The upcoming 5.11 Tactical Series Light For Life UC 3.400 Flashlight might not have the most memorable name, but this incredible new device makes up for it with its high-tech, ultracapacitor power storage which can fully recharge from dead in as little as 90 seconds.
The torch uses no batteries and is likely the first small gadget to utilize the rapidly developing ultracapacitor technology. Without batteries, the unit is also considerably lighter than most decent flashlights at just 16 oz.
Ultracapacitors are starting to become common in electric and hybrid vehicles due to their unique ability to rapidly recharge. This is particularly important when capturing energy from regenerative braking systems, as well as for consumer convenience. The limited capacity of ultracapacitors has stood in the way of their widespread use, but this is rapidly improving, as evidenced by the 90 minute life of this flashlight.
The torch is slated for release early next year and is rated for 50,000 charge/discharge cycles, which means even if you use and charge it everyday, it will likely outlive you – something you could never achieve with batteries. It uses 3 LED’s rated at 50,000 hours, which are capable of producing 270 lumens in bright mode and 90 lumens in standard mode.
The 5.11 is available for pre-order at a pricey $170, but should offer a good return on investment from all the batteries you won’t have to buy.
Sources:
5.11 Tactical Series and Flashlight News
Via: Gizmodo