Maglite in the past was synonymous with being the best quality product on the market when it came to flashlights. Today with new lighting technology and innovative design technology this is no longer the case. LED technology as well as HID and Xenon lighting along with ultra durable and strong plastics have made the flashlight brighter and stronger than ever before.
There are many makes and brands of flashlight available today that are both very reasonably priced and well made. Brightness of a flashlight is measured in Lumens or in Candlepower. This article was written to give you a brief explanation of what is now available in terms of flashlight technology.
The first major advancement in flashlight technology was the LED or light emitting diode.
This light creates light at a molecular level compared to the old fashioned lightbulb which required the heating of a filament in order to produce light. An LED’s design is such that it should last many years and it requires far less energy from the battery so your battery life will be much longer than in the past. The quality of the light is determined by the manufacturing process and the better it is made the brighter and whiter the light will be. Cheaper flashlight models tend to cast a blue white light.
Xenon Lighting and Xenon gas.
Xenon lights and lighting create a broad spectrum of light and its strength can be maximized by inclusion of the gas xenon in the bulb. These lights can be much brighter but the amount of energy required is high. HID (High Intensity Discharge) xenon lighting is now available.
With modern technology there is a battle between the power of light available and the amount of energy required to create this light and in the stakes for this the LED design is the clear winner since it produces good light while using less energy from the battery.
Casing for flashlights today are made from indestructible materials and are extremely rugged such as durable plastic or rubber compounds. These can be manufactured from polycarbonate fibers and various recyclable plastics to space grade aluminum and have been designed for extremely tough environments. Popular brand names include various specialized companies like Nextwave, Surefire and Nextorch. Remember that xenon technology now gives you unsurpassed brightness that was unheard of years ago but comes at the expense of energy consumption and that LED technology offers great value for money. Search around on the internet to look for great deals and service and chose a reputable dealer. Determine what your requirements are before making a purchase. Whether you require ultra brightness or reliability you will find a suitable flashlight with today’s modern flashlight technology.
Sources:
https://www.globalspec.com/LearnMore/Optical_Components_Optics/Light_Sources/Flashlights
https://www.lights.com/flashlights/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashlight
