Author Archives: selfbuilt

Emisar D1

The D1 is a high-quality Hank light built as a compact thrower, and running on a single 18650/18500/18350 battery. Features a wide range of customizable options, and uses the sophisticated Anduril user interface.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

Following up on my inaugural Hank light, the multi-emitter Emisar D4K, I also purchased the popular 1×18650/18500/18350 pocket thrower model, the Emisar D1. Sorry it took me this long to get it, but life got in the way of my reviews for a few months.

As with other Hank offerings, there are a dizzying array of emitters to choose from, along with other customizable options. That is the point to all Hank lights – they are effectively custom-built, to your specifications, based on a wide range of options available for each build/model. That includes multiple options for the main emitter, auxillary/side emitters, circuits, body tubes, optics, accessories, etc. And as before, this light uses a newer implementation of the sophisticated Anduril user interface. Taken together, you can see how these lights are geared to the expert flashlight enthusiast market.

I will get into the specific options I chose below, but I opted for maximum throw here, to complement the very floody D4K previously reviewed. Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides (although in this case, specific to my custom specs). Scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

MakerEmisar
ModelD1
EmitterW1 Osram CSLNM1.TG
Tint6000 K
Max Output (Lumens)900
Min Output (Lumens)-
Max Runtime-
Max Beam Intensity (cd)110,000 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)663 m
Constant Levels150
Flashing6
Battery1x18650
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)89 g
Length109 mm
Head Diameter35 mm
Body Diameter24 mm
WaterproofIP67 1m
WaterproofIP67 1m

Package Details



The packaging for Hank’s lights is fairly basic – a cardboard box with some hand-written description of the features selected. Inside is cut-out foam holding the light and your extras. Here is what I selected, reflected in the package above:

  • D1 in Dark Grey
  • Flat threaded switch ring
  • RGB switch backlight
  • LED: Osram W1 6000K
  • Optional 18350 body tube
  • Optional pocket clip

All lights also come with:

  • Wrist lanyard
  • 2 Spare body tube o-rings

In terms of emitters, Hank provides everything from this tiny Osram LED all the way up to the massive SBT90.2. Indeed, last time I counted there were 29 different options in total, including dedomed and monochromatic coloured LEDs. I choose the W1 cool white because it has the highest rated throw of any option (110,000 cd) albeit with the lowest overall max output (900 lumens).

I choose the RGB LEDs for the side switch given the versatility this brings, as explained below.

Build


From left to right: Vapcell F38 18650 (3800mAh), Skilhunt 18650 (3500mAh), Armytek C2 Wizard Pro Nichia, Acebeam E70 Mini, Skilhunt H300, Emisar D1, Mateminco Sl02, Armytek Doberman Pro.






The build is very reminiscent of the D4K. It is fairly compact, with relatively thin walled body tubes.

I opted for the stainless steel pocket clip, as I don’t find wrist lanyards very useful. This is great option, as the body tube allows placement near the head or the tail of the light (for stable head-up or head-down carry). I didn’t opt for the tailcap magnet, but that’s a good option if you are considering using the light as a work light (not so relevant as a thrower, methinks).

The light is controlled by an electronic side switch in the head, with a somewhat transparent rubberized cover. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is good, with a firm click and typical traverse. There are a lot of options for the switch emitter LED, and I opted for the multi-colour RGB LED option. Although set to Off by default, you can configure the auxillary switch LED through Anduril to light up when a battery is connected (at two different intensities). See the user interface section below for more information.

I also went for the flat threaded switch ring, as I was worried the raised model might catch on clothing, etc. It is still easy to find the switch by feel, if you are leaving the standby indicator off.

The tailcap is perfectly flat, so the light is able to tailstand fairly stably. There is a small cut-out on the side for the simple wrist lanyard.

Threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel – at both ends of the battery tube. Note there was no lubrication anywhere on the samples I received, so I recommend you add a good non-conducting lube for both the o-rings and the threads. I also always recommend you keep the light stored locked out when not in use. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can do this easily by a simple twist of the tailcap (or the head for that matter, in this case).

Same applies to the optional 18350 body tube I picked up. It’s a great way to turn then D1 into a true pocket thrower, to slip into a pocket or purse.

With the o-rings in place, I expect waterproofness to be good on this build.

There are conical springs in both the head and tail, sporting a fairly thick gauge. As such, be careful about using longer cells in this light – you may dent the cell if you use overly long cells. Note that Hank advises uprotected, flat-top, high-drain batteries only.

Unlike almost all the other lights I am reviewing these days, there is no built-in charger for batteries on the Emisar/Noctigon lights (or any bundled branded cells either). In keeping with the audience of flashlight enthusiasts, the assumption is that you have your own batteries and chargers on hand (and you can buy an optional charger from Hank).

Knurling is not particularly aggressive – it is really more of a fine checkered or line pattern. It does feel a bit more grippy than most lights I’ve handled these days, which typically seem to be a bit smooth. Combined with the ridge detail, I would say overall grip is pretty good. Note that the light can roll, but the switch button cover helps limit this. Anodizing looks to be good quality (for presumed type II, give the colour range), with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as matte.


Although unprotected high-drain cells are recommend, I thought this might be a good opportunity to try out the high-capacity 18650 and 18350 cells Vapcell has sent me (although they are particularly high drain). Note that the Vapcell batteries are fairly substantial, so there is a risk of denting the cells when using in a compact light with dual springs like this.




Except for the dedomed options, most of the D1 emitter options come with the smooth reflector shown above. I opted for the Osram W1 because of its tiny size and outstanding throw. Scroll down for actual outdoor beamshots.

Here is what the auxillary side switch RGB LEDs look like, shown on the High output level (colour modes in sequence):






You can configure through Anduril’s AUX setting the individual colours of the switch RGB LEDs, or have it cycle through all colours, or use it as a colour-coded battery voltage readout. You can set it to one of two intensities, or flash, or leave off.

In my handling, I find the High level for the side switch LEDs is surprisingly bright – and the Low level is surprisingly low (so low in fact that it doesn’t register in my lightbox). Here are a couple of pictures showing the side switch in ambient room light on an overcast day, first on High and then Low:

As you can tell, the Low setting is very dim – you can just tell that the blue LEDs are on in this case, but just barely. Here are a couple of pictures in the dark though:

It’s not exactly a perfect comparison, as I’m using my cell phone camera’s auto-adjust, but this gives you a general idea of the significant difference between the Aux output modes. Scroll down for current draws and output measures, where possible.

User Interface

The D1 uses the open-source Anduril 2 user interface (UI). Anduril has two distinct UIs mode sets: Simple and Advanced. The labels are a bit misleading, as both are fairly sophisticated – it is just that the Advanced UI has a lot of extra options not available on the scaled-down Simple UI. Note that both the Simple and Advanced UI now include the discrete Stepped level mode as well as the continuously-variable Smooth Ramping mode.

To switch from the default Simple UI to Advanced UI, you need to do 10 clicks from Off with a hold on the 10th click (10H), with 10 clicks (10C) to return to simple UI. Advanced UI has a lot more options available. It’s easier to show the UIs rather than explain them in words, so here is a helpful pic:

ui-diagram

You can also download a plain text-based manual from Anduril creator ToyKeeper, or a more interactive one with version control here.

This implementation of Anduril 2 has eight discrete Stepped levels, which I’ve numbered in this review as L1 through L8 (with L1 being the lowest level, and L8 being Turbo).

According to the firmware Version Check, my D1 sample (purchased in the summer of 2023) is model 0125. Full info is 2022-07-29-01-25 (version code is Year-Month-Day the firmware was compiled, followed by a 2-digit brand ID and 2-digit product ID).

Again, check the image and link above for more info, but here is a simplified description of the UI to get you started.

From OFF:

  • Press-and-hold (1H): Turns On in lowest output, in either Ramping mode or Stepped mode depending on which mode is enabled (and which UI you are in)
  • Single-click (1C): Turns on in last memorized mode used (Ramping or Stepped)
  • Double-click (2C): Turns on to Turbo (aka the Ramping max output)
  • Triple-click (3C): Battery check (voltage read out a single time) and basic flashing/strobe modes.
  • Triple-click-and-hold (3H): Special strobe modes, but only when in Advanced UI (remembers last strobe mode used)
  • 4 clicks (4C): Lockout mode. In lockout mode you have different options available:
    • Press-and-hold (1H): Momentary Moonlight
    • Double-click-and-hold (2H): Momentary Low
    • 4 clicks (4C): Turns On in memorized output level
    • 4 clicks and hold (4H): Turns On in the lowest level
    • 5 clicks (5C): Turns On in Turbo
    • 10 clicks and hold (10H): Configure the lock timeout threshold (in Advanced UI only), allowing you to pre-set the timeout time of the lock.
  • 7 clicks (7C): (Advanced UI only) Enters AUX/Button LED config for the next mode. There are four modes you can switch between; constant low, blinking low, off, constant high. Click 7 times again to advance to the next option, in sequence. The light auto-memorizes the last option you select.
  • 7 clicks-and-hold (7H): (Advanced UI only) Enters AUX/Button LED config for the next colour. The colours follow the sequence: Red, Yellow (Red+Green), Green, Cyan (Green+Blue), Blue, Purple (Blue+Red), White (Red+Green+Blue), Disco (fast random colors), Rainbow (cycles through all colors in order more slowly), and Voltage read-out (uses colour to display battery charge).

From ON:

  • Press-and-hold (1H): Ramps up (or Steps up, depending on the mode). Ramps/steps down if you do it again.
  • Single-click (1C): Turns Off
  • Double-click (2C): Jumps to Turbo
  • Double-click-and-hold (2H): Ramps down (or Steps down)
  • Triple-click (3C): Switch between Ramping and Stepped modes
  • 4 clicks (4C): Lockout mode (see above for options)

Mode memory:

Yes, the circuit memorizes the last constant On output level in either Ramping or Stepped modes.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, quite a few actually. The strobe/blinking modes are accessible from Off with a triple-click (3C) or triple-click-and-hold (3H), but in Advanced UI only. You can switch between strobe/blinking modes with 2 clicks (2C), in the following sequence (see testing results below to see what these look like):

Triple-click (3C):

  • Battery check
  • Temperature check
  • Beacon mode
  • SOS mode

Triple-click-and hold (3H):

  • Candle mode
  • Bike flasher mode
  • Party strobe mode
  • Tactical strobe mode
  • Lightning mode

Low voltage warning:

Sort of. In operation, the light drops in brightness in steps, and runs for an extended time at a very low level. Apparently it shuts off when the cell is ~2.8V (although I haven’t run it that long to confirm).

Lock-out mode:

Yes. In either Simple UI or Advanced UI, lockout is accessed by 4 clicks (4C) from On or Off (repeat to unlock). The lockout mode is unusual with Anduril, as it actually enables momentary operation in the minimum modes. There are other lockout modes available, as explained above. As always though, I recommend you physically lock out at the light at the tailcap, if you want to guarantee no accidental activation.

Temperature check and thermal calibration mode:

This is a little complicated (and beyond the needs of most users), so I will just refer you to the diagram from the manual above. With default settings, I find this light steps down fairly quickly due to heat (unsurprising, given default Anduril thermal settings are conservative). I have not tried to reconfigure my sample. Note that if you get into any trouble (or wish to reset any custom configurations), you can easily reset the light to the factory defaults by 13 clicks-and-hold (13H).

Reviewer Comments:

Anduril is a sophisticated setup – a choice of Simple or Advanced UI, Stepped and Ramping modes, etc. Of course, you will never please everyone, and many may prefer a simpler interface. But as this light is directed toward flashaholics, I think it is a very good choice.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

There is no sign of PWM on any level, the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled.

There is also no sign of high frequency noise at any level (unlike many of the budget Anduril lights with simple FET drivers).

L1:
L1

L7:
L7

L8:
L8

Nice to see the continued lack of circuit noise on these Hank lights – well done.

Strobe Modes:

Note that for most of the strobe / flashing modes below, the actual frequency and intensity are both configurable. What I am showing below is the default speed and/or brightness setting. By pressing and holding the switch (1H or 2H) you can select the frequency. And in some cases, brightness is set from the last-used ramp level.

Beacon:
Beacon

Beacon strobe is a single flash every ~1.8 secs (so, 0.55 Hz), by default.

SOS:
SOS

A fairly typical SOS mode.

Candle:
Candle

Candle strobe is a continuous flicker, of varying intensity (again, accurately simulating a candle).

Bike Strobe:
Bike

Bike strobe is a bit unusual. It is constant On at a lower level, with four brief flashes to max (over ~0.25 secs) every ~1 sec or so by default. It certainly is an attention grabber.

Party Strobe:
Party

Party strobe is a super-fast (and annoying) frequency of ~20 Hz, by default.

Tactical Strobe:
Tactical

Tactical strobe is ~10 Hz by default.

Lightning Strobe:
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning

I’ve shown three 10-sec cycles above, so you can a feel for the frequency and intensity of light flashes. Lightning strobe is a fairly realistic lightning simulation, with variable intensity and time between flashes.

Charging:

The Emisar D1 does not come with built-in charging. You will have look into stand-alone battery chargers.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

With the AUX switch LEDs set to off, I measured the standby drain for the electronic switch as fluctuating between 15 and 19 uA, averaging to 17 uA. For a 3500mAh cell, that would translate into over 23.5 years before the cell would be fully drained – which is ridiculously low, and not at all a concern. Regardless, I recommend you store the light locked out at the tailcap when not in use to prevent accidental activation (which also disables the standby drain).

With the AUX switch RGB LEDs activated on the Low output setting, I measured the current drain as 34 uA. For a 3500mAh cell, that would give you over 11 and half years before a cell would be fully drained. This is similarly low enough to not be a concern, and could be useful as a signaling indicator for you (with the electronic lockout in place).

With the AUX switch LEDs activated on the High output setting, I measured the current drain as 450 uA. For a 3500mAh cell, that would give you almost 11 months of continuous runtime before draining the cell. That is very good as an impromptu Moonlight mode.

I haven’t measured it, but the smooth Ramping minimum current drain would presumably be higher than the AUX High mode. So this side switch on Hi could be considered a way to extend runtime with an extra (albeit much dimmer) coloured “Moonlight mode” by using the Aux switch emitters.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

D1 on L6:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5700K, and a slight positive tint shift (+0.0101 Duv) to greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 71.

These results are consistent with the specs.

Just out of curiosity, I thought I’d measure the AUX switch LEDs set to blue and green.

Blue Button:

The simple Light Master lightmeter that I am using is not rated for monochromatic sources, but the reading above is very consistent with a dedicated blue light – it is well off the blackbody radiation curve (Planckian locus) at the blue end of the spectrum.

Green Button:

Again, we are well off the Planckian locus in the green area of the colour spectrum.

Beamshots

All long-distance outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 1 sec exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The tree at the centre of the hotspot is approximately 90 meters (~100 yards) from the camera. Note the road dips down and turns away in the distance, out of the camera’s sight line. Learn more about my outdoor beamshot locations here.

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare the overall beams by switching between tabs.



To help illustrate the hotspots better, I’ve also cropped the raw pictures around the centre of the frame. As before, click on any thumbnail below to open a full size image in a new window.



As you can see above, the W1 produces a very focused beam, with excellent throw of the hotspot.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration runs higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the base calibration standard was first established). On average though, I find my lumen estimates are ~20% higher than most other modern reviewers.

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

D1 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Switch Green LED (High)-0.070.07---NoNo--91 g----
Smooth Ramp Min-0.870.87---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L1-1.11.1---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L2-1010---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L3-4040---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L4-120120---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L5-240240---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L6-420420---NoNo--~18 uA91 g-5,6950.010171
L7-660650---NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
L8900950890123,000 cd117,000 cd684 mNoNo--~18 uA91 g----
Candle------NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
Bike Strobe------1.3 HzNo--~18 uA91 g----
Party Strobe------20 HzNo--~18 uA91 g----
Tactical Strobe------10.3 HzNo--~18 uA91 g----
Lightning------NoNo--~18 uA91 g----
Beacon------1.3 HzNo--~18 uA91 g----
SOS------0.52 HzNo--~18 uA91 g----

Max output specs seem consistent with the rated max output. And my calibrated lux light meter actually reports slightly higher peak throw than the specs indicate – well done!

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page. Note that on average, my lightbox’s calibration seems to be ~20% higher than most modern reviewers.

The D1 didn’t come with its own battery, so I used a lightly used Armytek 3500mAh cell for comparison purposes in the main runtimes below.

Max

Hi

Med

The highest two levels show a generally well-regulated sustained output around ~600 estimated lumens for about an hour so (after step-down in the case the L8 max output). Lower levels are completely flat-regulated. These results show that Hank is using a very good fully-regulated linear driver on the D1, at least with this emitter choice. The same would be true for other relatively low voltage emitters, whereas higher output emitters would require a boost circuit (and would thus perform differently).

The overall output/runtime efficiency of the Osram W1 seems decent enough in my testing, although it under-performs against some emitters in competing lights (e.g., the Cree XHP35, Nichia 144AR). As this is my first example of this emitter, I don’t really know what to expect – but these results seem reasonable. There are always higher output or more efficient emitters you can choose – but with reduced throw, of course.

As always, the light will have to step-down on the highest output level at some point, but it does so gradually in this case. Like the D4K, I am impressed by how high the step-down level is, and how well regulated.

To better show this initial step-down pattern, I’ve done some additional runtimes with another new cell, a Vapcell F38 3800mAh 18650 battery. The Armytek and Vapcell batteries are differentiated below by their rated capacity – 3500mAh vs 3800mAh.

The higher capacity Vapcell batteries consistently run proportionately longer than the lower capacity Armytek. However, as also seen on the D4K, they appear to step-down to a lower level on max output as well. This is likely due to the typical trade-off with higher capacity cells – they cannot handle high drain quite as well (i.e., high capacity and high drain are typically mutually exclusive, in my experience). Note that Hank advises the use of high drain cells only in the D1 – I’m simply using these batteries for consistency to my other reviews.

Now let’s see how it performs against other lights on 18350/14500, using a new Vapcell F14 18350 1400mAh battery:



The 18350 Vapcell wasn’t able to match the relatively high step-down level on max that the 18650 cell could, which isn’t too surprising. But it is still able to sustain the max mode for an impressive duration before stepping down.

Here’s a close-up of the first few mins:

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Good physical build with a lot of possible customizations - especially for the main emitter.No in-light charging feature.
Appears to use a good driver, giving you better regulated output and step-down levels than other Anduril lights running on simple linear FET drivers. While the light steps-down on Max, it does so gradually and stabilizes at a higher than expected level. This can be convenient, but I note it since it is different from most lights (i.e., may not be what you expect).
Even with the regulated driver, there is still a decent dynamic range of output levels - although without the <1 lumen moonlight levels now..Body walls seem a bit thin (although still structurally sound), and threads come non-lubed.
Unbelievably good throw with the W1 emitter, with a very clean beam profile.Anduril interface can be intimidating.
AUX LEDs are a nice feature for the switch button, and can serve as a reasonably effective ultra-low "Moonlight" mode.
Surprisingly affordable given it is basically a custom light (on a standardized form factor).

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

Like the D4K I recently reviewed, this D1 is a very strong performer from Hank. I love the small form factor, especially with the options for 18350/18500 body tubes. I’ve always had a fondness for tiny thrower lights, as a complement to a general-purpose light. This configuration of the D1 meets that desire perfectly – I’ve never had a light this small throw this far. And all that in an excellent build with the sophisticated Anduril user interface.

