Frickin’ Wicked Laser Beams!
Published by Budda May 7th, 2006 in Gadgets, Visual, Misc, Reviews.
Laser pointers are usually found being sold in holiday resorts, like Spain, to tourists with too much spare change in their pocket. They’re not that pricey but they don’t really offer much use and soon, like mine, end up on the shelf with the other junk. Wicked Lasers make it their business to put you in contact with a proper laser pen, and I mean proper.
We’ve had the chance to spend a few weeks with a green laser, the Nexus Extreme. Each laser pen is supplied with some nifty (if geeky) eye protection - wickedlasers doing their health and safety bit here.
The pen is presented in a fairly attractive wooden case, inside is some tough foam with cut-outs for the pen and two batteries. The device requires two AAA batteries (not supplied).
The pen itself is a pretty standard looking affair - black with gold coloured trim, and a rubbery button to activate the laser when held down.
The eye protection is supplied in a hardback case. The glasses feel robust like a decent pair of shades, although sporting red lenses. A cord is also included to allow you to hang your glasses around your neck when not in use - proper laboratory style.
Technical wise, it’s a Class IIIb laser product, outputting 95mW of power.
Activating the laser during the daytime on a nearby building displayed a bright green dot, easily visible to all. We were suprised by it’s strength and brightness. However, it’s when night falls that this baby really woo’d people.
On a clear nights sky this green laser impressied everybody who saw it. We didn’t know what to expect when we pointed it in to the sky. A sparkling almost-solid green beam emits from the pen to its target. Pointing it into the sky without clouds makes you wonder how far it actually goes! One observer compared it to a a mini light saber 
It’s actually quite handy for pointing things out in the sky to somebody else, or just for pointing at things to make people go “wow” when they see the beam. I should mention that the beam is not as visible from the side, and looks its best when viewing it in the direction it’s being pointed.
So what’s the use of it? Wicked Lasers market the product for astronomy, search and rescue, alignment, targeting, and laboratory work, and not designed to be used in a
classroom as a pointer.
For most people it will turn in to an expensive play-thing - great fun for 10 minutes whilst you show it off to people, but then loses it’s attraction until you find new friends to “wow”.
However if you do need to point at things, especially in the dark, and a near-solid line to the target is useful - then the Wicked Laser is perfect for the job.
You’ll be able to get a little pointer for your pocket from wickedlasers.com, the model we reviewed is the 95mW Nexus Extreme Laser priced at £208.90.
There’s a lot more pointers in the wickedlasers.com selection - something to suite all budgets, from £56.46 for the weak 15 mW Executive Classic, right up to £1129 for the 300mW Spyder!
If you’re not convinced by the powerful claims, be sure to check out the video gallery to see what other buyers did with theirs.
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you lot disgust me , this item at 95mW is not a gadget , its not aplaything and at that type of power can BURN RETINAS, retinas once burnt cannot be replaced , with no inbuilt secondary safety key this item is not only illegal in most of europe but when a reader of yours buys one on your recommnedation and then one of their kids plays with it and blinds themselves i hope they sue your arse off , next you will be reviewing telling us how great the latest sub machine gun is . EU has limit of 1mW for damn good reason … 95mW can distract and flash blindpeople MILES away , its tosspots like you lot glorifying stupid powered lasers that are going to get ALL lasers banned out of public hands , jeez a guy in USA was jailed for pointing a 5mW green laser at a p[lane ..what kind of damage is a 95mW gonna do … these items are TOO dangerous to be sold to the general public and you encouraging people to buy them is NOT GOOD !!
People are free to make their own choices. To be honest, anybody rich enough to fork out £200 for a laser pointer will probably have some sort of sense.
It’s up to the user to play safe, WickedLasers outline the safety issues on their site here.
What makes you think rich people have will have any kind of sense? Two words - Paris Hilton.
As the pointers can’t be picked up in your local department store, I doubt any ditzy blonde with too much money would even know where to look in the first place to get one.
Unless somebody spammed her sidekick with an offer to buy one?
these new lasers are very cool as the next gadget for 2006. not many people own them so they are a really good novelty. i know they can be dangerous but so is a kitchen knife. people know to hide them from kids, so why not lasers. people like ‘PEG’ worry far too much about stuff that will come to nothing. its not up to you thank goodness, spoiling our fun. i f**king hate people like you who hate fun and other peoples right to own what they want. i respect the fact that safety is paramount but it is the case with my air rifle, i aint shot anyone yet. i would never give it to a kid, i aint stupid. so go get a life you saddo!!
Mikey is right; it is not up to some crochety old worrywart to dictate what the fairly responsible people of today do with their hard-earned money and free time.
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Very good review about what seems like a very good product! Congratulations Budda!