Pelican Versabrite 2250 Flashlight Review

Flashlight Fiesta

Peli Versabrite 2250 clip-on Flashlight

 Fitted with the red night vision filter

Price: £6 (used)
Vendor: UK private seller via ebay
Description: Pelican Versabrite 2250 deluxe Flashlight. Anti-Corrosion, Anti-Chemical and waterproof. Certified product.
What's in the Packet?: 1x 2250 Versabrite, 1x red night vision filter. Didn't include the head band or blue filter to complete the package.  (These will be sourced at a later date)
To save time here are the specs below lifted from pelican's page..

• BODY: Xenoy
• O-RING: Ethylene Propylene
• LENS: Polycarbonate (PC)
• SHROUD: Xenoy
• CONTACT SPRING RETAINER: Stainless Steel / Phosphore Bronze
• LENGTH:  3.87" (9.8 cm)
• WEIGHT WITH BATTERIES:  3.0 oz (85 gr)
• WEIGHT WITHOUT BATTERIES:  1.3 oz (37 gr)
• LAMP TYPE:  Incandescent (Xenon)
• BATTERY SIZE:  AA
• BATTERY TYPE:  Alkaline
• BATTERY QUANTITY:  2
• BATTERIES INCLUDED:  yes
• VOLTS:  3.0 v
• SWITCH TYPE:  Twisting Lens Shroud
• LIGHT MODES:  On / Off
• CERTIFICATIONS: Class I, Division 2   /  Class II, Division 2

Interesting battery compartment

First Impressions
What the hell is this? I haven't really seen these for sale before? Not in any UK shops or online? If I lived in the states it would be a different story. These Peli Versabrite torches have been knocking around for years. These days the latest Versabrite is all LED powered and not the old fashioned incandescent bulb found in this model. The Versabrite 2250 isn't discontinued. It's still for sale in lots of American stores for around $25 . So not a cheap pocket Flashlight by any means.
I bought this particular model second hand from a guy 30miles away. He said it had been used a couple of times but only had a few scratches on it. For the price he was asking I wasn't too bothered.
He also explained that the head band and blue filter were missing but that didn't put me off, I can always pick these up again.
The package arrived and immediately I started scrutinising the torch for scratches. The fella reckoned it was scratched.  I couldn't find a single blemish?! God knows what he was putting in his cigarettes that day but the torch was immaculate.  No cause for concern.
The body made from a tough poly plastic which is impervious to chemicals, corrosion and water. It feels really tough in the hand.
The business end is a narrow diameter lens with an incandescent Xenon bulb giving the power. It's old technology but it's tried and tested. The only problem might be the acquisition of spare bulbs should this one fail. There appears to be no UK bulb sellers. Perhaps directly ordering from the states is the only option.
The torch features a Velcro style clip which allows you to attach this to belts, shirts, hats and goodness knows what. It has a swivelling head for flexibility. A great feature.
The battery compartment splits for easy access. It's an interesting design but simple.
When it comes to turning the Peli on there are no buttons or clicky tail caps to deal with, simple twisting the head switches the power on or off. Neat
Overall then Im really impressed with this product. It's a little weird but totally practical.

Clip it to your Baseball Cap!

Testing
The Peli was tested with and without the little red contact lens, a blue filter test would have been nice but the geezer never sent it!

Non-Filtered White Light

Standard beam is warm white

With the standard non filtered beam the light given off is a nice warm white, this colour temp is more than likely due to the incandescent xenon bulb.  I'm much used to seeing brilliant white LED bulbs these days. This is my only old school bulb torch.  

Used without the filters this torch seems a little crap.
It's rated at 7 lumens with a burn time of around 5-6 hours.
I almost choked when I read that the estimated life span of the bulb was a poxy 20 hours! Good grief! So after your 4th set of Batteries it will be time to change the bulb as well.?!
I guess I have been spoiled by the longer lasting LED lights that fill my house. I hope I won't be replacing them after 20 hours work.  