Circuit performance is excellent, with a fully-regulated linear driver coupled with this emitter, based on the performance shown above (i.e., fairly flat-regulated with excellent output/runtime efficiency). There seems to be a bit of trade-off here with the flat regulation – the Ramping minimum output is higher than most other Anduril lights I’ve tested (that typically use in contrast a simple non-regulated linear driver). But the side switch can serve as a reasonably effective and efficient additional ultra-low moonlight here. And in any case, I’m not looking for moonlight in a pocket thrower. 🙂

The sheer number of emitter options can be a bit dizzying here. Although I’m curious to how some of the other emitters perform, I’m not really looking for overall output or Hi CRI in a pocket thrower – its maximum throw I’m interested in, and the Osram W1 is just stellar in that regard.

And once again, I enjoy all the features and customization options that Anduril provides. The large number of modes and settings are great for providing options, and it isn’t that complex to manage once you get used it. Simply put, there is value in consistency. And so, the D1 and D4K make a great pair – a dedicated little thrower and an all-purpose general light.

Another great little light from Hank/Emisar – and quite reasonably priced, in my view.

Acknowledgement

The D1 was purchased from intl-outdoor.com for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light in this configuration (without battery) retails for ~$36 USD (~$50 CDN) shipped.

Mateminco SL02 EDC

The SL02 is a budget light that runs off a 18650 or 18350 battery, using the included body tubes and cells. Also includes auxillary RGB modes in the head and tailcap.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

Mateminco is another new “budget” light maker that I’m become aware of since my return to reviewing. The SL02 is a new every-day-carry (EDC) model that they have recently released. It features a Lumileds HL2X as the main emitter, and auxillary Osram RGB emitters.

It also comes with both 18650 and 18350 Li-ion batteries, and body tubes to accommodate the two lengths. This is nice feature, as it adds flexibility in how you can carry. Plus it is comes with integrated charging, which is very convenient.

Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides (although in this case, specific to my custom specs). Scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

MakerMateminco
ModelSL02 EDC
EmitterLumileds HL2X + Osram GWJTLMS1.EM
TintCool + RGB
Max Output (Lumens)1,287
Min Output (Lumens)10
Max Runtime-
Max Beam Intensity (cd)50,850 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)451 m
Constant Levels4
FlashingStrobe
Battery1x18650
Weight (w/o battery)75 g
Weight (with battery)-
Length117.4 mm
Head Diameter26.8 mm
Body Diameter25.8 mm
WaterproofIPX6

Package Details






The packaging for the SL02 is pretty decent for a budget brand. The hard cardboard box has a fairly minimalist style (although I did find the “Adventure” pictogram amusing – I don’t know a lot of people who fence these days). Inside, the light and accessories are well packaged in cut-out foam. Included in the package:

  • Mateminco SL02 EDC (in Green in this case)
  • 18350 body tube
  • 18650 and 18350 Li-ion batteries (unbranded)
  • Pocket clip
  • Wrist lanyard
  • 2 Spare body tube o-rings
  • USB charging cable
  • Manual

It’s a nice package – especially considering the low price.

Build


From left to right: Vapcell F38 18650 (3800mAh), Skilhunt 18650 (3500mAh), Armytek C2 Wizard Pro Nichia, Acebeam E70 Mini, Skilhunt H300, Emisar D1, Mateminco Sl02, Armytek Doberman Pro.














The body design of the SL02 is pretty unique. It comes with both a 18650 and a 18350 body tube, but the tubes are completely enclosed at the head-end. The reason for this soon becomes apparent – there is a USB-C charging port on the screw threads on the head-end of the body tubes. This means that you need to take the head off to charge the light, and so need to have the battery fully enclosed inside the tube with the tailcap in place.

The light tailswitch functions as a reverse clicky switch (i.e., you need to click-and-release for the light to turn on, scroll down for a description of the user interface). Feel and traverse of the switch is pretty good for the clicky action, a bit firm but decent. It’s a little harder to reliably flash the switch to switch modes (i.e., partial press), as you need to press it firmly enough that it might accidentally click off. But you can also rapidly click off-on to advance modes, so that does work just as well. Again, scroll down to see the user interface.

Screw threads are bare aluminum, with no anodizing at either end of the body tube. This means that there is no way to physically lock out the light. This is a surprising design nowadays. My best guess is that they were concerned about the charging current having to flow through the switch, and so they left the threads bare as an alternate current path.

There is no knurling on the light per se, just a couple of cut-outs and some ridge details on the head. This could make the light a bit slippery, so I recommend you use the wrist lanyard or pocket clip. The clip has the added value of helping stop potential roll of the light too. Anodizing looks to be good quality on my sample, for presumed type II (given the green colour). I would describe the finish as satin.

The batteries that come with the light are not branded, and seem like typical budget cells. The rated capacities listed on the wrappers are rather low, at 2600mAh and 1200mAh respectively for the 18650 and 18350 cells.

The tailcap is perfectly flat, and the switch cover is recessed just enough so that the light is able to tailstand fairly stably. There is a cut-out on the side of the tailcap for the wrist lanyard.

What is very distinctive are the RGB emitters in the clear surround of the tail switch cover, which slowly cycle through the output colours. These are actually on at all times when a battery is connected (although it turns off if you click the switch for the main emitter). The output is low – it is clearly meant as a “find me” feature for the light in the dark.

I was surprised to see these RGB emitters were actually on when I opened the box – the light doesn’t ship with a lock-out paper or plastic disc. This strikes me as a safety concern, as the light could in theory activate inside the box. It also means the battery could drain while stored in the unopened box. Scroll down to see a discussion in the circuit measures section of my review.

Here is a video of the slow cycling pattern of RGB tail cap:

Here are some stills, showing the various colours. Again, the emitters aren’t very bright, and so the current draw is fairly low. I’ve also found that the emitters to shut-off when the battery charge is low. Again, scroll down to circuit measures section.




The head of the light is also interesting. There is a distinctive looking optic that actually focuses the hotspot fairly clearly while diffusing the spill. There is a stainless steel bezel ring holding it in place, which is fully flat (i.e., no crenelations).





I have to say, that is a pretty distinctive optic. The main beam pattern is thus a combination of centre-beam throw and wide diffuse flood. Scroll down for actual outdoor beamshots.

But there is also a series of RGB emitters in the head as well. These are activated by clicking the switch (i.e., they are on the main sequence of output modes). Like the tailcap, these can only be activate in a continuous cycling mode (i.e., can’t select specific colours). But unlike the tailcap, these run in a far faster cycle, more of a “disco” mode, as shown in the video below.

Again, here are a bunch of stills showing some of the individual colours, as best I could capture given the rapid speed.










User Interface

The SL02 uses a very straightforward interface, as described below.

From OFF:

  • Soft-press: Nothing.
  • Press-and-hold: Nothing (light functions as a reverse-clicky switch, have to release to turn On)
  • Single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode used
  • Double-click: Turns On and then Off (i.e., individual clicks simply turn the light on and off).

From ON:

  • Single Soft-press: Advances to the next mode in the following sequence: RGB – Lo – Med – Hi
  • Double Soft-press: Jumps to Strobe mode
  • Press-and-hold: Turns Off (as it functions a reverse-clicky)
  • Single-click: Turns Off
  • Double-click: Turns Off and back On, and advances to the next mode (i.e., a rapid series of clicks works the same as repeated soft-presses).

Mode memory:

Yes, the circuit memorizes the last constant On output level as long as you leave it on for >2 secs. Any faster, and repeated off-on clicking simply advances modes.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, a single typical strobe mode (scroll down for measures).

Low voltage warning:

Not that I have noticed.

Lock-out mode:

Not that I can find. Note that the light lacks anodized screw threads, so this means it is always drawing a standby current (scroll down for measures). Furthermore, the tail RGB emitters are always active, slowly changing colours when a battery is present inside the light. There is no way to physically or electronically lock-out the light.

Reviewer Comments:

This is a fairly basic but serviceable interface. I’m not happy about the front RGB “disco”  mode being in the main sequence, and there is little to differentiate Med and Hi visually (scroll down for testing measures). But at least Strobe is hidden behind a rapid double-press of the switch.

My main concern is the lack of the lock-out, and the constant slow-cycling RGB in the tailcap. However, this current is minuscule (see below), and the tail RGB emmitters do shut-off once the battery runs down to a low voltage.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Lo:
Lo

Med:
Med

Hi:
Hi

There is no sign of PWM, but there is high-frequency circuit noise on the Med and Hi levels at ~5.1-5.2 kHz respectively. This is high enough to not be visually detectable.

Strobe:

Strobe

Strobe is basically ~11 Hz by default.

Charging:

<3.0V


I measured the initial charging current when the cell was <3.0V as 1.1A, but it quick drops down to ~1.0A by the time the cell reaches ~3.0V. This differs from a number of recent lights that start at an initially low level and jump up to a high current – the SL02 starts at a decent current and drops slowly as the battery charges. Note that a 1A initial rate is quite reasonable for a 18650 cell, but I find it a bit high for the 18350 cell.

You can notice a red LED on the head of the body tube, indicating charging has started. Of note, the manual says you need to click the tailcap into the On position for charging to work – but this isn’t required on my sample. And I’m not surprised by that, given the non-annodized threads (i.e., switch status should be irrelevant).

One quirk that I noticed – the LED shows green by the time the charging drops to ~0.2A.

At this point, I stopped the charge and measured the resting battery voltage as only ~3.85V. So I reconnected and let it run until it seemed to stabilize at ~0.02A.


As this level, the battery was reading only ~3.95V.

At this rate, I’m hard pressed to imagine the cell ever reaching or exceeding ~4.0V with the built-in charger. While a nice feature to include (especially for the price), you are better off investing in a proper charger if you want to fully charge the cells to ~4.2V.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

With the tail RGB LEDs on and cycling, I measured the standby drain for the tail switch as a low ~150uA. For the included 2600mAh 18650 that would translate into just under 2 years for the battery to be fully drained. And for the 1200mAh 18350, just under 11 months (assuming fully charged to start). This is surprisingly good for continuously emitting and cycling coloured LEDs.

As previously mentioned, there is no way to lock out the light at the tailcap, due to the non-anodized threads.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

SL02 on Med:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5590K, and a noticeable positive tint shift (+0.0140 Duv) to greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 61.

These results are consistent with the specs, and other emitters in this class.

Beamshots

All long-distance outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 1 sec exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The tree at the centre of the hotspot is approximately 90 meters (~100 yards) from the camera. Note the road dips down and turns away in the distance, out of the camera’s sight line. Learn more about my outdoor beamshot locations here.

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare the overall beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the SL02 produces a relatively focused hotspot, with wide (but dim) spill. Overall output is of course lower than the higher output emitters above.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the base calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

SL02 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Low100.200.20---No---~150 uA74 g119 g---
Mid550470460---No5.1 kHz--~150 uA74 g119 g---
High1,2871,4001,20010,900 cd7,600 cd174 mNo5.2 kHz--~150 uA74 g119 g5,5850.013861
RGB100.900.90---NoNo--~150 uA74 g119 g---
Strobe1,200-----11.2 HzNo--~150 uA74 g119 g---

Beam pattern is relatively throwy, but nowhere near the beam specs (which are completely unrealistic for a light this size).

Output levels seem reasonably consistent to my lightbox measures for Med/Hi (noting that my lightbox calibration is generous), but the Lo/RGB are clearly much lower than the specs. Indeed, the Lo mode is actually a <1 lumen Moonlight in my testing.

These level spacings don’t really make a lot of sense to me – jumping from 0.2 lumens to 460 (Lo to Med) is too big a step. And there is little visual difference between 460 and 1200 lumens (Med to Hi) in practice. They would have been better off with a fourth true Lo level (in ~30-40 lumen range), and/or a reduced Med mode.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.


Hi
Med

The SL02 is presumably using a linear driver, given the apparent direct-drive pattern above (i.e., the circuit is not flat voltage-regulated). Overall efficiency seem reasonable, especially given the lower rated capacity of the bundled 18650 cell. Runtime performance is similar on the bundled 18350 cell, as shown below.



There is a step-down on Hi, as shown below for the 18350 run:

This performance is reasonable for the actual output levels, but see my comments above for recommended output level spacing.

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
In-light charging included, but it requires you to remove the head due to the screw thread placement.Mode spacing is unusual, with no real Lo (Moonlight instead), and a Med mode that is not visually that different from Hi.
Circuit is not flat-regulated, and seems to be direct drive. Overall efficiency is reasonable for the class though.RGB "disco" mode on the front emitter is part of the main sequence, and cannot be hidden.
Beam pattern is relatively focused for throw, with wider and dimmer spill than typical thanks to the custom TIR optic (although the specs are completely unrealistic).No ability to lock out the light, or disable the rear tail RGB emitters (which slowly rotate through output colours).
Tailcap RGB emitters provide a low-output "find me" feature for the lightIn-light charger terminated early at ~4.0V in my testing.
18650 and 18350 batteries are included (but are no-name cells).Reverse clicky switch is a bit stiff for mode changing.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The SL02 has a lot of distinctive features. Overall, it’s a pretty good package (especially so for the price), with a lot of versatility. That said, it belies its budget nature through many of the specific design choices, and their consequences.

Starting with the build, the tailcap design has a unique “find me” feature with slowly changing low-output RGB emitters. However, the lack of anodized tailcap threads (likely required by the in-light charging design) means there is no way to deactivate this feature without removing the cell.

I find the enclosed body tube chambers to be a distinctive build feature. Again, this is presumably required by the unique in-light charging design (i.e., the charger port is on the screw threads, so you need a way to close the chamber). However the charger terminates early in my testing (at ~4.0V). So it seems like these two unusual design choices were driven by a feature that is, ultimately, of somewhat limited usefulness.

For all that, the build seems solid enough, and well put together. It is also nice that they included both a 18350 and 18650 battery (especially at this price). But I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with cheap cells, and so I recommend you replace them with a quality brand name.

The beam pattern is distinctive, with its unique optic and uncommon emitter. Throw is good (but nowhere near the published specs). Output level spacing is not particularly well thought out in my view, and the user interface is very basic (with the front-facing RGB’s rapid-shifting mode as part of the main sequence). But actual output/runtime performance of the light is pretty good, thanks to the linear driver and efficient direct-drive pattern (fans of flat-stabilized output will need to look elsewhere though).

So, a mix of decent features and build, but with limitations. If you like the RGB features, that might make this more compelling for you. It’s certainly a pretty cool and distinctive optic. But personally, I’d prefer if more attention were paid to the user interface and main beam output levels.

Acknowledgement

The SL02 was provided by Mateminco for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$30 USD (~$40 CDN) shipped. You can purchase it directly here or with free shipping here.

Cyansky P25 V2.0

The P25 is a tactical-style, general-purpose flashlight running on a single included 21700 battery. It features the high output XHP70.3 emitter, in cool white.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

This is the first Cyansky light that I’ve reviewed since my recent return to reviewing. Cyansky is another in a line of new makers that has sprung up in recent years. I’ve heard good things about their models, so was curious to test out this new version of the P25.

According to the specs, the P25 v2.0 features the XHP70.3 emitter (HD version, from the appearance), and is rated for relatively high output in the 1×21700 class. What really caught my eye here though was the tactical tailcap switch, in addition to the electronic side switch. That’s not something you see commonly any more.

Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerCyansky
ModelP25 V2.0
EmitterXHP70.3
TintCool
Max Output (Lumens)3,600
Min Output (Lumens)5
Max Runtime80 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)10,800 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)208 m
Constant Levels5
FlashingStrobe, SOS
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)98 g
Weight (with battery)-
Length145.4 mm
Head Diameter30 mm
Body Diameter24.4 mm
WaterproofIPX8 2m

Package Details




The P25 comes in fairly basic packaging, nothing too fancy in its appearance. Inside the box I found:

  • Cyansky P25 V2.0 flashlight, in green for my sample (also comes in red or black)
  • Cyansky-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Pocket clip
  • Holster with velcro closing flap
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a very decent package, and I am glad to see the holster included – very rare these days.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Vapcell 21700 F56 (5600mAh), Emisar D4K, Imalent MS03, Convoy S21E, Skilhunt M300, Wurkkos WK15, Wurkkos TS22, Sofirn SP35T, Cyansky P25, Nitecore P20iX, Acebeam E70.










At 145mm, the P25 is one of the longest lights I’ve tested in the general-purpose 1×21700 class. This is in part due to the tactical forward clicky switch. This makes the light very suitable for tactical purposes, but it does mean you have to accept greater length. As someone with above-average sized hands with long fingers, I find the light comfortable to hold and use in either overhand or underhand grip – but some may find it long.

The tailcap physical forward clicky switch has a pleasantly firm action, with a solid click and predictable firm traverse. There are two raised tailcap guards that can serve as the lanyard attachment point. My sample is able to tailstand stably.

Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can easily lock-out this light by a simple twist of the tailcap.

There is a raised side-mounted electronic switch on the side of the head, with red and green LEDs underneath to show battery charge status. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is very similar to a lot of modern lights.

As there is no in-light USB charging (i.e., you charge the cell directly), I expected waterproofness is excellent here.

There is no real knurling on the light, but there are a lot of cut-outs to help with grip. The slightly raised side switch helps limit the ability of the light to roll somewhat – but the pocket clip is particularly recommended in that regard.  Anodizing looks to be good quality for type II (presumed, given the colour range available). I would describe the finish as satin.

Inside, the light comes with a Cyansky-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with integrated USB-C charger and slightly raised button-top, along with a charge status led. There is a flat contact in the head of the light, along with a reverse polarity detection feature.

This is a solid and well-made light, with decent grip and handfeel. It is longer than most in this class, which is something to keep in mind.



The P25 comes with a XHP70.3 HD emitter, in cool white. The reflector is deeper than most and moderately textured (moderate orange peel, MOP).

As expected, there is some tint/colour shifting across the periphery of the beam, with a cool white hotspot surrounded by a yellowish spill except for a purplish shift near the edge of the periphery. This is a well-known issue with HD emitters of the XHP family. The textured reflector seems to be help even it out it somewhat though. There is an purplish anti-reflective coating on the lens, which is contributing to the edge effect that you are seeing in the desk beamshot above (scroll down for outdoor beamshots).

The bezel is flat aluminum. There is no scalloping to speak of, and the light can headstand stably.

User Interface

The P25 uses a fairly common general-purpose user interface, given the switch arrangement.

From OFF:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Momentary On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold: Nothing – but if you click the tail switch while holding down the side switch, the light will activate in Eco mode.
  • Side switch, single-click: Nothing.

From ON:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Nothing.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns Off.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold (>1 sec): Switch to Strobe. Press-and-hold again to advance to SOS. Single-click at any time to return to constant-on modes.
  • Side switch, single-click: Steps up to the next constant-on output mode (in sequence, Lo > Med > High > Turbo).
  • Side switch, double-click: Nothing, simply advances two steps in output (i.e., this is not a short-cut to Turbo, as on some lights).

Mode memory:

Yes, for constant-on output modes, except Turbo. If turned off in Turbo, it will save as High.

Mode 1 Shortcuts:

  • Eco mode: Press-and-hold the side switch while turning on at the tail switch.
  • Strobe mode: Press-and-hold the side switch when already On.
  • There doesn’t seem to be a shortcut to Turbo that I have found

Battery indicator:

When first activating the light, the indicator on the side switch shows the relative battery voltage (lasts for ~3 secs):

  • Solid green: ~81-100% power remaining
  • Flashing green: ~51-80% power remaining
  • Solid red: ~21-50% power remaining
  • Flashing red: 0-20% power remaining

Low voltage warning:

Yes. When the battery is low, the power indicator flashes red 3 times per second, and the main LED light flashes 2 times every 3 minutes. When the battery voltage is lower than 3.0V, the flashlight will reduce the main LED to the Low mode.

