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Hybridlight Journey 160

ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Hybridlight Journey 160
on: June 01, 2017, 03:46:30 PM
I've had this light for about six months now and I have to say, it has become my Go To Light.  I posted my intial thoughts in Lynn's thread when I got it, but I thought it was worthy of another thread, with some more pictures.  :D



As I mentioned in the other thread, this one is quite large compared to most of the tactical style lights I have had and used, but it's versatility, reliability and ease of use really have made it a light that I can count on and appreciate having.  The size of it kind of reminds me of the old 2C lights, although the head isn't quite as large as a Mag- more like the plastic bodied Garrity or other inexpensive lights you used to get at the hardware stores.  But, that's not necessarily a bad thing- yeah it's a bit more bulky than the super small lights we are accustomed to these days, but it is not a bad size to carry, leave in a pack or glove compartment.



I've always said that the most important piece of emergency equipment you can have is a cell phone, but phones suffer from a lack of battery power.  Even today most smart phones are lucky if they still have power at the end of the day, and if it's more than a year old it probably requires charging throughout the day as well, at least in my experience.  Not only is the Journey willing to share some of it's electricity, you aren't stuck in the dark if you use all of the juice to play Angry Birds while you wait for help.  The solar panel will just make more, so when the sun sets you are still good.  And, when you are near a charger and not near a window, you can charge it with a USB charger plugged into a wall, computer or anything else that can spit power out of a USB port.



The single LED spits out 160 lumens (according to the manufacturer, I have no way to test it) on High and I'm not sure what it does on low, but both modes are certainly bright enough for all of the needs I have, which are largely limited to finding night deposits from my dogs in the grass before bed, and occasionally going out into the yard to find out what the baby raccoons under my neighbor's deck are so upset about.  And, two modes mean no complicated crap with the button.  Click it once and it comes on High.  Click it again and it switches to Low.  One more click turns it off- none of that silly "fourteen clicks sets it to medium high with a red and blue LED in the background and six more clicks adjusts the flashing speed" crap.  I appreciate a simple light more than words can say.



But, just because it's simple doesn't mean it's dumb- not by a long shot.  This little panel on the side comes on when the light is on, so you don't leave it standing on the lens when it's on and kill the battery unnecessarily.  I like that attention to detail, plus it's not bright enough to distract you when you are in the dark, using the flashlight legitimately, but it shines well enough if you put the flashlight bright end down on something.



And, this is the first time in almost six months that I have seen this- the indicator LED apparently turns red when the battery starts to wear down.  No problem, a little trip to a sunny spot on the back deck and it's right back to business as usual!

Further, the Journey is waterproof, which is also very important to me.  For years I worked outside in all manner of weather and I decided long ago that if something didn't work in the wet then as far as I was concerned it didn't work at all.  I have a bias towards anything that it waterproof, especially because I also spend as much time as I can in a kayak. 

I bought this light on sale and I have to say, it is perhaps the best light I have ever owned, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone.  It is inexpensive (even at full price) and it will work when you want it, and really, what more could you need in a light?

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


00 Offline Mechanickal

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #1 on: June 01, 2017, 05:17:19 PM
Ok, I'm interested.
When will they be available from the MTO store? :dd:


00 Offline Mechanickal

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #2 on: June 01, 2017, 05:19:07 PM
What the..?!

Just checked...
$20 on Amazon for our American friends,
€45 over here?? Double??!! :bnghd:


us Offline captain spaulding

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #3 on: June 01, 2017, 05:55:30 PM
I'm intrigued and will be looking into these.  :tu:
I'm the milk man!


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #4 on: June 02, 2017, 12:50:22 AM
Ok, I'm interested.
When will they be available from the MTO store? :dd:

None of the suppliers I deal with currently have them, but I'll be happy to look into them.  In the meantime, there is a retailer here that was clearing them out- next time I'm there I'll look for any leftovers and pick them up for anyone who wants them.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


us Offline theonew

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #5 on: June 05, 2017, 01:59:23 AM
Now that more gear is USB rechargeable, often with no capability of carrying an extra power source, having a backup battery to charge with is becoming more important. Add to that a backup battery which can be recharged with solar energy and a bright, waterproof flashlight for about $30, I have to agree this is a great bit of kit.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #6 on: June 05, 2017, 02:41:41 AM
Yeah, even better when it only cost me $20 CDN, which is about $15 US.

No complaints at all, although as I mentioned on FB, it would be nice to have a lanyard ring on it to hang from a backpack or something, or make sure it doesn't roll off my kayak!   :ahhh

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


00 Offline Mechanickal

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #7 on: June 05, 2017, 07:56:16 AM
Yeah, even better when it only cost me $20 CDN, which is about $15 US.

No complaints at all, although as I mentioned on FB, it would be nice to have a lanyard ring on it to hang from a backpack or something, or make sure it doesn't roll off my kayak!   :ahhh

Def
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ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #8 on: June 06, 2017, 01:20:50 PM
Certainly an idea, but I'm not sure how well anything would stick to the rubberized grip.  I've seen too much of that texture wear off in the past that I assume the stress of something glued to it would just strip the coating off and get lost anyway.

I think if it really got to me I would probably wrap an elastic band around it a few times and tie off to that.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


wales Offline Smashie

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #9 on: June 06, 2017, 08:16:52 PM
It's probably just me but I find a solar powered flash light funny (school boy humour).


