What Happened To The XTorch Solar Powered Flashlight From Shark Tank Season 12?

Season 12 of "Shark Tank" featured a number of pitches from innovators touting twists or improvements on products that the world had already seen and accepted, including a portable EV charger called the Sparkcharge and a helmet-mounted brake light for motorcyclists known as Brake Free. 

Another such item was the XTorch, a solar-powered flashlight, lantern, and mobile device charger that entrepreneurs Gene and Keidy Palusky presented to the sharks in that season's 22nd episode. Robert Herjavek cautioned Gene and Keidy that their product offered neither low-priced value nor high-end quality. "You can't be in the middle, you're gonna get crushed," he said. 

Despite being unimpressed at the XTorch's lack of marketability, Herjavec made a surprising offer — $400,000 for the entire company. Gene immediately returned a counteroffer of a cool $1 million, citing his solid relationships with charity and non-governmental organizations around the world. Herjavec said that without more promising sales numbers, the best he could do was $500,000, and Gene politely declined. He made one last-ditch attempt to salvage a deal, asking Herjavec for $750,000 after Lori Greiner passed on a chance to invest, but Herjavec responded, "I'm sorry, there's no way I'm going up to that. I'm definitely out."

Despite not being able to land an investment from the sharks or negotiate a deal with Robert Herjavec for the sale of their company, Gene and Keidy did benefit from their appearance on "Shark Tank," receiving about 2,000 orders for the XTorch shortly after appearing on the show. XTorch touted its "Shark Tank" appearance and sold the device on Amazon, where the flagship item once had a 4.5 average rating from a little more than 300 reviewers.

The XTorch flashlight is no longer listed on Amazon, though, and the company's website shows the item as "out of stock." 

The website also indicates that Gene and Keidy "are saying the big GoodBye, closing up shop and ending our business. Due to complicated health issues, our changing views of dealing with China as a manufacturing base, and family priorities – we are retiring." This is not their family's first challenge regarding a medical crisis. The product was actually brainstormed after Gene had to work by candlelight to treat Keidy for an illness while the couple was distributing food in Equatorial Guinea.

The couple continued to support similar causes after launching their business, working with relief organizations around the world. They noted in their farewell statement that "after everything was said and done, we ended up donating most of all of our potential profit in the form of many thousands of XTorches to non-profit organizations around the world– just as we had planned."

Gene and Keidy dipped down from the high road to take one last shot at the wealthy investors of "Shark Tank." "We are also very happy not to have sold our business on 'Shark Tank' when they offered us the buy-out deal," they wrote. "The best part is that we kept complete control of our business and donations and by the grace of God we did just fine on our own, so take that, Sharks." They went on to thank their customers before mentioning ten countries that they were able to help with their efforts. "Because of the XTorch," they wrote,  "many lives have improved, cell phones keep charging, and children feel safe having a reliable light at home when the power goes out."

While the XTorch is no longer available, you can still get high-quality flashlights from these ten top brands. You can also see Gene and Keidy's pitch by purchasing episodes of "Shark Tank" on Amazon.