Ruff Wear Beacon Safety Light

September 13, 2010 6:26 pm | By Zootoo Editor Melba B.

Some dogs have more energy than daylight. If yours is one of them, The Beacon safety light from Ruff Wear can help prolong the fun—while making sure your pooch stays visible and safe once night falls. Described as "sturdy, compact, lightweight and easy to use," The Beacon delivers. It's designed to clip onto all Ruff Wear branded collars, jackets and packs (which have a special Beacon loop) , but it easily attaches to most dog gear with its sturdy clip and split ring.

In our trials, The Beacon stayed attached to my dog's collar with no problem, despite aggressive running and playing. And it proved to be exceptionally bright and easy to see—the Ruff Wear web site boasts visibility of up to a 1/2 mile. The Beacon uses four (4) lifetime LED bulbs that never need replacing, and can be set to flash or remain steady. Conveniently, the light ships with long-lasting lithium batteries, but replacements are fairly expensive, and can't be purchased everywhere. Although the Beacon is described as watertight, I would caution against submerging, or using in heavy rain. What's also nice about The Beacon is that it can be effectively used by active dog lovers, too.

While The Beacon is well made and very bright, it really doesn't do anything that a standard clip light doesn't. If you're looking for great value, you may want to look for a comparable product that's not quite as expensive.

Pros: Waterproof, easy-to-use; sturdy construction and bright bulbs.

Cons: Replacement batteries can be hard to find; product is at the top of the price range for similar items.