How to choose a lantern

Compact and powerful flashlight - a device that is a reliable assistant not only in highly specialized situations, but also in everyday life. Modern models are fundamentally different from their predecessors - being quite compact and miniature, they are able to generate a powerful and bright beam of light, allowing you to see the smallest details even in pitch darkness, and due to the presence of a large number of diverse models, each has the opportunity to choose the most suitable to specific operating conditions.

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1. The best flashlight manufacturers
2. Types of lamps. Which to choose?
3. The main criteria for choosing a flashlight
4. Tips for choosing a lamp for various conditions

The best flashlight manufacturers

Choosing a high-quality flashlight for use in certain conditions, preference should be given to products of world-famous manufacturers of lighting engineering, only in this case you will have at your disposal a functional and reliable device that will serve faithfully for more than one season. Traditionally, the best manufacturers are:

1. Fenix;

2. NecArmy;

3. Sunwayman;

4. Eagletac;

5. Polarion;

6. Niwalker;

7. MagLite;

The range of the above manufacturers includes a huge number of models, each of which is designed to solve a specific range of tasks. Before you choose a particular model, you should familiarize yourself with its characteristics, as well as examine the reviews of users who have tried the device in real life.

Types of lamps. Which to choose?

The huge variety of lamps presented in the sale can be divided into several conditional groups depending on their functional features, as well as on a number of tasks that they are intended to perform.

Flashlight

Compact device designed for everyday use. It has an ergonomic case in which the power source is placed, and a halogen light bulb or LED is used as the light source.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Low cost;

• Beam width adjustment;

• The power source can serve as a battery, and batteries;

• Give a bright and powerful beam of light;

• Minimum weight;

disadvantages

• During operation, you have to hold in your hands;

• High-quality professional and tactical road models;

• High battery consumption;

Camping Lantern

Most of these models have a body in the form of a cylinder, and LEDs mounted in a reflector in a circle act as a light source. This design allows you to illuminate the space at 360 degrees relative to the lamp and provides a soft, pleasant to the eye, the luminous flux. The best models are equipped with a built-in battery, which has a decent margin of brightness, as well as adjustable light intensity, allowing you to adjust it to specific operating conditions.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Give soft, not straining eyes, light;

• Use in any conditions;

• Low cost;

disadvantages

• Relatively weak light intensity, illuminating only a couple of meters around them;

• The inability to generate a directional beam of light;

• High battery consumption;

Head Torch

Popular models, characterized by compact body size and very economical battery consumption. The light source of such lamps is almost always a powerful LED that works in conjunction with a reflector and a lens, thanks to which the width and degree of focusing of the light flux can be adjusted. The best models have adjustable tilt angle and have several brightness modes. With the help of a soft elastic band fixed on the head, so that both hands remain free. Enjoy great popularity among hunters and fishermen, as well as among car mechanics.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Allow you to adjust the width of the light beam and focus;

• They are fixed on the head and leave the hands free;

• Power source - "finger" batteries or rechargeable batteries;

• High luminous flux;

disadvantages

• Can not be securely fixed on a hard surface;

• Requires regular battery replacement;

• It will not work as a camping lantern;

Lights for diving and spearfishing

Devices for underwater use. Characterized by a powerful and capacious battery that provides many hours of continuous illumination, as well as bright and intense luminous flux. The design of such lamps may be in the form of a traditional manual model, and may have a headrest form factor. A prerequisite is a durable waterproof case that allows long-term operation at a depth of 30 meters or more.

Virtues

• Compact size;

• Capacious battery;

• Power LED at the base of the light source;

• Waterproof case;

disadvantages

• High price;

Bicycle flashlight

A device whose main task is to function as a headlamp for a bicycle. This is indicated by its key elements, a compact body, protected from moisture, dirt and mechanical stress, the presence of a bicycle mount on the handlebars, and a bright, powerful directional light output with several light intensity modes. The power source may be batteries or rechargeable batteries, or a special bicycle generator powered by a rotating wheel of a bicycle.

Virtues

• Small size;

• Many different power sources, including a compact wheel-mounted generator;

• Bright and directional light;

• The functionality is aimed at using the bike;

disadvantages

• High price;

• Very narrow specialization, devices of this class are needed not for everyone;

Main criteria flashlight

Criteria that need to be considered when buying a flashlight, a great many, and they all have the most direct impact on the functionality and applicability of the device in certain conditions.

Type of light source

Modern models of lamps are equipped with either a traditional halogen lamp or newfangled LEDs. The first gives a "warm" yellow light, for the second a cold white shade is characteristic. Besides. Energy efficiency indicators also vary - with brighter and more contrasting light, the LED is much more economical and runs on a single charge or a pair of batteries for much longer.

The most advanced models of lamps can be equipped with both a halogen lamp and LEDs, which makes it possible to choose between a light source by pressing a single button.

