Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Pros: Good build quality, easy on/off switch, ergonomic
Cons: Not that bright, REALLY difficult to change the bulb
I really like this lantern. I picked it up for $4 at my local H*M* D*P*T to use as an emergency light in my car. This is an especially good dealconsidering that it comes with a 6V battery (Eveready Super Heavy Duty--okay, I know heavy duty batteries are crappy; but from what I understand 6-volt super heavy duties are much better than their heavy-duty counterparts in the AA-D range). It's also surprisingly well-built. I like the feel of the on/off switch--easy and comfortable to use, but at the same time I haven't once inadvertently switched it on or off (even when resting my thumb on it). The plastic feels durable and the plastic bezel that holds the lens connects up well with the body of the light, which makes it seem like it will hold up well against inclement weather (and perhaps even an adventure in the lake when it falls off the boat). The size of the lantern overall is just about right--I can see using this lantern for any amount of time without it getting too heavy or unwieldy, but I don't think a gust of wind will knock it out of my grasp either.
Okay, now for the bad. It comes with a relatively weak PR-13 bulb that just doesn't shine very brightly. For $4, though, it's certainly adequate light; and for most people it should be sufficient for changing a tire in the dark (although I wouldn't try to read by it for an extended period of time). Of course, it's always good to have a spare bulb or two for such emergencies, so I decided to check and see how easy it would be to replace the bulb (there is no indication of how to do this on the sparse packaging). It was easy enough to get the plastic bezel and lens off to expose the reflector, which also popped right out of the body with no problem. However, to my chagrin the bulb seemed to be permanently attached to the reflector with no way to remove it. I couldn't understand how that could be, considering that the battery was obviously replaceable--so I called Energizer (Eveready's parent company) to see if they could enlighten me. The CSR told me that the bulb can indeed be replaced by removing the black plastic stub that fits into the underside of the reflector. I had already tried pulling it out, but gave it another shot with a little more force this time. Try as I might, twenty minutes later I still couldn't even budge the thing. After using a rag, latex gloves, and one of those rubber jar openers, I was finally able to get the stub out by using a pair of needlenose pliers to very gently pry it out a little at a time (I recommend going by quarter turns and prying just enough until you feel it start to budge, then go another 90 degrees--see my customer images). Now that I had it out, I figured it would be silly not to put in a more powerful bulb--so I popped in a Krypton KPR113 ($2 for a pair at Wally World) and I think the brightness of the lantern roughly doubled. It's a little hard to tell in pictures taken in the dark, but you can check out my customer images and judge for yourself. I assume that stepping up from 0.5A to 0.75A will shorten the runtime by a few hours, but lantern batteries are still pretty cheap and I'd rather have the power in an emergency when I need it.
BOTTOM LINE: What was a good lantern is now a great lantern--cheap, well-built, easy to carry and use, and now quite bright.
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Product Description:
Shatterproof lens with a contemporary design and durable case which floats. Push button switch. Classic 6V battery included.
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