Category: Reviews

Posted on

RovyVon Aurora A33 Review (180 Lumens, Nichia 219C, 90CRI, USB-C)

Today I have a new penlight from Royvon, It’s available in a variety of exterior colors, and comes with an optional high CRI LED as well, and even has USB-C to charge it’s internal lithium ion battery. Thanks to Royvon for sending this to me to review. Link to where you can find it as well as my social media channels are down below in the description.

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liquidretro/ 

Join the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidretroReviews/ 

Enjoy this review? Buy me a Coffee/Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Liquidretro

 

Get 10% off the RovyVon Aurora A33 with my links below until 5/10/21.

Nichia Emitters: https://amzn.to/2P2Y6SY

Cree Emitters: https://amzn.to/2P2Y6SY

 

If you like my spiffy new background for this video, and want one for yourself as a large mousepad or nice desk mat, you can find it over at PhotonPhreaks at http://bit.ly/PPDeskMat and get 10% off with the code “LiquidRetro”

 

Packaging & Accessories

Packaging is a simple black box with a line drawing of the light on the outside. The box has a black and orange theme, it is printed to reflect the LED that’s in this light with a sticker on the back telling you which version and body color you have here. 

Accessories are limited and include the light, pocket clip thats preinstalled but removable, and a 6” USB-A to USB-C cable along with a manual and warranty card.

 

Construction

The Aurora A33 is made of aluminum and in my example is anodized in green. Several other body colors are available including Black, Gunmetal, Red, and Desert Tan. Starting at the rear it has a flat metal button with a nice machined circular pattern in it for a bit of texture for the eswitch. There is a ring around the button that makes it sit slightly recessed, this also helps protect the button too. It feels a little odd but does help you locate it and helps keep from turning on in the pocket. The button is does have a bit of a vague feeling to it that I am not a huge fan of but does has a nice click. 

 

To access the charging port the  rear tail section unscrews slightly. This is easier shown then described but it’s best to grab the tail section itself not the clip since the clip rotates more easily. Once unscrewed the USB-C port is exposed as well as a LED indicator when recharging. There is an oring to keep everything sealed

 

The body tube has some spirals milled into it for texture and style. These are better then normal knurling visually but could be a little more aggressive in my taste. The body tube and head are one piece with the front bezel being glued in place it looks like. The front features a glass lens and TIR style optic. Internally there is a 600mAh LiPo battery sealed inside the light. This is non user replaceable battery. 

 

Retention

The primary method of retention is the included deep carry pocket clip on the A33. It’s a clip on style clip and can be removed if you want. The unfortunate thing is here that it does spin around the light with a little bit for effort, I wish it was a bit tighter fit. It’s a fairly wide and substantial clip, and the steel is springy. It’s reasonably secure in the pocket but I wish it was a little stiffer so it was more secure. There is a small step in the clip that your pocket can snag on. That said I am a fan here, the clip overall is better then 85% of flashlights I review. 

 

Size and Weight 

I measured the length of the Aurora A33 at 119mm, maximum diameter tail at 16.5mm, minimum diameter at the body at 14.6mm. Weight with the clip installed is 42.2g. The light is IPX8 rated which I did test overnight in a glass of water.

 

LED & Beam Shots

The Aurora A33 is available with 2 LED’s I have the Nichia 219C at 5000k and 90 CRI, but a Cree XP-G2 with cool white, and about 20 more lumens (200 lumens total) on it’s highest output if you prefer. The light is using a TIR reflector and produces a medium sized hot center and a medium amount of spill. It’s good for this style of light where your mostly going to be using at short and medium distances.

 

Aurora A33 on Left, Nitecore MT06MD

 

There is some PWM that my scope noticed here, it’s fast and not noticeable to my eye or camera. But the scope does catch it. 

Output modes on the Nichia model are officially rated at 0.5 Lumens, 15 lumens, 60 lumens, and 180 lumens

 

Heat and Runtime

The light has 4 modes, and I did runtime graphs for the two highest modes. On high, the light lasts for a total of 88 minus, the first 12 minutes are above 90% relative output and you see a slight step down in output. At the 45 minute mark your still producing 80% of relative output. After this though you see a sharp decline for the remaining amount of time. Highest temp I observed was around 36C at the 40 minute mark.

 

In medium the light lasts an impressive 5:48:00. It an long S curve making me think there might not be much regulation on this mode. That said it was running at 60% relative output out to the 2:50:0) mark. 

 

UI

UI here is mostly simple as long as you remember you have to long press to turn on the light. Once on single presses will allow you to go up in the 4 modes. Long press to turn off. There is no memory modes and you always start at the bottom of the mode range. Which changing modes I did notice that I had to give it some time to go up the range, I couldn’t click fast or double press to go up the range faster. That’s a little annoying, I would love a double or triple click to turbo here. 

 

This is a revised UI than this light originally shipped with, and Royvon has yet to update their website to reflect this but I confirmed this with the company. 

 

When the power does get low you do get a red LED indicator that comes on, however this LED is normally covered with the top of the cap that covers the USB-C port. 

 

Recharging

Recharging is accomplished via USB-C onboard the light. It will charge via USB-C to C. To get to the charging port the tail cap must be unscrewed a bit. This is a little hard to do due the oring seal and the facto the pocket clip rotates fairly easily. Once open this will expose the port and charge status LED. When low on power (10% remaining) this light will remain red. When charging it a slow fading blue LED and when charged it’s solid blue. Total charge time on the internal 600mAh LiPo battery was 1:02:00. Max charge rate was .52A.

The light will work through all modes while charging but the button to turn the light on is hard to press, especially if you have larger fingers. 

 

Pro’s

  • Neutral white, high CRI emitter option is available. Nice choice with the Nicahia 219C LED.
  • Good deep carry pocket clip, I wish it didn’t rotate as easily and was a bit stiffer.
  • Affordable and available in a good variety of colors.

