LED LENSER V2 Keyfinder flashlight
I have a confession. I love LED flashlights. I don't know what it is about them, but they fascinate me. Until recently, I'd only been aware of the small 6 x and 9 x LED torches you can buy in department stores like Kmart and BigW. These you can pick up for about $5 or less.
A colleague of mine recently noticed a $10 shipping cap on CatchOfTheDay and they had multiple items for sale, including various flashlights. I noticed one for a little under $10 so I thought I'd give it a go. The brand name seemed familiar as I'd heard it thrown around somewhere before. I chipped in on the shipping and also selected a few other items (which I'll probably review later).
The package was picked up from the post office and opened revealing a rather plain looking black box with an inverse outline image of the flashlight. The sticker on the back said, Made in China. Sliding the box open, the unit and 4x AG13 watch batteries were snugly held in a cardboard cutout recess which, although simple, looked professional and well made.
I unpacked and installed the batteries and immediately switched on the torch and saw...nothing. Removing the batteries again to inspect the contacts on the torch, I noticed that some of the batteries had a white substance over the contacts. I can only assume this was battery leakage of some sort and quite poisionous, so it seemed only fitting that I clean them by rubbing across my jeans vigorously. Fearing that I might rub dangerous chemical into my eyes, I then washed my hands thoroughly and removed my pants, putting them in the wash.
Pantsless, I reinstalled the batteries and clicked the switch. Holy cow this thing is bright! For a small thing that fits on your keychain, it really shines. Being an LED, the low power consumption should allow the batteries to last quite some time. Wikipedia lists the AG31/LR44 batteries as 1.5V alkaline cells. 4 of these in series equates to 6V. Assuming the LED is a 0.5W diode, then after some calculations...I have no idea. All I can say is, the existing 3V LED on my keychain is about 2 years old and still hasn't burnt out of gone flat. Granted, it's not as bright, but all things considered, I imagine this new light to last just as long.
The Good:
- Bright. Apparently, this light is 18 lumens. Nothing else I have has a rating listed on it, so I don't know how accurate that is, but I do know it is brighter than any of the incandecent flashligths I own, and brighter than the $5 9x LED flashlight I bought from BigW and the small single LED keychain light I currently use.
- Cheap. This was less than $10 and I've seen them going for $15 elsewhere online. RRP is about $35.
- Portable. 29g and just 7cm long x 1.6cm diameter, it comes with a keyring. Great for camping or in the glovebox of a car.
The Bad:
- Fixed reflector. The reflector cannot be moved so the beam cannot be focused.
- AG13 batteries. These batteries shouldn't be too hard to come by, but there are no rechargebable options. Good batteries, like the ones that came in the pack are bound to be pricey. Cheap ones from the $2 shop won't last as long so be prepared to carry some spare if you go this route.
- Unaligned pool of light. The centre of the light from this unit is not aligned. Looking at the LED itself, this is obvious. This is probably just a dud in a batch and doesn't really detract from the product, but if you need something dead-center, look for a focusable system flashlight or one that can easily be adjusted. One area where incandecent has the upper hand.
- Popular. I have handed this light over to my dad. He can use it within machinery for his work and it is a lot smaller and brighter than his work provided one. :(
Overall:
- As far as flashlights go, this is probably my second favourite, surpassed only by the small keychain LED I have at the moment. I only use that one for searching for things I drop in my car or when out geocaching or looking for the keyhole on my car or house at night. If my requirements increase and I need something brighter but just as portable, I will switch over.
Something like this would be a perfect starting point for modifying to be mounted to a bike and dynamo for riding at night.
Score:
8.5/10
