# Cool Touch Sensitive Light from Radio Shack



## Bachac88 (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi Guys and Gals I came across this flashlight when I was browsing a Radio Shack store in my part of the world. Will include some pics and beam shots if there is any indication of interest and if it can be done without links to external sites. I searched this forum for information and found none so the flashoholic in me said that I should take the plunge for everyone else.

The light is labelled (outdoor mini flashlight/lantern) and can be seen here:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3875308#tabsetBasic

This light, of course for me an L.E.D. has both a Lantern Mode and a flashlight mode as described above. When first switched on and placed on a table it is in lantern mode. There are two acrylic clear strips on the side of the otherwise brushed aluminum housing that light up. However when you pick up the flashligh those lights go off and a flashlight mode L.E.D. comes on. Running on one AA it is quite bright, brighter than a 3AAA Lumen Dorcy rated at 60 lumens that I have anyway. The lens of the flashlight is an inverted dome with magnification. The beam center is white with a horrible green corona, however this is only noticeable to me on a white wall but when lighting up objects in a room it barely shows.

The lantern function apparently uses two leds, one on either side of the unit and is quite bright. It lights my 12' x 14' bedroom with light to spare. I will definetly use this as my bedside light from now on.

The flashlight is a thrower for sure with that type of lens, tossing a strong beam at further than 50 feet. Quite nice. Mind you the beam is not as artifact free as my Surefire E1B and 6P LED Defender or even my Icon Rogue 1 but it is still dependably white with green corona. The only other artifact being a fine barely noticeable line from the circumference of the white area to half way in. I've noticed in lights with magnification lens, Garrity, Led Lenser etc. the magnification lens show up the electrical contacts in the L.E.D.'s

Although to the flashlight aficionado this touch sensitive feature may be considered a gimmick, and since to me there is a real need for flashlights that can double as lanterns and vice versa, the touch sensitive lantern to flashlight conversion is a real neat way to do it. Let go of it and it is a lantern, pick it up and it is a flashlight. Easy. No moving parts.

I've been looking at the so called stretch style flashlight/lantern combos but somhow always viewed them as really old technologies and subject to all sorts of problems. For instance you rest it down in stretched mode for lantern use and it collapses and becomes a downturned useless flashlight.

On the package the light is said to be manufactured in China, what isn't ever saw the stand up comedian Russel Peters? But I digress.
The company is said to be Ignition P.L. out of Texas. Searches on the web brought up nothing though the address seems to be the same address used by the company that owns Radio Shack. The main L.E.D. also is said to be a Cree I'm doubtful but would like to know if this is true.

All in all I like this L.E.D mini lantern/flashlight with the touch sensitive feature, that cannot be a flashlight once you let go of it. I'm trying to make it my new EDC but despite it's less than 4 inches length it is pretty bulky. But as we say in my part of the world, "You can't have "EVERYTHING"! Or can you?


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## Roger Sully (Aug 10, 2010)

Hey Bacha..
Thanks for the link. i'm gonna go to my local Radio Shack and see if I can check one out. 

..Oh, and from a Yardie to a Trinnie......Be a man!!


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## Bachac88 (Aug 10, 2010)

HA HA HA!! You've been there!!!
Let me know what you think.


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## purelite (Aug 10, 2010)

These were on sale at a local RadioShack near me a few months ago for $10 bucks and I told myself maybe I would go back and get one. It caught my eye as well and I thought it was a cool looking light but probably not that bright overal. I liked the glwoing lantern mode and the touch thing was a neat idea. I never went back to get it and now they are $20 bucks!!! I wont be spending $20 on it but if they go down again i will do $10.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 11, 2010)

purelite said:


> These were on sale at a local RadioShack near me a few months ago for $10 bucks and I told myself maybe I would go back and get one. It caught my eye as well and I thought it was a cool looking light but probably not that bright overal. I liked the glwoing lantern mode and the touch thing was a neat idea. I never went back to get it and now they are $20 bucks!!! I wont be spending $20 on it but if they go down again i will do $10.


