Blackburn System X8 Rechargeable Luxeon Bike Light System Review

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(More customer reviews)After a week of using the Blackburn X8 for commuting 11.5 miles each way to/from work, I can honestly say that it is the brightest light system that I have used.Previously I was using a Light and Motion single lamp system which was great, but on darkened paths and roads, it was too focused and wouldn't project far enough ahead for the speed I wanted to ride.The Blackburn X8 dual system's spot lamp throws a nice bright light quite a bit farther up the road, and the flood lamp is great for illuminating the sides of the path/lane.I also like having the flashing feature on each lamp, because once I get into traffic I switch the flood to blinking to alert drivers.The system charges quickly and I can keep it plugged in without fear of overcharging. The switches are easy to use, and have a nice tactile click when pressed.

The design of the system leaves much to be desired, however. My first gripe is that I initially was intending to mount one lamp on my bars and one on my helmet, but that is not possible because of the cord design.And because only one helmet mount is supplied, the only way to use the two lamps at the same time is to mount them both close together on the bars. Not bad, but information available from retailers made me expect more flexibility when deciding where to mount the lamps.My second gripe is that if you mount the battery to the bike frame, you need to remove it in order to charge it.The charging receptacle inaccessible when it is frame mounted, and removing it and remounting it quickly became a pain in the butt.I finally resorted to putting the battery in a cut down water bottle and keeping it in the cage, but it would have been simple to make the charging receptacle accessible while still mounted to the frame. Thirdly, the design of the bar mounts cause inteference with the cable housing.I needed to remove the bar tape and reposition the housing so I could get the mounts positioned right.Finally, the overall cosmetics seems to be aimed at the younger, "armored gear" crowd with its fins, hoods and facets.I much prefer the simple elegant design of the L&M system.

Now that I have worked through the issues and am used to the quirks of the X8 system, I like it, and I am glad I made the switch.Performance is top shelf.However, I hope Blackburn considers a minor re-design of the battery pack and handlebar mounts to cure the issues that I described.Then perhaps the design would match the performance.

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Product Description:
Lighter, smaller, and just as powerful-our System X lights have evolved. They still pack state-of-the-art Luxeon emitters for incredible light output and long runtimes, which when combined with our Constant Current Technology and unique-to-Blackburn heat management, allows for more light output and less dimming than the competition. The evolution lies in new Li-lon battery designs that are 45% smaller and 30% lighter than the previous design. Even the lamp heads have been tweaked for a 30% savings.

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Milwaukee MLW49-24-0185 V28 Lithium-Ion Work Light Review

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(More customer reviews)I use to own a Makita flashlight that used rechargeable batteries, and after that experience, I stayed far away from them. The charge was only good for quick uses... never anything substantial. For years afterwards I use a Maglite whenever I needed a flashlight, but would go through batteries way too often, which became an expensive option. After purchasing a Milwaukee V28 drill, I decided to get the V28 flashlight to go with it. Within three days of getting it, I ended up working on a plumbing problem and spent over three hours under a house at night. After that, I'm convinced the V28 flashlight is the best flashlight ever made. It's VERY bright, and being able to adjust the position of the beam using the pivoting head is a fantastically useful feature. Another feature that I didn't see mentioned is the ability to adjust the 'spread' of the beam like on Maglite flashlights... extremely useful. After three hours, the power didn't even begin to fade.

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Product Description:
Using a powerful V28 Lithium-Ion battery pack, this heavy-duty Milwaukee Work Light provides over 5 hours of run-time on a single charge. The faceted reflector offers a bright uniform beam and the light head pivots 140 degrees. The work light features a comfortable non-slip grip surface and a recessed on/off switch to prevent accidental shut off. With an easy-to-use Clip-Lok System, this work light can conveniently clip to your belt for hands-free transportation. This product is backed by a limited 5-year warranty.

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Mitycross 400 Review

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(More customer reviews)I have owned a Cygolite MityCross 350 headlight for 18 months now, and was initially not too excited about the MityCross 400, with nearly identical specs other than a 50 lumen increase.
However, I saw a difference...the new OSP (On-Site Programmable) feature, supposedly allowing settings to be modified.I found a great price on this light, and decided to try out this feature, and see what else was new.

