*** VERY IMPORTANT!!!*** As of 07-06-07, the Lightwave company is no longer manufacturing flashlights!!
The Lightwave 2100 is the next step up from the very popular Lightwave 2000. It has 4 bright LEDs and all the physical characteristics of the Lightwave 3000 and 4000, yet retains a small and compact size that's easy to store and use.
This light uses "AA" cells and features a real pushbutton switch on the barrel. (Well, on the head, but it works the same way).
Size
This light uses 3 common "AA" alkaline batteries, which you'll need to supply yourself.
Put some batteries in (see below) and you're ready to roll. Press the rubberized button on the head to turn the light on; press it again to turn it off. It just doesn't get much easier than this.
To install batteries, just unscrew the head until it comes off, and slip 3 new alkaline AA cells in, button-end facing up.
Screw the head back on until it's snug (don't overtighten), and that's that.
Battery life isn't explicitly stated, and is currently being tested (as of 12:30am on 09-20) using a charting DMM and the lab computer.
Testing started 09-20-02 and ended 09-25-02. Light has fallen into a stable "moon mode" and will probably continue to glow for many more days at its current level, which is bright enough to read by or navigate a fully dark house by.
Each vertical line on the graph represents 1 hour. Sorry, the software does not allow the increment to be adjusted, so really long running tests will produce graphs with closely spaced intervals.
Like its bigger brothers, the Lightwave 2100 appears to have been very ruggedly built. Try to break one of these, and you might give out before the flashlight does. The body is made of a thick black plastic; probably ABS, which is then coated with real rubber.
Even when empty, the flashlight has a beefy, solid feel to it; more so than the original Lightwave 2000.
When the 2100 was thrown about 6' in the air in my hallway, it smacked the bare floor with a clattering noise, slid all the way down the hall, and smacked into the bottom of the door. There isn't a scratch on it. The only damage I've been able to do wasn't done by me - it was done by my pet rats. One them them left a barely noticeable slice in the rubber at the very tail end, and that was it.
With the thick plastic and rubber cushioning, this may well be one of the best AA sized plastic flashlights money can buy.
The Lightwave 2100 has a comfortable, "flashlight-like" feel in the hands, and the rubber coating gives you a grip on things even when it's nasty outside.
The switch has a very slight click to it, which cannot be felt when wearing gloves. But the light is so bright, you'll KNOW when it's on regardless
of your situation. :-O
The Lightwave 2100 comes with a wrist lanyard which you can affix to an eyelet on the tailpiece. The spring clip was easy to install, and the lanyard is more than long enough to go all the way around the front of the flashlight so you can hang it from a pipe or a tree branch. The strap is thick enough for this size of light, so I don't have any real complaints here. Some people prefer their lanyards to have a slide lock on them, but I didn't really find that necessary with a light with the size and weight of the 2100.
Soft white beam on the target. From 12" distance.
Measures exactly 57,000mcd on new batteries.
Spectrometer plot of the LEDs in this flashlight. Ocean Optics USB2000 Spectrometer on loan from TWO-CUBED.
TEST NOTES:
Light was provided by Chris Moen of Lightwave, and was received approximately five days ago (today is 09-20-02).
UPDATE: 00-00-00
PROS:
Durable and well-made.
Comfortable to use and hold.
Brightness comparable to other 4-LED barrel-style flashlights.
What slight battery rattle there is is muffled by the rubber covering.
Long battery life for an AA cell light.
Improved lanyard makes it easier to handle and hang.
CONS:
Not regulated.
MANUFACTURER: Lightwave Industries
PRODUCT TYPE: Small sized handheld flashlight
LAMP TYPE: LED, White, 5mm
No. OF LAMPS: 4
BEAM TYPE: Central hotspot with soft fall off
SWITCH TYPE: Pushbutton on/off
BEZEL: Textured bezel, no lens
BATTERY: 3 AA cells
CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Not yet measured
WATER RESISTANT: Yes, weather resistance is stated
SUBMERSIBLE: Not yet tested
ACCESSORIES: Generous wrist lanyard
WARRANTY: 3 years, including LEDs
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