Tag: EDC Flashlight

Posted on

Wuben X3 Review (Wireless Charing, LH351D, GITD)

The Wuben X3 Lightok is the latest new product from Wuben, it’s the 3rd and smallest in the X series of side by side lights from Wuben, but this one brings quite a few different features we have not seen on the others. First is the rotating head to convert from straight on to 90 degrees, both red and white LED’s, and LCD Display, Wireless charging, and a charging case. There is lots to go into detail on this one to explain everything.

Wuben did send this to me to promote the X3’s launch on Kickstarter which is live now. Links will be in the description below to where you can learn more. Supporting the Kickstarter will help support my channel here too. All that said these are my unbias views and opinions on the light and not influenced by Wuben’s decision to send me the X3 in advance of the campaign. 

Back the Wuben X3 on Kickstarter at https://bit.ly/LR-X3

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Packaging & Accessories

With my preproduction sample, I didn’t receive the final packaging or accessories. Mine came with the charging case, the flashlight itself with the clip preinstalled, and Wuben’s combination lanyard and USB-C charging cable that’s nifty. The manual I received is the first revision and a bit rough on the translation in some places, word choice is odd, and there are some phrasing head-scratchers. I do expect this to be fixed in the final version.

 

Construction & Design

Lots of things to talk about on the X3. First, let’s start with the light itself. The head module is made of aluminum and anodized in black in my example. The body in my example is made from hard plastic, which is semi-transparent and glows in the dark. Wuben has said there will be 4 different colors offered, black, white, camouflage green, and a gradient ramp blue similar to what they have done on other X series lights. It unclear if that will be just the head or body color differences and if there may be different materials chosen for the body. The campaign will have pictures to explain that for sure.

The head features two LEDs (White on the left, Red on the right), both LEDs sit behind TIR optics, and a single-piece plastic lens held in place with an aluminum bezel. On the top, you have a small LCD screen on the left, and the UI button on the right which has a nice milled circular texture on it. The head itself rotates clockwise when converting from a right-angle light to a straight-on one. There are only detents at the beginning and end. 

The body of the light in my example is made of semi-transparent glow-in-the-dark plastic. On the front, you can see the coil that allows it to charge wirelessly. On the back you have a spring steel clip that’s attached to the light that I will talk more about later and at the bottom there are 2 magnets that hold the light up well. The sides are smooth with some angular relief cuts that seem to fit my hand reasonably well. The light can head or tail stand without issue, it’s a rectangle.

The next piece is the recharging case. This is made of soft-touch plastic that seems to show most marks and fingerprints pretty easily. There is a clear diffused piece of plastic that is hinged and when in the up position the light slides in to charge or for storage. This diffuser combined with the rotating head allows the light to act like a lantern if you want it to. It’s a nice bonus for what is otherwise the charging case. The front of the case contains a little rubber door that covers the USB-C charging port for the internal battery in the case, and the button to control the case.

 

User Interface

The user interface of the light is reasonably simple, especially the small LCD Screen next to the button. From off a quick press puts your into the main white LED modes, starting with the mode used last (excluding turbo) so it does have memory. Once on long pressing the button allows you to change the 3 main white modes. Double pressing goes to Turbo. Triple pressing at any time takes you to white SOS. 

The light also has a red LED thats pretty easy to activate. From Off, long press to go to red, this also has memory mode and strobe inside its 3 mode options, which I’m not a huge fan of myself. Similarly long pressing once already on in red, allows you to change to the other two red modes. Once the light is completely off, the light will go back to white with just a quick press. One interesting note is that you can use the case to make either the red or the white light a lantern. 

 

Retention

The retention option on the light itself is the spring steel clip that’s screwed onto the back of the light. It’s made of pretty sturdy steel and is quite stiff. I would say too stiff as it took two hands to put it onto some overalls or the pocket of some jeans. It’s attached so that it’s a heads up carry. Not great for putting in your pocket to conceal in an EDC manner, but makes sense to use it more as a right angle light. 

The case has a slot in the back for attaching the included dual-purpose lanyard and charging cable. It’s a pretty neat design with a cable holder for lack of a better word captures the USB-C ends and the cable portion is more of a ribbon material with a handy metric ruler on it.

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length of the light at 70.35mm, the width at 35.05mm and the depth at 19.77mm. The weight of just the light with the clip is 62.7g or 2.21oz. With the case but without the lanyard it comes to 5.87oz or 166.4g. The size of the case is 85.4mm x 47mm x 39.7mm. The light is IPX 65 water-rated and drop resistant for 1 meter. No water or drop rating is given for the case. Here are a few photos of the X3 next to it’s other X series lights and my Wurkkos FC11 reference light.

 

LED & Beam

The Wuben X3 is using the Samsung LH351D emitter in a neutral 5000k tint. On my Opple meter, I measured 4895k at 94.5Ra (CRI), so not only is it neutral but it’s high CRI as well. The DUV was very neutral with no color tinges like you sometimes get with the LH351D’s. For me personally, this is a nice choice of emitter and tint.No specific LED was mentioned for the red LED’s here. There is PWM found here but it’s quick.

The beam pattern is a fuzzy tight hotspot with a minimal amount of spill, I think the fuzzyness is due to the TIR reflector that’s being used here and I don’t really notice it until you are showing the light on a flat uniform surface like a wall or ceiling.

 

Outputs

A note on outputs, that things in general underperformed Wuben’s initial claims. With Turbo lasting less than 30 seconds in my multiple tests, if I followed the FL1 standard of taking a reading after 30 seconds, the claims here should be more like 175 lumens instead of the 700 claimed or the 515 lumens measured at initial power on. The rest of the modes were within a reasonable margin of error for me, and red actually was more than claimed.

 

Heat & Runtimes

For my heat and runtimes, I took measurements with my TexasAce Lumentube. Starting in Turbo the light stepped down very quickly right at 30 seconds, this is disappointing along with the output numbers being less than claimed on my preproduction model. This isn’t heat related as the heat barely changed during this time. Max heat was 63C at the 18-minute mark. There isn’t a ton of room to dissipate heat here with the smaller aluminum head. The light was able to sustain between 100-180 lumens then for 90 minutes, in High outputs were slightly lower and runtimes were only 2-3 minutes longer. In Medium the light ran for about 4:30:00 at a very stable 75 lumens or so. 

 

Recharging

Recharging of the X3 flashlight itself can only be done wirelessly. Luckily it seems to use the Qi charging standard so not only can you use the case the light comes with but many other charging pads seem to work in my experience. I have a 5W Samsung charging pad here that I used, and doing that the light took just shy of 2 hours to charge.

Internally the light itself has a lithium polymer battery thats 1000mAh in size. Charging this via the case took about 2:46:00. I measured this by using the case with a full charge, plugging in the light and then plugging in the case to AC power, so in theory the power being consumed was for charging the light. This is a fairly slow charging speed for a small battery, but we need to keep in mind wireless charging isn’t super efficient, just convenient. 

The case also contains it’s own 3000mAh battery. In my testing, I found that I could charge the X3 from LVP to full about 1.7 times before it’s internal capacity was full. I tested charging just the internal battery in the case from zero to full and that took 2.5 hours. The case did seem to always draw a small amount of power when it indicated it was full regardless of how many hours you left it in. 

