SOG Dark Energy Flashlight Review

It's nice to see a company such as SOG who specialise in Knives and Multi tools, attempting to make a different product. The Dark Energy from SOG is a CR123 powered flashlight. I'm proud to say that this flashlight follows SOG's usual build quality. The build quality is perfect.

 




The flashlight arrived in a lovely gift box which included, the flashlight, a battery, and a pocket clip. The flashlight measures 3.8"/9.65cm in length, and it weights 3oz/85.05g. The body is made fully out of black hard anodized aluminium. When held in hand, you instantly feel the very aggressive knurling on the body. It provides a good grip, and makes it comfortable to hold. Near the tailcap there's a hexagonal ring that acts as an anti-roll function. Personally I see this mostly as a design function, as the ring is too small, to act as a proper anti-roll ring. The head is quite a bit larger than the rest of the body, and it holds a quite large orange-peel reflector. The deep reflector gives a decent throw, while the orange-peel spreads a bit of light, so it lights up a large area. So with this reflector you get the best of both worlds. A included pocket clip screws on to the body in front of the hexagonal ring. The tailcap is very tight to the body, so this light wont randomly fall off of a piece of clothing. The knurling on the head twirls in one direction, which gives a nice look to the torch, and it fells very comfortable. The tailcap goes back further than the switch, therefore the light can easily tailstand. At the head, there's a tactical bezel which gives a cool beam shape, while it still can be used as a tactical weapon if needed. Only the tailcap screws off, and it reveals a non-anodized thread and the battery tube. The Cr123 battery fits snuggly in the tube, and it doesn't rattle about in the flashlight. The flashlight is water resistant to 1 meter for 30 minutes



The light does have momentary on, and you use the momentary function to change from one mode to another. You press the button fully once to enter the high mode, where the light gives out 214 lumens out of the Cree XPG R5 LED. Then you press the switch momentary to change into low mode (40%), and then press the switch once again to enter the tactical strobe mode. The battery lasts for 80 minutes on high, and 180 minutes on low.

Overall, this is a very nice, tactical everyday carry flashlight. The tactical strobe, and the scalloped bezel, make this ideal for someone who needs a small tactical flashlight.

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Coast EAL15 Lantern Review

It's not only flashlights, and head torches that Coast manufacture, but they also manufacture an array of lanterns. Here, I have the review of the EAL15 lantern which has 6 different modes, to suit everybody's needs.

As soon as you pick the lantern up, you can feel the reassuring weight, which tells you this is a high quality lantern that's not going to break any time soon. The body is mainly made out of plastic, and the plastic's been covered with strips of aluminium which make the lantern look and feel more expensive. The handle is made out of plastic and has a built-in swivelling hook, so you can hang the lantern off of a small branch, or some rope. Around the LED's there's a clear plastic casing, and surrounding this casing are metal bars, which should protect the lantern if it falls. When standing, the lantern measures 7.5in/19cm tall,  and the lantern has a weight of 16oz/453.5g.

The lantern is powered off of 4 C batteries (not included), which are placed at the bottom of the lantern. To put the batteries in, you must screw the base off and then put the batteries in.  When you screw the base back on, it locks in place with a very satisfying click. The lantern has 5 different modes, which are all controlled off of one switch, which is located at the top of the lantern. These 5 modes are Full Power-Medium Power-Energy Saving-Red-Red (flashing). To turn the light off you must cycle through the modes, and the off mode is after the flashing red mode. On full power the light gives out 60 lumens, and the lantern has a maximum runtime of 50 hours.

This flashlight is a real bargain if you think about it. You get amazing, reassuring build quality, and a good output of light for under £20. You can buy the lantern from amazon at

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Coast HL4 Dual Head Torch Review

The HL4 from Coast is an etremely good value for money headlight. It only costs £23. For this price you get a lot of features, which should be found only in higher priced lights. This torch combines brightness, long battery life, and low cost all in one light.

