LED LENSER F1– A Torch for 007? Independent Review by Peter Brett
When did torches become sexy? The market seems to be crammed with beautifully made precision instruments that are well specified and cover every niche of the market. Now don’t think I am complaining. These torches are, almost without
quite astonished at the clarity and whiteness of the light as well as the more than adequate spread of light without any dark patches. I could well imagine someone up to no good being illuminated by a policeman’s beam and having no place to hide! The optics have obviously been very well designed for maximum effect at common distance usage. The F1 however has a few other tricks up its
black anodized alloy body. The switch is placed right in the end of the end cap with a waterproof rubberized cover. In normal use, a single press on the end will switch on and off. But, press twice within a second on the switch and you will get a beam that is reduced in brightness to about 15% of normal brightness. I found that this level of light was enough for me to be able to check around under the bonnet of my car or find my way round a completely dark house with ease. However, at full power, the lithium battery has a specified life of only 120 minutes, so any way of reducing brightness to increase battery life is welcome. Press three times within a
exception, pretty good, and very well priced too. As consumers of torches we have probably never had it so good. So, I was not at all surprised to take delivery of the
LEDLENSER F1 in its very smart presentation box (try to deny it – but first impressions count!) and find that it, too, is a welcome addition to the range of torches available to us. In order to get it working you have to do a bit of
assembly that takes all of two minutes, basically by removing the end cap and inserting the battery (make sure it is the correct way round or there could be consequences) At the same time the pocket clip is attached by slipping it over the end of the body before tightening the end cap back on. The F1 is now ready to use and its amazingly bright 400 lumens of light power is incredible in such a small (88 mm long) package. I did my usual power comparison test of beaming it to the bottom of my garden and I was
second on the switch and the torch is transformed into a powerful strobe light. This could be very useful for motorists, police or emergency services in a road accident for example, and I guess someone might even try to liven up their teenage daughter’s birthday party with it….? The F1 is quite a little
lighthouse, but it is actually necessary to have some quite sophisticated specification in place to make the whole package work reliably. As I have already mentioned, the body is made from black anodized alloy and with it’s rubber O-rings is waterproofed to military standards, namely to IPX8 – waterproof to 2.5 metres. Electrical connections are also gold –plated for maximum efficiency. In the box, there is also a black
alloy “tactical-ring” that can be used in place of the standard stainless steel torch rim. The “tactical-ring” is attached by simply unscrewing the front of the torch lamp housing, removing the stainless steel ring and replacing it with the stronger alloy version. This “tactical-ring” is strong enough to be used on edge to break glass and is clearly aimed at police and emergency service needs for this feature. Again, other users may find it useful too, and the stronger protection ring around the lightbulb assembly is also a good idea in ordinary use. Another useful feature is the clip. This is strong
and of a useful size, so it will hold the torch in place wherever it is clipped. But it is possible to reverse the clip by unscrewing the front bulb assembly and attaching the clip so that the end faces the back of the torch. This means that the torch can be attached to a cap or stiff hat rim and be used “hands-free”, following the user’s eyes as he moves his head. For normal use, there is a nylon lanyard that is
attached through a slot in the end cap and the 69grams of F1 will hang almost unnoticed from a wrist. One of the things that bugs me a lot whenever I
have to use a torch in an emergency, is that it is difficult to put it down so that it can shine a light exactly where you want it without rolling over. The
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F1 has been designed with a hex shape on the end cap with large flats on it. Therefore the torch can be placed on any one of these and it will stay in place. In fact, if you coordinate the clip and one of the flats on the hex, you can get a stability on the torch that is difficult to upset even on a smooth surface. The torch can also be stood on its end cap so that
the light glows straight up. At first glance when I opened the LEDLENSER F1
package I wondered why the bulb end had a ribbed casing. Further reading enlightened me to the fact that some light energy is heat, and since the F1 is so bright it can generate quite a lot of heat. The internal heat sink and the ribbed casing allow the heat to be dissipated so that our fingers don’t get troubled. As well as the “tactical-ring”, also included in the
presentation box is a cleaning cloth and brush, a replacement O-ring, a mini catalogue and an instruction sheet.
One of the questions I asked myself when I had
examined and tested the LEDLENSER F1 thoroughly, was whether I would like to get one as a present. The answer, in my view, is a no-brainer – simply a big YES. It is a fantastic little instrument that is clearly well made and tough. Despite not being a policeman or fireman, I would be more than happy to keep this little treasure on standby for emergencies.
Reply No. 210
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