 

Conclusion

When I first read about the X3 I thought it was a little bit of a gimmick, but once I got it in my hand and started using it, it grew on me quickly. It’s a useful feature set for what it is. I like the dual emitter colors, especially in this side-by-side format, it works well. The rotating head here works really well, so not only is it a light you can clip onto a vest or pack strap, but you can use it more like a conventional flashlight too. It’s a good LED and tint option in my opinion here too being neutral and high CRI.

The LED screen here is functional by telling you the mode, number of lumens and power level indicator. The only thing I wish it did was estimate the remaining runtime at this power mode. That’s something NItecore has been doing on their lights with screens that are useful rather than a graphic showing the battery level that isn’t very precise.

The glow-in-the-dark body in this example and the internal LED that comes on when it’s charging creates a neat glowing effect. The magnets in the bottom are strong and functional too. The wireless charging works well but is kind of slow. At first, I was against the idea but found it rather convenient that you could charge in the case or in most places I could charge my smartphone. I could even do wireless powersharing from my smartphone if I wanted. I can’t think of really any other flashlights I have used that charge via Qi. 

This isn’t something I will probably EDC In my front jeans pocket like I do smaller round lights due to it’s size and harder angles, and not being deep carry at all. For me, it’s probably more of a back pocket or elsewhere in my bag type of light. I have been finding it something I grab when I need to go look at something in the basement or at night quickly because I like how it feels in my hand. I’m a little disappointed that the output here for me isn’t what’s claimed, and it’s off by a decent margin. Not sure why there is such a large difference but I know other reviewers have had similar experiences. Wuben either needs to address this or adjust its claims to match outputs that are closer to reality. Overall a fun light I can recommend, especially if you have some of the other X series of lights and like them, just be aware turbo output may be underwhelming.. I will have links below in the description to where you can find the Kickstarter on this one or if your watching after the Kickstarter is over where you can pick up the light now.

Back the Wuben X3 on Kickstarter at https://bit.ly/LR-X3

Posted on

Thrunite – TC20 Pro Review (3294 Lumens, 350 meters throw, USB-C, 20%)

Today I am looking at the Thrunite TC20 Pro. This is an updated version of the TC20 V2 that I looked at in the past, and the main difference is that the Pro is using a Cree XHP 70 HI LED and smooth reflector. As a part of this review, I will be comparing it to the Fenix PD36R Pro during my night shots section later on. Thanks to Thrunite for sending this to me to look at and offer an unbias review. Any discounts or deals I have for the TC20 Pro will be in the description below along with links to my social media accounts that I encourage you to go and follow. 

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Get the Thrunite TC20 Pro at https://amzn.to/3mU8U6g amd save 20% using code 47C8HFMW through midnight PDT 3/26/23

 

Packaging & Accessories

Standard Thrunite brown cardboard box here with the elastic band, I would call it functional minimalism. Inside is the entire kit with almost everything you need to maintain and use the light for years. You get the light itself, a 5000mAh 26650 Thrunite battery, nylon holster, USB-A to C charging cable, lanyard, a bag of extras including o’rings, button seal, USB port cover, and split ring, a manual, and warranty card.

 

Construction

Visually and construction-wise, the TC20 Pro is pretty much identical to the TC20 V2, with the main differences being the LED and Lens combination. The light is made from Aluminum and hard anodized black. Build quality is always good from Thrunite and this is no exception. The tail cap provides a flat surface that allows for tail standing and has a lanyard hole. The cap is removable and non-magnetic. Inside there is a stout spring on the tail end only.

The body tube has milled blocks in an almost frag pattern for grip. The corners are well-chamfered though so it’s not too aggressive. Square threads on both ends are anodized, smooth, and nonreversible.

The head features the standard Thrunite electronic switch with a metal button on top, and a small battery indicator LED in the middle. Directly opposite the button is the USB-C charging port that’s covered via a silicone rubber flap. It’s decent fitting and does stay out of the way. The light has moderate milling at the top for heat dissipation and weight reduction. The bezel is flat. The lens is AR coated and the reflector is smooth.

 

UI

UI here is Thrunite’s standard. Single press to turn on, long press once on to cycle up between the 3 main modes, double press to go to Turbo, triple press to go to strobe. It’s a very simple interface, and it’s easy to use which is nice but also limiting. A fast ramping interface would work pretty well here too given the limited number of modes and wide range of outputs it must cover. 

 

Retention

Retention options include the included nylon holster. It has elastic sides, plastic dring, and a fixed belt loop. It gets the job done but is just of average quality. The light also comes with a branded lanyard and split ring that can be attached to the tail if you wish.

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length at 118.1mm, the diameter of the body tube at 32.6mm, diameter of the head at 42mm. The weight of the TC20 Pro with the battery is 242.5g. The light is IP68 water-rated to 2 meters. Here are some comparisons with other flashlights, including the Fenix PD36R Pro I will be comparing it to in the night shots coming up soon.

LED & Beam

The TC20 Pro is using a Cree XHP 70 HI LED in cool white. On my Opple meter measured the tint at 6092k and 69 CRI. DUV is fairly neutral with no major tint shifts. When I compare it to my TC20 V2, it has much less tint shift and much less yellow/green, especially at lower outputs. The beam on the TC20 Pro is more spotty and throws a bit further and that makes sense with the smooth emitter and dedomed LED. When I compare it to the Fexnix PD36R Pro the hot spot is of a similar size but has a smoother transition into the spill where as the Fenix is much more pronounced. I would say the tint of the Fenix is more green, especially at lower outputs. There is a small amount of very fast PWM on all modes of the TC20 Pro.

 

Outputs

Heat & Runtime

The light is able to sustain it’s 3500+ lumens for 3:30 before stepping down to around 1800 lumens where it will run for 32 minutes, before stepping down to about 1600 lumens to finish out the remainder of it’s 1:00:00 runtime. Peak heat during this time was about 59C. Running on medium nets an impressive 9:30:00.

Where this light really shines in my opinion is the amount of time it can sustain well over 1000 lumens. This light maintains over 1400 lumens for 1:40:00. I frequently get asked what light can I buy that will stay over 1000 or 2000 lumens for an hour, well here is a good option for you if that’s what you’re looking for. In comparison to the TC20 V2 the Pro here doesn’t have quite a long of runtime but that’s to be expected with this different LED and more overall output.

 

Recharging

The TC20 Pro has onboard USB-C charging that’s protected by a silicone rubber port cover. I charged the light charged the light from LVP to full at 4.17v in 3:17:00. You are able to use the light during charging but only in low and medium modes. It charges via USB-C to C or PD without an issue. While the included battery is officially rated at 5000mAh, I tested mine with my Vapcell S4 Plus at 5437mAh.  

 

Conclusion

The Thruntie TC20 Pro is a worthwhile upgrade to the V2. It takes what was a moderately floody light and increases its ability to throw, while still maintaining the size and form factor we know. The tint here is better on the Pro, and over it’s competitors in my opinion, and I prefer the beam tint and shape on the Pro. You do take some small decreases in overall runtime though due to that higher comparison. 

Compared to the Fenix PD36R Pro, the TC20 Pro is less tactical with it’s UI and a bit more general purpose in my opinion. It’s also generally a better value and a light I can recommend over either the TC20 V2, or the PD36R Pro dollar for dollar in my opinion. 

