My Review: Four-color Recon
Review Date: 3/6/2005
Brand: Coast "LED Lenser"
Model: "Tac Torch" "4-color Recon Light"
Material: Aluminum
Color: Black anodized
LED's: 6 total (one red, one blue, one green, three white)
Switches: 4 click-switches, color coded for the l.e.d.'s
Battery: 3xAAA (uses holder)
Dimensions: 1" diameter; 4" length
Accessories: Lanyard (olive drab), 3xAAA
Build quality: 3 stars (of 5)
Price: $39.99
This is a four-color specialty torch which allows individual activation of each color alone or in any combination. However, when activated in combination, the hot-spot of each individual l.e.d. overlaps adjacent colors, combining the distracting artifacts of two or more l.e.d's to become even more distracting. Each color l.e.d. exhibits its own artifacts due to the shape of the reflector. Each l.e.d. sits in its own little "well". One quarter of that "well" is open (toward the center of the light) and this is evident in the corona. Additionally, due to the chromed reflector, there is a "hole" in the center of each hot-spot.
White mode: On the white setting, there is a fairly well dispersed flood, evenly filling a small room in a 180 degree hemishpere. Tint is toward blue yet colors are still rendered rather naturally. Overall... very pleasing in this mode.
Blue & Green mode: These colors have perhaps half of the "apparent" brightness of the white mode.
Red mode: This mode has the least "apparent" brightness, especially in regard to the spill light. In reality, the red is probably not any dimmer than the green & blue. It is a perceptual thing.
Switches: There is a seperate 5/16" round, domed click-switch for each l.e.d. color. They are located around the circumference of the torch with 90 degress of seperation, not quite an inch from the front. The buttons are attractively color anodized in the same color as the l.e.d. for which they are intended, except for the white l.e.d's which have a black button. This one is textured, for tactile identification. However, the texture is rather light and it is therefore not always easily discerned. When in doubt, running the edge of a thumbnail across the surface, makes it readily apparent. Activation of the switch produces an audible double-click. Pressure needed is moderate and it has a rather pleasant tactile feedback.
Ergonomics: The base of the torch nestles in the center of the palm, with the switches falling naturally under the thumb and index finger. Very comfortable in an average man's hand.
Runtime: not established
Reliability: unknown
Conclusion: A fairly well-made, handy and versitile torch. The white-mode is quite nice and sufficient motivation to own one. In the bargain, one gets the bonus of three additional colors with utility of their own. To this reviewer, this torch's versatility and well dispersed white light make up for its shortcomings (color beam artifacts).
