Olight S1A

Summary:

Function: 

From off:

A single press turns the flashlight on in the last used mode. 

A long press turns the flashlight on in moonlight mode.

A double press activates the highest mode available, Turbo (with 14500) or High (with AA). 

A triple press activates strobe.

While on:

Press and hold to cycle through modes Low, Medium, High, Turbo (Only 14500).

A triple press activates strobe. A single press to turn off the flashlight. or press and hold to exit into the last used mode.

A single press will turn the flashlight off. 

A double press will select between the 3 minute (Indicated by a single flash) and 9 minute timer (Indicated by 2 flashes).

Data/Measurements:

My measurements are a little bit higher than Olight's measurements. My measured values on lights with output under 1000lm are typically a little higher than most. Moon mode values are dashed out simply because I cannot measure below 1lm with my current setup.
 

All throw measurements are lux values taken at 7ft and calculated back to 1 meter (Rounded to the nearest hundred). Estimated Max Output (Lumens) values are calculated based on measurements obtained through a DIY 'pvc lumen tube' in an effort to achieve diffusion of dissimilar beam profiles. As such, these values should be taken as "rough approximations."

Pictures:

The Olight S1A arrived in a small plastic retail box.

Inside the box was the following: A manual, a nice Olight lanyard, a clip (pre-attached), an Olight branded non-rechargeable Lithium battery, and the Olight S1A Baton.

A quick 360° view. 3 flats on the tube, 2 populated by text.

The view from the top showing the TIR optic, and the blue PVD coated bezel.

Profile of the Electronic side switch. It sticks up ever so slightly and can be difficult to locate. There is a little bit of 'squish' to it, and requires a fair amount of pressure to activate.

The tailcap and the lanyard attachment point.

Threads arrived lubed. On the right is the tailcap; the magnet sits below the spring.

Comparison:

A large variety of small flashlights.

From left to right: Eneloop Pro, Olight S1A, Sunwayman R15A, Manker T01, Solarstorm SC01, Generic 1AA (XML TIR, XPG2 AA Boost Driver), OrcaTorch T11, Astrolux S3, Convoy S2+, ThorFire C8, Maglite 2AA LED.  

A Closer look at the AA flashlights.

From left to right: Eneloop Pro, Olight S1A, Sunwayman R15A, Manker T01, Solarstorm SC01, Generic 1x AA (XML TIR, XPG2, AA Boost Driver), OrcaTorch T11.

A closer look at the larger flashlights. The S3 is a 14500 flashlight, S2+ and C8 are 18650.

From left to right: Olight S1A, Astrolux S3, Convoy S2+, ThorFire C8, Maglite 2AA LED.

Beamshots:

To be added. 

Conclusion:

To be concluded.

I’m looking for a replacement for my Hugsby P-31 for edc. Needing a very bright, not too many modes, and/or easy to program. Twist on/off is not good. Maybe just bright, dim, and strobe. It needs to be smaller, about Hugsby size, but joint problems are making the end-mounted thumb switch activation problematical. It will be used for inspecting dark corners of parking lots, stairwells, empty buildings, backyards & the like. Ease of use/programming are paramount. I have a 4/7s QT 2A Tactical, which I love, but the PITA programming has limited me to two modes…low, with the much-discussed “preflash” and a high mode.
It is a tad long for pocket carry, even with the clip, and having to put the holster on, with other items is inconvenient, to say the least.
My new light should be reasonably shock resistant, as dropping it, and having it go out, leaving me blind with a hot weapon is not something I want to contemplate. If such an animal can be found at around ~$30 max, that would be nice.
So…Wizards of Lumens, assist me, please!

Here we go! Another S1A review! This light was provided by Olight for review.

Manufacturers Specs:

The S1a Comes with a lanyard and a replacement oring in a clam shell package. It is a simple AA flashlight that uses a single side switch and opens only at the tailcap. Inside the tailcap there is a magnet, and the bottom is flat so it can tailstand. The pocket clip is typical of any olight and is deep carry with the lens up. It holds very well in the pocket. The switch is flush with the tube, and has not turned on accidentally in my pocket so far. Threads are annodized so you can lock out the light at the tail cap. The lens is a TIR lens with a cool white beam with no trace of blue or green in it.

My youtube Review:

Performance:

As you can see form my ceiling bounce tests, my results are very consistent with the advertised specs. it always makes me happy when a manufacturer is honest about the light and includes information about step downs into their specs

With NIMH this light does very well against the competition as far as brightness is concerned.

The S1A is no slouch with 14500 either. Bear in mind that this chart is a little misleading because the Turbo mode of 600 lumens only lasts for 1 minute and then it steps down to 300 lumens. It is also interesting because the S1A turns into a 4 mode flashlight with a 14500 battery, whereas much of the competition just replaces the existing high mode.

This chart is a really good representation of the light output, runtimes, and the stepdowns. It also shows that the regulation in this light is top notch. Really nice flat discharge curves on this light. Another thing to note is that the olight branded lithium battery that comes with the light is terrible! It will not support the high mode for more than a second or 2. It pretty much immediately steps down from 180 lumens to 80 lumens. I didn’t do a full runtime on it because it settled around 50 lumens and I knew it would take 4-5 hours to run it dry. So my advice is not to use that battery if your going to be using high mode.

You can see in this chart of NIMH runtimes how much of an improvement this light is over the S15. Bear in mind this chart measures lux, and not lumens or % output so what is important is the discharge curve rather than the numbers. The S15 just couldn’t even come close to competing with these other AA lights. The S1A falls right into the pack and performs very well with a pretty even runtime and discharge compared to the other lights.

When it comes to 14500 performance the S1A has that really nice burst of 600 lumens for 1 minute and then settles down to 300 steady lumens for the duration of the runtime. This light is the tortoise and the hair all built into one.

Step Downs:

I’m giving this topic its own section, because I think its important to note this stuff in the review. This light has some interesting and confusing step downs. I’m going to break them down to you.

14500 – The light ran for 1 minute @ 600+ lumen and then 51 addition minutes at 300 lumens. At the 52 minute mark the light had another hard step down to around 30-40 lumens. I pulled the battery at this point and it was at 3.35 volts I did let it run another 10 minutes and it did run at that brightness the whole time. I pulled the battery at that point and it was around 3.15 I ended the test at that point.

NIMH – The light runs a solid 110 minutes of steady output, and dropped in brightness by about 50% It ran about another 10 minutes and the light began to strobe slowly. I ended the test

Alkaline – the light ran for 20 minutes and then had a hard step down that reduced brightness by about 50%. The light continued to 68 minutes and it started to strobe. I ended the test at that time.

Beamshots:

S1A VS Thrunite T10T VS Thrunite Archer 1A VS Thorfire TG6

S1A VS T10T

S1A VS Archer 1A

S1A VS TG06

The light has a really nice pleasant beam to it. This will be a really nice light for close up work. I’m not seeing any hint of blue/green in the tint at all so I’m very happy with that. I’m also pretty fond of TIR lens lights so this is a big plus for me.

Size Comparison:

The S1A is the runt of the group.

Final Thoughts:

To be honest the S15 completely turned me off from Olight, and I was reluctant to take this light to review. but I did set my bias aside and decided to give the S1A an unbiased look and see if it was an improvement over the S15. I can say that performance is a huge improvement! There are some things I like about the S1A, and those are the size, pocket clip, and the TIR lens. I really think more AA lights should be TIR. I also like that it has really good regulation and I do like the step down on NIMH and Alkaline with the strobe at the end of battery life.

What I don’t like about the light is the 1 minute runtime at 600 lumens. My original plan was to see how many 1 minute bursts the light could handle. After your minute is up I could not get the light to return to 600 lumens without recharging the battery. This could be problematic. If you have a light that has been sitting a while, or even an older battery you may not be able to get that 600 lumen burst. Plus, if it does turn on in your pocket you lose that capability until you charge again. I don’t like such a big step down in a light. For some people this may be beneficial, but I don’t like the idea of starting a project, and then not being able to finish because the light stepped down so much. Another thing I don’t like is that the magnet is much weaker in the S1A than it is in my S15. Easy fix though. Going to swap them out since I hate the S15 anyway.

I think this is a light that is going to fit some people’s needs very well, and not so much for other people. The olight interface is pretty easy to master and is good enough for EDC as far as I’m concerned. I would not count on my fingers to be accurate enough to get that strobe going in a real emergency situation. as a small compact EDC I think this light really works. The performance is right there with the competition, and Olight was very honest in their advertised specs.

here is the big question. Knowing what I know now, would I buy the light?

To be honest probably not. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a nice light with great performance. But the S1A doesn’t fit my preferences well enough to spend $50 on it. I strongly prefer a reverse tail switch over the side switch. I really never find myself carrying lights with a side switch on a regular basis. Which is good news. I would not buy the S15 because the performance was terrible. This light meets my needs for performance, but just doesn’t meet my preferences for ergonomics. The good news is that this light is going to fall into many people’s preferences for every day carry and will be a great light for them.

So even though this light does not fit in with the kind of light I regularly would carry, this light might be something for you to consider since it does have really good runtimes, brightness and performance.

Ladies and Gentlemen, like several others here, I have now received an unsolicited complimentary Olight S1A from Lydia at Olight in Marietta Ga. and she has asked that I write a review.

I am aware that this particular light has been reviewed up, down and sideways by some very competent reviewers and trying to add anything of value is going to be difficult indeed – everything that needs saying has already been said, and very well at that.

I will, therefore, try to keep this brief and to the point. If anyone has questions I will cheerfully try to answer them to the best of my ability.

Packaging– has already been well described. There is some information on the back of the plastic box that may bear relevance. It describes:

“Cree XM-L2, with TIR optics and a maximum beam of 600 Lumens.”

“Conventional output of 0.5 / 5 / 50 / 220 lumens, strobe at 10Hz, and turbo mode of 600 lumens available with a 14500 battery”.

“Stainless steel bezel and switch ring with stylish blue coating”

“Flat magnetic tail cap and recessed silicon switch to avoid accidental activation”

“Built in timer, and lanyard with perforating tool.”

The front of the package advertises a high of 220 Lumens, maximum run time of 25 days, and a throw of 71 meters.

To Olights credit, the package is seriously tough. Getting it open without resorting to a Swiss Army knife is a challenge, and the light itself is held within by means of a rubber O-ring. There is a lithium primary cell already inside the light, protected by a plastic insulator to prevent accidental activation in transit.

Scanning the bar code on the side of the box took me directly to the S1A on Olights website and another comprehensive description.

