Lupine Piko TL Mini

Meat and Potatoes

The Piko TL is yet another instance where Lupine took one of their most popular mounted bike lights or helmet lights and attached a small battery pack directly to it, creating a more traditional flashlight (if my linguistics inference ability is correct, the TL stands for taschenlampe, flashlight in german). The Piko comes in three flavors. Enough for the discerning connoisseur. The Max is their high output 700 lumen model. The Ultra reduces the output to a still-bright 550, but keeps the same size as the Max creating a long runtime torch. This particular review model though is, in my opinion, the best mix of the three. It has the slightly reduced output of the Ultra, but a smaller battery tank, making it better suited to being carried in a pocket.

Lupine Piko TL Mini

The light of the Piko TL comes courtesy of a pair of Cree XP-G LEDs (XM-Lin the Max) sitting up front behind a doublet of collimating lenses. These, as many of you well know, are my personal favorite method of gathering light and directing it downrange. Not the least reason being that they just seem far more advanced, technologically from the basic reflector concept that has been the mainstay of handheld illumination nearly since it’s inception. However more importantly it is because of the preferable spread of light that these lenses typically give. Gone is the hard-edged, bright spillbeam that tends to create tunnel vision, and in its place is a gradually diminishing spill that reduces to near zero before dropping off entirely. The floody spread of light that results is quite artifact-free and very useful for short-range illumination. Basically everything I would expect and require of an EDC.

Lupine Piko TL Mini

The build quality of the Piko is simply superb. It is everything I have come to expect from Lupine, even after seeing a pair of lights that are absolute home-runs thus far. The fit and finish is completely unparalleled. From its simple design, to its absolutely built-like-a-tank construction. The Piko TL Mini is an excellent piece of work.

The battery of the Lupine Piko is actually an integrated unit this time around. It isn’t a modular approach as we have seen in the past. Instead you are actually forced to use their charger each time you need to top off the battery. I don’t personally see this as a weakness since this is designed as more of an EDC model, (hence not putting mention of it in the next section) but it is worthy of note. It is just something you need to keep in mind when you are carrying it. Also noteworthy, the charger adapter used for the Piko is not the standardized plug that Lupine has used previously with all their batteries so you will not be able to use the Charger1 with it without a special adapter. Thankfully Lupine does include an adequate wall-wart style charger along with the light, alleviating this issue.

Charger port

Once again, as with previous Lupine models, they have graciously included the necessary mounting point for their modular bike mount. This time around, I was able to test it out even. Using the typical thick o-ring attachment method, this tool-less bike mount hangs on securely to my handlebars, surviving my January jaunt quite adroitly. The extra bonus is that the crisp winter air flowing over the light was more than adequate to stave off the actuation of the included active thermal protection (another compelling feature of Lupine flashlights).

Mounting point

Constructive Criticism

I’ve mentioned this before but it definitely bears reiteration. The user interface of Lupine’s flashlights is directly ported from their bike light line. I am not entirely sold on this. Press for on is fine, but press to change modes can sometimes bring undesired results. Furthermore, hold for off generally does cause mildly irritating consequences. I have my Piko set to 2 step low with low start turned on. Generally these 60 lumens are all I need during my day to day usage, however in order to turn the light off, I am required to momentarily cycle through the full 550 lumen high output before the light switches off. I would much rather see a modified UI where it maintains press for on, but also has press for off, possibly a double click to change modes and still maintain the press and hold to program the light’s modes. I think that this would make a far more friendly UI for an handheld flashlight while still maintaining the full functionality of the current setup.

UI breakdown

In spite of being appropriately sized for EDC pocket carry, this little monster is still a touch on the large side. It would really be able to benefit from Lupine’s superior craftmanship being applied to a correctly sized holster. I would even go so far as to suggest that horizontal carry would even be ideal in this situation. Honestly, this is really not much of a gripe, but a potential suggestion for the future since the Piko (especially the Mini) is really incredibly small for it’s class.

Conclusions

A finally EDC-able Lupine. Really nothing more NEEDS to be said. The Piko so clearly exudes the Lupine signature style and quality that is instantly recognizable to any who have used one. Built like a tank, but this time in miniature.

Lupine Piko TL Mini

Provided for review by the kind folks at Lupine.

