Check here for reviews on the best flashlights and emergency items. This blog is similar to many flashlight forums, except I provide a normal user experience as well as helpful video reviews
The led lenser P5 is one of the smallest flashlights in the led lenser lineup, but still extremely powerful with it's 105 lumen output. It's powered by one 1.5 volt AA alkaline cell, which sends power to a microprocessor to step up voltage to a cree led. Ahead of the led is an innovative optics system, incorporating both a powerful lens and a smooth reflector. The lens allows the P5 to cast light in an intensive spot up to 426 feet away, while the reflector allows the light to cover a wide, full moon shaped area of around 30 feet in the users immediate viewing zone. The cree led in the p5 cast a cool blue light, much like you would see in a high kelvin (6000k +) H.I.D. bulb. Some users may see this as an advantage, for it's ability to efficiently light up things far away, but some will also note the false color rendering of the bluish white tent. As far as the beam quality in both spot and flood modes, there is a slight ring noticed around the outer area. It is more present in the spot mode, covering the immediate area around the main hot spot, but not so much as to affect the quality of light. The body of the P5 is made up of high quality, anodized aluminum alloy, with led lenser logos, optics sticker and serial number along the sides. The anodizing should be good enough to halt sever scratching, but even better protection comes from the included belt holster. As for the operation of the light, turning it on comes by way of a click switch, located at the tail end of the unit. The switch allows the user to access both momentary and constant on operation modes with ease. On the head of the lenser, you'll find the speed focus system, which allows a user to quickly switch from flood to spot in mere seconds. The system is operated by clinching the head with your index finger and thumb, then sliding up and down to change modes. I found the operation of this system to be quick and easy, with very secure and fluent motions. Along the sides of the P5 is a textured grip, in a grid configuration. This allows a user to safely operate the light in any type of situation.
My Experience with it
Over the course of two weeks using my P5, I found it to have elements I both loved and hated. As for the love, the 105 lumen output seems to be even more than the factory claim. This is probably a direct result of the superior optics located in the head of the unit. Not only does it allow for the most possible light output of the led to be projected, but it also allows the P5 to throw like much larger lights. I compared the output of the P5 to my favorite 2 AA flashlight, producing just under 100 lumens. The 2AA should have had the advantage, with both a larger reflector and more cells, but the P5 simply blew it away. I used my back yard as a testing ground and found that the P5 easily reached out well over 100 feet, while my 2AA was only able to achieve around 60. Some other likes of the P5 include its small size, allowing me to easily carry it with me on a daily basis and store it in a drawer. As for my dislikes, the P5 lacks the ability to use NIMH (nickle metal hydride) rechargeable cells. You'll definitely want to use rechargeable batteries, since the P5 only has a 3 hour battery life (of which you'll get 1 hour of bright light). So using the P5 will get expensive with frequent use. The second dislike is the fact that it's not water proof. The P5 is only rated to resist water, meaning it can be rained on, but not submerged. This will make me think twice about using it as an EDC light when fishing or camping. As for the rest, the P5 makes a nice light, that will give it's user years of trouble free operation (just as long as they don't drench it or use rechargeable cells). It's build quality and design will make it a popular light for years to come, so if you want one, go out and get it! It may be expensive, but I found it to be worth every penny.
You can find the P5 at www.coastportland.com and a variety of online and retail locations.
The dorcy 500 lumen spotlight is among one of the brightest led lights I have ever used. It uses 3 powerful cree led emitters, putting out about 167 lumens a piece. The light has a 500 foot throwing capability, making it as bright as most halogen spotlights on the market. What I like about the 41-1080 is it run time, it will run for over two and a half hours, while a standard halogen light will only last around 15 minutes. I also like it's low maintenance cost, it uses a inexpensive sla battery and never needs a bulb replacement. As far as the design, it's practically the same as any other spotlight, meaning I got used to it almost immediately after I got it. The only thing unusual was the extremely long battery life. Speaking of the battery, it only takes 8 hours to fully charge, from the wall adapter and 3 from the car adapter. In comparison, the average recharge times of a standard spot light are 24 hours from the wall adapter, 6 from the car adapter. The 41-1080 should prove to be more reliable than a standard spotlight, not only from the led bulbs, but also from a special battery saving chip. The chip in the dorcy automatically shuts the output down, when the battery reaches it's low voltage cut off point. This means that the battery will never over discharge, giving you years more performance over a standard halogen light. The dorcy 500 lumen spotlight is truly a great upgrade from a standard halogen light. Not only does it perform better, but in most cases the higher performance doesn't equal higher price. The dorcy goes for about the same price as a two to three million candle power spotlight. You can find this light at dorcydirect.com as well as amazon.com.
The mxdl 1 aaa flashlight is a great and affordable alternative to more expensive pen lights. It features a powerful 3 watt luxeon led emitter, capable of pushing out around 35 lumens of light. The body of the mxdl is made from high quality aircraft grade aluminum, while the lense and click button are made from plastics and rubber. As far as the size and feel, it fits nicely in the pocket and is easy to hold when in use. It comes with a pocket clip, making it perfect for a shirt or pant pocket. The battery life is above average with around 2 hours of bright light and up to 5 hours of usable light. I bought the mxdl flashlight to replace an aging maglite solitaire, which still had an inefficient incandescent style bulb. Not only is the mxdl 5 time brighter, it also will provide up to 3 hours more battery life than the maglite. The primary buyer of the mxdl is going to be someone who needs a light to carry all the time. Someone in the repair or service industry, like a computer technician or hone inspector will greatly appreciate it. Whatever the case, anyone who buys this light won't be disappointed. Over the course of 3 months owning and using this light, it has been a good experience. Its anodized coating holds up well against scratches and moisture and is reliable enough for everyday use. I would definitely recommend this light to anyone in the market to buy one. It may be cheap, but it's brightness and build quality give it a good, premium feel
If you would like to buy this flashlight, please follow the link below:
The x2000 240 lumen cree Q5 flashlight is a bright and affordable alternative to more expensive Q5 lights. It uses some of the same great technology, like an aluminum heat sync, focusable flood to spot lens and an emergency strobe function that more expensive units do. It runs off of 3x aaa cells (I tested with NiMh rechargeable cells) and yields 2-3 hours of run time on high, 5-6 on low. The head and body of the x2000 are made of high quality anodized aircraft grade aluminum, while the lens and tail switch are plastic / soft rubber. The x2000 features 2 different brightness levels and a strobe setting (high, low and strobe in succession), all of which can be cycled by half or fully depressing the tail switch. The different modes selected will be saved in the devices memory for around 3 minutes, before going back into high mode as default. Since the x2000 features a cree Q5 emitter, boasting an eye searing 240 lumens, it is bright throughout all selectable modes and battery life. I tested the Q5 emitter in this unit for over a week and found it to be more than adequate for normal nightly tasks (walking the dog, dumping trash, checking out weird noises). The x2000 is small and light enough for every day use and can be carried in the pocket or via the included belt holster. The x2000 truly is a great device for the money, which flashlight fanatics and regular users alike will come to appreciate. This flashlight can be purchased on ebay as well as a variety of other sites for well under $20.
The ebay Link for the exact unit I reviewed is below:
