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Recommend a good focussed-beam LED trail lantern?

topic posted Sun, March 15, 2009 - 5:30 PM by  Tanemon 		Share/Save/Bookmark
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I live in a fairly remote area, but am going to the big city and will do some shopping in about a week. I want to find an LED focussed-beam lantern that will be similar to the old, standard 6-volt incandescent-bulb reflector lanterns that were carried by car campers, fishermen, homeowners and others for at least a generation or two. You know, the chunky strong-beam lantern you could park on a rock or on the ground if you needed to - to give yourself and others lots of light on a trail or in an emergency situation.

In other words, NOT an ambient-light camp lantern (that spreads light all around like an old Coleman), not a tubular "flashlight", not a headlamp on a velcro-ed band, etc. I'm hoping to find one that can be bright when needed (may have multiple beam functions) and give lots of service on a single charge or single load of batteries - AND hopefully cost under $125.

If I can find an example on-line, I van print it out and take it with me to show sales people in the outdoor stores, and save time while shopping.

Can you help me? If you don't have a Web address I can look at, just describe what you bought and where you remember buying it, okay?
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Tanemon
offline Tanemon
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  • Tanemon
    Tanemon
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    Re: Recommend a good focussed-beam LED trail lantern?

    Sun, August 23, 2009 - 11:19 AM
    For some reason, my old inquiry rose to the top of the list again in this forum. Well, after much searching and perusing of on-line info, I finally did make a purchase. Since others may also be interested to find the kind of flash-lantern I was looking for, I thought I'd post an update and share my find.

    I wound up buying the Energizer-brand "Hardcase Professional" model. it's the basic old-fashioned housing design.
    www.amazon.com/Energizer-..._15_rdssss0
    That page takes you to info, including photos & a review. But I found a cheaper place to buy from.

    The lantern's good points: it has a tough "professional" casing, though larger and a bit heaveier than your common old 1985 versions. The light is nice and bright, due to the K2 LED. It's said to be bright in the Amazon consumers' reviews, and I found that it met my expectations.

    This model is supposed to get at least 50 hours of bright light from 4 D-cell batteries (and a set is included in the package). Promo on the package says the lantern can survive being dropped from 15 feet (presumably onto concrete). Well-sealed and probably waterproof or very close to it.

    Down-side: Does not have a built-in rechargeable battery pack; but 50 hours of service on one set of batteries is reassuring .

    To put in the original batteries (or to change batteries in the future), it seems you have to take the whole unit apart (nine screws, as well as screwing-off the front lamp unit, and take off a sort of rubberband or big O-ring) - then everything aft of the lamp unit breaks down into five somewhat-bafflingly-related parts. None of this is explained, because there is no instruction brochure provided. There IS one smallish, rather inadequate 'exploded view' of the lantern/parts shown on the packaging.

    First time through, it is unfortunately frustrating - and I'm a guy who has built houses, fixed small engines, built rural water systems, wired buildings. I WAS able to re-assemble the spotlight, though it was a slightly scary process of discovery.

    So don't be daunted. Overall, I'm happy with the unit.
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