HybridLight TrueTimber Pro Kit Solar/USB Lights Review
Russ Chastain 01.30.19
I’ve been enjoying the use of some HybridLight products for the past several months, in the form of their “TrueTimber Pro Kit,” which contains a variety of their products, all dressed in TrueTimber camouflage. Here’s the rundown on the stuff in the kit, along with an overview of the kit itself.
About HybridLight
From the HybridLight site:
Hybrid Light® is a pioneer of solar powered mobile lighting and charging solutions designed for when you need the power of the sun to shed light on all of your adventures. Our portable flashlights, lanterns, headlamps, and power panels are the reliable go-to illuminator that you want in every toolbox, glovebox, emergency kit, night stand and kitchen drawer.
They say their products are “rechargeable again and again” and are “durable, environmentally friendly, & guaranteed for life.”
And now on to the boxful of goodies!
TrueTimber Pro Kit
The kit itself is pretty cool. It comes in a high-quality box with magnetic flap closure. Covered with TrueTimber camo, it made a great way for me to tote this stuff to & from my hunt camp.
Nestled in precision-cut foam are seven rechargeable devices, along with a nifty metal-clad MicroUSB cord. An Apple Lightning adapter is included so you can use the cord to charge your iStuff.
The items include:
- Mammoth 400 lumen multi-light/charger
- Journey 250 flashlight/charger
- Journey 160 flashlight/charger
- Atlas lantern/charger
- PUC expandable lantern/charger
- HEX bluetooth speaker/light/charger
- Headlamp
Each of the devices can be charged via USB or solar power. Even interior lights that aren’t all that bright will stimulate the solar panel enough to light up the red indicator (only the Mammoth lacks this light) that says the item is taking a charge.
Six of the devices have built-in solar panels, while the Headlight comes with a separate solar panel that attaches to the MicroUSB port. The Headlight is also the only one that doesn’t have a USB-out port that can be used to charge other devices.
Mammoth Multi Light/Charger
The HybridLight Mammoth is an interesting creature, with a large 400-lumen area light on one side of the head and a diminutive 150-lumen flashlight on the end of the head. Opposite the area light is the solar panel, and the entire head pivots about 60 degrees in each direction.
The product page claims the Mammoth is water resistant, but I must disagree. Rotating the head reveals a large open hole, and openings for the plug prongs on the rear of the handle (see below) will also allow water inside.
The base of the Mammoth has a stowable plastic hook and a pair of magnets, which are pretty strong and hold it in place well on a steel surface. The hook feels a tad flimsy, but that may be due to its 360-degree swivel motion, which causes it to feel like it’s not securely fastened. Mine stayed securely in place when I pulled on it pretty hard, though — so it’s tougher than it looks.
The magnetic base also swivels, so you can turn the light to aim it without scratching up whatever surface it’s on.
The handle portion of the light contains the 4400 mAh battery, switch, and input/output USB ports. The ports are covered by a water-resistant black rubber cover, as is the switch. Below the port cover is a row of 4 tiny blue lights, which illuminate during charging to let you know the battery level. They also illuminate to show battery capacity when the light is on and/or when you’re using the Mammoth to charge another device.
On the back of the mammoth’s handle is a fold-out pair of prongs so you can plug it directly into a USA-standard 120-volt AC electric receptacle for charging.
The switch is a simple affair, and one push fires up the area light. To use the flashlight, push the switch again. Another push turns the Mammoth off.
Speaking of the switch, you will need to retrain yourself on which digit to use on it. Simply put, if you use your thumb you’ll probably get blinded by the area light when you turn it on, because it’s pointed more or less towards your face. Do yourself a favor and get used to holding the light with the area light down, using your index finger to work the switch.
The area light is quite bright and does a nice job. The flashlight is okay for finding your way around a small darkened area, but it lacks projection so it’s not great as an outdoor flashlight.
Battery life from full charge is rated at 18 hours for the area light and 35 hours for the flashlight.
The HybridLight Mammoth is 9.25 inches long, 2.3 inches wide, and 1.4 inches thick at the base. It weighs 9.2 ounces and has an MSRP of $59.95.