Non-tactical, but very cool flashlight. Review.

[fightingquaker13]

Well, the old man and I are off to Montana mid July. I've asked for advice on this trip, but due to some health issues, he settled on something sane. Flyfishing Yellowstone it is.  It beats the hell out of the Zambezi, Amazon or Mexico as far as I'm concerned. Call me a wuss, but while I'll suffer rain, bugs, sun and cold for a fish, walking unarmed into a war zone is where I draw the the line. The old man's rational faith in the innate goodness of man and the idea that a scientific explanation of the irrationality of random violence will soothe the savage beast must have skipped a generation. I mean he was in the army for f@cks sake. Engineers! There is much rejoicing on my part as I wasn't sure that plan B, a fly in/drop off, five day slog in Ak was the best idea for either of us. Still, plan C provides pretty country, lots of trout and a chance to pack into the woods with near zero light pollution. Sounds sweet to me.
Now, on to the product review. I needed a lantern that would pack and provide enough diffuse light to prep dinner and also let me read in my tent. I had pretty much figured on relying on my head light. Yet I went to of all places, Target. I was looking for some el cheapo pots for the car camping part. Instead, I found the world's coolest lantern. It's Coleman's Pack-A-Way Mini Lantern. This thing is the bomb! Its basically the size of a pack of cigarettes folded (1 1/2"x3"). Unfolded 1 1/2"x5 1/2". It uses 4AAs and a Cree LED that puts out 90 lumens in a diffuse beam. The bright mode is enough to light up a picnic table. The dim lets you read in a dark small space like a tent, if you hang it from the ceiling. I read my American Rifleman by it to test it out. Ideal, no, but for $20 on sale, cheap batteries and weighing in at 7 oz., and small enough to fit in a front pocket, you can't beat it with a stick. The bugout bag got a new addition. I would highly reccomend this as an emercency "camp light" for kitchen chores and the like. It lt lets you save batteries on the "tac" light. Just a great little piece of gear that I wish were out there 10 years ago.
FQ13 As always with my reviews, YMMV

[m25operator]

Led's are improving everyday, Cree seems to be that leader ,I have several and love them, my advice to all, is at some point a major player will make the Led, that is used in the home for everyday use, keep watching, as this guy is going to go big guns in the Home market, and if it is public trading, we will get wealthy. LED'S are the future.