Every RV camper needs a good flashlight. In fact, as anyone who’s ever stumbled around a campsite in the dark can tell you, every RV camper needs several good flashlights. We sometimes boondock in rural areas that are pitch black at night. So we carry a bunch of flashlights in different styles and sizes, ranging from tiny handheld units to strap-on headlamps to the best and baddest of them all: our Stanley FatMax waterproof rechargeable LED spotlight (try saying that three times fast). The FATMAX is more than a mere flashlight – it’s a MONSTER LED SPOTLIGHT. It’s the perfect answer to that timeless after midnight question: “Hey, what’s going on out there?”
Even if you have an old fashioned halogen spotlight, you should consider this new LED design. Overall, LED is better – a lot better. I replaced a dying old halogen unit with this LED model and have been very pleased with the change. The new LED lighting technology really offers some major benefits compared to older designs.
This Stanley FatMax LED is 50% smaller than the typical spotlight – that makes it great for carrying in the RV, or in your tow vehicle. It’s small enough to fit in a backpack. My old spotlight was much more bulky.
The Stanley LED spotlight is lighter in weight than the old halogen designs. It weighs a mere 1.8 pounds, less than half of the old style. Again, this makes it easier to carry with you. I wouldn’t hesitate to take it on a hike or fishing trip.
The LED spotlight is not only rechargeable, its battery life is excellent. It boasts a runtime of almost 10 hours. My old spotlight needed to be recharged every 10 minutes, or so it seemed.
This LED spotlight operates at a cool temperature. My old spotlight got hot enough to melt plastic and fry eggs – it literally burned a hole in one of my car floormats! This new LED light is cool to the touch. No worries about burning skin or your car seat.
The FatMax LED is waterproof and submersible up to six feet deep. If you accidentally drop it in the lake, no worries – it floats in the water!
The Stanley LED kicks out 520 lumens of light. This is less than the old 1, 2, and 3 million candlepower spotlights, but it’s still a stunning amount of concentrated light. Stanley makes other spotlights (including HID) that are brighter, but they cost more, are not waterproof, are larger, and have less battery life. You can decide whether more light is worth the compromises. For my needs, 520 lumens does the job. By any definition, this is a satisfying spotlight, a #1 bestseller.
My only beef with the Stanley LED involves the on/off switch. The design is a little weird: instead of a traditional trigger, there’s a rotating on/off dial. It works fine, but it took me a few minutes to get comfortable with it. I understand that it was designed in this fashion so that the light would be waterproof.
One benefit of the waterproof on/off dial is that you can rotate the dial to the “on” position and the light stays on – no need to constantly pull a trigger. So I guess the new on/off dial has its upsides.
There’s also a dimmer switch on the light. Of course, I usually have mine set to maximum brightness.
Overall I really like the Stanley LED spotlight. It is plenty powerful, and the many benefits of LED technology make it ideal for RV travel. Every RV camper needs one of these.