Lock-out mode:

Yes, but physically – you lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap.

Reviewer Comments:

This is a reasonable UI for a general-purpose light. It’s very similar the “general mode” of two-stage tactical lights, like the Sofirn SP35T. I would liked a shortcut to Turbo, though.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Eco:
Eco

Low:
Lo

Med:
Med

High:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

Well, this is great to see – not only is there no sign of PWM, but there is not even any circuit noise on any level. It’s rare nowadays to see a current-controlled light without at least some high frequency circuit noise on some levels – well done Cyansky.

Strobes:

Strobe:

Strobe alternates between 6 Hz and 15 Hz every ~2 secs or so. Very distracting.

SOS:

A standard SOS mode, relatively slow.

Beacon:

Sadly, no beacon mode on the P25.

Charging:

There is no integrated charger on the P25 light – it uses a 21700 cell with a built-in USB-C charger instead. There is an indicator LED on the battery that shows solid red when the light is charging. Changes to solid green when the charging is complete.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The Cyansky battery uses a two-stage charging feature, as seen on many (but not all) higher-end lights and batteries (i.e., where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged). The initial charging rate here is ~0.13A, which jumps to ~1.2A once the battery reaches 3.0V resting. I presume it continues to climb from there. This is a reasonable charging rate for the class, but not as high as some others.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

None. That is one of the nice things about a physical clicky switch, no standby current. 🙂 And you can always lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap, to prevent accidental activation.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

P25 on Hi:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5530K, and a positive tint shift (+0.0138 Duv) to slightly greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 69.

These values are consistent with the performance of a cool white XHP70.3 HD emitter, and match my visual experience of this light. Note that there is a tint shift to more yellowish spill, with a purplish spillbeam edge, as is common on XHP HD emitters.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the P25 has a very clean beam profile, quite similar to my XHP70.2 HD-equipped Wurkkos TS22. Also, the minor tint-shift to purplish at the edge of the periphery is less noticeable than a number of other lights, like the Acebeam E70.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

P25 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Eco51010---NoNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g---
Low506060---NoNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g---
Med200255250---NoNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g---
High800940940---NoNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g5,5300.010369
Turbo3,6004,4504,30014,300 cd13,800 cd235 mNoNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g---
Strobe1,600-----6-15 HzNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g---
SOS200-----NoNo0.13 A1.20 ANo99 g171 g---

Well, this is nice to see – my P25 sample actually performs higher than the specs in my lightbox. Of course, I know my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high for modern high-output lights. But my NIST-calibrated luxmeter (which is accurately calibrated to an absolute standard) also reports greater throw than the specs. This is a good result.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Max

Hi

Med

Another pleasant finding – fully flat-regulated output at all levels, with outstanding output/runtime efficiency. These results show a good boost circuit is being used, resulting in excellent performance across the board.

Another observation is that the Turbo mode (and step-down level) are very consistent with other top lights in this emitter class, like the Wurkkos TS22 and Acebeam E70. However, the Med mode (and to a lesser extent the Hi mode) is a little lower in output than most of the competition.

To better show you the step-down pattern on Turbo, here is an extended view of the first few minutes of the runtimes:

Interestingly, the P25 ramps down in output more slowly than most lights in this class – it takes over 6 minutes before you are down to the fully-regulated step-down level (which is a bit higher than the High level).

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
The light has a solid build, with a tactical forward clicky switch in the tail and a side electronic switch.Lacks a moonlight mode or a beacon/signalling mode.
Circuit is fully voltage-regulated, with excellent output/runtime efficiency.XHP70.3 HD cool white emitter produces high output, but no option for neutral/warm tint, high CRI, or greater throw.
The light has a serviceable user interface, comparable to other lights with this configuration.More expensive than competing lights.
Good range of output levels, actually exceeding rated specs.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The P25 from Cyansky is another example of a quality light from a new maker that has crossed my review desk.

Circuit performance is top-notch, with a highly efficient and well-regulated driver. This is something that I find to be quite variable among the new makers, but certainly speaks well here (and reflects that higher price point than most of the others). I’m also impressed to see this light exceed its reported specs – many makers over-promise and under-deliver, so it’s great to see the opposite here.

I like the implementation of the physical forward clicky switch – feel and function is good. The user interface is reasonable, and similar to other lights that have both a physical tailswitch and side electronic switch. That said, some competing lights feature a secondary “tactical” mode set as an option as well (and a shortcut to Turbo). As always, I would like to see an actual Moonlight mode as well (or at least something closer to it).

The physical build is quite solid and stable, if a touch long. There are some small aspects that detract a bit for me, such as the slippery finish with relative lack of knurling, flat aluminum bezel, and pretty basic clip. I would associate these with a more budget build typically. But the overall package is good, with the Cyansky-branded battery and holster.

It also comes with a modern high-output emitter, the XHP70.3 HD (cool white), which provides a lot of output and a smooth beam. That said, I would like to see some additional options, such as neutral white version (or high CRI model). For that matter, the HI edition of this emitter would produce more throw, and a cleaner beam with less chromatic aberrations.

At the end of the day, I found this to be a good light to handle and use. It’s really the combination of small touches to the build and UI that hold it back from top-of-the-line class for me. I hope the comparison results above will help you decide if it is right for you.

Acknowledgement

The P25 was supplied by Cyansky for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$100 USD (~$130 CDN).

Emisar D4K

The D4K is a multi-emitter Hank light built for general purpose use, and running on a single 21700 battery. It features a wide range of customizable options, and uses the sophisticated Anduril user interface.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

Upon my return to reviewing this year, it became very clear that “Hank lights” have a huge following. The individual models are known commercially under the Emisar or Noctigon name, and can be purchased directly from Hank’s site at intl-outdoor.com.

The thing to understand about the individual models is that there really isn’t an off-the-shelf or “stock” version of a Hank light. Rather, any given model (and there many, in different form factors) is available with a wide range of options that you can select from – including emitters, circuits, button colours, optics, etc.. So all lights are effectively custom-built, within the range of the form factor.

Hank also uses the latest implementations of the open-source Anduril user interface. Taken together, this all points to the fact that these lights are primarily intended for flashaholics who understand what they are looking for. It is basically an opportunity to get a largely custom light assembled and shipped relatively quickly and cheaply.

Having reviewed a number of Anduril-equipped lights from more mainstream makers, I was curious to see how it would perform in a light specifically designed to take advantage of it. I’ll get into the details of my selected build below, but this is probably the best opportunity to take maximal advantage of the Anduril feature set. Indeed, the creator of Anduril, Selene (aka ToyKeeper) specifically recommended the D4K and D1 to me as good models to start with.

First up in this review is the quad-emitter, 1×21700 Emisar D4K. Scroll down for my specific configuration. I’m excited to see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides (although in this case, specific to my custom specs). Scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerEmisar
ModelD4K
Emitter4xNichia 519A dome on
Tint4500 K CRI>90
Max Output (Lumens)3,800 (FET)
Min Output (Lumens)-
Max Runtime-
Max Beam Intensity (cd)-
Max Beam Distance (m)-
Constant Levels150
Flashing6
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)58 g
Length103 mm
Head Diameter28 mm
Body Diameter26.5 mm
WaterproofIP67 1m

Again, you can select other options here if you wish.

Package Details



The packaging for Hank’s lights is fairly basic – a cardboard box with some hand-written description of the features selected. Inside is some cut-out foam holding the light and your extras. Here is what I selected, reflected in the package above:

  • D4K in Dark Grey
  • Flat threaded switch ring
  • Cool White switch backlight
  • LEDs: 519A 4500K with dome on
  • Standard optic
  • Optional boost driver
  • Optional steel bezel (comes with one spare large o-ring)
  • Optional pocket clip

All lights also come with:

  • Wrist lanyard
  • 2 Spare body tube o-rings

Hank provides a lot of emitter and switch options. I choose the 519A 4500K dome-on to better match some of the other lights I’ve tested (there are plenty of de-domed options to consider as well). The cool white switch backlight can be used as a fairly bright “moonlight” (there are plenty of other options available here as well).

The boost driver was a key selection for me. I’ve tested many budget lights running Anduril that lack a boost driver (i.e., just running a basic linear driver, like FET). That translates into a fairly quick drop-down to a relatively low output level – with a “noisy” regulation pattern followed by a slow unregulated drop-off. With a good boost driver, you should be able to sustain better regulated runtimes, and at higher thermally sustainable brightness levels. However, the trade-off is typically lower dynamic range (i.e., lower highs and higher lows). Given how quickly (and how low) FET-based Anduril lights drop-off, I think that’s a reasonable trade-off for higher regulated outputs with a good boost driver. And for once I don’t mind risking the loss of the lowest modes, as the switch light (which can be independently controlled with Anduril) can serve as an effective “Moonlight” mode in its own right.

To see the difference between the D4K with boost driver and other Anduril-based lights with simple linear drivers, check out my discussion in the Runtimes section of this review.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Vapcell 21700 F56 (5600mAh), Emisar D4K, Imalent MS03, Convoy S21E, Skilhunt M300, Wurkkos WK15, Wurkkos TS22, Sofirn SP35T, Cyansky P25, Nitecore P20iX, Acebeam E70.










To start, I opted for the stainless steel bezel because I find the these enhance the  structural stability of the light. Aluminum is a great material to hold (or work with), but it is rather soft – to better protect the head from falls, etc., I prefer stainless steel.

The stainless steel pocket clip is another great option, as the body tube allows placement near the head or the tail of the light (for stable head-up or head-down carry). I didn’t opt for the tailcap magnet, but that’s a good option if you are considering using the light as a work light.

The light is controlled by an electronic side switch in the head, with a somewhat transparent rubberized cover. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is good, with a firm click and typical traverse. There are a lot of options for the switch emitter LED, and I opted for cool white here (assuming it would produce max output). As you will see in my upcoming review of the D1, I opted for the multi-colour RGB LED option on that light.  Although set to off by default, you can configure the auxillary LEDs and the switch LEDs through Anduril to light up when a battery is connected (at two different intensities). See the user interface section below for more information.

I also went for the flat threaded switch ring, as I was worried the raised model might catch on clothing, etc. It is still easy to find the switch by feel, if you are leaving the standby indicator off.

The tailcap is perfectly flat, so the light is able to tailstand fairly stably. There is a small cut-out on the side for the simple wrist lanyard.

Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel – at both ends of the battery tube. Note there was no lubrication anywhere on the samples I received, so I recommend you add a good non-conducting lube for both the o-rings and the threads. I also always recommend you keep the light stored locked out when not in use. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can do this easily by a simple twist of the tailcap.

With the o-rings in place, I expect waterproofness to be good.

There is a stiff cylindrical spring in the head, along with a fairly thick conical tail spring. Resistance is high, so be careful about using longer cells in this light – you may dent the cell (or circuit board) if you use overly long cells. Note that Hank advises uprotected, flat top batteries only.

Unlike almost all the other lights I am reviewing these days, there is no built-in charger for batteries on the Emisar/Noctigon lights (or any bundled branded cells either). In keeping with the audience of flashlight enthusiasts, the assumption is that you have your own batteries and chargers on hand.

Knurling is not particularly aggressive – it is really more of a fine checkered or line pattern. It does feel a bit more grippy than most lights I’ve handled these days, which typically seem to be a bit smooth. Combined with the ridge detail, I would say overall grip is pretty good. Note that the light can roll, but the switch button cover helps limit this. Anodizing looks to be good quality (for presumed type II, give the colour range), with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as matte.



I opted for the standard optic, since I expect this should produce a decently floody beam with the quad-519A emitters (dome on). It doesn’t show up well in my desk shot above, but the beam is indeed very broad and floody. Scroll down for actual outdoor beamshots. There is a slight greenish-tint AR coating on the lens.

One interesting feature of the circuit board is that there are actually 8 additional secondary multi-colour RGB emitters built-in here. These can be turned on and controlled just like the auxillary switch LED in Anduril.

Here is what they look like on the high output AUX setting, in sequence:






You can configure the AUX LEDs to select an individual colour, or have it cycle through all colours, or reflect the battery voltage visually. You can turn these on at one of two intensities, or flash, or leave off. The AUX LEDs are linked to the side switch LEDs, so setting changes apply to both. But of course the RGB features are limited to the AUX emitters (unless you also get RGB under the switch too, in which case they would be synchronized).

In my handling, I find the High level for the AUX/Switch LEDs is surprisingly bright – and the Low level is surprisingly low (scroll down for specific output measures). In fact, the white LEDs on the side switch on Low are virtually impossible to see except in complete darkness, and the AUX LEDs are very dim (so dim that they don’t register in my lightbox). Here are a couple of pictures showing both switches in ambient room light on an overcast day, first on High and then Low:

As you can tell, it doesn’t even look like the switches are on in the Low setting. But here are a couple of pictures in the dark, again on Hi and then Lo:

It’s not exactly a perfect comparison, as I’m using my cell phone camera’s auto-adjust, but this gives you a general idea of the significant difference between the modes. Scroll down for current draws and output measures, where possible.

User Interface

As mentioned above, the D4K uses the open-source Anduril 2 user interface (UI). Anduril has two distinct UIs mode sets: Simple and Advanced. The labels are a bit misleading, as both are fairly sophisticated – it is just that the Advanced UI has a lot of extra options not available on the scaled-down Simple UI. Both UIs have the option for a discrete Stepped level mode, in addition to the continuously-variable Smooth Ramping mode.

To switch from the default Simple UI to Advanced UI, you need to do 10 clicks from Off with a hold on the 10th click (10H), with 10 clicks (10C) to return to simple UI. Advanced UI has a lot more options available. It’s easier to show the UIs rather than explain them in words, so here is a helpful pic:

ui-diagram

You can also download a plain text-based manual from Anduril creator Toykeeper, or a more interactive one with version control here.

This implementation of Anduril 2 has eight discrete Stepped levels, which I’ve numbered in this review as L1 through L8 (with L1 being the lowest level, and L8 being Turbo).

According to the firmware Version Check, my D4K sample is model 0273. Full info is 2022-10-21-02-73 (version code is Year-Month-Day the firmware was compiled, followed by a 2-digit brand ID and 2-digit product ID).

Again, check the image and link above for more info, but here is a simplified description of the UI to get you started.

From OFF:

  • Press-and-hold (1H): Turns On in lowest output, in either Ramping mode or Stepped mode depending on which mode is enabled (and which UI you are in)
  • Single-click (1C): Turns on in last memorized mode used (Ramping or Stepped)
  • Double-click (2C): Turns on to Turbo (aka the Ramping max output)
  • Triple-click (3C): Battery check (voltage read out a single time) and basic flashing/strobe modes.
  • Triple-click-and-hold (3H): Special strobe modes, but only when in Advanced UI (remembers last strobe mode used)
  • 4 clicks (4C): Lockout mode. In lockout mode you have different options available:
    • Press-and-hold (1H): Momentary Moonlight
    • Double-click-and-hold (2H): Momentary Low
    • 4 clicks (4C): Turns On in memorized output level
    • 4 clicks and hold (4H): Turns On in the lowest level
    • 5 clicks (5C): Turns On in Turbo
    • 10 clicks and hold (10H): Configure the lock timeout threshold (in Advanced UI only), allowing you to pre-set the timeout time of the lock.
  • 7 clicks (7C): (Advanced UI only) Enters AUX/Button LED config for the next mode. There are four modes you can switch between; constant low, blinking low, off, constant hi. Click 7 times again to advance to the next option, in sequence. The light auto-memorizes the last option you select.
  • 7 clicks-and-hold (7H): (Advanced UI only) Enters AUX/Button LED config for the next colour. The colours follow the sequence: Red, Yellow (Red+Green), Green, Cyan (Green+Blue), Blue, Purple (Blue+Red), White (Red+Green+Blue), Disco (fast random colors), Rainbow (cycles through all colors in order more slowly), and Voltage read-out (uses colour to display battery charge). See the video in the section above for what Rainbow looks like.

From ON:

  • Press-and-hold (1H): Ramps up (or Steps up, depending on the mode). Ramps/steps down if you do it again.
  • Single-click (1C): Turns Off
  • Double-click (2C): Jumps to Turbo
  • Double-click-and-hold (2H): Ramps down (or Steps down)
  • Triple-click (3C): Switch between Ramping and Stepped modes
  • 4 clicks (4C): Lockout mode (see above for options)

Mode memory:

Yes, the circuit memorizes the last constant On output level in either Ramping or Stepped modes.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, quite a few actually. The strobe/blinking modes are accessible from Off with a triple-click (3C) or triple-click-and-hold (3H), but in Advanced UI only. You can switch between strobe/blinking modes with 2 clicks (2C), in the following sequence (see testing results below to see what these look like):

Triple-click (3C):

  • Battery check
  • Temperature check
  • Beacon mode
  • SOS mode

Triple-click-and hold (3H):

  • Candle mode
  • Bike flasher mode
  • Party strobe mode
  • Tactical strobe mode
  • Lightning mode

Low voltage warning:

Sort of. In operation, the light drops in brightness in steps, and runs for an extended time at a very low level. Apparently it shuts off when the cell is ~2.8V (although I haven’t run it that long to confirm).

Lock-out mode:

Yes. In either Simple UI or Advanced UI, lockout is accessed by 4 clicks (4C) from On or Off (repeat to unlock). The lockout mode is unusual with Anduril, as it actually enables momentary operation in the minimum modes. There are other lockout modes available, as explained above. As always though, I recommend you physically lock out at the light at the tailcap, if you want to guarantee no accidental activation.

Temperature check and thermal calibration mode:

This is a little complicated (and beyond the needs of most users), so I will just refer you to the diagram from the manual above. With default settings, I find this light steps down fairly quickly due to heat (unsurprising, given default Anduril settings are conservative). I have not tried to reconfigure my sample. Note that if you get into any trouble (or wish to reset any custom configurations), you can easily reset the light to the factory defaults by 13 clicks-and-hold (13H).

Reviewer Comments:

Anduril is a sophisticated setup – a choice of Simple or Advanced UI, Stepped and Ramping modes, AUX LEDs, etc. Of course, you will never please everyone, and many may prefer a simpler interface. But as this light is directed toward flashaholics, I think it is a very good choice.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

There is no sign of PWM on any level, the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled. There is no sign of high frequency noise at any level (unlike many of the budget Anduril lights with simple FET drivers).

L1:
L1

L2:
L2

L7:
L7

L8:
L8

Nice to see the lack of circuit noise on this model.

Strobe Modes:

Note that for most of the strobe / flashing modes below, the actual frequency and intensity are both configurable. What I am showing below is the default speed and/or brightness setting. By pressing and holding the switch (1H or 2H) you can select the frequency. And in some cases, brightness is set from the last-used ramp level.

Beacon:
Beacon

Beacon strobe is a single flash every ~1.8 secs (so, 0.55 Hz) by default.

SOS:
SOS

A fairly typical SOS mode.

Candle:
Candle

Candle strobe is a continuous flicker, of varying intensity (again, accurately simulating a candle).

Bike Strobe:
Bike

Bike strobe is a bit unusual. It is constant On at a lower level, with four brief flashes to max (over ~0.25 secs) every ~1 sec or so by default. It certainly is an attention grabber.

Party Strobe:
Party

Party strobe is a super-fast (and annoying) frequency of ~20 Hz by default.

Tactical Strobe:
Tactical

Tactical strobe is basically ~10 Hz, by default.

