EPOCH 4

Epoch 4, retail $30.00 (www.golight.com)
Manufactured by GOLIGHT, Inc. (www.golight.com)
BUY IT AT THELEDLIGHT.COM
Last updated: 08-25-06




The Epoch 4 looks like a... well... a women's sex toy... so attach the included lanyard quick, and hide it in your purse, briefcase, or pocket. But if you don't mind the rather "phallic" shape, then put the included batteries in it and start using it right away. :-)

All joking aside, the Epoch 4 is a black and gray plastic flashlight that has 4 white LEDs on one end and a small opening for the included lanyard at the other. The light feels nice in the hand, but it isn't quite as bright as I expected from a two CR123A cell flashlight (see below).


SIZE:



To use the Epoch 4, slit it out of its package by using scissors, a knife, or razor blade. Install the batteries (see below) and if you want, install the lanyard in the hole for it in the tailcap.

To turn the Epoch 4 on, twist the head clockwise (tighten) until it clicks. To turn it off, unscrew the head until it clicks into the "off" position. The click is more of a tactile sensation that you can feel, rather than a click that you can hear.



When the batteries need changing ("25+ hours" according to the package), unscrew & remove the head, and set it aside. Dump the two dead batteries in the nearest garbage can, or in the dead battery box if your community has a battery reclamation program.
Insert two CR123A lithium cells into the flashlight body, positive (+) button-end first. This is opposite of how you put the batteries in most flashlights, so pay attention to this.
Screw the head back on until the Epoch 4 comes on, then back it off until it clicks off.

Flashlights don't get too much easier than this; though the "backwards" battery installation can throw you off if you aren't watching what you're doing.



The Epoch 4 looks tough, and should withstand most common flashlight accidents with impunity. I dropped this one on the floor a few times, and whacked it against a steel rod a few times. There was no damage visible on the outside (nothing that wouldn't wipe off), but I did come across an "intermittent" contact in the switch area during & after the punishment. This was fixed by unscrewing & then replacing the head, so maybe a tiny bit of plastic from the threads or the flashlight head fell onto the switch contacts. Might have happened to anyone who whacked the flashlight against a steel rod a few times.

There is a rubbery material on the barrel that gives the Epoch 4 a firm, grippy feel in the hand. The flashlight is also ribbed, so it can probably be held & used in gloved hands too.

I found the Epoch 4 to be a little dimmer than I expected for a 4-LED 2-CR123A light, but certainly not so dim I wanted to slam it in a toilet or throw it at one of those wall-mounted porcelain urinators you often find in men's bathrooms.

A quick comparison showed it produces a wider and brighter beam than an Arc-AAA Premium. It was brighter and narrower than the 3-LED section of a SureFire A2 - a light I haven't reviewed yet.

So the Epoch 4 isn't a horrible, awful light. Don't get me wrong here - I think it ought to be brighter, but there are some much dimmer, awful, terrible flashlights being made.



Beam photo at 12" from target.
Measured 33,700mcd (33.7 candelas) on an LM631 light meter.

While this is dimmer than expected for a 2x CR123A light,
it's plenty bright enough to use for most small flashlight jobs.


Spectrographic plot
Spectrometer plot of the LED in this flashlight.
Ocean Optics USB2000 Spectrometer on loan from TWO-CUBED.



TEST NOTES:
Sample of the Epoch 4 was sent in November 2002 by The LED Light while I was in a hospital. I apologise for its very late appearance on my website.

One of the websites selling the Epoch 4 claims it outputs 14,000,000mcd (14,000 candlepower); what a bunch of horse puckey.

Horse puckey!!!
Horse puckey!!!!!!
HORSE PUCKEY!!!!!!!!!


UPDATE: 00-00-00



PROS:
Feels good in the hand
Easy, one-hand operation
Very splash-resistant
Price is decent for a 4-LED 2-CR123A light
Lifetime warranty is a nice thing


CONS:
Went out when sharply hit in the head
Looks like a woman's "bedroom" toy
Dimmer than it could be
Brightness misrepresented on website


    MANUFACTURER: GOLIGHT, Inc.
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 4
    BEAM TYPE: Round, with soft fall-off past hotspot
    SWITCH TYPE: Twist bezel on/off
    BEZEL: LEDs inset into individual cells
    BATTERY: 2x CR123A lithium photo cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Not able to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: Not known
    ACCESSORIES: Two CR123A cells, long lanyard
    WARRANTY: Limited lifetime

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating









Epoch 4 * WWW.GOLIGHT.COM






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