MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Fall Winter 2019

1066 Millar Creek Road, Function www.camplifestyle.ca heat-conductive material than the standard (cheaper) plastic. Heat, as it turns out, is the LED’s Achilles’ heel. “I think that is what’s holding back most LED headlamps,” says Bucher. “The maximum brightness of an LED is determined by being able to get rid of the byproduct heat it produces. Surrounded by plastic, the LED gets too hot if it goes up to 1,000 lumen and the bulb will burn out, but aluminum allows that heat to escape.” A lumen is a standard measurement of visible light emitted in a defined beam or angle. Most top outdoor brands sell headlamps capable of producing 300 to 600 lumens. With his lithium battery, an aluminum heatsink, and high-quality LEDs made in the USA, Bucher’s dual-bulb Airy Double headlamp peaks at 1,150 lumens and has a battery life of four hours and 20 minutes on full power (on medium or low light settings the battery will last 11 or 70 hours respectively.) “A lot of brands look at profit first and foremost,” Bucher says. “They go for lowest cost, highest price. With these, I want to give good value and make something that will last, something quality.” With two models currently shipping from his off-grid home in the Kootenays, Bucher chose to start his new company with headlamps because, “they’re simple and everyone can use one.” Next, he hopes to expand into creating simple, robust products that can be equally useful for off-grid campers here in BC or people around the world that can use the technology to better their quality of life. Products in development include affordable cold weather gloves, a solar shower, and an off-grid solar air conditioning unit. “Right now I see the future of technology, and life in general, heading in the same direction it has been,” Bucher says. “Things will get more technical, more complicated, and have a shorter product lifespan. For me though, I want to create products that are simple and robust—stuff that is powerful, tough and lightweight. As a society we need to realize all our products have a cost of ownership and maintenance. The goal is to get that cost as close to zero as possible.” Lynxogt.com Dylan Bucher chose the name Lynx because they can see in the dark. COURTESY LYNX OGT “I grew up with those three-battery, LED headlamps that give you about 300 lumens. But like anyone who has done a lot of outdoor stuff, I lost those headlamps, I broke them, and I cycled through hundreds of batteries. I didn’t feel I was getting the value out of them.”