Lightning Strobe:
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning

I’ve shown three 10-sec cycles above, so you can a feel for the frequency and intensity of light flashes. Lightning strobe is a fairly realistic lightning simulation, with variable intensity and time between flashes.

Charging:

The Emisar D4K does not come with built-in charging. You will have look into stand-alone battery chargers.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

With the switch and AUX LEDs set to off, I measured the standby drain as fluctuating between 45 and 50 uA, but with a very brief jump to ~285uA every 3 secs or so. It’s hard to provide a good estimate, so I’ve just gone with ~50uA for now. For a 5000mAh cell, that would translate into over 11 years before the cell would be fully drained – which is extremely low, and not a concern. Regardless, I recommend you store the light locked out at the tailcap when not in use (which disables the standby drain).

Note that ToyKeeper tells me this current jump quirk is due to a bug in this firmware version. There is an updated firmware for this model that resolves the current jump, and lowers the overall standby drain by ~15 uA or so. You can kit to flash the firmware yourself, but I haven’t tried this yet.

With both the switch and AUX LEDs activated on the Low AUX output setting (i.e., barely visible, except in low light), I measured the combined drain as 105 uA with current firmware. For a 5000mAh cell, that would give you almost 5.5 years before the cell would be drained. This is similarly low enough to not be a concern, and could be useful as a signaling indicator, especially as a colourfull voltage readout (with the electronic lockout in place).

With both the switch and AUX LEDs activated on the High AUX output setting, I measured the combined drain as 3.58mA. For a 5000mAh cell, that would give you just under two months of continuous runtime on the higher AUX mode. While this is fine for the occasional use, it doesn’t make for a very effective or efficient Moonlight mode. Indeed, based on my experience, the low smooth Ramping minimum on the main emitters would likely have a slightly lower drain – but for much greater output with a better beam pattern.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

D4K on L6:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~3950K, and a noticeably negative tint shift (-0.0048 Duv) to pinkish-red at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 95 (Hi CRI).

These results are very consistent with other neutral-warm Nichia 519A emitters I’ve tested.

Just out of curiosity, I thought I’d measure the AUX LEDs set to red.

AUX Red LEDs:

The simple Light Master lightmeter that I am using is not rated for monochromatic sources, but the reading above is very consistent with a dedicated red light – it is well off the blackbody radiation curve at the red end of the spectrum.

How about the cool white switch emitter?

Cool White side switch:

The cool white switch emitter is very bluish to my eyes, so the ~9350 CCT with slight negative tint shift is very consistent with my observation.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the D4K’s 4x Nichia 519A 4500K emitters perform similarly to the Acebeam E70 Mini’s 3x 519A 5000K emitters – but with a bit more output, and slightly warmer tint, as expected. Tint is pretty similar to my lower output Skillhunt M300’s 1x Nichia 144ART 4500K. In comparison, the the TS10’s 3xCSP 4000K emitters are considerably warmer in tint.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the base calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

D4K Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Cool White Switch LED + AUX Red LEDs (High)-0.060.06---NoNo--3.6 mA65 g----
Smooth Ramp Min-1.11.1---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L1-1.51.5---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L2-1717---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L3-7474---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L4-220220---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L5-490480---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L6-860850---NoNo--~50 uA65 g-3,960-0.004895
L7-2,0502,000---NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
L83,800 (FET)3,1502,6506,320 cd5,720 cd151 mNoNo--~50 uA65 g----
Candle------NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
Bike Strobe------1 HzNo--~50 uA65 g----
Party Strobe------23 HzNo--~50 uA65 g----
Tactical Strobe------10.4 HzNo--~50 uA65 g----
Lightning------NoNo--~50 uA65 g----
Beacon------0.48 HzNo--~50 uA65 g----
SOS------NoNo--~50 uA65 g----

The effect of the optional boost driver shows up in the higher Ramping minimum output, compared to other lights that use simple linear FET drivers (e.g., Sofirn IF25A, Wurkkos TS30S Pro). Still, I’m actually quite impressed at the dynamic range of the main emitters on the D4K here – I had expected a lower max output, and even higher min output. Scroll down to see how it compares in terms of runtime patterns.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

The D4K didn’t come with its own battery, but I had a brand new LiitoKala cell (5000 mAh) that I used for the main runtimes below.

Max

Hi

Med

These results provide the opportunity to compare the optional boost driver on the D4K with a standard linear driver, as I alluded to in my build overview. Specifically, let’s take the example of the somewhat comparable multi-emitter Sofirn IF25A, which has a basic FET driver. The emitters are different, so you can’t directly compare overall output/runtime efficiency, but I think output levels and regulation patterns above are very revealing.

On Max, the IF25A starts out at a slighty higher initial output (~3400 lumens in my lightbox), but very quickly drops down to a “regulated” level of only ~700-800 lumens. It also shows a very “noisy” runtime pattern before dropping out of regulation. In contrast, the D4K with boost driver starts off at a slightly lower level (~3100 lumens in my lightbox) and drops off to a much higher regulated level of ~1300-1400 lumens. The regulated portion of the runtime also seems more stable on the D4K.

At the lower Hi levels, you can see the IF25A remains quite noisy at its regulated ~700-800 lumen level. But the D4K with boost driver is now perfectly flat-regulated at ~850 lumens.

At at the even lower Med levels, the IF25A shows a very typical direct-drive-like pattern of slow drop-off in output as the battery voltage drops (until some defined step-downs at the very end of the run). In contrast, the D4K with boost driver remains flat regulated at ~480 lumens until it steps down at the end of the run.

Again, you can’t exactly directly compare these two lights – you would really need to get the D4K without the boost driver to quantify the exact difference. But these results are exactly what I would have expected given their general similarities outside of the circuit/emitters. That is, you get about the twice the stably-regulated output level here, with only some loss of dynamic range. This speaks to the value of using a good boost driver. I wish other makers would offer this for their Anduril-based lights.

As always, the relatively low thermal mass here means that the light will step-down fairly quickly on the highest output levels. But I am impressed by how high the step-down level is, and how well regulated.

To better show this initial step-down pattern, I’ve done some addition runtimes with another new cell, a Vapcell F56 5600mAh 21700 battery.

The Liitokala and Vapcell batteries are differentiated below by their rated capacity – 5000mAh vs 5600mAh. Note as well that both are a good length (the Vapcell F56 in particular), so there is a risk of denting the cells when using in a compact light with dual springs like this.

Not surprisingly, there is not much difference between the cells over the first minutes. Effectively, the early runtimes above look equivalent for their initial step-down patterns.

Max-extended

This longer resolution is where you can see a difference. The 5600mAh Vapcell runtimes last longer, at a med-high level near the end of the runs. Harder to interpret is the slightly higher regulated output on the L7 run, and lower regulated output on the L8 max run, on the Vapcell. This may be just variation from one run to the next – but it could also be that the higher capacity Vapcell doesn’t respond as well to the initial high-drain on the max run.

I haven’t tried adjusting the thermal management settings (these are configurable with Anduril), but you should be able to slightly extend the initial output before step-down (at the expense of greater heat, of course).

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Good physical build with a lot of possible customizations.No in-light charging feature.
With the optional boost driver, you get better regulated output and step-down levels than other Anduril lights running on simple linear FET drivers. Best implementation of Anduril I've seen yet.Due to small thermal mass, light will step-down quickly on Turbo - but maintains a higher brightness level here than other budget lights I've tested.
Even with the optional boost driver, there is a surprisingly wide dynamic range of output levels, but you do lose the <1 lumen moonlight levels.Only unprotected, flat top cells should be used in the light. Longer batteries are likely to get dented by the stiff springs in this small build.
Excellent beam profile and tint with my chosen dome-on Nichia 519A emitters.Body walls seem a bit thin, and threads come non-lubed.
RGB AUX LEDs are a nice feature, in addition to the switch options.Anduril interface can be intimidating.
Surprisingly affordable given it is basically a custom light (on a standardized form factor).

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The D4K with optional boost driver did not disappoint. This is exactly the performance I was hoping for with a better driver – a higher step-down level on max, and flatter regulation across the board. I was prepared for some loss of dynamic range, but it wasn’t as much as I feared – except for the loss of <1 lumen Moonlight modes on the main emitter. But you do have the switch LEDs and AUX LEDs which can serve as impromptu Moonlight modes. While not as efficient or effective as a true Moonlight on the main emitter, it is enough for me to not knock down the star rating. I strongly recommend you opt for the boost driver upgrade on this model.

The other customizable features are really a question of personal preference. Now that I know the switch backlight and front circuit board AUX RGB emitters can’t be independently controlled, I would probably opt for the RGB switch – in order the match the AUX RGB colours. But this is just a question of personal preference.

Although I think this light is worth 5 stars for the performance, I do miss seeing an integrated charging port (a minor issue given the target audience though). The physical build is also a little on the thin and lighter side for my tastes, but still seems robust enough.

Beam pattern was excellent with the standard optic and dome-on Nichia 519A emitters. I know a lot of people like dedomed emitters, but keep in mind that dedoming also tends to reduce the colour temperature significantly (i.e., these “4500K” temp emitters would wind up being a lot warmer after dedoming). Of course, that may be to your tastes, but I would suggest going with 5700K emitters if you plan to dedome.

As always, I find it a pleasure to work with the Anduril user interface. I know this UI is not to everyone’s tastes, but there is something to be said for the consistency of knowing what to expect when a light arrives. By definition, there are a lot of arbitrary choices that have to be made when building in an advanced interface (by that I mean that multiple clicks-and-holds will be required, and one selection is not necessarily better or worse than another). So this is where consistency can be a more highly prized feature – especially when you own a lot of lights.

Certainly a very positive experience for my first Hank light!

Acknowledgement

The D4K was purchased from intl-outdoor.com for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light in this configuration (without battery) retails for ~$67 USD (~$92 CDN) shipped.

Sofirn SP35T

The SP35T is a tactical-style, general-purpose flashlight running on a single included 21700 battery. It features both tactical and general user interface options.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

The SP35T is a popular mid-range model from Sofirn. Equipped with the XHP50.2 emitter, it is rated for relatively high output in the 1×21700 class – similar to many competing models that I’ve recently tested from other makers. What really caught my eye here though was the tactical tailcap switch. That’s not something you see very often any more, outside of the larger “tactical” lights from Wurkkos and Sofirn.

Given the very interconnected (and sometimes interchangeable) nature of parts across Wurkkos and Sofirn lights, I thought the SP35T might be an interesting one to test. Could this be a “Goldilocks” model that strikes just the right balance between output and performance?

Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerSofirn
ModelSP35T
EmitterXHP50.2
Tint
Max Output (Lumens)3,800
Min Output (Lumens)5
Max Runtime220 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)19,625 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)280 m
Constant Levels5
FlashingStrobe, SOS, Beacon
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)87 g
Length139.5 mm
Head Diameter28 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIPX8 2m

Package Details




Unlike the modern “cellphone box” style packaging of the newer models from Sofirn and Wurkkos, my SP35T came in the same basic retail packaging as my old IF25A. Oh well, it’s what inside the box that counts I guess. There I found:

  • Sofirn SP35T flashlight
  • Sofirn-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Pocket clip
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a decent package for a “budget” build, but I would like to see a holster included. FYI, Wurkkos sells an inexpensive holster (small size for ~$2 USD) that fits this light well.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Vapcell 21700 F56 (5600mAh), Emisar D4K, Imalent MS03, Convoy S21E, Skilhunt M300, Wurkkos WK15, Wurkkos TS22, Sofirn SP35T, Cyansky P25, Nitecore P20iX, Acebeam E70.










At just under 140mm, the SP35T is one of the tallest general-purpose 1×21700 lights I’ve handled. This is the side effect of the tactical forward clicky switch (and dual spring design). This makes the light very suitable for tactical purposes, but it does mean you have to accept greater length. As someone with above-average sized hands with long fingers, I find the light comfortable to hold and use in either overhand or underhand grip – but some may find it a bit long.

The SP35T definitely shares a lot close design similarities to recent compact Wurkkos lights I’ve handled. This is not surprising, since these lights come off the same manufacturing production lines (i.e., Sofirn is the OEM manufacturer for Wurkkos).

The tailcap physical forward clicky switch does indeed look and feel identical to the Sofirn C8L that I recently reviewed. It has a pleasantly firm action, with a solid click and predictable firm traverse. It could just be sample variability, but I found the switch on my recent Wurkkos TD01 to be comparatively “soft and squishy” – I like the firmness of this SP35T sample. There are two raised tailcap guards that can serve as the lanyard attachment point. And just like my C8L, it is able to tailstand stably (my TD01 would not).

Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can easily lock-out this light by a simple twist of the tailcap.

As an aside, the whole tailcap assembly here won’t fit on the TD01 – but it does fit and work on my Wurkkos TS22 perfectly.

There is a raised side-mounted electronic switch on the side of the head, with red and green LEDs underneath to show charge status. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is very similar to a lot of Wurkkos and Sofirn lights – it’s ok, but could be a bit tighter/firmer (i.e., hard switch covers always have some degree of play).

The side switch shines a bright red when charging the battery through the light’s USB-C charging port (green when fully charged). The port is located on the opposite side from the switch, under a rubber cover. The cover fits pretty well on the SP35T (just like the C8L) – not too too tight, not too loose. I expected waterproofness is reasonable.

There is a reasonable amount of knurling on the light – not super aggressive, but more than most, and certainly enough to help with grip. With the various other design elements and cut-outs, I would say grip is excellent. Thanks to included clip, the light will not roll on its side. Anodizing looks to be good quality for type II, with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as matte.

Inside, the light comes with a Sofirn-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with a slightly raised flat-top. There is a good size spring in the head, ensuring good contact.

This is a solid and well-designed light, with good grip and handfeel. It is a bit longer than most in this class, which is something to keep in mind.



The SP35T comes with a XHP50.2 HD emitter, in cool white tint apparently (I didn’t see any options to select a specific tint). The reflector is fairly shallow and heavily textured (heavy orange peel, HOP). There doesn’t seem to be any kind of anti-reflective coating on the lens.

As expected, there is some tint/colour shifting across the periphery of the beam, with a cool white hotspot surrounded by a yellowish spill except for a purplish shift near the edge of the periphery. This is a well-known issue with HD emitters of the XHP family, especially apparent on the XHP50.2. The heavily textured reflector seems to be help even it out it somewhat – it’s not as pronounced as most that I’ve seen.

The bezel is crenelated black aluminum. Scalloping is not too aggressive, so you can headstand stably.

User Interface

The SP35T has a straightforward user interface, and one that is identical to the Sofirn C8L and Wurkkos TD01. Like many “tactical” lights, you have two sets of possible modes; Mode Group 1 for General use, and Mode Group 2 for Tactical use.

To switch between groups, press-and-hold the side switch for >3 secs when On.

Mode Group 1 (default) available levels: Eco, Low, Medium, High, Turbo, Strobe, SOS, and Beacon.

Mode Group 1, from OFF:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Momentary On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, double-press: Turns On in last memorized mode and then jumps to Turbo (click to stay locked-on in Turbo). You have be very rapid on the double-press to jump to Turbo.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold: Nothing – but if you click the tail switch while holding down the side switch, the light will activate in Eco mode.
  • Side switch, single-click: Nothing.

Mode Group 1, from ON:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Nothing.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns Off.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold (3 secs): Switch to Mode Group 2 (see below)
  • Side switch, single-click: Steps up to the next non-Turbo constant output mode (in sequence, Eco > Lo > Med > High).
  • Side switch, double-click: Turbo.
  • Side switch, triple-click: Strobe.
    • Side switch, double-click when in Strobe: Cycle through in sequence Strobe > SOS > Beacon (with no mode memory).

Mode 1, Mode memory:

Yes, for non-Turbo constant output modes.

Mode 1 Shortcuts:

  • Eco mode: Press and hold the side switch while turning on at the tail switch.
  • Turbo mode: Double-click the side switch from On, or double-press the tail switch from Off.

Mode 2 available levels: Medium, Turbo, and Strobe.

Mode 2 functions basically as a stripped-down “tactical” version of Mode 1. The main differences are:

  • Single-click of the side switch from On only selects between Medium and Turbo now.
  • Double-click of the the tail or side switch goes to Strobe instead of Turbo.
  • There is no level memory now.

Otherwise, the two modes function the same way.

Battery indicator:

When first activating the light, the indicator on the side switch shows the battery voltage  (lasts for ~5 secs):

  • Solid green: ~70-100%
  • Flashing green: ~40-70%
  • Solid red: ~10-40%
  • Flashing red: 0-10%

Mode memory:

Yes, in the Mode Group 1 for non-Turbo constant output modes. There is no memory in the Mode Group 2.

Shortcuts:

  • Mode Group 1: Yes, for Eco, Turbo and Strobe (see above).
  • Mode Group 2: Yes, for Eco and Strobe (see above).

Low voltage warning:

Yes, the main light will step down as the battery is running low. It will then turn Off at ~2.95V

Lock-out mode:

Yes, but physically – you lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap.

Reviewer Comments:

As with the C8L and TD01, I think this is a reasonable dual-mode UI for a tactical light, with a general mode set and a tactical mode set.

The multiple-press functionality of the tactical tailcap switch is a cute feature, if you feel you need a direct shortcut to Turbo from Off. With the firm clicky switch, I found I was able to do this reliably well. But for non-tactical types, I find doing a double-click of the side switch from On even easier.

I prefer General Mode Group, for its general usefulness and versatility. But I suppose “tactical” people will like the lack of mode memory in Tactical Mode Group 2.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Eco:
Eco

Low:
Lo

Med:
Med

High:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is low frequency circuit noise on all levels, including Turbo, on the SP35T. It is definitely not PWM (note the simple sine wave below), but is at an an unusually low frequency of 167 Hz according to my soundcard oscilloscope. Shown below on a shorter timescale for the Hi mode.

Turbo

This is certainly different from the C8L, which was completely noise free. Even the TD01, which had circuit noise on all levels except Turbo, was at a more typical high frequency of ~5kHz.

Again, this is not a problem per se, as it was completely undetectable in practice (i.e., I couldn’t even see it when shinning on a fan or running water). But I do find it very unusual, and am not sure what to make of it. Typically, I find this doesn’t bode well for regulation or output/runtime efficiency.

Strobes:

Strobe:


Strobe alternates between 7 Hz and 11 Hz every ~1.5 secs or so. Very distracting.

SOS:

A standard SOS mode, relatively slow.

Beacon:

A single flash beacon once every 2 secs (0.5 Hz).

Charging:

The switch button shows solid red when the light is charging. Changes to solid green when the charging is complete.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The SP35T does not have a two-stage charging feature, as seen on many modern lights (i.e., where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged). Mind you, neither does the C8L. The initial charging rate here is ~1.75A, which slowly rose to ~1.85A after a few minutes. I presume it continued to climb from there. This is a pretty high charging rate for the class, and will charge a 21700 cell quickly.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

None. That is one of the nice things about a physical clicky switch, no standby current. 🙂 And you can always lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap, to prevent accidental activation.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

SP35T on Hi:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5725K, and a negligible positive tint shift (+0.0103 Duv) to a very slight greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 58.

