Customer reviews from goalzero.com
Goal Zero - Skylight Portable Area Light - Black
Average customer rating
4.8
(54 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 54 reviews
5 Stars
46
4 Stars
5
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
0
1 Star
0
97%of customers recommend this product.
(
32 out of
33)
Customer Reviews for Goal Zero - Skylight Portable Area Light - Black
Posted by: SafetyDave
from Temecula CA
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I was impressed with the overall product and carrying case included. Upon receipt, I setup the light tree and tested it with my Yeti 400 and within a few minutes had the lights running. The tripod is also adjustable on height and can extend higher than expected. This was a great purchase, in my opinion and glad to have this as part of my emergency supplies and for other uses around the house and outside.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Great light
on October 13, 2023
Posted by: jessicas1105
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I got this for my husband for a work light for job sights. He loves it, he’ll be using it for work and camping and just doing jobs around the house! I highly recommend it’s bright and gets very tall!!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Heavy-Duty, Bright, and Energy Efficient
on October 11, 2023
Posted by: Michael Y
from California
Gender:Male
Goal Zero's Skylight is expensive. It also is heavy. Why would anyone want to buy one? I initially dismissed it, but after much thought I actually found some really good use cases calling for one and some against. To see why, I remembered Goal Zero's humanitarian roots and its mission to enable every human being to receive reliable power. In particular, in countries and places where electricity may not always be readily available but could mean the difference between life and death.
In fact, the company's founder made it his mission to bring electricity to the Republic of the Congo as part of his humanitarian efforts in 2007, and that philanthropy appears to live on in Goal Zero's DNA to this day. Life-bringing power in remote areas where quality, reliability, and longevity are paramount in the face of extreme temperatures and poverty. These became important points as I started to wrap up writing this review and asked myself why anyone would want a Skylight.
PACKAGING
From the outset, the Bazooka-looking hard case the Skylight was housed in looked intimidating. Did a weapon of mass destruction get delivered to my door? It had a collapsible carry handle in the middle, two stump feet on one side to lay it to rest on, and a strap to put over your shoulders. The cap unscrewed and I was ready to put the anti-tank rocket launcher on my shoulder to launch whatever was inside the case! Whoever the designer was at Goal Zero should be patted on his or her back for that design. Whether it was intentional or not, it made the Skylight seem like it could be taken to war. I would not be surprised if it did.
From the outset, the Bazooka-looking hard case the Skylight was housed in looked intimidating. Did a weapon of mass destruction get delivered to my door? It had a collapsible carry handle in the middle, two stump feet on one side to lay it to rest on, and a strap to put over your shoulders. The cap unscrewed and I was ready to put the anti-tank rocket launcher on my shoulder to launch whatever was inside the case! Whoever the designer was at Goal Zero should be patted on his or her back for that design. Whether it was intentional or not, it made the Skylight seem like it could be taken to war. I would not be surprised if it did.
HARDWARE
Material quality was immediately noticeable: solid construction (made of steel and iron), smooth opening and closing of the tripod legs through a green push-button on the sliding handle; and green, cushioned silicone legs that minimized the risk of scratching any surface while integrated holes allowed included stakes (stored in each leg) to hold the tripod firmly in place. They would not do well in sandy beaches, snow, soft ground, or hard surfaces, however: you will want to invest in relatively inexpensive anchors for those environments.
Material quality was immediately noticeable: solid construction (made of steel and iron), smooth opening and closing of the tripod legs through a green push-button on the sliding handle; and green, cushioned silicone legs that minimized the risk of scratching any surface while integrated holes allowed included stakes (stored in each leg) to hold the tripod firmly in place. They would not do well in sandy beaches, snow, soft ground, or hard surfaces, however: you will want to invest in relatively inexpensive anchors for those environments.