 

Con’s

  • Built in battery is non user replaceable. 
  • Takes slightly longer to turn on with the long press to on then I would like but it won’t come on accidentally this way.
  • The instructions talk about 2 modes on the later models like I have this has been eliminated for simplicity.

 

Conclusion

I like the Royvon Aurora A33 as a pen format sized light. It’s got the enthusiast in mind with a number of body colors and a neutral high CRI LED option. The Nichia 219C in 5000k is a great choice here for a number of tasks.

I like that it has onboard USB-C charging as well, it makes it convenient to charge and fairly quick. The UI here is good, not great, and I would say the same with the pocket clip, I would just like it to be a tad more secure.

Overall as long as you don’t mind the sealed battery I think this the best pen light I have reviewed in a few years. It’s affordable, has a choice of LED, and body color, good clip and just an overall well rounded package that I can recommend. 

Posted on

Olight Freyr Review (1750 Lumens + RGB LEDs, 21700)

Today I have a newer light from Olight, the Freyr, a do it all light with RGB LED’s from Olight. It comes with a traffic wand diffuser to help utilize that RGB LED feature. Thanks to Skyben for sending this to me, I will have a link to where you can pick it up from them in the description below. Now let’s get into the review.

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liquidretro/ 

Join the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidretroReviews/ 

Enjoy this review? Buy me a Coffee/Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Liquidretro

Pickup the Freyr from Skyben on Amazon at https://amzn.to/31Y5DFm

 

Packaging & Accessories

No surprises here, Olight again has one of best high quality packaging jobs in the production flashlight world. Here you have a nice magnetic closure box, with a detailed picture and stats on the back as well. 

 

Accessories include the Freyr, Customized Olight 21700 battery, MCC3A (Red inside) charger, Dual Direction pocket clip, Traffic cone, Belt Holster, and manual.

 

Construction

The Freyr take the rear tail cap and body tube from the Olight M2R Pro, and sticks a new larger head to allow for RGB LED’s and proximity sensor. The tail cap is magnetic with the tri-lug design and the tactical 2 stage button. This also servers as your attachment point for the MCC charger. The body features the rectangular shaped pyramids for a good amount of aggressive texture. It feels good in the bare hand or with gloves. The clip will attach at either end if you wish, although with the larger diameter head I am not sure you will want to use the clip much here.

The head is glued to the body tube here, and features the typical Olight electronic switch. It has a raised point in the center with a power level indicator in the middle. It has some very attractive twisted milling for style and heat dissipation too. There is a ring milled in to lock in the diffuser too which is nice. The blue anodized bezel is crenulated allowing light to leak out the front if on it’s face and turned on. The front optic/lens is one piece and plastic. More on the proxy sensor up front here later on. 

 

Retention

The light comes with a holster thats more rigid then what you typically see with most flashlights. It’s designed so  that the silicone diffuser/traffic wand sits point down in the holster and then the light inside it. If the light is put in the holster without the diffuser then it rattles and is not secure. The holster itself has a belt loop and dring behind. 

 

Size and Weight

I measured the length at 136.5mm, minimum diameter 26.72mm. Maximum diameter at 40.30mm. Weight of the light, and battery is 190.8g, and the traffic cone adds another 34.9g and 124mm in length. 

 

LED & Beam

Olight doesn’t specify exactly which LED is in this light, only that it’s 6500k. My guess by looking at it, that it’s a SST-40. Mine has a bit of green tinge on the lower outputs which isn’t uncommon. The white beam profile is a bit compromised by the 3 color emitters on the outside edge and the proximity sensor. The result for the white beam is a spill that’s more square then round. It’s noticeable at distances closer then 20ft. 

 

The RGB LED’s also produce beam profiles that are far from round, the bezel of the light shows in the beams as a hard cut off edge. I found this a bit annoying as it doesn’t point light where you expect it to, and that point of impact changes as you switch color. This is common with all lights that put colored LED’s around the edges. With the traffic cone diffuser installed you don’t notice it. In it’s default configuration the proximity sensor will trigger with the traffic wand installed in any of the white modes. Make sure to read my UI section for how to disable it since it’s pretty aggressive.

Official outputs for the white modes are 1750, 850, 300, 5  lumens. Red is rated for 30 lumens, Green for 60 lumens, 25 lumens for blue. In my opinion red is quite bright, it works great for the traffic wand but is too bright to preserve your night vision on it’s own. 

Heat & Runtime

I did my white runtime tests with the proximity sensor disabled. Turbo lasted for 2:30 seconds and the step down is to about 58% relative output. It maintains this fairly evenly for 2 hours before stepping down a few more times for a total output of 2:30:00. Max heat I saw during this was 50C and the light does appear to have active thermal regulation. I also tested the outputs of the 3 colored LED’s Blue ran for 12:06:00, Green for 13:35:00, and Red for an impressive 20:02:00. 

 

UI 

UI here is similar to other Olights but different with the addition of the RGB element of this light and the proximity sensor. First, the proximity sensor can be disabled via software, which I think you will want to do ASAP if you get this light.  If the light is on, click the front button 15 times quickly until the light shuts off. Don’t worry you can basically click away till it shuts off. This will disable the proxy sensor until you remove the battery. It’s just too active to use the light in it’s highest output.

You have the 2 stage tail switch from the M2R Pro, and other tactical Olights in this form factor. Quick press either in full or half will leave the light on, where as a long press in either mode will lock the light on in momentary. While the pressures switch from Other models of Olight fit and work here, this isn’t rated to mount on a weapon.

The front switch is used for the RGB modes and moonlight in for white. It has memory mode, if you long press from off you get moonlight mode, a quick press gives you the RGB options and if used recently it will start in the last color mode you used, if not it starts in red. Once on it will cycle through Red, Green, Blue stop on the one you want and begin using the light. 