Lumintrek TB-1000 Trailblazer

Meat and Potatoes

The Lumintrek TB-1000 is the first (and so far only) dedicated bike light I have tested. I’ve tried out a few flashlights that happen to have a bike mount, but nothing quite like this yet. This is a very purpose built machine, and that generally scores points with this author. Compared to the units that try to be everything to everyone, I generally give the dedicated “do one thing and do it well” products the best reviews.

The TB-1000 is a fairly typical flashlight head connected directly to an integrated mount. The battery pack is only connected via remote and is not at all part of the same physical unit. Like most bike lights I have seen, Lumintrek uses an uber-thick o-ring to actually grip the handlebar where it will likely be attached. This ingenious design provides quick attachment/detachment if necessary and allows for inequalities between various mounting locations. My personal bike handlebar appeared to be a little thin for even the smaller o-ring attachment, causing the light to droop a little during rougher riding, but I really suspect that most bikes will not really have a problem with this. It wasn’t particularly bad even for me.

Lumintrek TB-1000 Trailblazer

The venerable Cree XM-L powerhouse is the order of the day once again. This tiny terror seems to have become the real go-to LED on nearly every illumination product being currently released. And no wonder, with a top end rating of 1,000 lumens, it’s not hard to see what the allure is. However without documentation specifying the adherence to ANSI FL1 standards, I tend to wonder whether these are out the front numbers, or simply calculated potential maximums. Either way though, the end result is one crazy bright light.

Cree XM-L

As I have seen before, the UI of a light designed for the bike trail apparently tends to differ quite significantly from what one generally experiences with a flashlight. Press-for-on is natural enough, but this one, like others, then moves to press-to-change-modes. I guess I can understand the concept, seeing as it would be easier to simply press a button to alter the output, than it would to press and hold it, while riding that is. Turning it off is a simple matter of hold the button for a few seconds. If you hold it long enough though, you will end up with a slow flashing mode to signal your whereabouts while still preserving runtime. I believe in some parts of the world, this might even be some kind of regulation that needs to be followed for riding on-road.

Illuminated switch

Build quality seems appropriately adequate, especially considering that this is something designed to be mounted rather than carried. The battery pack is simply what appears to be a quartet of 18650 cells packaged together and contained in a nylon and velcro enclosure. The light head itself however is well machined Aluminum with an apparently thick anodized finish.

Battery Pack

Constructive Criticism

The TB-1000 comes with a pretty standard H-M-L mode sequence with decently usable spacing between the modes. Lumintrek however uses a relatively high frequency PWM to create these lower modes. To be honest, it wasn’t something that was very blatantly noticeable, but those who are particularly sensitive to it may find it potentially distracting. I just think that a large capacity light designed for a moving platform such as this would definitely have benefited from a current regulated setup.

More noticeable by far is the poor quality of the beam itself. The overall shape is decent, providing a moderately throwy / midrange shape that does an acceptable job of spreading the light both across the path, and down range. The problem comes from the incredibly ringy nature of the beam. It honestly has the most artifacts I have yet seen, including besting all of my old Cree XR-E lights. Normally this would be the point where I would suggest the simple inclusion of a textured reflector, but the TB-1000 already has one. I believe that the only thing that could correct this problem is actually a major revision of reflector geometry. Don’t get me wrong, the light is still usable (I braved a bike ride in Michigan in January to ensure that), but the bulls-eye beam definitely ranks as distracting.

Lumintrek TB-1000 Trailblazer

Conclusions

A fairly well thought through light, with a definite purpose-built mentality. It’s incredibly bright and well manufactured. The biggest drawback is the less than stellar beam quality, but on the whole a very usable product.

Provided for review by the kind folks at Light Junction.

JETBeam Jet III-M XM-L

Meat and Potatoes

JETBeam seems to have developed a bit of a signature following with their Jet III-M lights. As such, they seem to be some of the earliest models to get the typical upgrade treatment common to lights of this caliber. Once the LED is no longer the top dog in the market, it becomes time to once again step up and bring the light back to the bleeding edge of technology. It’s not that the “old” XP-G was really that outdated, its just that the new XM-L is, well, newer.

