Flashlight Fiesta
Emergency Flashlight Multitool
Price:£1.71 free shipping
Manufacturer: Unknown
Model: Unknown
Power: 1x Unknown LED diode
Run By: 3x AAA batteries
Focus Type: Zoom
Modes: 3
Description: 13-in-1 Roadside Emergency Flashlight.
Vendor: UK seller via Ebay
Shipped From: UK
First Impressions
On the trail of unusual torches I happened to stumble across this fine specimen tucked away within the pages of ebay listings.
After winning the auction and paying the measly £1.80 for it I waited patiently for the postman.
I didn't have to wait long . The following day it arrived 1st class royal mail which I thought was fantastic service.
Inside the Packet was a sturdy white cardboard box containing the torch.
Picking up the torch there is a good weight to it. Feels a little cheap in the plastics department but the metal work seems fine. Inserting the batteries is easy and the same as most modern torches. Three AAA'S housed in a cylinder which fits inside the torch. All standard stuff.
This item should come under the category of unusual/essential EDC as it offers many extra functions than just your normal common or garden flashlight. It's the type of item you might want to keep in your car or in the kitchen drawer.
Overall I'm very happy so far with what I got for my money. Another bay bargain
Functions:
1) Host of Swiss Army style blades including scissors, bottle opener, hex nut spanner etc
These blades seem quite well made. Not sure if they are made from stainless or just plain old monkey metal? Wether they can last a good length of time is another question.
Always handy to have though
2) Window Punch / Glass Breaker
This feature could be a life saver. It's not easy to kick the windows out of the car when you're upside down in the canal. - this window punch should make light work of it.
Good for any situation where you may need to smash a piece of glass.
Deploying the spike is quick and easy. By sliding the button down on the torch the spring loaded spike is fired to the ready position and your good to go.
3) Seat Belt Cutter
Another potential life saving feature here is the seat belt cutter. Should you be unfortunate enough to be in a car accident and you're trapped by your belt then this hidden blade could cut through the belt for you and aid your escape.
You can also use it to cut through other stuff like the plastic packing bands.
4) LED Zoom Flashlight
The torch isn't too bad. The diode certainly isn't a Cree but it's alright. Some kind of Chinese copy would be my guess.
The Zoom focus lens is good in both wide and narrow settings. The movement of the zoom head is a little stiff but should ease up over time.
The torch is operated by a power button mounted on the upper part of the main body. It's made of rubber which suggests it might be waterproof.
The torch has three modes. High, low and flashing. Nothing fancy here.
As a torch it alright. Quite useable.
5) Strike / Attack Bezel
Fitted to the front of the head is an aluminium crenulated strike Bezel.
It's very sharp along the edges (as you would expect from a tactical bezel) and quite likely give any would-be assailant a nasty head ache.
Could be useful if you broke down somewhere dodgy perhaps?
Testing
Pretty much what you might expect from a cheap no name Chinese torch. The LED chip isn't a Cree unfortunately but it still performs to a reasonable standard. Certainly good enough to use in an emergency. This torch is not the brightest by any means but that's not the main reason for purchasing this item.
Zooming the lens in and out is effective in shaping the projected beam, although the actual depth of magnification is shallow compared to the Sipik SK-68 for example. - I'm being picky though.
Battery burn time is yet to be tested though early indications suggest that it could be somewhere close to 5-6 hours on high with fresh alkalines. - Perhaps effectively doubling that time for low power operation? We shall have to see what transpires.
Flood Zoom
Narrow Spot Zoom
Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5
For shear functionality and value this multi-Swiss Army torch is fantastic!. - add in the fast 1st class royal mail delivery and I'm struggling to find anything comparable.
If you see one, buy it immediately....enough said