I was at the zoo the other day watching the monkeys, then for some reason I thought of Dan. Then it dawned on me we have been playing with the Gyros flashlight for some time and haven’t written the review yet. If you have been following us for a while, you know Dan has a fetish for lights. Not sure why, not even sure if he knows why. Not too long ago we reviewed another Gyros light, which Dan took from me.
This Magnalite is their Pocket Pro model and is a little different then the previous model we reviewed. While it still has the same distinctive yellow color, this one is a little smaller. The Magnalite (58-21836) still uses the same sturdy ABS plastic for durability, which is always good. As with the other light, this one is also rechargeable and the Pocket Pro uses a 3.6V Lithium-ion battery. The light will run continuously for around 5 hours on a single charge. However the recharge time of 6 hours is a little long. Not that its a big deal because you can plug it in over night and be ready for work the next morning, but it would be nice if the charge time was quicker. To recharge the light, there is an included power cord that plugs right into the light. On the bottom of the light, there is a magnet that will hold the light in place. We found the magnet to be strong, so once you stick it in place, it should stay. On the top there is a tuck away hanging hook. We do like the fact that it is included as some applications this is good for, such as under the hood of a car. We also like that you can tuck it away when you don’t need it. Another notable feature is the pivoting base which can pivot 180 degrees forward and back. The light does include a carrying pouch which can be used on your belt if need be.
Overall the light is very light weighing only 5 oz. Now is the time we should actually talk about the light, after all thats what you need. On the top of the light, their is a spotlight mode which has three bright white LED lights. One the side of the light or face, there are another 15 LED lights. The face light is more of a broad light to help shine up a wider area, I guess you knew what broad meant. Now you can not have both on at the same time, not that its a big deal, but thought you might like to know. On the front there is a sealed red on/off button that will allow the user to pick which light to use. One push and your in spot light mode, another push of the button and your in the broad mode. The last push turns the light off.
For the price its a good buy. The light is ample to help light up any dark areas. Giving the user the option to use the top mounted light or the side mounted light is a nice option. The hide away hanger is also a nice added feature. However we do wish the recharge time was a little quicker. The light was bright and ample for this type of light. You can read more about the light on their site, but we did find a better price on Amazon
UPDATE: 12-15-11 – Gyros has revised all new units to charge within 3 hours.