 

Recharging

Recharging is other Olights with the MCC3A charging system, it’s very simple just plug the USB end into a 2A power source, and the other end will magnetically attach to the light to charge the 5000mAh 21700 customized Olight battery. Total charge time was 4:75:00. My graph isn’t complete due to the drops to zero that it does so I time these manually too. Max charge rate is 1.85A. 

 

Pro’s

  • I like the twist milling on the back of the head.
  • For me it’s a good size in the hand
  • Easy UI but a little different from Olights typical
  • You can disable the Proxy sensor via Software.

 

Con’s

  • RGB compromises the beam profile a bit
  • Proxy sensor is aggressive if left on.
  • No glass lens on top of the plastic
  • You must use the traffic cone in the holster if you want a secure fit.

 

Conclusion

The Olight Freyr was advertised as a do it all light, but I am not sure I agree. The RGB LED’s in the reflector kind of spoils the white beam’s profile for short range work, and it really compromises the colored outputs. You also don’t have many white modes here. For me it’s a bit of a compromised light in those regrades. While the traffic cone works well here, it’s an expensive light to get just for traffic use. If you were in law enforcement and needed that traffic cone, or a bright white light that  you didn’t need at lower powers this might fit that bill. 

 

But for general use, hunting/camping there are better options for a general purpose light. Red here is too bright to preserve night vision, green and blue could be useful for blood tracking though. White is cool white, not really surprising but overall the package is a little hard for me to recommend fully except for special use applications. That said I do like the look especially the milling on the head and I am thankful that proximity sensor can be disabled, and that is remembered as long as you leave the battery in the light. 

Posted on

Cyansky M3 Review (700 Lumens, Titanium, 16340, EDC)

Today I have Cyanskys Titanium M3 light. This is a new manufacture to the flashlight world and new to me. Thanks to them for sending this to me and being patient with how long it took me to review it. 

 

Watch this review on YouTube:

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liquidretro/ 

Join the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidretroReviews/ 

Enjoy this review? Buy me a Coffee/Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Liquidretro

 

Packaging & Accessories

Packaging here is a very small retail hanging box. It’s made of plastic and has a few stats on the outside and a clear window to see the light inside. Accessories include a 700mAh 16340 battery with microUSB charging on the cell, a microUSB charging cable, extra oring, and clip. Outside the box came a fairly traditional lanyard with some leather straps at the joints.

 

Construction

The light is made from titanium, the exact alloy is unknown, but it looks and feels of it. The finish is a fine bead blast and almost semi gloss as a result. The tail is flat, non magnetic and there are additional “required” laser engravings here. You have a spot for a small diameter through the lanyard here, which might be a good idea due to the size of the light. 

 

The clip on the light is designed to fit at the rear, for a head down carry. It’s the clip on type and is a pretty tight fit. The body section has different linear millings on it to add some texture and style. Thread on the body are square cut and have the slight grittyness/galling of titanium. The tight threads, and strong spring at the rear mean with the battery in it’s a little hard to get the threads started sometimes. 

 

The head looks like you could reverse the clip here but in practice it doesn’t work very well, due to the wrong angle of the clip. The head grows in size slightly with some very shallow fins and anti roll “rings”. The button here is nearly flush fitting and also titanium. It’s hard to find and makes no noise when pressed which makes it even harder to locate. The front bezel is thin in depth but thick in diameter. It spins freely but doesn’t seem to unscrew. 

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length at 50.85g, max diameter at 22mm, minimum diameter at 20.5mm. I measured the weight with the battery and clip installed at 49.1g. The light is rated for IP68 so not completely waterproof but good for 30 min of water at 1.5m. 

 

Retention

The light has 2 retention options, first is the push on clip, it’s designed to fit at the rear of the light. While it can rotate it’s a tight fit and will scratch the light. The clip allows for a very deep carry but amount of space at the top of the loop is too small for any material that I tried. 

 

The other option is to use the included lanyard at the rear of the light. This lanyard is a little more fancy than normal with a bit of leather on it and it didn’t fit in the box. 

 

LED & Beam

The M3 uses Cree XP-G3 LED with the S4 bin. It’s very cool white, and fairly harsh to my eyes. I would guess it’s about 6500-7000k. The orange peel reflector under the anti reflective coated lens, is actually pretty small, at about 9mm in diameter, and it’s decently deep. That said the beam is mostly flood, it has a semi large hot spot but it’s not very defined. Personally I prefer a TIR style optic in a light like this. 

 

As far as output Chansky claims 700 lumens, but comparing it to other lights I have I have my doubts about this. That’s confirmed by a few others reviewers. Mode spacing is decent but it lacks a firefly mode. Modes spacing is 5, 30, 150, 700.

 

I noticed no PWM to my eye or camera. On my oscilloscope there was a bit of sawtooths to the lower modes. Nothing to worry about. 

 

Heat & Runtime

I did all my runtime tests with the included 700mAh 16340 battery. When I tested the battery itself in my Vapcell S4 Plus charger that I reviewed last year it came in right at 704mAh which is great. The light will also run off a CR123A if you want, but expect less runtime. 

 

Overall effective runtime on this light in my tests was 1:05:00. LVP kicked in at the 2:15:00 mark at 3.13V. Turbo on this light steps down very quickly, at the 30 second mark, It’s able to maintain this after step down for most of it’s runtime thought. Max temp I saw was 54C at the 1hr mark. 

 

UI

The UI on this light is simple but a little different from many others. From off, to on you have to press and hold the button, and the light comes on in low. If you keep holding the light will go to strobe. Once on you have 4 modes, and at any time you can do a single press to go up modes. Long press will turn the light off. There is no memory modes or shortcuts. The biggest issue I have with the UI is finding the button, it is almost flush, and the same color when looking at it so it’s hard to feel and hard to see. 

 

Recharging

Recharging is accomplished on the included 700mAh battery via a built in MicroUSB port on the battery. The charging time here is pretty long at 2:09:00, and on the slow side at 0.34A. This is certainly on the safe and conservative side for a battery this size. The battery itself has LED’s on top like many cells with onboard charging, red when charging, green when charged. 