Good review and although I don't have one any more, there is always a place for a rubberised flash light :tu: [size=78%] [/size]
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ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #10 on: June 07, 2017, 12:14:44 AM
I agree- I have had a good laugh at the thought of a solar powered flashlight, but we are relics for thinking that!   :pok:

Things that were funny when we were young are commonplace nowadays, like when we used to buy phones for deaf people as a joke.  It's gone from cruel humor to a nice gesture as phones really don't require someone to be able to hear these days.  In fact, my father uses his phone and smart watch as a way round his hearing loss.   :facepalm:

Now all they need to do is develop a workable screen door for a submarine and my childhood will be completely ruined.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #11 on: June 07, 2017, 12:18:18 AM
Does it float? Apparently the Journey 250 does.


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ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #12 on: June 07, 2017, 12:26:49 AM
I haven't tried that, but perhaps I will give it a shot.  In black you'd never find it floating on the surface of the water more than a few feet away anyway, so I'm not sure how much good that would do you!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gb Offline AimlessWanderer

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #13 on: June 07, 2017, 12:35:15 AM
True. Floating but hard to see, is still an improvement over sinking to the bottom of the lake though  :D


The cantankerous but occasionally useful member, formally known as 50ft-trad


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #14 on: June 07, 2017, 12:37:27 AM
Absolutely true!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


00 Offline Mechanickal

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #15 on: June 08, 2017, 07:35:43 AM
And it's available in yellow :pok:

But it might just be a yellow submarine :whistle:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #16 on: June 10, 2017, 02:52:27 PM
Yes, but I only have a black one.  :P

Speaking of which, I was at my local shop yesterday that carries them and they still have three on clearance for $20 if anyone is interested.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gb Offline Zed

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #17 on: June 10, 2017, 03:01:15 PM
Interesting flashlight  :salute: they sell them on this site in the uk,not sure what postage would be.
Screenshot_2017-06-10-13-59-12.jpg
* Screenshot_2017-06-10-13-59-12.jpg (Filesize: 42.88 KB)



gb Offline Zed

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #19 on: June 10, 2017, 03:03:04 PM
Sorry link didn't work  :think:


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #20 on: June 21, 2017, 04:10:56 AM
Well, this light passed the acid test on the weekend.

I was doing a hold inspection on a ship- imagine being in a metal box 50-60 feet high and a hundred or so feet or so front to back and about as wide, with no lights on... at night.

My job was to inspect every bit of the hold for moisture that could indicate a potential cargo issue- as the cargo we were loading is highly flammable (wood pellets) there are no lights or any other potential sources of ignition in the holds so a good flash light is the only way to really do it.

The Hybridlight did an excellent job of illuminating the underside of the pontoons and all corners of the hold.  I was able to see streaks of condensation along the bulkheads 50 feet above me on otherwise total darkness with no issues whatsoever.

I was impressed at how well it worked- it was a definite spot, with little to no spillage, so the only stuff I could see was what was right in front of the light, and not much around it. 

It also fell out of my vest pocket a couple of times as I climbed down into the holds, and there isn't a mark on it- despite dropping 20 feet or so, bouncing off steel ladders and such before crashing to the steel deck.

I was happy with this light before, but now I am impressed and completely sold on it.   :tu:

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


gr Offline kkokkolis

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #21 on: June 21, 2017, 06:48:46 AM
Solar lights would be much more rational in the Mediterranian enviroment than in the SubArctic (during winter at least). And more appealing than the crank types, one of which I have.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #22 on: June 23, 2017, 12:56:02 PM
I agree completely.

All I need to do now is move to the Mediterranean!

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


ca Offline Grant Lamontagne

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #23 on: November 17, 2022, 05:59:52 AM
Bringing this back as I have a bit of an update.  this light has been in a box for the past few years and when I dug it out last week, it lit up with no issue.  That's a long time to hold a charge, but it did it!

What bothers me is this rubberized grip has suffered a bit- I find a lot of these rubberized grips get sticky and unpleasant to hold after a while and this one is no different.  Has anyone got a way to fix it, or an effective way to scrape it off?  I'd like to continue using this flashlight but if I am disgusted every time I hold it I just don't see it happening.

Def
Leave the dents as they are- let your belongings show their scars as proudly as you do yours.


wales Offline GearedForwards

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Re: Hybridlight Journey 160
Reply #24 on: November 21, 2022, 03:59:25 PM
Bringing this back as I have a bit of an update.  this light has been in a box for the past few years and when I dug it out last week, it lit up with no issue.  That's a long time to hold a charge, but it did it!

What bothers me is this rubberized grip has suffered a bit- I find a lot of these rubberized grips get sticky and unpleasant to hold after a while and this one is no different.  Has anyone got a way to fix it, or an effective way to scrape it off?  I'd like to continue using this flashlight but if I am disgusted every time I hold it I just don't see it happening.

Def

I had that issue with a Gerber knife new from the package, I rubbed it down with a wet wipe a few times and the issue quickly disappeared after. Looking at the light I wouldn't try and remove it, it looks like the rubber is a substantial part of the body, leaving you with something awkward to hold after and little drop protection from the light. You could give it a light scrape with the edge of a knife in a spot to see if that cleans it up, otherwise I'd say wrap it in something, tape or vinyl would likely do okay, a glow in the dark paint would be neat on a solar light and give you a different texture.
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