Light in the darkness

Guns Magazine, August, 2004 by Glenn Barnes

I'm not ashamed to admit I'm an unrepentant flashlight junkie. I've got big ones, little ones, and two kitchen drawers full of medium sized ones. I stow them in my truck, range bags, hunting packs and anywhere else I think a flashlight will come in handy.

Most of them have been robbed of their batteries to keep my little girl's toys alive, so they don't exactly shed much light on the subject anymore, but at least I initially had good intentions.

The legendary maker of top quality 1911s, Kimber, has teamed up with Princeton Tec, another industry leader, to produce some of the finest, brightest, not to mention affordable, flashlights on the market today. I've already acquired one and keep it safely hidden from baby toys in the emergency pack stored in my truck.

Three rugged models are available from Kimber: The Impact XL, the Scout, and the tiny Eclipse 2.1 selected the Impact XL and have been very pleased with its performance. The XL is a powerful, pocket size light tipping the scales at a feathery 5 ounces. These five ounces also includes four "AA" batteries and a lanyard! Pretty impressive, huh?

The Impact XL is ideal for hunters, woodsloafers, police officers or anyone else desiring a tough, dependable, durable flashlight. Battery life is rated at 50-plus hours of run time and bulb life is estimated at a whopping 10,000 hours.

Did I mention it's also waterproof? Having slipped and fallen in more creeks, streams and rivers, than most folks can imagine, I really appreciate Kimber including this thoughtful feature in a light retailing for only $39.99.

To determine which quality light best serves your needs, or to check out Kimber's full line of shooting accessories, simply pick up the phone and give them a call, or visit their Web site. You'll be happy you did.

For more information, contact Kimber America: [800] 880-2418: www.kimberamerica.com