on how to get tritium into my D10! I am also looking to buy a glo-toob, and now I want to learn about the lanterns, Cuso!

:twothumbs

Stress_Test said:

Glo-Toob was the first thing that came to mind, though I don't have any first hand experience with one, only what I've read.

Click to expand...

+1

Definitely a lithium glo-toob! They rock :rock:

Yay!

I just pulled trigger on a Li Glo-Toob and a standard one from Battery Junction. I'm excited about these and will let you all know how I like them!

Enjoy! :twothumbs

what colors?

They are a standard part of my EDC kit and should a part of everyones - the uses are endless.

Great thread:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/204920

I'm a glo toob boy from way back but don't think they are esoteric enough to fit the bill............I'll have to think what is. I must admit my 1st impression was Tritium and it looks like I'm not alone.

I'm thinking a zebralight.

Galadriel undoubtedly had one of these. Run-time 12 years to 50% power.

The first time I saw the Shelob scene in LOTR, my first thought was: "A big 'ol raging sputtering road flare would scare the big bug more than the Galdrial nightlight".

So I guess I got nuthin'. :devil:

applevision said:

[SNIP] since a young age, I have been very into the Lord of the Rings and have always loved the gifts that the fellowship received and their gear.

[SNIP] my favorite, the phial of Galadriel, "...a light for you in dark places, when all other lights go out."

Sooooooo... My question to the group here is:
What is your veritable phial of Galadriel?

I am looking to find the closest light to this mythical item, irrespective of price.

Click to expand...

I am a fan of the Phial of Galadriel, but more so of the blue lanterns of the Noldor:

[SIZE=-1]'made of old in Valinor,[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]and neither wind nor water could quench them, and when they were unhooded they sent forth[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]a clear blue light from a flame imprisoned in white crystal.'
[Unfinished Tales, Part One,[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]Chapter I - Of Tuor and His Coming to Gondolin]

I bought a couple of Inova MicroLights with blue beam when they first came out and used them as my Noldorin blue lamps. I've had self-activation and battery depletion problems with them and have been looking for something else.

I'm interested in the Glo-Toobs, specifically the lithium versions, but haven't made the jump.

I'm looking forward to your impressions on yours if it meets your idea of the Phial of Galadriel.
[/SIZE]

Don't base your sizes, or anything else on that horrible set of movies. Not that I have a size interpretation in mind from the literature or anything. But those movies got the story wrong at the most base level.

Have you seen the Orb Wee? Or the Drake/Draco? Those are pretty dang small and really bright! Shiny too.

I think Peter Jackson did a great job with those movies. He left out the Tom Bombadil weirdness that wouldn't have translated well to the screen and ended the story with the desctruction of the Ring. I remember reading through the books the first time thinking, "Wait, they destroyed the ring. Why are there so many pages left."

My biggest gripe with it is that he made Faramir out to be some sort of greedy evil dude, when in the books he was an incredible asset to Frodo and Sam.

----

Back to the OP - I definitely vote for tritium vial in your NiteCore. An awesome piece of flashlight goodness, it is.

I found the Fenix diffuser on my L1T reminded me of the Phial of Galadriel.

ahhh, the counterpart to the "how to make a magic wand"



I think the closest thing would be a Glo-toob suspended in some kind of acrylic Bottle thing...

want i really want next is Gandalf's crystal thing that he puts at the top of his staff...

"Let me risk a little more light....." :huh:

Crenshaw

I think the original Glo-toob with the 'pulse' feature would simulate the phial. Wrap the Glo-toob up in shimmery clear plastic (wrapping?) paper gathered and tied at the top and it would pass for a Halloween costume prop.

geek4christ said:

I think Peter Jackson did a great job with those movies. He left out the Tom Bombadil weirdness that wouldn't have translated well to the screen and ended the story with the desctruction of the Ring. I remember reading through the books the first time thinking, "Wait, they destroyed the ring. Why are there so many pages left."

My biggest gripe with it is that he made Faramir out to be some sort of greedy evil dude, when in the books he was an incredible asset to Frodo and Sam.

----

Back to the OP - I definitely vote for tritium vial in your NiteCore. An awesome piece of flashlight goodness, it is.

Click to expand...

He also completely changed motives and motovations of the main character, who was as important to the story as the ring itself. (Aragorn) He did the same kinda job to Faramir, as you noted. And Legolas looked like a sissy.

I still say that any small dazzlingly bright light pretty closely resembles the phial, in function, at the very least.