Contents are the light, a users manual in every language under the sun and a lanyard with the ‘perforating tool’ which is in fact a miniscule cotter pin. Still, it’s a great idea and would reduce the ‘lanyard installation fumbles’ a lot.

First Impression is of a delightfully small, beautifully crafted light. I was mildly shocked to find that it is, in fact, 1.5 mm shorter that Olights earlier i2eos and only about 1 mm longer than FourSevens Mini AA. Make no mistake, this is a small light! My beloved vintage Fenix L1P looks positively clunky beside it.

S30, S20-L2, S1A, Olight i2eos, Mini AA, Fenix L1P

The switch is crisp and quite firm. I doubt it would come on accidentally. It is made of soft silicone, and I hope it won’t get too much wear and tear from the other junk I carry in my pockets.

Output & Beam has also been previously discussed at length; suffice it to say that all of the outputs appear to be as described by Olight.

I have attempted to photograph the beam angles; all are on ‘low’, and are, left to right, an Olight S20-L2, FourSevens MiniAA, Olight i2eos and the S1A.

The S1A is noticeably more ‘floody’. Tint appears to be close to the S20-L2 or perhaps a bit closer to neutral. I have been vocal in my earlier complaints about green tints in Olights offerings but I think they’re trying to correct that – my first S20 was horribly green, the second is a lot better, my S30 is really white, although still quite cool, and the S1A doesn’t seem green to me at all. To my (admittedly very old) eyes it seems to shift a bit from cooler to warmer as the output increases, which is no doubt a function of the driver.

There is one anomaly that I will point out – both the S20 and the S1A are advertised as having a low of 0.5 Lumens. In the case of my individual lights, the S1A is much lower than either of my S20s. It compares very closely to the low offered in the Q-Lite Rev. A driver, advertised as .09 Lumens. I know there can be variations from copy to copy, but this particular S1A has a very low moonlight indeed and that pleases me greatly.

‘Moonlite’ Lows, left to right, S30, S20, S20-L2, S1A

‘Moonlite’ lows, Olight S20-L2, Convoy S2/Q-lite Rev.A driver, Olight S1A

Conclusion– There’s nothing here to not like, and nothing to criticize. This is an impeccably crafted, delightfully small 1 AA light that puts out a formidable volume of light in well spaced increments. I think it’s going to be very popular.

Again, although I lack the technical expertise of our more modern reviewers, I will cheerfully try to answer any questions you might have. For the record, I do not intend to make a habit of doing reviews – at my age and level of expertise I’m more comfortable scratching pictures in the dirt with a stick. Still, Lydia informs me there is another very special light on the way. What’s a man to do?

Olight Official : https://olightworld.com/store/s1a-baton.html
US Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/S1A-Flashlight-Magnetic-Portable-Emergency/dp/B01...
UK Amazon : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01IN27P9U
CA Amazon : https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01J0NL6HS

In the interest of complete transparency please know that Olight sent me this light to review. I’ve been through several AA, AAA and CR123 lights in the search for the best EDC light or lights. I settled on AA lights for the balance of battery life, function and form. My current most carried EDC light, out of the 25 or so I’ve tried is the Eagletac D25a Ti 2014 version. I was a fan of the Olight S15 and was a little disappointed when I read they were discontinuing it until I saw the first video that included the Olight S1A on YouTube. A single click of the soft rubber side switch turns the light on in the mode it was turned off in. When on, pressing and holding the switch cycles through low (5 lumens), medium (50 lumens) and high (220 lumens) modes. A Turbo mode can be accessed when using a rechargeable Li-Ion 14500 and is rated at 600 lumens but my battery of choice is the Eneloop Pro so I might never experience that, it isn’t something I need anyway. Olight includes a Lithium Iron non rechargeable battery with the light. From off pressing and holding the soft side switch will turn the light on in firefly mode (0.5 lumens). A triple click from any on mode or from off gives you instant access to strobe mode. This UI works great for me, I use medium mode the most so instant access to it is great. I also appreciate being able to access firefly mode without killing my night vision and the ability to jump to strobe mode pretty quickly from anywhere in the UI. The pocket clip is really only built to be installed with the light carrying lens up which took me a couple days to get used to but it is not a big deal. It is also folded over itself giving you the option of clipping it on your hat for instant headlight action. The built in tail cap magnet is an easy feature to forget until you need it and then you will be glad it’s there. I for one don’t use lanyards on flashlights but this one comes with a pretty nice lanyard that is ready to be threaded through the lanyard hole. The packaging is very minimalistic being not much bigger than the light which is something I like to see since I keep every box for every product I own. Overall this light is a great addition to my EDC rotation. It fits all my needs as being a source of usable light that I can access quickly with some sprinkled in features that I don’t need but that are very nice to have.

If you’d like one of your own.
Olight Official : https://olightworld.com/store/s1a-baton.html
US Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/S1A-Flashlight-Magnetic-Portable-Emergency/dp/B01...
UK Amazon : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01IN27P9U
CA Amazon : https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01J0NL6HS

KEY FEATURES:

INCLUDED ACCESSORIES:

Greetings,

This is my review for the Klarus Mi7 and it’s a red one. This light was provided by Gearbest for review.

Where to purchase it:

My sample looks more of matte finish than glossy that appears from the Klarus website. Maybe it was only mine that came that way? If anyone has a different experience, please share.

I received this torch on the 25 of July 2016. I have been carrying it as a keychain torch ever since, and it has hold up well. I was using the Nitecore MT10C as a key chain light and it was a bit heavy. If you do not want to scratch the finish, I would not recommend carrying this light a key chain, but if you can accept that this will happen, it is a great key chain light. With this Klarus Mi7, I can confidently let the light hang from my set of keys while the car key is on the car’s ignition. To me, in terms of weight, feels like I have another key in my pocket.  The switch was easy to find in the dark.

Let us start with what matters most, the lumens. This tiny pocket sized light produces 700 lumens from a single 14500 battery or 330 from a single standard AA size battery. The moonlight mode is 5 lumens for both 14500 and AA battery, the medium for 14500 battery and AA is 90 lumens.

Emitter: Cree XP-L HI V3

Tint: White Light(I compared it to my Nitecore MT10C which has cool white and Mi7 tint looked more white than cool white.)

Beam Distance: 110 Meters

Candela:3025

Water Proof: IPX8 up to 2 meters(around 6.56 feet) under water

Impact resistance: 1 meter(about 3.28feet).

Polarity Protection: Yes

Lock Out mode: Yes

Battery Power indicator: Yes. Three fast clicks from off will give an estimate of your battery capacity. 3 flashes: over 70% 2 flashes: between 70%-30% 1 flash: less than 30%

Run Times:  *14500(800mAh) Battery:

700 lumens (high) is 53 minutes

90 lumens (medium) is 47 minutes

5 lumens (moonlight) is 67 hours

Strobe at 700 lumens is 1 hour and 46 minutes

SOS at 90 lumens is 11 hours and 21 minutes.

Run Times *AA (Alkaline) Battery:

330 lumens (high) is 55 minutes

90 lumens (medium) is 50 minutes

5 lumens (moonlight) is 40 hours

Strobe at 300 lumens is 1 hour and 50 minutes

SOS at 90 lumens is 5 and 30 minutes.

* I am only assuming that they are using their own Brand (Klarus) 14500 to conduct these run times and they used Pairdeer industrial alkaline battery, since it is included with the torch (flashlight.)

The voltage rate is 1.0V-4.2V. It also has over discharge protection, meaning you can use different chemistry of 14500 batteries and AA batteries. According to their site: http://www.klaruslight.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=134&id=131

You can use a rechargeable or primary LiFePO4 batteries, rechargeable AA batteries, AA lithium or alkaline primaries, IMR Li-ion. Even if the Klarus Mi7 has these protections in place, please do not over discharge your batteries for your safety.

The finish of the torch differs from what they advertise:

This is what mine looks like:

This is the how torch comes packaged:

The accessories: It comes with a lanyard, spare o ring, key ring, S carabiner, and one AA battery.

For those interested what the manual looks like:

 If you want to read it click here:

http://i.imgur.com/X2zyOF5.jpg?1

The threads on the light look squared:

(My sample did not come with any lubrication. I added lithium grease.)

Size comparison:

Inside of the head:

Inside the Tube:

Emitter:

Beam Shots:

14500 battery on high:

14500 On Low and AA on low(both are at 90 lumes and both looked the same to me):

AA on high:

Moonligh(both 14500 and AA since both are at 5 lumens and both look the same to me):

Comparison  beam shots:

S10RbatonII(white tint in my opinion) @ 500 lumens:

Manker U11 @ 1000 lumens NW:

Thrunite TC 12 @ 1000 lumens NW:

Overall, it is a great torch and it comes down to personal choice. I personally could not use it as a work light, since I need momentary light on. Instead of a lanyard, I would have preferred a pocket clip so I can have the choice in placing in my shirt or pants pocket. My wife liked the torch, but was concern with the heat that it was creating. I reassured her that this was normal considering this light is emitting 700 lumens. I showed the light to other people, some didn’t like the fact that it had no memory function and another did not like the fact that it had no magnet. They were all impressed on how bright it is, there is no debating that. I do get use out of this torch and that is why I bought one in blue.

#Preface

Olight just released a couple of new lights – the R50, and the S1A Baton. Today I’m looking at the S1A Baton, and an R50 review is upcoming. I’m excited to review these, and appreciate Olight for providing these for review. And thanks to Calvin at Illumn for facilitating.

Right-click and open in new tab for the full size of the pictures!

*****

1. Olight S1A Baton Official Specs:

KEY FEATURES:

• Cree XM-L2 LED
• Powered by one AA battery. Conventional output: 0.5 lumens, 5 lumens, 50 lumens, 220 lumens, strobe mode at 10Hz.
• Special output: turbo mode at 600 lumens (only available when 14500 rechargeable lithium battery is used)
• High light transmission rate TIR lens resulting in a balanced and useful beam
• Eco-friendly AL6061-T6 aluminum alloy body with anti-scratch Milspec type-III hard anodized finish and a blue PVD stainless steel ring on the switch and bezel
• Controlled by a thermal protection program, the turbo mode is limited to 1 minute and then the brightness gradually steps down to 50% of the initial brightness (only available when 14500 rechargeable lithium battery is used)
• Built-in timer: Short timer (3 minutes) or Long timer (9 minutes)

This product has the following specifications (ANSI/NEMA FL1-2009 Standards):

The above section contains the manufacturer’s descriptions and claims, not my impressions or results.