The head torch has two modes: the standard 5 white LED's, or a 1 red LED mode. These two modes are independantly controlled from two different switches, which makes choosing the desired mode a lot easier. The red LED becomes useful when you need only a low amount of light and you want to preserve your nightvision. The light is powered off of 3xAAA batteries, which are easily found all over the world. For its price, the light gives out an astonishing 144 lumens, which distrubeutes evenly over a large area. The light reaches out to 57m, and the batteries last for 6 hours and 15 minutes. The light is also impact resistant to 1 meter, and water resistant, so it can be used in any weather. The light also features a hinged beam adjustment which makes it easy to position the beam where you want it. Including batteries, the light ways 125g/4.4oz. The straps are adjustable so its very easy to match the light to your head size.

Overall, this is an amazing light and I still can't belive its price. If your after a cheap head torch, that is capable of lighting up your whole garden, this is the light for you. I can promise you, that you won't be dissapointed. You can buy it from Amazon at coast hl4

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Coast HP7 Flashlight Review (Similar to Led Lenser P7)

Coast Products design and manufacture reasonably priced LED flashlights. The HP in HP7 stands for High Performance, and this flashlights matches up to its name by giving out 251 lumens on high, which shines out to 196m. It lasts a very surprising 5 hours and 45 minutes off of 4 ordinary AAA batteries. It also has a low mode that gives out 58 lumens. In low mode, the battery lasts for 10h, while shining out to 66m.

The HP7's body is made out of anodized aluminium, and it also features a rubber tailcap switch, a lanyard hole, and a spot to flood focusing head. Due to the spot to flood head, this light is a bit larger than other flashlights on the market. It measures about 150mm in length, the body diameter is about 32mm, and the head diameter is about 38mm. Even though of its larger size, the flashlight feels amazing in hand. The light is also impact resistant, and water resistant to 1 meter for 30 minutes.

The Coast HP7 also has what Coast call a "Pure Beam FOcusing Optic", which has a fingertip speed focus adjustment. This means that the light gives a even disribution of light in flood mode, and in spot mode, it gives an extremely bright hotspot, with a dimmer surrounding. The fingertip speed focus adjustment, means that the light can go from spot to flood without hassle. The head also can lock in place when you find your desired position. I love the flood mode, where there are no shadows at all, and the light covers a very large diameter.

The flashlight has momentary on, and you can cycle through the two modes very easily, and then push the switcg a little harder to select the mode you want. The tailswitch is protected by the tailcap, which means that this light can easily tailstand. A holster is included in the set, as well as some batteries, so the flashlightn is ready to use out of the box. All Coast products are also backed with a 5 year guarantee.

This flashlight is amazing value for money, and has a lot of the features of some more expensive lights. If your after an extremely good value for money flashlight which can change from spot to flood with no problem, this is the light for you.
You can buy the flashlight from Amazon at
coast hp7

 

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Olight M22 Warrior Flashlight Review

Olight M22 Warrior Review

This new flashlight from Olight features the newer LED the XM-L2. When it was first released, a lot of people had different reactions towards its looks. Some liked it, and some hated it. Personally, it looks like a standard 18650 thrower, and it looks similar to the nearest competitors.

It arrived in a lovely package, that included the M22, a diffuser, a holster, a CR123 magazine, a good quality lanyard, and a small package that includes 3 O-rings and a spare glow in the dark tail switch. The M22 gives out 950 lumens on high which has a beam range of 305m. It comfortably lights stuff up to about 200-250m, but I can see trees (just about) that are 300m away.



In hand, the M22 feels extremely well built, and the knurling on the body ain't too aggressive. The words on the body are well machined on with no slight mistakes. The head features a lot of cooling fins that help to lower the chance of overheating. The bezel is well made, and has the words "Hot Surface" and "Cree XM-L2" laser etched to each side.



One thing that might put some people off from buying this flashlight is that it can't tail stand. It also features a tactical ring, that allows users to hold the flashlight with the cigar hold. This ring is removable but it will reveal an O-ring. It also has a pocket clip. The design of the clip helps to hold the tactical ring in place. The metal contact in the tailcap maintains contact because it has a spring beneath the gold contact. The rear threads are well lubed and look of extremely high quality. Inside the battery tube, there's a shiny sticker that shows the user which way the battery goes in.
The head doesn't have anodised threads because the UI requires the head to be loosened and tightened. There is also a spring gold contact near the head, so the battery will not rattle about, and it should always maintain contact.

