While most flashlights are good at lighting the way in front of the user, they don't illuminate the ground between that person and whoever may be following them. That's where the Polish-designed Rony comes in, as it has both front and rear beams.
Looking almost like a work of modern art, the Rony features a front Cree LED lamp that points straight ahead, along with a rear Biom LED lamp which is angled downward. A tap of a touch-sensitive button allows the front light to be set to one of five output levels, ranging from 20 to 1,500 lumens – the rear light shines at a set 300 lumens.
And while the front beam is relatively sharply focused, the rear beam is diffused to more evenly light the ground behind the user. And yes, the rear LED can be shut off when not needed.
The Rony is IP67 waterproof (it can be submerged to 1 meter/3.3 ft for 30 minutes), and is powered by an integrated 4,200-mAh lithium battery. One 3-hour USB charge is said to deliver runtimes similar to those of other high-end flashlights – it should run for 40 hours at its lowest output level.
An included handlebar mount also allows the Rony to be used as a bicycle headlight. Its makers claim that in this configuration, its rear LED makes the rider more visible to drivers by lighting up the road around and behind the bike.
Should you be interested, the Rony flashlight is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. Assuming it reaches production, a pledge of €55 (US$62) will get you one with a brushed aluminum body, €59 ($66) will get you one in black anodized aluminum, and €76 ($86) will score you a carbon fiber model. Their planned retail prices are €80, €95 and €114 ($91, $108 and $129), respectively.
You can see the Rony in use, in the following video.
