I love gadgets. I found this little beauty in Bunnings, of all places, and buying it was one of those snap decisions blokes tend to make when their wives turn them loose in Bunnings unescorted. I have no idea what it cost, for reasons explained above. Not a lot, I suspect, because she whom I love and respect hasn’t mentioned seeing it on my credit card.
It’s called a Panther PowerCap.
The blurb says that it’s perfect for fishing, walking, reading, camping, grilling, emergencies, home and auto repair, and professional trades’ people. They had me at fishing.
The truth is it’s fantastic. To turn on and off you just press a little dome under the cap. It’s got three LEDs on two separate flat battery banks in the brim, one bank for the ultra bright LED for straight ahead vision and the second bank for looking downwards, so you can change flies in the dark. If one battery bank goes, chances are, you’ll have the second one and new batteries can be bought in Coles.
Even an idiot like me can change them and they’re supposed to last for up to 75 hours.
I began to wear it fly fishing at dusk on the Tongariro and was totally chuffed … you could change gear easily with the down lights on and with both banks on, walking home in the dark was no trouble. Now I use it for walking at night when you have to look up numbers on the mobile, or putting out the bins or checking the fuse box.
I can’t wait to use it on the Bundara after dark, to make sure I don’t fall in those wombat holes and for reading in the cabin at night when the power’s off or finding the dunny at 2 am. Buy this piece of kit if you see it.
UPDATE: October 31. Finally got back to Bunnings today. The hat costs $23.90, more than I thought. I suspect the reason I didn’t know the price from the proper display is that lots of blokes had obviously bought one from the display, and their wives had then quietly dumped it in the paint section when the blokes weren’t looking. That’s where I found a few today and I think where I found the original a month or so ago. The price isn’t on the hat. Probably wouldn’t have bought it for $23.90, but don’t regret it, really. Feel a bit more secure, knowing the cars can see me crossing the road on my night walks, when I’m getting fit instead of fat for the next fishing trip. Will see how it performs then.
Pictures by Jeanine McMullan.