***

1. Olight S1A Baton Short Review:

Spectacular AA light, with potential for even greater output using an 14500 cell.

1. Olight S1A Baton Long Review:

##What’s Included

• Lanyard
• User Manual
• 1.5V Lithium Iron Disulfide Battery
• Spare o-ring
• Pocket clip

##Pictures

Hope you like a few pictures of the Olight S1A and some other items: (full album link).
I also took a few beamshots, for your comparison: 14500 and Eneloop AA
And just for the sake of saving you some reading: here’s the Olight S1A tint vs the tint of the BLF-348

##Quality, Build and Disassembly

Being an Olight

you can trust that the build quality of the S1A

is excellent. This light is no exception. Build quality is on par with my Olight S1 (brushed titanium). The threads are nicely lubricated, and though few and small, do appear to be square cut. The body metal is thin, and occasionally one may have to be careful threading the tailcap on, but the square cut threads do help here.

The S1A appears to have a physical means of reverse polarity protection. The head end of the battery tube has a rubber donut that should keep a reverse-input cell from making contact. The positive terminal is a little brass

(?) ball – first time I’ve seen anything like it. Contact is good, of course.

The blue anodized bezel

is press-fit in. While that can be removed, I chose not to (as it’s quite difficult, and often also destructive).

The clip of course comes off easily, but as far as disassembly, there’s not much more to do.

I always like spotting the leads, through the TIR optic

(One can see the red wire, through it there.)

##Package and Manual

The package

is a display-type package. There’s a little hang tag
on top, a QR code on the side and the whole package is clear plastic so one can view the goodies. The light is held in place by an o-ring Note that this is your spare o-ring so don’t cut it to get the light out! Some people complain about this and some people don’t mention it… I think it’s clever, and appreciate one less thing to throw in the trash I do wish the package itself was recyclable; I kind of prefer a cardboard package. I’m sure the visibility does help sell though: this is a nice looking light.

The English part of the manual is a total of 4 pages, and there are a whole host of other languages included. The manual is fair and explains things nicely. The UI

and specs are on one side, and the warranty etc
is on the other.

##Power

The S1A runs on a single cell: AA or 14500. It ships with a 1.5V Lithium Olight-branded primary (non-rechargeable) cell
Also runs on an alkaline, and Eneloops.

I will not fault Olight here, but it would have been awesome of Olight – since they’re providing a cell – to include a 14500. Olight even has Olight branded 3.7V 14500 cells, and a 2 pack is only $[9.95](https://www.olight.org/olight-14500-lithium-ion-battery-2-pack.html). Since this light will only achieve turbo when using a 14500, the light really thus performs best with 14500, and Olight would have been nice to provide one. However, that would oblige them to provide a charger, so I do understand the logic.

##User Interface and Operation

There is one silicone capped side button
on the S1a. The UI is complex but not complicated, and the same as other current generation, smaller Olights.

State|Action|Result
—|—|—
Off| Press| Last mode (Memory)
Off| Hold | Moonlight
Off| Double Click| High (Turbo with 14500)
On|Press|Off
On|Hold|L>M>H
On|Double click|Timer of current mode
Any|Triple Click|10Hz Strobe

Notes:

• Timer works in moonlight (also).
• Timer seems to remember the last timer used, and double clicking to turn on timer selects the next timer (ie if you used 3m last time, 9m is next.

There are a bunch of lights now requiring a user to hold the button to turn the light off. The Olight S1A is thankfully not like that – just a quick click and it’s off.

There is no electronic lockout for this light.

The UI is friendly – it’s unlikely to accidentally get strobe, and if you do accidentally get a wrong mode, it’s not likely to be a mode worse for your need than that you expected (ie, you probably won’t carelessly get turbo if looking for moonlight.) That’s one thing I have liked about all the Olight’s I’ve owned: the UI is trustworthy.

#LED and Beam

The emitter is an XM-L2
behind a TIR optic I happen to be a huge fan of TIR optics, and this one works just like you’d expect. There’s a nice even spot, with little spill, and not even much corona. For a light like this, typically as an EDC light, this is a great beam shape.

There is no mention of which XM-L2 version this is, but it’s certainly the Cool White (CW) version of the XM-L2 – approximately 5000-8300K. There are also WW and NW versions of the LED, but they are not available in this light. Even though it’s well on the cool side, I wouldn’t call the tint blue. It’s more of a greenish to me, but even at that, it’s not a bad tint in any way whatsoever.

##Runtime

Three types of runtime:

The hard cutoffs suggest (as /u/Zak said) that the stepdowns are voltage based. One could argue that the stepdown from turbo is designed to skirt FL1 standards – I would not make that argument. The light stays on turbo for almost a minute, and FL1 standards requires 30 seconds.

Otherwise, the stepdowns are fine, and a sort of “user oriented” stepdown. The fact that the stepdowns are voltage based, does lend credence to the possibility that the light does have low voltage protection, but that LVP kicks in at lower threshold than my tolerance to test it. Anyway, you can judge that for yourself:

14500 Turbo Cooled, Stopped and cell was 2.88V.
14500 High Uncooled, Stopped at 2.77V.
Eneloop AA High Cooled, Stopped at 1.12V.

So, I can not say for certain whether this light has low voltage protection or not. It is not mentioned in the manual (usually it would be) and most other commentary about the light does not indicate that it has LVP. These runtime test would indicate the same. Normally a light would terminate output above 2.77V (as with the 14500), but I actually shut the test off at that point myself, and there was still light being produced. Take that for what you will. Many people will prefer LVP, and I know some do not. If you’re sensible about it, this shouldn’t really matter.

Sidenote on the Eneloop AA test – there was a testing error at the ~40 minute mark. My guess is that the “high” setting should be basically flat all the way to about 70 minutes, at which point the light drops to low, or nearly low.

##Beamshots

Flashlight | 0.3s, f/8, ISO 100, CWB 5000k
—:|:—
Olight | S1A Baton [14500](http://imgur.com/a/wId2w), [AA](http://imgur.com/a/mti1M)
Convoy | [C8 XPL-HI](http://imgur.com/a/KXW3J)
JETBeam | [JET-I MK](http://imgur.com/a/ZN8yu)
Klarus | [Mi7](http://imgur.com/a/x9o6g)
BLF-348 | [A](http://i.imgur.com/PykzDf8.jpg), [B](http://i.imgur.com/Yjhkm5b.jpg)
Manker | [E14 ](http://imgur.com/a/HLAaf)
Astrolux | [S41 ](http://imgur.com/a/9nzcR)
Convoy | [L6 (5000k)](http://imgur.com/a/lNPdt)
XintD | [C8 XP-G2 S4](http://imgur.com/a/yaHNx)

All beamshots are at the same settings in practically the same conditions. Many are beamshots used in previous reviews: I have included them here just for fun.

##Retention

Even though the manufacturer specs say it comes with no clip, it does in fact (of course) come with a pocket clip installed
There’s also a lanyard. The lanyard has a nice little pin so threading through the hole in the tailcap will be easy. And a tailcap magnet If you’ve read my reviews long enough you’ll know that I love tailcap magnets, and these Olight ones are great. The clip is reversible, though if you reverse it from how it ships, the clip tip will extend slightly past the output end of the light. As it ships, it’s an “emitter up” configuration. And of course the light will tailstand. (Headstand too, but with a flush bezel, that’s not any way to use a light.)

There’s a tab on the inside of the clip, designed to hold the light in place more securely. I found difficult to get the clip over my pants past that tab. Others have used a Dremel to remove that tab, and I think this light would be good without that tab, too.

Without the pocket clip, the light does roll relatively freely.

##Size

The S1A is a great AA sized light. I was recently corrected when I said that the Klarus Mi7 seemed a little long for what it is – the 87mm Mi7 is actually shorter than the median AA sized light. Well the S1A answers my specious claim, as it’s quite a bit shorter even that the Mi7, at 79.5mm. The diameter is also perfect for clipping to a pocket (that’s where I always carry my edc light!)

Everyone knows how big Chapstick
is, right? The S1A carries much like a chapstick.

##Random Comparisons….

This S1A is of course, an update to the S15, an XM-L emitter light. The XM-L2 of the S1A gives over double the output (and for a longer rated time), has a much higher peak beam intensity (3480 vs 1750 rated), and is both shorter and narrower. Versus the S15, the S1A seems like a clear upgrade.

It’s also hard not to compare this to the recent Olight S1. I have the brushed titanium version, and I love it. Notably, it’s a neutral white light, an option not available on the S1A. Size wise, the S1A feels much better in-pocket, and also never tips out, something my S1 has done from time to time. The UI is the same of course, and the tint between the two isn’t that different. If you’re married to AA’s, then the S1A is a definite win here.

S1A vs S1 size:

Tail
!{width:25%}http://i.imgur.com/FLZLbTv.jpg!.
Head
Height Clip Button
Bezel

Vs many other lights

Vs a few other similarly sized lights

#Summary

##Pros

• Small
• Accepts 14500 cell
• Nice runtime and the stepdowns are fine
• Build quality is great (and it looks great, too!)
• No accidental activation issues.
• Magnet!!

##Cons and Conundrums

• Ships with 1.5V lithium primary, not a 14500.
• Really, not anything else. It’s a quality package.

#Final Thoughts

This is a great little light, and a very solid upgrade from the Olight S15. I’m happy to have it alongside my brushed titanium S1, and would love to see this model come in some titanium options. I recommend the light, and expect you’ll love it

##Parting Shot

What a great little pocket light!

***

Footnotes:
1. This light was provided for review by Olight, facilitated by Calvin at Illumn. Thanks to both!!
2. This review was originally written for r/flashlight : please forgive any reformatting errors! – I have tried to get it right for BLF.
3. Sorry the pics are so wide. 1800px is just right on other forums, and there is also auto-resize. Sorry!

***
Edit List:
Noted here as needed.

This is my review of the S1A Baton for Olight.

Now I work 3rd shift at an airport and the lighting isn’t very good most of the time. This little light will light up the entire cabin/baggage area of our aircraft (large cabin business jets). I’ve carried bigger lights (Klarus ST11) which is a good light but to big for me to carry sometimes. you dont even notice this light and it has great variety of brightness’s. now for some pics

This is my makeshift headlight setup

Next to my Left is the S1A right is S30r II

Left S1A middle S30R II Right Kluras ST11

Dark control shot

5Lm brightness

50LM brightness

220 lm brightness

I wasn’t able to test it to 600 lm due to my 14500 batteries not being delivered as this is being written

All pics taken with my HTC One M9 quality isnt the best but isnt bad.