These values are consistent with the performance of a cool white XHP50.2 emitter, and match my visual experience of this light. Note that there is a tint shift to more yellowish spill, with purplish spillbeam edge, as is common on XHP50.2 HD emitters.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the SP35T has a narrower spill than most lights in this class, and somewhat lower output (although to be fair, three of the lights above are XHP70.2 lights). It is a very clean beam though, with little evidence of chromatic/tint aberrations.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

SP35T Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Eco52.12.1---No164 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Low1008080---No165 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Med500385380---No166 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
High1,5001,0501,030---No167 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g5,7250.010358
Turbo3,8002,9502,85011,200 cd10,400 cd204 mNo168 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Strobe3,800-----7.0-14.8 Hz168 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
SOS500-----No168 Hz1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---
Beacon3,800-----2.25 Hz-1.75 A1.85 ANo84 g153 g---

The SP35T clearly has very inflated specs across all its output levels, as measured in my lightbox. It is probably even worse than the numbers above suggest, as I know my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high for modern high-output lights. This finding is not entirely surprising, since the max output ratings in particular were not realistic for the XHP50.2 emitter.

My NIST-calibrated luxmeter is accurately calibrated to an absolute standard, and similarly reports much lower beam intensity on Turbo (~25-30% less than spec, which is comparable to what my lightbox reports for overall output measures).

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Med

Hi

Max

According to reports online, the SP35T is supposed to have a buck driver – but I don’t see any evidence of that. Looking at the Med and Hi mode runtimes, it looks like a basic FET driver – and one that performs remarkably similar to the XHP50.2-equipped Wurkkos WK15 that I currently have on hand for testing. I presume these two lights are in fact using the same basic driver. This is a bit disappointing compared to the excellent flat voltage-regulated Wurkkos TS22.

There is one thing that is very different on the SP35T though – the wide oscillations in output on Turbo mode. Presuming this was due to the thermal sensor reacting to my cooling fan, I did a separate test without cooling, as shown in the lighter green above. It is clear that the cooling fan is having a big difference, as the light runs fairly consistently at the much lower level once step-down occurs without cooling. But it is interesting that the oscillations do eventually re-appear later in the run.

To show this more clearly, here are the two Turbo runtimes – with and without cooling – on a longer timeframe:

Max-extended

This is pretty unique in my experience. The step-down from Turbo level is to quite a bit lower level than usual (down to ~450 lumens in my lightbox, just slightly above Med level). Eventually, as the light cools, it starts to step up in output, with widening swings.

By the way, I know the swings under a cooling fan seem a lot more extreme above, but they are not so noticeable in real life. Below is an expanded runtime, to show you that a typical ramp up and back down under cooling actual takes about 7 mins. Here is how it looks in practice:

In the rising stage, you won’t notice the gradual shift over time, it is that slow. But on the ramp down, you are likely to notice the light is dimming fairly quickly.

All that to say, I think this light would benefit from a less sensitive thermal sensor – and a lower step-down level to start with (i.e., ~450 lumens is very low for a modern light).

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
The light has a solid build, with a tactical forward clicky switch in the tail and a side electronic switch.Circuit is not voltage-regulated, producing a slowly decreasing output instead of flat runtimes.
The light has a serviceable dual mode set user interface, identical to the Sofirn C8L and Wurkkos TD01.The circuit is also noticeably less efficient then other current-controlled lights with flat regulation.
Price is reasonably low.The turbo mode steps down to a much lower level than most lights, and oscillates considerably in output (likely due to a poorly calibrated thermal sensor).
XHP50.2 HD emitters produce well known tint shifts across the beam, with a yellowish spill and purplish spillbeam edge.
Output specifications are clearly very inflated.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The SP35T is certainly a solid light, with a very decent physical build and good user interface. The presence of a forward clicky tactical switch here is great, if you are a fan of that design. The user interface is certainly very serviceable, being identical to the C8L.

But as the pros and cons list above demonstrates, the circuit performance is disappointing here. Sure, it produces a reasonable amount of light for a reasonable amount of time – but its performance just doesn’t compare to the well-regulated and efficient C8L or Wurkkos TS22. But the SP35T doesn’t even compare well to other simple FET driver-based lights – due to the unusually low step-down level on Turbo, and the repeated oscillations back up to higher output as it cools.

Moreover, the rated output specs are way off on this light (as in, at least 25-30% below spec, if not more). Its rare nowadays to see such a large mismatch between published specs and actual performance. Since many make their purchasing decisions based on published specs, this is very disappointing.

The XHP50.2 HD emitter is known for a lot of tint/chromatic variation across its beam, and this example is no different. That said, I do find it a bit better than typical, likely due to the heavily textured reflector here. But to put it simply, I think this light would benefit from both an emitter and circuit upgrade.

At the end of the day, I like the physical build (and forward clicky tail switch). The user interface is also quite serviceable. But the circuit performance is sub-standard compared to Sofirn’s other offerings, and to other lights in this class – both in terms of overall output and output/runtime efficiency. And the odd behaviour on Turbo after step-down needs to be corrected. But it still is a reasonable amount of light for a reasonable amount of time, in absolute terms.

Acknowledgement

The SP35T was supplied by Sofirn for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$30 USD (~$40 CDN) on sale on the Sofirn website here.

Wurkkos TS30S Pro

The TS30S Pro is a high-output thrower light, running on an included single 21700 battery. It also features the sophisticated Anduril user interface.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

The TS30S Pro is a larger light coming out of Wurkkos – a high-output thrower running on 1×21700. Significantly, it features the Luminus SBT90.2, which is a large but low profile emitter. This means you can generate super high output (i.e., >5000 lumens) while still maintaining great throw when coupled with a large, focused reflector. It also runs at 3V, meaning it can work with a basic FET driver – which is consistent with a lot of the budget lights coming from Wurkkos.

This setup means that Wurkkos was also able to easily implement Anduril, the powerful open-source user interface, giving you a lot of options to play with. Keep in mind though that super-high output is going to require a lot of current (and generate a lot of heat), so you should expect fairly rapid thermal step-down (especially with the default conservative temperature settings in Anduril, although these are user-adjustable).

I’ve had a number of requests to review this light, so let’s see how it does in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerWurkkos
ModelTS30S Pro
EmitterSBT90.2
Tint5700 K
Max Output (Lumens)6,000
Min Output (Lumens)1
Max Runtime40 days
Max Beam Intensity (cd)295,000 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)1086 m
Constant Levels8
Flashing-
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)265 g
Length157.2 mm
Head Diameter61 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIP68 <2m

Package Details






Another example of the nice new packaging for the higher-end lights from Wurkkos (and Sofirn, which share a common manufacturing plant). The hard-sided box comes with a lot of printed specs on the sleeve, and a clear separation of items and components inside thanks to the cut-out foam. Inside the box, I found:

  • Wurkkos TS30S Pro flashlight
  • Wurkkos-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a decent package for a “budget” build, but I would like to see a holster included. FYI, none of inexpensive holsters that Wurkkos sells fit this light – it’s too large for any of their current offerings.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Acebeam 21700 USB-C (5100mAh), Lumintop D3, Convoy M21F, Sofirn C8L, Wurkkos TS30S Pro, Wurkkos TD01, Acebeam L19 V2.0, Acebeam P17.









The Wurkkos TS30S Pro is a substantial light for this class, with an exceptionally large head (thanks to a large deep reflector). It does make the light somewhat top-heavy, but not unreasonably so. It is definitely a higher-end “budget” light – keep in mind that over half the cost of the light comes from the emitter alone.

The light is controlled by an electronic side switch in the head, with a rubberized cover. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is actually a bit better than most Wurkkos and Sofirn lights, which typically have a hard cover that has a bit too much play. There are multi-colour RGB LEDs under the switch. Although set to off by default, you can configure them to light up different colours when a battery is connected (which can make for a great coloured “moonlight” mode). See the user interface section below for more information. There is also a separate set of orange LEDs under the switch to show the charge status (scroll down to the Charging Section for more info).

There are two slightly raised tailcap guards that can serve as the lanyard attachment point. The light is able to tailstand fairly stably (although it is top-heavy).

Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. I always recommend you keep a light stored locked out when not in use. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can do this easily on the TS30S Pro by a simple twist of the tailcap.

The side switch flashes orange when charging the battery through the light’s USB-C charging port (solid orange when fully charged). The port is located on the opposite side from the switch, under a rubber cover. The cover fits pretty well – not too too tight, not too loose – just like my recent TD01. I expected waterproofness is reasonable.

There is no actual knurling on the light, but large raised concentric rings around the body tube help with grip (pattern is similar to the TD01, but with greater thickness to the horizontal cutouts). When combined with the head and tailcap ridge detail, I would say overall grip is pretty good. Note that the light can roll fairly easily, although there are some mild cut-outs on the head to help reduce this. Anodizing looks to be good quality for type II, with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as satin.

Inside, the light comes with a Wurkkos-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with a slightly raised flat-top. There is a a slightly raised contact point in the head, so flat-top cells should work just fine.





The TS30S Pro has a large and deep reflector, to help ensure excellent throw with the low-profile SBT90.2 emitter.

The bezel is stainless steel (dull finish) with mild crenelations – not too aggressive, so you can headstand stably. There is a mild purplish anti-reflective (AR) coating on the lens.

Here are a couple of white wall beamshots, to give you an idea of how focused it is:


It’s hard to see above, but there are quite a few “daisy flower-like” artifacts in the corona around the hospot. If you look closely you’ll notice the corona is a bit irregular (i.e., stretches out more to the left and top). This is clearly visible on a white wall, but they are not at all noticeable in real life (scroll down for outdoor beamshots).

As mentioned above, in addition to the amber charging indicator LED under the switch, there are also RGB LEDs. This is fully programmable with the Anduril user interface (described below), allowing you to control the presence, intensity and colour of the optional standby indicator under the switch. This is more than just a cute novelty feature – effectively, it gives you a coloured Moonlight mode if you turn it on (i.e., you can “activate” this Moonlight mode by using the tailcap as a twisty, making or breaking battery contact).

Here is a video of the “Rainbow” indicator switch mode, where it continuously cycles through all the possible switch colours slowly. You can similarly select any of the colours shown as your constant switch indicator (scroll down for a description of the UI controls).

User Interface

The TS30S Pro uses the open-source Anduril 2 user interface (UI). Anduril has two distinct UIs mode sets: Simple and Advanced. The labels are a bit misleading, as both are fairly sophisticated – it is just that the Advanced UI has a lot of extra options not available on the scaled-down Simple UI. Advanced UI also has an option for a discrete Stepped level mode, in addition to the continuously-variable smooth Ramping mode (which is the only mode present on the Simple UI).

To switch from the default Simple UI to Advanced UI, you need to do 10 clicks from Off with a hold on the 10th click (10H), with 10 clicks (10C) to return to Simple UI. Advanced UI has a lot more options available. It’s easier to show the UIs rather than explain them in words, so here is a helpful pic:

ui-diagram

You can also download a plain text-based manual from Anduril creator Toykeeper, or a more interactive one with version control here.

This implementation of Anduril 2 has eight discrete Stepped levels, which I’ve numbered in this review according to Wurkkos preference (H1 through H8, with H1 being the lowest level, and H8 being Turbo).

According to the firmware Version Check, my TS30S sample has model 0715. Full info is 2022-07-25-07-15 (version code is Year-Month-Day the firmware was compiled, followed by a 2-digit brand ID and 2-digit product ID). According to Selene (Toymaker), the TS30S Pro comes with either model 0715 (which was built for the TS25) or model 0716 (built for the FC13). Both of which work fine, but the model 0716 has improved RGB switch functionality, such as indicating battery voltage during use as well as when off.

Again, check the image and link above for more info, but here is a simplified description of the UI to get you started.

From OFF:

  • Press-and-hold (1H): Turns On in lowest output, in either Ramping mode or Stepped mode depending on which mode is enabled (and which UI you are in)
  • Single-click (1C): Turns on in last memorized mode used (Ramping or Stepped)
  • Double-click (2C): Turns on to Turbo (aka the Ramping max output)
  • Triple-click (3C): Battery check (voltage read out a single time) and basic flashing/strobe modes.
  • Triple-click-and-hold (3H): Special strobe modes, but only when in Advanced UI (remembers last strobe mode used)
  • 4 clicks (4C): Lockout mode. In lockout mode you have different options available:
    • Press-and-hold (1H): Momentary Moonlight
    • Double-click-and-hold (2H): Momentary Low
    • 4 clicks (4C): Turns On in memorized output level
    • 4 clicks and hold (4H): Turns On in the lowest level
    • 5 clicks (5C): Turns On in Turbo
    • 10 clicks and hold (10H): Configure the lock timeout threshold (in Advanced UI only), allowing you to pre-set the timeout time of the lock.
  • 7 clicks (7C): (Advanced UI only) Enters AUX/Button LED config for the next mode. There are four modes you can switch between; constant low, blinking low, off, constant hi. Click 7 times again to advance to the next option, in sequence. The light auto-memorizes the last option you select.
  • 7 clicks-and-hold (7H): (Advanced UI only) Enters AUX/Button LED config for the next colour. The colours follow the sequence: Red, Yellow (Red+Green), Green, Cyan (Green+Blue), Blue, Purple (Blue+Red), White (Red+Green+Blue), Disco (fast random colors), Rainbow (cycles through all colors in order more slowly). See the video in the section above for what Rainbow looks like.

From ON:

  • Press-and-hold (1H): Ramps up (or Steps up, depending on the mode). Ramps/steps down if you do it again.
  • Single-click (1C): Turns Off
  • Double-click (2C): Jumps to Turbo
  • Double-click-and-hold (2H): Ramps down (or Steps down)
  • Triple-click (3C): Switch between Ramping and Stepped modes
  • 4 clicks (4C): Lockout mode (see above for options)

Mode memory:

Yes, the circuit memorizes the last constant On output level in either Ramping or Stepped modes.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, quite a few actually. The strobe/blinking modes are accessible from Off with a triple-click (3C) or triple-click-and-hold (3H), but in Advanced UI only. You can switch between strobe/blinking modes with 2 clicks (2C), in the following sequence (see testing results below to see what these look like):

Triple-click (3C):

  • Battery check
  • Temperature check
  • Beacon mode
  • SOS mode

Triple-click-and hold (3H):

  • Candle mode
  • Bike flasher mode
  • Party strobe mode
  • Tactical strobe mode
  • Lightning mode

Low voltage warning:

Sort of. In operation, the light drops in brightness in steps, and runs for an extended time at a very low level. Apparently it shuts off when the cell is ~2.8V (although I haven’t run it that long to confirm).

Lock-out mode:

Yes. In either Simple UI or Advanced UI, lockout is accessed by 4 clicks (4C) from On or Off (repeat to unlock). The lockout mode is unusual with Anduril, as it actually enables momentary operation in the minimum modes. There are other lockout modes available, as explained above. As always though, I recommend you physically lock out at the light at the tailcap, if you want to guarantee no accidental activation.

Temperature check and thermal calibration mode:

This is a little complicated (and beyond the needs of most users), so I will just refer you to the diagram from the manual above. With default settings, I find this light steps down fairly quickly due to heat (unsurprising, given default Anduril settings are conservative). I have not tried to reconfigure my sample. Note that if you get into any trouble (or wish to reset any custom configurations), you can easily reset the light to the factory defaults by 13 clicks-and-hold (13H).

Powerbank Feature:

The TS30S Pro can serve as a power bank, allowing you to charge other devices (like a cell phone) directly from the light. Simply plug a device into the USB-C port. As you can see above, it can easily charge my phone at ~1.6A, which is a fast charging rate.

Reviewer Comments:

Anduril is a sophisticated setup – a choice of Simple or Advanced UI, Stepped and Ramping modes, etc. Of course, you will never please everyone, and many may prefer a simpler interface (e.g., the Wurkkos TS22 or TD01). Like many flashaholics, I enjoy many of the extra customization items Anduril provides (especially with the switch RGB LED). Some of the features are really novelties though (e.g., candle mode and lightning storm are particularly well done, but when would you practically ever use them other than as a party trick?).

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

There is no sign of PWM on any level, the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled.

That being said, my oscilloscope was able to detect high frequency noise at all levels except max and min outputs, as depicted below.

H1:
L1

H2:
L2

H3:
L3L3

H4:
L4

H5:
L5

H6:
L6

H7:
L7

H8:
L8

Like on other lights running off simple FET drivers (e.g., Sofirn IF25A) there is high-frequency noise of ~5 kHz on non-Turbo levels. This is sufficiently high as to be completely undetectable visually, and is not a concern – the light remains flicker free in actual use.

Strobe Modes:

Note that for most of the strobe / flashing modes below, the actual frequency and intensity are both configurable. What I am showing below is the default speed and/or brightness setting. By pressing and holding the switch (1H or 2H) you can select the frequency – and in some cases, brightness is set from the last-used ramp level.

Beacon:
Beacon

Beacon strobe is a single flash every ~2.25 secs (so, 0.45 Hz) by default.

SOS:
SOS

A fairly typical SOS mode.

Candle:
Candle

Candle strobe is a continuous flicker, of varying intensity (again, accurately simulating a candle).

Bike Strobe:
Bike

Bike strobe is a bit unusual. It is constant On at a lower level, with four brief flashes to max (over ~0.25 secs) every ~1.1 secs or so by default. It certainly is an attention grabber.

Party Strobe:
Party

Party strobe is a super-fast (and annoying) frequency of ~20 Hz by default.

Tactical Strobe:
Tactical
Tactical
Tactical strobe is basically ~9 Hz. Interestingly, it doesn’t stay completely stable on my TS30S Pro, but fluctuates from ~8.5 Hz to ~9 Hz over time. Either way, it is configurable.

Lightning Strobe:
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning

I’ve shown four consecutive 10-sec cycles above, so you can a feel for the frequency and intensity of light flashes. Lightning strobe is a fairly realistic lightning simulation, with variable intensity and time between flashes.

Charging:

The switch button flashes orange the light is charging. Changes to solid orange when the charging is complete. Note the orange LEDs are separate from the user-selectable “AUX” RGB emitters under the switch.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The TS30S Pro has a two-stage charging feature, as seen on many modern lights where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged. The initial charging rate is 0.17A, which jumps to 2.0A once the cell exceeds 3.0 resting volts. These rates are good for a 21700 cell.

Note that you need to have a good charging adapter and cables to reliably supply the 2A current. I found that if anything else was connected to same USB-AC power adapter concurrently, the TS30S Pro’s switch LED would eventually start to flash rapidly (as some sort of error signal, it seems) – with the current repeatedly dropping to zero. The same would happen sometimes when using multi-pronged charging cables (i.e., those USB cables with multiple heads). Removing any the other devices and using a single dedicated cable resolved the problem.

Charging terminated at ~4.20V on my sample.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

With the switch LED set to off, I measured the standby drain for the electronic switch as fluctuating evenly between 102uA and 148uA (so, ~125uA on average). For a 5000mAh cell, that would translate into over 4.5 years before the cell would be fully drained – which is quite low. Regardless, I recommend you store the light locked out at the tailcap when not in use (which disables the standby drain).

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

TS30S Pro on L6:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5060K, and a noticeably positive tint shift (+0.0149 Duv) to greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 64.

This is my first SBT90.2 emitter, but these values are not inconsistent with other rated 5700K XHP-class emitters I’ve tested.

Beamshots

All long-distance outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 1 sec exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The tree at the centre of the hotspot is approximately 90 meters (~100 yards) from the camera. Note the road dips down and turns away in the distance, out of the camera’s sight line. Learn more about my outdoor beamshot locations here.

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare the overall beams by switching between tabs.



To help illustrate the hotspots better, I’ve also cropped the raw pictures around the centre of the frame. As before, click on any thumbnail below to open a full size image in a new window.



As you can see above, the TS30S Pro puts out a ton of light, while still having excellent throw (i.e., hotspot intensity is roughly on par with the TD01).

