What is a Long Throw Flashlight
A long throw flashlight is a light which provides a strong beam over a long distance, unlike flood flashlight models that are different and which light up the area around the light, a long throw flashlight is designed to allow the user to see a longer distance rather than lighting up a room. An example of a long throw flashlight that you may have had some experience with would be a stage spot light, a spot light directs a strong beam of light onto a designated area or person. Even though the light beam is strong it doesn’t light up the area it is being used and the light is focused onto a single point, this makes it great for situations where the user requires sight over long distances such as on a night time walk where it is important to be able to see in front of you.
There is much discussion when it comes to which kind of throw flashlight is the best and I would argue that it comes down to the situation that you require it for, long throw flashlights are specifically designed to make the light travel in a strong beam over a long distance. Many other flashlights are limited to lighting up the area around the light to provide lighting in the area of the user, this is useful in an event where you require room lighting but may not be suitable where long distance lighting is required. As long throw flashlights are better suited to situations where the user needs to see far out in front of them, it is important that you select the correct flashlight for your specific situation in order to make sure you can see properly.
How Do They Work ?
Long throw flashlights, like the one used to make the worlds longest ever flashlight throw, rely upon the focus of the LED within the parabolic reflector, the light beams are magnified meaning they travel over long distances in the direction that you point the flashlight in. The LED within the flashlight isn’t actually that powerful when used alone, but when it is combined with the parabola you will find that the light is extremely strong and precise in terms of direction. The lumens within the flashlight are particularly narrow which is why these kinds of flashlights don’t really light up the area around the user, the light density is stronger than that of a normal light so instead of spreading to light up a room it shoots in one direction.
If you want to test how strong a specific long throw flashlight is then I would recommend that you shine the light at something which you know the distance between yourself and that object, to compare between other flashlight devices simply shine them all at the object and look at how far each of the lights can reach. Whichever flashlight shines on the object the brightest would be the best model in terms of brightness and the distance the light can travel.
The great thing about flashlights like this is they can be run from everyday AAA batteries, even though the light strength is so high on these devices they only require standard 1.5 volt batteries as you only need enough energy to power a simple LED. It is the reflector which allows such a strong beam to be generated so you are able to use batteries which are easily accessible, affordable and lightweight, making a long throw led flashlight one of the most practical models you can buy.
Parabolic Reflectors
The science behind long throw flashlights is heavily reliant upon the inclusion of parabolic reflectors within their designs, a parabolic reflector is used to project different kinds of energy such as sound and light rays. The reflector is made from a mirrored material in a circular shape, this unique design has been developed to reflect the light waves to become as strong and bright as possible. When it comes to long throw flashlights the inclusion of a parabolic reflector means that low energy consuming LED’s can be focused through the reflector to create a beam that is significantly stronger. This means that flashlight users are able to have access to extremely bright flashlights without being reliant on a strong power source, as these devices only require standard AAA batteries. Long throw flashlights are not only functional and accessible but also very affordable.