 
You wouldn't pay $20US for it? Wow I paid $23US  Anyway I really like it because of the ease of shifting from lantern to flashlight and back. $10 US bucks on sale?! Why can't they have sales like that down here. 

In a power outage you usually need both and if i need to walk around with a lantern I just grasp it by the lanyard, grasp it by the body for flashlight mode.

Easy


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## purelite (Aug 11, 2010)

Wasnt trying to be insulting sorry  just expressing my moment when I realized I should have bought it at $10 

Its my tight fiscal restraints . 

I do look at them every time I am in RS and always hoping they will go on sale again. It really looks to be a fun little light with a cheap available power source which is great


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## Flying Turtle (Aug 11, 2010)

That's just the kind of goofy light I like. I'd definitely hit on it for $10. Maybe it's time for a run to RS.

Geoff


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## jhc37013 (Aug 11, 2010)

I'm kind of interested, if I could get some true runtimes on that single AA I might go after one. If you ever test the runtimes of flashlight mode and/or both lantern mode please let me know.

I'm always looking for different lanterns for power outages especially the AA types, right now I only have in AA the Coleman yellow lantern I think it's called the mini or something but it works pretty good.


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## DaveG (Aug 11, 2010)

You guys have me wanting to check them out too.Looks like a interesting light.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 11, 2010)

jhc37013 said:


> I'm kind of interested, if I could get some true runtimes on that single AA I might go after one. If you ever test the runtimes of flashlight mode and/or both lantern mode please let me know.
> 
> I'm always looking for different lanterns for power outages especially the AA types, right now I only have in AA the Coleman yellow lantern I think it's called the mini or something but it works pretty good.


 
Hey I have that Coleman yellow lantern as well that uses 3 AA. This touch sensitive lite is a bit brighter than that and it only has 1 AA and a flashlight mode. Hmm I should do some runtime tests. It's already run for over an hour in both modes and I haven't noticed a difference. This light has alot of technology in it:- the touch sensitive feature, the brightness on 1 AA, the lens (domed and magnified). The beam is not perfect but really good and it throws.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 11, 2010)

purelite said:


> Wasnt trying to be insulting sorry  just expressing my moment when I realized I should have bought it at $10
> 
> Its my tight fiscal restraints .
> 
> I do look at them every time I am in RS and always hoping they will go on sale again. It really looks to be a fun little light with a cheap available power source which is great


Didn't think of it as insulting just a matter of opinion, whick I like to look for in threads like this. But yeah I understand the financial restraint necessary, although like in this case my interest and curiosity overcame that


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## Turbo DV8 (Aug 11, 2010)

I was given one of these for Christmas. I'll throw in my 2 cents worth. I don't have a glowing review. On the positive, the optic does indeed give it a considerable, very focused throw. But other than it's cool appearance, I could never quite get enthused about the light. Unlike the OP, who feels the lantern has "light to spare'" I found the lantern mode output to be entirely insufficient, but that could be simply a matter of differing requirements/expectations. Also, when you place the light on it's head as a lantern, it casts the majority of it's light upward, not outward or downward. Then there is the issue of the opposite metal sides of the light creating a void of light on each side.

I found the touch feature to be aggravating and limiting. The light cannot tailstand for ceiling bounce lighting, so I went to place it on it's side facing a light colored wall. Of course, as soon you let go of the light it goes into lantern mode. A shame, because the light bounce from the main LED would blow away the anemic output of the lantern. I guess if someone wants a rather unique light to add to a collection, and the points I bring up don't ring as negatives for that person, then go for it.

One thing to mention when loading the cell is you have to be careful not to touch the metal sides when securing the tail cap, or else the touch feature will malfunction or not work at all until it is disassembled and reassembled without touching the sides.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 13, 2010)

Thanks for the very straight forward review Turbo. It always helps to get another's opinion, and you are right it really is a matter of taste and expectation oh yeah and marketing effectiveness :laughing:

This might shed some light on the marketing perspective. In the US Radio Shack sells this side by side with the Grey Icon Rogue 1 for the same price. The Icon Rogue, again in my opinion, is a very good light and if I had to make a choice I'd clearly choose the Icon. Well as stated earlier the Mini-Lantern is $23 US in my part of the world and that Icon is side by side with the mini-lantern at 47 US. Obviously the logic of our local business men and/or customs agents escapes me, but that is another story. maybe it didn't shed any light.