 

Pro’s

  • Titanium body with a nice fit and finish
  • Very small, and short size
  • Standard Battery

 

Con’s

  • Very cool white, floody beam
  • Button is hard to find, has no tactical feel, impossible to use with gloves.
  • Expensive list price

 

Conclusion

The Cyansky M3 is a good first attempt by the new company of an EDC style flashlight. While it’s expensive because of its titanium construction that also what caught my eye and why I wanted to take a look. The front lens assembly is a little different construction from what’s more commonly seen, and the result is a very floody beam. I personally prefer a TIR optic in this type small EDC light.

In a future light I do hope they improve the button locatability with maybe a button with some texture on it, add some additional space on the clip so that it fits better over more materials, and offer an LED that more neutral, maybe even high CRI even if it sacrifices overall output. 

 

Because of the well thought out UI, activation in the pocket isn’t an issue, it just takes a second to remember you have to press and hold to turn on, making it different from most other flashlight UI’s. 

 

Let me know in the comments below on your thoughts on ths Cyansky M3.

Posted on

Olight S1R Baton 3 Review (EDC Flashlight, Wireless Charging Case, Premium Edition)

Olight is launching an updated version of their popular Baton II with the launch of the Baton 3. While it’s the same size as before it’s slightly brighter in turbo mode, but the big difference is the inclusion of the portable Wireless charger. Olight did send this to me to help promote their flash sale on this new light and other goodies mentioned later that starts on March 18th at 8pm EST and runs through March 19th at 8pm EST. Do know that your support does help out my channel in the process. I will have details on the sale at the end of my review.

Watch this review on YouTube:

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liquidretro/ 

Join the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidretroReviews/ 

Enjoy this review? Buy me a Coffee/Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Liquidretro

 

Check out that Flash Sale on March 18 2021 starting at 8PM EST until March 19 at 8PM EST. https://bit.ly/OlightLiquidRetro

 

Get 10% off on non sale items with the code “LQ10”

 

Packaging & Accessories

It’s a mid to upper tier Olight product so the packaging is quite nice with a magnetic side closure box. Glossy photo (Fingerprint alert) of the light in the charging case instead of the light itself. The rear has a full description, feature list and spec chart. Inside it’s incased in a soft touch silicone/plastic bag, with the light being shipped inside it’s wireless charging box. Do note you have 2 plastic isolators that need removed before everything will work here, between the charging case and the light, and then inside the light between the battery and light. 

Accessories include the Baton 3 with a 550mAh Olight branded proprietary battery, Baton 3 Wireless Charger box, Color Coordinated USB-A to USB-C charging cable, Microfiber cleaning cloth, manual and other paperwork.

 

Construction

Let’s start with the new wireless charging case first, it’s made of a high quality plastic but the finish on the outside is special. It’s like a metalized two tone finish that in my case is red but with some gray undertones. It doesn’t photograph like it shows to the eye. On the outside you have the USB-C port without a cover, and a small LED to tell you the charging status that comes on when the lid is opened. Inside the there is a chamber for the Baton 3 to charge. At the bottom there is what looks to be the MCC charging system. Both the S1R Baton II and S1R Baton 3 fit and charge in this case with the clip on, but larger lights with 18650’s don’t fit due to the diameter.. More about performance in the charging section below. On the bottom of the case you have the specs listed and it says there is a 3500mAh 18650 inside but it will charge the Baton 3 3.7 times. Hmmm.

The light itself is the same size as the previous Baton 2, and similar in design. The biggest visual difference is the texture on the body has been changed from the pyramids to rectangles that are pyramid shaped. It’s the same texture that the Warrior Mini has. I like it, it’s on the aggressive side. My light here is aluminium and the red anodizing is really nice, and bright. The light has what I will call copper like accents on the bezel, around the switch and the clip finish. The bezel has engraved very lightly “1200 Lumens, CCT 6000-7000k”.

 

The tail is magnetic as before, but there is no longer a lanyard hole milled into the side of the light, and one isn’t included in the package as the previous model. The lens look to be the same TIR reflector as used in many Olights and made of plastic. 

Branding is a bit different between the two lights as well, mainly on the side that shows the model name. Gone is the stylish branding and instead it’s been replaced with a minimal branding that larger model name. I’m not a huge fan of this change.

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length of the light at 63mm, and the diameter of the body at 21mm. Weight with the body was 52.4g. The light is IPX8 water rated. Here are few pictures showing the light with the S1R Baton II so you can get an idea of the size. 

 

The case measured at 84mm high, 62mm wide, and 30mm thick. Weight with the light inside is 166.7g.

 

Retention

The S1R Baton 3 is designed with pocket EDC use in mind. The Clip has been updated a bit from the previous model. It’s still dual direction, but they have added a small additional contact patch along the body so that it makes more contact with your pocket material which I think is nice to help it lock into your pocket. The other difference I noticed is it only has one hole in the front and not in the top as well for a lanyard. 

The wireless charging case does fit into a front jeans pocket ok, but it’s very noticeable and larger than I want to carry that way. I think it’s a much better fit as something to put in a bag, coat pocket or purse. 

LED & Beamshots

Olight doesn’t say which LED is being used here, and it’s hard to see with the TIR reflector. The previous light used a Cree XPL-2 and this looks similar I think it’s an SST-20. Olight only gives a range on the tint, here between 6000-7000k and no CRI data but it’s safe to say it’s not higher then 70 CRI. The tint is slightly warmer then my S1R2 that says it’s 6500k so maybe I got lucky and have something more along 6000k. Mine has an ever so slight green tinge to it at lower powers, at higher powers it’s more cool white. It’s not my favorite tint but works for general use.

 

The beam is very similar to the S1R2 but on my S1R Baton 3 it’s a little tighter and more intense. You can see this in the candela rating that increased from 5250 to 6889 candea. In the real world that means it throws a little further, about 26 meters further according to the data.