Final thoughts Its a great small light that can use common batteries and is more then bright enough for 90% of people. It doesn’t really add any bulk to an emergency bag, purse of even pocket. I will be adding to my Olight collection.

Orcatorch T11 Review

!!

Hey folks today I will be reviewing the Orcatorch T11. My review is later then every one else because i am special! Well It got caught in the flooding in China lucky for the lads at Orcatorch they are prepared! As they make diving lights. Please do not dive into flood water! Lots of reviews already up here on BLF so I will add my touch. Unlike a priest my touch wont effect any ones life later on! Unless you now feel dumber for reading this. Then I apologize.

Orcatorch was kind enough to send me this light for free so I thank them and I also thank Archer for being an active member of the BLF family. I will do a fair review of course just because it was free doesn’t mean I wont its not like I am serving politician.

!!

The Orcatorch T11 is a flashlight that is marketed at the masses running on a single AA battery for an impressive output of 190 lumens on turbo mode. Now I know where I am posting this so I will add not every one wants 1000000000 lumens running on 10000 18650s. But if I could afford it I would actually want that light. But its not about me well it is my review so it kind of is about me I guess.

Anyhow! Selling a light to a none flashaholic is hard work how do you define what is needed by an every day person? My best mate is a mechanic does the T11 fit his needs? Yes it does. After I gave him a lecture on lithium ions does he want to use them? No! Probably my fault saying your house will burn down! Can you be naughty and run the T11 on a 14500 for extra output? Yes I am doing as we speak. But be warned Santa may banish you from his good books. Orcatorch will also banish your warranty. A light like is perfect EDC for every one my mate likes using alkaline batteries so it suits him well. We did go to Ikea and buy some laddas just for the extra run time.

The T11 has 4 standard output modes plus a Strobe and SOS mode so a nice wide selection of outputs for every one. ANSI FL1 rated. Usual test at about 10-12 meters from the fence. Low mode is 5 meters from the door.

Turbo mode: 190 lumens @ 2.7 hours

!!

High mode: 80 lumens @ 7.6 hours

!!

Medium mode: 30 lumens @ 19.8 hours

!!

Low mode: 10 lumens @ 60 hours

!!

Strobe mode: 190 lumens

SOS mode: 190 lumens

The T11 has no memory mode so that is a downside for some and an upside for other for me it depends on the light its self. If the light is a 4000 lumen light I would rather it have no memory and start on low always! For twisties they need a memory mode! These smaller light are okay to have no memory its a situation where you can not make every one happy.

!!

The T11 uses a Cree XPG2 which is a great LED choice because it is super efficient and small. It is important in smaller lights to use a smaller LED. It makes more sense these light are not made to be super bright because then cooling becomes an issue. Plus it makes more sense reflector wise you can make the whole light smaller. Plus you get the advantage of added run time because of the efficiency aspect. I will add even using a 14500 this light does not heat up at all!

!!

Working voltage of the T11 is 0.8-3.0 volts so it was not intended to be used with a 14500 so I can not recommend it for warranty purposes! The output with a 14500 seem almost double it is already super bright with a Single AA beating my Jetbeam Jet Mk1 by 40 lumens that is a whole Nitecore tube in brightness! Compared to a standard LED lenser the output from a single cell is great on the T11. Right now I am on Orcatorch Amazon page the light is $32 USD making it about $40 Aussie dollars compared to a similar LED lesner the p6.2 that is 200 lumens from two AA batteries and cost $110 Aussie dollars. Price to performance it is a good deal. Especially seeing as you can pick batteries from any shops and be on your way no extra to pay for chargers or batteries.

Seeing as the minimum voltage is 0.8 volts the T11 is intended to be used with single NiMH AA battery which capacity wise is great you can get cells that are 2500mah doing some tail cap readings brings these results.
Tail cap current tests. Should give you an idea of run times.

NiMH Eneloop pro tail cap current.

Low mode: 0.084

Medium mode: 0.240

High mode: 0.640

Turbo mode: 1.8 amps (2.3 watts)

14500 IMR 4.2 volts tail cap current.

Low mode: 0.084

!!

Medium mode: 0.200

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High mode: 0.530
!!

Turbo mode: 1.1 (4.6 watts)

!!

Seeing as Orcatorch are a diving flashlight company the T11 comes with an IPX rating of 8 which makes it waterproof to under 2 meters. It is not intended to be used as a diving light but if your snorkeling it will be fine. Also fine to get wet by rain water. The T11 has a max beam distance of 106 meters with the NiMH I am sure that distance will increase with the use of a 14500. The beam pattern is more throw heavy than wide but seeing as it uses a XPG2 that is bound to happen. It still does manage to light up a wide area its just not as floody as other lights.
The T11 is impact resistant to 1.5 meters this is a super important feature for an EDC flashlight seeing as the light will be dropped often. This also means that the head is glued but I would prefer this method. Seeing as this driver will have a transformer on it to boost up the voltage to the LED. It is important that the head is glued for extra strength. My mate the mechanic I gave him 3 Hugsby flashlights 2 of the XP-1 and 1 of the XP-2 and he has managed to break them all by dropping them. I have taken them apart and it is the transformer that comes lose when dropped. Could be a design flaw on Hugsby i am not sure.

Looks wise the T11 has a very tactical look to it. I like the way it looks It has a fairly aggressive stance with out being too over the top. It is a larger single AA flashlight but by no means over the top size wise it is still shorter then a convoy S2+ and much thinner in width. The T11 has functional cooling fins to dissipate the heat the switch is on the back of the flashlight but it is recessed inside the body of the light for protection. This means it doesn’t get switched on by accident. The switch used is a forward clicky so you can half press to change to modes. It comes with a clip already attached to the light from factory. when using the clip the light faces downwards when mounted. The clip is secure and well mounted you can rotate the clip so the light can face any direction. The clip is removable but it will be hard to get of. The tail cap has lanyard holes so that comes in handy if you like lanyard (I do). Also seeing as the tail cap is recessed you can tail stand this flashlight!

!!

Total length of the body is 10.5cm and the head diameter is 2.5cm and the tail cap diameter is 2.3cm. The T11 can only be opened at one place where the end of the flashlight joins with the tail cap. The batteries fits nice and tight inside the light but I would have liked to seen double springs but as this flashlight is marketed at AA NiMH not a major problem unless they make flat top NiMH? The threads came very well lubed and cut. I am glad to say the light has no shape edges for this price I would hope so! Total weight of the T11 is a tiny 55 grams with out the battery so it will be an easy to carry EDC. The anadizing is type 3 and is well finished.

!!

The package inclues the following.

The orchatorch T11

Sheath

Lanyard

Clip already attached

Spare O-rings

Warranty and instructions

!!

Overall i can not fault this light it is very well built and durable it comes as a complete package with extras Orcatorch back there products. I honestly do not find the price to high for what you are getting if you compare it to going to the shops and buying a light here it is way cheaper and a lot better built. I love my EDC the Jetbeam Jet Mk1 but this light is far Superior in build quality and durability and even output with a standard cell. I will add i would love to see a magnet added to future models of this light.

I hope i did not forget any thing i will go over what i wrote in the morning its already 2am the video will be up by tomorrow night.

Thanks for reading!

Regards Chris

Hello all.,

I received this Olight S1A Baton for free, to do a review.

Lucky me.

Many thanks therefore to Lydia of Olight USA and also Sandra of Olight UK. Both are lovely, lovely ladies.

Don’t make the mistake that I’m biased however.

I’ve seen other reviews of this torch, but they’ve all seemed to be in American, which some people may find hard to understand.

This review will be in plain, old fashioned English. Therefore, the word f***hlight will NOT be used. Over this side of the pond, they are “torches”. Okay??

Plus, we even invented them….. In 1899 (according to Bing) by the English inventor David Misell. Apparently his first version used a LatticeBright LED but he improved it over time.

So there.

God bless Her Majesty.

I already own two Olight torches, the diminutive S1 Baton and the (largely comparable to this) S15R Baton, both of which I bought out of my own hard earned wages, from dark days digging down t’pit (actually I’m a cop, though not for much longer, lucky me again). I’ll be briefly comparing this S1A against those two torches, though I will also make a pictorial reference, to give a better idea of scale, to some others that I own as well. These are the Thorfire C8s, the BLF Kronos X6, Astrolux S3, BLF-348, Thrunite Ti2 and the teensy Astrolux M01.

As you can also see, the S1A is barely bigger than the Ti2, about 1cm shorter than the S15R and considerably smaller than a Bantam hen (she is called Cheddar)

Basics.

Firstly, the torch arrived in the standard Olight packaging which is attractive in itself, being a quite compact, classy retail display clear plastic box showing the torch sitting inside. As you can see, the box is around the height of a normal can of pop.

As well as the torch, it contains an instruction leaflet and a nice quality padded Olight lanyard. The lanyard has a useful pin on it to allow for easy, frustration-free threading into the hole on the tail of the torch. The lanyard itself may not be suitable for people with large hands. I am about a medium hand and I can put it on my wrist easily enough but if you’re blessed/cursed with really beefy fists you may struggle a bit. You could always just get another lanyard of your choosing easily enough though, if needed.

The torch is held in place in the box by a rubber ring. Some reviewers have said this is a spare O-ring but I’m not convinced as it seems thicker than the one in place between the tail and battery tube. May be worth keeping hold of though.

The torch comes with a (non-rechargeable) Lithium AA cell inside it, protected by a little plastic sleeve to prevent it from inadvertently completing a circuit and discharging. Take out the plastic sleeve and you’re good to go. The torch will happily run on any type of AA cell, but to get the most out of it you will need to use a 14500 Lithium Ion (Li-Ion) rechargeable cell.

Dimensions.

The torch with the included Lithium cell weighs 56g or about 1.98oz. It is 79mm (3 1/8”) tall and about 21mm (13/16”) wide at the head.

Here is a mug shot line-up with the S15R and S1 Batons. As you can see, the S1A is a nice size with a very deep carry clip.

Here it is compared to the size of a credit card.

Have a think about becoming a donor, it’s easy to do, just look on the NHS website. Or just text SAVE to 62323.

Outputs.

So, moving on, the S1A has standard (with AA cells) outputs as follows:

On “moonlight” mode (great for night time use such as map reading or checking on the baby) it is 0.5 lumens.

