(This is a picture of it compressed/deflated. It inflates into a cylinder and has a nice frosted lining that the light sort of sparkles through.)
My best friend gave me my first rainbow one, and I've mostly used it for fun + ambience, but I do know people who are more utilitarian about them — and they come in different versions accordingly: i.e. bright white + long battery life in addition to the fun rainbow ones.
I keep one in the
It's also kind of a cool beacon: One time I was pulling into a canyon after dark, intending to meet my friend and her husband at whatever first-come, first-served campsite they'd been able to snag; without cell-reception, we weren't optimistic about finding them, but as we pulled in on the gravel road, I almost immediately spotted her purple Luci and knew we were home. 🏕
It worked for us again when we went to burning man 2021: it was an unofficial gathering with no infrastructure and thus no city streets. Our trusty Luci light hanging from the rear-view mirror helped us back to our car half a dozen times as we searched for it in the dark.
And I’ve also found it as a convenient alternative to a candlelit bath. It’s the perfect amount and tone of light for a relaxing soak. 🛀 I just set it on a nearby surface, but in theory I guess it would float?
(🎁 note for gifting: they almost always have great Black Friday sales both at sites like Amazon and directly from their own site, and they make great secret santa or stocking stuffer gifts.)