Long range laser pointer for walks, camping and the garden

How far can a laser pointer go?

Strictly speaking, a laser beam travels a very long way. What matters in practice is how far away you can still see the dot. That depends on three things: the colour of the laser, the amount of ambient light, and the surface the dot lands on. A dot on a shaded wall is easy to see; a dot on sunlit grass is not.

Our lasers are class 2, output up to 1 mW – the class intended for sale to the public in the UK. Within that class, colour makes the biggest difference.

The conclusion is simple: if you want the longest range, choose green. The human eye is most sensitive to green light, so a green dot stays visible much further away than red or violet at the same output.

What people use a long-range laser for

• Evening walks and camping: show the way back to the tent, point out a stile or a landmark across a field.
• The garden and allotment: point to a spot at the end of a long garden, or gently move birds on at dusk (see laser pointer for scaring birds).
• Stargazing: in very dark, humid air the beam can be faintly visible – see laser pointer for astronomy.
• Big halls and sports grounds: point at something at the far end of a hall or pitch during a tour or training session.

A quick test: on your next evening walk, put the dot on a hedge or wall a little further away each time. You will soon get a feel for how the light, the weather and the surface change what you can see.

Our long-range picks

• G3 Pro – our best seller: green, rechargeable 18650 battery, two safety keys, aluminium body.
• G2 Pro – compact rechargeable green, easy to carry on walks.
• X1 – green laser pen with clip on AAA batteries, for occasional outings.
• G1 Pro – green Pro with a removable pattern lens.

Why not a more powerful laser?

You may see sellers online promising lasers with thousands of milliwatts and "burning" beams. Lasers above class 2 are not intended for sale to the public in the UK, and they can cause serious eye injuries in a fraction of a second. For everything a household needs – play, pointing, walks, the garden – a well-made class 2 green laser is the right tool. Honest range, no risk you cannot control.

Outdoor safety

Outdoors, think about what is behind and beyond your target. Never aim at people, animals' eyes, roads, railways, aircraft or reflective surfaces such as windows and water. In the UK it is a criminal offence to shine a laser at a vehicle or aircraft. Keep lasers away from children. More on our laser pointer safety page. In winter, keep the laser in an inside pocket: Li-ion batteries lose capacity in the cold.