On low, 5 lumens, medium 50 lumens, high is 220 lumens. The better the cell, the greater the run time at these different levels but, broadly, any cell will run moonlight for two or three weeks continually, low for two or three days, medium for four to ten hours and high for between one and two hours (though the highest 220 lumens output will always step down after a while to prevent overheating to 100 lumens, the time when it does this is cell-dependant)

So – if used with a Li-Ion 14500 cell it also has a crazy bright turbo mode which reaches 600 lumens, though to prevent overheating that will also step down after one minute then run at 300 lumens for an hour.

Used with other types of cell, you can’t access the turbo mode – the other just cells don’t have the grunt to be able to run it at that level and instead they will peak at 220 lumens until their own step down.

Switching.

Accessing the modes is done as follows, using the soft silicon side-mounted button (which doesn’t seem prone to accidental switching when in your pocket but if you’re really concerned about this, back off the tail-cap for about 1/8th of a turn to disconnect the cell)

One click accesses the last used mode which is stored in memory, be it moonlight, low, medium or high.

Press again to turn it off.

Press and hold from off to access moonlight.

When torch is on, press and hold cycles through L/M/H with an interval of about 1/3 of a second between each mode (this is much easier to use than the S15R and S1 which have longer intervals of almost a second between each mode). Release the button when you’re at the brightness level you want.

Double click from off enters high or turbo mode dependant on cell.

Triple click from off or on enters strobe mode, should you need it to ward off marauding wolves, errant motorists or just to play cruel tricks on people.

When switched on at your required brightness level, a double click will activate a choice of timers, either three or nine minutes, if desired. The timer will flash once for three minute, twice for nine minutes. Just double click until it flashes either once or twice dependant on how long you want it to stay on, it will turn off after the allotted time. Or you can press the switch again to turn it off yourself.

The mode switching is quite intuitive once you get the hang of it and, compared to other torches I own, I like the mode switching. Especially being able to access turbo or moonlight easily from off.

Build.

The torch is a very high quality affair. I have pored over my sample with a fine-toothed comb and I cannot find a single blemish. The TIR (total internal reflection) lens is recessed below the beautiful glossy blue anodised head. The soft and slightly tactile switch sits within a ring with the same blue anodising (I actually prefer the flush metal switch of the S15R with it’s LED indicator, but that’s just personal preference). The knurling is square cut and is absolutely perfect, very classy looking. There are three flat surfaces on the cell tube with the name and model/serial number on two of these. These two flats are both at 90 degree angles to the switch so can act as a means to locate the switch in the dark. However, what I do with my Olight torches is move the pocket clip (strong and dependable, just like me. Also tight, again like me) so it is directly opposite the switch, meaning I can locate the switch (which is a little difficult to do sometimes) very easily. Conversely, moving the clip to cover the switch will mean the torch can’t be inadvertently turned on. The base of the torch is flat, so it can tail-stand easily. Within the tail is a strong magnet so the torch can easily be mounted on an iron or steel surface if need be. The threads for the tail cap are very positive and it screws on tightly. The torch is impact resistant to 1.5 metres and also certified to IPX8 standard, meaning it can be submerged continually. It’s a sturdy little thing.

My only real criticism of the build is the clip. It is mounted for lens-up pocket carry, seated within a channel just below the head. When taken off and reversed in this channel, the clip edge protrudes over the head of the torch and the whole thing sits too high for pocket carry. In my view, there should be an opposing channel nearer the tail of the torch to allow the clip to be placed in a reverse position for comfortable, secure, deep lens-down carry. This would, in my view, protect the lens and would also allow the advantage of the torch being able to be retrieved from your pocket with a trailing lanyard if you want. This is certainly what I do with my folding pocket knives so they can be easily, quickly and intuitively taken from my pocket to be used.

Knives? Did someone mention knives? Oh, why not have a gratuitous knife shot then? Here’s my Spyderco “British Blades” limited edition Urban inflicting a grievous wound on an old table……

Illuminati.

Moonlight is perfect for my needs. Easily accessed, it allows for a quick but unobtrusive check on my surroundings. It is very low so it is perfect for deep darkness.
Low, medium and high are nicely spaced. I won’t discuss tint/light “temperature” other than to say it is an attractive tint and doesn’t seem to have the blue/green tinge that some people find ugly. However, I’m colour blind.
At around eight to ten feet, it has a nice, quite defined hotspot around three feet in diameter, with a useful spill. This isn’t a torch that will have a pencil thin beam at half a mile, nor is it an out and out floodlight. It sits somewhere in the middle. According to the specs it is rated as having a throw of 118 metres with a Li-Ion. That may well be accurate.
With the Li-Ion, turbo is very bright. Noticeably brighter than my S1 Baton which has a turbo of 500 lumens and way brighter than the comparable S15R.

Pros.
Small enough to pocket, big enough to use.
Lightweight.
Bright with a good range of levels.
Comprehensive cell options.
Strong.
Waterproof.
A comprehensive step up from the S15R in terms of output and wider range of cells.

Cons.
A little pricey in my view.
Clip could be redesigned.
Lanyard a little on the small side (really picky, I know)
Switch from the S15R is classier, in my opinion.

Conclusions.

I’d say this light is just about perfect. It has a small enough form-factor to be easily pocketable, but also big enough not to be swallowed up in your palm as is sometimes the case with the tiny S1 Baton. I can get a full four finger grip on this torch. If it is like my other Baton torches, it will be hard-wearing and reliable.

If Olight redesigned the clip slightly to allow it to be reversed effectively, and also made the torch rechargeable with a micro-USB charging base like the S15R Baton has, it would be perfect as an EDC (Every Day Carry) all-rounder.

Olight S1A Baton

Reviewer Overall Rating:  ★★★★★

- This Olight S1A Baton was provided to me for review by Lydia directly from: “https://olightworld.com/home/
Olight Official : https://olightworld.com/store/s1a-baton.html
US Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/S1A-Flashlight-Magnetic-Portable-Emergency/dp/B01...
UK Amazon : https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01IN27P9U
CA Amazon : https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01J0NL6HS

The new Olight S1A Baton is an all new EDC Baton-Series powered by a single AA battery.
It is the replacement next generation & upgraded version of the popular S15 Baton, but with better performance, smaller size, better beam pattern, (and nicer looking) using a TIR optic lens that delivers up to 600 lumens on maximum mode using a 14500 LiIon cell. This flashlight is compatible with any AA-format battery for ease of use, ranging from 1.5 volt NiMH or Alkaline to 3.7 volt LiIon cells. ). The S1A Baton has five brightness levels and a strobe mode covering a range of 0.5~600 lumens.

I received the light in a padded envelope, in perfect condition packaged in the traditional Olight package with manual, lanyard, o-ring, etc.

- My first impression of the new S1A is its definitely smaller & more streamlined.
it does make a better EDC than the last generation S15, and i really like the look blue SS bezel and switch ring. Looks however is only one of the many improvements i found in the S1A over the previous S15. One being its smaller, and better suited for pocket carrying.
- Another notable benefit of its smaller size is i found it to be less intrusive when using it as a head light when clipped to a ball-cap brim. ( as i do wear ball caps quite often on our camping trips, expeditions and at work, The smaller head-size of the S1A does not protrude or be as noticeable on a hat when used as a headlight.
- The second good improvement is the uniquely designed TIR, (Total Internal Reflection) optic lens. On the S1A, it gives a much, larger hot-spot than the past reflector & lens designs of the Baton series lights, which i found to be better for illuminating a larger area directly in front of you. Though like most TIR designs, the spill is a bit less ( and more gradient) than a reflector design, but it is adequate & having the even larger hot-spot makes up for the spill loss.
- Another big advantage of TIR lens designs is they are practically unbreakable versus glass lenses/reflector designs. ( and i do know as i have broken lenses & ruined a few reflectors in lights in the past from dropping on rocky ground, use at work, etc. while TIR lenses are generally made from acrylic or polycarbonate resins, they do scratch of struck, but can take much more abuse than a glass lens.
-most of the body, modes, clip etc are similar or same as the previous S15, and still retaining the magnetic tail cap, lock-out ability, top-notch knurling, versatile side clip, and electronic side switch design, but the biggest change is in the head of the light with the new TIR lens, smaller size, better beam & tint, and more output than the S15 on both 14500 or AA 1.5 volt cells.

-The quality of the finish & build is again top-notch as we seen from other recent Olight models. My sample arrived flawless, with no scratches, dings, etc. The machining is very smooth, with no noticeable burrs, rough edges, or any physical blemishing. The threads are very smooth & well greased. The reversible side clip is strong & well designed for holding onto pockets, hat brims, backpack flaps, as past Baton series Olights it has the favorite style of side clip i like and use on EDC level lights.
- Modes are nicely spaced, ( Moon, (accessed with a long-pres from off) then Low, Medium, High, (turbo with 14500) and a bonus is the strobe is hidden, accessible with three quick presses of the switch.
- as mentioned in the specifications, the S1A is controlled by a thermal protection program, the turbo mode is limited to 1 minute and then the brightness gradually steps down to 50% of the initial brightness (Turbo mode is only available when 14500 rechargeable lithium battery is used, thus when using a AA-NiMH, AA-Alkaline, or 1.5 volt Lithium Primary, the turbo mode is not accessible.

- The beam pattern is different from most EDC lights with reflectors, as the S1A has a very large hot spot with this TIR optic design. I like this larger hot spot as it illuminates a wider area farther out on a trail outdoors at night. it don’t have as much throw as some reflector EDC lights, but as an EDC, super throw capabilities is not really what most uses the S1A would be required or used for, as most EDC style lights are used for closer-up lighting.
- Run times is good, & better than expected in all modes with the different cells it can run on. My tests conclude similar results as the factory claims, though Moon light has not been tested as the time is likely to run 15 days to a month continuous and will take some time to test.

- Using the Sphere-O-Light, (photos below tests) my calculations of the output are somewhat close to the factory ratings, though the moon was difficult to accurately measure but my readings it is below 1 lumen.
Below are my lumens output findings using various types of cells:

>> NiMH AA (Eneloop Pro) – Moon: 0.5 ~ 1

>> 14500 LiIon (Olight 14500 3.7V) – Moon: 0.5 ~ 1

What i did find was how close the Moon, Low, Medium & high modes in output were the same with the various voltages & cell types. Except for the addition of turbo-mode while using a 3.7v 14500 high-drain cell. my measurements were close to that of the factory ratings, with the high being slightly higher.
- During the tests i found the turbo drops to 500 after 15 secs, then gradual step down to 460 after 65 secs, then levels off at 415 after 2 minutes, 30 secs of running on Turbo.

