If you asked a flashlight enthusiast ten years ago what EDC lights would look like in 2018, chances are they couldn’t have predicted the tiny pocket rockets pushing hundreds of lumens we have on our keychains today. Instead, high-end light designs took a more retro-futuristic approach, looking more like a bona fide lightsaber than a thumb drive. The ReyLight Lan Titanium flashlight is an excellent present-day example of the high design and features that old school “flashaholics” dreamed of, with a price point and availability that’s much more accessible to the rest of the EDC crowd. It’s based on the familiar and convenient AA form factor, taken to the next level with premium materials and components.
The ReyLight Lan doesn’t aim to impress with its total lumen output alone. While it still hits a maximum 390 lumens with a 14500 battery, it has much more to offer to the discerning EDCer. For starters, it uses a 4000K Nichia 219C high CRI LED, which does a much better job at making the colors of your surroundings vivid and lifelike as if they were in sunlight as opposed to the harsh, cold, blue light that most LEDs put out. It also offers a super useful Moonlight mode at 0.2 lumens for preserving night vision and keeping discreet so you don’t disturb others when you need a little extra light. Because the Lan can take both a standard AA battery and a lithium rechargeable 14500, its output and runtimes can vary. For more power, use a 14500 to get 390 lumens for 40 minutes on High with 20 days on Moonlight mode. An AA lasts a bit longer at the expense of total output, hitting a max of 110 lumens for 50 minutes and lasting 30 days on Moonlight.
You can find more enthusiast features in the body of the light itself. It’s Ti-6Al-4V titanium through and through, down to the tritium-compatible, tailstanding rear click switch. You can also insert tritium vials around the bezel, giving you plenty of ways to customize the light and improve its visibility in a dark pocket or bag. Last but not least, a pocket clip makes it easy to carry and access for EDC. The Lan v2 is available now on Amazon at the link below. If you’d rather wait for mode memory and a bit higher output, check out the updated Lan v3 currently in the works as a fully funded Kickstarter project.