Here are my initial observations on the changes from the 350 to the 400, in detail:
++ Beam pattern is slightly wider to the sides, with less blue color, and is brighter (slightly different optics/LEDs as well)
++ OSP setting allows programming of Medium, Low, Daylight Flash, and Walking modes (more detail below)
+ Entering flash mode is signalled by a dimming of the light while the power button is held (on the 350, there is no indication of how long to hold down the button to enter flash mode)
+ Exiting High/Medium/Low brightness is accompanied by a gradual transition to off
+ Demo mode (accessed by holding down the power button while plugging in the battery) can now be used to change the OSP settings
- The charger has changed to a wall adapter, rather than an in-line adapter (power brick)
= Aside from these changes, the battery, housing, connectors, and mounting hardware are kept the same

OSP Breakdown
Four of the six modes can be changed.The Medium, Low, and Walking modes can have the brightness set to virtually anything the LEDs are capable of (from ~20 to ~350 lumens by my estimate).This will obviously affect battery life greatly.(A quirk is that the Low setting can be made brighter than the Medium setting)
The Daylight Flash settings are different than the previous three; the rate between each set of flashes can be changed from the default 0.6s to between 0.3s-2.2s.By comparison, the MityCross 350 has a pause of 1.0s between each set of three flashes.
In my opinion, the ability to decrease this delay to 0.3s is the most important upgrade to the MityCross, as the 350 flash felt too slow at 1s (nevertheless, it is very useful and powerful).
As per the instructions, an extremely helpful video on how to use OSP is available at cygolite.com / tutorial.

Conclusion: The MityCross 400 not a major upgrade from the 350, as even the improved flash mode and OSP probably cannot compete with the Cygolite MiLion and Expilion flash modes.
However, this is the true multipurpose light, having enough power to light roads and trails during high speed riding, or putting out a very powerful strobe in the same package.My recommendation is to go with the MityCross 320 if you are interested in the OSP feature (it is priced 40-50 lower than the MityCross 400, and there are great deals if you look around).

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Product Description:
FEATURES: High-Brightness LED Technology?Dual H.B. LEDs provide maximum brightness at minimum size?400 lumen LED output?H.B. LED durability eliminates bulb replacement?High efficiency for longer run times?Beam color resembles daylight3 Brightness Levels / 3 Special Modes?High - Medium -Low / Daylight Flash - Walking - S.O.SOSP (On-Site Programmable) TECHNOLOGY NEW!?Program your preferred brightness settings directly to the light with the push of the button?Customize your flash speeds to optimize visibilityExclusive CrossFire Technology ?Dual H.B. LEDs crossed for deeper, wider beam dispersionAluminum Alloy Headlight ?Aluminum provides high strength and low weight?Headlight weighs a mere 80 grams?Protective seals make headlight weather tight in all riding conditionsHeadlight integrated Indicators?Illuminated display indicates which light setting is in use?Battery Indicator displays 3 levels of remaining power Control Button?Conveniently located on top of light for easy access andvisibility at all timesRechargeable Li-Ion Battery?Ultra-thin high capacityLi-Ion battery?Weighs a mere 140 grams?Easily mounts to bike stem or helmetSmart Rapid Charger?Dual Color charging status indicator eliminates charge time guesswork?Smart charging ensures longer battery life?Compatible with 100 to 240 volts, for use worldwideMounting Options?Quick release handlebar mount (fits 25.4 - 31.8mm handlebars)?Quick release helmet mount w/ extension cordFor Greener Environment?Single rechargeable battery pack saves the environment from hundreds of disposable batteries perfectLED Output (Lumens) 400 Lighting Modes HighMediumLowDaylight FlashWalkingSOS High-BrightnessRun Time 3.5 hours Low-BrightnessRun Time 12 hoursSystem Weight 240 gCharge Time 4 hoursHandlebar Mount Yes Helmet Mount Kit Yes

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CygoLite MityCross 350 LED Dual LED Bike Light with Stem-Mount Li-Ion Battery Review

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(More customer reviews)After researching various lights suitable for nighttime road use, I purchased the MityCross because of its light weight, bright beam, and lithium-ion battery (for cold weather and fast charging).I have had this light mounted on my handlebars for about 3 months now, and this is a huge step up from my previous 1W LED light.

The light is well constructed, using a thick handlebar mount, and a durable metal housing around the light, and the battery has a thick Velcro strap to attach it to the front stem.The size is astounding; the light is slightly larger than a golf ball, while the battery is about the size of an iPhone folded lengthwise.The light also comes with a helmet mount, which costs extra on many other light systems.The charger can be used in 110V or 220V outlets, which is a plus if you go overseas, and is very fast compared to NiMH chargers.

