Skylasers Reviewed: For the Mad Scientist in Us All
Growing up, lasers were more a part of science fiction than a real part of our lives. They were the sweet targeting systems for the heros in shoot ‘em up movies, they could slice right through anything they were pointed at, they could even pop mammoth amounts of pop corn from up in the sky. Years later, mini-lasers showed up on keychains, during boring speeches, even as pet toys– and sadly, their allure was lost. Recently, our excitement about lasers was rekindled when the people from SkyLasers reached out to us to review their high-powered laser pointers. In a flash, we were kids again– lighting up the night sky, burning holes in random things, even zapping our friends. Want to get an idea of just how cool a personal laser can be? Continue reading to hear about the fun we had with this sweet little SkyLaser.
Skylasers offers a series of laser pointers (shown above) in either green or red, ranging in power from 5mW to 150mW. For the purposes of this review, Skylasers was kind enough to send us a 125mW green laser pointer ($299.99). On the low end, a 5mW laser can do what your standard keychain laser can do– show a visible laser “spot” on anything you point at in range, and show a laser beam amidst fog or smoke. Upgrade to a laser with more power, the features are straight out of science fiction for laser laymen. Here are a few things this little laser can do at 125mW:
- Extend its beam to nearly 100 miles
- Visible beam in a lit room
- Cut through a black plastic garbage bag
- Sting the skin on contact
- Burn dark fabrics
- Pop dark colored balloons
- Ignite wooden or paper matches
- Cut black electrical tape
- Etch dark plastics, leathers and rubber
- Light fireworks
- Melt rubber and plastics
In a word, fun. We cut trash bags, stung our friends, burned curse words into a friend’s sandals, lit fireworks and generally terrorized our community. Holding this baby in your hand is akin to grasping a real-life light saber. Youthful pranks aside, these lasers certainly do have industrial and professional uses– but we’re just in it for the fun.
Beyond the get-it-out-of-your-system pranks we pulled above, we found several cool uses for this laser that we wouldn’t have considered otherwise. The SkyLaser works quite brilliantly for light graffiti photography. Just set up your camera at a slow exposure, paint away and you can create some impressive light graffiti– see the picture atop this post as an example. As with most lasers, SkyLasers react interestingly with different glass shapes– like the prismatic wine glass above. Aim the laser at it on full power, a 30 foot perimeter is illuminated in a dazzling fashion.
Enjoy exploring the night sky? SkyLasers provide the ultimate pointer, extending almost beyond your visual reach and precisely pointing out your target. While the beam is easily visible up close, it can be detected 50 feet away from its source, perpendicular to the beam’s angle. Just know that when you use this baby, any passing neighbor will be very alert of your presence. It’s not usual to see a massive green beam illuminating the night sky, so beware that you might shock a few passers by. [we're stating this from experience]
Prior to SkyLasers reaching out to us, we never thought “man, I need a laser”. Having had this baby for a few weeks and really getting to know it, we can’t think of not having it handy. It can be used as an industrial tool, a creative paintbrush, the ultimate prankster or even it’s intended use– pointing at the night sky or at the focus of a group’s attention. SkyLasers range in price from $39.99 to $399.99, available direct from SKYlasers high power laser pointers.
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