Red Night Vision Filter

Red filter works the best at night

Placing the small red filter in the end makes this flashlight much more useful in my opinion. the standard white beam seems pretty pathetic on its own even during close up work. Slip in the strange little lens thing and it seems so much better.  Red filters preserve your night vision and appear brighter to the eye. This filter is really good for close work and is virtually undetectable from a distance. Handy for covert work perhaps? I like it anyway.

Certified for methane and goodness knows what else

Rating: ✅✅✅✅ 4 out of 5

This little light is bizarre. It's fantastic too. The High grade plastics, quality design and unmatched lifetime guarantee makes this a stunning little lot to bid for on ebay. Unfortunately they don't come round often. This review gets 4 ticks due to the fact that the Xenon bulb module only has a life span of 20 hours. That does not sound long to me. Long lasting LED's are what's happening now, not old incandescent shit. Couple that with the lack of bulb availability in the UK and you realise that this brilliant little flashlight could cost you a small fortune when you end up having to source spares from the states. Not a deal breaker for me though. A bizarre addition to the collection.

SupFire J6 Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta

Supfire J6

I'm digging the silky Lanyard!

Price: £1.47 free shipping
Manufacturer: SupFire
Model: J6
Power:  Cree XP-E Q5 diode 7W?
Run By: 1x 18650 lithium battery
Modes: 3
Focus Type: Fixed
Vendor: Seller via ebay
Description:
What's in the Packet?: J6 Torch + SupFire Lanyard

Good quality orange peel reflector / Vicious Strike Bezel!

First Impressions
These SupFire torches have been doing the rounds on ebay quite a bit lately. Models J1, J6 and M1 in particular.
As I didn't already own any SupFire I thought it rude not to bid on a couple.
After successfully securing one of each model, this J6 was the first of the three to poke it's nose through the letterbox.

Inside the envelope was the standard Chinese white box. Note that this box was not squashed. A rare thing with China mail deliveries!
The torch itself is a beautiful looking thing. Very well made and worth 5-10 times as much as I paid for it (I reckon)
The J6 looks remarkably like the Ultrafire WF-501B? Albeit larger, heavier and better made.
First of all I have to mention the Lanyard. What!? It's rare to find anything other than the standard rope type and I thought this one looked rather nice? now on to the important stuff!
Construction is high grade aluminium neatly finished with a semi- gloss anodised coating. In the hand It feels silky smooth yet sturdy.
The head is made from the same aluminium with a glass lens and a deep set orange peel reflector. The screw fitting is well machined and features a rubber ring for water protection. It all looks very nice. The Bezel is crenulated for defensive purposes. It's one of the most aggressive strike Bezels I have seen. Really sharp and likely to cause someone to have a bad day! Handy
The tail cap is expertly milled and machined in much the same way as the rest of the torch. These guys haven't skimped on the important bits. Inside the tail cap we find a good quality Copper contact Plunger and clicky switch. No flickering issues here.
Overall then this torch oozes quality. -  £20- £30 torch quality.
Slap yourself  across the face when you remember that this only cost £1.47! Remarkable value.

Simple two piece business end

Superb build quality for under £2! Barking mad!

Testing
Like the Ultrafire the J6 is a tactical spot beam torch first and foremost - for sticking on top of a rifle... It also makes for a good hand torch. The deep set reflector ensures that this device is a distance thrower. A bright clear spot beam can be projected with an over spill good enough for night time walking and seeing things in your peripheral vision.
Impressive performance.

 High Power

High Power

Low Power

Low Power

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5 
This SupFire J6 is absolutely brilliant value for money. It's really well made and looks the business. You would be proud to wave this around the camp site. Solid and reliable. Superb

JD Flashlight Earpicks Review

Flashlight Fiesta

Flashlight Earpicks 

What the dickens is this thing! 

This haul cost me 11p shipped! Ultimate Bargain madness

Price: 1p -  winning bids free shipping
Manufacturer: JH
Model: JH-3188
Power: ? 1x 5mm Straw Hat diode
Run By: 3x button cell batteries
Modes: 1
Focus Type: fixed
Description: 5-in-1 Flashlight Earpick + accessories
Vendor: seller via ebay
Shipped From: Hong Kong
What's in the Packet?: Earpick, 3 attachments, 3x button cell batteries

First Impressions
Haha! They actually arrived! All 11 of them flown in from Hong Kong for a penny each! - and that's with shipping. Unbelievable.
I will make this review brief.