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the base calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

TS30S Pro Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Smooth Ramp Min-0.0050.005----5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H110.220.22----5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H253.33.3----5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H3151818----5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H4455252----5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H5110150150----5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H6480470460----4,992 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g5,0600.014962
H71,7001,6001,550----4,979 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
H86,0005,5505,200253,000 cd233,000 cd965 m-No0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
Candle--------0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
Bike Strobe------0.9 Hz-0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
Party Strobe------20 Hz-0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
Tactical Strobe------9 Hz-0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
Lightning--------0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
Beacon------2.63 Hz-0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---
SOS-------5,010 Hz0.17 A2.0 A125 uA260 g328 g---

Like the TD01 that I recently reviewed, this light seems to have somewhat inflated specs on its highest levels. It is probably even worse than the numbers above suggest, as I know my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high for modern high-output lights.

My NIST-calibrated luxmeter similarly shows ~10% lower throw than the specs. But this is still an incredibly bright and far-throwing flashlight.

As an aside, I’ve very impressed with how low the light can go in the Smooth Ramping output level set. This is one of the lowest levels I’ve seen yet for a modern light. Note that this likely reflects the presence of a simple linear FET driver, as a boost driver would have reduced dynamic range (and a higher minimum). Scroll down to output/runtimes for confirmation.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Max

Hi

Med

For all its larger build and higher-end emitter, it is clear Wurkos is still using a basic FET driver on this light (i.e., something similar to the Anduril-equipped Sofirn IF25A and Lumintop D3 lights). This means you also won’t see any flat voltage-regulated output patterns on the TS30S Pro. It also means the step-down level from max is relatively low (i.e., drops to ~600 lumens and slowly recovers up to ~1300 lumens over the next hour).

At least the output/runtime efficiency of the SBT90.2 is a little higher than the D3’s SFN55.2 and IF25A’s 4xSST20 emitters. That said, overall output/runtime efficiency is definitelty lower than the fully flat-regulated TS22 and Convoy M21F, in comparison.

Although the higher thermal mass here means it won’t step-down quite as quickly on the highest output level (H8), you can also see that the TS30S Pro step-down is pretty steep once it begins. To better show this initial step-down pattern, below is an expanded view of first few minutes of those runtimes.

Max-extended

I’ve thrown in an additional run above for the max of the Ramping mode, showing that this is identical the max of the Stepped modes.

And here is comparison of the all the levels I’ve tested, and a clearer time-scale resolution:Max-extended

I haven’t tried adjusting the thermal management settings (these are configurable with Anduril), but you should be able to extend the runtime before step-down slightly (at the expense of greater heat, of course).

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Super high output and throw, thanks to the SBT90 emitter and large reflectorr.Light doesn't meet the stated max specifications.
Good implementation of the sophisticated Anduril 2.0 user interface.Lacks flat voltage-regulation, and shows instead a somewhat "noisy" gradual direct-drive-like runtime appearance.
Solid build quality, with good fit and finish. Switch performance is particularly good for the budget class.Light steps down rapidly on highest level to a relatively low output.
Rapid USB-C charging and powerbank function.Some beam artifacts, especially in the corona.
Very affordable option for a high-output thrower light.Anduril interface can be intimidating.
Lacks a holster or other carry option.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

I’m actually reasonably impressed with this model – it delivers an extraordinary amount of output and throw, with a good implementation of the Anduril user interface. Physically, the light feels very solid with good ergonomics (if understandably a bit top-heavy). And I like the feel of the rubberized switch cover, which I find superior to the typical Wurkkos hard button cover. I also like the RGB LED under the switch (in addition to the amber charging LED), as this gives you plenty of configuration options – and an impromptu “coloured Moonlight” mode option to boot. I don’t factor price into my rating system, but it is amazing to me that your can get a SBT90 emitter with all the features of this light for only ~$75 USD (i.e., the emitter alone is more than half that total cost).

That said, there are some missed opportunities here to make this a truly outstanding light. The most significant is the circuit – this light has the same basic FET driver that you see on many inexpensive Anduril lights, with a somewhat noisy and non-voltage-regulated runtime pattern. Overall output/runtime efficiency is somewhat better with the SBT90 than with lower-output emitters I’ve tested with this circuit, but it doesn’t compare to the fully regulated circuits that I’ve seen on the TS22 (and many other lights). This simple circuit is fundamentally why this light tops out at 4 stars in my view.

Physically, this light is pretty impressive for the price, but it would benefit from some refinements. One example is the reflector – while it throws remarkably well, there are a number of “daisy flower” like artifacts in the corona surrounding the hotspot (but that’s only noticeable on a white wall). Another area is thermal management. Like with many Anduril lights, the light steps down quickly from its highest modes due to heat. With a better heatsink in such a substantial build, you should have been able to extend that higher output runtime.

But thanks to the sophistication of Anduril, there is a lot you can do to customize the experience of this light. The rapid USB-C fast charging and powerbank functionality are also nice to see. I think its fair to give this light 4 stars given all that you do get here.

Acknowledgement

The TS30S Pro was supplied by Wurkkos for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$75 USD (~$100 CDN) with typical discounts on their website here.

Wurkkos TD01

The TD01 is a budget tactical flashlight featuring a TIR lens for maximum throw with minimal spill. Powered by a single included 21700 battery, with both tactical and general user interface options.

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

The TD01 is a new tactical/hunting-style flashlight from Wurrkos. Featuring the low-profile Luminus SFT40 coupled with a large focused TIR, this 1×21700 flashlight is clearly designed to be a dedicated thrower. I was certainly impressed with the compact TS22 from Wurkkos, so am happy review this larger thower model.

Physically, the light is still fairly compact for having such a large head. There is also a tailcap forward clicky switch, coupled with an electronic side switch in the head. This design is very reminiscent of the reflectored Sofirn C8L – a comparison which, as we will see, runs more than skin deep.

Let’s see how it compares in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual runtimes.

FeatureSpecs
MakerWurkkos
ModelTD01
EmitterSFT40
Tint6000 - 6500 K
Max Output (Lumens)2,200
Min Output (Lumens)30
Max Runtime70 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)270,000 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)1039 m
Constant Levels5
FlashingStrobe, SOS, Beacon
Battery1x21700
Weight (w/o battery)
Weight (with battery)200 g
Length152 mm
Head Diameter59 mm
Body Diameter-
WaterproofIPX-8

Package Details





I really like the packaging of the higher-end lights from Wurkkos (and Sofirn, which share a common manufacturing plant). The hard-sided box comes with a lot of printed specs on the sleeve, and a clear separation of items and components inside thanks to the cut-out foam. Inside the box, I found:

  • Wurkkos TD01 flashlight
  • Wurkkos-branded 5000mAh 21700 battery
  • Wrist lanyard
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 2 Spare O-rings
  • Manual

It’s a decent package for a “budget” build, but I would really like to see a holster included. These form factor lights tend not to fit well into after-market holsters.

Build


From left to right: LiitoKala 21700 (5000mAh), Acebeam 21700 USB-C (5100mAh), Lumintop D3, Convoy M21F, Sofirn C8L, Wurkkos TS30S Pro, Wurkkos TD01, Acebeam L19 V2.0, Acebeam P17.










The Wurkkos TD01 immediately reminds me a lot of the Sofirn C8L in its overall build and feel. This is not surprising, since these lights come off the same manufacturing production line. I will get into the specifics below, but it is a solid build overall, with good handfeel. I would rate it as above average quality for a budget light, but lacking some of the nicer touches of a true top-of-the-line light. And while substantial in overall dimensions and weight, it is still pocket-able to some degree (i.e., with the head protruding out).

Like the C8L, there is a physical forward clicky switch in the tailcap, used for the turning the light on/off. However, switch feel is not as good on this particular sample – I find it too “soft and squishy” (i.e., you need to press more than expected to activate in momentary mode, and it’s too easy to then accidentally click). This makes momentary or a double-press (required to jump to Turbo from Off) tricky to do consistently. See the user interface section below for more information.

There are two raised tailcap guards that can serve as the lanyard attachment point. However, unlike the C8L (which had exact same arrangement), my TD01 is not able to tailstand at all – the tactical switch protrudes too far, beyond the switch guard rails. This is a missed opportunity on this model (or at least, this sample).

Tailcap threads are square-cut and anodized, with good feel. I always recommend you keep a light stored locked out when not in use. Thanks to the anodized tailcap threads, you can do this easily on the TD01 by a simple twist of the tailcap.

There is a raised side-mounted electronic switch on the side of the head, with red and green LEDs underneath to show charge status. Feel and traverse of the electronic switch is very similar to a lot of Wurkkos and Sofirn lights – it’s ok, but could be a bit tighter/firmer (i.e., hard switch covers always have some degree of play).

The side switch shines a bright red when charging the battery through the light’s USB-C charging port (green when fully charged). The port is located on the opposite side from the switch, under a rubber cover. The cover fits pretty well on the TD01 (just like the C8L) – not too too tight, not too loose. I expected waterproofness is reasonable.

There is no actual knurling on the light, but large raised concentric rings around the body tube help with grip (pattern is virtually identical to the Wurkkos TS22). When combined with the head and tailcap ridge detail, I would say overall grip is pretty good. Note that the light can roll away completely unfettered when on its side – the head has a completely smooth round edge, and lacks any cut-outs of any kind (even the C8L had some gentle ones, to help reduce roll a little). I recommend you stand it upright on its head when not in use. Anodizing looks to be good quality for type II, with no damage on my sample. I would describe the finish as satin.

Inside, the light comes with a Wurkkos-branded standard-sized 5000mAh 21700 battery, with a slightly raised flat-top. There is a good size spring in the head, ensuring good contact (always a good idea for a “tactical” light).

As with all things, it comes down to your expectations. The TD01’s build is a very good approximation of a quality tactical light, but it does have a number of small issues and inconsistencies that add up (and reflect its budget status).






The TD01 uses a very distinctive large TIR optic looks a lot like the Acebeam L19, except with a thicker centre “column.” I’ve taken pics from a lot of angles above, so you can see how it generally obscures the emitter (except in the second shot above). The low-profile SFT40 is ideal for producing a very focused beam, which the TD01 does very well.

The bezel is crenelated black aluminum – not too aggressive, so you can headstand stably. Note that some of the promotional material seems to suggest the light has a stainless steel strike bezel – it doesn’t, just this low profile aluminum bezel (again, in keeping with its budget nature). There doesn’t seem to be any kind of anti-reflective coating on the lens.

Here are a couple of white wall beamshots, to give you an idea of how focused it is:


I’ve included the white wall beamshots above to highlight a single bright ring that is visible in the mid-distance around the hotspot. Note that in real life the hotpot is much smaller than it appears above (the camera settings are over-saturating the hotspot intensity). But I’ve chosen these settings to better show you the ring. Rest assured, the ring is not that distracting in real life, but it is present (scroll down for outdoor beamshots).

User Interface

The TD01 has a user interface that is identical to the Sofirn C8L, again reflecting their shared heritage. Like many “tactical” lights, you have two sets of possible modes; Mode Group 1 for General use, and Mode Group 2 for Tactical use.

To switch between groups, press-and-hold the side switch for >3 secs when On.

Mode Group 1 (default) available levels: Eco, Low, Medium, High, Turbo, Strobe, SOS, and Beacon.

Mode Group 1, from OFF:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Momentary On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns On in last memorized mode.
  • Tail switch, double-press: Turns On in last memorized mode and then jumps to Turbo (click to stay locked-on in Turbo). You have be very rapid on the double-press to jump to Turbo.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold: Nothing – but if you click the tail switch while holding down the side switch, the light will activate in Eco mode.
  • Side switch, single-click: Nothing.

Mode Group 1, from ON:

  • Tail switch, partial-press: Nothing.
  • Tail switch, single-click: Turns Off.
  • Side switch, press-and-hold (3 secs): Switch to Mode Group 2 (see below)
  • Side switch, single-click: Steps up to the next non-Turbo constant output mode (in sequence, Eco > Lo > Med > High).
  • Side switch, double-click: Turbo.
  • Side switch, triple-click: Strobe.
    • Side switch, double-click when in Strobe: Cycle through in sequence Strobe > SOS > Beacon (with no mode memory).

Mode 1, Mode memory:

Yes, for non-Turbo constant output modes.

Mode 1 Shortcuts:

  • Eco mode: Press and hold the side switch while turning on at the tail switch.
  • Turbo mode: Double-click the side switch from On, or double-press the tail switch from Off.

Mode 2 available levels: Medium, Turbo, and Strobe.

Mode 2 functions basically as a stripped-down “tactical” version of Mode 1. The main differences are:

  • Single-click of the side switch from On only selects between Medium and Turbo now.
  • Double-click of the the tail or side switch goes to Strobe instead of Turbo.
  • There is no level memory now.

Otherwise, the two modes function the same way.

Battery indicator:

When first activating the light, the indicator on the side switch shows the battery voltage  (lasts for ~5 secs):

  • Solid green: ~70-100%
  • Flashing green: ~40-70%
  • Solid red: ~10-40%
  • Flashing red: 0-10%

Mode memory:

Yes, in the Mode Group 1 for non-Turbo constant output modes. There is no memory in the Mode Group 2.

Shortcuts:

  • Mode Group 1: Yes, for Eco, Turbo and Strobe (see above).
  • Mode Group 2: Yes, for Eco and Strobe (see above).

Low voltage warning:

Yes, the main light will step down as the battery is running low. It will then turn Off at ~2.95V

Lock-out mode:

Yes, but physically – you lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap.

Reviewer Comments:

As with the build, I think this is a reasonable dual-mode UI for a tactical light, with a general mode set and a tactical mode set.

One thing I’m not crazy about is the multiple-press functionality of the tactical tailcap switch. I didn’t really find this as much of an issue on the C8L, but my TD01’s switch is noticeably softer. This made it harder to consistently double-click the tailcap (i.e., soft-press, then press-and-click rapidly). But in any case, this level switching feature at the tailcap is completely unnecessary on the C8L/TD01 anyway, as you always have the electronic side switch in the head to control output levels (including accessing Turbo).

On the whole, I personally prefer General Mode Group 1, for its versatility. I suppose “tactical” people will like the lack of mode memory in Tactical Mode Group 2.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Eco:
Eco

Low:
Lo

Mid:
Mid

High:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is high frequency circuit noise on all levels except Turbo on the TD01, at a visually undetectable constant frequency of 19.9 kHz. This is different from the C8L, which was completely noise free. As is often the case, this constant circuit noise increases in amplitude with output level. It is definitely not PWM, although it has a bimodal distribution (i.e., there is a secondary harmonic of rising/cresting waves at ~5 kHz), as shown in the expanded view of the High mode below

Turbo

Again, this is not a problem per se, as you won’t be able to see any of the above in use. But from long experience, I find this doesn’t bode well when it comes to overall circuit regulation and efficiency (scroll down for runtimes).

Strobes:

Strobe:


Strobe alternates between 8 Hz and 14 Hz every 2 secs or so. Very distracting.

SOS:

A standard SOS mode, relatively slow.

Beacon:

A single flash beacon once every 2 secs (0.5 Hz).

Charging:

The switch button shows solid red when the light is charging. Changes to solid green when the charging is complete.

Resting voltage <3.0V

Resting voltage >3.0V

The TD01 has a two-stage charging feature, as seen on many modern lights (although oddly, not its sister light the C8L) where there is a lower initial charging rate when the cell is heavily discharged. The initial charging rate is ~0.25A, which jumps to ~1.55A once the cell exceeds 3.0V resting. These rates are good for a 21700 cell. Charging terminated at ~4.19V on my sample. This is probably the first example where the TD01 has a slight advantage over the C8L.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

None. That is one of the nice things about a physical clicky switch, no standby current. 🙂 And you can always lock-out the light by a twist of the tailcap, to prevent accidental activation.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

TD01 on Med:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~6045K, and a noticeably positive tint shift (+0.0138 Duv) to greenish-yellow at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 64.

These values are very consistent with the rated specs for the cool white SFT40 emitter on my sample, and match my visual experience of this light.

Beamshots

All long-distance outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 1 sec exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The tree at the centre of the hotspot is approximately 90 meters (~100 yards) from the camera. Note the road dips down and turns away in the distance, out of the camera’s sight line. Learn more about my outdoor beamshot locations here.

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare the overall beams by switching between tabs.



To help illustrate the hotspots better, I’ve also cropped the raw pictures around the centre of the frame. As before, click on any thumbnail below to open a full size image in a new window.



As you can see above, the TD01 is a very focused thrower. It does put out a little more light into the periphery than the L19, and with a slightly larger hotspot. But this is an incredible thrower.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. Note that my lightbox calibration seems to run higher than most hobbyists today, but I’ve kept it to remain consistent with my earlier reviews (when the calibration standard was first established).

My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

TD01 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Eco302928---No19.858 Hz0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---
Low150155150---No19.858 Hz0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---
Med350290285---No19.864 Hz0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g6,0450.013864
High900760740---No19.878 Hz0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---
Turbo2,2002,1002,000255,000 cd235,000 cd970 mNo-0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---
Strobe2,200-----8-14 Hz-0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---
SOS350------19.858 Hz0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---
Beacon2,200-----0.5 Hz-0.25 A1.55 ANo193 g261 g---

Unlike my TS22 and C8L samples, the TD01 has inflated specs on its higher levels, compared to what I measure in my lightbox. Oddly, it’s worse on the Med and Hi levels, with Turbo only being inflated by ~10% in my lightbox. Although it is probably even worse than the numbers above suggest, as I know my lightbox’s relative calibration is generously high for modern high-output lights.

My NIST-calibrated luxmeter is accurately calibrated to an absolute standard, and reports slightly lower beam intensity on Turbo (comparable to my lightbox for overall output measures). But this is still an impressive showing.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Max

Hi

Med

One thing these results make very clear: Wurkkos is definitely not using a buck driver on the TD01. There had been some apparent miscommunication on this point when the light was first announced. It appears to be using a standard FET driver, producing the non-voltage-regulated runtimes you see above.

In and of itself, this is not necessarily a problem – such lights can still be relatively efficient. But that doesn’t really seem to be the case here. It is not as efficient as the Convoy S21E that I tested with this same SFT40 emitter – that light had perfectly flat regulated output (which lowers overall efficiency, since it spends a lot more time at higher output, plus has circuit overhead to consider). So performance here is disappointing, especially in comparison to the outstanding efficiency and regulation that you can see on the TS22 and the Sofirn C8L.

You can also see that the TD01 steps down very quickly on Turbo and Hi. To better show this initial step-down pattern, here is a expanded view of first few minutes of those runtimes:

Max-extended

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
As advertised, the light is a very dedicated thrower, thanks to its large focused TIR optic.Circuit is not voltage-regulated, producing a slowly decreasing output instead of flat runtimes. It also appears to be less efficient then other current-controlled lights with flat regulation.
The light has a solid build with good handfeel, although there are some small issues (see Cons).Tactical forward clicky switch has a softer feel than typical, making signalling or double-clicking difficult. It also protrudes too far, preventing tailstanding.
Price is incredibly low, making this arguably the best throwing light of the 1x21700 class at this price point.Light can roll very easily, with no preventive measures to impeed.
Output specs seem to be somewhat inflated.
Would really benefit from an included holster.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

Many of my build observations of the Sofirn C8L are true here as well – in many ways, this is a sister light to that model, but one that is heavily focused for throw. The lights are very similar in overall build quality and packaging, reflecting the common factory they are produced at (despite being different companies). The dual physical tailcap clicky and side electronic switch design – along with an identical user interface – further cements their close relationship.

