FLIKLITE

Fliklite, retail £39.95 ($78.94)* (www.fliklite.co.uk/)
Manufactured by Special EFX Ltd (www.efx.co.uk/)
Last updated 01-20-04

* IMPORTANT: Pricing is accurate as of 01-19-07. Please visit the Currency Calculator for the latest currency conversion rates from British pounds to US dollars.





A fan of the website sent me a Fliklite; since I saw it on another website already, I already knew how to work it. Thuh companie thayt maaks itt kan't spel "flick" or "light", but I think it's still an innovative and unique product. The Fliklite comes in an aluminum presentation case, and fits into a cutout for it in a dense foam inner liner; it also includes the three N cells it feeds from.

The Fliklite is a UK-made flashlight ("torch") that has four blazing bright white LEDs on the end, and features a very unique switching mechanism. Instead of twisting something or pushing a button somewhere, you grasp the light like an oral (medical) mercury thermometer and "flick" it downwards to turn it on. The entire switching mechanism is inside the flashlight, with nothing on the outside to screw with. It is exceptionally beefy and sturdy; a drop to the driveway or garage floor should not do it in, so you shouldn't have to feed it to the hungry, hungry garbage can after such an accident.


SIZE



To use your Fliklite, first be sure there are batteries in it (see below). Grasp the flashlight by the barrel near the tail end, and "flick" it downward, as you might with one of those mercury thermometers you probably have in the medicine chest. The Fliklite has a switch inside that turns on with the force you give it by flicking and by your forward arm motion.

You may need to practise this motion for a short time before you get used to it, but you should pick up on it quite readily.

To turn the light off, grasp it by the barrel near the head (so the flashlight is upright with the LEDs aimed skyward), and tap the tail in the palm of your free hand. If that hand has something in it, tap the base of the Fliklite on the upper part of your leg instead (yup, I just tried that; and yup, it works).



To change the batteries in your Fliklite, unscrew and remove the head, and throw it away...O WAIT!!! YOU'LL NEED THAT!!! So just set it aside instead. ;-)
Tip the three dead cells out of the barrel, and dispose of or recycle them as you see fit. Insert three new N cells in the barrel, button (+) side facing upward. Screw the head back on (aren't you glad you didn't throw that out now?) and be done with it.
The Fliklite may turn itself on when you have the head screwed all the way on, so just hold the head and tap the tail on your leg or hand or something to turn it off if it does come on.

It comes with three "DPower" alkaline N cells.

They claim to get 10 hours to half brightness, and 50 hours of light on a set of cells...I don't know what their definition of "dead batteries" is though, so I'll have to run it through my computerised battery destroying satanic robot death machine and see what kind of battery life I really get.




I usually don't show a flashlight under the wheels of a 400lb electric wheelchair, and certainly not first in this section...but I think this light can take this punishment with impunity, so here's the picture. :-)

The Fliklite is exceptionally durable. It is made from a bar of solid aluminum, the walls of the barrel (battery compartment) are exceptionally thick (at least 5mm or 6mm thick, as I measured), and I highly doubt you'll be able to break it even if you tried. Unless you tried to gouge out the LEDs with a knife or something, and then maybe you will break your Fliklite. But I don't think the average user is going to try and do that. Not with what these things cost, anyway. :-/

The Fliklite has what I believe to be a black Type II anodized finish, however I don't know this for certain and I could be wrong here. There are some very, very fine ridges in the head, body, and tail of this flashlight. See the Aitec Collimator flashlight page for an example of this (there's a 90x photomicrograph about a quarter of the way down the page of the very, very fine ridges).

The beam produced by the Fliklite is characteristic of the beams produced by other 4-LED white LED flashlights, and consists of a bluish-white central area (hotspot), surrounded by a white area, in turn surrounded by a dimmer white corona. This is a perfectly normal beam for a white LED flashlight, and does not in any way indicate a problem with the Fliklite.

