By Suzanne
I’ve been wandering around in the dark for a while now with Guyot Designs’ Fireflye. At first I was a bit skeptical. Is this really going to put out enough light to make it worth it? Are the batteries going to last? But, now that I’ve been on a few adventures with it, I can definitely say that it is one of the coolest gadgets I’ve used in a while. The three AAA batteries are held securely within the top with the use of a couple hex screws (it comes with the tool) and are safe from any water or rain issues. I originally envisioned the screws to be a pain since they would slow me down from changing the batteries. But I soon learned that the low power use of the LEDs mean that I have yet to need to change them. So, even if it is a bit of a pain, the frequency that I need to change the batteries makes it not a problem.
The lid is also secured to the bottle with the use of Sterling Rope cord, which is actually made right down the street from where I live here in Maine. Needless to say, I was excited to be using a product that supported my local economy and, given that I climb with Sterling Rope, I knew wouldn’t be worn out any time soon. It’s also so much easier and dependable to use than the typically plastic connector! I have hooked the bottle to my pack by putting a carabiner right through the loop of the lid and it has stayed put without any problems at all. I can’t say that about the typical plastic lids that come with the bottles originally!
Now down to the real issue at hand. How about the light? Is it worth the little bit of extra weight? I can now say that the Fireflye is not just fun, it also does put out a remarkable amount of light! It is just the perfect luminance to light your way at night from your camp site to your secret spot without your camping buddies being woken up. There are three small LEDs enclosed within an opaque, water-tight bubble inside the top of the lid. The bubble, beyond simply protecting the LEDs, also provides the top with a way to distribute the light in a consistent manner.
My next mission will be to test the exact battery life using three fresh AAA batteries. Interested to hear how it goes? Well then stay tuned! I’ll be posting more about Guyot Designs’ Fireflye in a couple weeks.