Switching to the larger die XM-L does precipitate some fairly significant changes in beam profile over its much more minute sibling. Most notably is the fact that the increased surface area of the die best serves to dissipate the light into a much more diffuse pattern. This combined with the textured reflector (compared to smooth previously) gives this Jet III-M a much floodier beam by comparison. This translates to the 450 lumen max output on this model having a much larger hotspot than the XP-G model from last year, whereas that LEDs top end 355 lumens are better suited for distance illumination. In short, the XP-G throws much better in a dark field, but the XM-L does a better job at lighting up the room or area close at hand.

XM-L

Fit and finish of the III-M are superb as is usually found on JETBeam products. The anodizing is flawless, uniform and appears quite thick. Good care was taken to ensure that no rough edges were left behind to give the appearance of an unfinished product. The anodizing is a little darker than the steel grey that previous products have sported, but is not yet quite a full black. I don’t know if this is just variance between anodizing batches, or if there has been a shift toward darker tones, but either way, it gets the job done. JETBeam genuinely appears to know what they are doing when creating a durable tool, meant to be used.

JETBeam Jet III-M XM-L

Constructive Criticism

This section of my review is going to be a bit harder to write this time than last. There are definitely no glaring faults that jump out at me like last time. The larger LED and textured reflector have mitigated the issues I had with beam quality quite thoroughly and JETBeam seems to have updated the electronics enough to have drastically reduced the amount of time required to program the 2nd mode. This is (personally speaking) a much better light than its predecessor.

The one fault that I glossed over without really mentioning in the previous review is the tailcap switch. Once again a company has chosen to use my least favorite style. A forward clicky switch that would normally be protruding has a scalloped crown around it to somewhat allow for tailstanding. Anyone who has read this blog for any length of time has to know that I rather disapprove of this method. I know there are a few of you who prefer it, but I would much rather see a manufacturer choose sides and either offer a true easy access protruding switch or a solid, stable tailstanding ring that completely encompasses the switch. Do one thing, and do it well. I always prefer that. You can’t please all the people all the time.

JETBeam Jet III-M XM-L

Conclusions

It may seem like “just and LED upgrade” but in my book it really makes this quality light much more usable. When you improve on good, you get great.

Provided forreviewby the kind folks at JETBeam.

Olight S65 Baton

Meat and Potatoes

With it’s unique cylindrical body It may be fairly apropos to be called the Baton, however when I first wrap my hand around it and thumb the activation button, I very nearly expect to hear the signature snap-hiss of George Lucas’ premiere invention, the Light Saber. The S65 has a fantastic feel in hand. Balance, size, and heft are all ideal for a compact mega-light. That’s really the best description I can offer for this light. It has all the output of the huge lights from just a year or two ago, and yet a size that is not enormously larger than your average duty light.

The giant output of the S65 comes courtesy of the mid-size powerhouse Cree XM-L LED. This extremely versatile emitter is capable of producing a huge quantity of lumens and the S65 doesn’t disappoint. Capable of unleashing a searing 700 lumens of top end power, it is also adroit enough to efficiently squeeze out a meager 20 lumens for a claimed 360 hours.

Cree XM-L

This LED sits nestled at the base of a lightly textured reflector. It is similarly sized and appears to possess a similar geometry to many of the existing XM-L duty lights that Olight has released lately. The S65 shares an identically machined head including this reflector with its smaller sibling, the S35. It produces a very useful general-purpose beam that is neither pencil thin focus, nor a pure flood beam. It has a relatively tight hotspot that is well blended in to a bright spill beam through a generous transitional corona. In effect this creates an excellent nighttime walking light especially when combined with the soft-touch electronic side switch that promotes underhanded carry and use.

The LED, head and reflector is not all the S65 shares, the UI is also identical along these family lines. It is a 3 mode L-M-H setup with mode memory. The operation hails from Olight’s earlier forays into electronic switches in the extreme SR series. While the light is on, simply press and hold the switch and it begins to cycle through all three modes. Release when you land on your desired output and go about your business. There are a few hidden features as well, such as a strobe mode that is accessible with a quick double click from any point, as well as a standby/lockout mode activated by holding down the button (and cycling through the modes) for 9 seconds. Also of note, something that I forgot to mention in my review of the S35, these two models have a low battery indicator in the form of a red led behind the switch. This method of power indication is far more preferable than anything interfering with the main beam, either through flashing during use, or only showing up when asked for. It is simple, passive and non-intrusive.