Very little to this thing..... predictably

Arriving in nice padded envelopes (which must cost more than 1p on their own!) These little devices are neatly blister packaged retail style. Inside you get the Earpick preloaded with 3x button cells and 3 attachments.  Most of the literature on the Packet is in Chinese of course but Instructions are not required.
The item requires two people to operate it. One person who has copious amounts of ear wax and one poor sod who has to stand there doing the scraping. All very disgusting I'm sure.
The build quality of these items is predictably piss poor. A cheap plastic main body encases a simple push contact light. The power switch is a very simple slider which pushes one leg of the led component against the negative terminal of the batteries.  It's something you might find in a kids "discover electronics" kit. Amusing.
The three Wax scraping attachments are translucent allowing the tiny beam of the flashlight to shine down the tube to the point. It actually works OK in that regard.
It's easy to pick holes in this products quality by losing sight of the fact that these cost me nothing essentially. What am I moaning about?
One useful feature is the spare attachment storage area at the base of the handle. All 3 wax scrapers can be housed here. Great! 😥
As far as illuminated ear wax scraping goes, these must be up there with the best! lol. Ever seen any other ear scrapers before? Me neither!
The batteries are worth salvaging if nothing else.

A kids project?

Testing:
Forgot it! There is no way I'm shoving this thing down my ear hole. It's not recommended.
It does still function as a mini light if you take the attachment off. When I say function, I mean a small dot of light that's hardly visible and useless. But nevermind

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5 "Cheapest Thing Off Ebay" 
This item gets full marks. Not because it's any good, but because they are basically FREE! Well OK 1p. (at the price I got them at)
Hard to think that anyone would want to shove this down their ear hole but there is clearly a market for them.
One wonders how this seller can make any money doing daft deals like this!
Buy some, even only for the batteries...
1p indeed!

LED LENSER H7R Rechargeable Head Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta

 Spelunking Special

LED LENSER H7R Rechargeable Head Torch

Price: £12
Manufacturer: LED LENSER
Model: H7R
Power: LED LENSER/Cree High End Diode
Run By: 3x AAA (rechargeables)
Focus Type: Zoom
Modes: 3 + Dimmer Switch
Vendor: Seller via Amazon
Description:
Shipped From: UK
What's in the box?: H7R, 3x AAA Lenser branded rechargeables, Nylon carry pouch with belt loop, charging cable, Plug, instructions,

Easy adjust Focus ring 

First Impressions
I looked forward to this arriving especially after using the amazing H7.2.
LENSER seem to make some pretty good head torches so expectations were high for the H7R.
This particular model is discontinued. The H7.2R seems to be its replacement.  This basically means that the H7.2 I reviewed is the non rechargeable new version of this. (If that makes sense). -  There is a huge difference in features between the two, it would be unfair to compare them. (Which I had originally intended to do.) So I will try my best not to compare if I can.
The package arrived at my door in good time. Shipped From the UK makes buying so much easier. It was well packaged and didn't show any signs of damage.
Inside the box was the H7R neatly packed inside a belt pouch.
Quite how the guys at the factory managed to stuff the head torch in there so neatly is beyond me. It's a nightmare to repack it!
Also inside the main box is a smaller box containing all the charging cables etc.
4x AAA led lenser rechargeables are stowed in the battery compartment. These are ready to go once you removed their outer plastic film.
The H7R featurs an aluminium focussing head, high strength plastic mount and a good quality elasticated head band. Nothing so far looks crap.
To change the focus you simply fell for the small protruding stump of metal just below the lens. A gentle movement left or right adjusts it. Easy to use with gloves on. Easier than the H7.2.
The pouch which comes in the box is nothing special. A cheap flimsy neoprene style thing which does it job of holding the headlamp but it offers little or no protection from accidental knocks. Not a deal breakage by any means 👍
Overall a nice neat little package.