 

S1R Baton II 

 

S1R Baton 3

 

S1R Baton 3 S1R Baton II
Moon 0.5 Lumens 0.5 Lumens
Low 12 Lumens 12 Lumens
Medium 60 Lumens 60 Lumens
High 300 Lumens 600 Lumens
Turbo 1200 Lumens 1000 Lumens

 

Heat & Runtime

One of the changes on the Baton 3 in terms of output is that while Turbo has increased by 200 lumens to 1200, high mode has been decreased from 600 to 300. My guess is this was done to increase the effective runtime on the same size battery. Mode spacing between all 3 modes are good, here and you always have Turbo’s 1200 lumens for more light if needed. 

 

Turbo runtime seems to be timed on this light with turbo stepping down at the 1:30 mark to about 22% relative output. Thats 1200 lumens to 300 lumens. It holds this for 1:22:00 though which is pretty good, with total runtime being just shy of 1:30:00. Max heat I saw during this was 36C, so just warm to the touch. I will insert some graphs that show this and compare between lights. LVP kicked in at 2.97V.

 

UI

The S1R Baton 3 has the standard Olight UI many of us have come to know, and I like with the slower fades from off/on and between modes. From off, long press to activate moonlight mode at 0.5 lumens. To turn on in normal modes single click the switch, to change brightness level hold the button and the light will cycle through the 4 available modes lowest to highest. Double click to access turbo. Triple click to access strobe. The light also features memory mode for normal modes. 

 

Lockout can be accomplished when the light is off by pressing and holding the switch for 2 seconds until moonlight mode comes on and immediately shuts off. If you then press the button the red LED under the power button will come on to let you know your in lockout mode. To exit lockout press the button for about 1 second until moonlight mode stays on. Personally I will just give the body of the light a ¼ turn to mechanically lock it out.

 

Recharging

The big difference here with the Baton 3 is the portable wireless charger that this light in the premium configuration comes with. Olights official stats list it has having a 3500mAh 18650 battery inside, allowing you to recharge the 550mAh battery 3.7 times. 

Now I tested this and it’s accuratish, which leads me to believe the internal charging circuit isn’t the most efficient thing. The case charges via USB-C and it includes a nice USB-A to C cable with colored ends to match your case and light. It will charge via USB-C to C or via USB-C PD but you won’t see a speed increase here. Maximum charge rate was 2A, and total charge time is 1:50:00. Total energy capacity was measured with the charge at 2.86Ah. Unfortunately you can’t use the case to charge your phone which I think was a bit short sighted in it’s design. This would be a killer feature on a future version. When fully charged the cell measured 4.19V.

The wireless charging case takes about 45 minutes to charge the S1R Baton 3, and can charge the S1R Baton II as well. The premium edition of the light bundle doesn’t include a MCC charging cable that we are used to seeing on other Olights, but the standard version does. It has no problem charging either version of the light. 

 

Pro’s

  • Color options from the launch! (Red, Blue, Black)
  • Wireless Recharging box uses USB-C
  • Improved pocket retention on the clip.
  • Slightly brighter, more intense beam.

 

Con’s

  • Limited edition Blue color costs extra
  • Cool white tint only, with a bit of green in lower powers. 
  • MCC charging cable is only available with the standard version.
  • Blue costs extra and is a more limited edition, lame. 

 

Sale Details

 

Here are the sale details I mentioned I would say  https://bit.ly/OlightLiquidRetro

  1. Baton 3 Standard Edition Black/Red, 25% OFF, $48.71 (MSRP: $64.95)

    Bundle: Baton 3 Standard Edition Black + Baton 3 Standard Edition Red, 35% OFF,$84.44?MSRP: $129.90?

   

  1. Baton 3 Premium Edition Black/Red, 35% OFF, $64.97 (MSRP: $99.95)

    Bundle: Baton 3 Premium Edition Black/Red + i3T EOS Brass, 35% OFF, $84.44 (MSRP: $129.90)

 

  1. Baton3 Premium Edition Blue(Limited Edition), 35% OFF, $71.47 (MSRP: $109.95)

    Bundle: Baton 3 Premium Edition Blue + i3T EOS Brass, 35% OFF,$90.94 (MSRP: $139.90)

 

  1. Free Tiers: https://bit.ly/OlightLiquidRetro

1) Over $129 get a FREE i3T Desert Tan (MAP: $21.95) 

2) Over $229 get a FREE M1T Plus DT (MAP: $59.95) 

3) Over $329 get a FREE Seeker 2 (MAP: $109.95) 

 

Conclusion

So what are my thoughts on the new S1R Baton 3 Premium edition. First the light is a pretty small set of changes, many of which boil down to personal preferences like the body texture, and output spacing between the S1R Baton II and S1R Baton 3. I do think the new clip is a small upgrade, and I don’t miss the lack of lanyard attachment point on the base of the light. I do think the change in battery direction is a little strange. 

The LED change is ok, by my book I think the tin on might is slightly warmer than my Baton II. The beam differences are noticeable and I think an improvement. Both are a good beam pattern for EDC and overly useful. I will say it again, Olight does TIR right in my opinion on a light this size.

Now let’s talk about that wireless charging case on the premium edition. It’s a little larger and bulkier than I would have hoped for only 3.7 charges. I like that it’s USB-C input but wish they would have allowed it to charge a smartphone too. Maybe we will see that on a future version that’s larger for the S2R Baton 3? 

Case charging isn’t going to be for everyone, in every application but when you want simplicity, not another wire, or just to store in a bag , or purse and always have it ready to go, this does it well. Imagine only taking 1 light on a carry on bag on a short business trip, and not needing a charger, power adapter, additional wires etc, that you might have with a light using a conventional 18650 and a light without onboard charging. I like the wireless charger here but realize it’s not for everyone. Thankfully Olight recognizes this and sells the bundle with the light or just the light and normal MCC charging cable for those that want it too. 

