Lumaray FL6 LED Flashlight Review

Product Requirements:
Three "C" Batteries

If I was the prop director for the next blockbuster science fiction movie,
there would be no question in my mind about which flashlight the hero would
carry – it would have to be The
Lumaray FL6.

I mean, just take a look at it; the Lumaray is futuristic, to say the least.
The torch end looks like something HR Giger could have designed, and in its
present incarnation the FL6 could easily be used in one of the two upcoming
James Cameron sci-fi flicks
without fans crying "foul".

According to Lumaray, their intention is to push "the envelope of lighting
design" and leave "the conventional circle. To innovate and create exceptionally
unique lighting products for a new generation of consumers." Looks are one
thing, but they will only carry a device so far. My goal as I began its testing
was to learn if Lumaray’s first offering is just a futuristic-looking flashlight
with no significant improvements over any other LED torch, or if the FL6 is a
new version of an old favorite that sets itself apart with true innovation.

Specifications:
Size: 8.3" x 2.25"
Weight: 5.3oz without / 12.7oz with batteries
Battery Type: Three "C" cells (not included)
Continuous Time Run: ~200 hours, 10-15 hours at high brightness
LED Life: Approximately 100,000 hours
Brightness: ~352,000 mcd
LED: 6 Nichia 5mm (white)
Beam Type: 6 Optical Focused Beam
Switch Type: Twist bezel ON/OFF
Water Proof: Yes, Submersible up to 15′
Box Contents: FL6 Flashlight, instructions manual
Warranty: 1 yr limited warranty

According to the box the Lumaray arrived in, available body colors are
"Gunmetal Hero", "Freedom White" and "Sliver Gear" I was sent the Gunmetal Hero
color which at this time is the only color available on their site. Also
according to the packaging, light outputs available include "Yellow Fog Beam",
"White Skyline" and "Other" with a blank space. I would assume then, that it
will eventually be possible to get other colors of LEDs. This will be great for
those that need red, blue, or other specialized colors.

The Lumaray is composed of what their site calls "a combination of
Polycarbonate, Xenoy™¹, and
stainless steel contact springs." For us lay-people, the exterior of the Lumaray
can best be described as a gunmetal gray colored plastic with olive colored
aluminum ball-joints and a large stainless steel contact spring.

To me, the LED head unit resembles a six-shooter’s cylinder, with its tight cluster of six
LED chambers, each capped with a bulbous optical lens.

The head unit is designed so that it supports the torch in an upright position.

The deep bevels of the LED head unit keep the torch from rolling when it is
placed a flat surface, and on an uneven surface the light will have a better
chance of not falling.

Perhaps the other most distinctive part of the FL6’s design are the three
cantilever mechanism and ball joint connections positioned at the base of the
torch head which together make up the trigger unit. Without reading the
instructions, loading the batteries for the first time will be tricky – trust
me.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Rotate the entire trigger unit so that the "quick release trigger pad" is
no longer sitting on top of a ledge stop.

 

2. Now that the trigger unit is no longer locked, the thumb is placed on one
pad and the forefinger on either remaining pad.

Using the remaining three fingers of that hand to balance and hold the
shaft of the light as you pull down on the pads with your thumb and finger.
These trigger pads have a short rough edge that works, but ideally I would
like the trigger pads to be a bit more textured as a greasy or wet finger makes
for a tougher opening.

Until you get proficient at one handed operation, you can butt the end of the
FL6 against something to help stabilize it, as you do the downward motion. Or you can
always use your second hand, a leg, or any flat surface. 

Viola, the cantilever system will work, pulling back the ball joint
connections and releasing the LED head unit.

The only thing that might make this catch and release system even more cool would
be if the levers made a hydraulic "shushhh" sound as they opened…but I
digress.

Once the head unit has been removed, the battery compartment is revealed.
Three rubber O-Rings adorn the top of the shaft, with cutouts strategically
placed under the the last O-Ring so that it can slow the batteries down as they
are dumped from the tube. Designed so that the batteries will not come tumbling
out too quickly, they are instead released in a manner which makes them much
easier to catch and less likely to fall. This is probably a good time for me to
mention that the batteries should last for 10 – 15 hours of high brightness. For
those that prefer a rechargeable flashlight, it would be necessary to invest in
some rechargeable "C" cells. However, it is good to know that any "C" cell will
work in a pinch.

The head unit can be replaced by simply pushing it back in position. The levers
will retract and slide over the base of the unit, once again securely catching
on its ledge.

 

Even though the major parts are made of plastic, everything feels quite
solid; there is no creaking and at no time did I get the feeling that I might
break something if I twisted things the wrong way.

The shaft of the Lumaray is smooth at the top, and then it bevels towards the
base. I prefer a more textured feel in the grip area, and though I did not find
this one to be overly slippery, it also didn’t make me feel very secure.
However, the addition of a lanyard would probably counter this problem.

The base of the Lumaray continues the futuristic design, but the six olive
colored aluminum pins do more than just look good – they offer a place where a
lanyard can be attached without sacrificing the FL6’s ability to stand on it’s
bottom end and be used as a lantern in a dark room.

 

It’s odd, but as much as I like the design and overall feel of the Lumaray, I
found myself wishing for one more thing – that it would also be offered in
either a brushed metal finish or in a rubber coated metal version. The Lumaray
has a substantial weight already and adding a metal body would definitely 
make it heavier, but the added strength of the metal would allow for greater
abuse of the unit, in fact it could even substitute as a club should the need
ever arise…not that I have ever had such a need, but one likes to be prepared!

So there’s the exterior, let’s take look at how the Lumaray FL6 operates,
beginning with how to turn it on and off. In the tradition of the classic Mag-Light,
a 180º turn to the left switches on the six
incredibly bright Nichia LEDs. These LEDs
are rated for 100,000 hours and are not user replaceable.

The interior of the head unit is covered with some sort of glow-in-the dark
coating, so that every time the power is switched on, the coating is recharged.
This results in a soft green glow which makes the light easy to find in the
darkness. This glow will last for several hours, and it will be recharged
anytime the light is used.

Because of the rubber O-Rings in the Lumaray’s bezel, it is waterproof and
submersible to 15 feet. However, the flashlight will not float, so if the user
is caught in a flash flood or something, a wrist strap would be very handy.

The light from the six LEDs is incredibly bright, with no fading even
at the far end of my hallway. The six clustered lights are aimed to provide a
single solid round beam, and the farther away the light is pointed, the larger
the circle of light is cast.

This is the beam cast from 37 feet away down a darkened
hallway

This is definitely a flashlight that I would be comfortable using on a dark
night at the ranch; walking would be much less treacherous with its excellent
blanket of light.

If you have been looking for an extremely bright, battery powered LED
flashlight, then you might want to consider the Lumaray FL6. Its futuristic
design and the resulting improvements make the FL6 one of the most convenient
and adaptable lights that I have yet found.

The Lumaray FL6 may be ordered
here.

Price: $69.99
Comes with a one-year limited warranty that is only valid in the US

Pros:
Rugged futuristic design
One handed battery removal and replacement
Waterproof and submergible to 15 feet
Incredibly bright six LED cluster design

Cons:
No rubber or texture on shaft to promote non-slip grip

¹Xenoy™ is a high impact,
chemical resistant product by GE