The dimmer switch

Atop the battery pack lives the Dimmer switch handle. (You can't really see it in the picture below) It's basically a potentiometer with a 2" long plastic stick attached. This stick can be moved left to right to obviously increase or decrease the brightness. Once you set the level you want the head lamp will remember this setting after you turn it off etc.  This feature works really well and I love it!

Rubberised battery cover

You don't really want water getting into the battery compartment when you're traipsing about on a rainy night. 

On this model LENSER decided to use an all-rubber back plate to solve the waterproofing problem.

Acting like one big rubber o-ring this little rubber cover only manages a splashproof rating therefore this head lamp is not waterproof in the normal sense. No dips in the local pond for example!

Testing:

With the Dimmer mode set to its highest the flood beam is clear and bright with a good defined edge. Set the zoom to narrow and the spot is bright and without the shape of the LED. 

With the Dimmer set to its lowest position and we get a fire fly mode which provides just enough light to see what you are doing. Probably something like 5 lumens and impossible for my camera to pick it up. Really useful for campsite low light activities. 

The Dimmer feature on this headlamp is easy to use and very effective for fine tuning your lighting requirements. I imagine it would be easy to operate if you were wearing gloves. 

Dimming is the highlight of this product. (no pun intended!)

Overall then it's not the best headlamp out there but it's certainly not the worst! 

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5

Yes they are a discontinued product but for the price you can get these for now, it's silly not to.  A great option if you want a good quality Rechargeable headlamp.

Unbranded 3W Scuba Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta

Unbranded Scuba Torch - (LED LENSER D14 Frogman Clone)

Price: £1.50 free shipping
Manufacturer: Unknown most likely SkyWolfEye
Model: unknown
Power: 3W Cree Q3 diode
Power: 4x AA batteries
Focus Type: fixed
Modes: 1
Description: 80m Scuba Diving Torch - D14 Frogman clone
Vendor: seller via ebay
Shipped From: Hong Kong

First Impressions
I'm not normally known for being into scuba diving or the like, but I had wanted a fully Waterproof diving torch for sometime. The LED LENSER Frogman was the best choice for under £50 but I was in no mood to pay that much so I looked for an alternative.
These cheap versions were flying around ebay every few days so I though it was right to bid on one.
Arriving in a squished retail box it actually looked identical to the good old Frogman. The LED is different of course. Not quite the high end LENSER offering but a good quality Cree Q3 none-the-less.
The body of this torch is made from a very strong plastic material. I would have said polycarbonate but I would be deluded.  Feels thick enough to withstand some heavy impacts all the same. It's not likely to crack easily.
The business end is a one piece aluminium affair. quite sturdy with a chrome style finish. The reflector and Lens are also one piece exactly like the D14 Frogmam. At the tail of the torch we find a useful locking lanyard which can be adjusted to fit any wrist size. This type of lanyard is essential to prevent you losing the torch in the sea or something.
When it comes to fitting the batteries the complete head unit and led module need to come off.  Then 4x AA can be slid into place.  This is a straightforward affair involving the minimum of effort.

Switching this thing on is also really simple. Mounted up top is a swing switch which is designed to be activated quickly and easily underwater. Effectively you get two on positions, left or right from center. Handy if you are wearing gloves for instance.

Waterproofing is taken care of by means of a thick rubber o-ring which sits on main screw threads. Once the led head is screwed down this seal provides adequate protection when venturing underwater.
The LED Head consists of a watertight Lens/reflector piece followed by a sealed LED module. This little silver module is designed to be removed by the user for gaining access to the battery compartment. It can a be a little tricky to line up the contacts when refitting, but it's not a big deal.
The LED itself looks to be  genuine Cree Q3 although that is yet to be confirmed.
Overall, a sturdy built torch. No complaints

 Simple but effective 

 The LED Drop-in module is solidly made surprisingly

Heavy duty swing switch and rubber o-ring look promising

Plagiarism - Shenzen Style

This is an original LED LENSER D14 Frogman

It seems that most if not all of LED LENSERs product catalogue has been bootlegged. The D14 Frogman torch was bound to get copied, especially with the high price tag.  But at least with this unbranded version they don't pretend to be LED LENSER. They don't ask a stupidly high price for them expecting buyers to fall for it.  How much is a knock off worth anyway?
It is what it is....and it's cheap...no lies....just a blatant copy!

