First Impressions:
The Preon P0 is a very simple light both in operation
and its design. There is no knurling or other distinctive designs on the
body. The body of the light is made of stainless steel that has a smooth
dull bead blasted finish. A portion of the tail and the head of the
light are left with a polished finish. This gave the light a good look,
making it appear that the head of the light actually has a bezel, when
in fact its all just one piece.
I didn't know anything about this light when I received it
for review so I was quite surprised when I turned it on and saw that the
beam was PURE flood. There is no hotspot what so ever. Just pure wide
perfectly even flood. I thought this was great for a little light like
this, there should be more lights available that have a pure flood beam.
Size/Weight:
Even though the P0 is made of stainless steel instead
of the typical aluminum lights, it is still very light weight due to its
small size. I don't think you will find a AAA battery light much smaller
than this. The light could feel right at home on a keychain or even on a
necklace as a neck light.
Grip/Handling:
The Po is quite a small light so gripping or
operating it with gloves on can be a bit tricky. With bare hands, the
bead blasted finish provides enough grip to turn the head and operate
the light with one hand. I also found since it was so light weight, that
it was very easy to hold in my mouth so I could have both hands free.
Build
Quality:
The build quality seems on par or above other AAA
lights on the market. You don't get the full sense of quality like you
do with the larger lights, due to the lack of any fancy machining like
knurling, grooves, clip attachments, etc. The light also uses a foam
ring placed in the head of the light to prevent the battery from
rattling when the light is off, with the head loosened. So sometimes you
don't get that precision feel you get with lights that use a spring. But
the machining of the light is very good, the threads are nice and tight
with no play.
Features:
The Preon P0 is designed very simply, so there isn't
much when it comes to features. You have a very simple 2 output level
light. Tighten the head to turn it on, loosen it to turn it off. To
change levels, turn the light off then back on again in less than a
second. The light will default back on in low mode if not used for a few
seconds.
But there is one surprise feature! There is a magnet in the
tail of the light! This may not always be a useful feature since you
have to be around a metal object. But when you are, it is quite handy
and I think it would be great if more lights did this. For example, the
headboard of my bed is metal tubing, it worked perfectly. Stuck the
light on there, could even angle it the way I needed to, and laid in bed
reading a book. The pure flood of light is perfect for close up things
like that. It also works great if you have drop ceiling panels like in
an office, you can stick it to the metal rails.
The optic of the light also has a glow in the dark
coating which glows fairly bright. Only glows for alittle while like
most glow in the dark stuff, but its nice to be able to lay it down and
see it when you goto pick it back up. Its actually bright enough to read
a map by for a few seconds right after you turn it off.
Output:
The pure even flood of light the Preon P0 makes is what sets it apart
from other lights. I think this is perfect for a light like this and of
this size. If I need more output or a tight spot for further distances,
I will grab a larger light. The little P0 is a perfect light for close
up work because you don't have the typical hotspot to distract you or
ruin your night vision.
The low output level is good for night adapted eyes. Since
the light just has the 2 levels, I think it is a good comprise between
being too low for alot of uses, and being so bright it ruins your night
vision. On high the tiny light puts out quite a wall of light, pretty
impressive given its size.
Pros:
Very small and light weight
Simple 2 mode operation
Built in magnet in tail
Pure smooth flood of light with no artifacts
Cons:
May be too small to operate with gloves
Not useful for long distance lighting
Conclusion:
At first, not knowing anything about the P0, I
wasn't all that excited. Eh, just another AAA light, there are plenty
out there. But after realizing it had a pure smooth flood beam with no
artifacts, it really changed my view of it. I think its the perfect
output for a tiny light like this. For use on your keychain or around
your neck, its typically going to be used for close work, so the flood
is very easy on the eyes. I think it fills a nitch category that not
many other lights fall into.
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