Fit and finish of the Olight Baton series is, in my opinion, superb. The subtle ridging that is used in place of the standard knurling is both unique and from personal experience grippy enough to not cause consternation. I have heard some people express concerns about slippery handling with wet hands or in colder weather, but I haven’t personally experienced it to be an issue. The remainder of the machining also lives up to standard Olight quality and they have set the bar quite high.

Olight S65 Baton

Constructive Criticism

While definitely not as large as many of the super-sized mega-lights out there, the S65 is definitely of the type requiring deliberate carry intent. It’s not much of a light that you would just happen to have on you when you might need it, but more of the type that you grab specifically to go out flashlighting (or camping, dog-walking, etc.). I wasn’t provided with any of the usual included accessories, so I can’t comment on their usability or even presence for that matter, but I can say that the S65 would really benefit from a quality holster. It is still narrow enough that having it firmly affixed to your belt would not be a serious hindrance over the course of an evening out and about.

Power for the S65 comes courtesy of 6 (yes, 6!) AA cells stored in an integrated battery magazine, similar to the S35 and other lights. While I applaud them for using a common battery type to try and entice a less enthusiast/aficionado crowd, I think that this is just too many. I have a bit of an issue with multi cell setups, and my minor gripe increases toward a major one with the number of cells. Having this many in one application just gives the end user that many more opportunities for mis-balanced battery setups. This increases the risk of batteries leaking and/or damaging your light significantly. I really would have preferred to see this use some other source for power than quite so many AA’s.

Battery Magazine

Conclusions

The S65 Baton is a capable tool, and quite a joy to use. I just wish it didn’t require quite so many AA’s to run. I have no qualms about recommending it to people, just as long as I know they will be careful about what they feed it.

Provided for review by the kind folks at 4Sevens.

Olight S35 Baton

Meat and Potatoes

The Olight S35 Baton is something outside of the norm for lights in this general size range. Most of them I have been seeing lately are 18650 powered duty lights with a tailcap switch and a “tactical” cigar grip ring. This new Baton series changes that. In spite of sharing a very similar reflector diameter and length, it is powered by 3 of the more common AA cells instead. These cells live inside a quality battery magazine attached to the tailcap in a very similar manner to that found on the 4Sevens Maelstrom S18, though in miniature.

Olight S35 Baton

Occupying the business end of the S35 is Cree’s current top dog LED, the XM-L. This torch combines the wonderful wide angle emission pattern of this large die with a larger diameter orange peel textured reflector very similar to that found in other recent Olights. As such, the beam is also quite familiar. There is a fairly focused center spot with a good transition to a still-bright spillbeam that results in a very usable multi-purpose beam that is balanced neither as flood or throw, but with elements of each.

Olight S35 Baton

This battery configuration allows it to maintain a virtually cylindrical body that is extremely comfortable to hold. It likely would not be as comfortable to use however with the standard tailcap switch, however Olight has given us a very nice soft-touch electronic side switch. The UI of such a switch is quite similar to that utilized in the Olight SR series with a L-M-H sequence accessed by pressing and holding the switch. The S35 is capable of producing a very impressive 380 lumens on high, down to a miserly 20 lumens on low. A quick double press will give you a strobe mode if you feel the need, but thankfully it is hidden away from general use quite adequately. Also nice to have, but out of the way is a hidden lockout mode. Pressing and holding the button for around 9 seconds will deactivate the switch until an intentional triple click is used. This helps to eliminate battery drain by accidental activation for times such as when the S35 baton is simply riding along packed in a bag.

Fit and finish are simply superb. From the crisp lettering surrounding the unique recessed tri-wing tail lug, to the astoundingly grippy fine lateral knurling (for lack of a better term) the S35 is an exercise in precision. Olight has even included a beautiful red accent oring beneath the stainless steel bezel that even glows in the dark to some degree after the lighthas been activated for a while. I find this “feature” to be of dubious real world use, but a very nice touch none the less. Even the heat sink fins are smoothed to remove any rough edges before a flawless thick appearing black anodizing was applied.

