Interesting Facts About Camping Flashlights
The standard flashlight is well embedded in our lives that we have almost forgotten how important it is in situations where it can even save our lives. This is especially true for camping or tactical flashlights as they can boast additional features like an S.O.S mode and the ability to illuminate at a long distance or at a wider angle. The flashlight has come a long way since it was first invented – here are some interesting facts that you might have not known.
When & Who Invented It
The first camping flashlights were invented in the late 1890s. The inventor was David Misell, an Englishman who was working for the American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company. The owner of this company was Conrad Hubert, a Russian living in the United States of America who also patented some of his own flashlight inventions.
Where Did the Name „Flashlight“ Come from?
After the first flashlight was invented, there was no steady electric current source and users had to press a button to literally flash light at intervals. This is how the common name ‘flashlight’ was born. However, in most European countries, the name ‘torch’ or ‘electric torch’ is commonly used.
The First One – Explained
The first ever flashlight was made out of a paper cylinder and consisted of a battery, reflector, and a light. After two decades of constant developments and improvements, it became the first ever proper electric torch. And since this torch didn’t use a flammable liquid, such as kerosene or a burning candle, for the light source, it was quite safe to use. It wasn’t long before it became widely used and popular, which started the journey that led to the development of the camping flashlight of today.
LED Technology
Starting from the late 1990’s camping flashlights no longer needed solely batteries or bulbs to function. With the introduction of LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology, the first LED flashlights were born as well and they were way more efficient and durable than the conventional ones. With LED camping flashlights, you no longer have to worry about changing batteries and running out of power. This kind of light source uses semiconductor technology.
Materials
Camping Flashlights are typically made of aluminium, steel, silver, copper, rubber, leather, wood, plastic and brass. Besides camping, they are also used in households to help in daily tasks and they’re also used by miners so they can see in the dark.
The Flashlight Principle
Throughout the years the principle with which every flashlight operates has been also incorporated in keyrings, headlamps, and even penlights.