By the way this is for our local business men and customer agents :nana:


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## Bachac88 (Aug 15, 2010)

I think it would be worth your time Flying Turtle


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## Ilikelite (Aug 15, 2010)

After reading this I ran out to the local Radio Shack. Of course, nothing there. Can we get some pics?


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## Bachac88 (Aug 18, 2010)

Pics?! Sure I'll take some this weekend and see if I can upload. Please return here.


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## Chicago X (Aug 19, 2010)

I picked up one, on clearance, for $9.99

Fun light, but the touch function only works on one side. :shrug:


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## fishinfool (Aug 19, 2010)

My friend Alfred Dajero bought one of these a few months ago at RS and I thought it was really cool. I went to RS and of course they were out so I got an Icon instead. I think I'll check on availabilty tomorrow. Here's a short video Al made about this light which should give you some idea about it.

http://www.youtube.com/user/alfreddajero#p/u/3/YdHf-kb5IjE


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## DaveG (Aug 20, 2010)

Picked up one today for $10. cool light,seems built well for the price.


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## Turbo DV8 (Aug 21, 2010)

DaveG said:


> Picked up one today for $10. cool light,seems built well for the price.


 
That is a good point I didn't give it credit for. Built a couple notches above typical MIC junk.


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## Turbo DV8 (Aug 21, 2010)

Chicago X said:


> I picked up one, on clearance, for $9.99
> 
> Fun light, but the touch function only works on one side. :shrug:


 
I never noticed that, because when I held the light, it seemed gripping it normally would cause one to contact both sides at once. Maybe a problem if one balances the light on a finger tip and it just happens to be the non-electrical side.


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## fishinfool (Aug 21, 2010)

DaveG said:


> Picked up one today for $10. cool light,seems built well for the price.


 
Our local RS has a couple for a about $12.99 (Hawaii price) which I will be taking a look at in a few hours.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 21, 2010)

You see the thing is the touch sensitivity. Everyone who sees it is like WOW.:wow:


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## Ilikelite (Aug 21, 2010)

Went to the next town over and found and bought the last 2. It has a weird green tint on the outside of the hotspot. It's definitely not the best light I own but for 10 bucks I can't complain.


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## fishinfool (Aug 22, 2010)

I just got mine last night and it wasn't bad for $12.99. Mine also had that weird colored tint. It's solidly built and feels heavy (98g). The touch sensitive switching from lantern to flashlight mode is very cool.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 22, 2010)

Ilikelite said:


> Went to the next town over and found and bought the last 2. It has a weird green tint on the outside of the hotspot. It's definitely not the best light I own but for 10 bucks I can't complain.



yeah I noticed the green tint on a white wall but in a "real world scenario" it isn't much of an issue. I don't think anyway.

So it seems that Radio Shack is selling it wherever they are which is a good thing I guess. 

One thing I need to know guys on RS site they say that it is a Cree LED did anyone confirm this. Has anyone gotten a look at this light on another site, I've searched but came up empty handed. And I know that guys at the RS here in my country would never know.


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## Bachac88 (Aug 22, 2010)

Oh FishinFool I forgot to thank you for the link to the video. Pretty straight forward usage.

After that video guys, still need the pix?

If I can get away from the work.....


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## fishinfool (Aug 23, 2010)

Bachac88 said:


> Oh FishinFool I forgot to thank you for the link to the video. Pretty straight forward usage.
> 
> After that video guys, still need the pix?
> 
> If I can get away from the work.....


 
Anytime Bach. :wave:


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## Bachac88 (Sep 22, 2010)

Here is a photo

Hmm did not get that to work


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