The bottom of the tripod had a hook from which you could attach weight to further help secure the Skylight. You will want to do this in windy conditions or to keep children from accidentally tripping it over. Trust me on that one as a former photographer who had a Canon Speedlite 600EX II-RT ($630 at the time) fall and break during a wedding assignment. Could the light panels survive a fall from 12' high? Probably, but I did not test that.
Each leg could be independently extended to account for uneven surfaces, and three quick-release adjustment clamps at the top allowed the tripod to telescope between 4' and 12' tall.
At the very top were six LED light panels that each could be independently swung up and down at a 180-degree angle. They could not be rotated sideways nor could any panel be separately turned on or off to conserve energy.
On the flip side, the Skylight's large number of panels, high LED count, and significantly great maximum brightness made it ideal for illuminating large areas for an after-hour soccer game, tennis match, BBQ cookout, tailgating, or film making.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Goal Zero has been known for the quality, reliability, and safety of their products and the Skylight is no exception. Its metal construction, energy-efficient use of the built-in Li-ion NMC battery, and high brightness levels make it an ideal accessory for construction sites, remote areas, tailgating, filming locations, and places hit hard by disasters where strength and reliability are important. It is capable of illuminating nearly an entire soccer field, and its adjustable panels give it some flexibility in what areas should be lit.
Goal Zero has been known for the quality, reliability, and safety of their products and the Skylight is no exception. Its metal construction, energy-efficient use of the built-in Li-ion NMC battery, and high brightness levels make it an ideal accessory for construction sites, remote areas, tailgating, filming locations, and places hit hard by disasters where strength and reliability are important. It is capable of illuminating nearly an entire soccer field, and its adjustable panels give it some flexibility in what areas should be lit.
For casual campers, the Skylight is perhaps overkill and out of their price range, but those serious about a light that should reliably and safely last a long time -- especially when paired with a power station and solar panel -- ought to seriously consider it and not balk simply based on its higher price point. "You get what you pay for", as the saying goes.
The Skylight could be improved by providing the ability to independently switch (or a subset of) panels on or off, a USB-C charging option, colored LEDs to adjust the light for specific occasions or use cases, increasing the IP water and dust protection rating to withstand heavy rain and sand storms, and offering a smaller, lighter version for those seeking greater portability.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Easy to haul
on October 10, 2023
Posted by: katiek265
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I was really impressed by how compact this big light could be! The hard shell carrying case it comes inside of is super convenient to pack in and out of the car. Something to note, it doesn’t come with the power bank, that is sold separately. It does come with all of the cords you’ll need to plug it into your car’s power bank, which is great for camping.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
Bright light
on October 9, 2023
Posted by: mariaa895
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I love this skylight!!! The storage tube is heavy duty and protects the light very well. The skylight has adjustable heights and angles. The individual lights can be moved around for you convenient. I’m very happy with this light.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Ha11ha
from Ringgold Ga
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
Took this camping and it did not disappoint. Low setting was more than enough to set the mood. High setting was amazing as it made it seem like daylight again
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Posted by: Whatsgas
from Washington state
Gender:Male
Verified Purchase:Yes
I purchased the Skylight and put it right to work. I was doing some construction in an unlighted shed. This lit up the room. I have also used it outside to light up an area. The light provides as much light as needed. Is very stable on the ground. The built in battery has decent light, and when paired with my goal zero yeti keeps going much longer than I can. The carrying case is strong enough to protect it when stored in the bed of my truck.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com
Customer Rating
5
My New Camping Companion for Life
on October 5, 2023
Posted by: mbeasl87
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I’m so EXCITED that Influenster and Goal Zero sent me this complementary Goal Zero Skylight – 6000-Lumen Portable LED Light in exchange for my honest review. We have been wanting one of these for a while to take on camping trips or outdoor banquets or cookouts. I love the packaging it’s so easy to carry and assemble. It’s very durable and the performance is amazing with 6000 lumen LED lights are so bright. I absolutely LOVE IT. So worth it, if you’ve been considering buying it …DO IT.
Written by a customer while visiting goalzero.com