Skippers who also go sailing in the darker months of the year only have a relatively short window of daylight available. It can easily happen that they arrive in the harbour in the dark and have to search for a free box in difficult conditions or find an unlit buoy in a fairway.
A good lamp then provides a better overview of where piles, buoys and buoys are lurking and where there is a free berth for the night. The classic hand-held spotlight with a bulb and cable with a 12-volt plug can perhaps be used on board. However, an LED lamp is much more flexible and easier to use.
Bright glow
The requirements for selecting the lamp models in this test were: LED technology, waterproof or better housing and a price of around 100 euros, or at least not much more.
This resulted in seven participants: Fenix TK15 Ultimate Edition, Kryolights LED hand-held spotlight, Ledlenser MT14, Nitecore EC23, Olight S30R Baton III, Peli 3410M and the Cary hand-held spotlight from Aqua Signal.
Unfortunately, the Viking Pro from Armytek did not reach the editorial team because it was lost in shipping. There were also lamps from Lupine and Exposure Marine that could at least fulfil the first two selection criteria, but unfortunately they were too expensive.
Off to the boat
In order to test under the most realistic conditions possible, the boat was taken into a side arm of the Elbe. From on board, it was possible to illuminate even the more remote corners of the harbour basin with all the lamps. However, the first impression also revealed major differences in luminosity and brightness distribution. To ensure that these differences were clearly comparable and could also be captured in the photo, we placed pylons five metres apart on the jetty and shone each lamp on them. The differences are clearly visible in the hats and the more or less recognisable details in the background.
The furthest cone is 30 metres away from the lamp and camera, the distance to the ferry in the background is 100 metres. The Kryolights, Ledlenser and Nitecore models make it very easy to see, even though it is not directly illuminated.
This is more than sufficient for finding a berth, and a fairway buoy can be spotted at a distance of 200 to 300 metres. The focussing of the lamps was particularly evident when illuminating a flood protection wall on the opposite side of the harbour.
Brightness & focussing
The brightest lamp was the Kryolights, but the Nitecore model was almost on a par. We were surprised by the Olight lamp, which was extremely bright despite its very compact dimensions. The Peli 3410M was the least able to illuminate our test course.
The test illumination of the flood wall showed that Aqua Signal's Cary has the strongest focus. This has the advantage that it can also be used to illuminate targets at a great distance; the Cary was not the brightest lamp in the test. However, hardly any of the surroundings are visible.
In this respect, almost every lamp is a compromise: the strongly focussed beam of light may be helpful when searching for a distant sea mark, but diffused light is more useful for illuminating the box when mooring, for example.
The particularly bright lamps, such as the models from Kryolights, Nitecore, Ledlenser and Olight, were able to illuminate targets at a greater distance despite being less focussed. The Ledlenser MT14 is a special case, however, because it offers the option of adjusting the focus. The head is unlocked by turning it and then the distance between the LED and the lens is varied by moving it forwards or backwards. This allows you to switch continuously between high beam and diffused light.
A total of 40 points were awarded for the illumination category, which is made up of brightness and focussing. The Nitecore scored best, closely followed by the Kryolights, which was very bright but did not provide such a homogeneous light profile, and the Ledlenser, which was not quite as bright but scored points for its adjustable focus.
Perennial favourite
When making a purchase decision, it is not only the brightness and the light profile that are important, but also how long the battery lasts. After all the lights had been fully charged or, in the case of the Peli model, new batteries had been inserted, this aspect was analysed.
To do this, all lamps were switched on at maximum brightness and the time was measured until the brightness decreased significantly or the lamp went out completely. Only in the case of the Cary from Aqua Signal did the light go out without warning in the form of a sharp drop in brightness - albeit after more than three and a half hours of continuous illumination.
The Peli lamp became very dark much faster, namely after just one hour and 40 minutes. The lamps from Nitecore and Olight signalled that the battery needed to be charged by a red or blue light in the switch-on button. Although the lamps then became very dark, they still lit up a little.
An unpleasant peculiarity emerged in this test with the LED hand lamp from Kryolights: The lamp became so hot after just 40 minutes of continuous operation that it was no longer possible to touch it. After a ten-minute break to cool down, it could be switched on again. However, the next switch-off was required after 25 minutes. Including these interruptions, the hand-held LED spotlight only lit up for one and a half hours. What is annoying is not only the rather short light duration, but also the fact that the brightness is not automatically dimmed when it overheats. We have deducted 10 points from the rating for this.
The Ledlenser MT14 lasted the longest at over ten hours.
Switch quickly
In addition to illumination and light duration, operation plays an important role - the easier it is to use, the more useful the lamp is in practice, and the more points it scored in the evaluation. It is cumbersome if there are too many light modes that have to be switched through when switching.
The 3410M from Peli has two LEDs with different reflectors for high beam and scattered light. Each of these LEDs can be used individually, but both can also be switched together. The switch is pressed and held to change modes. Three different brightness levels can then be selected in each mode by pressing the switch quickly. A normal press of the button switches the lamp off. This takes some getting used to in terms of variety.
It is easier if there are three brightness levels and a flashing mode that can be selected in sequence by pressing the button. To switch the lamp off, however, you have to press through all the modes. This is how it works with Cary from Aqua Signal and the LED hand lamp from Kryolights.
A memory function is better here, which ensures that the light mode is automatically selected again when switching on before switching off. Even better is an LED in the button that indicates the charge status. The latter can be found on Ledlenser, Nitecore and Olight. The operation and light modes were given 20 points in the evaluation.
Useful extras
Some lamps are equipped with additional functions. These have not been included in the evaluation, but should not go unmentioned: The Aqua Signal spotlight is the only lamp with a fuse that protects against accidental switching on or off. There is also an adjustable handle that doubles as a stand and a red flashing light on the back can be activated.
Unfortunately, no operating instructions were included, which would have saved a lot of guesswork. Because the Cary didn't want to light up straight away. Only when it turned out that a supposed protective cap on the charging socket was actually a transport lock that had to be removed were we able to use it.
Hand straps are included with the Ledlenser, Olight, Peli, Fenix and Nitecore models. The latter two manufacturers even include spare O-rings and offer a removable clip to secure the lamp to the belt. The 3410M from Peli is the most versatile. Its head can be rotated so that it can be attached to clothing with the clip on the back and used as a work light similar to a headlamp.
There is also a magnet on the back to attach it to metallic surfaces. And the fluorescent housing should make it easy to find even in the dark.
The charging station on the Olight is an extremely practical detail. It holds onto smooth surfaces thanks to small suction cups, the lamp is held in the charging position by a magnet and is always ready to hand.
The lamp from Kryolights was exceptionally bright, but far too hot. The MT14 from Ledlenser, on the other hand, was convincing in all categories.
