Rigel Mini adjustable brightness lights

Has anyone tried the new Rigel Systems lights? The specs are interesting: 9V, adjustable brightness thumbwheel, socketed leds for easy replacement.
http://members.cox.net/rigelsys/flashlight.html

I'm thinking of getting one just to try it out. The 2-led white model is $23, which seems a little steep, so I'd be grateful to hear from anyone who has one or has seen one.

The original Rigel flashlights are a favorite among amateur astronomers needing a small light with adjustable brightness and a switch for white or red LEDs. I had one for a while.

I think it is an acceptable flashlight for non-demanding use like astronomy. For something that you might use in an emergency/hiking/working/survival I felt the whole flashlight was quite flimsy. It is not water proof (I'm not even sure I would call it water resistant), and of questionable ruggedness. I had the feeling if it was dropped from waist level to concrete it would end up splitting along the seams (or worse). A bit like dropping a Lego toy and having it disintegrate.

The new Rigels might be a bit better, but I am wary. It makes for a good flashlight for reading maps in a car or other gentle uses, but from my previous experience I'd hesitate plunking down $25-$30 for one of these if it might take any abuse. If I were to gamble I would definitely lean towards the water resistant model. It appears to be a more durable design with a better lens and curved surfaces to handle a blow better.

Good luck, TR

Thanks, pizzaman. That's really helpful. Looks like I'll pass on these, as anything I have has to be kid-proof. ledmuseum reviewed the water-resistant model, and while Craig didn't perform his smack test on it, he did say that the plastic case didn't look particularly tough.

The new Skylite mini uses 15,000 mcd white leds, so they are acceptably bright. No, we're not in the business of competing with floodlights! There is such a thing as too much light destroying one's night vision.

The case is very durable black ABS with polycarbonate lens and are a lot more durable than the cheap chinese imports (of which I've tested a few) that fall apart in a few weeks. They're an inch shorter than the old rectangular black ones, two inches shorter than our water resistant version. And at $25 they're a good bargain and come with a 5 year warranty.

Anyhoo, we're pretty happy with our lights and different led-color combinations sell quite well in the aviation & astronomy & military markets.

best to all!

Leon Palmer
Rigel Systems

Leon,

Sounds like the new Rigel lights are "pointed in the right direction".

I wish you much success with the new designs.

TR

rigelsys said:

The new Skylite mini uses 15,000 mcd white leds, so they are acceptably bright.

Click to expand...

I think so, too, depending on the use. But aren't these socketed? That should make a user upgrade very easy.

The case is very durable black ABS with polycarbonate lens

Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. ABS and polycarbonate are tough plastics, so that's good to hear. I think I'll try one out.

Thanks for responding to this thread. I echo pizzaman's sentiments and wish you continued success.

They are socketed, so we can make different color combinations easier. What seems to be hot now, is yellow/green, according to Aten Imago, who does review of LED flashlights

http://www.imagometrics.com/FLReviews/Rigel-Infr.htm

for example and

http://www.imagometrics.com/FLReviews/FLR.home.htm

(Imago Metrics brings Human Factors, Usability, Ergonomics, Interaction Modeling, Contextual Analysis and Prototyping best practices to the personal illumination device industry and other industries).

Leon Palmer
Rigel Systems

Leon, we know Imagometrics and Aten Imago here and that's why we don't think he has anything to offer for our flashlight community except technobabble and long conglomerates of words where a simple sentence would have been enough.

Welcome to CPF!

bernhard

I think what Kiessling is trying to say....

"When articulating or promulgating your esoteric cogitations or articulating your superficial sentimentalities and your amicably philosophical and psychological observations, beware of platitudinous ponderousity. Let your verbal evanescences and expatiations exude lucidity, intelligibility and veracious vivacity without rodomontade or thespian bombast. Sedulously avoid all polysyllabic profundity, pompous propensity, sophomoric insolence, setaceous vacuity and ventriloquial vapidity. Shun double-entendre, prurient jocosity and flamboyant verbosity."


Or something like that...


TR

I did not perform "The Smack Test" or "The Toliet Test" on the Skylite because it was loaned to me by somebody, and I'm sure he appreciated receiving it back with no cracks or dings in the body, no scratches on the lens, and no rat pellets or cistern water in the battery compartment. :shakehead:

I stand informed.

Leon

If you'd be willing to send one that I do not have to return or pass around, I can perform some of the more abusive physical tests on it, and actually apply a final rating to it - something I was not able to do before because I did not have the loaner sample long enough to do.

My mailing address is:

Craig Johnson
The LED Museum
745 N. 104th St.
Seattle WA. 98133-9211

This address is plastered all over the internet, so I do not mind displaying it here.
The link to my evaluation of it is right here so you can see what I have up there to date.

Hi Craig,

I'll send you one for evaluation. The worst in my "bounce it off the roof and let it hit the floor" tests is that the end cap sometimes pops off. But it's easy to put back on.

thanks

Leon

Thank you ahead of time for the Skylite!!! :thumbsup:
I just added it to the "Coming Soon" sections of my website.

Hi Leon,

Just letting you know I received the new Skylite today, thank you!!!
It's different enough from the loaner unit that it will *very likely* receive its own web page. No promises here, but I *THINK* it will.

pizzaman said:

"When articulating or promulgating your esoteric cogitations or articulating your superficial sentimentalities and your amicably philosophical and psychological observations, beware of platitudinous ponderousity. Let your verbal evanescences and expatiations exude lucidity, intelligibility and veracious vivacity without rodomontade or thespian bombast. Sedulously avoid all polysyllabic profundity, pompous propensity, sophomoric insolence, setaceous vacuity and ventriloquial vapidity. Shun double-entendre, prurient jocosity and flamboyant verbosity."


Or something like that...


TR

Click to expand...

Dr. Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast of X-Men? :laughing:

My review of the Skylite Mini is up - to publishability anyway.
http://ledmuseum.candlepower.us/fourth/skylite.htm