Nebo Galileo 1600 Flex Lantern: rechargeable, or six D cells when that runs out
The Flex Power system on the Galileo 1600 is the reason to choose it over an ordinary rechargeable lantern. It ships with a 2600 mAh 18650 cell, and when that is exhausted it will run on six D cell batteries instead. For a light bought against power cuts, that is a fundamentally different proposition from one that stops when the charge does.
Why D cells matter on a lantern
A rechargeable lantern is excellent until the outage lasts longer than the battery, which is precisely the scenario it was bought for. D cells hold their charge for years in a cupboard, are sold everywhere, and six of them hold a very great deal of energy. Keeping a pack alongside the lantern turns a light with a runtime into a light with a supply chain.
The rechargeable cell remains the everyday option. The D cells are the answer to the second and third night, and nothing about the lantern needs modifying to switch between them.
ARCUS COB and the two beam patterns
ARCUS COB technology drives both a 360 degree output and a 120 degree one. The 360 degree mode lights a whole space evenly from wherever the lantern is standing, with no shadow behind it and nothing to aim. The 120 degree mode throws the same light in one direction only, which nearly triples the runtime at a given brightness and is what you want when the lantern is against a wall or at the mouth of a tent and half its output would otherwise be wasted lighting canvas.
Galileo 1600 modes and runtime
High at 360 degrees gives 1000 lumens for 1.5 hours over 21 metres. Medium at 120 degrees runs 300 lumens for 6 hours. Low at 360 degrees fully dimmed provides 100 lumens for 10.5 hours. Red High gives 15 lumens for 12 hours and Red Low 2 lumens for 30 hours.
Output is dimmable rather than stepped, so those figures are points on a range. Red preserves night vision, and Direct-to-Red reaches it without the white output firing on the way.
Thirty hours on red low
Red Low draws 2 lumens and runs 30 hours. That is not illumination in any working sense, and it is not meant to be. It is enough to find the lantern in the dark, mark a tent entrance, or move about a shared space without waking anyone or destroying their dark adaptation, and more than a day of it costs almost nothing from the cell.
The power bank
The 2600 mAh cell doubles as a USB power bank, which on a camping trip or during an outage means the lantern is charging phones rather than competing with them for a socket.
Weight
At 230 grams this is the lighter of the two Galileo lanterns despite being the taller, which follows from a body built around one 18650 rather than a denser package. For a lantern carried in a pack rather than left in a cupboard, that difference is worth having.
Build
ABS plastic construction, dust resistant and IPX4 water resistant, operated by a single button. A carabiner style handle carries it and hangs it from a branch, a tent loop or a beam. It weighs 230 grams and measures 135 by 135 by 255 millimetres, charging over USB-C in 3 hours at 1.0 A or 5 hours at 0.5 A.
Features
- Rechargeable lantern with ARCUS™ COB technology.
- Provides 360° and 120° white light illumination.
- Maximum output of 1000 lumens.
- Five lighting modes including white and red illumination.
- Red light helps preserve natural night vision.
- Up to 30 hours runtime on Red Low mode.
- Built-in 2600mAh power bank for charging USB-powered devices.
- Flex Power system for versatile power options.
- Direct-to-Red function for instant access to red light mode.
- Compact and lightweight design.
- Durable ABS plastic construction.
- Dust-resistant and IPX4 water-resistant housing.
- Simple single-button operation.
- USB-C rechargeable with included USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
- Carabiner-style handle for convenient carrying and hanging.
- Ideal for camping, outdoor adventures, emergencies and general area lighting.
Specifications
- High 360 at 100% (1000 lumens): 1.5 hours / 21 meters
- Medium 120° (300 lumens): 6 hours / 17 meters
- Low 360° fully dimmed (100 lumens): 10.54 hours / 7 meters
- Red High (15 lumens): 12 hours / 3 meters
- Red Low (2 lumens): 30 hours / 1 meters
- Powered by 1x Li-ion 18650 2600 mAh 3.7v battery (included), can also run on 6x D cell batteries (not included)
- Recharge Time (Hours) 3h @1.0A, 5h @0.5A
- Weight: 230g
- (L) 135mm X (W) 135mm X (H) 255mm
What's in the Box
- 1 x NEBO GALILEO 1600LM FLEX LANTERN