So as you can see, this cheap chinese Frogman clone is pretty good and looks identical to the original. The Counterfeiters haven't don't a bad job of it.
For a someone who doesn't do any serious diving and just wants a good waterproof torch then this clone is perfectly adequate for everyday stuff.

Testing:

The first test just had to be in the water so I filled the sink and threw it in. Unsurprisingly it was fully Waterproof and the seals held up well. This torch will float in water so if it happens to fall overboard it should be easy to retrieve again.
Testing the beam was quite interesting. As well as being quite bright the beam travels in a uniform fashion under the water. The best way to describe it is like a tube of light. Very visible.
Overall performance in water was better than expected. After testing the head was removed and checked for any breaches in the waterproofing. Nothing to report. Dry inside. Result!

Outside testing was pretty impressive. The beam is very bright and can be projected over a fair distance. It's fair to say that this torch is a good all rounder - it seems to work well under any conditions. I'm completely sold.

Rating: ✅✅✅✅ ✅5 out of 5
For £1.50 how could this not receive full marks. It works well in or out of water. The beam is strong and bright. It doesn't feel crap.
It's fully Waterproof (of course) and seems reliable and hard wearing.
Although this particular specimen won't be used for any sub marine activities it's nice to know that it will still work if it falls in the canal.  Worth the modest price tag for sure.

Ultrafire C8 XP-E Tactical Flashlight Review

Flashlight Fiesta

Ultrafire C8 XP-E Tactical Flashlight

Price: £3 winning bid free shipping
Manufacturer: Ultrafire
Model: C8
Power:  Cree XP-E Q5
Run By: 1x 18650 lithium
Focus Type: Fixed
Lens: Glass
Modes: 3
Vendor: Seller via ebay
Description: C8 Tactical Flashlight
Shipped From: Hong Kong

I think this is a genuine Ultrafire....you never can tell

First Impressions
I really liked look of this torch it I first saw it doing the rounds on ebay. Basically an Ultrafire WF-501 series with a larger LED Head on it. Fantastic.
The WF-501B series is a great Tactical so any improvement on this must be a good thing.
Securing a C8 for about £3 Inc shipping is probably about average. They don't seem to come up on auction as frequently as most of the other stuff but I managed to bag one in the end.
Arriving in true Shenzen style, my beautiful C8 was bandaged in a weak bubble wrap sleeve within a totally squashed white box. Haha as always!
No matter, the C8 was completely damage free following its trip around the world.
The C8 is made from strong aluminium with a semi- matt black Anodised finish . The head features a bright green rubber o-ring which not only protects the torch from water but is also supposedly glow in the dark. A nice feature and it looks nice too. This torch is identical to the WF-502B except for the larger head. The main body has the same dimensions and the same rubber o-rings. The tail cap has what looks like a Copper contact plunger and shares the same styling as the 502B . I dont think I will be having any problems with this bigger version in that case.
The quality control guy at this factory deserves a pay rise.

 Copper contact plunger and nicely machined threads

A deep set reflector and large head - Spot beam heaven

Testing
Although this torch does not have an XM-L chip inside it does have the next best thing in the form of an XP-E Q5.  The beam is bright and intense. The Lens architecture defines this torch as being a fixed spot beam type with a great throwing distance.
The projected beam itself consists of a bright spot in the center with over spill filling the remainder of the circle. This is not a bad thing. This faded light is quite useful when walking on a really dark night.  It opens up a wider area which your peripheral vision will thank you for.
The actual throw distance of this torch is OK, not eye-popping distances by any means. Definitely an improvement on the WF-50XB series - which in itself is a good torch.
I'm still Impressed with its performance none-the-less. A good investment.

 High Power Spot

Low Power Spot

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5

Another quality offering from Ultrafire. Does the job and doesn't cost a small fortune. I really like the C8. It looks good and feels good in the hand. Waterproof and rugged too. If you need something cheap for strapping to a gun or some other tactical purpose then this could be a cost effective solution?

I'm glad I ordered another 

Recommended product

Unbranded 3W LED Head Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta?

