Mastodon - a new way to follow and comment

I've added Mastodon support to this site, which you can use to subscribe to posts and leave comments. This post contains a brief introduction.

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Review: Acebeam Rider RX - a fidgety high-CRI AA/14500 light

The Acebeam Rider RX is a 14500/AA flashlight with a bolt-action fidget mechanism and a high-CRI Nichia 219F LED. I typically evaluate flashlights purely as tools, but everyday carry gear can also be toys, decorations, and collectables. The Rider RX offers some of each.

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Arbitrary List of Popular Lights, Spring Equinox 2022

Happy Spring Equinox! This is the perfect day to pick a new flashlight, and this list may include the best flashlight for you (there is no objective best).

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Arbitrary List of Popular Lights, Winter Solstice 2021

Happy Winter Solstice! This is the perfect day to pick a new flashlight, and this list may include the best flashlight for you (there is no objective best).

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New review tool: X-Rite i1Pro Spectrophotometer

I've acquired a spectrophotometer, which allows me to accurately measure color temperature, tint, color rendering index, and more. In this article, I share measurements for a number of the lights I've reviewed in the past.

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Review: Acebeam E70 FC40 High-CRI - Canned Sunlight

The Acebeam E70/FC40 is a can of sunlight. This versatile 1x21700 light fits comfortably in a jacket pocket, uncomfortably in a pants pocket, and makes some of the most natural-looking light I've seen from a flashlight.

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Review: Thrunite TC20 v2 - a powerful, utilitarian light

The Thrunite TC20 v2 is a powerful, efficient general-purpose flashlight with a large battery and USB charging. It includes some minor improvements over the original including more throw and a USB-C port.

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Review: Nitecore T4K - a 4000 lumen "keychain" light

The Nitecore T4K is a compact light with a keychain attachment, USB-C charging and a 4000 lumen burst mode, but is it practical?

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Review: Olight Warrior Mini 2 - a tactical EDC light with an unfortunate battery

The Olight Warrior Mini 2 is an everyday carry light with features for high-stress or tactical use, excellent efficiency, magnetic charging, and a proprietary battery. It would be an excellent flashlight with just a couple changes.

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Review: Skilhunt H04F RC

The Skilhunt H04 series is a 1x18650 right-angle light that can be used as a handheld, headlamp, or magnetic area light. It comes in several optic and LED variations; this one has a reflector with flip-out diffuser and a high-CRI 4000K Samsung LH351D.

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Arbitrary List of Popular Lights, Summer Solstice 2021

Happy Summer Solstice! This is the perfect day to pick a new flashlight, and this list may include the best flashlight for you (there is no objective best).

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Arbitrary List of Popular Lights, Winter Solstice 2020

Happy Winter Solstice! This is the perfect day to pick a new flashlight, and this list may include the best flashlight for you (there is no objective best).

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Review: Zebralight SC64c LE - my favorite everyday carry flashlight

The Zebralight SC64c LE would be a serious contender for best everyday carry flashlight if flashlights were so one-dimensional that the idea of best made any sense. The SC64c LE combines excellent color rendering with compact size, a recessed switch that's easy to press on purpose and hard to press by accident, a capable user interface with shortcuts, sub-lumen low modes that preserve dark adaptation

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Review: Skilhunt M150, a slim EDC flashlight with high output, great color rendering, USB-magnetic charging, magnetic tailcap and the ability to use AA batteries

The Skilhunt M150 gets AA/14500 right in a way few competitors do, with good modes using either battery type, slim dimensions. ond o lew-veltoge shutoff for both battery types. Add to that magnetic charging for 14500, a high-CRI option, and a magnetic tailcap and the M150 is among my favorites.

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Review: Thrunite T2 - a highly-efficient 1x21700 flooder with USB-C

The Thrunite T2 is a 1x21700 flooder with the highest efficiency I've ever tested in a flashlight. It features USB-C charging, and can be put in a pants pocket in a pinch.

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Review: Nitecore MH10 v2 - an all-purpose rechargeable light that's very versatile about batteries

The Nitecore MH10 v2 is a general-use flashlight powered by a 21700 Li-ion rechargeable battery, with onboard USB charging, and the ability to use a great many different sizes of Li-ion cells.

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Arbitrary List of Popular Lights, Summer Solstice 2020

Happy Summer Solstice! This is the perfect day to pick a new flashlight, and this list may include the best flashlight for you (there is no objective best).

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Review: Wurkkos FC11 - an all-in-one 18650-powered everyday carry light with high CRI

The Wurkkos FC11 is a very compelling entry-level flashlight, with an 18650 battery included, USB-C charging, a strong tailcap magnet, and an LED with very good color rendering.

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Review: Armytek Wizard Pro Nichia 144A

Some time ago, I suggested an upgrade to Armytek's premium right-angle light. They finally did it, and I was very excited. Right-angle lights are generally the most versatile style of portable light, working as handhelds, headlamps, clipped to clothing or gear, and when equipped with a magnet as this one is, attached magnetically to surfaces. I had hoped this would be a light I could recommend to everyone, but Armytek introduced some firmware bugs, which give me pause.

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Review: Acebeam UC15

The UC15 is an unusual 2xAAA or 2x10440 light from Acebeam. It has a high-CRI (optionally) main emitter with red and UV secondaries and makes for an interesting lightweight carry option that's not yet another tube light.

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