There are 6 modes, which are separately grouped into (high, medium, low) and (flashing, walking, SOS).Simply pressing the power button will start the light in high mode, with repeated presses cycling through medium, low, then high again and so on.The light can be started in flashing mode by holding down the power button for a few seconds and releasing, when the light is off, and can be cycled to walking and SOS, then back to flashing by pressing the button.There is also a three-LED battery gauge which "blinks" more slowly as the battery is drained.

Rated battery life for each mode: High=3.5hrs, Medium=5hrs, Low=17hrs,Flashing=50hrs, Walking=100hrs, SOS=100hrs.

The beam pattern is rather wide (compared to cheap LED lights), which is optimal for mountain biking.I would have preferred a more narrow and brighter beam for road use, but it does light up the pavement 100-200 feet in front as well as signs from thousands of feet away!
I prefer to use the "medium" setting at night, as it is rated for 5 hours, which means I only have to charge it once a week, and it still puts out a ton of light.In the daytime, I usually go with one of the two strobe options that are available for visibility.

I have not had any issues with this light while riding in rain or snow (not waterproof see UPDATE1), or when it was -10F outside.The light and battery are well sealed.

The only weirdness with this light is that it will automatically turn on in high mode when you plug in the battery, so you have to remember to turn it off.Otherwise, the light will stay on until the battery is drained.Also, when the battery is almost dead, the light will begin to flash on and off uncontrollably, which was not documented in the instructions.

Overall, this light is a terrific value in its class, if you are doing nighttime on or off road riding often, consider this light as it is a high-quality product that should last for many years.

UPDATE1: After three months of use, I have found that water can seep into the light through the button on top, which was causing the light to function sporadically.The light is completely sealed by rubber gaskets except for along the button and at the battery plug.I pulled out the button for a day, let the headlight dry, and now it works fine again, so I have put a large piece of clear packaging tape across the button so that water cannot get in through there.

UPDATE2: After nine months, the battery would no longer charge (the LED light on the charger was orange, a mix of red and green alternating rapidly).Fortunately, Cygolite allowed me to return the light system for repair and replaced the battery free under the one-year warranty (sent it in on a Friday and got it back the next Tuesday).The new battery looks the same except for having a different logo, so maybe it's better.I was very pleased with their excellent customer support, and will buy more of their products in the future.

UPDATE3: Announced August 1st 2010, Cygolite will be offering the Mitycross 400 and 320 for the 2011 year (price TBD), which I suspect will replace the respective Mitycross 350 and 300 models very soon.They will offer the same 3.5/17 hours high/low battery life, and have the same 240g system weight.

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Product Description:
Incredibly small and impressively bright, the MityCross 350 LED bike light is an ideal choice for avid road and mountain bikers. The MityCross 350 boasts two third-generation, high-brightness LED lights, which combine to illuminate any road or trail without weighing you down. No more illuminating just a few narrow feet in front of you, or squinting to make out objects to your side. The light is also extremely versatile, with three brightness modes--high, medium, and low--and three flashing modes, including regular, walking, and SOS.

The MityCross 350 includes a helmet mount in addition to a standard handlebar mount. And riders will love the light's Cross-Fire technology, which crosses the highly focused beams to double the viewing area. Other details include a quick-release handlebar mount, a helmet mount, a lightweight aluminum alloy casing, a compact lithium-ion stem-mount battery, a three-stage battery level indicator, and a four-hour Rapid Smart charger.
Specifications:

LED output: 350 lumens
Bicycle/special lighting modes: 3/3
Light type: 3rd-generation high-brightness LED
Battery type: Rechargeable lithium-ion
Battery level indicator: Yes, 3 stage
Battery charging time: 4 hours
Handlebar size: 25.4 to 31.8 mm
Run time: 3.5 hours (high setting); 17 hours (low setting)
Weight: 0.53 pounds

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Makita BML185 18-Volt LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Flashlight Review

