Testing a hot product | Pinnacle Newsletter #18
#18 Testing a hot product
Being an outdoor gear tester can be great, but there are some not-insignificant downsides too… such as when a review item turns out to be a bit too hot to handle.
Major design flaws aren't things you generally see in modern outdoor gear, except perhaps at the very cutting edge. But over the last few weeks I’ve been testing a torch from Olight, the H2R Nova, and let me tell you this: it lives up to this name.
This tiny little pocket torch packs in a ridiculous 2,300 lumens when turbo mode is activated. The snag is that this leads to dramatic overheating if enabled for too long. During my testing I only activated ‘insane mode’ for a few seconds at a time, and noted in my review that it could overheat, but didn’t think to push it to see what would happen if left engaged.
I published my review of the H2R Nova on the 6th of June. Almost immediately, people tweeted back to me saying that either they, or someone they knew, had experienced property damage at the hands of this product. One person recounted a tale of the torch switching on in the owner’s pocket, catching their trousers on fire. Someone else managed to burn a hole in their groundsheet in only a few seconds.
Although I hadn’t noticed such drastic effects in my own sample, as a reviewer my responsibility was clear: after verifying the issue, I added a note to the review about the potential overheating problem, and dropped the star rating from 4 to 3. A torch that can set fire to your trousers isn’t one I’m happy to recommend, despite its other positive qualities.
After talking the problem through with the PR who sent me the review sample, I’ve received assurances that the torch will be redesigned to prevent such high temperatures, and a prominent warning will be placed in the included literature.
What’s the upshot of all this? Even today, reviewers can’t assume that a product is entirely free from safety flaws. It’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that most products are now well-designed, and that negative points are usually a matter of nuance. Sometimes you might get an item that’s too hot to handle.
Recently published
Boredom is impossible when immersed in nature – an exploration of my theory that most boredom is caused by modern life.
One-year review: As Tucas Sestrals Quilt – an in-depth review of my top item of gear I tested in 2017, and a valuable addition to my pack.
Hiking the West Highland Way: 8 hints and tips by Zoe Homes – a pleasure to publish this piece by a prominent outdoor blogger, new to TGO.
Links of interest
Sidetracked Vol.12 pre-orders are open. Immensely proud of the work we've put into this one as a team – it's the best issue yet. My role at Sidetracked continues to be some of the most worthwhile and important work I've ever done.
How to make a cross-country route using caltopo.com – this is a very handy piece by Carrot Quinn, who is planning a traverse of the Alaskan Brooks Range.
Far Away and Close: Training for Arctic Refuge Alliance
From my Commonplace Book
Boredom is awesome if you do something with it, but it’s not awesome if you just play video games.
- Paul Miller
Until next time,
Alex
www.alexroddie.com