 

Get the Thrunite TC20 Pro at https://amzn.to/3mU8U6g amd save 20% using code 47C8HFMW through midnight PDT 3/26/23

Posted on

Olight Arkfeld Review (1000 Lumens, Green Laser, Unique Form Factor)

Most flashlight and laser combinations are designed with a very narrow purpose like a weapon light or are so bad at being both a flashlight or laser that they are hardly worth your time, that is until the Olight Arkfeld arrived on the scene in its unique form factor. Thanks to FlashlightGo.com for sending this to me to look at for review. They are a newer overseas retailer, so check them out.

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Get the Arkfeld at https://flashlightgo.com/products/olight-arkfeld-flat-flashlight

Use the code Liquidretro to get 5% off. Free Shipping for orders over $100

 

Packaging

The packaging here is Olights normal design with a white box pull tab on top and a tray inside holding the contents. The exterior gives a good description, features, and specs. Included is just the light itself, the Olight MCC Charging cable, and the paper manual.  

A quick note on FlashlightGo I originally ordered the neutral white version of this flashlight but a mistake was made and cool white was sent. They asked if I could just review it instead which I agreed to but said for a customer who had this happen they would replace the order most likely or offer a discount. 

 

Construction & Design

The Arkfeld is made of aluminum and available in numerous colors at this point (Black, OD Green, Desert Tan, Blue, Orange, Lime Green, Pinwheel Gunmetal Gray) and a few other materials at one time I believe. Mine here is in blue aluminum. Its body isn’t round like we are used to on most flashlights, it’s rectangular with curves almost oval shape, and as a result, it carries really nicely in the pocket. 

Upfront it has a thin plastic bezel that protects the glass lens that’s mounted and a bit flexible. On the right-hand side is the flashlight portion and on the left is the laser. I will go over the UI switch and how it works in the next section but know that it works well but isn’t very tactical. The clip at the rear is recessed but sits just inside the MCC charging port. 

 

UI

The user interface of the Arkfeld is a mix of mechanical and familiar UI’s if you have used other Olight flashlights before. At the front end of the light there is a toggle that allows you to switch between Laser or Flashlight mode, it’s not possible to use both at the same time. From there the center button turns on whichever you have selected. The laser is very simple to operate as it only has 1 mode, on or off. 

The flashlight portion uses Olight’s standard interface, and all of the normal shortcuts are there. Single press to turn on in the last used normal mode, Long press to increase the output of the 3 normal modes, Double press to go to turbo, triple press to go to strobe and there is even a moonlight mode if you press and hold from off. To turn everything off you just single press once. If the light or laser is already turned on and you want switch to the other you just rotate the toggle, no need to press the power/mode button.

 

One often looked part of Olight’s UI is the timed modes where when set in these modes the light will automatically shut off in at preset time lengths. The Arkfeld is no exception and has this as an option. Consult the manual for how to enable these, personally, it’s not a feature I really use. 

 

Retention

Retention on the Arkfeld is one of the strong points. On the back of the light there is a long black spring steel clip held on with two Torx screws. This clip is very similar to a “steel flame pattern clip” but with much less of a bend, so your luck may vary on what else might fit here. The clip allows for a pretty deep carry, and plenty of room for the material to fit through it. I found it to be a good clip to carry and had no issues with the light coming on in my pocket accidentally. It was very comfortable to carry in my pocket think of something like an Olight Warrior that’s been squished a bit. The oval shape makes it seem less thick than it is, similar to an OTF knife. 

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length at 4.36”, the diameter at the head at .65” and at the tail .752” width was 0.98”. The weight came in at 3.09oz or 87.7g. The light is IPX7 water and dust rated so it should stay operating in many everyday environments without an issue. Here are some comparisons to other lights of a similar size and things you might have to compare it to. 

 

LED & Beam

The Arkfeld has both an LED flashlight and a green laser. The LED while not specified is mostly like an Osram P9. It’s available in Neutral White and Cool White. I have the cool white here and on my Opple meter it measured in at 6000k at 70 CRI with no significantly negative color cast on DUV. It is good to note here that there was now PWM to speak of on the normal modes. 

The beam is a classic TIR optic, with a reasonably large hotspot, and soft spill. Good for those short and medium-range EDC tasks, perfect for this light’s design. There is a slight bit of clipping on the top and bottom due to the rectangular bezel. 

 

Laser

The green 1 laser inside is a class 1 laser rated at a max output of 0.39mW, so not the brightest that’s offered to civilians by any means but plenty powerful enough for presentations or to bother your cats and dogs. This isn’t a laser where you can see the beam during operation but still powerful enough that you won’t want to shine it at people, pets, or aircraft. 

 

LED Output 

I did test the outputs on my Texas Ace Lumen tube and the results were as advertised for the most part. No complaints there to speak of. All measurements were taken after 30 seconds. 

 

Heat & Runtime

Per my usual here are the runtime graphs I came up. Nothing here is too surprising. The light runs pretty cool hitting a maximum of 35C (95F) during the first 3 minutes of running in turbo. Turbo itself was good for 3 minutes of pretty stable output, and it appears it’s a timed step-down instead of temperature dependent. Overall runtime starting from Turbo was 2:10:00 and when I repeated the same test but in high you only gained about 8 minutes of additional runtime. I didn’t do any runtime for the laser portion itself as my equipment isn’t really setup for this. 

Recharging

The Arkfeld uses Olights MCC3 magnetic recharging system with a connection at the rear of the light. The internally sealed nonuser replaceable 1050mAh lithium polymer battery charged from empty to full in 3:36:00 rather slow for such a small battery. The first hour’s charging speed peaked at 0.9A right at 1 C which is good. My guess is this could safely charge faster but the slower charging speed should help to promote a long battery life for the Arkfeld. 

The light does have an onboard battery indicator via 4 onboard LED’s on the front just below the main UI controls. These all show green when full and slowly decrease when empty. Eventually, the last bar will go red then flash red when it’s just about to shut off. These show up well and are a nice touch. 

 

Conclusion

The Arkfeld takes the idea of a laser and flashlight and puts it in packaging that’s pretty unique compared with what else is on the market. The execution here is good in my opinion. I like this rectangular almost remote-like form factor, it carries well, similar in size to an OTF knife. The controls here work well, are super easy to use and I had no accidental activations. I applaud Olight for offering it in neutral white in many colors too. Glad to see that starting to become the norm with Olight again. 

 

The built-in sealed, non-rechargeable battery isn’t great, especially for the price here, it makes the light/laser consumable and not very sustainable. I always think this harms the lifelong value too since it does put a finite life on the product. 

 

Overall I like the Arkfeld even with those cons, and the price, since it’s an Olight it’s available in many different colors and materials. That’s always a plus for me anytime I have color options other than black, especially in a nontactical light like this. I welcome this out of the box design even with it’s shortcomings and hope we will see more out of the box thinking from Olight in the future. This probably won’t be your only EDC flashlight but I could see it being a nice upgrade to the traditional laser pointer pen style for your pointing needs and have the bonus of being a solid flashlight too. 

Posted on

Vosteed Rook Review (1800 Lumens, 3x Nichia 519a, 18350)

You may have seen my posts on social media and my first short here on Youtube on this but here is a review of it. Introducing the Vosteed Rook, a first collaboration flashlight with Reylight. It’s EDC focused, featuring 3 Nichia 519a LED, a USB-C Rechargeable 18350, battery, and a choice of 5 colors, Red, Blue, Black, Gray and Orange. What I have here is a prototype that’s in bead-blasted aluminum, with a different clip design. This is a Kickstarter project that is already funded but joining it’s the best way to get a Rook early and at a discount. Hurry though because the campaign ends early January 3rd, 2023. Full disclosure I helped Vosteed make an intro video for the campaign and my link below is an affiliate link. 

Due to this and a few other changes, this won’t be a full review, but it will be pretty close. Thanks to Vosteed for sending this to me to review.

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Join the Kickstarter Campaign for the Vosteed Rook https://bit.ly/RookLR1

 

Packaging & Accessories

My prototype here was too early to have any of the packaging you will get. That said I have bought several Vosteed knives and the packaging is top-notch I expect nothing different from the Rook. Yours will come with a 18350 battery with USB-C recharging onboard, and if the campaign reaches $30,000 you will also get an EDC Pouch and Vosteed Patch. 

 

Construction & Design

The rook is made from aluminum and will be anodized in a number of colors initially. Red, Blue, Black, Gray, and Orange. Its design takes inspiration from the Rook chess piece. It features 7 places for 1.5 x 6mm tritium vials, 3 in the tail button which my prototype doesn’t have, and then 4 in the tail section of the flashlight. The button here is a mechanical reverse clicky button, meaning you have to press the button all the way to turn the light on, and then half presses will change modes. The button itself takes a little more force to press and is flush with the top so it tail stands well, and should help prevent accidental activations. Tolerances here are better than the Reylight Pineapple/Lan series so there is less side-to-side play but there is still a rubber disk below so keep that in mind.

The light uses a standard “steel flame” screw spacing, so it will have a wide variety of clip compatibility. Right now I have a standard Reylight clip on it, as my prototype came without one. It’s a tad too long and hits the head section which results in a scratch on this raw anodized bead-blasted aluminum. The production light will have a redesigned clip to add some style and take care of this issue. The clip will be the attachment point for a lanyard if you wish too. In the hand it feels pretty good and the recessed area on the body gives your finger a place to index. 

The light does come into 3 main pieces the tail section, body tube, and head section. There isn’t any knurling on the light but ther various aspects of the design give you something to hold on to that should be adequate for many EDC situations. This isn’t a tactical light designed for extreme or tactical conditions. 

The head has a smooth bezel, a very scratch-resistant sapphire lens, TIR style Tripple optic, on top of the LED’s. The result is a pretty nice beam profile I will get into later on here.

I will grade the light as easy to modify emitter-wise, the main pill unscrews easily and gives you access driver and mcpcb should you want to dedome the LED’s or replace them with something else. 

 

Size & Weight

My prototype is going to have a bit of difference from the production light on size and weight. I know the production light will be slightly longer, have a different clip, and battery, and be anodized. So I won’t give too many specifics here. The diameter is 24mm, the length is 74 and the light is IPX68 water rated. Normal use scenarios shouldn’t be an issue. 

 

User Interface

The Rook is using the Reylight Programabale interface from the most recent version of Reylight’s popular Pineapple, Pineapple Mini, and Lan lights. It has 4 preprogrammed modes with different brightness outputs, by default it ships in mode 2, Moon, 10%, 40%, and 100% output. You can toggle memory mode on or off, as well as moonlight on or off. SOS and Strobe are only available in programming mode 4. The interface is pretty easy to use once you have the light set to how you like it. When changing modes though I would recommend consulting the manual. 

 

LED & Beam

The Rook comes with 2 LED choices, the Nichia 519a LED which is what I have here or Cree XPL Hi LED’s. Both are good choices, but for me I will be sticking to and recommending the Nichia 519a LED’s myself. As mentioned in previous reviews these are the most popular LED’s among enthusiasts in 2022 due to their highly desirable tint, ease of dedoming, high CRI, and increased output over previous similar LED’s. 

On my prototype here with the Nichia 519a LED, on my Opple Meter, I measured 3848k tint, with an RA of 97. The tint was very neutral and pleasing. These should dedome nicely too if you want to push it a bit rosier. The beam here is a very even large hotspot from the TIR reflector and has a minimal spill. It’s ideal for short and medium-range EDC-style tasks. On the higher mode, it does a decent job of lighting up things up to about 100 years I would say. There is PDM here on the lower modes, but it’s fast and I don’t see it with my camera or eye.

A quick note on Outputs, I didn’t get the claimed outputs on my sample. The peak output I saw was just shy of 1400 lumens in my lumen tube. I theorize this is because of a few things. #1 I am using a prototype and I know there were planned minor changes to the driver. #2 The two LED options that are being offered, Typically Cree XPL Hi LED’s will have more output than the Nichia 519a I have in my example. My runtime graphs in the next section will give you a rough idea of what’s happening.

 

Heat & Runtime

Here are the heat and runtime graphs. The light sustains its maximum output for around a minute before starting to step down and stays above 1000 lumens for about 2 minutes. Starting on Turbo total runtime was 72 minutes or so and the maximum temp was a very warm 75C. I then did a comparison runtime between Turbo, Hight and Medium runtimes. High runtime gains you an extra hour or so of runtime, and medium goes out to an impressive 9 hours 20 minutes. 

 

Recharging

As previously mentioned the light will be shipping with a 18350 battery that has USB-C recharging onboard. My prototype didn’t come with this battery, however, so I was unable to test this feature further. I can report the light will work with a standard flat top or button top 18350 battery. The light does have reverse polarity protection and LVP protection.

 

Conclusion

I am a fan of the Rook, it has the makings of what should be a nice, reasonably affordable EDC light in the 18350 form factor. A great LED choice here with the Nichia 519a, and Cree XPL Hi LED options for those that want a cooler tint. Combine that with a solid familiar user interface and it makes for a good all around EDC light. 

It’s worth noting these are “small batch” lights from a single maker. While not a true custom, are CNC produced, they are likely assembled by just one or two people. Both Vosteed and Reylight are small companies with just a handful of employees or a single entrepreneur. That said they both have some of the best customer service I have seen in the industry.

Aluminum may turn off some people here but it really is a great material for flashlights, and among the best in terms of cost, weight, machineability, heat dissipation, and durability. That said I wouldn’t be surprised that if the Rook is a success, we see more specialty materials in the future or a 18650 body tube to increase the length and runtime. Be on the lookout for a few stretch goals the campaign has tool. 

If you are interested there will be a link below that does help support the channel if you decide to back the Kickstarter. As always I’m interested in what you think of the Rook and if you will be picking up one. This is likely my last video for 2022, but I have lots more planned for early 2023, so make sure you are subscribed so you don’t miss the next one. 

Join the Kickstarter Campaign for the Vosteed Rook https://bit.ly/RookLR1

Posted on

Fenix PD36R Pro Review (2800 Lumens, 21700, USB-C)

Today I am taking a look at the new Fenix PD36R Pro. It’s an update on the previous light and includes a substantial increase in runtime. The light may look and sound familiar though because I took a look at the TK20R V2 earlier this year and it shares a lot of similarities with the new PD36R Pro. Thanks to Thrunite for sending this to me to review. 

