Okay, so you know how it absolutely sucks when you're exploring the polar icecaps and your flashlight craps out at sub-zero temperatures because it's simply too cold? Your batteries might be to blame – and the solution might be an alternative to conventional lithium-ion cells.
Lithium batteries struggle in temperatures lower than 32 °F (0 °C) because the reaction that enables them to deliver power slows down, the electrolyte becomes more viscous and increases internal resistance, and this leads to a drop in voltage. That's no good for a flashlight which needs continuous power to operate in extreme weather.
The Sodiumfrostglow (which just rolls off the tongue) flashlight avoids this hassle by using a sodium-ion battery which can deliver stable power all the way down to -40 ºF (-40 ºC).
Currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter, it promises 3,000 full charge cycles, which means you should be sorted for nearly a decade of daily use. The light itself is a 2,500-lumen 6000K-8000K cool white beam that can be adjusted from a focused spot reached a maximum distance of 787 ft (240 m) to a wide flood. There's also a handy little power display on the shaft, and five modes to switch between, including a strobe and SOS flash.
The simply designed flashlight housing is IP44 rated and made from hard-anodized aluminum alloy, so it can resist splashes and dust, and withstand being dropped. You can charge the Sodiumfrostglow's 10,000-mAh battery via its USB-A port, and also use it as a power bank to top off your phone at 15-W output in an emergency. The flashlight should also come back to life after being left in storage for months and being recharged from 0% – another benefit of sodium-ion battery chemistry.
The Sodiumfrostglow weighs in at 1.4 lb (640 g), and measures 10.7 inches (271 mm); it should run for up to 24 hours at a low-power setting on a full battery. If you're a proper adventurer who's off the grid for extended periods of time, you'll be happy to know that battery is replaceable, and you can get a spare to keep on hand when you're beyond the reaches of civilization.
It's expected to retail at about US$85, but it can be had for as little as $57 apiece over on its Kickstarter campaign page. An additional battery can be tacked on to your order for $18.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, and it's worth noting that the Sodiumfrostglow comes from a creator who hasn't previously shipped any products on the platform – so you'll want to keep that in mind if you choose to back this campaign. The team behind it claims to have years of experience building products, and have partnered with a logistics firm that specializes in fulfilling crowdfunding orders around the world. However, if all goes to plan, orders are slated to ship worldwide in March 2026.
Check out the Sodiumfrostglow flashlight on Kickstarter.
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