- during these tests i ran some heat testing. After two runs of turbo-mode, the maximum temperature i measured on the head of the S1A was 43.1 degrees Celsius, (or 106.34 Fahrenheit for those who use that measurement) somewhat hot to the touch, but not enough to burn your fingers.
- after the second Turbo run, i immediately removed the Olight 14500 cell to measure its temps, and that was at 34.3 Celsius, (93.74 Fahrenheit) meaning the Li-Ion battery remained in a safe temperature rating.

- Many times the Amp-draw load can tell us the efficiency & what to expect in average run times of lights, below are the Amps-draw take at the tail cap with various cells, using a Fluke ET73DMMA with high-current 12-guage leads.
Moon was difficult to measure, as the meter bounced between 0.005 to 0.01.

- Low: 0.04 Amps

- Medium: 0.28 Amps

- High: 1.42 Amps

- Moon: 0.005 ~ 0.01 Amps

- Low: 0.04 Amps

- Medium: 0.28 Amps

- High: 1.98 Amps

- Moon: 0.005 ~ 0.01 Amps

- Low: 0.02 Amps

- Medium: 0.13 Amps

- High: 0.51 Amps

- Turbo: 1.68 Amps

- Next is outdoor beam shots. These were taken with a Nikon D5100 + Remote shutter using a Nikkor 18mm~55mm lens + UV + PL Filter, with all beam shot photos taken with the same settings for each light, and all high-modes used for the NiMH tests, and for the 14500 all the light were on maximum modes, ( S1A on Turbo with photo taken at a 10-second delay after turning on.)
The Olight S1A was compared to two other single-AA format lights in this Review, the previous S15R modded with a XM-L3 3D emitter + Stippled TIR optic, a Stock Olight S20 18560 light, and a modded Thorfire TG06 with a XM-L2 4C tint.
I selected the modded TG06 & S15R as the mods improved these two lights over stock, and will show how the S1A is such a powerful single-AA light in comparison for output, and using the stock S20 it shows the improvement in Tint over the past Baton-series lights by using the new smaller TIR optic over the shallow reflector of the S20/15/10 Baton lights.
The images are Adobe-Gamma corrected, & adjusted to appear as we see them as close as possible with human eyes, (as long as your monitor is set correctly)

- Using Li-Ion cells, I am very impressed with the output of this new S1A in the Turbo-mode, as it even slightly beat the older S20 Baton on Max mode. As Seen in the outdoor beam shot photo below, you can see the S1A appears to be a hair brighter in the hot spot than the S20, even though the hot spot is even larger than the older S20.
Also note the tint between the S1A & the S20, the S1A is slightly more neutral with noticeable less of that green-hue of the past S-series Batons were known for.
Both the modded TG06 & S15R lights were my most powerful single 14500 lights in my arsenal, until the S1A came along. Even though the 4C & 3D tints of the TG06 & S15R modded lights are better & and warmer, the S1A with the factory is not bad, & much better than the past Baton lights.

• Single photo below is S1A on Turbo with 14500.)

- Now even more impressive is the output on high-mode while using a freshly charged Eneloop Pro NiMH in each of the lights used in this review comparison. In place of the S20 i substituted in my modded UF-G10 for the Eneloop test, This single-AA light is my most powerful single AA 1.5 volt light in my arsenal using the burly 7880 / 20-mode driver + a XM-L2 3D tint emitter on a Noctigon.
Again the S1A is impresive, nearly matching the modded UF-G10 on high for throw, (with a bigger hotspot) and beating both the modded TG06 & modded S15R lights on the Eneloop Pro cells on high. (below:

- Below is the S1A lined up with some other single AA-class lights, showing here how compact & small the new S1A really is. ( its the smallest AA-format light i have seen so far.) From left-to-right:
Olight S1A, Solarstorm SC01, Olight S15R, Thorfire TG06, Ultrafire-T20, and UF-G10.

- Next up is the Olight S1A lined up with other S-eries Baton lights, ( left-to-right: Olight S1A, Olight S15R, Olight S15 (with 2-AA tube) and Olight S20 Baton.

- Below is the tiny S1A along side other Olights, including the monstrous SR-90 Intimidator. The M3XS-UT seen here is another light generously provided by Lydia from Olight for review, so keep your eye open for a full review of this impressive thrower-on-steroids soon, it will be run up against my thrower arsenal including a TK75vn 2015 edition , heavy modded 5-amp DST, the Stock SR-90, a Jacobs A60, Tom-E BTU super shocker, and others.

- As with most Olight Baton S-series lights, i always like the reversible side clip, but with the smaller S1A it works better as a head/hat light than the larger past series Batons. And adding a small piece of rubber tubing, it works great in the side of a hat for hand-free use.

- well spaced modes, moonlight.
- Excellent build quality and flawless finish.
- very compact, among the smallest AA-format EDC lights available.
- Can be Locked out from tail cap with a 1/4 turn loosening.
- well designed TIR optic with large hot-spot.
- Tailstands, + strong tail-cap magnet for on steel surfaces. (which magnet is removable)
- Great runtimes on all battery types.
- best, removable & reversable side clip in the business.
- very good knurling for grip.
- No PWM in any modes.
- good looks, with the blue accented bezel & switch ring.

>> Below are the cons i managed to find with this light, (and there aren’t many!

- Cool white tint, though its not bad, i do prefer more neutral & warmer tints in the 219C/4C ~ 3500 to 5000K ranges.

> Specifications As per manufacturer
This product has the following specifications (ANSI/NEMA FL1-2009 Standards):
Max Output (lumens) 600
moonlight (lumens) 0.5
Max Run Time (hours) 25 days (moon)
Beam Distance 118 m / 387 ft.
Peak Beam Intensity (candela units: 3,480 cd
Water Resistance IPX8 (up to 2 meters)
Impact Resistance 1.5 m / 4.9 ft.
Head Diameter 0.83 in. / 21 mm
Length 3.13 in. / 79.5 mm
Battery Type 14500 3.7 volt or AA 1.5 volt
Weight (oz) 1.2900
pocket-clip Yes
User Manual Yes

>> Final thoughts:

- Overall the new Olight S1A Baton is a step in the right direction in many ways for Olight As they did the first S1 Baton CR123 version. This new S1A however adds the versatility & available of easy-to-find AA Alkaline format cells, added with the compatibility of the AA NiMH rechargeables, 14500 LiIon cells, and 1.5 volt Lithium AA primaries, its in a class that makes it more versatile than the S1.
When compared to the older previous S15 Baton AA-format EDC light, there is no contest. This new S1A is more compact, brighter, better tint, better beam pattern, & better looking. Also more durable, as TIR solid optic lenses are nearly unbreakable. they can be scratched, but will not break like a glass lens if dropped on a sharp rock. (i found that out twice with EDC lights that broke lenses after dropping) I found to in my sample the modes changed at a faster rate than the past S-series lights. ( when the switch is held down, the modes would cycle quicker.)
For the price point its a great EDC light, among the top in the range so far of those i have used. After a emitter swap to a more warmer tint, this new S1A would easily be a new favorite AA-format EDC light over my previous three faves in this test, the modded UF-G10, TG06 & S15R. If you are looking to find a good, small AA-format EDC light with great features, build quality, modes and versatility, the S1A is a good choice. If you have any questions pertaining to this light feel free to ask. ~ Also stay tuned for the next upcoming full review of the Factory-Dedomed M3XS-UT Thrower provided by Lydia from Olight! – Den / DBSAR

oh no, not another S1A... LOL!!! yes, I know there are a dozen S1A reviews on this site, well, I like to join in the fun too. so here goes...

Thanks to Olight and through a local Olight distributor, I received a unit of S1A and 4 units of S2A for testing and review. I was very surprise to receive all 4 colors of S2A for testing as they are the same and only different in the silicone grip color.

Among the S2A, 3 of them, Blue, Yellow and Gray silicone grip are coated with Glow in The Dark material.

more on that in a just a bit.

Knowing that S1A supports 14500 LiIon Rechargeable battery, I bought a few Olight branded 14500 along with couple of Olight branded Lithium Primary batteries for testing.



Let's have a look at the packaging. First up, the S1A.





Contents of S1A package, user manual, lanyard with threading pin (seriously, it's very kind of Olight to do this, human-touch), Olight S1A flashlight and a Primary Lithium battery.

so, can't find the battery?

here! A Lithium Iron Disulfide (LiFeS2) Primary battery is pre-installed in the flashlight unit.

remember to remove the insulating film before using, or if you are like me, you will put away that Primary Lithium battery for safe-keeping and reserve them for TEOTWAWKI (in the unlikely event that I somehow survived) or any potential Zombie Apocalypse (again, in the unlikely chance that I don't become one of them).

I'm in the opinion that Olight should re-word where-ever and whenever they reference Lithium Iron Disulfide (LiFeS2) battery, instead of using Lithium Iron, they should just say Primary Lithium battery.

I'm glad that Olight chooses to include a Primary Lithium battery instead of Alkaline battery. I've seen other flashlight manufacturers that include Alkaline battery in the package, and after being on the shelf for some time, the Alkaline battery leaks. Yuck!

The TIR optics and magnetic tailcap. You can remove the magnet if you want, and you should if you see yourself EDC-ing the S1A along with diskettes and/or cassette tape.


ok, here is the positive contact nipple located inside the flashlight body towards the head, looks kind-a sexy doesn't it?!


The switch-side of Olight S1A


Tailcap, flat, sturdy flat, tail-stand sturdy flat.


The clip, removable, pocket friendly, as long as your pocket is not made of thick fabrics, I mean those really, really thick, thicker than 0.5cm fabrics. it's reversible too, for head-down carry or if you fancy getting poke in your pocket.


Here we have 3 lights for length comparisons, from top, S1, S1A and S2A.


and comparing the length of S1A to various battery sizes.

about battery fitment, I only have a few 14500, namely just Olight and AW IMR, so YMMV. here are a few pictures showing the tail end after different battery inserted into the S1A flashlight.

Using Olight 14500 LiIon Rechargeable


Using Olight Primary Lithium battery


Using AW IMR 14500 battery


Next, let's move on to Olight S2A.




Like the S1A, what's included is user manual, lanyard with threading pin, Olight S2A flashlight and 2 Primary Lithium batteries.

Some claim that the rubber o-ring that is holding the flashlight securely in the package is actually the spare o-ring, well, I know I ain't gonna use that as my replacement o-ring. Just saying.

see below the 2 Primary Lithium batteries that's included inside the flashlight. Remember to remove the insulating film before use, or put the batteries away for safe-keeping... you know, just in case...


this is the tailcap of Olight S2A, the first thing you'll notice missing from S2A is the magnet, S1-series, S2-series, and S1A all have magnetic tailcap, but not S2A. Manufacturer gives reason that the head of S2A is heavier, hmmm...