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(More customer reviews)Makita makes 2 different sets of Lithium-Ion tools.The 3.0 amp hour tools (LXT) and the 1.5 amp hour tools (compact).The LXT tools do not work with the "compact" batteries.This can be fixed easily though.The 3.0 amp hour batteries and the 1.5 amp hour batteries both give the same power.There are simply twice as many cells in the 3.0 battery than there is in the 1.5 battery which means that the 3.0 battery will last twice as long.Makita did some market research when they were going to first introduce the 1.5 batteries and found that if a customer put the 1.5 battery on the LXT tools, they tended to say that the tools themselves were no good because of the battery life when in fact it was the fault of the smaller battery.What they did is put a square of plastic on the LXT tools (where the battery slides on) to prevent the smaller battery to fit in the tool.That square does not exist on the 1.5 amp hour tools so the 1.5 amp hour tools will actually take both types of batteries.It is actually very easy to punch out that square of plastic and then be able to use your batteries with the flashlight or any other LXT tool that you may purchase (once the plastic squares have been punched out on the tools).Just be aware that they will last half as long as they would with the 3.0 amp hour batteries.I learned all of this from Makita so I can guarantee that this will not damage your flashlight, the battery, or any other LXT tool.

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Product Description:
Makita's 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Flashlight delivers high illumination to wherever the job takes you. The BML185 is compact and durable, and can be powered by a Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Battery (sold separately). It is built to accompany the rest of the Makita LXT Series tools to the job site.


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View largerBML185 FeaturesPOWER - High illumination Xenon bulb emits at 4,500 LuxCONTROL - 4-position pivoting headCOMFORT - Compact design with less weight and ergonomic gripPERFORMANCE - LXT Li-Ion batteries charge in 30 minutes, run longer and deliver 2.5X more cyclesBattery and charger not included
Tool SpecificationsRun timeup to 4 hoursBattery18V LXT Lithium-IonOverall length11-1/8"Net weight2.1 lbs. (w/battery)Rugged and Versatile Design
The BML185 features a four-position head that pivots for greater versatility. The flashlight has high illumination, emitting high power at 4,500 Lux with a Xenon bulb for extra brightness. It will run for up four hours on an 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Battery (sold separately). The BML185 weighs just over two pounds (with battery, sold separately) with a compact design at 11-1/8 inches in length and an ergonomic shape that fits like a glove. It includes a shoulder strap and two Xenon flashlight bulbs. The BML185 is just another example of Makita's commitment to innovative technology and best-in-class engineering.
About Makita's 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Tool Series
As one of the pioneers driving the cordless tool revolution, Makita changed the game with its breakthrough 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Series. Three years after its debut, Makita's LXT Series has grown from seven to over 35 tools, providing a wide range of cordless solutions for professional tradesmen. Makita also added 18V Compact Lithium-Ion for cordless power in a more compact size.
About Makita
Makita is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial quality power tools and offers a wide range of industrial accessories. Makita applies leading-edge innovation to engineer power tools that are more compact and energy efficient, yet deliver industrial strength power and results. Makita U.S.A., Inc. is located in La Mirada, California, and operates an extensive distribution network located throughout the U.S. For more information, please call 800/4-MAKITA (800/462-5482) or visit makitatools.com. Makita is Best-in-Class Engineering.
Warranty
Every Makita Lithium-Ion tool is backed by Makita's 3-Year Warranty that covers repair due to defects in materials or workmanship up to three years from the date of original purchase. Makita Lithium-Ion batteries and chargers have a limited 1-Year Warranty. Please see makitatools.com for complete details.
What's in the Box
Makita BML185 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Cordless Flashlight, shoulder strap and two xeon flashlight bulbs (battery not included).

Other Makita Lithium-Ion Series More 18V Lithium-Ion Tools from Makita
See the entire 18V Lithium-Ion LineupDriver-DrillsImpact DriversImpact WrenchesBHP454BDF451BDF452BDA350BTD144BTW450BTW251BTL063ConcreteMetalworkingCombo KitsBHR240BCS550BPB180LXT1500 15-Tool KitLXT1200 12-Tool KitLXT902 9-Tool Kit

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Ryobi Light 18V ONE+ Lithium Ion Work Light (battery and charger not included) Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall this is a very good flashlight.The head swivels so that when you are using it, it can be placed down and the light still directed where needed.The light itself is very bright, so you can see what you are working on, or where you are walking.The Lithium battery has a longer life span then the older style batteries, so it will last for the time you need it to complete most projects.

The one down side is that the handle opening is small, so that if you are a man (or someone with larger hands) you will have some difficulty holding it.If you have smaller hands, it should be no problem.

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Product Description:
High intensity bulb. Swivel head directs light where needed. Removable lens for easy bulb changes. Lightweight and durable for everyday use. Bulk packaged, not in retail packaging

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