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| Krill lamp |
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| Written by Tony Bristow | |
 One of the best uses for the chemical lightsticks are as signals and markers, and the Krill lamps compare admirably in this role.
We have been reviewing some krill electronic lightsticks for a couple of weeks. The two we got hold of were the 180º long life and the 360º Xtreme. The krill lamps have been designed as the replacement for chemical lights and they seem to fill this role very well. The high intensity light from the Xtreme lasts for about 50 hours and the lower intensity long life light lasts for about 120 hours. Both of them run on two AA batteries which is good as AA’s are available throughout much of the world. The lamps we had were both green which is the brightest colour. The other colours available are blue; white; yellow; orange; and red. They all weigh about 80grams including the batteries. The light is very diffused and low, but this is the beauty of it. Reading is possible if the lamp is held within about 9” from the page (the long life) and about 20” away for the Xtreme. The glow of the lamp is enough to illuminate (to a low level) the area inside a tent. It will allow you to find what you are looking for and have a chat with the other occupants, if you so desire. If you have experienced the chemical light stick then they can be quite safely compared when it comes to light output. One of the best uses for the chemical lightsticks are as signals and markers, and the Krill lamps compare admirably in this role. Except for one thing. For signalling and emergency use the chemical lightsticks are often tied to a piece of cord and swung around in a circle, which creates a wide circle of light visible from miles away. When we did this with the Krill lamps they went out. We figure that this is because the centrifugal force on the batteries forces them to compress the spring holding them in place and thus loose contact with the point at the + end inside the lamp. In every other test it worked really well so it is up to you if it is a big deal or not. There is a place for both the 180º and 360º lamps. The 180º allows you to use it for reading etc without the glare in your face that the 360º generates. On the other hand the 360º is great for hanging in a tent or shelter. I found it especially useful to hang it in a prominent place near my shelter so that I could find my way back at night after going for a wander, there have been a few times that my shelter has blended in a bit too well! One thing I like about the chemical lights is that I thought they were quite tough. We had to return the samples we tested so it was not possible to test them to the limit, but I am quite confident that they will stand up to anything they are going to meet in the wilderness. They are waterproof to 150 feet (50m) which means they are totally weatherproof. In my view the main advantage of the krill lamp over the chemical lights is that it can be turned on and off and they do last a very long time which makes them much more economical at £19.99 (green) than the chemical lights that last a fraction of the time. Conclusion If you would ever consider buying a chemical lightstick or even a candle lantern think twice because the Krill lamp may be a very good alternative. Quality 8/10 Suitability 8/10 Usability 8/10 Value 8/10 (RRP £19.99 360º & £22.99 180º) Total 8/10 Provided by traser UK Comments
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