Friday, March 23, 2012

Product Review: NEBO CSI Edge Flashlight

Flashlights are usually one of the first things a person buys when getting into prepping.   Every prepper should have one in their Every Day Carry (EDC) load.   The problem is the bewildering variety on the market that come in all shapes, sizes, and battery configurations.

I am something of a flashlight junkie.   I started years ago with the tried and true D-cell Maglites, but I was always replacing bulbs and the lights are too bulky for EDC purposes. I still have a couple at the house to use in blackout situations and as a self defense club as a last resort.  I have a few Mini Maglites as well, which are smaller, but still have bulb replacement issues. Mostly I use smaller LED lights now that don't use traditional bulbs and make more efficient use of battery power.  One day while I was in a local battery shop to replace a cell phone battery I saw the NEBO CSI Edge Flashlight sitting on a rack at the counter.  Intrigued, I bought it for $9.99, as I had never heard of the brand and I was looking for a smaller EDC flashlight.  Sure I have a Surefire G2 and a P6, but I wanted an EDC that a) used conventional batteries, unlike the Surefire products; and b) could fit in my pocket.

The NEBO CSI Edge fits both requirements.   It delivers 50 lumens with a single AA battery with a total run time of five hours.  The beam extends out to 45 meters, but I almost  never use it to view something that distant.   My everyday use for this light is simply for emergency illumination of my immediate area.  I have used it to move through darkened hallways at my home, church and workplace.  I have used it to search for my cell phone in the car at night.   I have used it to illuminate my key ring when I forgot to leave my porch light on one night coming in from the store.  I even used it a couple of times to sneak into the bedroom while to grab my work shoes while my wife was sleeping (I have to leave for work before she does due to travel times). 

The CSI Edge fits neatly into the palm of my hand with a total length of 3.75 inches.  The construction is rugged and made of anodized aluminum, and includes a scalloped bezel to act as a self-defense edge (the edges have served as an ad-hoc screwdriver several times as well). The light is water resistant;  I once jumped into a pool and forgot I had it in my pocket and it was none the worse for wear.   It also has been dropped on concrete, stone and wood with no ill effects.   If I had one criticism, it would be the metal clip.  Mine broke.  Up until that point I had used it to clip it to a hat brim at night and onto a shirt pocket.  I am really hard on clips for pens, etc., as well. 

Overall, I would recommend this product for an EDC carry or for an emergency kit.   I have had the light for a year now and I am satisfied with the performance.  I plan on getting one for each car.  Just don't try to use the clip to put it on a sun visor. That is how I broke mine.

1 comment:

  1. These are good little lights. I bought 2 a couple years ago and just bought 2 more when my local hardware store began to carry them under the chameleon name brand.

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