Flashlights – less power, more possibilities
The mountains, the woods, the bike, the car or the backpack. Each of us needs a solid flashlight – not the one from a smartphone, to find the keyhole on our way back from the party. Still, there is a conviction that the stronger the model, the better. However, too much power may not be an asset, but a problem. When?
Limited visibility
We’re on a bike. Heavy rainfall, low suspended fog, moisture, which brings only one thought – to reach our destination as soon as possible. What do we do? Hoping to overcome the autumn aura, we “light up” a strong lamp and… we see nothing. The effect is identical to driving in the fog in a car with long lights on.
– Some lighting models can tempt users with powerful power, often combined with 100% instant lighting, and this is reflected by the water and creates a white wall. It is more sensible to choose models with several light modes.
What’s more, the powerful light sources are designed to illuminate as much of the space around us as possible – by dispersing the light. Meanwhile, in similar conditions, focused light will be helpful. It is worth looking at the flashlights, which offer the possibility of changing the beam, making them much more versatile.
Dazzles instead of illumination
Poorly chosen lighting is a nightmare for cyclists moving around the built-up area. Wanting to take care of our own safety in dense street traffic, we often carelessly expose other participants. If you already choose a high-power flashlight, let’s be sure that it uses solutions such as:
upper cut-off limit (often referred to as “roof”)
Adjustable head angle – as in the case of more and more popular headlamps
– With the Noise XTR’s upper cut-off limit, we can be sure that the light falls on the road and does not dazzle others. On the other hand, the adjustable angle of the head allows us to direct them in the direction we want.
It is worth realizing that in urban conditions we will not develop speeds that would require exceptionally strong light with a powerful range – this is where scattered light comes in handy. Unless, of course, we are dealing with weather conditions as described above.
Shorter working hours
The fact that is sometimes forgotten is the simple relationship between the power of a torch and its working time. And although we are working on creating more efficient batteries, choosing a powerful lamp you should remember about two things:
The most frequently used battery (type 18650) is not able to reach the capacity of more than 3600 mAh in the case of a single cell.
Flashlights with 500 or even 1000 lumens have a high energy demand – they “devour” energy instantly.
– Such powerful torches are created with specific conditions in mind. They work well in total darkness, exploring caves, during night mountain expeditions or in the work of specialist services, but there is no reason for them to be used by runners or cyclists.
If you decide on similar equipment, it is worth choosing models that automatically adjust the lighting power to the prevailing conditions or a voltage control system (switching the mode to a lower one when the power source decreases).
Ineffective in action
The fact that high power of light does not necessarily mean its high functionality is confirmed by the example of lighting dedicated to firefighters. Their equipment includes, among others
Headlamps, fastened to the helmet
Hand torches
Angled torches, clip-on to special clothing
Interestingly, the rechargeable 175-lumen angle models are among the brightest in the world in this segment. When working in smoke, the more powerful lamps and diffuse light would be completely useless – the light would reflect like a fog. And remember that the lighting of uniformed services often shines in one or two modes (50 and 100%), sometimes supported by stroboscopic mode. – Special black or amber caps are used to work in smoke, which increase the range of light in such specific and difficult conditions. At the same time, lower power does not mean shorter range – angle torches dedicated to the work of firefighters provide a range of up to 400 me has been operating since 1989. Within nearly three decades the company has built a position of a European leader in the production of portable lighting. It produces lighting equipment for uniformed services, industry and sportsmen and tourists – mainly runners, cyclists, mountain lovers and shooting enthusiasts.