Fenix UC35 flashlight

In our motorhome we have several flashlights.  We carry a petzl headlamp , a traditional D cell Maglight  for Sonya and our topic for today.  A Fenix UC35 LED Flashlight

The Fenix is a beast in a small package.   It produces 960 lumens on high.  That is about the amount of light that a car headlamp puts out.  It blasts a huge a huge amount of light and illuminates a large area.

It has several modes of operation.  Eco, low, medium, high and turbo.  It also has a strobe mode.   The lowest mode is equivalent to your old style disposable plastic flashlight.  With a full charge it will run 150 hours on low at 14 lumens.  Sort of like a penlight in intensity.  The Medium mode is about like the 3 D cell Maglight and will run for 9 hours.  The High and Turbo modes are spotlights putting out 480 and 960 lumens respectively for a couple of hours.    

Avoid the strobe mode unless you really need it.  It is designed to be disorienting for self defense . Even with your eyes closed you can see the light.   If you are looking at the light once you can see again the headache will continue.  Don't ask how I know.

It puts out this huge amount of light in a small package.   It fits in your hand well.

It uses a rechargeable 18650 battery.    The best features that the battery can be recharged while it is still in the light.   It recharges using a USB port.   I can just plug it into the Fuses USB ports and I am good.  This goes along with my philosophy of keeping with using the DC systems in the motorhome and staying away from things that need 110v AC.  I can recharge for free using the Solar panel in most cases.   Oh, and in a pinch it can use 2 CR123a batteries.

It comes with a USB charging cable and a nice carrying case that can fit on a belt.  I just normally stick it in my pocket, but leave it in the case when I am not using it.

There are other lights like this out there (Streamlight for one).  I picked the Fenix.   In my youth I purchased inexpensive flashlights.  They never worked when I needed them.  I graduated to Maglights and though they would last 5 years instead of 1 year, They were not rock solid either.  10 years ago I started purchasing "good" lights and though more expensive, I have yet to be let down.