Zhuge L01 - Minireview of an excellent flashlight with a dark secret...

[andrea.from.roma]

I got it a week ago, it's a cheap-but-incredibly-bright flashlight and I thought you may be interested in knowing something more about it.

ZHUGE L01
(an excellent flashlight with a dark secret...)

• Cree XR-E Q5-WF emitter
• Powered by one AA battery
• Regulated driver circuitry
• Coated glass lens
• Length: 88 millimeters
• Diameter: 18.5mm (head) - 16.7mm (body)
• Weight: 57 grams
• Three output levels: low / mid / high (turning it on and off quickly will cycle through the three modes)
• Mode memory: it'll remember the last output level you chose when you turned it off
• Strong and reliable twisty.

Some pictures for you guys:













First of all, this is a weird flashlight. The name says it all: Zhuge. How are we supposed to pronounce it? "Zoogae"? Or maybe 'Zee-Huge' (like a german dildo)? Nobody knows.

It's a stainless steel AA flashlight and it's somehow cheap. Not as cheap as in '9 bucks and it's bright but it flickers from time to time...' but more as in '30 bucks, it works good and I'm partially blind now...'.

Well built, kinda heavy (but that makes me feel good, in a way), as bright as the sun. Note that this last statement is totally subjective: is it as bright as this or that xxx brand flashlight? I can't tell. And I can't provide pictures of the beam, I'm still figuring out how to take that kind of pics with my camera. Anyway, one thing is for sure: it's a good flashlight. It works, it never flickers, it always turns on and the three modes are quite smart: a very low low mode (a little brighter than a Fenix E01) for long battery runtimes, a very high high mode if you need to blind somebody (or yourself, like I just did a minute ago). And a maybe-useless maybe-useful mid mode.

Mode memory is a blessing: I can turn it on and have max power any time I want. But if I feel like I'm going to use the flashlight for a long period of time I can switch to that lovely low mode and make the battery last a long long time.

What's the point, then? What did I mean by 'dark secret'?

The point is that it will only work with tiny alkalines. NiMH Energizer / Duracell batteries won't fit! I know, it's silly, but it's the truth. Even if you peel the battery off (and it's a crazy thing to do, believe me), they won't fit in.

So, my advice is: get this flashlight if you (just like I was) are looking for a solid, edc sturdy stainless steel flashlight that will work on regular AA batteries. It's got a twisty (it won't break, that's what I'm saying), it's bright and it is smaaaaaall. Actually, along with the Nitecore EZAA, this is the smallest AA flashlight I've seen.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a flashlight that will work with NiMH rechargeable batteries (Energizer, Duracell, Eneloop), there is a big chance you will be disappointed with this flashlight.

May the lumens be with you,

A.

[Styerman]

Good review , makes you wonder why they made the bore diameter so small , real headscratcher !

Chris

[Gareth]

Good review that, I enjoyed reading it. The fact it won't run on Ni-MH is a show stopper for me unfortunately, but it certainly looks very pretty.

[Neil]

Why oh why would anyone make a single AA torch that won't take a NiMH 

Nice review, thanks

[andrea.from.roma]

My pleasure.

A.

[DaveK]

Want!

[thermox]

Agreed, pity about the small bore size. I wonder if it would be possible to mod a AAA battery adaptor to fit

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=37379

 

[Neil]

It might be easier to just use a magnetic spacer and a wrap of card but then you may as well buy a smaller AAA torch

[andrea.from.roma]

Want!

Believe me, if it wasn't for that unbelievable flaw, I would buy another two or three. It's working flawlessly, I'm impressed.

(this is me hitting the guy who designed this flashlight)

Agreed, pity about the small bore size. I wonder if it would be possible to mod a AAA battery adaptor to fit

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=37379

 

The problem would then be with runtimes: on a single AAA you couldn't get enough juice to power it. But in an emergency situation, yes, yours would be a smart idea.

It might be easier to just use a magnetic spacer and a wrap of card but then you may as well buy a smaller AAA torch

Which is what we would do anyway, wouldn't we?
I'm still looking at the EZAA, but I think I'll have to wait a month before ordering it. Christmas time is hell for international orders.
Eventually, I'm satisfied with this Zhuge, I really can't complain too much. It's shiny, it's bright, it's small. And I still blind myself, from time to time, when checking if the alkaline has still some charge left.