The problem with my Fliklite is that it's exceptionally difficult to "flick" on. I'm not sure if this sample is defective, or if it's supposed to be this way and I'm not flicking it correctly. I guess that's something I won't find out on the very first day. :-/



Beam photo at ~12".
Measures 53,600mcd on a Meterman LM631 light meter.



TEST NOTES:
Test unit was sent by a fan of the website (G.M. of Florida - thank you!!!) !!!
It was received on 01-15-04. He does not have any affiliation whatsoever to the Fliklite people, and neither do I. Test unit was claimed to be "defective" by the person who sent it; however I do not know if it's actually defective or if it's just supposed to be this way.

Here's an excerpt from the letter he sent with the Fliklite:

I can't turn it on when I want to and sometimes the LED's turn on and then go dim. I don't see why anyone would want a light that may turn on or off whenever it is jarred in a particular way; kind of like Russian illumination. This light could be destined for the toilet bowl.

I don't think the light will get a Toylet Bowl rating, but it probably won't get a perfect 5-star rating either.


UPDATE: 01-16-04
I tried the ''fix'' (page is for the Fliklite LS:1, but the inside of the head is the same) that is described on Chris M's Torch Reviews Site, that involves taking the head off, and very carefully pushing in on a small rubber bung on the inside of the head with a ballpoint pen, and so far (after four attempts) have not been able to fix my light. My wrist is all sore from yesterday, so I'd better let it heal up before I start flicking the Fliklite again. :-/


UPDATE: 01-19-04
My wrist is in better shape now, so I can start flicking the Fliklite again. :-)
So I picked the light off the desk in front of me, and it took 6 or 7 good flicks to get the light to turn on. I tried it again, and it took 25 vigorous flicks to make the light come on. No wonder my wrist was sore the other day. :-/
I tried the "fix" described on Chris M.'s website again (5th time, I believe), and the Fliklite came on with "only" six vigorous flicks. Let's try that fix again and see what happens...BRB...ok, that's better yet. One flick, one flick, four flicks...9 flicks. :-(
Let's try that fix yet again...BRB...7 flicks now.
Let's try that fix one last time for tonight...BRB...one flick, one flick, 33 flicks (alternated hands this time), and it's still dark. I give up. :-(
I got the Fliklite to turn on by smacking the flashlight headfirst into my upper leg several times, so I know for certain I didn't break it.


UPDATE: 01-20-04
It would appear that my Fliklite really is defective. I heard from the light's inventor this morning that my sample appears to be too difficult to turn on, and that a replacement will be mailed shortly. So that much coveted {cough, sputter, sound of a wall urinator flushing} rating of "0 Stars - Piss On It!" will indeed not be given to the Fliklite after all. ;-)

I'll update this page and review the new sample when I have it. Guess that's about it for today, folks!


PROS:
Virtually indestructible casing
Very sturdy and substantial feeling in the hand
Very nice brightness for a 4-banger
Stands on its tail for ceiling illumination unassisted


CONS:
Switching mechanism does take some getting used to
Looks kind of like a woman's kegal excersizor.
May take a few or more "flicks" to get it to come on - your results may vary (see 01-20-04 update)


    MANUFACTURER: Special EFX Ltd
    PRODUCT TYPE: Handheld flashlight
    LAMP TYPE: 5mm white LED
    No. OF LAMPS: 4
    BEAM TYPE: Soft spot w/ wide corona
    SWITCH TYPE: Internal gravity "flik" switch
    BEZEL: LEDs recessed in head
    BATTERY: 3 ea. N cells
    CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
    WATER RESISTANT: Yes
    SUBMERSIBLE: Yes, to 30 meters (approx. 90 feet)
    ACCESSORIES: Batteries, aluminum presentation case
    WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated

    PRODUCT RATING:

    Star Rating





Fliklite * (www.fliklite.co.uk/)






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