The Ultimate Torch Buying Guide

 Torches haven't always been as reliable and as advanced as they are today. It was a long time in the making when it comes to today's flashlights. Nowadays you can find torches of all sizes and power levels without having to worry about battery life as much. Everyone can benefit from having a torch be it only using it once a month or every day. No matter where you use a torch, it will be of great use especially when you are out exploring the wild at night. But no torch is made the same hence why you should know what to look for in one so it's as useful to you as is the light you get during the day.

Types of Torches

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LED

According to the type of bulb torches use to produce light, they can be put into three different categories with LED being the most advanced. You can easily find online an LED torch since its the most popular nowadays. Why? Because LED flashlights are the most efficient and powerful torches. They also last you a long time without experiencing any issues. This is because instead of a bulb LED flashlights use semiconductors to produce light.

Incandescent

An incandescent torch is one that has a tungsten filament placed inside a bulb. Incandescent flashlights are not as efficient as LED ones since they produce a lot of heat. But they are however more affordable, just not as long-lasting or as powerful.

Xenon

Xenon or krypton torches contain a mixture of typically xenon and krypton gasses as well as a filament that is similar to that used in an incandescent bulb. When current passes through the filament it produces heat and brighter light than an incandescent torch.

Beam Type

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Spot

The type of beam a torch has also determines how well it'll perform in different situations. For example, torches with a spot beam pattern are going to be useful for illuminating far away. But because of their narrow beam angle, they are not meant to illuminate large areas.

Flood

If you want a torch that is able to illuminate quite a big area then you should go with one that has a flood beam pattern. Remember though, these torches aren't able to illuminate far away.

Adjustable

When you want to get the best of both worlds, you go with a torch that has an adjustable beam pattern. This way you can switch between spot and flood without sacrificing one for the other.

Battery Type

Disposable

What most online torch shops have been offering as a power supply in today's torches up until recently are disposable batteries. These types of batteries are convenient in that they don't need to be plugged in in order to make your flashlight torch work. But because they're disposable they aren't as long-lasting and they usually provide very little power toward the end of their lifespan or when you've been using the for a long period of time.

Rechargeable

Rechargeable batteries are the future of torches since they can provide continuous current output throughout their entire runtime. What you need to do is have them on a charger from time to time and they will last you quite a lot longer. Rechargeable batteries usually have longer runtimes than torches with disposable batteries.

Durability

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Water Resistance

The most important thing when it comes to the durability of a torch is its water resistance level. This depends on the build quality of the torch but also the seals it has that will prevent water from coming in. Water resistance is usually expressed in the form of an IP rating and so is dust resistance.

Dust Resistance

Although you might not think of dust as a nuisance to a torch if the model you get is not properly sealed dust can be a big issue. It can slowly but surely make your flashlight torch perform worse and as time passes by it can make it useless. Dust is not as immediate as water damage but it sure does its bit.

Performance

Lumens

When it comes to brightness levels, lumens are what you should be paying attention to. The higher the number of lumens a torch has the brighter the light it can produce. Although you may be tempted to get a torch with the highest lumen count for your budget, it's best not to. Unless that is if you will actually make use of all the lumens it has to offer.

Runtime

The total runtime of a torch, as you already know, depends on the size of the battery. A torch with a large battery capacity will be physically bigger and thus the torch itself. But not everyone needs a bulky torch. You may want a small pocketable one that doesn't need to blind everyone. Therefore you can get one with a shorter runtime. 

Distance

The beam distance of a torch doesn't always depend on the beam pattern. Adjustable torches usually take care of that since they don't limit your beam distance. The longer the beam distance of a flashlight torch the better as it becomes more versatile. But remember that torches that have a long throw are usually on the more expensive side.

Bike Electronics 101: How to Choose a Bicycle Computer

 Knowing how fast of a lap you've had and all the data that comes from it tells you a lot about how much progress you're making if any. This is why most people who cycle and are serious about it make use of a bike computer. This is a small piece of hardware that can be attached to the handlebars. It provides you with plenty of information about your ride and it can be used for a lot longer than a smartphone from a single charge. The body of a bike computer is quite durable too as it can withstand the rigours of the elements quite well. Using a bike computer is far better than using your smartphone since the latter is not as rugged or as long-lasting when it comes to extended use.

What to Look for in Bike Computers

Display

The size of the computer's display as well as its resolution are going to make a big impact on how you use it. The bigger the screen the more information you'll be able to have at a glance. More sophisticated bike electronics will have a colour display which will make all the information on it more discernable.

But keep in mind that smaller displays are going to add less weight and those with greyscale displays will be more readable in direct sunlight. More advanced cycling electronics have touch screens nowadays which are slowly becoming the norm as they'll make it easier to navigate through menus.

GPS

GPS is a feature no bike computer should be devoid of. But not all devices have the same GPS capabilities. More affordable devices are going to allow you to perform a limited number of navigation functions. Costlier cycling electronics, on the other hand, offer full satellite navigation and are usually larger since they display a map instead of just a path.

Connectivity

Something that more and more bike computers have is the ability to work together with your smartphone. Be it via an app or through a cord, the device can use the phone's GPS together with its own to make for a more accurate reading and mapping.

HRM

HRM or heart rate monitor functions are able to record the activity of your heart and provide data that corresponds with a ride. You'll need another device for this such as a smartwatch or a chest strap in order to provide the computer with the necessary information.

Battery

If you want to go on long journeys with your bike, then a computer with long battery life is something you should aim for. The larger the capacity of the battery the more you can use the device without the need to charge it. Usually, most bike electronics will last you up to 18 hours but more expensive ones will last you even longer. Remember though that these are usually larger too since bigger battery capacities make for larger batteries and thus the computer itself.

Compatibility

When it comes to the sensors of your smartwatch, cadence or power meter what you need to remember is that they need to be compatible with the computer you'll be using. While more affordable bicycle electronics allow you to connect only one monitoring device at a time, more expensive ones allow you to make multiple connections. This is thanks to the use of ANT+ or Bluetooth.

Notifications

Although you can't rely on just a bike computer to handle all the readings, you can't rely on your phone while biking either. In order to focus on what's ahead you should look for cycling electronics that can sync with your smartphone's notifications. These are known as smart notifications since they are automatically showing up on the computer although you initially receive them on your phone. This way you won't have to stop and check your phone when you receive a notification, just look at your bicycle computer.

Wired vs Wireless

There are two types of bicycle electronics you can choose from, wired and wireless. Although there was once a big gap between the two, nowadays almost every bike computer is wireless. This is because they are more convenient and provide long runtimes at the same time.

Water Resistance

The most undermined ability of bike computers is to survive through all kinds of weather conditions. Well, in order for that to be the case with yours you should look for one that has a good enough IP rating. Devices that have altitude functions are not meant to be immersed in water since they have a vent that can get filled with it.

Rear Wheel Sensor

In case you're going to use a bike computer together with a turbo trainer then you should know that the sensor and magnet should be able to get readings from the rear wheel. Make sure that your unit is able to fit the chain stays and if it's a wired model you should have a long enough cord that's able to reach that far back.