If you think the Baton 3 is for you don’t forget to check out the sale links below. I do have a discount code good for 10% off any non sale items too.

Get 10% off on non sale items with the code “LQ10”

Posted on

Thrunite Catapult V6 SST70 Review & Comparison (2836 Lumens, USB-C, 26650)

Today I have the newest Thrunite Catapult V6 with an interesting LED choice, the SST70 LED. Other updates include USB-C charging and it’s slightly longer in length. Thanks to Thrunite for sending this to me as well as providing a discount code which will be in the description below. Let’s get into that review.

Watch this review on YouTube: 

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liquidretro/ 

Join the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidretroReviews/ 

Enjoy this review? Buy me a Coffee/Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Liquidretro

 

Pickup the Catapult V6 SST70 at https://amzn.to/3kYpBIL

Get 10% off with the coupon code catapultv6 until 3/13/2021 11:59pm PST.

 

Packaging & Accessories

Packaging is like similar Thrunite products I have reviewed, it comes in a sturdy brown paper box with minimal information on the outside with only the company name, address, model number and LED designator. In my case it was hand checked Cool White. Inside the light was encased in egg crate foam. Accessory wise the light includes a Thrunite branded 5000mAh button top 26650 battery,  2 extra Orings, an extra USB cover, extra inner button rubber, split ring, Thrunite branded Lanyard with split ring, a Holster, a USB-A to C charging cable and a holster. 

 

Construction

Construction of the Catapult V6 is on par with other recent Thrunite lights I have looked at such as the T2. It’s made of nicely machined aluminum and anodized in a black hard semi gloss coating. The tail caps on the Catapult V6 and TC20 look similar. Both are non magnetic and allow the light to tail stand. Each has a small hole for the included lanyard. Its one area where some will want a larger hole for paracord. There isn’t any knurling on the tail cap but I was able to get it off easily. Threads are square cut and lightly lubricated along with an Oring.

The body tube has a large diamond pattern milled around it. This is less deeply milled then the original V6 I have, and that’s not an improvement in my opinion. I prefer the deeper more grippy milling. The body tube is directional but doesn’t have any polarity markings on it for the battery. This light does come into 3 pieces the tail cap, body tube, and head. 

The head is fairly large. The light has a flat aluminum bezel that can be unscrewed with considerable effort according to others on budget light forums. The lens is large and anti reflective coated glass. The reflector is smooth and deep with the LED nicely centered on a large white PCB. It’s a slightly different reflector than what the original V6 had. The head has minimal milled out areas and is slightly shorter then the original V6.

The button is metal feeling and has a hole for an indicator LED underneath for charging status. It’s an electric switch and requires medium effort to use.The PSB charging port cover is the same as the previous V6, but the port inside is different. 

 

Size and Weight

I measured the length of the new Catapult at 137.3mm in length, 33mm on the body and 58mm at the head. Weight with the battery is 303.2g. 

In comparison to the old V6 Catapult the new light is 19.3g heavier, and 6.3mm longer. Diameters are the same. 

 

Retention

The new Catapult V6 comes with the same holster as before. It’s a pretty good holster, with minimal padding and a small Thrunite branding sewn in. It has a fixed belt strap on the back and Dring. 

 

Here is what it looks like in my hand as well.

 

LED & Beam

The previous V6 model of the Thrunite Catapult used the Cree XHP35 HI LED, but Cree discontinued this LED in the first half of 2020, in favor of the XHP35.2 LED series. Instead of going with this LED, Thrunite has chosen to go with the SST70 LED. On paper this is a little of an odd choice on a thrower style light. The SST70 is a domed LED which usually are usually better for more floody applications. So let’s see how it works here. 

 

The SST70 is in cool white only at the moment, but to my eye it’s not an obnoxiously cold cool white. Officially lumens are up, from 1700 in Turbo to 2836 on the new model. In practice this is kind of hard to see I notice it more in the spill with it being more intense then the older light. Candela is down from 140,650cd to 120,000cd and this is hard to see as well. The biggest difference is the hot spot size between the two lights. The new catapults hotspot is slightly larger when I compare the two. There is no PWM visible to the eye here, but my oscilloscope did detect a little bit in low mode only.

 

Heat & Runtime

Turbo on this light appears to have a timed step down at the 3 minute mark, where it steps down to 50% relative output for the next 30 minutes before stepping down to about 45% for most of the remaining 1:28:00 before rounding off and shutting off with LVP at 3.034V. Max heat I saw was at 26 minutes at 50.5C. 

When I compared this to the previous model Catapult V6 with the Cree XHP35 HI I can say the SST70 while making more light is a bit less efficient. They both have the same timed turbo step down at 3 minutes, while the previous model is able to sustain this a little better but remember it’s producing a bit less light. The result is about 30 minutes more runtime with the previous model and during this it’s producing a higher percentage of relative output, but keep in mind the new model light produces more light in all modes, so it’s actually brighter. 

 

UI

UI is clear and simple to follow. From off a short press starts the light off in low, and short presses will cycle up in modes to medium and high. When the light is on in any mode double click to shortcut to turbo, double click again takes you to strobe. To access firefly long press from off. The light also has memory and will turn on in the last mode accessed except for firefly, turbo and strobe modes. This is unchanged from the previous model.

 

Recharging

The 2021 Catapult V6 has onboard recharging via USB-C which is nice to see. However it requires the use of a USB-A to USB-C cable (included). I did not have any luck with this light charging via USB-C to C cable or via USB-C PD. 

The total charge time from LVP at 3.034V to fully charged at 4.158V took 3:04:09 of the included 5000mAh 26650 battery. Max charge rate I saw was near 2A. The curve does look a little atypical, with a sudden drop to lower charging point as the battery reaches a certain capacity. 