Olight S35 Baton

Constructive Criticism

For as comfortable of a size this light is to hold, it does make it a little uncomfortable to carry. I did not receive any accessories with this review sample so I can’t comment on that at all, but i do know that it really needs to have a holster of some sort. It is definitely on the large side for any kind of pocket carry, but its output is a little low for your typical mega-light these days. Being such a strange intermediate size does cause some consternation as to its intended use, but that’s really one of those areas where “your mileage may vary”.

Conclusions

Quite honestly, there is very little I can suggest for improvement on this light. It is just a very nice finished product all the way around. You can tell that Olight took their time designing this one. It is a joy to use, if a slight burden to carry. And its finish is so nice, its almost a work of art at the same time.

Provided for review by the kind folks at 4Sevens.

Olight i6 Paladin

Meat and Potatoes

Pal·a·din (noun) Any determined advocate or defender of a noble cause.

As a name for the i6, this sounds about right. The i6 Paladin is a purpose built duty light that skips options and instead delivers a solid, basic feature set designed to work, and work well without the frills. There isn’t a lot of hype to this light. Just basic form follows function, and it seems to work.

With a business end packing the current industry leading Cree XM-L LED, the i6 is tuned to crank out an impressive 420 lumens out of the venerable 18650/2xCR123A combo that powers many lights in this class. If more runtime is needed (or less light, which surprisingly is occasionally the case) Olight also offers a very reasonable 80 lumen low mode that runs for a not insignificant 5+ hours.

Cree XM-L

These lumens stream forth from the Paladin courtesy of a nicely textured reflector that collimates them into a relatively well focused beam with few, if any, distractions. Is is mostly arranged for throw, but the larger die XM-L tends to spread things out a bit making for a great general use beam with loads of transitional corona and a fairly bright spillbeam. Its really just a generically good projection of light.

Textured Reflector

Fit and finish of the i6 Paladin are relatively reminiscent of the remainder of the “i” line, though without the direct correlation found in the rest of the series. Instead there is more hints of the same designer, rather than directly using the same patterns. The lines are all quite simple and vertically oriented, but still providing adequate grip without resorting to traditional diamond knurling, or the square knurling common to most Olights. The anodizing is simple black, but definitely on par with the quality usually found on their products.

Constructive Criticism

The Olight i6 Paladin does suffer from one affliction fairly common to many duty lights these days. Olight has chosen to include a tactical cigar grip with this light, as they have with a number of other offerings. It again has been constructed out of the same rigid aluminum as the body of the light. While this brings a unity of design into play, it doesn’t make any allowances for comfort. I would far prefer to see these start to incorporate a more flexible rubber material and more rounded design to make them less intrusive when using the ice-pick style hold. This ring is removable, but since I haven’t been provided with any of the accessories for this light I cannot speak to whether any smooth thread protector rings are included as an alternative. Olight has done this in the past, so it wouldn’t surprise me this time either.

Grip Ring

Conclusions

Olights i6 Paladin provides ample lumens and a reliable UI in a apparently durable basic package. There aren’t a lot of extras, but that’s not what the light is designed to be. It is simply good quality lighting, without the frills, and as such it lives up to its design well.

Olight i6 Paladin

Provided for review by the kind folks at 4Sevens.

Olight i3 EOS

Meat and Potatoes

1xAAA and a Cree XP-G? Its not the first, but I haven’t seen too many lights like this before. Fundamentally, the i3 isn’t anything different than its larger sibling, the i2, but its diminished size makes it feel that much more fulfilling. This efficient powerhouse coupled with the diminutive reflector create a very pleasing, floody beam that is excellent for EDC. It is definitely not built for throw, but if you are buying an AAA light for that, you need to rethink your goals some I suspect. The i3’s light emission is very smooth and effective with nary an artifact to be found. Torch manufacturers these days are getting particularly adept at producing a quality beam with little apparent effort, and this light is no exception.

Pocket Clips

In spite of using the incredibly capable XP-G, the output of the i3 has been limited similarly to the i2 to a level far more manageable by the meager output of the 1.5V AAA cell. On high, Olight has granted us a still incredibly useful 70 lumens. This seems underpowered at first, until you think about your power source and compare it to what this class of lighting has been limited to until very recently. It also has the same low end outputs that come with the i2, which still nets you a usable 2.5 lumens for a very usable 20 hours.