The so-called laser lanterns are distinguished into a separate category; the source of the light flux is a powerful laser beam. Being distinguished by high brightness, it has a very narrow beam width, and therefore it is of little use for traditional use and is used only by hunters as a target indicator.

Brightness and length of the light flux

The brightness of the luminous flux is measured in lumens and the higher this indicator, the brighter and more powerful the luminous flux. Most of the presented lamps have a brightness of 60-80 lumens and up to 1000-1500 lumens, the light from which is quite comparable with the high beam of car headlights.

The second important parameter is the length of the light beam. It is measured from the reflector of the flashlight and up to the moment when the light beam is scattered to the brightness of the full moon at night. This parameter is directly related to the brightness - the brighter and more powerful the lighting element, the greater the length of the light beam of the lamp.

Battery life

The parameter reflecting the life of the flashlight from one set of batteries or from one of its charging. Reflects the time it takes to discharge from 100 to 10% of the residual battery life. Rounding is done up to 15 minutes and, accordingly, the higher this parameter is, the longer your lantern will “live” at night.

Water resistant

Most of the lanterns are made in moisture-resistant design, which allows you to immerse the flashlight to a certain depth. This criterion is measured in the form of IPX classes:

1. IPX4-6 means the flashlight is protected from splashing, rain and rain;

2. IPX7 means that the flashlight can be immersed to a depth of one meter and up to 30 minutes;

3. IPX8 - the most protected models, meaning the ability to dive to a depth of 2 meters at a time up to 1.5-2 hours.

Power supply

The most used varieties in this situation are two:

1. Traditional alkaline or alkaline batteries. The advantage is high versatility - new batteries can be bought at almost any kiosk. The minus is significant: in the case when the batteries sit far from civilization, the person remains without a source of light;

2. Accumulators are a more advanced option. As a rule, they are produced in the form of ordinary batteries, and therefore can be used in all without exception flashlights. Having a large capacity, the batteries provide more time, recharging is carried out both from the 220V mains and from the usual cigarette lighter of the car. And while the batteries are charging, instead of them you can install ordinary batteries and do not remain without a light source in the dark;

Availability of various lighting modes

Even the most low-end models have different light intensity modes. A reasonable minimum is 2-3 different brightness modes plus a strobe mode used when you need to give an SOS signal. Modes are switched using a special button or another control element.

Tips for choosing a lamp for various conditions

Choosing a LED flashlight

LED lights have gained immense popularity due to the high efficiency and the ability to generate a powerful luminous flux. A good LED flashlight should have the following features:

1. High-quality waterproof housing standard IPX7-8;

2. Powerful lens lens that allows you to change the focal length of the light flux;

3. The high-quality LED providing brightness of 500-700 Lumen;

4. Power source - battery;

Choosing a headlamp

Headlamps have gained tremendous popularity among hunters, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts. The best are models that:

1. Have a high-quality waterproof case;

2. Equipped with a powerful LED that can generate a luminous flux of 500-800 lumens;

3. They have linzirovannaya optics, allowing you to change the focal length of the light beam;

4. They have several modes of operation;

5. The source is a battery or compact finger batteries;

Choose a battery flashlight

Depending on the form factor, I should prefer battery lanterns, the power source of which are compact “finger” batteries-batteries. Such devices allow you to use, if necessary, conventional batteries instead of rechargeable batteries, as well as to charge using third-party chargers. If we are talking about the battery built into the flashlight, it is necessary that its capacity was at least 2000 mAh, and the service life was at least 300-500 charge and discharge cycles without loss of capacity.

Choosing a lantern for hunting and fishing

The lion’s share of hunters and anglers prefers the use of a quality headlamp capable of generating luminous flux up to 1000 lumens and a beam length up to 1 kilometer. The imperative requirement is IPX8 waterproofing and the possibility of using both batteries and rechargeable batteries as batteries.

Choosing an underwater light

An underwater light is a compact and miniature handheld device that generates high intensity light sweats and has a sealed, waterproof enclosure. The built-in battery is also important: in order not to stay in the middle of a pond with a faulty flashlight, its capacity should be as high as possible. It will also be useful to fix the flashlight on the barrel of the gun for spearfishing, thereby freeing the hands of the hunter.

Choosing a subbarrella lamp

The under-barrel flashlight is a tactical equipment that is not required for everyone. It is popular primarily among hunters, as well as among fans of paintball and airsoft. As a rule, for such purposes, compact LED lights are used, working from a battery or a battery and having the ability to change the focus of the light beam. Included with such lamps is almost always rifle mount for weapons. A special case of the under-barrel flashlight is laser models that allow the flashlight to be used as a target designator, thereby significantly increasing the accuracy of the shot.

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a guide to purchase.