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Links to Purchase

https://amzn.to/3OYXRCK

https://www.fenixlighting.com/products/fenix-pd36r-pro-rechargeable-flashlight

https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-pd36r-pro-2800-lumen-flashlight/

 

Packaging & Accessories

The light I have is an early production sample that was sent before the packaging was finalized. That said I expect a typical Fenix full retail package that’s designed to hang on store shelves in your local sporting goods retailer. Included in your light will be a Fenix 5000mAh 21700 battery, USB A to C charging cable, Nylon Holster, pocket clip, Lanyard, spare o-ring, user manual, and warranty card. There is a few accessories that are not included but will also work with this light like a remote pressure switch that screws onto the tail, 3 different rail mounts, and a diffuser cone. All of these are sold separately. 

 

Construction and Design

I am only going to hit the high points here, and let the photos and video do the rest of the talking. The light shares a lot of physical traits with the TK20R V2. The light is made from T6061 aluminum and nicely anodized black, there is a special edition red camo version too at some retailers. At the tail cap you have 2 protruding buttons, a larger round mechanical switch that takes a good amount of force to push, and then a smaller rectangle mode button. The light does not tail stand as a result.

The pocket clip only mounts on the rear of the light. The body tube has a concentric ring knurling-like texture on the body, this provides a good amount of grip and looks nice I think. The charging port is covered with a textured silicone cover that fits very tightly, below it is a small LED indicator to show the charge level while charging. Red when charging, blue when charged.

Internally there is a stiff spring at the front of the light as well as in the tail, threads are smooth, square cut and a bit dry. Up front, the head is glued in place and the bezel is machined into the head. There is an AR glass lens, a narrow deep smooth reflector, and a nicely centered LED. 

 

Retention

Since this is a pre-production light I don’t have the lanyard or holster that the light will ship with in it’s final form. What I can talk about is the pocket clip. It only attaches at the rear of the light and is relatively narrow for the size of the light. It’s stiff and does a good job of retaining the light in my front pocket, with about 1” of the light sticking out. In my medium hands, the light is a nice size without being too bulky.

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length at 5.74”, and the diameter at 1.09” at the head. Weight with the battery and clip came in at 6.00oz. The light IP68 water rated, which means it can survive 6.5ft of water for 30 minutes. The USB port itself is waterproof as well, so even if you don’t have the cover in place that won’t be a problem. Here are a few comparison photos with the Fenix TK20R V2, and some other lights. 

 

LED & Beam

The Fenix PD36R Pro is using the Luminis SFT70 LED in cool white. My Opple meter shows it as 5456k and 60 CRI in medium mode. In higher modes, it cools off slightly and has a slight green tinge to the beam to my eye (and meter). The beam has a large pronounced hot spot in the center and a large spill with some tint shift noted. Compared to the TK20R V2, the hot spots are a similar size but the spill is larger here on the PD36R Pro. The Parasitic Drain was measured at a low 4.0uA with the tail cap off. There was some PDM here, especially on lower modes but my eye or camera didn’t see it only my Opple meter did. 

Measured outputs vs Stated Outputs

All readings were taken at the 30-second mark. The light was cooled in cool water between measurements.

 

Turbo – Measured – 2160 Lumens Claimed – 2800 Lumens 77.14% of Claimed

High – Measured – 978 Lumens Claimed – 1000 Lumens 97.80% of Claimed

Medium – Measured – 349 Lumens Claimed – 350 Lumens 99.71% of Claimed

Low – Measured – 157 Lumens Claimed – 150 Lumens 104.66% of Claimed

Eco – Measured – 35 Lumens Claimed – 30 Lumens 116.66% of Claimed

 

Heat and Runtime

For my heat and runtime, I tested with the supplied Fenix 5000mAh battery, on my Texas Ace Lumen tube. Turbo starts out here a the claimed lumens but by 1 minute it’s stepped down to about 750 lumens because the heat was up to about 43C. It increases the output some in the next 20 minutes as heat dissipates, but the light has a substantial drop at about 2:10:00, then again at 3:20:00, and once more at 4:30:00, where it runs at it’s the lowest output for many more hours. Total runtime was right around 8 hours, and the light does flash in the last hour of use to indicate it’s the battery is low.

I then did a comparison between Turbo, High and Medium runtimes and there isn’t really any real surprises. Lower outputs are more stable and have longer outputs. 

 

UI 

UI here is very simple and it’s the same that was found on the TK20R V2.. The light has 2 buttons on the rear tail cap of the light. There is the larger power button which Fenix is calling the Tactical switch, it’s a forward clicky switch with momentary, and then the smaller button which they are calling the function switch. You can half-press the tactical switch to turn the light on in the last mode used before locking fully on. Once on you use the function switch to cycle through the 5 modes in a linear manner. The light does have memory mode. At any time you can press and hold the function switch to get to strobe mode. 

 

Recharging

Recharging on the PD36R Pro is accomplished via the USB-C port on the side of the light near the head. The port cover is worth mentioning here, it’s very tight fitting, and can be a bit of a challenge to remove despite a small tab to pull on. You have wide access to the port so cable compatibility shouldn’t be an issue here. The light charged via C to C cables and PD chargers without a problem. One thing to note is that you can’t use the light during charging.

I charged the included 5000mAh battery (Rated at 4870mAh in my testing)  from LVP at 3.044V to Full at 4.227V in 4:13:00. The charging speed starts off slow for the first few minutes, then increase significantly with a peak of 2.5A before slowly declining. The total charge time was 4:10:00. One thing that was concerning was that the terminating voltage was slightly too high. Not sure if this was my multimeter or maybe due to the prototype nature of my light. When fully charged the side LED indicator goes from Red to Blue.

 

Final Thoughts

The Fenix PD36R Pro is a pretty large upgrade over the older PD36R in nearly all metrics and is overall a well-rounded flashlight. However, I can’t help to draw on the large number of similarities to the TK20R 2.0 that I reviewed earlier this year. Same LED, Same UI, Same battery, very similar performance, Same tail cap, and same clip. Where they differ is mainly in the charging port cover, and head size. The TK20R V2 is more of a tactical purpose, where as the PD36R Pro is more EDC/General use while also being capable of tactical use. 

It’s a well built light, one of the best USB-C port covers I have seen, and a very easy to use UI with the two dedicated buttons on the tail. I’ll give it a ding for not being able to tail stand and for not lacking a true moonlight mode of 1 lumen or less. 

 

Links to Purchase

https://amzn.to/3OYXRCK

https://www.fenixlighting.com/products/fenix-pd36r-pro-rechargeable-flashlight

https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-pd36r-pro-2800-lumen-flashlight/

Posted on

Wuben X-2 Owl Review (3X LH351D, 1800 Lumens, USB-C)

Wuben is back at it with another Kickstarter project, this time with a smaller version of the side by side X series light using 2X 14500 batteries and 3 LED’s. Wuben sent me this early production prototype to take a look at and help them promote the Kickstarter campaign for the light. The Kickstarter ends December 1st 2022, so if you are watching this before then make sure to check out the link in the description below, and if not ill try to find some links to where you can get it after.

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Link to the Kickstarter

Check out the Kickstarter for the Wuben X-2 Owl at http://bit.ly/3ErUEHf

 

Packaging & Accessories

Since this was a prototype it didn’t come with a box, or any of the accessories. If you buy one I would expect a full retail box, charging cable, and lanyard at a minimum. 

