When I go backpacking with the dogs, camp is set up and the sun goes down, I get nervous when they wander away from the fire. Not being able to see my dogs, especially the black one, is unnerving, especially when they don’t immediately come when they are called. But lately I’ve been making them wear the Rigel “stellar strength” light, so I can see them, even if they’ve run far into the blackest of woods.
The Rigel is a new product from Dublin Dog. Features include:
- 3 ultrabright LEDs
- 3 mounts
- 3 settings including fast blink, slow blink, and steady on
- LED life span of 50,000 hours
- Battery life span of over 300 hours (in flash mode)
- 1 mile visibility distance range
- Quick release
- Impact resistant
- Waterproof up to 10 feet
- Quick release
- 3-year warranty
Most lights I’ve used have been pretty cheap, especially material-wise. But the Rigel is bomber. It’s obviously a stout and sturdy bit of equipment, which is good considering how aggressively my dogs wrestle and tromp through the forest when their brains snap in the wild. Dublin Dog says the Rigel is named after one of the brightest stars in the galaxy, which makes sense because this thing is super bright. I don’t recommend looking directly at it when you turn it on.
Many lights are difficult or limited in how they can be used. But with the 3 mounts that are included, it’s easy to set one up. The mount I used most is the collar mount. My dog’s collar slides easily through the back of the mount so that it’s very snug. It did shift over time under my dog’s neck, most likely from the added weight, which made it difficult to see, but the light is so bright, it was illuminating the ground like a detective’s flashlight scanning the ground for spent bullet casings.
The fact that the Riegl is waterproof up to 10 feet is also a bonus as my dogs spend most of their time swimming in the lake.
The Rigel isn’t just for dogs! The other mounts transform it into a human light as well. The Bike mount is a rubberized strap that you can attach to your handlebars or seat post for night riding in the city. The flash mode make you super visible to drivers. There’s also a universal mount to attach the light to things like pack straps, so there’s almost limitless places you can put it if you need to stand out against the black.
The Good: Super bright LEDs, burley construction, waterproof.
The Bad: Nothing negative has come up in testing yet.
Final Word: The Rigel light is perhaps the nicest light you can buy for your dog, and even for yourself!
Why in the hell is the back of the unit on so freaking tight that no one in my family can get it off? makes it 100% useless as i can not put the battery in the stupid unit. Annoying as hell