Spelunking Special

Unbranded 3W Head Torch

Price: £1 winning bid shipped
Manufacturer: Unknown
Model:
Power: ?? Some LED of undetermined power
Run By: 3x AAA
Focus Type: Zoom
Modes: 3  on/off/flash
Vendor: seller via ebay
Description: 3W LED Head torch
Shipped From: Hong Kong


First Impressions
An LED Head Torch for just £1 surely not? This is what I was thinking when I bid on this thing. I wasn't too struck on its appearance at first. - Sat there all plasticky with what looked like a camera mounted on the front!
Opening the envelope at first this head torch appeared to be a very cheap  looking contrivance. Very lightweight and lacking in solid construction.
Every single part on this device appears to be plastic, only the battery contacts and led circuitry seem to be made of metal.
A crude attempt at a head torch it would appear.

Compact and lightweight

Cheapy cheapy plastic is the order of the day here. The LED is strange looking but functional.
The head torch features a cheap zoom unit which is tricky to operate. This is down to having plastic rubbing against plastic with no lubricant etc.
The push power button on the top of the unit is cheap and nasty but seems to work every time.
Adjusting the angle of the torch is a simple affair.
The head strap is comfortable and easier to manage than most of the high end head torches. No messing about with adjustment buckles. Easy
Waterproofing could be a problem for this device as there doesn't appear to be any rubber seals on either the led head or battery pack - it would survive a few spots of rain.😏
Overall not bad for a proxy pound

No Cree LED here

Cheap battery cover, no rubber seal

Testing:

Well what a surprise! This tiny little head lamp works really well.  OK it's never going to compete with the likes of a Petzl or LENSER head torch - no chance! But it does work, it Does function, it does everything a head torch should do.

On Flood Beam the torch delivers a reasonable amount of light and spread over a reasonable area. Adjusting to spot and things don't seem so great. But nevermind. It would get you by. I'm sure you couldn't normally get a fully functional head torch for a quid (with free postage) it just beggars belief 

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5 "Best Budget Head Torch" 

Despite the cheap shite plastic construction this one pound wonder actually works.  It's no frills all the way but who cares really? Great to have one knocking about for quick use. Cheap enough to buy as stocking fillers for caving kids! lol

LE 12 led Ultra Violet Torch Review

Flashlight Fiesta

LE 12 LED Black Light UV Torch

Price: £1.10 winning bid free shipping
Manufacturer: LE
Model: 12 LED UV
Power: 12x UV LEDs @ 395nm
Run By: 3x AAA
Modes: 1
Focus Type: Fixed
Vendor: LE via ebay
Description: 12 LED Black Light Torch
What's in the box?: 1x torch, 3x AAA, Instructions

First Impressions
Arriving in a nicely packaged retail box, this latest LE torch promises to be another high quality-Low price ultra violet.
This is the bigger brother to the brilliant LE 9LED I reviewed last week.  Instead of 9 we now get 12 black light LED'S to play with.  And like it's little brother it comes with a free set of batteries. All good.
This particular LE offering is a slightly different design to the smaller one with a different style led head and logo placement. The rear tail cap and clicky are the same high quality.
Once again the construction of these LE torches defies the price at the checkout. Simple but rugged these are in my opinion the best brand in hand held (cheap) UV lights at the moment.

Good quality LED Head

Testing:
Although only operating at 395nm on the light spectrum, it can still detect the strange security flecks and marks on banknotes, show up crap on your walls and floors and generally look cool.
The spread of purple light is wide and intense. A shallow reflector means it doesn't throw light over a great distance but these type of lights are really only designed for close work.
In comparison to the LE 9 the spread is a little wider and a brighter with the extra 3 LEDs.
In terms of being waterproof, this torch survived a half hour dip in the water jug with absolutely no internal seal leakage. Dropping this into a sink full of washing up would not pose an problem!
Very good indeed

 Nice spread of light 

Yes Waterproof. 

Rating: ✅✅✅✅✅ 5 out of 5 "Best Budget UV Brand" - LE

Rugged, reliable, great quality and best of all CHEAP!   Another great product from LE 

Highly recommended product