 

Pro’s

  • A bit more general purpose with the increased spill and more lumens then the outgoing model
  • Good build quality from Thrunite
  • Complete packaged light.

 

Con’s

  • Only available with cool white right now.
  • A bit longer and heavier then the previous design
  • Milling in the body isn’t as deep or grippy.
  • USB-C charging requires a A to C cable, C to C or PD doesn’t work.

 

Conclusion

I am not ready to call the Catapult V6 SST70 an all new light. It’s largely the same light as the original V6 but with a different LED and other small tweaks to better optimize the design for this new LED, as well as update the light to USB-C charging while they are at it. 

 

As I mentioned before the LED that was being used in the C6 Catapult was discontinued and the SST70 was chosen in its place. I do commend Thrunite for doing a good job at optimizing the design with a slightly different reflector, slightly longer head design to adapt an LED that traditionally isn’t used for a thrower to a thrower light. The result is pretty close to the old V6 design in terms of throwing performance in the real world even though it doesn’t test quite as well via official numbers. The new light does have a bit more spill and slightly less throw distance but it’s not enough to really notice in my tests. Mode spacing could be a little closer in the lower modes but I have certainly seen worse. 

The Catapult V6 has been a permanent member of my collection and gets used a decent amount because I like the size, feel in my hand and performance despite being cool white. The revised model I reviewed here retains most of that despite growing in length slight and having a less aggressive milling on the body. The increase in lumens isn’t drastic but the increase in spill is kind of nice when using for general purpose tasks. If you don’t have a Catapult V6 in you collection I can recommend whichever model you can get you hands on.

Don’t forget Thrunite has offered an additional 10% discount for about a week after this video is published and you can find that in the description below as well as links to my Social Media profiles. 

 

Pickup the Catapult V6 SST70 at https://amzn.to/3kYpBIL

Get 10% off with the coupon code catapultv6 until 3/13/2021 11:59pm PST.

Posted on

Soundcore Trance Review (80W of peak power)

 

Get the Soundcore Motion Trance at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YDF1WQ7?maas=maas_adg_api_8014460300101_static_12_26&ref_=aa_maas&aa_campaignid=soundcore_speaker_trance_liquidretro-B07YDF1WQ7-inf&aa_adgroupid=youtube_&aa_creativeid=US-ZMAa7czQP-?tag=liquidretro0a-20

Posted on

Vero Axon Review

Today I have a knife review for you of the Vero Engineering Axon. This is a knife I preordered, and have been waiting since August 2020 for. I have had it for about 2 weeks now and been carrying it most days during that time. This is going to be a bit of a long review so settle in and enjoy.

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liquidretro/ 

Join the Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LiquidretroReviews/ 

Enjoy this review? Buy me a Coffee/Beer: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Liquidretro

 

Who is Vero

Vero Engineering is one of the hot new knife designers of 2020. Joseph Vero has a background as a mechanical engineer and was working in the drone industry in a professional setting. Vero Engineering started as a hobby with some CAD sketches but with it’s growth, it has allowed him and his wife to work on Vero Engineering full time which I think is an accomplishment in itself, especially with everything that happened last year economically. The Axon is his 3rd knife design. All knives are made by Bestech in China, to Vero’s tolerances and standards.

https://veroengineering.com/

 

Packaging & Specs

The knife comes in a zippered taco pouch with padding. You get a Vero branded microfiber cloth that the knife is wrapped in, as well as an identification card with the specifications of your specific knife on it too. The case has a cool velcro embroidered patch with the Axon on it. The background is green which is perfect for me.

 

Specs & Size Comparison

      • Overall Length: 8″
      • Weight: 3.67oz
      • Blade Length: 3.4″
      • Cutting Edge: 3.25″
      • Blade Thickness: 0.135″
      • Blade Material: M390
      • Blade Style: Sheepsfoot
      • Blade Grind: Full Flat
      • Finish: Hand Rubbed/ Hand Belt Satin/ Stonewashed
      • Lock: Titanium Nested Liner Lock w/ Steel Lockbar Insert
      •     Handle: Micarta/ G10/ End Cut Carbon Fiber

The Good

I had high expectations for this knife as the hype was real and it was the most expensive knife to date, that I have purchased. Fit and finish wise it didn’t let me down. I have the black micarta configuration here that’s unoiled which I am really enjoying so far, and the belt satin grind on the blade. Centering was perfect and there is absolutely no blade play which is saying something with how well the action works here.

The grinds on the M390 sheepsfoot blade are all symmetrical and pretty intricate, you have the belt grind on the blade, then the flat is going in a different, contrasting direction, then an upper faeit, again, is ground like the blade. The edges where you’re going to be touching on the spine have a nice chamfer and these get slightly less and less as you go towards the tip. To the point of there are sharp edges on the sheeps foot but no burr. Then the rectangular ‘V-spot” (Which has what the Vero community on Facebook has named it) notches in the blade are bead blasted inside which is a nice touch and some added contrast.

I am a fan of the sheepsfoot blade, it’s slicing machine, everything from opening boxes, breaking down cardboard and more. The blades “belly” is flat in the warrencliff style and gives you a lot of cutting surface and it should be easy to sharpen on a normal stone or other sharpening systems when it’s time to do so, and there is a small sharpening choil to help with that as well. It’s not your best piercing blade shape but the only time I miss that in my EDC use is to open envelopes under the flap and that still works for that task. It’s a nice touch that every knife does have a hidden serial number at the base of blade near where it locks up. There is jimping on the spine of the knife just where you need it to help with deployment and no more.

 

Weight

When I first picked up this knife out of the package the weight was the first thing to hit me. It was lighter than I expected for the size. My scale says 3.67oz and this is thanks to the extensively milled titanium liners, backspacer, and clip. For the size of the blade this is fairly light weight while still feeling solid in your hand. For me it works well.

