The first thought that crossed my mind after I aimed the new Reactor at - and illuminated - a massive pine tree down a darkened street was "man, this thing is bright." When I flicked the lightweight torch toward my buddy standing 30 feet away, he turned like Dracula seeing the sun. I felt like I had the candlepower of a German sports car's HID headlights in the palm of my hand. Thank God for the advent of the white LED.

The Reactor is just one of five LED-bulbed flashlights from Chicago-based CMG Equipment. They produce a range of camping/outdoor lamps that utilize this energy-sipping diode, and the Reactor is their latest achievement. Just 2.5 ounces without batteries, the 6 inch long Reactor can go anywhere and could be a welcome staple of anyone's backpack, bike bag, glove compartment or kitchen drawer.

We tested it out in the pitch-black Sierra mountains, pitting it side-by-side with a traditional incandescent flashlight of similar size and weight. And there was simply no comparison. According to CMG, most lights achieve 25 feet of illumination, compared to the Reactor's 75 foot print. The Reactor's single LED bulb can light up the side of a barn from a block away, giving off a large, evenly lit pattern of white light.

And that white light is exactly what CMG is touting with this new light. Compared to other LED flashlights that have flooded the market with a relatively bluish tint, CMG claims the Reactor puts out a whiter light - using just one small diode. The secret is in the lens optics which, it should be noted, don't adjust the beam as you turn the barrel - something users of other lights might be used to.

Twisting the barrel is how you turn the light on and off, and presents our only criticism of the Reactor. Without an indented stop in the "off" position, we worried that the unit could inadvertently twist and turn on in a pocket or backpack and run down the battery. So we also unscrewed the battery compartment in the back a couple turns to be sure. A small design improvement would make this light just about perfect in our book.

The shell is made of anodized aircraft aluminum with a polycarbonate lens housing and is water-resistant. The bulb life is claimed at 100,000 hours (try measuring that just for fun), and 2 AA batteries should last 10 hours at peak output. At $32 it isn't cheap, but should be a solid investment in an essential piece of nighttime equipment.

Msrp: $32
www.cmgequipment.com // 888-699-0622

— Reviewed & Written by Ari Cheren, MountainZone.com Gear Editor