Shake Light Flashlight - No Batteries!

A couple years back I ran a review of a shake flashlight (torch) that never needs batteries. I bought that one for less than 10 bucks on eBay though and got what I paid for. After about a year the switch started wigging out on me and I had to hold my thumb on it to keep the light on. (Still makes a good kid toy though.) Now I'm using something more rugged and dependable: the Shakelight from Gaiam.

This one runs $20 to $30 depending on the exact model and where you buy it, but it could be the last flashlight you ever need. Plus you don't ever have to buy batteries for it. If a twister comes through or a meteor wipes out the electric grid, you'll still have light for weeks with just a shake of the arm. Naturally this makes it a good bet for traveling in developing countries too since the electricity supply is often dicey and the acid batteries go straight into the ground or into a burning pile of garbage. This you just shake and the magnetic coil system does its thing.

The Gaiam Shakelight weighs less than a pound, but has a double coil that enables almost a half hour of light after just two minutes of shaking. It's nine inches long and thin except for where the light comes out, so it's not much trouble to pack. It's the little things that often have the most impact on the environment over time. Using an eco-friendly flashlight is one little thing that's painless and productive.

(Just one warning on the box though: avoid this if you've got implanted medical devices and you might want to keep it away from any magnetic computer disks or credit cards.)

Get this version from Amazon for $20.

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