Customer Reviews

LightWedge NightVision LED Booklight

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'd used the original LightWedge book light for about three years. After the screen became very scratched and the battery cover latch cracked and stopped working I began looking for another option. I've used the Phorm light and others, but all of the other lights were so bright that they distracted my wife when she was trying to get to sleep.

I finally decided to give the LightWedge NightVision a try. While expensive, the book light works better than my last. The red light doesn't spill out around the room and my wife has commented that this light was better than the original LightWedge. The battery cover seems to be a little more sturdy and I'm not worried that the cover will crack upon falling.

I would prefer LightWedge to offer a protective cover similar to what's available for PDA's and laptop screens. With the cost of the book light, it scratches very easily, even when stored within a book as the manual instructs.

Overall the LightWedge nightVision is an excellent book light, and I'll purchase it again if needed. My only recommendations would be a screen protector.

This was worth every cent! I didn't really understand how the LightWedge worked until I used it at home. But it is very easy to get used to navigating and the NightVision Red LED light is so comfortable on my eyes. Other reviewers commented that this scratched easy but so far no scratches. Don't let the price scare you but do protect your purchase and get the soft case.

That sums up my reaction and the reaction when others see me whip out my lightWedge. I actually bought the one I'm reviewing for an astronomer friend of mine who seems to love it. I bought my first one two years ago, its the one for paperback books, and it is one of the most useful gadgets I've purchased in a long time. It simply works, the batteries last a long time, and most importand of all - my wife and I can remain married even though I need to wake up and read in the middle of the night sometimes, and she's a light sleeper. All of the LightWedges are great products and I would highly recommend them. Why only four stars? I wish I could get red in any LightWedge size instead of just the one.

I love this product. I read all the time, long after my eyes feel like they are going to explode. I saw this and thought it might help with eye strain. It does! Last night I was really into a new Stephen King book...so my eyes were WIDE open and felt like hot marbles but I couldn't stop reading, so I turned out all the lights and read by the soft red glow of the LightWedge NightVision. I found it very soothing to my eyes while Mr. King continued his assault of terror on my nerves! Great combination. Try it.

I am a huge reader and a night owl and especially love to read while my 4 year old is long asleep and so is my husband. In the past I've tried many different book lights always finding either they didn't light up the page well enough, were too bright, would break very easily or had very intrusive attachments. Then the LightWedge. Nightvision Red was the first LightWedge I had tried. I actually bought it for my husband who heard about it and just didn't get around to buying it for himself yet. He wanted it for when he goes on business trips and wants to read on the plane without disturbing others. Although he normally travels fairly frequently it had been sitting on his desk for about 2 weeks when one night I was just dying to try it. So, at about 2:00 AM I opened it up, got some batteries and there began my first experience with the LightWedge. As stated (rightly so) in various other reviews, the battery compartment is so poorly designed I actually cut my finger open trying to get the batteries in. Between being afraid to break it and at the same time trying to literally jam them in there, it was a nightmare, and the whole time I kept thinking I was doing something wrong (I was not). I understand why they chose the design they went with for the battery compartment but I find it hard to believe that the designers and manufacturers could not spare an extra 1/8 or 1/16th of an inch. Once I got the batteries in I was so relieved I couldn't wait to try it out on the new book I just got from Amazon. All that being said, the batteries WILL fit in there but be careful with your fingers and just force them in.

Let me start off by saying the Nightvision is INCREDIBLE, SO much more soothing on your eyes than the clear aka "original"(I now have both), it amazes me that most people choose the original over the Nightvision. I am hoping with fingers crossed they start making the Nightvision in the paperback size. OK, so basically you put the Lightwedge over the page you are reading and the entire page is illuminated but only that page, simple as that. No adjusting anything. The Nightvision Red is the only one that offers a button for brighter or softer which is great - to me that's a big plus over the Original (clear). Before I go on I just want to make sure that people are truly considering all aspects of this product and use it more than once before making a quick decision if they like it or not. I have no stake in LightWedge but really think it's a great product that I would love for other people to find enjoyment in as well. Of course this is the kind of product that some people will love, others won't but I believe if you really consider all of your options on the market today along with giving yourself some time to adjust to a "new way" AND also expect something nice not something perfect, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Back to using the Lightwedge, my first experience with it I was using this model which is the same size as what they refer to as the "Original" model BUT I was reading a paperback. Right there, I encountered my first problem because the LightWedge was considerably larger than my book...but I continued. The entire page was illuminated and there were some faint almost shadow like lines that the LightWedge gives off but nothing that even remotely bothered me. I am only addressing this because I've read other reviews mentioning this. Please note, I have a high regard for other people opinions and in no way mean to diminish someone else's experience but for ME (and trust me when I tell you I am EXTREMELY particular)it was a big nothing, I've experienced the same types of shadows with regular book lights, again nothing is perfect. Again, given I was using the Original Size (which is larger) on a paperback book it was more cumbersome than using the paperback sized LightWedge but still doable. So, I'm reading and turning the pages and realize wow I need to move the lightwedge every time I turn the page (again, I didn't know much about the LightWedge and this was my first experience plus it was 2:00 a.m.) and it was very distracting...at first. But, I kept on reading and then went to sleep. The next day I told my husband I used it and he said what do you think? I said "I'm not sure yet"...and I thought about it some more. The next day I used it again with the same book and then a different book and then I thought about it even more.

