Guide Gear 1 watt Luxeon flashlight

In January I got a Sportsman's Guide catalog, and happened to see this particular light at the sale price of $49.97. It looked to be using a reflector, instead of optics. It uses 3 C cells, and is Aluminum. I decided to take a chance on it and mailed the order with check on February 2nd. It arrived on Wednesday the 18th and I was pleasantly surprised: White light!

It is robustly built with ample knurling and an on/off switch in the head. It is not a perfect beam: nice bright hotspot, slighter darker ring, brighter corona, and finally a decently sized side spill of usable brightness level.

What I can't tell, is whether it uses a high dome or side emitter. The reflector is smooth. The runtime should be decently long. It is rated as 'water resistant' and I don't do any potentially destructive tests.

It can stand on its tail, comes with a belt holder, and has a lanyard attached to the tail. It is made in China.

Overall, it looks to be a well made product, and has taken over as my favorite Flashlight.

Here is the link to the item.

Looks cool but for $10 more, I think the 3 watt FT-3C is a better bargain. The SG light should have an awesome run time though. link

Hello Charles,

Interesting light. It looks like it uses a reflector. Side Emitter's that I have seen have a bit of a ringy beam. If you check Doug's (Quickbeam) chart on the Matrix II you will see what I mean.

Do you think the 160 hour run time is to half brightness?

Tom

No commercially-built flashlight can compare to Elektrolumens' products. Price vs Performance is too high.

Lemme see - S- or T- bin HD vs unknown LS? Proven track record vs generic company?

[ QUOTE ]
SilverFox said:
Hello Charles,

Interesting light. It looks like it uses a reflector. Side Emitter's that I have seen have a bit of a ringy beam. If you check Doug's (Quickbeam) chart on the Matrix II you will see what I mean.

Do you think the 160 hour run time is to half brightness?

Tom

[/ QUOTE ]

Tom, if you read my mini-review, I stated that it uses a reflector. I don't pay attention to runtime claims in most catalogs, Sportsman's Guide included. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif I have the feeling that the claim is a grand total 'until the batteries poop out'. The runtime should be far better than 3 AA Alkalines. As far as actual runtimes, I have no clue.

I would say the emitter is probably a side emitter, then.

Mark Larson;

I reviewed this light on its own merits. I have 'passed' on every light in Sportman's Guide catalog, until this one. I am very pleased with it.

It was MY choice to get it. It was MY choice to post a report on it. WHY did you have to immediately trash it?????

What got me to get one to try out:

Looked like reflector, instead of optics (based on picture)
On/off switch in head
Uses 3 C cells
1 Watt Luxeon emitter
Aluminum construction
Price

Based on MY standards, it is worth it.

from the picture they have of it, it is a Low-Dome (batwing). It's not a SE or HD.

Yeah? Well, I don't have any yellow-green side emission mixed in the hotspot or anything. It is ALL white and nothing off color. Beam pattern is more typical of an SE than anything else.

Oh this is fixed focus light, and I DO have one. I also have a LEDCorp low dome PR bulb to compare with.

People seem to be down on the generic lights regardless of how well they are made or how well they perform. I think that there are quite a few of these "no name" lights that are well made and good performers.

I guess this is where a forum member jumps in and says "Its a Nuwai Light" (or whoever produces them for Nuwai to distribute). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Once again, their modular approach has produced another permutation.

Here's their web site .

Dan

Yeah, Nuwai. That's it. From what I hear their lights are pretty good.