Brightness Bordering On Irresponsibility
By Eric Dykstra
Sure, you’ve got your Mag-Lites and your Surefires for your everyday and even tactical flashlight needs, but where do you turn when you’re looking for a little something extra? How about a light whose friends just call it “The Torch?” If you’re not careful, this light’ll catch newspaper on fire at close range, or it’ll cook scrambled eggs in about a minute and a half. A fully-charged battery pack lasts just about 15 minutes, so remember to keep it charged — and hide it from your kids.
Wicked Lasers built their reputation on high-powered laser pointers. They make The Torch with durable aircraft aluminum and a heat-resistant glass lens. Its 1,500mAh nickel-metal hydride battery powers a 100W halogen bulb. Wicked Lasers claim the output is 4,100 lumens. Compare that to the 700 to 2,100 lumens of an automotive halogen headlight, or the 2,800 to 3,500 lumens produced by a HID headlight.
Brightness comes at a cost — the torch will set you back $300, if you have the money burning a hole in your pocket.
The Torch [Wicked Lasers]
The Torch Makes Popcorn [YouTube]
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:11 pm
I think you meant “tactical” not “tactile” although I guess feel is an important part of any tool.
Are these flashlights waterproof, it seems that they’d make a good dive light.
April 23rd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Popular Mechanics took a look at this a few months back.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/technology_news/4252206.html
According to their test lab guys, within two minutes the flashlight had burned up the internal contact coils, burned up the batteries (literally), and the charred hulk was smoking up their shop.
Not exactly my idea of a glowing endorsement.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:01 pm
The use of a $300 flashlight that only lasts 15 minutes being what?
I think I’ll stick to my Maglites that cost $25 and last for hours.
April 23rd, 2008 at 4:58 pm
I think I’ll stick with a Maxa beam light for my flashlight excess.
Like for when I’m using my binoculars and need to light something up.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
I’ve already got a stove with four burners and an oven. Cooks eggs just fine and at a price not much more than this light.
I also have a book of matches laying around in case I have the urge to set somehting on fire.
Don’t need this.
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Bright? Yes - Useful - NOT! For practical AND bright work flashlights check these out (and they don’t cost $300)…
http://www.led-worklight.com/products
April 23rd, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Jason, I’m not selling it. Just thought it was cool in an over the top kind of way.
April 24th, 2008 at 7:12 am
For all things flashlight oriented, you need to check out http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/ .
There are a lot of people making very bright custom flashlights. You can buy all sorts of parts to make your own.
Check out the “Incandescent Flashlights” and look for discussions of hotwires.
I have built a light from components based on the “Roar of the Pelican”: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=120462
It’s a 2D maglight body with a replacement bulb, solid aluminum reflector (acts as a heat sink too), glass lens, and a battery carrier that holds 6 AA batteries (in series) instead of the 2 D batteries. The body has been stripped and hard annodized, too. It’s a bright light and can get pretty hot, but it’s not quite paper-igniting.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Eric - it is an “over-the-top” product and its great to see these types of cool lighting products, like the video on this one -
http://www.maxxeon.com/ws1200video.html
April 24th, 2008 at 11:31 am
It’s kind of cool, but the “over the top” is just pushing the equipment to (and past?) it’s limits and going for short-term gains over average performance or longevity. Kind of common in poseur lighting products. It would be much cooler without the cracak-smoking price tag, which makes it more of an eye-rolling wonder than a novelty item you might purchase you ever do need alot of light in one spot for a short time.
April 25th, 2008 at 9:09 am
In addition to the WorkStar 1200, Maxxeon also makes a practical LED flex neck inspection light called the WorkStar 440. It uses the latest Luxeon Rebel LED, which means it is very bright and very small, so it can get into tight places. It is listed in Candle Power Forums under products using the Rebel. For fifty bucks it’s a great deal. It can double as a flashlight as well. In practice, it is plenty bright at night and the beam size is perfect around the car or outside.
http://www.unique-giftsformen.com/product/MXN00440
April 25th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Roger - I see on the link that the gooseneck inspection light produces 90 lumens, I wonder how that compares with other flex lights?
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:49 am
John, Other flex neck inspection lights are in the 10 to 25 lumen range, so the WorkStar 440 is around 4 times brighter. It has a very bright center spot and a useful spill beam. Try it, you’ll like it.