Cree XP-Gs

Fit and finish of the i3 is exactly on par with what you would expect from a quality Olight. The design is purely genetically related to the other “i” lights I have reviewed thus far. It is undeniably a member of the same line. Olight’s production line definitely does not skimp when it comes to professionalism. Even their budget lights come with well smoothed edges and uniform anodizing. As a matter of fact, as seen in the pictures, this model is even available in a number of extra colors rather than simply the monochromatic offerings seen previously. Despite the fact that this doesn’t even remotely affect the lights functionally, it does wonders to increase its “curb appeal” so to speak. It really starts to suggest that it would make great Christmas gifts to pass out to non-connoisseurs and those on the fence about quality lighting.

Constructive Criticism

Being an AAA cell, the i3 is very definitely more pocketable than its siblings, and is even finally to the size where I consider it to be keychain worthy. There is one problem however, and those of you who have been following this blog for a while can see this one coming already. The keyring/lanyard attachment on the i3 is arranged exactly the same as those on the i1 and i2. It protrudes from the side of the light’s tail and is incapable of twisting to the vertical. This causes it to hang a little strangely from your keyring or whatever other attachment point you have chosen. A simple adjustment in the machining on the creation end would create a far more useful contact point than what is currently the case.

Keyring attachments

Again, for those that have read my previous reviews, this next point of critique is not much of a surprise either. The i3 is a bit of a mode skipper. Loose threading can cause an accidental moment of activation prior to getting the head screwed down tight enough to maintain contact. With the simple L-M-H arrangement of modes, thankfully this doesn’t ever result in accidentally strobing yourself or ending up sending up a distress beacon, but it does often land you using more light than you had originally intended to use. Interesting to note though, the alternative colored lights seem to be more solid than the basic black when it comes to this issue. I don’t know if they are simply using a thicker o-ring and that holds them more steady, or if their machining is slightly different, resulting in better fitting threads. The end result though is that I far prefer to use the more attractive looking colored lights. Big surprise, I know.

Conclusions

The Olight i3 is an inexpensive quality offering from a well known manufacturer. It makes an easy to carry light that is both good in an emergency, and fairly capable even under more demanding circumstances.

Olight i3 EOS

Provided for review by the kind folks at 4Sevens.

Olight i2 EOS

Meat and Potatoes

Sharing the family name with the i1, the i2 EOS brings even greater accessibility to this platform by utilizing what very well may be the worlds most common portable power source, the AA cell. This concession makes this torch almost impossible NOT to find a battery for, even in a pinch. Almost everyone has an old AA laying around half dead in some piece of electronics somewhere in their house. The fact that it runs on only one cell makes it even more viable since you are not troubled with matching battery voltages or capacities. Any old AA will work.

The i2 EOS shares more than just the family name though. It is obviously a sibling in more than just nomenclature. The machine work and basic design are the same through and through. They have the same quality of construction and thick appearing anodizing. They even both share the same basic steel clip design. The good thing about the i2 however is that since the body is longer to accommodate the larger cell, the clip gets to be longer as well. Olight wasn’t content to simply create a one size fits all component, but rather individualized these lights to better cater to their strengths. Where the i1 clip was a little too short to be of too much use, the i2 is far better suited to the rim of a pocket.

The i2 utilizes the Cree XP-G LED in its business end, combining it with a narrower, textured reflector to create a fantastically useful flood beam. Its spot isn’t tightly focused and has a moderate transitional corona spreading out into a wide and bright spill beam. This spread is an excellent pattern for an EDC style light such as this. Most often, I have found, these lights have a tendency to be needed for short range illumination far more than distance. The i2 accomplishes that very adequately.

Cree XP-G

Olight has chosen to use a lower output as the maximum compared to many 1xAA lights on the market. The High mode is only 70 lumens in a world where 140+ is a relatively common occurrence. This does have its advantages however, allowing the light to run for a claimed hour and a half out of that insignificant cell. Medium and low modes further expand the usefulness by providing up to 2.5 days of enough light to find a keyhole in the dark, or navigate the house during the night.

Constructive Criticism

Sharing the same genetics as the Olight i1, it is reasonable to assume that my points of criticism would be similar. In fact, they are identical. Point number 1 is once again the propensity of the i2 to be a bit of a mode skipper. The threading on this light is often loose enough that it will result in an accidental activation before you have the head tightened enough to consistently complete the circuit. This will result in ending up one or even occasionally two modes further than you truly intended, which coupled with the L-M-H mode sequence means you have a much brighter output than was your original design. This is mostly alleviated by being more deliberate or two handed with your activation technique, but it would be nice not to have to think about it at all.

