©2005 Imago Media LLC.

Description.

The NitePalm Field Lamp is marketed as an all purpose lantern for outdoors/adventure use. Indeed it's rugged build quality and waterproof seal would make it a formidable contender in such settings as a camping, hunting, adventure, bike trip or boating on a sailboat or yacht. Much more than this is that the NitePalm Field Lamp is an excellent all around area illuminator and a superb emergency power-outage light. What sets the NitePalm Field Lamp apart from many other similar lights is the use of a pristine White Luxeon LED in addition to a highly intuitive multi level output dial switch. The net result is that the end-user has anytime/anywhere use of free-standing or hand holdable illuminator that puts out a glorious glowing beam of white light at a level that is user-selectable in 5 evenly spaced increments. So the NitePalm Field Lamp can be as dim as a night light or bright enough for a tent or indeed, bright enough to illuminate a small room. The uses to which the NitePalm Field Lamp may be applied are limited only by one's imagination. It puts out light the way directional flashlights do not and yet it can fill that need admirably up to a distance of about 12 feet. The designers of the NitePalm Field Lamp were clever enough to make it free standing, hang-able, base mountable, hand holdable and as we discovered, clampable as well.
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Evaluation Results & Conclusions...

Ease of Use

Very Good. Requires very little learning if any. Highly intuitive functional model. Labeled graphic arrows printed on the bottom of the tailpiece instruct users to turn the tailpiece anti-clockwise to open it and clockwise to close it. Batteries are then loaded, using the polarity graphics marked on the compartment for guidance. The tailpiece is repatriated and the flashlight is now ready to be used. Activation entails turning a dial to bring the white line indicator to rest at one of five output level settings. Settings are click-stop detented and audible at every position. One very nice feature is that there are Off positions at both ends of the levels scale, giving the user greater flexibility in being able to go more quickly to and from a particular level and Off without having to labor all the way through each individual setting ' to get to the other side' . Because the dial is inset, it doesn't interfere with the table-top standability of the NitePalm Field Lamp. To give the light even better stability (especially on uneven or slippery surfaces), one need only insert it tail first into the accessory base ring. The ring is made from heavy duty rubber and is heavy enough to hold the NitePalm Field Lamp in place even in inclement weather, high wind or a downpour. We found the base to be excellent in the woods as well as on sand -because it gives the NitePalm Field Lamp a wider footing. For cabin or tent use, the NitePalm Field Lamp hangs straight down when the stainless steel wire D-ring is unfolded and used as an attachment point. For carry convenience, the included lanyard may also be attached to the same D-ring for neck wearability. Our only small complaint was that the somewhat stiff dial was awkward to turn when inserted into the rubber base but that's a reasonable compromise given the other factors that influenced the switch's design.
4.5 points
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Task performance optimization

Excellent . The Field Lamp successfully accomplishes the task of furnishing bright omni directional illumination for tasks, navigation or area lighting . We liked it best for hanging or hands-free table/ground use. Compared with the weight of traditional incendiary lanterns with their conspicuous brightness, the Field Lamp offers a fair compromise between truly large, heavy and unwieldy lanterns and ultralight options that may not be as bright or offer as long a run time. It glows to radiate light in a hemispheric pattern- making it ideal anywhere that soft even light is needed at a near proximity. Many tasks do not require a focused beam but depend on a general light to aid in lighting for general tasks. We enjoyed the service of the NitePalm Field Lamp during frequent seasonal power-outages where we used it on its base and carried it about the house from room to room. An ideal scenario would have entailed the use of one NitePalm Field Lamp per room- essentially duplicating the typical home lighting layout. On a recent camping trip, our NitePalm Field Lamp made numerous trips from tent to cabin to out-house and back to tent again. A yellow filter cover would have been welcome since its daylight illumination attracted a fair number of insects.
5 points
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Durability

Excellent.Comprehensive torture tests have not been done, but the build quality is exceptional for its price-point and intended purpose. The fit and finish are decent. Replacement frequency will depend on variables such as frequency of dismantling / re-assembly, roughness of use, exposure to physical abuse as well as other unpredictable factors.We wouldn't venture to predict how well the Field Lamp would survive a long drop onto concrete but it was indeed dropped several times onto an asphalt street and survived unscathed.It's a far more durable option than traditional lanterns that use risky flames, fuel and delicate mantles and domes. Based on trial use for 6 months we have provisionally given this product a durability rating of:
5 points
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Adaptability

Very Good.Within the narrow functional constraint of a camping lantern, the Field Lamp is a suitable problem solver for a number of end-uses. Since it's basically a cylinder in form, any clamping device or fixture meant to attach to a cylinder will work on the Field Lamp. Thanks to the handy fold-away steel D-ring, the NitePalm Field Lamp is very easy to hang overhead. Because it uses common AA size batteries, the NitePalm Field Lamp can be viewed as a 'green' product since it may easily be powered by rechargeable cells ( That can in turn be charged inside of an automobile or via a solar panel) in addition to using cells common in so many other electronic products.
4.5 points
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Pros > 1)Heavy-duty build quality and form factor 2) Bright hemispheric beam 4) Simple to operate 5) Good lumen/cost ratio 6) Modern aesthetic form and finish 7) Uses a universally available and environmentally conscious battery type 8) Waterproof 9) Variable output level switch 10) Neutral white LED color 11) Excellent Warranty 12) Anti-roll design casing
Cons > 1)Switch dial can be awkward to use when the Rubber Base is attached 2) Deserves a carry-all pouch 3) Deserves a yellow 'bug' filter.

Rating -4.75 Stars - Highly Recommended

Footnotes:
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