Review of the Night Evolution 2 Mode LED Wristlight Black From Airsoftpeak

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Review of the Night Evolution 2 Mode LED Wristlight Black From Airsoftpeak $49.99 suggested price

$6 USD off coupon code 13228


Features:
  • Plastic Construction
  • Virtually indestructible LED regulated to maximize output and runtime
  • Tactical-level output shaped by refractive optic creates diffused beam perfect for close-range applications
  • Ergonomic, ambidextrous pushbutton switching
  • Adjustable nylon wristband with O-ring-Type Strap
  • Includes rechargeable lithium-ion battery & USB charging cable
  • Two mode to choose: High mode(130 lumens) and low mode (25 lumens)
Specifications:
  • Brand: Night-Evolution
  • Material: Plastic
  • Brightness: 130 lumens
  • Mode: High-Low
  • Switch type: Side clicky switch
  • Weight: 140g
  • Color: Black

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My review?

It's different. It's neat. It's unique. I love it.

It is an all plastic body and plastic lens. The lens produces a round spot beam. The led is probably a 3 watt and it is blue/white. Too high in the color range, but that produces the appearance of more light. 130 lumens is probably about right. It has High, Low and Strobe. The switches are momentary. The band is some type of nylon, seen on many types of bands. It comes with the micro USB charger and cord.

Not much more to say. I can see it for use in walking, or in a place where there are no lights and you need to do some close up work. I would consider it plenty of light for walking down a sidewalk, but not for walking in the woods. It's just different and surprisingly well made, but when I say well made, it's still plastic, so take that into account. Having the light on my wrist just feels right, like it should be there and like I will find uses for it. Common sense would tell me I won't wear it much, but the novelty of it wants me to try it out all over.

I think it needs to be discounted to about half the cost. The price is way too high for what it is and what it is made of.

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Of course, I had to mod it. Couldn't let it stay stock.

So, I removed four allen head screws on the underside and took the housing apart. You can see the battery and circuit board behind it.

Two momentary switches, the led wires and the battery wires. The circuit board is held in with two phillips screws.

The led is on a 16mm star and the housing is aluminum. I was surprised at that.

You can see the led housing. It's not thick, but it is aluminum all the same.

The board.

The battery.

The plastic lens.

The led. The star had thermal glue behind it.

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So I put a Nichia 219 on a Noctigon and put it in the aluminum base.

I had a 12mm TIR optic from when I played with Solitaire Mags, so I used it, since it fit great in the lens holder.

Wired back up, same wires, just replaced the solder with 60/40.

I had to add an O ring under the lens holder, to fill in the gap, but it sealed off well.

It works! and I decided to charge it before using it very long. Took about an hour to tear down, mod and reassemble this light.

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Beam Shot BEFORE

Beam shot AFTER. Yes, it's not as bright, but it does have a better color tint. I think the Nichia's higher Vf keeps it from being as bright as the original led. Just my thought, not based on fact. I did not do any resistor mods. I just wanted a better color rendition.

That's it.

Thanks to Airsoftpeak for sending me the light for review.

Giveaway coming...

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Great mod! And with the forever wonderful 219A :-) I agree the light improved a lot.

A bit weird light, if I remember well there was a Surefire attempt at a light like this.

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Thank you for the review O-L. I am a little surprised you like it but then I've sometimes thought about something similar because sometimes a headlamp is just not right for working in between pipes or similar where your headlamp is not 100% aligned with your line of sight.

It look quite well made as you also point out. I wonder how comfortable it is if worn for an hour or more though. But suppose it is similar to those big chunky watches some people wear :-)

Sure is different. But in an interesting way. And it is a shame that they make it with cold white light. Though those leds are no Cree powerhouses they can and do produce a likeable warm or near warm (warmish??) range of them too.

Again. Thank you for the review and thank you to Airsoftpear for sending it for review.

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http://www.surefire.com/illumination/wristlights/2211-wristlight.html

Looks like a copy of that. But at only 10%.
Thanks for the review OL. Always wanted a hands-free light that’s not a headlamp for walking the dog.

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It looks like an exact copy of that light. When I look at this one and that one, I would bet it was made in the same factory with a different logo on it.

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Wow, $495?! And I thought $49.00 was expensive for that thing. I think it would take little effort to just attach a flexible wrist strap to the $41 headlamp on sale or one like the Nitecore HC 50 for 565 lumens, modes, longer lasting batteries and an angle-able light (if you want to actually use this, changing the angle would be useful) Nitecore HC50 565Lm Headlamp Review

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$6 USD off coupon code 13228

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With a bigger strap this could be attached to a pet. Perfect headlamp for my cat? Hehehe :bigsmile:

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… This resembles my first flashlight invention, which I called “HandLights”. A co. called “Acolyte” made a UFO-shaped, straw-hat White LED host which was nice, and SWMBO crafted me some awesome wrist straps. This was before the day of “modes” or even Cree LEDs, so I’m sure it would be hopelessly primitive here and now. In fact, White LEDs were a Really Big Deal at that time.

I sold them all, eventually, for “only” $20 each, which I thought was amazing.

Here’s a tip for yours: Wear it on the inside of your wrist!

That puts the light inside your palms where you’re working. On mine, the On/Off button was on top, so you could just ‘slap’ it on your hip to make it come on, and then it would auto-shut-off after a half-minute or so.

Why did I do it? I love to fish and at night my friend would wear his headlight. Every time he’d look my way, I’d be blinded. Eventually I asked him to borrow it for a few minutes, whereupon I looked at him & he was Enlightened. After that, the headlight stayed in his garage & we learned to work in the near-darkness of the courtesy lights on his boat. SWMBO & I put Amber (to not draw bugs) marker lights from tractor-trailers under the gunwales of our boat & that idea caught on too. Then I made these HandLights, and tying knots or releasing fish (or doing any work in darkness) became as easy as if it were daylight.

Back to your regularly scheduled programming…

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^ Cool ideas.

Thanks for the review O-L. I like your mod as this seems more like a close quarters light. Seems like it would be handy for working under a car (light inside wrist). You aim it at your other hand while it tuns a bolt and yet hold another tool or part handy in the other hand. I where a headlamp when under a car, but sometimes it get in the way or it's light is blocked due to the tight spaces one has to work in.

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Great mod with the Nichia, (A or B?), you don't need much brightness since you're usually working on things within a foot or two of your hands anyway.

I'm guessing the Surefire's are mostly bought by agencies using tax dollars.

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so we got headlamps, flashlights, angle lights, wrist lights, penlights, UV lights, dive lights, bike lights, and USB lights. how about next an ankle light?

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Great review, thanks for sharing.
I recently saw a couple similer on Amazon so came here for reviews :slight_smile: