The Bottom Line
Its best feature is the removable, reversible base clip, which swivels 180 degrees. This transforms the Compact into a hands-free light that can be clipped on your cap brim, belt, tree stand, pocket, or wherever, while still working well as a handheld light.
The MSRP of $79.99 is way too high, however - as is the current street price of $50 (early 2012) - which is why I can't rate this light any higher than 3.5 stars.
Pros
- Rugged. Energizer says it survives a ten-foot drop.
- Includes a removable clip that can be installed two directions, and adjusts 180 degrees for angle.
- Compact size, and can be used as a bright hands-free head light when clipped to the brim of a cap.
- Has a limited lifetime guarantee.
- Waterproof.
Cons
- Made in China.
- Switches are arranged illogically; they're almost randomly placed on the light.
- Switches may be accidentally turned on in your pack.
- High price.
Description
- Waterprooof plastic (polymer) body flashlight with non-slip finish. Red, white, and blue LEDs.
- Red, and white LEDs each have high, medium, and low brightness. Blue LED has just one brightness.
- Switches are placed randomly and seemingly without logic. Two are black pushbuttons on the sides; one is an orange lever.
- The lever switch turns the blue LED on or off, or turns on a ridiculous small green strobe (supposedly a "find me" feature).
- Push the buttons quickly to change modes or switch off. After 3 seconds, push to turn off.
- Each color light must be used individually (they can't be turned on at the same time).
- Black wire belt/hat clip on removable base that adjusts 180 degrees for pointing the light. Base is reversible.
- Energizer says to use red to preserve night vision, and blue for blood trailing (I've never tried it for that).
- Rated at 40 lumens. Weighs about 2.2 ounces with batteries, and is about 3 inches long.
- Uses one AA battery. Claims 8 hour run time with the included Energizer Lithium battery.
Guide Review - Review of Energizer Night Strike Compact LED Flashlight
The Energizer Night Strike Compact LED flashlight is a handy little thing, and offers white, red, and blue LEDs. The white and red lights each have three brightness levels, while the blue has only one. The white LED is nice and bright.
There is also a small bright green light that strobes when turned on with the lever switch. This is supposedly a "find me" feature. Say what? It can't be used to find the light unless you turn the strobe on before you misplace it. Perhaps the designers thought it likely that users would want to waste battery life and endure a green strobe while sleeping, just for the convenience of finding the light easily in the dark. Me, I think it's useless.
As with the Night Strike Swivel, switch locations are illogical and the pushbuttons are unlabeled. When you pick it up with your right hand (as most of us will), your thumb lands on either the top lever switch (which turns on the blue LED or the silly green strobe) or on the middle of the left side, where there is no switch.
Move your thumb backwards a bit on the left side, and you'll find a button for the red light. Where, oh where, is the switch for the bright white light, which you will use most often? On the right side about midway down the case, where none of your digits naturally fall unless you pick it up with your left hand. Duh.
It wouldn't have taken much to put a dab of color on the push buttons, so you could tell at a glance which one does what, and such attention to detail is to be expected in a light that retails for $60 to $80, but it sure isn't there.
The removable, reversible base clip is the best thing about this light. It allows 180 degrees of swivel adjustment, and since you can reverse the entire clip, this gives you a full 360 degrees of possibility. That can come in handy, depending on where you clip the light (cap brim, belt, pocket, tree stand, truck bed rail, etc). If you don't need the clip and want the light to be a bit more compact, it can be easily removed.
I used this light clipped on the brim of my cap one frigid night, thawing out the water lines to my trailer at hunting camp, and was very appreciative of its brightness and the ability to keep both hands free. It's a touch heavy to be used in that role on a regular basis, but it's real nice to have it in a pinch.
Like the other Night Strike lights, this one has "turned itself on" in my pack before. I didn't realize it was on until darkness fell and my pack began to glow in the dark.
While this is the most flexible Energizer Night Strike light that I've used, the too-high price puts the brakes on my ability to recommend it as a practical light for hunters. To put it simply, I think you can get what you need from other lights costing much less.
- Russ Chastain
