Lighthouse elite Focus100 LED Torch review: I can see clearly now my flashlight is on

Lighthouse elite Focus100 LED Torch: first impressions

The Lighthouse elite Focus100 LED Torch is a pen-style flashlight that’s ideal as a backup light source for camping and night walking. Because it’s so lightweight and, literally, the size of a pen, you can confidently keep it in your backpack or jacket pocket in case your headlamp or phone torch fails. Though it may not have the power or beam distance as some flashlights, the LED bulb does give you 50 meters (164 feet) of illumination which is more than enough when you’re rooting around in your tent or taking a late night bathroom break.

This torch is charged by two AAA batteries and has three settings: high, low and strobe for energy saving and safety. To operate it, simply click a button like you would a pen, and if you want a more focused beam for complex tasks, you just twist the end. It’s designed by and for construction workers, so it’s water-resistant, impact resistant up to one meter and clips onto your shirt pocket for convenience, all of which comes in handy for the outdoors. It may not be a total replacement for a burlier torch, but for its portability, performance and price, it’s worth carrying with you everywhere.

Lighthouse elite Focus100 LED Torch: in the field 

I picked up this flashlight at an outdoors trade show in Liverpool in the spring and I’ve been bringing it with me on all my hiking and camping trips this summer. I’ll be honest, I haven’t used an actual torch in years, much preferring the hands-free convenience of a headlamp, so I was curious to see how I’d like it. 

Here’s how it performed:

Weight and packability 

You really can’t get any lighter or more portable than this flashlight. It’s the size of a pen, the weight of a slice of bread and has a clip so you can stash it in the pocket of your hiking shirt, if you wear such a thing. I personally just carry it in the top pocket of my daypack in case I need it, where it stows safely in the mesh pockets, but it’s small enough to go in a jacket pocket without being annoying. In that regard, it’s ideal for any travel where you might experience a power cut or be walking home in the dark.

Ease of operation and charging 

There’s no need to read the instructions on this device, it basically operates just like a pen. Click the button at the end and the high beam comes on. Click it to turn it off again, then the next setting is low beam and the final setting is strobe. You can also twist the end to get a more focused beam, which I’ve found handy for late-night rummaging in my backpack.

One downside is that it isn’t rechargeable, and does rely on batteries, which means you do need to carry extra batteries at all times. The manufacturers give it up to three hours of continuous use on low beam, though I’ve tested other products by Lighthouse and found they have a much longer battery life than advertised.

Functionality and durability 

With 100 lumens and a beam distance of about 50 meters, this isn’t some massive, high powered torch. It’s about twice as powerful as your iPhone flashlight. That said, it's a bright LED and I’ve found it more than ample for navigating my way through the woods at night for a pee, moving around camp and illuminating my tent. Though in general I prefer to have my hands free and use a headlamp, it is handy to have this as a lightweight backup that I can use to shine into nooks and crannies in my backpack, and it’s a bit easier not to dazzle my campmates with it too.

It’s not waterproof, but like most flashlights it’s water resistant and I’ve used it in the rain with no issues. It’s a pretty sturdy piece of gear and I’ve tested its impact-resistance by dropping it from hand height onto hard surfaces with no breakage. This company started out as an outfit for construction workers so I trust their gear to be rugged.

I don’t necessarily think of this as a replacement for a big, beefy flashlight, but it’s so light and compact that there’s almost no reason not to carry it.

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