Since I read at night a lot and my husband was leaving on a trip WITH the Lightwedge I needed to really think about if this would work for me because one way or the other I would either have to buy my own or get a book light but quick. The conclusion I have come to is this...The Lightwedge is a new, very interesting and innovative way of reading at night. It's VERY different than a book light and very different from anything else I have tried. Once you use the LightWedge with the correct size book and get used to using it (this is key), it's really a fantastic item. Yes, it's a little annoying that you have to buy more than one LightWedge if you read different sized books (which I assume most people do) but the alternative is buying book light after book light. I can almost guarantee you most people are spending the same amount on the 2 LightWedges they would need vs. all the book lights they go through; again, not a perfect item, but a great alternative to a book light. I personally always found book lights to be a pain in the neck, it's always a whole procedure to get it set up correctly and then even with all the models out there, they each have their own set of problems. Personally when I'm reading in bed I'm laying down and tend to read on one side then roll over to my other side etc. with the LightWedge there is no "re-adjusting the light YAY!. With the LightWedge, you are definitely not disturbing anyone else when using it as it only illuminates the book you are reading. To me, this is very important, my husband works very hard, gets up very early and needs a good, undisturbed nights sleep to be on top of his game. With the LightWedge there is no more trying to adjust a light ever again which I personally love. Moving the lightwedge to turn the pages at first is distracting and annoying but with use it becomes completely natural that you don't even realize you are doing it.

All in all, with much forethought, I can confidently say I love the LightWedge and have just ordered another in the paperback size, I'm just hoping they start making the Nightvision Red in the paperback size and then I will give the one I just ordered to my husband who is thrilled with either one. I hope this review helps you in making a decision to either buy a LightWedge or not and especially the NightVision Red which I can not recommend highly enough. Whatever you may choose, happy reading!!

When I lost my regular lightwedge which i absolutely loved, I decided to give the nightvision a chance. the red color does not spread evenly when you turn it on so there are darker almost blackish red areas that are hard to read. I suggest you stay with the original lightwedge. Waste of money.

I was hesitant to buy this because of the cost, but once I got a gift certificate for Amazon, I figured I'd give it a whirl!
It works as well as I expected!!!

I use mine out when I'm observing with my telescopes. It does a great job of preserving my night vision while lighting my sky charts when I'm hunting down faint fuzzies!
It fits my Pocket Sky Atlas perfectly =-)

The only nit I've got is the fact that it doesn't like rechargeable batteries. It works fine on standard alkaline AAA batteries, but when I put in my NiHD batteries, it refuses to work.

Bedtime reading has never been so sweet. The cozy-soft glow of the red-colored light of the LightWedge NightVision Booklight is absolutely soothing. It's not intrusive on others who may be asleep, and it doesn't give the reader a 'shocking bright jolt' as do other booklights. My husband and I would like to own several to place throughout our home: the living room, bedroom, home office, sunroom, deck, and even the 'necessary' room. Perhaps if it weren't so pricey, we would . . .

Great for astronomy. Works well on charts. A little excess light bleed off from the edges, but otherwise an excellent tool for reading maps, books, and charts while out observing. Low intensity is perfect for dark nights. Backlights user printed paper maps well. Only reason I don't give it a five is that the case which is extra, should be included. Add on the extra cost, I would (and already did) pay it for the case. It really is mandatory to keep the LightWedge clean. Also a third LED would make it better. (spread the light out more evenly) Dark shadows not a problem like others have noted, Illumination is good enough to read everything under it easily. Screen does not scratch as bad as others say, tho for night use, it is of no importance anyway. Just make sure your books, and charts, etc, are clean, and clean the LightWedge often. I wish they made a bigger one.

This device may not be bright enough for you if you read older paperbacks. It all depends on the size of the print and how yellow the page is. It's no problem if you read hardbacks.

Another thing to know is when the light lays next to the page, it greys out the view a bit. It's like you can see the back of the page and the letters bleed through. This is easily fixed by keeping the light raised slightly above the page. However it can be awkward to hold the rather bulky booklight slightly above the page with a finger, especially if it's an easy read and you're flipping pages. It can take some dexterity to use this. I have a couple of clear bumps that are used in cabinets to keep them from slamming. A couple of those could do the trick.

There are two settings on the light, probably bright enough and not bright enough. There are two LED lights inside and it would have been better to have three. I slightly increased the light output by lining the edge with tin-foil and clear tape. A clear light might be more effective than red.

The last thing to know it that the surface will scratch and even new there were a few minor imperfections in the plastic glass.

Overall though, it is a very good product. I'm glad it uses regular inexpensive AA batteries. I wish it had a soft cloth cover or plastic cover to protect it. I give it 4 stars but it should probably be 5 because in spite of the minor drawbacks, I haven't found a better booklight.