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Over the years we have tried several flashlights, not only from Anker but also from other brands and which differed mainly in size and luminous power. The latest addition Anker Bolder LC40, which we have used in these days, turned out to be the ideal compromise in terms of size, power and usability, although something is still missing to make it truly perfect.
Anker Bolder LC40, how it's made
Like all the other torches of the Anker family (by the way, if you want to take a look at the reviews of the other models you can find them here and here) the whole structure is made of solid metal, with three-dimensional smoothings that improve its grip.
The first difference consists in the absence of moving parts: accustomed to other models we immediately tried to pull the head for zoom mode and unscrew the cap to remove the battery. None of this is in the new Anker Bolder LC40.
Ok, without the zoom there are fewer moving parts – so in theory more durability over time – but forget about the possibility of concentrating the light beam in one narrower area for the benefit of greater brightness. However, there is a button on the bottom that allows you to decrease the power and consequently increase the battery life (it also serves to activate the Strobo and SOS modes), but we will talk about this in the chapter relating to our field test.
As we said there is not even the possibility of removing the battery, so over the years when the overall capacity will fail you will be forced to replace it completely. But this also means that the flashlight is even more resistant to humidity and bad weather (the company says IP65 certification, that is, an enclosure totally protected against dust, against access with a wire and against jets of water): if in the other models to protect them from water infiltrations there were gaskets that will certainly wear out in the long run, this flashlight will at least ensure complete protection for the next few years.
internal battery there is a microUSB socket, well protected by a silicone cap firmly fixed to the base of the flashlight, while with the metal clip it will be possible to attach it to a loop or to the belt of the trousers or to the buckle of a backpack. A wrist strap is missing in the package, but if you have one aside you can hook it to the hole on the clip.
The lighting is guaranteed by a single LED accompanied by a large reflective area, all protected by a plastic plate.
What we liked most are the dimensions (12 cm in length, 3.2 cm in diameter for the head and 2.2 cm for the handle): it is enough small so as not to make us regret having it with us even in simple evening walks but it is large enough to guarantee a firm grip. Weight? 120 grams, not very few but dictated by an excellent resistance to shocks and falls, so in our opinion they are gladly accepted.
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We complained about the absence of a zoom mode. But is it really needed? In our opinion, no. The 400 lumens declared by the manufacturer seemed more than sufficient even without having to concentrate the light cone in a smaller area.
This is primarily because the flashlight does not project a uniform light like the older sisters. A stronger central light (circular in shape) is already there and is accompanied by a large halo of light to ensure the illumination of a large area.
At the maximum level of brightness it is possible to perfectly illuminate, in full darkness, even the leaves of a tree about 50 meters away, perhaps allowing us to find out if there are animals hidden among the branches, while with the brightness at minimum it is possible to sufficiently illuminate a good area in front to itself (about a space of 5 x 3 meters) and faintly the leaves of a tree 30 meters away.
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400 lumens 
120 lumens 
20 lumens
If the tree is closer (about 10 meters) then the maximum brightness is almost blinding, at the minimum level the light is enough to peek well between the leaves. In the test just described, a red skyscraper can be seen in the background. We do not have photos to prove what we are about to say because we would have lost too much time to take it disturbing the inhabitants of the apartments, but we assure you that at maximum brightness the torch can reach even the most distant balconies, lighting them just enough to allow us to notice the possible presence of drying racks with cloths or other exhibits.
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400 lumens 
120 lumens 
20 lumens
Good brightness too in home. At the maximum level it easily compensates for the absence of the chandelier on (we did some tests in the bathroom), thus proving to be a good solution in case of emergency. At the minimum level it may be enough to sufficiently illuminate a small area, perhaps inside a tent when camping or to read a book in the bedroom (be careful, however, because the light has cold shades, so it does not help sleep at all).
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400 lumens 
120 lumens 
20 lumens
We did not use the Strobe and SOS modes of Anker Bolder LC40 that are activated with the single press of the button after reducing the brightness to a minimum (the turn is this: one click and the flashlight turns on at maximum brightness, a second click to reduce the power by one step, a third to reduce the brightness to a minimum, then the fourth click activates the strobe and the fifth the SOS light. One last click turns off the flashlight and then the tour starts again. memory last activated mode, convenient if you always want to use the flashlight at the minimum level to save energy), but they are there and certainly they are useful both if you place it on a bicycle with a special adapter (on Amazon there are several starting from a few cents) or if you are in a situation
One last consideration: we kept it at maximum brightness for about 45 consecutive minutes during a short night walk. After about 10 minutes the torch heats up slightly near the head and maintains a constant temperature. It is a weak heat that does not bother even on these hot days. After turned off it cools down in about 15 minutes. In short, do not be scared if it gets a little warm, everything is normal (and the company makes it clear with the “Hot” brand printed on the profile of the flashlight.
Conclusions
By Anker Bolder LC40 we have listed strengths and weaknesses, but in the end the conclusion we reached at the end of our tests is only one: after using it even only once it will be difficult to leave it at home.
The strong central light is enough and advances to not feel the lack of the zoom and not to be able to replace the battery does not necessarily have to be seen as a defect. The waterproofing is probably greater than others and then there is the microUSB recharge that avoids us having to remove the battery each time to recharge it with a special adapter. The autonomy is then sufficient to guarantee prolonged use in case of excursions lasting several days (in this case we advise you to bring with you a power bank to make sure you can recharge it if necessary): around or 4-5 hours at maximum brightness, which triple if used at medium power (120 lumens) and exceed 40 hours with light at the minimum level (20 lumens).
The price it's good: at the moment you can buy it on Amazon for 24 euros, 6 euros less than the more powerful model (900 lumens) but also larger (but with microUSB charging and replaceable battery) and 10 euros more than the less powerful Anker torch, still valid for a less demanding use.
In our opinion Anker Bolder LC40 is the perfect compromise: it is robust, handy but sufficiently pocketable, easy to recharge and with sufficient brightness for the most common uses, ranging from outing for a night excursion or a simple walk through the dark streets of your neighborhood.
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