But the switches are where I find the comparison starts to break, and not in the TD01’s favour. The switch feel is softer on my TD01 sample than the C8L, limiting its value for momentary signalling. And because it protrudes further than my C8L sample, the TD01 doesn’t tailstand at all, which is disappointing. Not a huge deal of course, but it is a minor annoyance that could easily have been avoided.

Overall output/runtime efficiency is fine for a SFT40 emitter, but overall output is lower than rated for the specs on this model. And unfortunately regulation is disappointing here too – especially against the outstanding TS22 and Sofirn C8L. It looks like Wurkkos simply reused an older driver/circuit for the SFT40 emitter, and updated it with the C8L’s user interface. I would have preferred to see a fully voltage-regulated pattern here.

Beam pattern is very throwy as advertised, and I find the TIR optic does a really good job of focusing almost exclusively for throw. There is just one noticeable beam ring – but that’s more an issue on a white wall than in actual use outdoors. It really is quite the spotlight!

Despite the close similarities to the C8L – and the impressive TIR optic here – I can’t give this light higher than 3.5 stars in its current form. The physical quirks with the switch, and the more significant circuit issues (i.e., off from the specs, lower sustained output, lack of voltage regulation, reduced efficiency, circuit noise, etc.) knock this light down a full star from the C8L in my view.

It is still an incredible value for the price, and I appreciate all that it does bring to the table. If the issues above don’t matter to you, this is a great way to experience massive TIR throw at a budget price (it really is unbelievably cheap!). As the beamshots show, that is an incredible beam. With a little more fine-tuning, this could become a top pick in the dedicated TIR thrower class.

Acknowledgement

The TD01 was supplied by Wurkkos for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$45 USD (~$60 CDN) with typical discounts on their website here.

Armytek Crystal Headlamp/Keychain

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

This is another mini-review of a pocket-sized headlamp/keychain rechargeable light, the Armytek Crystal. Featuring both a cool white and a red LED, this innovative design lets you strap it to your head with the accompanying band, clip on to a jacket/bag with the built-in pocket clip, strap it to bike frame, or use as a keychain fob.

I won’t be providing quite as much commentary as usual (and beamshots will definitely be out), but otherwise will provide my full suite of testing results so that you can make informed decisions around output, use and performance.

Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results.

FeatureSpecsSpecs
MakerArmytekArmytek
ModelCrystalCrystal
EmitterLXNZPL696 (White)LXNZPL696 (Red)
TintCool whiteRed
Max Output (Lumens)15030
Min Output (Lumens)0.10.1
Max Runtime50 days30 days
Max Beam Intensity (cd)36 cd7 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)12 m5 m
Constant Levels44
FlashingBeaconBeacon
BatteryLi-Pol 600 mAhLi-Pol 600 mAh
Weight (w/o battery)
Weight (with battery)34 g34 g
Length63 mm63 mm
Head Diameter42.6 mm42.6 mm
Body Diameter14.8 mm14.8 mm
WaterproofIP67 1mIP67 1m

Package Details




The light ships in a colourful cardboard box, with plenty of labels and product details.  Inside, you will find the following:

  • Crystal Headlamp/Keychain light, with built-in pocket clip
  • Headband
  • Adhesive pad
  • Two large black silicone rings (to secure to a bike frame)
  • Simple manual

It’s a basic package, but has what you need to afix the light securely. No charging cable was included, and you will need one with a micro-USB port connector.

Build


From left to right: AAA NiMH, AA NiMH, Wurkkos Keychain SQ05, Armytek Crystal.











One comment to make up front – you can buy the Crystal with various coloured plastic backings. It is currently available in green, blue, red, yellow, or gray. There is also a WRB version, which features a flashing blue/red light, which comes with a blue or gray backing.

Build features a fullly transparent front cover, which allows you to see the bare emitters and the basic circuitry elements of the light. I’m guessing this is to prevent any significant colour distortions in the beam. On that front, most of the colour variations you are seeing above are really just from my camera’s auto-adjust feature, or reflections off my desk. That said, the white emitter does seem to project a somewhat greenish-tint out the edges and sides of the light, likely by reflecting off or through the green plastic backing of my sample.

You can clearly see the main white and red emitters above, on either side of the switch.

You have nice and solid pocket clip on the back, which will hold the light securely to a front pocket. This is actually my preferred way to carry, as it is easy to clip on and go. Alternatively you can slip it into the included headband to use as a headlamp, or use the bike frame securing rings. On the short edge of the light by the red emitter is the keychain attachment point. Overall size is a bit big for keychain carry if you ask me, although I suppose it is not that much larger than a typical car key fob.

The power/mode button is located in the centre of the light. This seems like a bit of an odd placement to me, as it means you will turn the light on shinning in your eyes if you looking down at what you are pressing (makes more sense if you are using as a headlamp). At least it is easy to access by feel. Traverse is good, with a definite but soft click upon activation.

On the short edge of the light by the white emitter is the micro-USB charging port under a rubber cover. I find the cover to be fairly loosely fitting, with a slight hook to hold in place (I wouldn’t consider this very waterproof at all). It’s a shame they didn’t opt for the more common USB-C emitter, but I gather this model has been around for awhile now. According to the manual, the light uses a lithium polymer rechargeable battery of 600 mAh capacity.

One interesting feature – according to the manual, the light can work in “lamp” mode when you plug it into a powerbank or other USB-charging source. I presume that means it runs directly off the power source, instead of the internal battery.

User Interface

As noted in my other recent Armytek reviews, the included manual is actually fairly basic, and just describes the main functions of the light. You can download a more complete manual from their website here.

pretty simple, more a description of the features than an actual set of instructions. Here is a rundown from my testing:

From Off:

  • Press-and-hold the switch. Nothing initially. However, after 4 seconds the Lock out mode is engaged. The white LED will blink once, confirming the Lock out. Press-and-hold for another 4 seconds to re-activate.
  • Single-click the switch: Turns On in last memorized state.

From On:

  • Press-and-hold the switch: Start cycling through the modes of the current colour, in repeating sequence: Firefly > Main1 > Main2 > Main3 > Beacon. Release the switch to select.
  • Single-click the switch: Turns Off.
  • Double-click the switch: Switches between the two emitter choices (i.e., if you are in white light, it switches over to the red LED).

And that’s it, fairly straight-forward and easy enough to remember. That said, I’m not personally a fan of having the flashing mode on the main sequence. But at least it is only a slow flash (i.e., not an obnoxious strobe).

Short-cuts:

No.

Mode memory:

Yes. The light remembers both the the last mode used and the last emitter, and returns to them upon re-activation.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, there is one beacon mode (available for each emitter).

Low voltage warning:

No.

Lock-out mode:

Yes. Press-and-hold the switch from Off for at least 4 secs to lock/unlock the light.

Reviewer Comments:

This is an OK interface, easy to remember and use (although I don’t like the beacon on the main sequence). I do question the wisdom of a sustained press-hold to lock/unlock the light, but I suppose it removes the risk of an accidental quick-click.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Firefly:
Firefly

Main1:
Main1

Main2:
Main2

Main3:
Main3

There is no sign of PWM or circuit noise on any level. The light is current-controlled, and fully flicker-free in both white and red modes. 🙂

Beacon

There is a single beacon mode on both red and white modes, which consists of one brief flash every second (i.e. 1 Hz). This is very reasonable as a signaling light, bike light, etc.

Charging:

There a red/green charging indicator LED, near the white emitter. It glows solid red when charging, turning to green once it is fully charged.

Initial charging current when heavily depleted:

After a few seconds:

The initial charging current is ~0.10A, when the battery is nearly fully depleted (i.e., just a very low output from the emitters). As the light charges, the charging current quickly jumps to ~0.30A, and then slowly drops from there as the battery charges fully.

I didn’t time how long it take to charge the light, but Armytek says is 2hr 50 mins to a full charge. Sounds about right, I don’t think it took much longer than 2 hours on any of my tests.

One interesting feature of this light is its ability to serve as a worklight when plugged into AC power or a powerbank. I measured the current drain when fully charged and plugged into the wall. Sequence of the images below is:

Off > Firefly > Main1 > Main2 > Main3

As you can see above, the current drain starts to titch up from zero at the Main 2 level. When on Main 3, the current drain jumps up to an equivalent level as when it is charging from Off.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

Given the electronic nature of the switch, there must be a standby current at all times. However, without breaking it open, and I am not able to measure it.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics of my sample in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

White Main 2 Level:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~6140K, and no measured tint  shift (-0.0001 Duv). For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 75.

These values are very consistent with a cool white, and match my visual experience of this light. As mentioned above, I did notice a greenish-yellow tinge to the peripheral spill of the light, but I think that is from reflections off the green translucent plastic base of my sample.

Just out of curiosity, I decided to run the red emitter through my Light Master 2 meter, to see what it said. Although these are not designed for monochromatic light sources, its readings seemed reasonable:

Red Main2 level:

As you can see, the red light is well off the Planckian locus, well into the red end of the spectrum (and so, the CCT and Duv are meaningless here).

Beamshots

Sorry, no beamshots for keychain lights. 🙂

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

Crystal Testing Results

EmitterModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
WhiteFirefly0.10.110.12---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
WhiteMain154.94.9---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
WhiteMain23635.035---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
WhiteMain3150170.0160101 cd94 cd19 mNoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g6,140-0.000175
WhiteBeacon150-----1 HzNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
RedFirefly0.10.040.04---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
RedMain121.61.6---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
RedMain2121616---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
RedMain3304342---NoNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---
RedBeacon30-----1 HzNo0.10 A0.30 A--34 g---

Estimated output in my lightbox is pretty close to the rated specs across all levels. Indeed, the red emitter reports higher values in my lightbox – but I never calibrated my light sensor for monochromatic sources, so that could be artifactual.

It’s great to see the true moonlight mode here, for both emitters.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

The white emitter Main3 output is basically direct-drive in appearance, slowly dropping off over 2 hours as the battery drains. In contrast Main2 is regulated over its ~6 hour run, with a slightly staggered pattern as it keeps the output within a narrow range around ~35 lumens in my lightbox.

The red emitter Main3 output resembles the white Main2 in its regulation pattern, and lasts for a little over 2 hours in my testing.

Here is how the Crystal compares to the lower output levels of my 18650 headlamps:

These results are very much in keeping with Armytek’s specs, and seem reasonable for the stated 600 mAh capacity of the built-in battery. Performance is at least an order or magnitude or two higher than the budget keychain model from Wurkkos, in comparison.

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Good build quality and feature set, suitable as a headlamp, pocket clip or bike light.Fairly simple design, with power/mode button on front-face with the emitters.
Very good regulation pattern, with constant-current flat stabilization.A bit too large for a keychain light, but works well as a headlamp/pocket clip.
Very floody beam without artifacts, for both cool white and red LEDsRechargeable battery built-in, but with older micro-USB connector.
Accurate product specs.Strobes on main sequence.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

The Crystal is a surprisingly versatile little headlamp/keychain light. It is lightweight and easy to attach or carry in a variety ways. It has both white and red flood lights (the later is particularly good for maintaining night vision, or for not attracting bugs/animals). It has a good range of levels, including moonlight and a signaling beacon for each emitter. And its performance is excellent across all levels on its built-in rechargeable lithium polymer battery.

Frankly, there is not much to criticize here. By design, the light is a full flooder, without much throw (i.e., there is no optic to focus the emitters). Other than that, it is mainly small issues that I’ve noted above, like the simple UI, micro-USB port, and front switch location that are not my personal preference. It is also not particularly pretty to look at, with its transparent plastic cover – but I suppose some people may like the honest aesthetic. Personally, I care more about its functional use – and I find it to be a great little headlamp.

Price doesn’t factor into my star rating system, but I find this light to be pretty reasonably priced considering what you get. It is is certainly a lot cheaper (and lighter) than a lot of other headlamp models out there. Of course, it won’t last as longer as larger models with heavier batteries – but the runtimes are perfectly reasonable for what you are getting here.

If you are looking for a budget headlamp that does multiple duty as a front-facing pocket light, bike light, and keychain light, the Crystal could well suit the bill.

Acknowledgement

The Crystal was provided by Armytek for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for $27 USD (~$36 CDN).

Wurkkos COB Keychain SQ05

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

This is a slightly shorter “mini-review” of an inexpensive keychain style light, the Wurkkos COB SQ05 flashlight. Or, as it is likely better known – the free gift when you spend between $49 and $99 USD in the their online store. But you can actually buy this is as a standard alone item for ~$6 USD or so, with standard store discounts.

I won’t be providing quite as much commentary as usual (and beamshots will definitely be out), but otherwise will provide my full suite of testing results so that you can make informed decisions around output, use and performance.

Obviously, I’m not expecting much from the simple COB LED emitters on this keychain light – although I am impressed to see a built-in rechargeable battery with standard USB-C charging port. Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results.

FeatureSpecs
MakerWurkkos
ModelKeychain SQ05
Emitter30x COB wicks
TintCool white
Max Output (Lumens)500
Min Output (Lumens)150
Max Runtime4 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)-
Max Beam Distance (m)-
Constant Levels-
Flashing-
Battery-
Weight (w/o battery)-
Weight (with battery)50 g
Length95 mm
Head Diameter55 mm
Body Diameter27 mm
Waterproof-

Package Details




The light ships in a colourful but thin cardboard box. As you can see, mine got dented during shipping, but it didn’t affect the light. Inside, you will find the following:

  • Keychain light, inside a small bubble-wrap pouch
  • Short USB-C charging cable
  • Simple manual

It’s a very basic package, in keeping with the budget price. But I am still surprised/impressed to see the USB-C charging port and cable included.

Build


From left to right: AAA NiMH, AA NiMH, Wurkkos Keychain SQ05, Armytek Crystal.










Note that the last picture above is when the battery is nearly exhausted, and the light is producing very low output.

Build is fairly basic, all-plastic in design, but better than expected for the price.

You have a simple carabiner-style clip that opens inward to allow you to attach it to a keychain, bag, or purse. There’s a button on one side that covers the electronic switch, which has a somewhat “soft” feel. On the opposite side is the USB-C port under a flimsy cover (attached but loosely fitting, I wouldn’t consider this very waterproof). On the bottom is a tripod mount, and on the top right corner is a “bottle opener” feature.

The light has a magnet on the back, allowing you to affix it to metal surfaces as a worklight. It also has a very simply plastic stand that opens up from the back, and that allows you to angle the light on flat surface (I found this plastic stand to be very flimsy, and it feels like it could break easily).

The main part of the light is the giant yellow phosphor square with 30 COB light wicks, arranged in a 5×6 grid. COB stands for “Chip-On-Board”, where the LED chip is in actual direct contact with the substrate. This allows COB makers to make large arrays, and potentially pack in the emitters more densely than with traditional discrete designs. This is not common for flashlights though, where some degree of throw is generally desired (and thus requires smaller emitters). But it can be valuable when you are looking to produce wide and even flood patterns.

Again, this is better quality than I expected for ~$6 USD (or less) keychain light.

User Interface

The manual is pretty simple, more a description of the features than an actual set of instructions. Here is a rundown from my testing:

From Off:

  • Single-click the switch: Turns On in 60% output.
  • Press-and-hold the switch: Turns On in 100%

From On:

  • Single-click the switch: If in 60% mode, advances to 30% output.
  • Single-click the switch again: If in 30% mode, advances to strobe.
  • Single-click the switch again: If in strobe, turns Off.
  • Press-and-hold the switch: Jumps to 100% (note that a single click of the switch again when in 100% mode turns Off).

And that’s it. So, in the main sequence you have to pass through 30% and strobe in order to turn Off through repeated clicks (ugh). This is not a good interface. However, if you do a press-and-hold to jump to 100% at any point, a single click will now turn you off.

Short-cuts:

Yes, a press-and-hold jumps you to 100% at any time.

Mode memory:

No.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, there is one high-frequency strobe.

Low voltage warning:

No.

Lock-out mode:

No.

Reviewer Comments:

This is about as basic as you could imagine an interface being. I really don’t like having to cycle through strobe to turn off in the main sequence, but at least you can bypass by going to 100% first.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

30%:
30

60%:
60

100%:
100

The light is actually controlled by PWM at the reduced 30%/60% output levels, as you might guess from the oscilloscope traces above. To confirm, here’s an expanded scale on the 60% output level, where you can see the classic square sine wave pattern of PWM:

PWM

At least the PWM on 30%/60% is at a decently high 3.9 KHz frequency. This is not particularly noticeable in practice, even to someone sensitive to PWM. Indeed, you won’t easily detect it unless you shine it at a fan or running water.

Strobe:

There is a single strobe of 8 Hz frequency (which is higher than I would like for a keychain light – this isn’t some sort of tactical device, after all). As you can see from the trace above, the PWM is visible during the on-phase of the strobe. This is because the strobe is running at reduced power (I believe it is the 30% output level).

Charging:

The initial charging current is ~0.45A, when the battery is nearly fully depleted (i.e., just a very low output from the emitters). As the light charges, the charging current quickly drops (i.e., to ~0.40A within a minute or so, keeps dropping from there). It doesn’t take very long to fully charge the light (I didn’t time it, but it is under an hour).

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

Given the electronic nature of the switch, there must be a standby current at all times. However, without breaking it open, and I am not able to measure it.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics of my sample in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

60% Level:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~5930K, and a slightly positive tint shift (+0.0113 Duv) to yellowy-green at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 71.

These values are very consistent with budget cool white emitters, and match my visual experience of this light. It’s actually better than I expected for the price.

Beamshots

Sorry, no outdoor beamshots for keychain lights. 🙂

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

SQ05 Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
30%1506055---3,916 HzNo0.45 A0.40 A--34 g---
60%300105100---3,916 HzNo0.45 A0.40 A--34 g5,9300.011371
100%500170160---3,916 HzNo0.45 A0.40 A--34 g---
Strobe------8 HzNo0.45 A0.40 A--34 g---

Output is lot lower than the rated specs (not entirely surprising). While I don’t doubt you could build a 500-lumen COB emitter array this size, this example seems to be lower density (and driven lower).

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

First thing you will notice is that all three output levels quickly step-down to much lower outputs, and then maintain a fairly stable flat runtime. Note as well that maximum output – even at initial activation – is lot lower than the rated specs (although the relative 30/60/100% distribution seems accurate, scroll down the measurement table for detail).

The light doesn’t actually turn off during the runtimes above, it just drops to a super-low level. I suppose it will eventually fully drain and shut off, but I don’t recommend you let it drain down that far (i.e., over-discharge is not good for rechargeable cells).

Here is a blow-up of the first few minutes, so that you can see the drop-down over time in better detail:

This is clearly a programmed step-down pattern. Both 100% and 60% begin their straight-line step-down at exactly 1 min, whereas the 30% level does it at exactly 1.5 mins. 100% takes 2.5 mins to step-down, 60% takes 1.5 mins, and 30% takes 1 min exactly.

I appreciate the stable runtime patterns, and flat regulation. But my subjective impression is that output/runtime performance is quite low for a “500mAh” rated battery (making me think that this spec is similarly over-stated).

To put these results in contact, here is how it compares to a more expensive competing dual white/red emitter keychain/headlamp model from Armytek that I will be reviewing next (rated at 600mAh capacity):

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Decent build quality and feature set for the incredibly low price.Initial output is far below rated specs on all levels, and rapidly drops down to considerably lower output.
Good regulation pattern, with programmed step-down and flat stabilization (although output is much lower than reported).Lower output levels are controlled by pulse-width modulation (PWM), although at a reasonable 3.9 kHz.
Very even flood beam without artifacts, at a standard cool white temperature.Runtimes are much lower than I expected for the rated battery capacity.
Standard USB-C charging (cable included) - but battery seems lower capacity than rated.User interface is very basic, with strobe on the main sequence.
Integrated rechargeable Li-ion is not user replaceable.
A bit large for a keychain light.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

This is actually a very decent little budget keychain light. For ~$6 USD (or less, as it is thrown in for free with a minimum $49 purchase from Wurkkos), it is a great buy. I was pleasantly surprised to see the feature set at this price point – cool white beam, very even flood, multiple levels, stable regulation, and rechargeable by USB-C. Wow!