 

Construction & Design

The looks of the X-2 Owl is similar to the X-1 Falcon that I took a look at a few months ago, but smaller. It’s the same design language as the X-1 headlamp that Wuben also debut in 2022. So more squared off, sharp angles, and kind of a cyber space-aged type look.

The light is made from aluminum and is being offered in 3 color options, a standard black anodizing, a gradient ramp that’s a white fading into blue, and then the “white” MAO version I have here. I’m becoming a fan of the Metal Arc Oxide coating look even though it’s not the most durable finish around. The front and rear pieces are black and I think this is smart as it should help with durability. There are also going to be copper versions, and 4 different anodized titanium versions too. The light is offered in two LED options, the Samsung LH351D, and an Osram P9. Not every LED and body material/color combination are available currently.

The lights are held together with several screws, my Wera Hex Plus 1.5mm keys were able to unscrew them, and there was no thread locker that I could find. The rear specifically says “Do not disassemble” but I had to at least take a peak inside. What I found was a pair of what I assume are 14500 batteries in a pack, labeled as 2000mAh, 3.7v.. I couldn’t fully remove the battery pack so it must be attached to wires inside to the switch and charging port circuitry. I’m guessing removing more of the screws would get this to a place you could actually replace the batteries if you wanted to, but it would be a somewhat complicated process and may involve a soldering iron. Most consumers are not going to do this, even most flashlight enthusiasts.

Edit: I did go ahead and remove some more screws and the battery has wires coming out from it that are soldered directly to the circuit board. Totally replaceable if you should choose to, you just have to work a bit and solder. 

 

 

 

 

The button section appears to be the same as what Wuben used on the X-0, it’s a hatch system that covers the button and the USB-C port cover. It’s an interesting design, and while it doesn’t offer much water protection for the port, the port itself is waterproof. I will note, that because of this design using lockout is a must as this large switch is easy to press when carried in a pocket or bag. The hinged lid for lack of a better word is magnetically attracted. There are 2 sprung silver-colored magnets that it rests on. There was definitely some engineering that went into this. 

 

Retention

My prototype didn’t come with any of the retention options that Wuben is promoting on the campaign page. It looks like it has a lanyard option that attaches at the rear on one side with a metal clasp. This lanyard looks like it doubles as an integrated USB-C charging cable too, which is neat. 

 

My light did ship with the large improved clip that’s on the rear of the light. This is a very large clip that takes up the entire rear of the light pretty much. I don’t see myself carrying this in my front pocket, due the size. You could in theory put it in your rear pants pocket (In lockout mode), but I think for many people this will be a light they put in a bag and this is what Wuben shows in their material. The clip works well to fit onto molle webbing, which you might have on a bag or vest. Unfortunately, the clip is facing the wrong direction to clip this on to the top of a hat, the lights a little heavy for that too IMHO. 

 

Size & Weight

I measured the light at 3.35” long, 0.80’ wide, and 1.55” thick. I measured it as 4.33oz with the clip installed. The light is IP68 water and dust rated. 

 

LED & Beam

There are two LED options for the Wuben X-2 Owl. There is the Osram P9 which produces a few more lumens and I believe is a cooler white and the Samsung LH351D emitter which is a more neutral white and high CRI. Each version has 3 of the same LED’s, in a linear setup, each with optics. I have the Samsung LH351D version, and on my Opple Meter I measured the CCT at 4468K, and 96Ra (CRI). DUV was right in the middle, with no green tinge which was nice. The beam here does have a profile that mimics the shape of the physical light at shorter distances, at longer distances it diffuses and is unnoticeable. There is PWM here in all the modes, it’s pretty fast and I can’t see it with my eyes or camera.

 

Night Shots

Night shots can be found on the video. 

 

Outputs

Below are the outputs I got at the 30 second mark in terms of outputs and the percentages of claimed outputs with the Samsung LH351D emitter

.

  • Turbo – 1750 – Lumens – 97.2% of Claimed
  • High – 312 – Lumens – 78% of Claimed
  • Medium – 80 Lumens – 80% of Claimed
  • Low – 7 Lumens – 140% of Claimed (Take this with a grain of salt)

Wuben’s official Outputs.

https://i.imgur.com/LSgRi5c.jpg

 

Heat & Runtime

I did my testing with my Owl here that has the Samsung LH351D LED’s. I did this in the default output levels for each mode (they are adjustable). Turbo lasted about 90 seconds and after stepdown was about 600 lumens. This was then very consistent out to 1:17:00 when the light turned off. Max heat during this time was about 43C (Uncooled), at the 40-minute mark. 

I also did runtime comparisons with 3 modes, Turbo, High, and Medium. Turbos total runtime was 1:17:00, High was 2:50:00, and medium was out to just shy of 11 hours.

 

UI

The interface seems to be the same as the X-1 Falcon, so here is what I had written up for that. My light arrived in Lockout mode, so 4 presses of the button unlock or lock the light. Single press to turn on, long press once on to cycle through the 4 main modes. Double press from anywhere to get to turbo. The light does have blinking modes that you can get to from anywhere by triple pressing. Triple press again to cycle between strobe and SOS modes.

 

The unique aspect of this light is the programming mode, It allows you to adjust the preset value of the 4 main modes by one on Clicking and holding and the light will ramp up slightly and blink when at the top of the range. Just stop when you reach the brightness you want and it will memorize it. There are upper and lower bounds on what each mode will do too. Consult your manual to see the exact ranges and directions.

 

Recharging

As mentioned before there are two 1400 Liion batteries internally witht a total capacity of 2000mAh according to Wuben. These are non user replaceable. I did my recharging testing by first running the light untl it shut itself off. I then hooked it up to my tester and in this case used an Xtar 45W USB-C power source (With my own cable rated for 100W), and the light charged in 2:37:00. Max amperage during this time was right at 1A. The charge curve here I felt like was a tad harsh at the beginning, many lights tend to ease into it at the beginning while they are sensing the battery’s charge level, this did’t do that, just straight on with as much as it wanted. I did some subsequent testing and had no trouble charging via USB-C to C, or with chargers supporting USB-C PD. The light will work in Low, Medium, and High while charging. The light will still operate on low, medium and high while charging too.

 

Conclusion

The X-1 Falcon was a pretty large light, so making a smaller version is a logical step to take. The X-2 Owl I think will be a size that ends up being a better fit for people and a good combination of output with runtime. I’m not sure the switch version here makes a tons of sense, it make the use of lockout mandatory whenever the light is in a bag or pocket. While neat and different accidental activation is really easy if not using lockout modes. 

I like that Wuben is offering this in so many colors and materials from the beginning nearly. While I’m not a huge fan of established companies using Kickstarter, this does give them a good method to determine the demand for more specialty materials, or emitters. The LED choice here is good with the LH351D seeming to be the default choice for most lights, it’s a good neutral white, high CRI option. The beam profile is decent despite the emitters being in a line. Too bad here though that the batteries are not more easily replaced, it seems like that would be a fairly simple thing to do, even if you had to use a screwdriver to do it a few years down the road. So overall a solid option, if you want a form factor that’s a bit different or a flashlight that doesn’t look like your typical round light.

