5.11 Tactical UC3.400 Light for Life Flashlight [Rugged, Law Enforcement Grade, 3 LEDs, Recharge in 90-sec, 2-hr Run-Time, No Batteries]

OK, normally there really isn’t that much excitement that can be drummed up for a lowly flashlight. They’ve been around for what seems like hundreds of years (1902, actually) and they all pretty much do the same thing. We’ve seen them all; there are rechargeable one, small ones, large ones, battery-powered ones, you get the idea. But what if I were to tell you that you could purchase one flashlight and that it was guaranteed to last you for the rest of your life? And that it didn’t use any batteries? That’s what the tactical gear makers over at 5.11 Tactical want you to know when it comes to their new Light for Life Flashlight UC3.400.

The Light for Life UC3.400 is not just any ordinary flashlight. First, it was actually designed for use by law enforcement, S.W.A.T. teams, and other paramilitary types, so you know it’s got to be built to last. 5.11 Tactical actually claims that this flashlight offers the longest uptime and fastest recharge of any flashlight on the market. 5.11 Tactical has actually partnered with IVUS Energy Innovations, the makers of Flashpoint™ Power Technology, to make the UC3.400 a reality.

Now here’s the kicker. In only 90 seconds, the UC3.400 Light for Life Flashlight will go from dead flat to a full charge. Yeah, you read that right. 90 seconds. Once the thing is charged it will provide up to two hours of uptime. They’ve even got the light degradation versus time all mapped out for you. The Light for Life lasts for 60 minutes at 90 lumens, cycling down to 25 lumens for 30 minutes and finally 15 lumens for 30 minutes.

And since there are no batteries (Mother Earth will thank you) to worry about there’s also no charge decay either. Charge decay is that annoying feature of most rechargeable devices where the longer you use them the shorter they last. The Flashpoint Power Technology system is rated for 50,000 charge/discharge cycles with virtually no degradation. That’s a charge a day for more than 135 years. Through 50,000 cycles, testing has shown that the Flashpoint system still retains 96% of its peak capacity.

Three LED’s that are rated for more than 50,000 hours each power the 5.11 Light For Life. That’s 40 hours a week, for more than 24 years. Guess you won’t need to replace them very often. The body is made from a rugged and durable polymer that’s impact, abrasion and water-resistant. There’s gotta be a catch, right? There is one downside. This little baby will cost you $169.99. I guess if you amortize that over the lifetime of the LEDs that comes out to a more palatable $7/year. Head over to waypoint www.511tactical.com to get your own.