Point two is, also as you would expect, the keyring/lanyard attachment. Once again this attachment point is limited to a very narrow angle, protruding from the side of the body of the i2 with no ability to hang directly from the end. This is a limiting factor for both lanyard AND keychain use, though I personally find AA lights to still be a little large for my keychain. This would be a relatively simple correction to accomplish at the initial manufacturing stage, but it would be a major improvement in the usefulness of the light.

Olight i2 EOS

Conclusions

An excellent little light that is easy to carry and does a decent job fulfilling its intended role. It may not be a perfect light, but add in the easy access price tag that comes with it and you have a torch that is very hard to turn down.

Olight i2 EOS

Provided for review by the kind folks at 4Sevens.

Balder BD-2

Meat and Potatoes

Balder has chosen to follow what has become the most tread path in this crowd. The duty light sized torch using 2xCR123A cells or a single 18650 is a very good place to start if you want to make yourself known. Quite honestly Balder is doing quite a good job of it as well. Aesthetically, the BD-2 really makes quite a statement. Its duo-tone anodizing and recessed heat-sink fins create a unique appearance that is extremely attractive. It comes with either the standard crenelated stainless steel bezel or a flat black one if that is more to your liking. I definitely left the SS one in place because of both the increased drop protection against dings and how it matches furthers the duo-tone look of the light. Some of the edges and ridges of the BD-2 (such as around the bezel) are just a little sharp and I wish they had just a little more attention paid to them, however it doesn’t really feel like neglect, but rather design decisions that were made.

The BD-2 isn’t just about looks though. It’s Cree XM-L LEDis driven to output a brilliant 300 lumens of light on High and does so with panache. This torch uses a very lightly textured reflector to project one of the smoothest looking beams I have seen in a while. It has a fairly tight focus to the center spot, however it has a very large and gradual transitional corona into a bright spill that turns it into an extremely adept general illumination spread. There are simply no defects to be found in this beam.

Cree XM-L

If that beam isn’t quite smooth or well spread enough for you, there is one more feature where this light really shines. The front of the light including the reflector can be unscrewed from the heat sink exposing the bare LED and in effect creating what I believe the enthusiast crowd terms a “mule” light. The output in this form is completely unrestrained, near 180° full flood beam. This is the raw emission from the XM-L in its natural dispersal pattern and it makes for some of the most useful short range illumination you can imagine. The problem with doing this too often however is that like I said, the LED is fully exposed at this point so it is far more susceptible to accidental damage. Also when you are reattaching the reflector you want to be very careful not to have it angled or cross threaded at all because it feels like the narrow hole in its base could easily scratch the LEDs dome if it was to come into contact.

In fact this light is quite rampant with undocumented extras. A tiny line in the User Manual mentions something along the lines of Low Voltage protection. I wasn’t sure what exactly that stood for until I started to run a little low on the 18650 I was using. At one point when I activated the light, it began to slowly fade from bright to dim and back again, almost like it was breathing light. Apparently this is what Balder has chosen as a low voltage warning flash. A simple off and on and I was back to using the light as advertised, but it was a little startling to discover initially.

Constructive Criticism

Balder has given the BD-2 a basic 3 mode high-medium-low output with mode memory. This seems straight forward enough on the surface, however in spite of the documentation saying there are no strobe or SOS modes to interfere with operation I have discovered them. if you leave the light in low mode for a few seconds it will briefly blink off and back on giving you an indication that you now have a revised H-M-L-Strobe-SOS mode selection instead of the default. The primary intent of this is to have the blinkey modes hidden out of the way, which is a good thing, however unfortunately in my experience it isn’t always out of the way enough. I have occasionally found myself accidentally running into strobe mode when I am not intending to and even worse have found a little frustration reliably getting back to the default UI. Once you are aware though of how it is activated, it is a little less of a surprise and a little more predictable.

Balder has chosen to try and blur the line between protruding tailcap and a recessed tailstanding one. Many of you here know that this is one of my biggest pet peeves since it generally hinders the usefulness of one or both of these functions. The BD-2 is no exception to this. The way the protrusions are machined to supposedly allow better access to the switch actually leaves them sharp and uncomfortable. I would far prefer that they be simply removed entirely (preferable) or a full ring be put in their place. One or the other, but not both.

