I am a bicycle safety instructor. One of the things LCIs do is put bike lights and bike reflectors to the test by having our students go two at a time down a dark street or path with no lights and then again with a car's headlights aimed at them. If it's set up well, you have the cyclists ride about 3 blocks out and then back. You can't believe how well low reflectors do on this test (wheels, pedals) and how poorly most lights do. Generally taillights are better than headlights. Enter the FlarePros. I power mine with a portable battery pack that runs the lights for many hours on 'pulsation' mode. When you adjust the FlarePros to their highest setting, they are almost blinding and can be seen--easily--from blocks away. Even in city riding, where there are lots of streetlights, street signs, fluorescent lights, business signs, etc, the FlarePros show up better than any light I've ever seen. I absolutely love them.
I bike commute in some hairy traffic every day (industrial south side of the Chicago). I love the fact that these are *VERY* visible during the daytime, when most lights barely are noticeable. I have hub generator lights with super high-end German lights on all of my personal rides, yet I still use the FlarePros for daylight riding because they INCREASE MY VISIBILITY TO TRUCKS AND CARS.
I have been using the product since it's Kickstarter launch in 2017 on a regular basis--probably 200+ days a year. I now own 6 Flarepros: 4 white and 2 red. I use them on multiple bikes. Because they are so small and lightweight, I switch them between bikes for the kids' bike club that I lead. I also use them on my own bikes, including a custom built city bike and my Brompton folder. The velcro straps make them easy to switch between whichever bike you prefer, and they are also small enough to throw into your purse or backpack. You can also use them as ground effect lights or attach them to the downtubes, seat stays or front form on most bikes. I have also used them several times on my Xootr kick scooter, rental bikes, on my dog's collar when out playing at night (I velcro the battery along his collar), and when walking at night on trails where there are no lights at all. My husband has this as his primary front light on his bike.
While some people don't like the external battery pack, I have to say that I actually prefer it because I can custom tailor the power that I use on any given ride. I tend to use the little Anker "lipstick" chargers because they come in a bag that can hung from any handlebar and are both inexpensive and easy to recharge, but I also upgrade to a larger, more powerful brick if I want. I often keep a spare pack in my bike bag, just in case (for charging my phone, too).
About the only negative I have is that if your FlarePro gets wet, be sure to take the time to dry it out thoroughly... like with a blowdryer or some silica gel crystals. One of my lights got badly corroded from a rain storm. While I did spot dry it, the USB connector got rusty (note: I was able to remove it using sandpaper and the light still works, however it is hard to get the USB end to fit into most battery packs now). It would be great if Orfos could figure out a way to incorporate a small plastic cover to store the USB end when the light is not in use. And another suggestion: for when camping or working inside your car, it would be nice to have a really low light level.
Positives:
-Super bright! SUPER BRIGHT!
-360° visibility
-Adjustable light levels from medium to crazy bright as well as multiple modes including pulse and flashing
-Very lightweight
-Easily swappable between bikes, backpacks, armbands, head straps, etc.
-Can take any USB battery pack for power
Negatives:
-USB end can rust if exposed to water
-No on/off switch. You need to unplug the battery pack to turn it off.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND these lights.