The Kickstarter campaign here runs through the end of November 2022, so if you are interested in looking more at it and picking one up check out the link below in the description on where you can find this one. It looks like they are expecting to ship these out pretty soon, in January of 2023, so you won’t have to wait very long.

Link to the Kickstarter

Check out the Kickstarter for the Wuben X-2 Owl at http://bit.ly/3ErUEHf

Posted on

Wurkkos TS10 Review (Inexpensive, High CRI, 14500, EDC Flashlight)

The Wurkkos TS10 was a light designed with input and feedback from forum members at BudgetLightForums (BLF) and the company. The idea ended up being an inexpensive triple-emitter flashlight with auxiliary LED’s powered from a 14500 battery to maintain a slim profile. Thanks to Wurkkos for sending me the black light here, I liked it enough, I bought this white MAO (Metal Arc Oxide) version myself when it was available for a brief time.

If you are watching this review around November 11th make sure to check the description below for links to where you can pick the light up for around $20 on AliExpress. If watching after no fear I will have links and any discount codes too, this is an affordable light, but might was well get it for less by using my links right? 

 

Watch this review on YouTube: 

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

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

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Links to Purchase

Wurkkos Direct https://www.wurkkos.com/search/?Keyword=TS10

AliExpress Store https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803886988095.html?spm=a2g0o.store_pc_promotion.promotePruductList_2003993329748.4&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt&_randl_shipto=US

Amazon

TS10 Silver: https://amzn.to/3NXNsGS

CODE: USTS10BSR  20% OFF +10% coupon on the Amazon Page

 

TS10 Black : https://amzn.to/3E2gxg0

CODE: liquidre       20% OFF +10% coupon on the Amazon Page

 

TS10 Red? https://amzn.to/3E2gxg0

CODE: TS10USBSR    20% OFF +10% coupon on the Amazon Page

 

Packaging & Accessories

The light comes in a Retail Wurkkos orange and white box. The only identifying info is a sticker on the side showing which model and options you have. Inside it comes in a plastic tray, and the accessories include a lanyard, clip and optional Wurkkos 14500 battery (recommended), as well as the manual. 

 

Construction & Design

The light is made from aluminum mainly (There is a brass version too) with a number of configurations. The bodies come in 4 main body colors, Black, Red, Silver, and Green, with two LED tint choices 4000k and 5700k, as well as 4 aux LED colors, red, orange, ice blue, and green, and the final option is with or without a battery. I have the Black, with 4000k tint main LED’s and Ice Blue Aux here. Then I have this limited run of MAO finish that Wurkkos did with 4000k tint main LED and Orange Aux that I bought. The MAO finish looks great but isn’t the most durable as you can see from some of the marks and scratches on it. 

The design itself is quite small at only 2 and 6/8ths inches long. I have AAA lights that are longer. The tail features a metal disk with rings for texture covering the button On both of my lights it’s gray, not body color which is a little disappointing. The tail is glued to the body tube for reliability I assume. In the hand, it works reasonably well for a cigar or pinch grip. There is no texture on the body so in some conditions it could be a bit slick. The head is simple with some milling for grip and style. There are a few too many markings on the light for me, with a warning, brand, and model number as well as a CE, ROHS, nonrecyclable symbol on the back, and a battery polarity symbol on the tail. There isn’t a serial number that I can find on the outside of the light. 

 

Retention

Retention is where I deduct a few points for this light, and that’s mainly for the double-direction pocket clip. If I am going to EDC light, I use a pocket clip so it’s an important feature for me. The clip here could be deeper carry in the pocket in my opinion, it leaves about a ½” of the top of the light sticking out. It’s the pocket clip from the Sofirn SC21 and I had similar complaints there. The top hoop of the clip itself needs a bit more space for the material to maximize that deep carry ability, in my experience, it’s not enough to fit onto my jeans. Lastly, there is a bit of a shelf when putting it into your pocket for material to catch in prematurely. There are a few alternatives that the community has found fit, like the Olight Baton 3 clip, or Lumentop E05C clip that both carry deeper. There is also the option to attach a lanyard at the tail, but as you guys know that’s not really my thing.

 

Size & Weight

I measured the length of the light at 71.3mm, and a diameter of 21mm at the head. Weight with the included battery and clip at 1.79oz. The light is IPX8 water rated.

 

LED & Beam Profile

The TS10 is using 3X LatticePower CSP LED’s as its primary LED’s, and they are available in 4000k, and 5800k variants. There are also 3 secondary LED’s of various colors depending on what you order, these don’t have a brand mentioned. The colors available are Red, Orange, Blue, and Green. On the two examples, I have blue is brighter than Orange, and that’s not unexpected.

With my Opple Light meter, I measured the primary LED’s at 4152k and 96ra (CRI). DUV was good in my opinion and has an ever-so-slight orange tint. The beam profile is pretty good out of a triple LED light with an optic, it’s not perfectly round, and a larger hotspot for such a small light. As expected with an Anduril light, there is PWM here but it’s fast and not noticeable to my eye or camera. 

 

Here are the outputs I measured on my lumen tube at the 30 second mark. 

  • S1-NA
  • S2-7 Lumens
  • S3-52 Lumens
  • S4-300 Lumens
  • S5-1070 Lumens

Runtime & Heat

For my runtime tests I ran with the thermal configuration as the light arrived to me with the included Wurkkos battery for most of my tests. It was reported by others that the the light’s thermals were pretty accurate from the factory, and let’s face it most probably won’t be recalibrating this but know that you can, and that will improve how long it can sustain higher outputs. I also tested mine in a ramping mode which might explain why I didn’t see any step up in output like I would expect.

Turbo produced about 1250 peak lumens but within about 45 seconds stepped down to 150 lumens or so because of heat. Heat peaked at about 42C during this run, and this is factory setting. This is warm to the touch but quite safe. I probably should set it a bit higher and I will be messing with that after my review here. Total runtime was 2 hours 5 minutes at this lower output. 

I tested the battery as well, It’s a claimed 900mAh and I tested it as 836mAh on my Vapcell S4 Plus charger. I then did my runtime graphs with a Vapcell H10 and had only minor differences, with the Vapcell battery recovering a little better and producing more light in the first 5 minutes of runtime but overall getting down to that lowest output at the end about 6 minutes earlier. 

 

UI

This light uses Anduril 2 firmware. I won’t go into great details on how to operate it because I have done that on other videos but know that it can do nearly anything you want.

All that said the original version of the light shipped with a buggy firmware version (2022-02-08-0614) that meant the auxiliary LED’s stayed on during use of the primary LED’s, the larger problem was that the Auxilary LED’s had no Low Voltage protection. This would allow the light if the aux LED’s were on in high to drain the battery in a matter of days, potentially damaging the battery if it had no protection. Another thing the fixed firmware does is allow the lowest mode to be lower output. 

The good news is this bug has been fixed on lights shipping the past 2 months, so if your buying one today especially from Wurkkos direct the light you receive should be fixed. If not I created a video on on how to flash the firmware with Android since the light does have exposed pogo pins. I will flash this black light here after filming the video. 

 

Recharging

The light has no build in recharging. To recharge you will need an external charger. I have reviewed several here on the channel that would work well,

 

Conclusion

The Wurkkos TS10 is a really nice small EDC light in my opinion. It has a lot of the features that you typically have to step up in price to get, like auxiliary LEDs, high CRI in a slightly warm tint, a triple LED driver. It has enthusiast firmware that’s easily modifiable due to the exposed programming pads. It’s also relatively easy to do LED swaps on since the front bezel piece unscrews and gives access. There are a few Redditors that do this as a service for people wanting LED swaps. 

