Freeplay Sherpa Wind Up and Rechargeable Torch

i really like this product, i dont no what all the bad reviews are on about, this is amazing product

A good bright light. Robust and easy to wind. Really good to have in an emergency kit. I am glad I bought one

The Freeplay Sherpa Wind Up and Rechargeable Torch batteries take very long to charge. With new led torches on the market this item is not the ideal torch.

The Freeplay Sherpa Wind Up and Rechargeable Torch is always there when you need it (Except when the bulb goes)

It's very robust. I've dropped it several times without it causing any damage. Replacement bulbs are difficult to get hold off and so is the company. This appears to be a gripe from lots of people.

Not value for money as replacement bulbs are not available as a spare item.

Now I tend to be a little bit of a worry-wart since 9/11 and more since Katrina. We take some very basic things for granted - food, water, light, heat etc... Bottom line is, every family / household needs to be able to survive at least 3 days before any outside help. In a MAJOR disruption, there can be no guarantees. The more independent we are the farther available resources can go to others. A flashlight is a standard item to have in any emergency kit. What a peace of mind it is to have something that you can depend on to be there if (when) needed. Even if it is a power failure from a storm or maybe something to take camping etc. I have a number of LED torches, but even as efficient as they are, NiMH batteries have a short shelf life so they are still undependable. The Freeplay Sherpa Wind Up and Rechargeable flashlights are THE best made, and the only ones I'd depend on in an emergency. I'm not talking 2 or three days.. but what if it's 10 or 20, or more days, and all your spare batteries are gone? These torches regenerate their power... I returned a cheap one ($20) a few weeks ago, and just got the Sherpa. X-ray LED for $40 with s+h. The difference in construction is like comparing a Yugo to a bulldozer. What a cheap investment for such a basic need, and the peace of mind. Others I've see are poorly made, and not too bright (smile). Freeplay has done their R+D on this and all their products. I have Freeplay's new foot powered generator the "Weza" on order, and it should be here in about three weeks. This is a revolutionary idea in power generation. I'll do a review as soon as I can.

The Freeplay Sherpa Wind Up and Rechargeable Torch should be a great idea - a torch that backs up a rechargable battery (mains adaptor supplied) with a manual crank. This design can be found on some radios (thanks to UK inventor Trevor Bayliss) and on manual chargers for mobile phones and for the most part it works quite well. The high beam setting is bright thanks to a Xenon-filled bulb, and winding the crank for 30 seconds gives you around 5 minutes of power on low beam.

The problems: the low beam setting is dim which encourages you to use the high beam setting. But that eats battery life in 10-20 minutes and, to make matters worse, it takes up to 24 hours to fully recharge the internal NiMH cell. Using the crank would guarantee you usable power in an emergency but it would take you a LONG time to generate enough power for useful high-beam use.

All of this compromises the torch's usefulness in everyday situations and you end up wondering whether the wind-up feature isn't just an oversold gimmick. In conclusion, there is nothing actually wrong with this torch but at £30 ($45) it might be a better investment to buy a conventional rechargable torch for half the price.