Cyclops Apollo LED Lantern/Flashlight

Useful with the option of either putting it on the floor or hanging it somewhere,

I've been looking for a mini lantern to hang from the vestibule in my tent. I check out various mini lanterns when shopping at the various chain sporting goods and variety stores. I get discouraged because they are to bulky, cheaply made, or look like a play toy. Well I decided to purchase the Cyclops' Apollo LED lantern/flashlight from STP. I'll try and describe it: The lantern/flashlight is 4 inches tall and the diameter is about 1 inch and 3 eights or about as round as a 50 cent piece when collapsed. It extends another 2 inches in the lantern position. I agree with the previous reviews on the pros and cons concerning this lantern/flashlight. PRO: It is well built and machined precisely. CON: The hanging ring should be on the opposite end so that the light shines downward, and the switch would need to be installed on the side. When the switch is pressed it starts to flash, then pressed again is in the bright mode, and when pressed a third time it is in the dim mode. I like things simple and just need the lantern/flashlight to go on and off as I push the switch. I sometimes wonder if the engineers and designers know what it is like functioning in a tent while camping in the dark or dealing with acts of mother nature. Overall this is a good lantern/flashlight.

Small profile for easy packing. Both flash light and lantern capabilities.

This is a great little light. I love it. Very bright. Very well made. It has a hanging hook. The beam adjusts from wide to focused. The lantern is surprisingly bright and works well in camp and in tents. I was really surprised. I used it when camping in Yosemite and it was very effective. It is a little heavy because the body is aluminum, but that also makes it durable. The light has three settings -- 100% bright, 75% bright to save batteries, and emergency flashing. It does not stay in the same setting. Instead, a new setting comes up each time I turn on the light. I must click through the sequence to get the setting I want, but it is no big deal.

The Cyclops Apollo is somewhat useful. But the design is significantly flawed. 1- The light does not automatically return to the previous setting each time it is turned on. Only one simple switch controls the multiple lighting settings. The switch must be depressed several times when turning on the light. 2- The hanger is at the wrong end of the flashlight. When hung much of the output is wasted, directed upward toward the ceiling. If the hanger was located on the other end the output would be directed downward toward a table or the floor.

Other thoughts: The build quality is only average. The Apollo seems closely related to those $2 Chinese LED flashlights sold at the cash register of Harbor Freight or Target. Unfortunately I do not find the Apollo to be much more useful than the $2 flashlights.