I really feel like the suggested durability and drop resistance above is much more in line with a small 18350/16340 EDC light.
I understand that everyone is tough on camping equipment but Iāve never purchased an LED lantern because the ones available currently just arenāt that good. I currently have propane or kerosene lanterns which is what I feel demands pertaining to durability should be compared to. My propane lanterns have glass housings and fabric mantles which become more brittle than glass after their initial light-up. The lanterns I own come in 3 inch thick injection molded carrying cases and even then I still treat them with the upmost delicacy.
I totally understand that youāre throwing out your āwish-listā desires and expressing that if theyāre possible youād be willing to pay for them. Itās just easy to misinterpret your intentions when your opening line was āI canāt stress enough how importantā¦ā. That is a pretty abrasive opening statement to anything and I really feel like it would help if you tried to soften your approach. You mentioned later that you frequently camp with your children who are very rough on all your gear. If youād opened with that sort of reference it provides the reader some insight into your needs and your situation which then makes it come across as valuable input. Just for example, Iām thinking something like:
For me, my camping equipment purchases are primarily dictated by how well theyāll stand up to the rigorous and abusive treatment from my children. In my experience Iāve learned that spending more money on something that can survive repeated table drops or even a 6ft drop is well worth the extra money. Is that kind of durability even possible with a lantern? If so, I would be willing to spend x amount more money to obtain that level of durability. Anyone else out there need such a durable lantern?
Iām personally 100% behind this light. For me itās going to be light years ahead of my lanterns in durability, ease of use, reliability, heat/danger minimization and fuel type. I canāt wait for these things which is why Iām signed up for 3 each all for me. probably going to have to get some more for the other campers/hunters in my family also!
BIG THANKS to everyone involved in this great project. I feel like this is a very rare project where camping companies are the only ones producing LED lanterns and theyāre just not good. I donāt think thereās many if any major light producers that make a lantern which is why Iām so excited about this project. I feel like this is a big win
Thank you for putting it so eloquently and I agree I could have communicated better. Maybe a durable lantern is outside the scope of this project. Maybe there can be a ruggedized version 2.0 down the road. Iād honestly pay very very good money for this lanternās design in a rugged build. I donāt know what it would cost, or if itās doable, but Iād hope that durability is at least somewhere on the radar, even if itās just shock resistance against bouncing around in the floor of a vehicle, etc.
I canāt wait for it either, and love the project. Iāll be ordering a bunch for my personal use and for friends and family.
My pleasure, glad I got what I was trying to say across without coming off as offensive or argumentative. Written communication just leaves emotion or intent up to perception.
I do agree also that your idea is an interesting one. I have a feeling that this light will be a success and TBH Iām wondering if something like a heavy duty silicone slip on case would fit the bill? Iām sure that could be contracted out as a secondary accessory for a good decent volume product. If cellphone cases can keep a phone alive then imagine what a 1/2āā3/4ā thick silicone cover could do for this bad boy! lol with enough silicone you could probably drag it behind your car by a rope!
I also like the idea of an external accessory case like a phone case. I use UAG cases on my phone and they amazing what they have saved this phone from. If you had something like that which clipped into the lantern it would be superb.
This. I canāt tell you how many times Iāve dropped my phone face down and itās survived years. I bet a thick lantern condom could be rolled out as an accessory that doesnāt impede thermals too much.
Iām extremely excited for this project and appreciate all the talent and hard work thatās been put into it thus far.
Update Barry & the manufacturer are getting ready to build the test prototypes to send to the team sometime this month, to evaluate & test, and if all is good then the production & sales could begin by May. As this is a lantern as different than a flashlight, and will use/require many newly-designed parts that are not found anywhere else on any current flashlight, (all the top end parts, driver circuit with charging circuit built in, ramping tint feature, MCPCB, machining parts, etc. costs are expected to be a bit higher than an average lantern or basic flashlight custom design, (as many flashlights can share common parts like lenses, bezels, MCPCBs, etc. that can keep costs down) the manufacturer is estimating the cost to be around $50 per unit at this time, -which is right where i predicted it to be for a lantern that has so much features & capability that no other lantern has i ever tested. (the production version has much more features than the original concept lantern does.) The original prototype i built was a very simple design, but this production planned model has much more. There is a possibility in the future we could work on two other models, a very basic, single tint version with simple modes, no charging, etc for the 30 ~ 35 dollar range, and the second top-of-the-line model with the built -in USB power bank and include the planned accessory kit.