I'm sorry that you are disapointed Ors.

I have a green glow ring with the black aluminium top and bottom, which I bough from The Glow Company in the UK. I find mine satisfactory for identifying gear and illuminating stuff in the dark (although dimly).

Green is by far the brightest, and the thing that glows is the borosilicate glass vial inside which contains tritium gas, H3. The gas emits beta radiation which activates the green phosphor coating on the tube and makes it glow. The larger the tube is the more light it puts out. My glow ring is much brighter than the tritium face of my marathon watch. The vials are the same type just much smaller on the watch.

The "traser" vials have to be protected by the polycarbonate tube because they are very fragile and it is not good to breathe the tritium gas if they break.

Also a tip, wait until night and then take them to a dark room. After a few minutes your eyes will have night adapted, then they will appear much brighter. They are also brighter when held against a white wall than something dark.