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Wes’, a veteran member and glowsticker at glowsticking.com releases his Version 2 LED sticks which are supposed to emulate chemical glowsticks and improve upon the Version 1 design.

First Impression: When I first opened the package I noticed the unique placement of the photon, near the top of the stick, and also the neatly cut hole allowing access to the on/off button. I popped out the photon through the other neatly cut hole to examine it. It was made of a semi-sturdy looking plastic, turned on and off fairly easy, and was very bright when I did turn it on. A very unique feature that stood out was the sticky fluid called “mojo” that was at the bottom of the sticks. This was supposed to give the LED sticks precision balance and mimic the weight of a real glowstick.


Wes additionally offers many different photon colors and levels of brightness. The ones below being 11,000 mcd rated blues which cost 35 dollars.

Since these are modified glowsticks I also tested the pros and cons in the two different styles of glowsticking

Stringing pros:

• Performs all stringing moves just as well as a chemical stick
• Weight is almost exactly the same as a chemical stick

Stringing cons:

• It’s just missing that natural chemical feel that I’m used to

Freehand pros:

• “Mojo” keeps the center of gravity at a pinpoint in the center making stalls much easier
• Absence of liquid inside makes tosses more stable and easier to catch

Freehand cons:

• Again it just doesn’t have the natural feel that a normal chemical stick would have

Lasting Impression: After using the sticks for a while the actual glowstick casing held up very well but I did noticed some distinct flaws. The cheap imitation photons turned out to be weak, and the plastic broke after dropping and hitting them over and over, leaving jagged edges poking out. Strong plastic replacement photons II’s (The type that fit the LED) were only found on the internet for around 12 dollars each. Also, I found that battery life was only around 10-12 hours, and the four Cr-2016 Energizer batteries needed for a fresh shine ran a total of 12 dollars. Wes does sell four extra batteries for a cheap 5 dollars, but they don’t last quite as long as the name brands.

Overall pros:

• Emulates all aspects of a chemical glowstick extremely well
• Goes beyond a chemical stick to offer perfect balance and controlled glow

Overall cons:

• Cheap imitation photons break easily and sturdy replacements can be pricey
• Batteries last only 10-12 hours and replacing them costs 12 dollars
• Mojo may melt out if left in hot temperatures

Wes’ glowsticking.com thread for purchase information; Also includes a demo video