Clearly, we have come a long way from those awful little coin cell-based 5mm LED squeeze lights that used to come for free with flashlight purchases. I vividly recall their bluish beams, horrible beam artifacts, rapid direct-drive drop-downs, etc., etc.

So, why the low star rating here? Well, I’m not including price in my rating system, but instead focus on objective results. In that regard, this light is disappointing relative to rated specs. Initial output is very far below quoted specs (i.e., at best no more than a third as bright as the rated “500 lumen” spec in my lightbox). And actual output then quickly drops down ~70-80% from those initial low levels for the extended runs. Finally, actual runtimes are much shorter than I would have expected for the rated battery capacity.

The user interface is also pretty basic – it’s been at least a decade since I saw a light where you had to cycle through a high-frequency strobe to turn it off. The rating would have dropped further if it weren’t for the work-around option to go through 100% before clicking off instead!

Similarly, this is the first time I’ve seen PWM since my return to reviewing – although thankfully at a reasonable ~4 kHz frequency. If it weren’t for the programmed step-down patterns, I would think this was actually a circuit from 10-15 years ago.

But all that said, this still seems like an outstanding value as a (nearly) free item. I plan to slip mine into my travel backpack, as an emergency backup light. My only concern is that I don’t know what the standby drain is like, and would be worried about starting a charge cycle if it gets over-discharged (i.e., the fire risk/safety of inexpensive built-in Li-ions is always unknown). But it does seem like a good solution for anyone looking for a simple back-up light with a great flood beam. Just match your expectations to the price – you get more than you pay for here, but only up to a point.

Acknowledgement

The SQ05 was included as a standard free gift in an order I made through the Wurkkos website. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$6 USD (~$8 CDN) or less with coupons, and is included for free on orders >$49 USD.

Armytek Doberman Pro

  1. Introduction
  2. Manufacturer Specifications
  3. Package Details
  4. Build
  5. User Interface
  6. Circuit Measures
  7. Emitter Measures
  8. Beamshots
  9. Testing Results
  10. Runtimes
  11. Pros and Cons
  12. Overall Rating
  13. Preliminary Conclusions
  14. Acknowledgement

Introduction

Following on my Armytek Wizard C2 Pro Max and C2 Pro Nichia headlamp reviews, I thought I’d test out one of their current tactical lights, the Doberman Pro.

Based on a 1×18650 battery and a warm Cree XHP35 HI emitter, this light features Armytek’s typically solid build enhanced with a variety of recoil-proof adaptions. With an innovative protruding two-stage electronic tailcap switch – and innovative magnetic charging dock – I thought this would be an interesting light to look at.

The light is also distinctive for its beam pattern – thanks to a super deep reflector, the light has excellent throw and a much narrower spillbeam than typical. Let’s see how it performs in my testing.

Manufacturer Specifications

Note: as always, these are simply what the manufacturer provides – scroll down to see my actual testing results.

FeatureSpecs
MakerArmytek
ModelDoberman Pro
EmitterXHP35 HI
TintWarm
Max Output (Lumens)1,400
Min Output (Lumens)37
Max Runtime32 hours
Max Beam Intensity (cd)33,000 cd
Max Beam Distance (m)363 m
Constant Levels4
FlashingStrobe1/2
Battery1x18650
Weight (w/o battery)114 g
Weight (with battery)164 g
Length150 mm
Head Diameter25.4 mm
Body Diameter33.5 mm
WaterproofIP68 25m for 5 hrs

Package Details




The light ships in a cardboard display box with an a lot of labels and descriptions. Inside, you will find the following.

Inside the box, I found:

  • Armytek Doberman Pro flashlight
  • Armytek 18650 battery (3500mAh)
  • Stainless steel pocket clip
  • Tactical cigar grip ring
  • Magnetic USB charging dock
  • 2 spare O-rings
  • Wrist lanyard
  • Nylon belt holster
  • Manual

It’s a good package, and I particularly like seeing all the carry options included (including holster and cigar grip-ring).

As before, the multi-lingual manual is really more of a quick-start guide, and there is a slightly more detailed full manual that you can download from the Armytek website (direct PDF link here). I recommend you download the longer manual in order to take full advantage of all the features and better understand the user interface.

Note that Armytek sells a variety of optional accessories, including a magnetic mount, remote switch, and various colour filters/diffuser cover.

Build


From left to right: Armytek 18650 (3500mAh), Sofirn 21700 (5000mAh), Acebeam 21700 USB-C (5100mAh), Acebeam E70, Acebeam P17, Armytek Doberman Pro, Convoy M21F, Lumintop D3, Nitecore MH12SE, Nitecore P20iX,  Sofirn C8L.








This physical build is reminiscent of the old Viking/Predator lights that I remember from long ago. Handfeel is excellent, and the light feels very solid and robust.

The anodizing looks exactly like the thick matte finish that Armytek has always been known for. Their annodizing has a unique feel, very grippy – almost rubberized in a way. As always, it appears thick and durable. While it resists deep scratches, I find it can mark up fairly easily (i.e., shows handling marks on the surface). As always, it’s clear Armytek sees their lights as work-horses, not show-horses.

The light lacks traditional knurling, but the ridge details cut-outs and grippy finish help produce good hand grip in my view. The pocket clip attaches very firmly (though may mark upon removal) and helps further with grip, just like the cigar ring.

The switch is unique in my experience. It protrudes like a physical clicky switch, but has instead a dual-stage electronic design that simulates a tactical clicky. Switch feel is good, with a light press activating the first stage, and a firmer press producing a virtual click (silent, but with a tactile “click-like” feel). Honestly, I thought this was indeed a physical switch when I first handled it.

The light uses a standard flat-top 18650 cell (Armytek-branded 3500mAh in this case), so can easily be swapped out and charged in a stand-alone charger. Interestingly, the magnetic charging dock connects directly to the switch – and holds on very securely (scroll down to my circuit section for more details on how it works). Note that this charging format means that there are large exposed contact points on the tailcap that connect directly to the battery, which is concerning. Armytek says there is a short-circuit protection feature with the battery, but I don’t like relying on that. Hopefully the contacts are separated sufficiently that it should not be an issue for most people.

Tailstanding is not possible, due to the protruding tailcap. There is a cut-out on the side of the tailcap to securely attach the wrist lanyard.

There are springs in both head and the tailcap, which should hold the cell securely. Armytek says the light is hardened against recoil effects (including potting the electronics in the head), making it suitable as a weapon mount.

Tailcap threads are square-cut, and anodized, allowing you to lock out the light by a twist of the tailcap. Threads are well lubed – as are the two o-rings for waterproofness. I must say this always seems like overkill, but I guess it again shows Armytek’s commitment to robust design.

As per usual, I haven’t tried destructive testing. But this light seems pretty well bomb-proof, and is at least as robust as any other tactical light I’ve ever handled.




The Doberman Pro features a warm temperature XHP35 HI emitter, at the base of a very deep smooth reflector. Thanks to the low profile and small size of this emitter – coupled with such a deep reflector – this means you will get excellent throw with a very narrow spillbeam. See above, and the emitter measures and beamshots sections below for more details.

The black stainless steel bezel has relatively mild crenelations, allowing the light to headstand while still showing you if it is activated.

User Interface

The Doberman Pro can be configured for a pretty straightforward user interface, in keeping with its tactical nature. But there are few extra options, organized into two modes – referred to as Hunting Type (default) and Tactical Type. I will describe both in detail below, but let’s start with how you switch between them:

Mode Switching (between Hunting Type and Tactical Type)

  • Ensure the head is fully tight against the body tube, as well as the tailcap fully tightened.
  • Turn the flashlight On with a full click of the tailcap.
  • Loosen/tighten the head 10 times, completing each twist cycle in under 1 sec.
  • Flashlight blinks once to confirm mode type change.

And now, here is what you get with each of the two mode sets:

Hunting Type Mode (default, available levels: Main1, Main2, Main3, Turbo, Strobe2)

Hunting Type Mode, from OFF:

  • Fully tighten the head for Turbo, loosen by 1/8 of a turn for the additional modes.
  • Partial depress of the switch: In Turbo, Momentary On (i.e., turns Off when released). In Additional modes, turns On in last memorized mode, and repeatedly pressing (or clicking) the switch within 2 secs advances you through Additional modes in the repeating sequence Main1 > Main2 > Main3 > Strobe2.
  • Single-click switch: In Turbo, turns On in Turbo. In Additional modes, turns on in last memorized mode, and repeatedly pressing (or clicking) the switch within 2 secs advances you through Additional modes in the repeating sequence Main1 > Main2 > Main3 > Strobe2.
  • Note that you can remove Strobe2 from the sequence as follows:
    • Partially depress switch at least 20 times, with the last press being a full click.
    • Don’t take longer than 1 sec to cycle through the individual switch presses.
    • The flashlight blinks once, confirming the change.

Hunting Type Mode, from ON:

  • Partial depress of the switch: Nothing.
  • Single-click switch: Turns Off.
  • In Additional modes, repeated clicking the switch within 2 secs advances you through Additional modes in the repeating sequence Main1 > Main2 > Main3 > Strobe2.

Tactical Type Mode (available levels: Main2, Turbo, Strobe1, Strobe2)

Tactical Type Mode, from OFF:

  • Start with head fully tightened for Turbo, or head loosened for Strobe2.
  • Partial depress of the switch: Momentary On in Turbo or Strobe2, depending on head state.
  • Single-click switch: Turns On in Turbo or Strobe2 depending on head state.

Tactical Type Mode, from ON:

  • Partial depress switch: Nothing.
  • Single-click switch: Turns Off.
  • When in head tight (Turbo):
    • Loosen the head by 1/8 of a turn for Strobe2
    • Loosen/tighten the head for Main2
  • When in head loose (Strobe2)
    • Tighten the head for Turbo
    • Loosen/tighten the head when to switch to Strobe1

Short-cuts:

None.

Mode memory:

Yes, depending on the selected Type. For the Hunting Type, there is mode memory in the Additional modes – the light remembers which level you left it in last, and returns to it upon re-activation. Similarly, for Tactical Type, it remembers if you have switched to the alternate constant or strobe mode. It recalls this state even if you loosen the tailcap to cut the current.

Strobe/Blinking modes:

Yes, there is a high-frequency Strobe at full power or mid-level.

Low voltage warning:

Not that I noticed.

Lock-out mode:

Yes, but only by physically locking out the light at the tailcap.

Reviewer Comments:

This user interface has a few trade-offs – it is a bit more complicated than some tactical lights, but it can be configured to largely tactical use. Indeed, this is one case where I might consider leaving the light in Tactical Type mode, since the two constant levels through the head-twist is reasonably simple and straightforward (as long as you never leave it loose, and strobe yourself). And I find the Main2 level is a reasonably good battery-saving level. Alternatively, you can leave it in Hunting Type, and remove strobe from the sequence if you wish.

The two-stage electronic switch really does simulate a physical tactical clicky well.

Note that I can tell from older reviews online that earlier versions of this light had a second lower Turbo mode as well as Firefly modes. I’ve looked for them, and these are not present on my sample. They are not listed in current manual either – they appear to have been removed.

Circuit Measures

Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM):

Main1:
Lo

Main3:
Hi

Turbo:
Turbo

There is no sign of PWM on any level – the circuit appears to be fully current-controlled. There is some high-frequency noise only at the Turbo level, around 15 KHz, but it is variable and not very intense. It is also completely invisible to the eye, and so not a concern.

Strobes:

Strobe1:

Strobe2:

Strobes are a consistent high-frequency of 15 Hz, Strobe1 is at the lower Main2 level, and Strobe2 is full Turbo power.

Charging:

The Doberman Pro comes with a magnetic charging dock that connects to the exposed terminals on the tail switch. Charger status is given as follows:

  • Solid Green — dock is either plugged in and not connected to the light, or charging is finished if the light is connected.
  • Flashing Green — evaluating battery voltage.
  • Flashing Red — contact error, clean the external and internal contacts of the tailcap and charger.
  • Flashing Orange — USB power source voltage too low, or poor contact made, preventing full current charging. Clean the tailcap and the threads of the flashlight, or use a different power source.
  • Solid Red — charging at full charging current is progressing
  • Solid Orange — USB power source voltage is too low, so charging current is
    reduced.

The Armytek charging dock charges at a constant current of ~1.0A at the start of the cycle, regardless of the resting voltage of the cell. This differs from many lights that use dual charging rates (i.e., starting with a lower current when the cell is heavily depleted). This charge level is reasonable for 18650 cell.

Standby / Parasitic Drain:

I measured the standby current as 0.29 mA. This is a reasonably low standby drain, and it would take over 1 year and 4 months to fully drain the cell. Regardless, I always recommend you lockout the light when not in use, by twisting the tailcap.

Emitter Measures

In this section, I directly measure key emitter characteristics of my sample in terms of colour temperature, tint, and colour rendition. Please see my Emitter Measures page to learn more about what these terms mean, and how I am measuring them. As tint in particular can shift across levels, I typically stick with the highest stably regulated level for all my reported measures.

As explained on that page, since I am using an inexpensive uncalibrated device, you can only make relative comparisons across my reviews (i.e., don’t take these numbers as absolutely accurate values, but as relatively consistent across lights in my testing).

Doberman Pro on Main3:

The key measures above are the colour temperature of ~3890K, and a noticeable positive tint shift (+0.0071 Duv) to yellowy-orange at this temperature. For CRI (Ra), I measured a combined score of 63.

These values are very consistent with the rated specs for the warm white XHP35 HI emitter on my sample, and match my visual experience of this light. The light appears very warm in use.

Beamshots

All outdoor beamshots are taken on my Canon PowerShot S5 IS at f/2.7, 0.5 secs exposure, ISO 400, daylight white balance. The bend in the road is approximately 40 meters (~45 yards) from the camera. Learn more about my outdoor beamshots here (scroll down for the floody light position used in this review).

Click on any thumbnail image below to open a full size image in a new window. You can then easily compare beams by switching between tabs.



As you can see above, the Doberman Pro has a relatively throwy beam, with an unusually narrow spillbeam width (due to the unusually deep smooth reflector). Thanks the warm XHP35 HI emitter, beam is quite warm with no obvious chromatic variations.

Testing Results

My summary tables are generally reported in a manner consistent with the ANSI FL-1 standard for flashlight testing. In addition to the links above, please see my output measures page for more background.

All my output numbers are based on my home-made lightbox setup. As explained on that methodology page, I have devised a method for converting my lightbox relative output values to estimated lumens. My Peak Intensity/Beam Distance are directly measured with a NIST-certified Extech EA31 lightmeter.

Doberman Pro Testing Results

ModeSpec LumensEstimated Lumens @0secEstimated Lumens @30 secsBeam Intensity @0secBeam Intensity @30secsBeam Distance @30secsPWM/Strobe FreqNoise FreqCharging Current <3VCharging Current >3VParasitic DrainWeight w/o BatteryWeight with BatteryCCT (K)DuvCRI
Main1404545---NoNo1.0 A1.0 A0.29 mA114 g163 g---
Main2120130130---NoNo1.0 A1.0 A0.29 mA114 g163 g---
Main3300330330---NoNo1.0 A1.0 A0.29 mA114 g163 g3,8900.007163
Turbo1,5001,6001,55036,800 cd36,000 cd379 mYes15 KHz1.0 A1.0 A0.29 mA114 g163 g---
Strobe1120-----15 HzNo1.0 A1.0 A0.29 mA114 g163 g---
Strobe21,500-----15 HzNo1.0 A1.0 A0.29 mA114 g163 g---

As usual for Armytek, I find very good concordance between published specs and what my lightbox reports for my sample. Indeed, both my lightbox and NIST-calibrated luxmeter consistently report slightly higher output and beam distance measures than the specs.

To view and download full testing results for all modern lights in my testing, check out my Database page.

Runtimes

As always, my runtimes are done under a small cooling fan, for safety and consistency. To learn more about how to interpret runtime graphs, see my runtimes methodology page.

Max

Hi

Med

The runtime results are about what I would expect for a good-quality, current-controlled circuit running a XHP35 HI emitter on 18650. Overall output/runtime efficiency is excellent for the class, comparable to the various modern Nichia offerings shown above. I’m also pleased to see equally good regulation, with this light also showing flat outputs with defined step-downs due to heat or low voltage.

Another example of a good circuit from Armytek!

Pros and Cons

ProsCons
Light has excellent output/runtime efficiency for this emitter, at all levels.Turbo steps down fairly quickly, due to heat.
Circuit shows very good regulation, with thermally-mediated or low-voltage step-downs.Number of output levels is limited, and mode spacing may not suit everyone.
Uses an innovative two-stage electronic switch that accurately replicates a forward physical clicky without its limitations.Max output is lower than newer lights featuring higher output emitters.
Very good robust build quality and hand feel, with recoil-protective adaptations (e.g., potted electronics).Magnetic charging dock allows you to charge the battery inside the light, but raises the risk of accidental shorting given the protruding tailcap.
Comes with a lot of extras, and additional "tactical" ones are available for purchase.

Overall Rating

Preliminary Conclusions

This is another solid offering from Armytek. Indeed, solid is perhaps a bit of an understatement for the Doberman Pro – this light is designed to be a bomb-proof tactical light, suitable for a weapon mount given its ability to handle recoil without incident.

I am not a tactical guy, so have no real ability to assess its bona fides beyond what I can see from handling it as a flashlight. The extremely deep and smooth reflector – coupled with a HI emitter – does produce excellent throw, with a particularly narrow spillbeam. The warm temperature emitter also produces as a warm a beam pattern as I’ve ever seen on a commercial light.

Fit and finish are excellent, with Armytek’s classic “grippy” thick anodizing. There are plenty of extras included with the light (more than usual in fact), and plenty of extra “tactical” options to choose from as well.

One thing that I find particularly innovative is the two-stage electronic switch. This so accurately replicates a forward clicky switch that I genuinely couldn’t feel the difference – it feels and functions exactly as you’d expect a physical switch would.

I have to give Armytek credit for incorporating a magnetic charging dock on the base, given the protruding switch. But this also increases my concern about accidentally shorting the cell inside – while manageable in practice, I’m not convinced that risk is something you want in a “tactical” light.

The interface also has some quirks to it as well. I appreciate how they have tried to integrate as many options as possible (e.g., Hunting Type mode) while also staying true to a more typically classic tactical interface (i.e., Tactical Type mode with just Turbo and Strobe). But there are still a few too many options (and memory) that could lead you to not always activate in the mode you want.

The beam pattern is distinctive, and I could see this serving well for someone who wanted a throwy light with unusually narrow spill. I’m not qualified to to assess how relevant that is for a firearm carry, but I do find it somewhat limiting for general use.

I’m comfortable giving this light 4 stars, for its overall excellent build and quality, but somewhat limiting interface and emitter/optic choice. As for its suitability for any given task, I’ll leave that to the reader to assess based on the performance results presented above.

Acknowledgement

The Doberman Pro was supplied by Armytek for review. As always, all opinions are my own and the light received the same rigourous and objective testing as all other lights that I have reviewed. At the time of review, this light retails for ~$95 USD (~$125 CDN).

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