LIGHT OF MY LIFE
FOR CAMPING AND CAR MAINTENANCE, CHECK OUT THE KICKASS RANGE OF RECHARGEABLE LED LIGHTING OPTIONS
THE humble camp torch has come a long way the past few years. We all remember the big, bulky and waterproof Dolphin torch, but if it started going flat we had to struggle with the dimming glow through the night. Today there are a huge range of torches on the market and one brand seems to have the spotlight shining on them (no pun intended). Kickass, a camping range from Australian Direct, has produced three beautiful and multifunctional LED torches.
RECHARGEABLE HEADLAMP
THIS little lightweight sucker is one of the best ones I have ever come across and is packed with a ton of features. Kickass has incorporated a rechargeable lithium battery inside for 12 hours of use time on its maximum setting. With two different lights – a powerful spot and floor beam – the LED is claimed to have an output of 200 lumens, with the two settings also dimmable by holding the control button down to achieve the desired mode. I found the spot extremely bright when on high (I could see nearly 200 metres away) and the floor beam had a great spread, perfect for walking around camp or down to the showers.
The headlamp has the standard comfortable adjustable strap (can adjust to 70cm – good for bigger heads and helmets), and a pivoting head to adjust the beam, with two C clips to maintain the angle you want, making it very stable. The C clips on the main unit can be popped out so you can use the lamp manually, such as working in a confined space, by using the magnetic end to stick to metal – but it’s easier just to hold the whole thing for this purpose.
The Kickass Lithium LED Head Torch is rechargeable from the supplied USB cord and has an IPX5 waterproof rating (which means it can stand dust and showers, and even water spray for up to 10 minutes).
LED TORCH POWER BANK RECHARGEABLE
KICKASS also has two other serious tubelike torches: the 1300MAH LED Power Bank and the 3900MAH LED Power Bank. Both have similar features such as lithium batteries, are rechargeable via the supplied USB cord, and the internal battery can be used as a power bank. Also common to the two lights are six different touch-functioning light colours with four different modes (low, medium, high and torch). There are built-in magnets around both ends of the torches, an emergency glass hammer design, a waterproof IP68 rating, and an alloy body with ABS resin and silicon surrounding the PC transparent tube.
The larger torch (around 290mm long) comes with a 3900mah lithium battery, which gives you around 40 hours of soft light when fully charged, 22 hours of solid torch light and 13 hours when the mosquitorepelling setting is turned on. Using the battery as a power bank provides 5V 2amp, which is ample to get charge back in to a phone or something similar.
The smaller torch at just 164mm long has a smaller 1300mah lithium battery for shorter brightness times. The torch will only last eight hours at solid light, while soft light bumps that out to 30 hours. The mosquitorepelling yellow light will last eight hours, which is ample around camp.
HOW DO THEY RATE?
THE LED Head Torch is definitely one of the best I have ever tried; it’s a solid and lightweight unit throwing great lumens around camp. As always, bigger is better with LED torch lights, with the 3900 punching out some serious light. The addition of the magnets is great for sticking the torch to the side of the camper or car, for subdued light while cooking or night work. The smaller 1300 is the perfect size for the glovebox and to be used as emergency lighting. They both fit in your hand, with the controls at one end to flick through the settings and a simple one-button press to turn the whole thing off.