It's been a while so I pulled the Streamlight Sidewinder off the vest to check the batteries; while they do have years left on their supposed shelf-life, I'll be dropping some new lithium AA's in before returning it to a kit. Unlike the ACR beacons, the Streamlight Sidewinder is not an omnidirectional beam but is more like a typical LED flashlight beam -- spot with a corona. The strobe is no brighter and is approx 50% on - 50% off, so the strobe should give more runtime than flashlight mode but with the same intensity.

All things considered, I may roll the Sidewinder to another kit and look for an ACR unit like Montanero's MS-2000 or hikermor's Firefly 3 -- the omnidirectional coverage seems a better fit for the role this light plays. The local boat supply place carries the ACR Firefly 3.

I just remembered what Doug said on the subject:

The Rescue Laser™ is the most effective nighttime and adverse weather visual signaling device. It is conspicuous and abnormal enough that it will be reported by passing aircraft, unlike a strobe in most cases. Compared to the best strobe lights . . . the Rescue Laser™ has 10 times the range and effectiveness. . . .

Jeanette Isabelle

JF,

PM sent. I dealt with them some years ago, and the transactions were perfectly satisfactory.

If you don't have your strobe, you are not out of options. On a pleasure hike, we stumbled into an accident scene that required speedy helicopter evacuation. Luckily, we did have radio communication. We indicated the rescue locality with a very large bonfire (extinguished before the chopper went into a hover above us).

Although an admirer of the 4F, I wouldn't routinely carry one as standard equipment on the typical outdoors excursion - those ounces add up. Of course with current technology, it is easy to carry a light source that incorporates a strobe mode

You what would be cool? If the made helium in little whippet canisters like nitrous or CO2 that you could use to fill a sturdy balloon and put a freedom micro in it or on on it and activate it and send it aloft on a reel of dental floss or kevlar thread. I would think that would be quite visible for some distance.

I found a 'strobe' (blinky light) which is 9/16" in diameter and 5/8" tall which includes a small spring clip. It has 3 LEDs, one red, one blue and one white (dim relative to the others). Cheap enough and small enough to carry several.

Is it generally legal to use? I thought flashing a plane with a laser would land you in Gitmo. Maybe an exception for emergency use?

Okay, Google answered my question! Guess it's legal for emergency use. Might have to pick one up!

Probably flashing a regular laser would be frowned on even in an emergency, due to the potential for eye damage.

What is being referred to is a RESCUE laser, which uses a lens to turn the small, hard to aim dot into a line which is easier to aim, 'guaranteed' to not cause any eye damage, and specifically exempted from the law about lasering planes.