Key features include:
- Rugged and can withstand 2 meter drops to concrete
- IPX7 Waterproof, floats, and can be submersed 1 meter for 30 minutes
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Uses readily available AA batteries
- Red light to preserve night vision and 3-blink distress signal
- Optional magnetic base is especially nice for vehicle kit lanterns
Lighting Modes
It has three white light modes and two red light modes:
- Low white light: 50 lumens runs for 37 hours
- Medium white light: 100 lumens runs for 15.5 hours
- High white light: 200 lumens runs for 7 hours
- High red light: 0.7 lumens runs for 192 hours (8 days)
- Red flashing SOS mode for emergency signaling: 0.7 lumens runs 288 hours (12 days)
Press the power button to activate the light, and press again to move through the lighting modes. Press and hold the button to toggle between white light and red light modes. The lantern can be hung right-side up or upside down. The handle allows the lantern to be hung on the edge of tables, cords, or branches. You can remove the diffuser cover and hang the Siege upside down to provide more even lighting (works well inside tents).
Power
The Siege AA can operate using disposable or rechargeable batteries. If you need to operate off-gird then consider using the Goal Zero Guide 10 to charge NiMh AA batteries for the Siege. The power fail voltage is about 1.12v.
Recommendations
The selling points for me with this lantern are the durability and the red light. The Siege is very durable and can easily withstand 2-meter drops. It is IPX7 waterproof, floats, and can be submerged for 30 minutes. The red light can be used for emergency signaling. If you have car trouble you can put the Siege in red blinking mode to alert others. The flat areas on the main body help eliminate rolling and the square rubber feet on the base help it to not slip. An optional magnetic base is also available.
I recommend having at least one Siege AA in your house in case the power fails. For home use you might consider the larger Siege that uses D-cell batteries and has a very long runtime. I have one Siege AA in my car and one in the house. The one in my car has the optional magnetic base to secure it if I need to use it as a distress beacon. Since it is waterproof it would be an effective signal lantern even in adverse weather conditions.
Conclusion
The Siege AA is not flashy or gimmicky. It is just a good basic, extremely durable, effective, and affordable lantern. This product does one job and does it very well. If you want a larger lantern with more light output then consider the Streamlight Siege which is the big brother to the Siege AA. Streamlight also makes a Magnetic Base for the Siege AA.