The reflector is smooth and deep, which gives a throwy beam, which also lights up a good area. The walls of the flashlight are quite thick, and should be capable of a good beating. The bezel is easily removed which reveals a glass lens with a red O-ring.
The included diffuser fits on snuggly to the head, and works flawlessly. The diffuser also has a loop that can be mounted to the lanyard.
The holster is probably one of the best ones I've seen. It's made of a high quality material, so it keeps it's shape. On each side, there's a loop to hold spare 18650 batteries. The loops hold the batteries in place really well. There is a hole at the bottom of the holster so the flashlight can be used when its packed away. The holster can be mounted to a belt or a carabiner. I hope that other brands will soon follow the design of this Olight holster.
The user interface is very simple on the M22. You loosen the head and then tighten it to move from one mode to another. Low-Medium-High. There is also a hidden Strobe mode. To access the strobe, you'll have to press the switch momentary 3 times. Personally the strobe flashes at a good rate to temporarily blind someone. It ain't too fast, like some of the other flashlight I've used. When the flashlight gets quite hot on high, it will move down to a lower mode, to protect the LED.

If you're looking for a powerful tactical flashlight, the M22 might be the flashlight for you. It rivals other flashlights that cost quite a bit more.

 

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Led Lenser F1 Flashlight Review

Led Lenser Flashlight Review

Thank you Led Lenser for sending out a F1 flashlight to review. The flashlight arrived well packaged in a lovely gift box.

The box included the F1, a Duracell battery, a pocket clip, a spare bezel, a wrist lanyard, a cleaning kit, and some documents. Inside the lid of the box, there are some details about the F1. It shows all the specifications, including saying it has 400 lumens, 100m beam range, and waterproof to 2.5m. The build quality is excellent with every piece joining each other with no problem. The Cree LED sits perfectly centered, and gives out a perfect beam of light. The hotspot is very bright, and can comfortably reach passed 80m. Built to the tailcap is a hexagon shape that stops the flashligh from rolling off of flat surfaces. This works very good, while still making the flashlight lovely to look at. The steel bezel at the front is interchangeable with the tactical bezel which is included in the box. The tactical bezel is capable of breaking glass in emergencies. Also near the head are some grooves that help with lowering the chance of  overheating (the flashlight does get hot when used for long periods on high).

The included pocket clip can be mounted at the rear or the front, with 360 degrees of possible places to be mounted. There is a notch in the tailcap that holds the lanyard in place. The flashlight can talstand, butit's a little harder when the lanyard is mounted. One thing that sets this flashlight apart from other Led Lensers is that the beam is not focusable. This is not a problem, because the lens creates of very tight hotspot, while still glowing up a good area. The flashlight only measures 88 x 27.5mm, and it gives out 400 lumens. Its powered off of one CR123 battery, and can lastt up to 2 hours. The F1 includes SLT (Smart Light Technology), so the flashlight has 3 modes: High, Low, and Strobe. It gives out 400 lumens on high, and the low gives out 60 lumens. If you shine the strobe into someones eyes, you'll most probably temporarily blind them (This is why it's a tactical flashlight).

If you're looking for a very high powered tactical flashlight that fits in your pockets, this is the flashlight for you. The only downside I could find is that the batteries don't last last very long, and that the flashlight doen't allow rechargeable CR123's. Overall, this flashlight is very good value for money.

More information on the F1 can be found at http://www.ledco.co.uk/content/productView.aspx?prodId=92

You can buy the F1 from Amazon at http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=trissrevi-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=B00A39OVF8&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr

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Fenix LD22 S2 Review

Fenix LD22 S2 Review



The LD22 is the newer version of the extreamly popular LD20. The new LD22 S2 is the same as the original LD22, but features a Cree XP-G S2 LED.

Its powered by 2 AA batteries (I prefer Eneloops). One of the main differences between this flashlight and the LD20 is that the LD22 S2 features a switch near the head to change modes. It also features an intelligent memory function that remembers the last mode used.