Spring contact for battery positive terminal. both S1A and S2A have the battery positive terminal pointing to head compare to S1 and S2 model where battery positive terminal is pointing to tailcap.


Let's see some colors of S2A.


Closing up on the silicone grip.


Compare the grip to Fenix TK20.


The switch on Olight S2A.


The switch boot on S2A is translucent, lights get to pass through the switch boot

The brighter the level you choose, the more lights get passed through. I don't see any light on the switch boot when using moon mode, must be too dim to shine through.

Comparing the bezel of S1A and S1.


Comparing the bezel of S1A and S2A.


The diameter of S2A is slightly bigger than S1A.


Now, let's go back to those GiTD silicone body grip on the Olight S2A, only available with the Blue, Gray and Yellow model. Olight says these are fluorescence material, that they are not. These silicone body grip is quite dull, and when a UV light is directed to them, it doesn't give the "fluorescent glow". These are actually "phosphorescence", what we commonly referred to as Glow-in-The-Dark (GiTD).

Immediately after being activated by a UV light source.

the square piece is a GiTD sticker paper bought at Daiso, you know, those dollar stores.

After a minute.


After 5 minutes.


After an hour.

well, you could probably still pick up a very very faint glow with your night adapted eyes, but not me.

Now, let's get on with the mode switching, I've created a few horizontal cross functional flowcharts, hopefully it explains some subtle differences between the UI of new S1A, S2A and the older S1 and S2-series.

first, let's look at the S1A.

S1A and S2A now remembers both moon mode and turbo, even when turbo is access through double-click. The older S1 does not remember moon mode and if turbo (or max mode) is access via double-click, the older S1 does not remembers it unless turbo is activated via the normal mode switching (press and hold).

next, the S2A.

the UI is the same as S1A.

They have also shorten the time delay between mode changing when doing press-hold, it's now much faster to change mode on S1A and S2A than the S1 and S2-series.

let's take a look at the UI of the older S1 Baton.

as pictured, the moon mode and Max/Turbo mode (when activated via double-click) will not be remembered.

having trouble with the chart? no worries, just bring a bar of dark chocolate and a bottle of Sweet Madeira wine and we can indulge ourselves in the delicacies of the elusive Olight S1A and S2A UI.

now, on to some output test, but first, the way Olight specify their light output deserves some praise. it clearly states the output and the gradual step down brightness and runtime in the user manual.

first, charging my Olight 14500 battery in the Pila charger for the test.


So, just how the 1 minute step-down going to affect me as a user from a 600-lumen turbo output? I decided to run a test, and the following video is the results. Btw, you may wanna turn down your speaker volume before clicking that play button, I figure watching a 3 minutes tree top video is too boring, so I added a background music...

can you tell the difference? Maybe you can, but I can't, well not until towards the end of the video I can't and not unless I move the sliding bar going back and forth in the video and ah-ha! there is indeed a step down.

10 seconds into the video


1 minute 10 seconds into the video


2 minutes into the video


2 minutes 30 seconds into the video


time for some outdoor beam shots. here are the participants.


all pictures taken with manual mode on Sony RX-100, ISO-400, F/3.5, Exposure 1s, more lights are spill to the sides and is actually brighter in real life compare to the beam shots. But if the light pollution rate continue to rise, this might well be the true output captured in the near future.

















remember the Olight Lithium Iron Disulfide (LiFeS2) Primary battery that we put away for safe keeping? well, I just have to know if they are as good as our beloved Energizer Ultimate Lithium. So I went back to the Olight distributor and bought another 2 units of S1A to perform the following test.

This is my test setup.

from left, Energizer Ultimate Lithium, Olight Primary Lithium, IKEA Ladda 2450 NiMH LSD

The following video were captured using LapseIt Pro on a Asus Zenphone 5 with locked exposure. Again, it might be a good idea to turn down your speaker volume...

note the running number on the lower right corner is not the runtime, but the timestamp of the recording. and yes, we flashaholics need no sleep, that's how we qualify to be one in the first place.

following are the recorded events, in order:
Olight Primary Lithium:        1.807V
Energizer Ultimate Lithium:    1.801V
IKEA Ladda 2450 NiMH LSD:    1.399V

Test starts at 01:26am
@03:00am (1 hour 34 minutes), NiMH starts to dim and flicker
@03:04am (1 hour 38 minutes), Olight Primary Lithium starts to dim
@03:25am (1 hour 59 minutes), Energizer Ultimate Lithium starts to dim
@03:57am (2 hour 31 minutes), Energizer Ultimate Lithium dimmed further, dimmer than Olight Primary Lithium
@04:01am (2 hour 35 minutes), Olight Lithium flashes once and turn off, follow by Energizer Ultimate Lithium half a minute later

In conclusion, both S1A and S2A are good flashlight from quality manufacturer. These are flashlights (torches for some of you) that deliver very good runtime and performance. These are serious lumen for the money.

Well, of course it's not without its fault... for one, if only Olight can gives us a flashlight that can be charge wirelessly with High CRI lumens at half the price? you know, like those in the Star Gate Universe? One can continue to wish... and dream... oh well...

Manker and Kronos would like to do something to help Old-Lumens.

We decided to donate the sale income of 50 pcs of Kronos X5 to Old-Lumens.

We will post the donation records here.

Please remark your BLF ID when you place the donation order.

Please place the donation order here: Kronos X5

Manker and Kronos wish this would help Old-Lumens.

Manker and Kronos Team

 August 23th 2016

Donate list:

1.slow2go ( puchase a X5 and donate extra $10)

2.MRsDNF

T-Mart contacted me and asked if I would review this flashlight,  

    I gladly accepted as I’ve wanted to do a review here.           

The light was provided by T-Mart for review.

 TactFire is T-Mart’s “House” brand.

Review of TactFire TS-1 Mini Zooming Flashlight (AA/14500)

 Specifications: (from Mfg.)

Supplier:

T-Mart

Price:

$3.99 w/discount code: Tlight (Good until Sept. 30th)

The current regular price is $4.99 at time of this review

Although other colors are available (Red & Silver) the code is only for black

Product Link (non-aff):

http://www.tmart.com/Mini-Strong-Brightness-Waterproof-Dimmable-3-Modes-Retractable-Flashlight-Black_p345490.html

Initial observations:

The first thing I noticed it's much slimmer than an SK68, it is similar in size to my Olight S15.

The anodizing looked good, and arrived in perfect condition. It’s a semi-gloss black color (more gloss than matte) with a light textured finish.

On the downside I noticed the pocket clip was thin and weak.

Packaging/included documentation/accessories:

The TactFire TS-1 came in a plain white box with bubble wrap inside; there was no user manual or accessories.

 Size comparison with some popular lights

Measured dimensions:

Length retracted:  93.6mm

Length extended: 103.4mm

Head (at widest point): 22.8mm

Diameter at bezel: 22.2mm

Tail diameter: 18.9mm

Battery tube diameter: 19.0mm

Battery Type/Fitment:

A great feature of this light is its full support of 14500 li-ion rechargeable batteries; it will also run on standard AA primary, and although I have not tried one it should also run on rechargeable Ni-Mh.

An AW brand protected 14500 (51mm) worked fine in the light, however it did not operate properly the longer Olight 14500 (52.5mm) battery. I believe it was fully compressing the springs and the pressure was causing the switch to jam. The Olight battery did work fine however with the tailcap slightly loosened.

The ID of the battery tube is plenty wide enough to accommodate protected batteries; there are springs on both ends so the battery is held tightly with absolutely no rattle, no matter how hard I shook it.

Body/anodization/threads:

As noted in my initial observations the anodizing looks very good, the finish is on the shiny side but has a quality look and feel. Testing in the clip groove it took quite a bit of scratching with a sharp knife to remove some of the color, the anno should hold up well under normal conditions.

Imprinted in the flats of the battery tube is the (TactFire) logo on one side and the model (TS-1) on the other. The white color logos are bright and precise, I was unable to scratch any of the lettering off with the back side of a pocket knife blade.

Instead of knurling this light has straight grooves, they are fairly smooth and not as aggressive as they appear.

The body tube thickness measured around 2.5mm, so plenty thick for strength. The tail-cap threads are triangular. There is one O-ring on the tail-cap. The threads did not appear to be lubed although there may have been a small amount, since it felt pretty smooth when screwing the cap on/off. I added a bit of Super Lube synthetic grease to the threads and O-ring.

Optics:

This is a zooming flashlight or “FTT” (Flood-to-Throw) It has a push-pull type zooming function, the action of the zoom is smooth and snug, it feels much nicer and has a much longer travel than the zoom action on my SK68 AA zoomie. (The zoom travel is nearly twice as far – extending to 10.4mm versus 5.7mm for the SK68).

The plastic aspherical type lens is perfectly clear and arrived scratch free, there are no visible imperfections that I can see (but I’m not an expert on these lenses). The threads of the bezel holding the lens are very fine pitch and felt smooth.

Pocket clip:

There is some room for improvement with the pocket clip. It is not nearly as sturdy as I would like and can be removed from the light too easily, which is what I did. Fortunately the flashlight is small and light enough to just carry it in your pocket without the clip, the clip does work fine attached to the brim of a ballcap with the brim pushed all the way in to the clip.

Water Resistance:

The manufacture’s specifications do not list an “IPX” rating but it’s advertised as being “Waterproof” however I inquired with T-Mart about the waterproof description and was informed "It can be used in rainy days” (but cannot be submerged) so therefore they mean water "resistant"

There is an O-ring in the tail and another under the sliding part of the head but there is no o-ring out front in the bezel or lens.

With that in mind I decided not to perform any testing for water resistance.

Switch:

The TactFire TS-1 is operated via a “reverse clicky” tail-cap mounted switch.

The rubber switch boot is somewhat small (10mm dia.) and made of a smooth glossy type rubber, however the boot did not feel slippery when operating it.

The switch is fully recessed which enables tail-standing capability on most any surface. The action of the switch is somewhat stiff, (I’m not listing this as a con as some users prefer a stiff switch). The switch seems to “trigger” at nearly the end of its travel. After being clicked on, “half-clicks” to scroll through the modes felt precise and effortless.

User Interface/Modes:

The light has 3 modes: STROBE/HIGH/LOW in that order. It starts on strobe. Starting on strobe could be a desired feature for use as a “personal defense” disorientation tactic. (I’m not listing this as a con as it may be a pro for some users). Considering the name “TactFire” I’m assuming that’s what the designers were thinking. Maybe TS-1 stands for TactFire Strobe 1st?