Sharp Tailcap

Conclusions

The BD-2 is a quality way to break into a very tough market. It’s unique aesthetics and excellent beam really make quite a good showing for a first generation model. This is definitely a company to keep your eye on.

Balder BD-2

Provided for review by the kind folks at Balder.

Olight M21X

Meat and Potatoes

The M series lights are Olights bread and butter duty light line powered by either a pair of CR123A cells or a single 18650. Being such, it makes sense to broaden the horizons as far as possible with different sub-models. The biggest variation to this particular model is the upgrade to the latest and greatest Cree XM-L LED. The XM-L’s biggest point of pride is the high end output it is easily capable of achieving. The efficient conversion of power enables the M21X to produce an astonishing 600 lumens in High mode. This amazing output is time-limited, however, to the first 5 minutes of activation according to Olight. After that time it drops to 60% (about 360 lumens) which mathematically sounds like a massive reduction, however in appearance isn’t nearly as large as that thanks to the eye’s natural logarithmic perception of light. To be honest with you it is either gradual or small enough I haven’t yet see it take place. Also, if the extra output is still needed at that point, simply cycling the power off and back on will restore another 5 minutes of High mode power. Just beware however, that driving this LED this hard for too long will create a fairly significant amount of heat. The M21X does a fairly decent job dispersing this heat, but the 5 minute timeframe is in place mostly as a protective measure for the LED.

Cree XM-L

This larger die power LED always has a trend toward producing a floodier light. Olight is combating this in their “21” variant by using a larger diameter reflector to better collimate the beam. The reflector my M21X has is a basic, lightly textured reflector. I know that the original M20 was also available with a smooth reflector, but I do not know if that is still being offered with these later versions. I do know though that if it was available I still would likely prefer to use the stipple to smooth out any potential imperfections in the beam. Thankfully this is exactly what has happened. The beam of the M21X is very smooth and flawless. It is fairly tightly focused as well achieving as much throw as I have seen in a light this size without a true turbohead. Much of that can be due to the enormous power of High mode. Good throw through extreme output.

The construction of the M21X is completely on par with what I have seen from Olight thus far. Everything is very well finished with no rough spots in the machining or threading. Even the tailcap spring has a metal cover over it to keep from scratching up your batteries. The body is covered with the large square knurling that is becoming synonymous with Olight and the head has a generous portion of heat dissipation fins to help protect the sensitive electronics. As usual it is covered from head to tail with a thick appearing anodizing. The Stainless steel bezel is removable if it doesn’t fit with your concept for aesthetics, however there isn’t a replacement bezel available (to the best of my knowledge) so you would have to deal with open threads that are left behind. Also removable is the tactical cigar grip ring. I did not receive any accessories with this review sample, however I presume based on past experience with Olight that a smooth thread cover ring is also included if you, like me, believe these metal grip rings to be more hassle and discomfort than benefit.

Olight M21X

Constructive Criticism

The M21X reiterates the classic UI from the original M20, sporting basic L-M-H-Strobe access through a loosen-tighten of the head. Like the original it has mode memory, always starting up on the last used mode. Since I originally reviewed the M20 I have begun to understand the usefulness of mode memory based UI’s however they still do not have much of an allure to me. I far prefer to have a light where the output is independently selectable from the light activation. My biggest issue with this particular UI layout though is the fact that you are forced to cycle through strobe mode every time you adjust the output. If you ever are in need of a lower brightness than you are currently using, you can only access it by activating strobe mode first. If a strobe MUST be included I far prefer that the manufacturer find some way to hide it or tuck it out of the way. Most people have no need for a blinking flashlight, and even fewer need a way to activate it instantly and repeatably. I guess that’s the usefulness of having so many flashlight options available, you can find a UI that is right for you. It definitely makes me long for at least the UI of the M20S-X though.

Conclusions

Olights M21X really is just another configuration of the options available in this quality line of products. It is a solid light with an excellent quality history. Maybe you like the specific options available here or maybe you don’t. When it comes down to it though, options are a good thing.

Olight M21X

Provided for review by the kinds folks at 4Sevens.