As with most triples High and Turbo produce a lot of heat and don’t last very long. This isn’t surprising but like most people, I wish it would last a little longer. The clip is a disappointment all around, I suspect they used parts bin part to save cost, but I would gladly pay a few dollars more for a purpose-built clip here that worked better. 

Overall it’s really a great value, with normal prices around $25 with battery, and if I get this video out soon enough you can even catch it for $20 on Singles day 11-11-2022 on Wurkkos AliExpress Shop or Wurkkos Direct. Any other coupons or deals I have I will put in the description below as well. I am sure some of you guys have this light already, so let me know what you think of it in the comments below.

Posted on

Reylight Pineapple Mini Seigaiha Edition (Nichia 519a LED, Titanium)

Urban EDC has created an exclusive edition of the Reylight Titanium Pineapple Mini flashlight by milling a seigaiha wave pattern into the body tube. It’s available in a bead-blasted titanium or a stonewashed finish like I have here. Thanks to Urban EDC for sending this to me to review and show everyone. Links to their website are 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/ 

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@liquidretro1

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

Find all my social media at https://linktr.ee/liquidretro

See my Amazon Store with my gear recommendations https://www.amazon.com/shop/liquidretro

 

Buy the Reylight Pineapple Mini Seigaiha Edition at https://bit.ly/UrbanEDCLR

If UrbanEDC is sold out I am told they will be restocking in a couple of weeks so make sure to check back!

 

A history lesson on Seigaiha

A little history lesson here first, The Seigaiha pattern first appeared sometime in 6th century Japan. It symbolizes waves, power, and resistance, which are key elements of Japanese culture. It’s also come to symbolize “surges of good luck”. In recent years, the pattern has increasingly become popular in the EDC community. I think it’s classic and elegant. Something that could be used daily, or on special occasions while at the same time adding a very functional grip to the flashlight, pen, or knife. 

This also ties in nicely with Urban EDC’s recent brand identity updates to its compass logo that now incorporates the seigaiha waves too.

 

Brief Bit on the light design and function

As far as the light itself this is mostly a standard Reylight Pineapple Mini I have reviewed before, with a few updates. I like the Pineapple Mini and own several in different colors, materials, etc, and carry one often, due to its slim size, lightweight, and appealing tint.

For those unfamiliar with the Pineapple mini, let’s look at a few of the high points. Starting at the tail there is a 1.5 x 6mm tritium slot in the tail button. Underneath is a reverse clicky switch. The clip sits below that, held in place by the tail cap. That space is required, if you prefer to go clipless Rey sells a spacer or there are ones you can 3D print too. The clip itself is deep carry and has a reasonably large hoop at the top to easily accommodate jeans. The clip is not reversible. 

The body tube is the start here on this Seigaiha model, it adds texture that in the hand feels good, not too aggressive on the skin but is more aggressive on your pocket than the standard pineapples. So not only does it look good but it’s functional too. Threads are fine and standard. Mine could have used a bit more grease but that’s an easy fix with some Superlube grease. The head is largely plain with minor styling. Up front there is no crenulation, the AR glass is inset slightly, surrounded by an orange peel reflector. The stonewashed titanium model here weighs 1.37oz with the battery and clip. 

 

LED & Beam Shots

Urban EDC lists the light as having a Nichia 219b LED, but based on the many Reylight Mini’s I have, the 519a Mod’s I have done, and after talking to Rey I am pretty certain these have Nichia 519a LED’s. Reylights 219b’s tended to be around 4500k, and this 519a is closer to 4000k. In my shot below the grey titanium on the left is the 519a, and the brass 219b is on the right. This updated LED is a good thing in my opinion as the 519a has more output than the 219b, still high CRI, and has a nice rosy tint which I prefer myself. It’s the most popular LED at the moment due to it’s great characteristics. 

On my Opple Light Master Pro I measured the light on High with a liion and got 3896k, at 97Ra (CRI). DUV was slightly orange, with no green in the beam which I like. On High there is PWM but it’s very fast. The beam profile with the 519a LED is a larger hotspot, this is partly due to a slightly revised reflector I think too. It’s a nice beam pattern for a non TIR EDC light in my opinion.

 

Outputs

While the light will a AAA alkaline or NiMH battery all my testing was done with the 10440 Liion it ships with. For me this is the only way I run any of my Reylight lights, performance is quite a bit more, but you do trade runtime. In general

With a 10440 battery, I got the following outputs in the default mode.

  • High – 280 Lumens
  • Medium  – 65 Lumens
  • Low – 16 Lumens
  • Moon – 1-2 lumens I would guess, my lumen tube isn’t very accurate this low.

 

With a AAA Alkaline or NiMH I got the following

  • High – 85 Lumens
  • Medium – 45 Lumens

 

Heat and Runtimes

I had a little trouble with my runtime data here, I will insert graphs of what things look like and let them speak for themselves. No issues to report. I will say that on High when running a NiMH is short depending on the resistance of your battery. The 10440 is really the way to go here.

 

UI

The UI here is basic and pretty easy to use. The light does have a reverse clicky switch which means you must press the button all the way in to turn on. Once on you can half press to change the modes. By default, the light does not have memory mode but that can be turned on. The light is programmable into 4 preset modes that vary the output of the low, medium and high outputs. The 4th mode adds a strobe option too. 

Reylight has some directions on their website, and I will try to link to some of them that I made when I gave some mini’s as gifts. This is an area for improvement, Reylight should include some directions inside the package. Make sure to charge that included 10440 battery before use too. Side note you will need to supply your own charger, my recommendations are the Vapcell S4 Plus and Xtar VC4 Plus (VC4SL) both of which I have done reviews on in the past.

 

Final Thoughts

I have 8 different Reylight Mini lights it’s no secret I am a fan of them. The titanium Seigaiha version from UrbanEDC is visually really nice I think. I find the Seigaiha pattern appealing, and I like the history behind it as well. As someone who works in technology, it looks like the wifi symbol too which is fun. 

Functionally the new pattern is nice as well, you get a surprising amount of grip from it in the hand. While it does grip the pocket well, in my jeans, the new pattern does seem to almost grip too much, I would expect it to wear the inside of the pocket material more so than my other Reylight Mini Pineapples I have.  

This isn’t the light that you are going to take camping or expect to put in heavy-duty during a natural disaster, but it functions really well as a small EDC light that you carry in a pocket to have with you for small daily duties. Finding the lock on a door, not tripping over something inside or outside the house at close range, finding the dog in the back yard briefly, extra light to find a lost item in your car or under the couch etc. I find myself carrying a mini quite often because I really like the slim size. 

Remember these come with the Nichia 519a LED too, so it’s more output than older Pineapple Mini’s you might have, but still retaining a high CRI and pleasant tint. It’s a great way to try what’s arguably the LED of the year that enthusiasts are loving almost universally. 

 

Buy the Reylight Pinapple Mini Seigaiha Edition at https://bit.ly/UrbanEDCLR

If UrbanEDC is sold out I am told they will be restocking in a couple of weeks so make sure to check back!