After a full press to click it on, the reverse clicky switch enables the user to quickly scroll through the modes with light half presses of the button.  The light does not have mode memory, meaning it will always start on strobe without worry, an advantage for the purpose of the strobe, and a disadvantage to those not wanting strobe first.

Mode spacing: The spacing between Low and High mode is adequate, however the Low mode is not an ultra Low, brightness output on low is comparable to the medium level of the Olight S15. It would have been nice if they also made this in a 3-mode version (with no strobe) for those who don't need strobe and want a lower low.

Emitter(s)/tint:

The specifications do not list the emitter type but T-Mart confirmed it’s an XP-E. It isn’t advertised as Cree though, so it could be a Lattice Brite but I haven't done any research to positively ID it.

The emitter has a very cold tint, but it’s listed as 6000k. It has a bluish/purplish hue that is apparent even when compared to some other CW lights I have, including my Olight S15 and TomTop SK68, I’m not listing this as a con as some users prefer colder tints.

Internal components: Driver/MCPCB/Heatsink/Pill

The aluminum pill is threaded into the battery tube and unscrewed easily. It appears to be a hollow pill, I can see a separate aluminum part behind driver that’s resting on a shelf of the pill, (see photo below) I’m not sure if it’s the back of the MCPCB or some sort of mounting plate, it’s really tight, I tried pushing forward on it but was unable to get it to budge it so I’m unsure how it comes out. Surrounding the LED on the front end there’s a concave piece that appears to be white plastic which I also was unable to remove. I wasn’t prepared to employ any drastic measures to dig in deeper right now.

The driver OD measures 14mm at its widest point, held in by a light press fit, it fits snugly in the 14mm ID of the driver pocket and rests on a ledge that positions the board to sit exactly flush with the bottom of the pill.  I believe I’ve read somewhere the 15mm SK68 drivers from Mtn.can be filed down to fit a 14mm opening.

 ^ ^ View of hollow pill ^ ^

Heat:

Comparing with the SK68 the TactFire TS-1 does not heat up as quickly, after running on high several minutes both were quite hot to the touch and about equal temp. This was with 14500 batteries.

Run time:

On high mode the TactFire TS-1 ran until the battery’s protection circuit tripped, (about 50 minutes) an AW 14500 750mAh battery was used for this test. I did not perform a test for low mode or other cell types and there are no runtimes listed in the specifications.

Output/Brightness:

The only other useable AA size zooming light I currently have for comparison is an unbranded SK68 from TomTop. The brightness of the TactFire is nearly the same as the SK68. I also have a Trustfire Z8 but it died and I haven’t got around to troubleshooting beyond the tail switch.

The output of the TactFire TS-1 is noticeably brighter when running on a 14500 Li-ion battery compared to running on an AA Alkaline battery.

I do not have a light meter or test equipment to measure output so I used an ANSI rated light, an Olight S15 XML2 (280Lm ANSI) for a visual comparison to estimate the lumen output. For this comparison I partially zoomed the TactFire to approximately match the size of the hotspots, since the Olight is not a zooming light. I also did a "ceiling bounce" visual comparison in a small room holding the lights above (TactFire fully zoomed out) and looking at the amount of light on the floor.

My estimate is about 220-230 lm. Keep in mind my estimate is only a visual estimate and should be taken with a grain of salt, as I did not actually measure the output using test equipment.

Beam profile:

When fully zoomed in to “throw mode” (slider fully extended forward) the TactFire’s hotspot is slightly tighter than the hotspot of the SK68. In terms of throw they are about equal, with the TactFire having maybe a slight edge over the SK68. The throw distance is quite impressive compared to a small reflector type AA light like the Olight S15, the TactFire stomps the S15 in the throw department.

Photos below are beamshot comparisons (zoomed in) with the SK68, also added a comparison shot with a non zoomie (Olight S15)

The white truck is about 55 yards (50 meters) away

In the above photos notice how useless a more powerful AA size reflector type light is compared to an AA size zoomie to see objects out at this distance. With the zoomie I could clearly see a person or animal out at the truck, it would be much harder to see with the reflector light.

Like the SK68 the TactFire also projects a square “die image” when fully zoomed in.

In this comparison shot you can see the TactFire’s hotspot is slightly smaller / tighter than the hotspot of the SK68:

Also as with most zooming lights there are rings, when zooming in with the TactFire TS-1 there is a tight band of thin rings (that appears as one thicker ring) at the far outer edge of the beam.

They made this one right in the zoom out department, the sliding head does not “bottom out early” so it brings the LED as far forward to the optic as possible, for the widest possible flood. 

In “flood mode” (fully zoomed out) the TactFire TS-1 has a very wide spill, it’s nearly twice the size of the SK68’s:

Mule Mode Super Flooder!

By removing the bezel and lens the TS-1 can quickly convert to a “mule mode super flooder”  It then can be zoomed from medium-wide to super-wide with no rings visible.

Since there is no reflector, with the slider fully retracted the LED sits at or near the top of the tube, which enables it to flood a larger area with the lens and bezel removed. Great for tail-standing as an emergency room lamp.

I also found I was able to replace the aspheric lens with a flat glass lens from a Convoy S2+ (20.45mm x 1.5mm) it fits in perfectly with the bezel screwed on. The top rim of the bezel (outer rim ahead of the lens) is the only thing that further limits the spill, If I were to grind/sand the outer rim of the bezel down to nearly flush it should get even wider flood and would make this into a dedicated mini flooder!  

Pro’s:

Small size

Low price

Tailstands

Runs on 14500

Good anodizing

Wide flood beam

Smooth, snug zoom action

Similar in performance to SK68 but in a smaller package

Con’s:

Weak pocket clip

Other cons would be subjective (tint, mode order, switch) to my personal preferences.

Conclusion:

The TactFire TS-1’s compact size, decent throw, wide flood mode, nice anodizing and 14500 Li-ion capability make it a good value.

Because of its more compact size, wider flood beam and otherwise nearly equal performance & price, I’d sooner reach for this TactFire over my SK68 to toss in my pocket, I rarely pocket the SK68 because it’s pretty chunky for a AA light, mostly stays on the nightstand.

I have at least two more budget mini AA zoomie lights I’m planning to purchase in the near future, then I will have other similar lights for comparison besides than the SK68.

Personally I prefer a neutral tint, so it would be great if the emitter could be easily swapped out for a NW XML, I’ll have to get deeper into it to find out if that's possible, I'd also prefer a driver with 3 levels and no strobe.

Thanks for reading my first review; I hope it was helpful and enjoyable!

About my review:

I’m new at doing reviews so for now my reviews will be fairly low tech. No charts or graphs and I don’t have a light meter or equipment to measure lumens, my photography is not the greatest, lights may or may not be disassembled. I’ll try to do some beam shots if and when possible.

There are many great reviewers here on BLF who can do all of the above much better than I could at this point. I will learn and try to improve. My reviews are honest and unbiased and I will try to keep them objective. Any subjective remarks or observations I will try to clearly identify as such.

I received a new T10T yesterday, that I’d bought and paid for. This one wasn’t a freebie. I was seduced by the current sale price of > $24 on their website.

I won’t re-write their specs, except to say they seem to be accurate. In some respects it’s a great light – in others, not so much.

What I like :

The (neutral) tint is excellent. Not too cool, not too warm. Goldilocks would approve.

The modes are spaced perfectly for me. Moonlight is very low, almost exactly like the Olight S1A. Medium is perfectly adequate for night-adjusted eyes, and will no doubt offer superb runtime. High is solid, and about all one can expect from a single AA cell.

The switch is really firm. I can’t imagine an ‘accidental on’ in my pocket. You have to press with some determination, and the ‘click’ is distinct. A spare switch is included; more on that in a minute.

The head is not glued. Modding, if desired, is quite possible but considering the pleasing tint and modes, I can’t see myself changing anything.

What I’m not so crazy about :

This thing is downright slippery. It is highly polished, has no knurling whatever and even pressing the firm switch will cause it to squirm down through your hand. It’s like trying to hang onto a fish.

The only machining is the six longitudinal grooves on the head; unfortunately they’re on the forward half of the head, and twisting on them results in opening the lens/reflector/emitter. The part of the head that opens the battery tube is as slick as can be.

Which brings up another point – while the manual says that battery load is via the tail, the tail does not open! The only access is through the front. Switch replacement would be via the rear by means of an external lock ring around the switch button, with notches machined into it similar to the back of a wristwatch.

It’s ‘soft’ for what is supposed to be a titanium light. I carried it for two hours yesterday, in the pocket of my jeans and mixed in with loose change and my jack knife. It already shows distinct scuffs. My FourSevens Mini Ti rattled around in there for a year or more, and if anything, looks better than when it started. This one would look ancient in two weeks.

Finally, due to the tint & modes, I’m going to just keep it and use it as if it was rented. But I will have to do something about the ‘slippery’ aspect. Being a good Canadian, I’ll probably just wrap it with hockey tape or maybe shrink on a piece of rubber sleeve.

I’m not in a position to provide any pics right now, I’m kind of scrambling to get some things done, but I’ll try to answer any specific questions later this evening if you should have any.

One thing I have settled on is what my dream 1-AA would be like. I want a titanium Olight S1A, with the tint and mode spacings of this T10T. Then I’d be a happy camper. Are you listening, Olight?

I just received the Jet-1 MK from the Gearbest $12 deal a few weeks ago and on opening the head found the O-ring to be broken. The supplied spare ring seems to be for the Jet μ (I could be mistaken, but it does seem like it’d have to stretch over the AA sized Jet-1).

Gonna ask GB to send me a replacement, but in the meantime, I also noticed this

I want to install a focused optic in the JetBeam Jet-1 MK. I think it should float behind the window and rest on the centering widget.

Would this work and where do I find the right optic?

With the number of lights currently on the market trying to find the right one for me is making my head spin lol. I would greatly appreciate some help finding the best light to suit my needs. Here’s what I’m looking for:

• A high CRI LED
• Must have a very low moonlight mode (would prefer 0.2 or less lumens)
• I’m more concerned about maximum runtime than output so it doesn’t need to be the brightest.
• Would prefer the light to always start on the last used setting or lowest setting.
• Does not need to have strobe or SOS functions.
• I’d like to keep the price around $30 if possible

Thanks in advance!

Hi

I search a budget light on single AA with a reverse clip

I have see the Thorfire TG06

Any other suggestion

Thanks