Spent $300 on a laser level that couldn't handle direct sun

I bought a fancy green beam laser thinking it'd make layout faster, but outside on a bright day it was totally invisible past 20 feet. Anyone else been burned by gear that just doesn't work in real job conditions?

2 comments

2 Comments

lily971mo ago

Is a $300 laser 'a toy' now? That stings a little since I paid for the nice green beam specifically so I wouldn't have this problem." I guess I bought into the marketing hype that green is always better outside. You're right that I should've read the fine print on direct sun performance.

wood.john1mo ago

You said it was "totally invisible past 20 feet" but isn't that kind of the point of using a laser? They're not meant to be sun-powered spotlights. If you're working outside in direct sun, you either need a rotary laser or you need to accept that no handheld level is going to beat the sun. I've had guys complain about visibility on cloudy days too. Maybe the problem isn't the tool but the expectations. A $300 green beam is for indoor layout or maybe some shade work at best. Otherwise you're just paying for a toy that won't perform in the one environment you're forcing it into.