 

Action

The knife runs on ceramic bearings inside brass races which makes for a super smooth action. This is the factory action, I haven’t taken it apart, added oil, or messed with the pivot tightness at all. There is no grit or break-in needed here. There are multiple deployment methods which I will talk about in a minute. The knife does have a detent ramp, which makes it feel even smoother, while still having a knife that won’t fall open. That said if I flick it hard with my entire arm or shake it violently in my hand, I can get it to come open on its own. Lockup on my knife is about 40% and there is a steel insert on the titanium nested lockbar, so no lock stick concerns.

 

The closing action is great too, it’s so close to being drop shut that I think after a bit more use or a cleaning the first time; it will be. All it takes now is a slight jiggle to drop shut in a controlled manner. The sharpening choil is also sized just right so the blade will drop on your thumbnail which is nice considering how free flowing it is.

 

Deployment Methods

There are multiple deployment methods with the Vero Axon. It’s designed as a front flipper, with the jimping on the spine allowing you to roll your thumb over it to open if you want. You can also use your index finger to kind of light switch it from the front side. I can’t do this myself one handed, but you might have better luck with larger hands or longer fingers. Other options are using what the Vero Facebook group has called the “V-spot”, which are the rectangular reliefs on each side of the blade as a Spydie hole of sorts, it works well and since they are on each side you can easily middle flick it from the underside too.

 

Material choices

Another thing I really like is the wide selection of materials that Vero is offering on most of his knives but especially the Axon. At preorder your you had 3 blade finish options on the M390 Steel (Tumbled, Belt Satin, Hand sanded hand satin), 2 colors of unoiled Micarta, a Red G10, and an end-cut carbon fiber. Since then, he has offered, or teased, that DLC will be an option for the blade, clip and body, brass scales have been offered as well. Bacon Damascus has been talked about for the blade here too. I wouldn’t be surprised if you see Timascus back spacers or clips offered eventually as it’s an option on most of his other designs. With that wide selection of options, it feels more like a custom knife then a production model. It’s also been said that Joseph is going to have scales available for purchase after all the preorders ship too so you can swap out colors. I am thinking I may have to pick up end cut Carbon Fiber or the Red G10.

I like that all of the scale materials options ship unoiled too, so you can let the knife either take on your own patina as you use it or oil it if you prefer. The micarta I have ads a nice grip without being too grippy. Blade steel here of M390 is a great choice for this price range.

 

The Not So Good

One of the areas I think there is room for improvement in future generations of the Axon is access to the nested lockbar when you disengage the blade. It’s a little tight and hard to access, I have to press my thumb pretty hard into the knife and then over to get it to move. If you had larger fingers, I think this would be even more difficult. I think possibly changing the relief angle or even amount on the opposite scale to open that area up ever so slightly would improve the user experience when closing the knife.

 

Screws

One of the reasons the Axon was slightly delayed was the screws. They were changed in the late stages from T6 on the prototype to T8 on the production models to make the design a little more robust for owners who plan on swapping screws. All the screws and the pivot are stainless steel, and the screws are a bright polished finish. On my knife the screws were a little inconsistent in their depth – which is something that isn’t an uncommon problem in the industry on popular designs. I tightened them which helped slightly but I still have one in the rear that sticks up a little higher and isn’t perfectly flush with the scale. This seems to not be a widespread issue based on other owners I have chatted with and it’s pretty minor.

 

Clip

I feel a little bad listing the clip as a not so good on this one because it’s a good clip but let me explain a few small issues I have with it if I am really nitpicking. The clip is mounted internally using hidden hardware and is solid titanium. It is mounted for right hand carry only, and is not reversible. It’s deep carry but not ultra deep carry, about 10mm of the knife will stick out of your pocket. Tension is good, with a few pairs of pants I have tried, my issues comes with the amount of relief that’s in the clip. Depending on the pants you’re wearing you may have to either pry up on the clip slightly or hold your pocket to keep from bunching up when carrying the knife. This is still better than a clip being too loose in my opinion and it’s easy to get used to.

Ergonomics in my hand are decent, this kind of goes back to the clip which is why I am putting it here, but the bottom of the clip where it flares out is a bit of a hot spot in my hand if I grip the knife really tightly in a normal way. If I choke up, or slide back a bit so the flare of the clip fits between my fingers instead of my palm it feels better. I do like how the body slightly tapers as you reach the clip. It helps the knife feel slimmer. 

 

The Ugly

There isn’t a lot to say here about the Axon, but the availability of any of Vero Engineering designs is a bit of a negative. They sell out in 2 to 3 minutes tops, everything from the various knife designs to the prybars, he just can’t keep them in stock. The result is they are hard to get, and even the secondary market is hot if things do pop up. This isn’t new to other knife manufacturers, or things in the EDC world but just a little frustrating if you’re a fan trying to get one.

 

The other thing is the time it took to get my Axon. I ordered in August, and it showed up late January. 5 Months is a long time for a preorder for a production knife, I knew it was going to be a while, but I didn’t quite expect it to be this long, and I was even in the first wave. Not everyone who did that preorder the same day I did has their knives just yet.

 

Conclusion

I am really happy with my purchase of the Vero Axon. I was worried after waiting for months and seeing the continual hype that it wouldn’t live up to what I built up in my head but for me that’s not been the case. I see holding onto this one for quite a while and it being a staple in my EDC rotation.

I think this is about as close as you can come to a “Custom” knife but with high end production level prices. Production location doesn’t matter to me, as long as the quality is there and for me Vero and Bestech achieved that. This is a really nice design that’s been well executed. Should you have the issue Vero Engineering is easy to get a hold of. They have an active social media presence too, with live streams of updates on preorders, upcoming models and more. That’s one thing I always like to see when paying for a higher end EDC item is that the maker is accessible not only for service but I think it helps create a community feel and draws at least me more into the brand.

So, let me know in the comments if you have been able to pick-up any of the Vero Engineering knives and what you think of the Axon.

Full Image Gallery https://imgur.com/a/tvSAd5T