On maximum brightness it gives out 200 OTF lumens with a runtime of 2h 26m. It also has a high mode which gives out 95 OTF lumens, with a runtime of 6h. Then comes the medium brightness mode which gives out 46 OTF lumens with a runtime of 15h. The lowest mode is 3 OTF lumens withn an increadible runtime of 110h. Personally, I can see that these figures are quite realistic to the actual brightness the flashlight gives out. It also features a 200 lumen strobe, and a SOS. It has a digitally regulated output so it maintains a constant brightness.

Its body is made out of finely crafted Type-III Hard Anodized Aluminium, with an anti-abrasive finish. It has a toughened ultra-clear glass lens with an anti-reflective coating. The body clip (included) can be mounted in two ways - in the front (pointing backwards), and at the rear (pointing forwards). It has an anti-roll, slip-resistant body.



Specifications

Length - 156mm

Diameter - 21.5mm

Weight - 60g (excluding batteries and body clip)

Conclusion

I think that the LD22 S2 from Fenix is possibly the best 2xAA flashlight on the market today. It is very well designed/built, and gives out a blindning amount of light. For the price i think that this flashlight is extremely good value for money.

Where to Buy?

http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/fenix/fenix-ld22.html

4Sevens Preon 2 Flashlight Review

4Sevens Preon 2 Review



4Sevens flashlights are one of the best flashlight brands on the planet. They have a range of flashlights from small penlights (like the Preon 2) to flashlights that require they're own holsters.

As stated above the 4Sevens Preon 2 is a penlight. These lights are designed like pens - a thin body that's quite long. The Preon 2 gets it's power off of 2xAAA batteries. The Preon 2 is the first flashlight to run on a Cree XP-G LED that runs on 2xAAA batteries (Sanyo Eneloops are the best).

It delivers a magnificently bright 160 lumens on max setting, with a runtime of 0.8 hours. It also gives out 22 lumens on medium with a runtime of 6 hours, and 23 hours on the lowest setting which gives out 2.2 lumens. It also features a strobe, SOS, Beacon(Hi), and Beacon (Lo).

Measurements

Length: 5.05 inches

Diameter: 0.55 inches

Weight: 0.8 ounces.

The body is made out of Hard-anodized aluminum that comes in 2 colours:- Black and Blue. There is also a Titanium model available. The flashlight os waterproof to IPX-8 standards (2m).

Conclusion

This torch was designed to rival the Streamlight Stylus Pro which was the king of all penlights before this stepped on the block. Although this flashlight does cost a bit more (about £40), it is worth the extra money.

Where to Buy?

4Sevens Preon 2 Gen 2 - 20% more lumens, but same runtime.  http://www.flashaholics.co.uk/4sevens/preon-2.html

Sanyo Eneloops = http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sanyo-Eneloop-AAA-Pack-Batteries/dp/B000IDWDKO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361294091&sr=8-1

Fenix E05 R2 Flashlight Review

Fenix E05 R2 Flashlight Review

Fenix is most probably the best value for money flashlight brand around. They offer a wide range of flashlights from small keychain flashlights, to blindning searchlights.

The E05 R2 is a keychain flashlight that outshines the 2AA Mini-Maglite by far. It's 64.5mm in length and 14.4mm in diameter. It's a single-mode flashlight that gives out 27 lumens. This is a high amount of light for a flashlight of this size. When running on 27 lumens it runs for 2 hours and 50 minutes from a single AAA battery. This flashlight is digitally regulated so it maintains a constant brightness for most of its runtime. The flashlight gives out a nearly perfect beam, with nearly no artifacts. It gives out a decent spill for its size, and it can light up stuff at around 30m comfortably.The Cree XP-E LED in the E05 gives out a very neutral coloured beam.



The torch operates On/Off by turning the head. It is a smooth turn and easy to make one-handed. It has a lanyard hole at the rear and it can easily tailstand to serve as a candle. This flashlight is available in 3 colours:- black, blue, and purple. This flashlight can easily handle the knocks of every-day life, with its aluminium body. Its also water resistant.



Personally I think that the E05 R2 Flashlight is possibly one of the best AAA flashlights to have on your keychain. Surely it isn't as bright as the lithium CR123 torches, but they're in a different class. I can't think of anything negative to say about this flashlight.

You can buy it from Amazon at http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?t=trissrevi-21&o=2&p=8&l=as1&asins=B004D2A02O&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr